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Lisa Frank book brings adult coloring craze to a new level
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Around 12 million adult coloring books were sold last year, according to industry research. - photo by Kelsey Dallas
Lisa Frank, the artist behind the rainbow-colored and animal-filled designs that adorned school supplies in the 1990s and early 2000s, will soon add another title to her resume: adult coloring book creator.

"Coming soon Lisa Frank adult coloring!!!" she posted on her Instagram account in mid-June, along with a scene from her book, which will be released in July.

"Lisa Frank shared just one image from the forthcoming coloring book: a dazzling, vibrantly colored collage, featuring a regal unicorn, a flirty bunny in a tutu, a skeptical puppy and a very excited bear," Bustle reported.

Frank's announcement is the latest and, at least for some children of the 1990s, most nostalgic development in the adult coloring craze that is sweeping through bookstores, libraries and online retailers.

"Nielsen Bookscan estimates that some 12 million were sold in 2015, a dramatic jump from the 1 million sold the previous year," The Washington Post reported earlier this year.

Coloring books have emerged as a fun and easy way for adults to reduce stress and reconnect with their younger selves.

"It's nostalgic, and it's a bit old school," said Mary Amicucci, chief merchandising officer at Barnes & Noble, to The Washington Post. "It reminds people of their childhood."

Recent research on the benefits of art therapy showed that coloring can calm people by reducing the level of stress hormones flowing through their bodies.

"Researchers had 39 adults take part in 45 minutes of art-making with markers, paper, modeling clay and collage materials," Mic reported. "Before and after the art-making, researchers measured participants' levels of cortisol otherwise known as the stress hormone. Seventy-five percent of the participants had lower cortisol levels after 45 minutes."

The practice can also serve as a meditative tool, enabling people to focus on the pattern they're coloring in or, in the case of religious coloring books, a certain Bible verse or inspirational thought.

"In today's world of constant connectivity, coloring books take adults to a place of mindfulness and peace that's often missing from the stress-filled, screen-obsessed focus of modern life and work," the Deseret News reported last year.
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.