During the Knicks’ championship tunnel walks, fans wanted to know about those wired earbuds that half the team (including MVP Jalen Brunson) had dangling from their ears. NBA champions are not alone in choosing wires over wireless these days: stars like Zendaya, Harry Styles, Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa and Timothée Chalamet have all recently been photographed wearing wired headphones.
According to research firm Circana, wired headphones saw a 20% increase in sales in the first quarter of 2026. Consumers may have many reasons for turning to wired headphones, but one of the most prevalent may be the serious health concerns raised by medical experts and scientists about the wireless radiation that powers Bluetooth and other wireless devices. The Director of the Center for Family and Community Health at University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Joel Moskowitz, cites more than a dozen studies when warning that low-intensity microwave radiation like that emitted by wireless earbuds can break down the blood-brain barrier.
A fellow of the American Academy of Radiology and Vice President of Scientific Research and Clinical Affairs at Environmental Health Trust, Dr. Robert Brown, is currently conducting research into the effect wireless radiation has on human blood. “There are many potential health effects to the head and neck from wearing wireless headsets,” Dr. Brown said. “We are only just beginning to understand the impact radiation from these devices has on the brain, thyroid, eye, and blood.”
“Non-ionizing radiation,” Dr. Brown continued, “the type used by Bluetooth earbuds, cell phones, and other wireless devices, was once thought to be harmless – we were told that the only impact it could have on humans was a thermal or heating effect. But now we clearly know that isn’t the whole story.”
Dr. Brown’s new book “UnPlug: A Radiologist Explores the Damage Caused by Electropollution and How You Can Prevent It” provides an accessible deep dive into the science of this technology and details the impacts non-ionizing wireless radiation (like that used by Bluetooth earbuds) can have on the human body. Importantly, it also offers strategies to reduce exposure so individuals can protect themselves.
“My training and professional experience as a practicing radiologist have given me a healthy respect for radiation — something that is lacking in the current discourse. Radiation is a powerful tool for diagnosis and for wireless communication, but incessant and ubiquitous exposure to this technology can put human health at risk.”
The trend for wired headphones is a good start, said Dr. Brown, who offered other pointers as well.
“Technology should be turned off when it’s not being used, like turning on and off a light switch; when you need it, you turn it on, and when you don’t you turn it off. You don’t sleep with your lights on, so why sleep with electronics on?”
The key, Dr. Brown said, is to make conscious healthy choices. “My go-to is airplane mode, but if I needed to use a headset, I would definitely choose wired,” he said. It worked for the Knicks…
Read more about “UnPlug: A Radiologist Explores the Damage Caused by Electropollution and How You Can Prevent It.”
