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Have You Seen This? Metal that melts in your hands
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On his addictive channel, DaveHax a Brit who narrates science/hack videos played with gallium, a metal thats solid at room temperature and liquefies at approximately 86 degrees Fahrenheit. - photo by Angie Treasure
Angie Treasure
KSL.com
Published: May 27, 2017, 8:19 AM


THE PERIODIC TABLE I was never a particularly sciencey kid.

When I had birthdays, my grandma would take me down the aisles of Toys R Us, and I would pick out two or three art kits that taught me how to fold origami, make friendship bracelets or mold tiny dyed wax beads into candles. Crafting was infinitely more interesting to me than the plastic equipment that promised technicolored mixtures oozing out of beakers or foaming volcanoes.

If I had known about gallium, however, I may have been more interested in science as a kid.

On his addictive channel, DaveHax a Brit who narrates science/hack videos played with gallium, a metal thats solid at room temperature, but liquefies at approximately 30 degrees Celsius or 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

It looks a lot like mercury, minus all of the icky side effects like madness and poisoning yourself to death.

Did I mention you can buy gallium on Amazon?

Watch DaveHax play with the gallium in his charming video, and think of all the cool things you could make and watch melt. For all those parents who are now contemplating how theyre supposed to occupy the kiddos for three months of summer, I think I found your new best friend.

This YouTube channel also fills that biscuit-shaped hole in my heart that The Great British Baking Show used to narrate.
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.