On a narrow road in the mountains of West Virginia, radio fades to white noise and the phone signal drops to zero. Up ahead a giant white ear listens in on deep space.

This is the world's largest radio telescope.¹ In recent months it has unlocked the secrets of supermassive black holesA region of space where gravity is so strong that nothing can escape from it, including particles and radiation.  and taken the best-ever photos of the moon. It scans the skies for the whisper of aliens and asteroidsSmall bodies in space, made of metal and rock material. Asteroids usually orbit the sun, but if knocked off course they can be drawn into Earth's gravity and fall towards it. . And it needs perfect silence.

Green Bank is in the US National Radio Quiet Zone², where laws outlaw wireless internet, mobile phones and even microwaves. The Observatory patrols the area, switching off anything that interferes with its hypersensitive equipment.

Residents are used to life in a digital blackout. And in the last decade, people have moved here to escape technology. Over 40 incomers claim to suffer from electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). They say digital devices give them rashes, headaches and blurred vision.

The World Health Organisation maintains there is "no scientific basis" for EHS. Critics argue these symptoms are psychosomaticPhysical symptoms that are caused wholly or in part by mental causes, such as anxiety or unhappiness. , caused by hypochondriaExcessive worrying about health. and belief in conspiracy theories.

However, Sweden recognises EHS as a disability and helps sufferers insulate their homes from radio signals. Meanwhile, internet use has skyrocketed since the pandemic - with 5.18 billion people online globally and the average Briton spending 13 hours per day looking at a screen.³

You do not have to believe in EHS to be wary of technology takeover. Since 2012, people have been trying to detox: switching off devices for a day, a week, or longer.⁴ The aim is to reduce anxiety and reset our relationship with others and the physical world.

"I want my life back," wrote Mark Boyle in 2016, as he unplugged everything. Since then he has lived entirely off-grid. "It's a choice," he writes, "between the machine world and the living, breathing world and I feel physically and mentally healthier for choosing the latter."

But in a world with more phones than people, it may be too late to kick the habit.⁵ Emily Cherkin helps clients manage their screen time. Technology, she says, is "embedded in our lives" - we work, shop, learn, play and connect through our screens.

The solution is "mindfulness", argues digital expert Sina Joneidy. Quit the dopamineA hormone and neurotransmitter that plays several important roles in the brain and body, providing us with positive sensations, rewarding us for evolutionarily good behaviours like eating food. hit of doomscrollingConstantly scrolling through news feeds or social media and reading depressing news. and focus on using technology with purpose, she says. The goal is to regain control of our devices without sacrificing convenience and connectivity.

Those who reject new technology are often called Luddites - a reference to 19th Century textile workers who destroyed weaving machines to protest working conditions. Today it is usually an insult or an apology for technophobia and digital illiteracy.

But social scientist Jathan Sadowski says he's a "proud" Luddite, and "you should be one too". Those factory workers were not stupid, backwards-looking or against progress. "No technology is sacred", argues Sadowski, and we should reject tech that makes our lives worse.

And with the rise of AI, now may be our last opportunity to ask the question.

Yes: We must disconnect from the digital to reconnect with ourselves, each other and the world around us. Instead of the endless distraction of notifications, we can regain concentration and purpose.

No: From healthcare to communication and entertainment, technology makes our lives easier, faster and safer. Be mindful of how you use it, but a tech-free world would be a disaster.

Or... It all depends on what we mean by technology. Everything from a spoon to a supercomputer is a type of tech, a tool to help us do stuff. We need the right questions to separate the good from the bad.