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Have You Seen This? The net-casting spider
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Theres something wonderfully discordant about the brutalities of Mother Nature being narrated by the dulcet tones of David Attenborough. - photo by Angie Treasure
Angie Treasure
KSL.com
Published: Mar 30, 2017, 2:41 PM


IN HER NET I remember at some point in my biology classes hearing that one behavior that separates intelligent life from less-than-bright lifeforms is an organisms ability to use tools.

Now, Im no entomologist, but I would say that a spider using its own webbing as a hand-held net with which to descend and capture prey would classify as tool use, albeit somewhat terrifying tool use.

This clip is from the Planet Earth predecessor Life in the Undergrowth, and the BBC captured this beautiful moment depicting the circle of life back in 2005. Theres something wonderfully discordant about the brutalities of Mother Nature being narrated by the dulcet tones of David Attenborough.

The Gladiator spider uses a special web that is backcombed to make fuzzy, in order to make a proper net. Instead of being sticky, the ratted up webbing is stretchy meaning the female spider can stretch it across her eight legs, hold it in place until something snack-looking comes along and can get the webby netting secured around her dinner.

Turns out, theres a whole genus of spiders (Deinopis) that is known for its net-casting. These mainly reside in tropical/subtropical regions like Central and South America and Australia (obviously).

The slo-mo footage is incredible which is on par for everything the BBC does and now we know that spiders have all kinds of way they can take over the world.

If spiders upset you, may I direct you to this delightful video of a puffer fish creating a mural in the sand to attract a mate?

Or you can watch a cricket get snagged in this nightmare spider trap again.
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.