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'Reading Rainbow' raises $1M in 11 hours
Reading Rainbow.KT
LeVar Burton - photo by LeVar Burton
Natalie Crofts
Deseret News National
Updated: Jun 5, 2014, 10:00 AM
Published: Jun 4, 2014, 6:12 PM

LOS ANGELES — A Kickstarter campaign to fund an online version of the iconic "Reading Rainbow" program surpassed its goal of $1 million in less than 12 hours, and the donations keep coming in.
The campaign to bring "Reading Rainbow," a well-known TV program that ran on PBS from 1983 to 2009, to more kids through an online platform was launched Wednesday and quickly went viral, raising more than $1.5 million by the end of the day. By midday Thursday, more than $2 million had been donated by 46,000 backers.
"We all dreamed and believed we could hit $1 million in the 35 days of the campaign … but never, ever did we imagine you would get us there in 11 hours," wrote Mark Wolfe of Reading Rainbow on the Kickstarter page.
The new web version of the show is being spearheaded by star LeVar Burton, who is also known for his role as Forge on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and Kunta Kinte on "Roots." Burton owns the rights to "Reading Rainbow," according to The Washington Post.
A video posted on the Kickstarter page Thursday shows Burton tearing up as he thanks supporters for funding his project so quickly.
During its 26-year run on PBS, "Reading Rainbow" won 26 Emmys and a Peabody Award. Since the show was cancelled, Burton has continued to promote the product, with a Reading Rainbow app being released for tablets in 2012. He said the app has been successful, but that he wants to do more.
"Our goal is to cultivate a love of reading in all children, not just those that have tablets," the campaign description reads. "To reach kids everywhere, we need to be everywhere: We need to be on the web."
The Reading Rainbow website will be provided free of charge in "disadvantaged classrooms," according to the Kickstarter campaign. Since the $1 million goal has been reached, campaigners say plans are in place to give access to more than 1,500 classrooms.
Other families and schools will be able to subscribe to the service for a fee — backers can currently pre-order subscriptions through the Kickstarter campaign, with donations starting at $25.
Incentives for backers range from a private dinner with Burton, for a donation of $3,500, to a "thank you" tweet from @ReadingRainbow, for a $10 donation. Other prizes include signed copies of Burton's soon-to-be-released children's book, a personalized voicemail message from Burton for incoming calls and tickets to "Reading Rainbow Live!"
For $10,000, one backer can receive the Ultimate Star Trek Geordi's Visor package, which includes a private dinner with Burton and chance to wear the visor he sported during his role on "Star Trek." The other $10,000 option — the chance to have Burton come present an assembly and meet-and-greet at the school of the donor's choice — has already sold out.
The Kickstarter campaign runs until July 2.
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.