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8 ways to appear more attractive than you are
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It doesn't take much to be more attractive right now. - photo by Melinda Fox
You may feel that there's little you can do to change how attractive you are. However, there are small changes that anyone can do with little time and effort that can influence the way people perceive how attractive you are.

Do these 8 things to make people think you're more attractive than you actually are.

Avoid small talk

Experiments have been done that compare people who talk about surface issues with people who talk about deeper topics. These studies show that people who talk about themselves, their beliefs or their passions believe that their partners are more attractive than those who discuss the weather or other shallow subjects.

Eye contact

When you meet someone new, note what color their eyes are. You will look into their eyes just a bit more than you normally would. That extra eye contact can make you appealing to the other person.

Personal Hygiene

There's no accounting for what a good shower can do for your attractiveness. You smell better, your hair looks nicer, and it shows that you value yourself. Also, don't forget to brush those teeth, trim that beard, and use deodorant. These things will do wonders.

Hand Gestures

People rate those who use hand gestures as more engaging and confident, characteristics that are valued. Use hand gestures to up your attractiveness.

Dress well

You might not have control over how your nose looks (barring any plastic surgery related modifications), but you can decide what clothes go on your body. Believe it or not, what you choose to wear has a great effect on the level of your attractiveness. In fact, even if you're not a particularly gorgeous gal, people will think you're more attractive if you dress well.

Smile

People who smile are rated as more attractive than those who don't so if you want to be better looking, just show those pearly whites.

Play hard to get

At least for men, this can be a useful tactic. Studies show that women are more likely to be interested in men when they can't figure out whether or not he's interested in them. It's hypothesized that this is because women think a lot about the guy while trying to figure out if he likes them. Because she is thinking so much about the guy, the she concludes that she must like him.

Smell good

Having a nice scent triggers people's brains to make you seem more attractive over all. A small spritz of perfume or cologne can make you seem better looking.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.