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NBC to air live production of 'Peter Pan' and 'Music Man'
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Sarah Sanders Petersen
Deseret News National
Updated: May 16, 2014, 1:00 PM
Published: May 15, 2014, 7:21 PM

While NBC's live production of "The Sound of Music" had its fair share of critics last December, the number of viewers is what NBC entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt was tracking.
"Many of you were rolling your eyes up until the morning of Dec. 6 [2013], when the ratings came in," Greenblatt said, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Although Carrie Underwood's performance was not nearly as notable as that of Julie Andrews, an estimated 18.5 million viewers tuned in to the production last year, outperforming every non-sporting NBC Thursday since "Friends" aired its final episode in 2004.
Because of that success, NBC has since announced two additional live musicals that are in the works. The production of "Peter Pan" will air on Dec. 4, while the production of "The Music Man" will air sometime in 2015.
Before the announcement, Greenblatt explained to The Hollywood Reporter the type of musical he was looking to recreate.
"We're looking for another show, a well-known title, something that people already know and love that can interest kids and adults and can be produced live, which is no small feat," Greenblatt told The Hollywood Reporter.
After the announcement, Greenblatt explained the importance of selecting a musical that could bring the family together.
“We’re very pleased to be underway on 'Peter Pan' as our next live holiday musical for the whole family,” Greenblatt said in January.
Casting for the live show is currently taking place. It has been announced that the role of Peter Pan, which was historically played by a woman, will most likely be cast as a male role.
Other networks have also turned to recreating musicals. Fox recently announced its upcoming 3-hour, live performance of "Grease" that will air in 2015.
"'Grease's iconic characters and addictive songs make it the perfect fit for Fox, and we’re going to give it the kind of star power and production quality to make every Sandy, Danny, Rizzo and Kenickie out there want to get up and sing along,” said Shana C. Waterman, Fox’s SVP Event Series, according to Deadline.
The musical "Into the Woods" is also in production as a motion picture by Walt Disney Studios and will be released in theaters on Dec. 25, 2014. The film has a renowned cast including Meryl Streep as the Witch, Johnny Depp as the Wolf, Anna Kendrick as Cinderella and Chris Pine as Cinderella's prince.
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.