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Have You Seen This? Ice encased car gets professionally defrosted
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Anyone have a few extra ice scrapers lying around? - photo by Mary Dalrymple
Mary Dalrymple
KSL.com
Published: Jan 4, 2018, 9:39 AM
LAKE ERIE When one driver parked his car on the shore of Lake Erie a few winters ago, he probably didn't expect to return to the vehicle to find it looking more like an ice castle than a car.

The Weather Channel released this video Tuesday of a car that became completely encased in ice after a 2016 winter storm. The car is pretty cool to look at, with thick icicles cascading all across it, but I definitely wouldn't want to be the one to have to remove all that ice.

According to the video, the car's owner parked his vehicle by the lake before heading out for a night with friends, but as meteorologist Mark Elliot puts it, "You might want to try to leave the car slightly further from the lake before the night of fun begins."

I can tell you that if I came back to my car looking like this, whatever night of fun I'd had probably wouldn't feel worth it anymore. And even though this happened a few years ago, since it's apparently so cold in some parts of the country right now that sharks are dying, I think the risk of this happening again is high.

After we get a good look at the frozen car in the video, The Weather Channel gives us a little explainer on how to free a car stuck like this, and yes, professionals had to be called in.

"First, apply 350 grams of calcium flakes," the video says. "That calcium powder is just going to eat through this ice with its heating power... You know, law of thermodynamics here."

Well, good to know, and thank you for the information, The Weather Channel, but I think I will just go ahead and stay safely away from all bodies of water during all future freezing windstorms.
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
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.