15 votes

Horns are growing on young people’s skulls. Phone use is to blame, research suggests.

17 comments

  1. Deimos
    (edited )
    Link
    Techdirt's rebuttal article about this, linking to some other articles and with more information from the actual study: No, Your Kid Isn't Growing Horns Because Of Cellphone Use The BBC article...

    Techdirt's rebuttal article about this, linking to some other articles and with more information from the actual study: No, Your Kid Isn't Growing Horns Because Of Cellphone Use

    The BBC article linked in there is much better. Submitted it separately to ~science.

    14 votes
  2. stu2b50
    Link
    People are complaining about the use of "phone" in the title but what about "horn"? It's a small (and I mean small) bone growth at the back of your head. That's not exactly what you first imagine...

    People are complaining about the use of "phone" in the title but what about "horn"? It's a small (and I mean small) bone growth at the back of your head. That's not exactly what you first imagine when you read "horn growing on young people".

    9 votes
  3. [3]
    tea_and_cats_please
    Link
    I am highly suspicious of chiropractors. I don't know if he's the "crack your neck to cure your allergies" type of chiropractor or a "rub your back to help your back pain" type of chiropractor,...

    I am highly suspicious of chiropractors. I don't know if he's the "crack your neck to cure your allergies" type of chiropractor or a "rub your back to help your back pain" type of chiropractor, but it raises my hackles.

    Michael Nitabach, a professor of physiology, genetics and neuroscience at Yale University, was unconvinced by the findings.

    Yeah, Imma go ahead and trust this guy, I think.

    7 votes
    1. [3]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. balooga
        Link Parent
        Skepticism of chiropractic is reasonable: It was founded in the 1880s by a grocer-turned-magnetic-healer in the midst of a broader cultural trend of pseudoscientific, "metaphysical" approaches to...

        Skepticism of chiropractic is reasonable: It was founded in the 1880s by a grocer-turned-magnetic-healer in the midst of a broader cultural trend of pseudoscientific, "metaphysical" approaches to medicine. It belongs in the same category as other ballyhooed inventions of that era like snake oil liniment, phrenology, and homeopathy.

        I understand that great strides have been made, particularly in the last 3-4 decades, to legitimize chiropractic as a scientific discipline. Your chiropractor may not be claiming that regular adjustments can cure cancer, but it doesn't change the fact that subluxation theory, the core basis of chiropractic, remains an unfalsifiable, unscientific dogma.

        People do feel better after a chiropractic adjustment, but it's temporary relief on par with a massage or knuckle-cracking. It's no substitute for proper spinal care from a trained physician.

        7 votes
      2. andre
        Link Parent
        A valid point, but I, like tea_and_cats_please, am going to go ahead and trust the Yale geneticist instead.

        A valid point, but I, like tea_and_cats_please, am going to go ahead and trust the Yale geneticist instead.

        2 votes
  4. [3]
    Thrabalen
    Link
    So it's not "phone use", it's smartphone use. The wording the article uses is somewhat deceptive, as it makes it sound like just making phone calls is turning people bovine or demonic.

    So it's not "phone use", it's smartphone use. The wording the article uses is somewhat deceptive, as it makes it sound like just making phone calls is turning people bovine or demonic.

    1 vote
    1. [2]
      imperialismus
      Link Parent
      That's just the headline, which is often not even written by the same person as the rest of the article. And to be fair, "phone use" has pretty much become synonymous with smartphone use in the...

      That's just the headline, which is often not even written by the same person as the rest of the article. And to be fair, "phone use" has pretty much become synonymous with smartphone use in the past decade. As far as clickbait goes, I'd rate this fairly low on the scale. And the article goes into detail about what's actually being observed, and also includes a dissenting voice who points out that the correlation between smartphone use and these bone protrusions has not been established, as the study didn't take into account smartphone use patterns.

      7 votes
      1. Thrabalen
        Link Parent
        My problem (other than being old) is that for me, phone use = a phone call. Device use is another matter. Dear lord, I just realized I now know how people who object to "going to the bathroom" on...

        My problem (other than being old) is that for me, phone use = a phone call. Device use is another matter. Dear lord, I just realized I now know how people who object to "going to the bathroom" on the basis that there's no tub or shower in the room feel!

        1 vote
  5. [9]
    ali
    Link
    Paywalled. Can someone copy the text here?

    Paywalled. Can someone copy the text here?

    2 votes
    1. [6]
      Deimos
      Link Parent
      Put "outline.com/" in front of the url (so it looks like outline.com/https://www.washingtonpost...) - that works for most sites, or you can also install an extension like Bypass Paywalls.

      Put "outline.com/" in front of the url (so it looks like outline.com/https://www.washingtonpost...) - that works for most sites, or you can also install an extension like Bypass Paywalls.

      8 votes
      1. [4]
        ali
        Link Parent
        Thanks, I forgot the name of this website. And I was on my phone. Do you think posting the outline link is also problematic?

        Thanks, I forgot the name of this website. And I was on my phone. Do you think posting the outline link is also problematic?

        1 vote
        1. [3]
          Deimos
          Link Parent
          It's fine to post in the comments, but I can't add a site feature that automatically has an Outline link or anything like that (some people have requested that).

          It's fine to post in the comments, but I can't add a site feature that automatically has an Outline link or anything like that (some people have requested that).

          1 vote
          1. [2]
            unknown user
            Link Parent
            Why not, ooi? That would seem like an innovative and useful feature.

            Why not, ooi? That would seem like an innovative and useful feature.

      2. Thrabalen
        Link Parent
        You, my dear friend, are a saint.

        You, my dear friend, are a saint.

        1 vote
    2. [3]
      Comment removed by site admin
      Link Parent
      1. [2]
        Deimos
        Link Parent
        Please don't copy-paste entire articles. That's copyright infringement and we can't have them on Tildes like that.

        Please don't copy-paste entire articles. That's copyright infringement and we can't have them on Tildes like that.

        7 votes
        1. zptc
          Link Parent
          Okay, my apologies.

          Okay, my apologies.

          8 votes