By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
CNN reporter shares photo of two dogs left behind by family fleeing Harvey storm
d12f3be60f45ed2de3047dcd33b6ae9036b3830f0bbaaf59517a6dc4ac6eff1d
Lavandera shared a photo on his Instagram of two dogs left behind in a boat. He said in his post that a family had to evacuate the neighborhood, which was in Dickinson, Texas. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
News Division
Published: Aug 30, 2017, 1:10 PM
CNN reporter Ed Lavandera captured whats become a viral photo in the aftermath of the Hurricane Harvey.

Hurricane Harvey barreled toward southeastern Texas last Friday, making landfall around Corpus Christi. It since ran through Houston, leaving the city buried underwater.

Two confirmed deaths have been reported, according to CNN. More than 56,000 911 calls have been placed, according to the City of Houston Office of Emergency Management.

Lavandera shared a photo on his Instagram of two dogs left behind in a boat. He said in his post that a family had to evacuate the neighborhood, which was in Dickinson, Texas.

Lavandera posted an update to the situation in a comment on his post, saying the family didnt look to impose harm on the pets.

I should add, I think the people have every intention of coming back to get the dogs, he wrote. Food was left behind and I suspect it had to be a tough choice and that they will come back for them as soon as they can.

Lavandera was also on site to see a man who was readying his own boat to go out and help those in need of rescue, according to the Deseret News.

"What are you going to do?" Lavandera asked the man. The man replied, "Go try to save some lives."

Later, Lavandera also met up with Austin Seth, who was saving stranded people with his own boat.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
93cbd7a5475cccd1cee701424125d3abaa9b4beaa58d3663208f656cbbbd7661
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
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
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.