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Have You Seen This? Security cam catches fox vs. owl showdown
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A video captured earlier this month shows a fox and owl meeting for a dramatic face-off on a snowy, late night in Canada. - photo by Mary Dalrymple
Mary Dalrymple
KSL.com
Published: Jan 19, 2018, 3:49 AM
CANADA In the ultimate battle between fox and owl, who's your pick to win?

To be honest, it's a hard choice for me. Foxes are literally known for being sly predators; but on the other hand, owls have the advantage of being able to fly and can swoop in from any angle.

Fortunately for us, a video out of Ontario, Canada, gives us a sneak peek at what this showdown might look like. Though in this case, the face-off between animals doesn't quite reach "battle" levels, it's still an entertaining look at nature.

The video, captured Jan. 4 at the Cobourg Marina, shows a relatively calm, snowy night interrupted only by a little fox trotting down the lane. But then a shadow seems to appear in the background and as the shadow gets closer and closer, you realize it's actually an owl zooming straight toward the fox. Commence showdown.

The fox and the owl dance around each other a bit, both clearly trying to weigh their odds and size up their opponent. Before anything too intense happens, the fox runs off camera, but the owl follows close behind, which makes me think a fight was imminent.

Anyway, enjoy the video and let me know in the comments below who you think won the inevitable off-camera fight between these two creatures, or if you think it just fizzled out and now the owl and fox are BFFs. My money's on the owl almost winning the fight, but then the fox surrenders and friendship ensues.
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.