I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this, but I'm going to put it out there. A bunch of hybrid owners who have tested their vehicles with handheld electromagnetic field meters and were alarmed by the results, according to The New York Times. And researchers with expertise in hybrid-car issues said in the report that while there may not be cause for alarm, neither should there be potentially considerable health effects.

There is a legitimate scientific reason for raising the issue, according to the article: "The flow of electrical current to the motor that moves a hybrid vehicle at low speeds (and assists the gasoline engine on the highway) produces magnetic fields, which some studies have associated with serious health matters, including a possible risk of leukemia among children."

Is this just a lot of fear, uncertainty, and doubt, or is there merit to the idea? "It would be a mistake to jump to conclusions about hybrid E.M.F. dangers, as well as a mistake to outright dismiss the concern," said Jim Kliesch, a senior engineer for the clean vehicles program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "Additional research would improve our understanding of the issue." Check out the article for yourself and let me know what you think in the comments. My take is that we need an actual, controlled, scientific study, not anecdotal evidence from a bunch of isolated drivers.