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Have You Seen This? Genius ninja spider shows off super powers
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We've seen spiders that cast nets, spiders capable of carrying mice and swarms of spiders in slot canyons, but none of those compare to the unbelievable skills of the jumping spider. - photo by Mary Dalrymple
THE HUNT We've seen spiders that cast nets, spiders capable of carrying mice, and swarms of spiders in slot canyons, but none of those compare to the unbelievable skills of the jumping spider.

In a clip from BBC Earths The Hunt, Portia the jumping spider shows off these unique abilities that put her genus toward the top of her species' food chain.

Despite being terrified of all crawling creatures, I was mesmerized by this video. Maybe its the soothing narration provided by Sir David Attenborough or the fun, cartoony sound effects, but dare I say, Portia the spider is maybe even a little bit cute?

That is, cute as long as I never have to actually face a jumping spider in person because these spiders could probably take over the world if they really wanted. Known for eating other spiders, jumping spiders have the ability to leap up to 50 times the length of their own bodies and prey on creatures three times their own size, according to the video.

Yep, that sounds pretty terrifying, but you'll still probably enjoy watching Portia demonstrate her species' speedy jumping abilities. And then keep watching the video to learn more about her other powers that make her a genius among arachnids.
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.