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Massive Mayan city in Guatemala jungle discovered, thanks to laser technology
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Forest burns in the El Peten area of northern Guatemala in this May 10, 1998 photo. Smoke from hundreds of forest fires raging in Central America and southern Mexico is drifting more than 2,000 miles north, causing health and air traffic problems in states from Texas to Florida.(AP Photo/Mynor DeLeon-PRENSA LIBRE) - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News special workflow
Published: Feb 7, 2018, 2:59 AM
Researchers recently uncovered more than 60,000 houses, palaces, highways and other hidden Mayan ruins in Guatemala, thanks to laser technology, according to National Geographic.

The new laser technology called Light Detection and Ranging, or LiDAR digitally removed the tree canopy from aerial images of the now-unpopulated landscape, revealing the ruins of a sprawling pre-Columbian civilization that was far more complex and interconnected than most Maya specialists had supposed, according to National Geographic.

The researchers uncovered more than 810 square miles of ruins in the northern Petn area of Guatemala, which is thought to have been home to millions more people than other research had previously suggested, according to BBC.

"I think this is one of the greatest advances in over 150 years of Maya archaeology," Stephen Houston, professor of archaeology and anthropology at Brown University, told BBC.

The research suggests that Central America may have supported a large population that would have put it on the scale of Greece and China.

According to National Geographic, the technology revealed highways connecting urban centers and quarries. Complex irrigation and terracing systems supported intensive agriculture capable of feeding masses of workers who dramatically reshaped the landscape.

Ithaca College archaeologist Thomas Garrison told Popular Mechanics that the fences and canals show that the civilization likely had a fully operating workforce.

"Everything is turned on its head," he told BBC.

Canuto said that its surprising these structures were hiding in plain sight, according to Popular Mechanics.

"As soon as we saw this we all felt a little sheepish because these were things that we had been walking over all the time, he said.

Marcello Canuto, a Tulane University archaeologist, told National Geographic that the new technology will change the way people view population growth in that region of the world.

Weve had this Western conceit that complex civilizations cant flourish in the tropics, that the tropics are where civilizations go to die, he said.

Lisa Lucero, an anthropologist at the University of Illinois, agreed, saying this finding proves people can live in a forest without having to destroy the environment, LiveScience reported.
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.