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New pictures of dwarf planet show mysterious bright spots
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These two views of Ceres were acquired by NASA's Dawn spacecraft on Feb. 12, 2015, from a distance of about 52,000 miles (83,000 kilometers) as the dwarf planet rotated. The images, which were taken about 10 hours apart, have been magnified from their original size. - photo by Natalie Crofts
Natalie Crofts
KSL
Published: Feb 22, 2015, 5:26 PM
PASADENA, Calif. Researchers are closer than ever to seeing the surface of the dwarf planet Ceres.

NASAs Dawn spacecraft, which launched more than seven years ago, captured the sharpest pictures yet of Ceres from a distance of 52,000 miles on Feb. 12. The spacecraft is expected to enter the dwarf planets orbit on March 6, at which point researchers will receive more pictures and data.

However, NASA researchers said the sighting of craters and mysterious bright spots has already posed intriguing questions.

"As we slowly approach the stage, our eyes transfixed on Ceres and her planetary dance, we find she has beguiled us but left us none the wiser," said Dawn mission principal investigator Chris Russell in a statement. "We expected to be surprised; we did not expect to be this puzzled."

Ceres is located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It was prevented from becoming a full-fledged planet by gravitational perturbations from Jupiter, according to NASA. Researchers have previously said they believe large amounts of water may be frozen underneath the dwarf planet's surface.

Before approaching Ceres, the Dawn spacecraft spent 14 months in 2011 and 2012 documenting the giant asteroid Vesta. NASA said researchers hope to learn more about the formation of the solar system by comparing the two space objects.
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.