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How many times a day do you unlock your smartphone just to mindlessly scroll through Twitter? Or try to beat the next level of Fruit Ninja while waiting in line at the grocery store? We’ve all been guilty of being attached to the light-up screens in our pockets at one point or another. But what if you weren’t? What if it was illegal to use a cell phone? No, this isn’t the intro to another dystopian horror flick. This is real life for the residents of Green Bank, West Virginia. 

Part of a 13,000 square mile radius dubbed the National Radio Quiet Zone, Green Bank, recently profiled by CNN for their Great American Stories series, is a throwback to the good ol’ days. No cell reception, no stoplights, not even any microwaves. (Goodbye, Kraft Easy Mac!) But the townspeople aren’t completely out of touch with the rest of the world: they still have the internet, you just have to use old-school dial-up or an Ethernet cable to access it. Phew! 

In an increasingly connected world, why would a town ban cell phones? Are the residents wary of technology? Is it just an extreme measure to prevent texting and driving? The answer is none of the above. Green Bank is actually home to the world's largest radio telescope where researchers are listening in on signals picked up (and are therefore able to hear the sound of galaxies exploding at the very edge of the universe). The signals the explosions emit are a billionth of a billionth of a millionth of a watt, while the sound a cell phone emits is a whopping three watts. This means that just a quick text to your mom can completely drown out the sounds the astronomers are trying to hear. 

While some people may shudder at the thought of missing Zendaya’s latest selfie, one Green Bank resident named Hanna Sizemore told CNN that, “The mandate to disconnect really helps you think carefully about interaction with technology. [This town is] kind of a little oasis.” Another resident joked, "I tell some visitors that Green Bay is where you can come [in the United States] to get away from the United States."

While we're not ready to give up our cell phones and wifi just yet, a vacation to the CNN-dubbed "Quietest Town in America" sounds pretty nice. We'll just have to Instagram the pictures later.

Can you imagine having to living without your cell phone or a microwave? What would you miss most?

Photo credit: CNN

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