Hasta La Ideas

Sometimes, details about the reporting of the story are as intriguing as the story itself.

Halfway through the NYT Style section article “Could Wearable Computers Be as Harmful as Cigarettes?” (the headline has since been changed), columnist Nick Bilton wonders about the fact that a source who believes cell phones can be potentially harmful to the human body has instructed him to call out to a cell:

While Dr. Joseph Mercola is a vocal proponent of cellphone safety, he told me to call him on his cell when I emailed about an interview. When I asked him whether he was being hypocritical, he replied that technology is a fact of life, and that he uses it with caution. As an example, he said he was using a Bluetooth headset during our call.

And at the very end of the piece, Bilton reveals he’s similarly changed his own cell habits:

After researching this column, talking to experts and poring over dozens of scientific papers, I have realized the dangers of cellphones when used for extended periods, and as a result I have stopped holding my phone next to my head and instead use a headset.

Meanwhile, Keith Kloor, a science writer for Discover magazine, has quickly criticized Bilton for using Mercola as a primary source and failing to mention the good doctor’s allegedly challenged reputation as an expert.
 
[Image: Cary Westfall/Shutterstock.com]