CLAIM: Kim Atienza and BBC News advised the public to turn off their cellphones and avoid sleeping beside them due to strong radiation emitted by cosmic rays and “nucli atomic” that can cause death.
RATING: FALSE
A recycled chain message is circulating again on social media and chat groups, falsely claiming that weather forecaster Kim Atienza and BBC News have advised the public to turn off cellphones from 10:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. due to alleged strong radiation emitted from cosmic rays and “nucli atomic” [atomic nuclei].
A search conducted by PressOne.PH did not find any BBC News report carrying this information.
Atienza debunked this claim on X (formerly Twitter) way back in January 2020, saying the chain message is a hoax that had been circulated in the past.
According to experts, the public shouldn’t be worried about cosmic rays. While cosmic rays can affect electronic devices, there’s no evidence that it can harm humans as the Earth’s atmosphere provides effective protection against it. Justine Bautista
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Justine Bautista is a Journalism student from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and an intern for PressOnePH. This piece was created under the supervision of PressOnePH’s editors.
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