I don't know about you, but not keeping a really hot laptop in my lap seems like quite a logical thing to do for me and I don't need somebody to tell me this is bad in order not to do it, but for those of you that require a research to point something as obvious as this, two doctors at the Basel University Hospital in Switzerland have finished a study that concludes notebooks can cause skin damage similar to long-term sun exposure.

Called “erythema ab igne,” this skin inflammation was reported for the very first time in 2006, the most recent case involving a 12-year-old boy that played video-games on its laptop for a few hours each day.

Although this medical condition is usually caused by long-term exposure to infrared radiation, as that emitted by the sun, scientist have come to the conclusion that laptop batteries as well as the heat exhausted by ventilation fans can also lead to “erythema ab igne” and cause skin darkening that can persist for months or even years.

Scientist also claim this could lead to skin cancer, although this will happen only in the rarest of cases.

All in all, I wouldn't say there aren't to many reasons for you to worry since this condition is something that, bakers, jewelers and many other people who sit in close proximity to fires experience regularly without risking any major illness, although I have to admit that keeping a hot laptop on your lap even though it bothers you doesn't make much sense in my book. (via Switched)