The science behind Anthony Albanese's unusual hot-mic moment at COP31

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been caught on a hot microphone joking with Energy Minister Chris Bowen about mobile phone radiation and health while the pair waited for a roundtable discussion to begin at the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkiye, on Friday evening.

Albanese was recorded cautioning Bowen not to keep his phone in his breast pocket, prompting an exchange about the potential impact of mobile phones on the body, including on the heart's rhythm. Bowen said he had stopped carrying his phone in his pants pocket, and the pair laughed about which organ might matter more. A television network first broadcast a clip of the private exchange on Friday evening. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister later downplayed the moment, saying the pair were having a joke between meetings.

The light-hearted exchange has raised a genuine question: do mobile phones affect human health, including common concerns that they can cause cancer?

A large number of studies have examined the question, with some raising concerns and others finding little convincing evidence of harm. According to the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), the current available research does not indicate that using a mobile phone is associated with harmful health effects.

Mobile phones emit radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (EMF), a form of non-ionising radiation. Unlike ionising radiation such as X-rays, this type of radiation does not carry enough energy to directly damage DNA.

Research published in 2024 and led by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) examined data from more than 250,000 mobile phone users and found that mobile phone use was not associated with a risk of developing brain tumours.

Even so, some studies have suggested possible links between mobile phone use and changes in testosterone levels, sperm motility and cardiac activity. Those findings have fuelled concerns, particularly about carrying phones close to the reproductive organs or the heart. But the evidence is far from conclusive, and most studies examining electromagnetic radiation and human organs, including the heart, have found little evidence of a direct relationship.

One major UK longitudinal study did find an association between longer weekly mobile phone use and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Its researchers calculated that sleep patterns, psychological distress and neuroticism accounted for between 2.25 and 11.5 per cent of that association, and suggested that the way people use their phones could be part of the problem. Late-night scrolling, disrupted sleep, constant notifications and the stress of an endless stream of digital information can all affect circadian rhythms, hormone regulation and metabolic health. Poor sleep and chronic stress are already well-established risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and the researchers noted the study could not establish causation.

ARPANSA continues to review the evidence. Its guidance distinguishes an unproven association in some heavy-use studies from proof of harm, and notes the IARC classification of radiofrequency fields as possibly carcinogenic on limited evidence. It says people who wish to reduce exposure can increase the distance from the body and follow the handset manufacturer's spacing instructions. A politician's joke is not medical evidence, and the cardiovascular study cannot show that phone radiation caused disease.

Illustrative phone on a desk, not the ministers' phones or a health test.