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Have You Seen This? This video is not in slow motion
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A slow motion video that is actually real-time footage is both impressive and oddly soothing. - photo by Martha Ostergar
THE SET The invention and use of slow motion has been around almost as long as the invention of film itself, and its now a well-used technique that we hardly even notice any more.

If youre Michael Bay or John Woo, you use it liberally in action films to show us just how impressive a character is as he or she walks slowly away from a massive explosion without looking back. If youre Wes Anderson, you use it to assemble a rag tag group of determined characters as they move toward the camera. And if youre a directing a period piece, you use it with high-drama music as someone runs down a hall with a tail coat or cape flailing behind them, rushing to save the sick or dying.

But if youre YouTube user Eran Amir, you dont use slow motion at all you just look like you do.

In this video called "Fast Slow Motion," it looks like Amir has made a slow motion, chain reaction video like so many others that haunt the internet. Instead, Amir has specialized his props and movements to achieve the slow-mo effect. He basically made a stop-motion film of himself in real time, which takes an impressive amount of planning and discipline.

That, in and of itself, is worth the watch, but as a special bonus, the music paired with the video makes for an oddly soothing experience. Personally, I found myself relaxing into the sights and sounds with a meditative ease, which means I ended up watching the video several times, of course.

Fast Slow Motion is part of a trilogy of videos Amir made recently, and all the films are worth a watch. Check out "This Video Is in Reverse" and "Black & White (In Colour)" to complete the journey.
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
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.