By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Have You Seen This? YouTube Rewind 2017 is all the internets viral trends in one video
6874bd4a72df21568685800831189e3365defea456a0ebb4de3179a45c87cf7e
Can you believe fidget spinners haven't even been a big thing for a year? 2017 has been a wild ride full of plenty of ups and downs, and thanks to YouTube, we'll remember it all forever. - photo by Mary Dalrymple
THE WORLD WIDE WEB Can you believe the year is almost over? Have you started working on your New Year's resolutions yet? No? You want me to stop talking about resolutions because you are not ready to face the fact that another year has come and gone so quickly?

Don't worry, I understand completely. You are not alone. In fact, luckily for you, you can put off those resolutions a little longer. YouTube just released its annual "Rewind" video, and now you can relive all the best moments of 2017 over and over for as long as the internet exists! What a treat!

YouTube has been summing up the most viral trends, songs and memes of each year in a rewind video since 2012. Each year the video itself goes viral as everyone on the internet reflects on all the crazy things we did and watched online during the past 12 months. And this year's edition is no different.

Released just hours ago, the video is titled "The Shape of 2017" and already has more than 6 million views. Because who wouldn't want to watch a video filled with fidget spinners, slime, Kendrick Lamar, Ed Sheeran, "Despacito" and zombies?

OK, before you watch the video, I have to come clean. I spend all of my day, pretty much every day, on the internet. It's one of the hazards that come with the job title "social media manager." But despite that, I only recognize like half of the references and people in this video. Sorry, #teens, you are officially cooler than me.

So with that disclosure out of the way, enjoy the video. It's nice to look back on this year and remember some of the crazy, fun and even serious and sad moments we all experienced together. Let me know in the comments below how many things in the video you already knew about, and then if you want, you can watch the making of the video here.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
93cbd7a5475cccd1cee701424125d3abaa9b4beaa58d3663208f656cbbbd7661
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.