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Have You Seen This? Watch one of the worlds newest instruments in action
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Have You Seen This? Watch one of the worlds newest instruments in action. - photo by Mary Dalrymple
THE BAND When I was in fifth grade, my claim to fame was that I played the glockenspiel in my school choir's Christmas concert.

My choir teacher made this task sound like a great honor, something that would be way cooler than just playing the recorder like everyone else. I practiced for weeks before the day came to audition and luckily my few years of piano lessons were enough to make me the most qualified fifth-grade glockenspiel player.

When the night of the concert came, I was happy to have my own solo while everyone else played their easy little recorder song in unison. Basically, I just wanted to be doing whatever was the coolest, most unique thing and because I was impressionable and my choir teacher convincing, I believed at the time that the glockenspiel was that cool, unique thing.

But not anymore. Now, the cool, unique thing is much more like the recorder than anything else.

In a video created by Quartz, we get a look at one of the world's newest instruments: the Venova.

The Venova is a single-reed instrument designed by Yamaha, and it does sound pretty cool. The instrument is a mix between a recorder and a saxophone, and apparently, its unique shape makes it easier to play. According to the video, musicians can play a full two-octave range in the key of C.

Enjoy listening to these musicians play their Venovas, and you're welcome for introducing you to this cool new thing before it takes off. If you too are someone who always wants to be doing the most unique, new thing, try to get your hands on of these instruments as soon as possible.
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.