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Millennials expected to splurge on themselves this Christmas
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Retailers aren't very optimistic about the Christmas season, but millennial consumers sure are. They're expected to spend more this year, especially on themselves. - photo by Daniel Bendtsen
Daniel Bendtsen
Deseret News
Published: Nov 24, 2015, 10:09 AM
Millennials are expected to account for most of the anticipated growth in Christmas spending this year, with 47 percent saying theyll spend more than last year, according to a survey from PricewaterhouseCooper.

Compared with their elders, millennials are selfish shoppers. The PwC study found millennials spend double the proportion of their holiday budget on themselves compared with older shoppers.

Not only are they expected to spend more; millennials are also spending lavishly. Theyll spend more on travel and entertainment and are expected to comprise 57 percent of luxury shoppers, even though they make up just a third of the total adult population.

Theyre also leading the shift to online shopping and are more likely to pay for next-day shipping, even though they account for half of all adults.

The trend doesnt necessarily mean millennials have suddenly, in under a year become self-seeking materialists, however.

James Russo, head of global insights for Nielsen, attributes the increase to the millennials establishing themselves: Their salaries are increasing faster and theyre having children of their own.

"They're entering into a different life stage," Russo told CNBC. "That's a big component of the holiday season."

The trends might also reflect millennials positive attitude toward the season. PwCs study found millennials were more likely to enjoy Christmas shopping, and, according to the Miami Herald, they arent bothered by the Christmas creep as older consumers are.

CNBC reported earlier this month that traditional retail is expected to struggle this Christmas season as shoppers lean toward online shopping. Steve Odland, president of the Committee for Economic Development, said retailers need to prepare themselves for a "market share scramble."

With the online market expanding, Amazon is expected to hire 25 percent more new employees than it did for the 2014 Christmas season, The Detroit News reported. In some cases, this Christmas season is expected to test the limits of online stores to manage the demand, according to The Dallas Morning News, as online sales have grown more than 10 percent each year since 2009.
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.