By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
LEGO to release Disney Minifigure collection in May
40a150f75f08031f0a29e618e2054675e0dd4197ea7c8d86b61b9628db688a23
Two beloved worlds are about to collide, and its the stuff dreams are made of. - photo by Jessica Ivins
BILLUND, Denmark Two beloved worlds are about to collide, and its the stuff dreams are made of.

LEGO officially announced the launch of its new Disney Minifigure collection Tuesday. The line coming to shelves in May will include some of Disneys most beloved characters, including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Peter Pan, Genie and Ariel just to name a few.

Those who have a soft spot for Disneys iconic villains will be thrilled about the inclusion of Jafar, Maleficent, Ursula and Captain Hook, Gizmodo reports. Pixars Mr. Incredible and his nemesis, Syndrome, will be making their first LEGO appearances as well.

All 18 characters will retail for $3.99. As with the other LEGO Minifigure collections, the Disney figures will come in blind packaging so the shopper is surprised by which one is inside, Fortune reports.

The Danish toymaker, which has been in business with Disney for 16 years, has seen a surge in profits over the past two years, thanks in part to the hugely popular LEGO Movie. The company estimates more than 100 million children received LEGO products in 2015, according to Fortune.

Fans set out to snag the entire Disney collection starting May 1.
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.