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If you want a date for Valentine's Day, start being like this
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A new study found that altruistic people tend to get in more relationships and are more attractive. - photo by Herb Scribner
Ever find yourself attracted to someone who just got back from working at a soup kitchen?

Dont worry, youre not alone. According to a team of German researchers, single men and women are more attracted to altruistic people.

The study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science looked at 12,775 single people and how often they help friends, relatives or neighbors. Those who helped people at least once a week were more likely to be in a relationship a year later than those who rarely helped others.

"Among single individuals, engaging in pro-social behavior in any given year was associated with increased odds of finding a partner and entering into a romantic relationship in the following year, the studys researchers wrote.

Pacific Standards Tom Jacob said this confirms that people not only find altruism attractive, but those who are altruistic also tend to have better luck finding a relationship. Relationships, Jacob noted, didnt lead to an increase in altruism, though.

A similar study in 2008 found that being altruistic makes you attractive. The study looked at 1,000 people and found that women placed altruism as the most important quality in a man.

Jacob suggests single people volunteer at a food bank. Take part in a neighborhood clean-up campaign. Or at least check to see if an elderly neighbor could use some assistance.

According to Time magazines Maia Szalavitz, humans have been altruistic since the beginning of humankind. In fact, studies found that altruism has helped humans survive because it allows people to help each other through tough situations.

Altruism was also a hot topic last year. Social media campaigns, including the #IceBucketChallenge and #BringBackOurGirls, have inspired millions of Americans to donate their time to selfless causes.
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.