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Have You Seen This? The joy of a bucket of snow
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Chester a baby squirrel rescued by a YouTubers parents dives into a bucket of the white stuff and goes nuts. Yes, that is a squirrel pun. - photo by Angie Treasure
Angie Treasure
KSL.com
Published: Mar 3, 2017, 4:01 PM


THE ROCKIES I have a love/hate relationship with snow, and in the first few days of March that needle definitely bends all the way toward hate.

In typical Rocky Mountain spring fashion, Mother Nature has already given Utahns a tiny teaspoonful of sunshine and above freezing temperatures; enough to entice commuters into rolling their windows down on the drive home (I mean, it is 40 degrees). Fathers along Northern Utah unpacked their cargo shorts from the back of their dressers so they could show off their dad calves.

For me, the pleasant weather meant being able to wear dresses again without having the extra layer of midsection-bisecting hosiery. But since you can never count winter out until mid-June, snowstorms rolled back in along the Wasatch Front, necessitating the use of snow shovels, four-wheel drive and sending sundresses once again to the back of the closet.

But there is joy in snow. A delightful reminder is in a video posted to YouTube that shows a squirrel experiencing his first snow, according to the clip description.

Chester a baby squirrel rescued by the YouTubers parents dives into a bucket of the white stuff and goes nuts. Yes, that is a squirrel pun.

Anyway, maybe the video will help us all to appreciate that we live somewhere we can appreciate the four seasons, or to not resent something that brings happiness to other living creatures. That is, until I have to scrape off my windshield in the morning.
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.