By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
How a little-known copyright ruling will and won't impact music streaming
3fdca632a06885f279b3d11c743d2c1718299fdedbd0011b29f6fbdc216eaed8
The Copyright Royalty Board ruled last week to force music streaming service Pandora pay more in royalties to play certain music. Here's what that means for streaming. - photo by Chandra Johnson
A new court ruling last week may signal a small but significant change in music streaming.

The Copyright Royalty Board ruled that music streaming service Pandora needs to pay more in royalties for every 100 plays hiking the rate from 14 cents to 17 cents, the Washington Post reported.

The digital advocates requesting the increase wanted Pandora to pay 25 cents for every 100 plays.

But the ruling doesn't apply to other high-profile streaming services like Spotify because they use different artist negotiation techniques and their business model allows users to choose their own songs. Pandora, by contrast, uses an algorithm to tailor song choices based on user taste and ratings.

The case underscores an ongoing problem in the battle between the music industry and the often-free streaming services: How to make streaming profitable without ripping off artists?

Pandora has famously never turned a profit since going public in 2011, and like other streaming services, has struggled to attract users to its paid subscription service rather than its free option. The public's clear preference for free music over a subscription has compelled some high-profile artists like Adele and Taylor Swift to pull their music from the services unless they change their tactics on paying royalties which Apple did earlier this year.

While the ruling specifically impacts Pandora, the radio-like service will likely face the same issues other streaming services do as the industry evolves: Find a way to get people to pay for music they now enjoy for free, or risk being shut out by many artists.
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.