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Pope Francis hosts Google Hangout with children with disabilities around the world
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Pope Francis held a Google Hangout Feb. 5 with several children with disabilities from around the world. The video chat provided an opportunity for the children to ask the pope questions, and for Pope Francis to share words of encouragement. - photo by Sarah Sanders Petersen
Pope Francis participated in a Google Hangout Feb. 5 with several children from around the world. The video chat provided an opportunity for the children, who had a variety of special needs, to ask the pope questions.

Scholas Occurrentes, an educational organization launched by the pope, hosted the video chat, which focused on how technology can help improve the education of students with disabilities. Excerpts from the chat paired with English subtitles are available in a video posted by Google.

Toward the end of the video chat, Pope Francis shared a message with the children.

"Each one of us has a treasure inside," Pope Francis said, according to the subtitles. "If we keep it inside, it just stays there inside. If we share it with others, the treasure multiplies itself. Don't hide the treasure that you all have."

The video was posted Thursday on Google's YouTube channel. The entire Google Hangout can be viewed here.
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.