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Is this the greatest water filter ever made?
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The LIFESAVER filtration bottle is self-contained and easy to use. - photo by Grant Olsen
Grant Olsen
KSL
Published: Jan 25, 2015, 5:49 PM
15 nanometers. Thats how small the LIFESAVER bottle 4000UF filters down to. What exactly does that mean? Well, the smallest known virus (Polio) is 25 nanometers. With this super-efficient filter, you can drink in peace knowing that its screened out all bacteria, viruses, cysts, parasites, fungi and microbiological waterborne pathogens known to man.

Theres even an infamous TED Talk video where the inventor of the LIFESAVER drinks water filled with dung and other nasty stuff.

No other portable water filter on the market can screen down to 15 nanometers without the aid of chemicals or UV light. So that makes the LIFESAVER one of the worlds best filters, right? Perhaps. Lets look at some of the pros and cons of this popular device.

The Good

The LIFESAVER is self-contained and easy to use. There are no hoses or extra pieces, like with a lot of other filtration systems. To get your water, you just remove the base, fill the bottle and pump three times.

The secret to the LIFESAVERs efficiency is its activated carbon filter. Not only does it screen out all the bad things that can make you sick, but it also improves the quality and taste of your water by reducing contaminates such as pesticides, medical residues, chlorine and sulphur.

Another benefit of the LIFESAVER is that its replaceable filtration cartridge comes with Failsafe technology. When the filter has lost its ability to clean your water, you can no longer pump water through it. Theres no second-guessing whether its time to replace the filter, like with a lot of other filtration systems. When its time to get a new filtration cartridge, youll know.

The Bad

Theres a lot of technology packed into a LIFESAVER bottle. In order to keep it lightweight, the designers used some components that lack ruggedness. Youll love how light it is if you take it on a backpacking trip, but you might curse its lack of durability if you drop it on a rock. The bottle is definitely breakable and some users have even gone so far as to call it flimsy.

Another criticism of the LIFESAVER is that the seal on the bottle sometimes leaks. While its true that the seal may not be top of the line, if youre careful to keep it clean and always keep the bottle snuggly attached to the pump, you should be fine.

Verdict

The LIFESAVER is definitely in a league of its own. Its lightweight and portable, while boasting advanced filtration power. Though its not as durable as some other filters on the market, if you don't drop it and keep the seal in good condition, you should get years of high performance from it. Whether for camping, traveling or emergency kits, the LIFESAVER is a top-notch water filtration option.
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
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
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.