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Shark from Jaws, Voldemort polling higher than most Republican presidential candidates
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The 2016 presidential candidates have some terrifying competition: the shark from Jaws has a higher favorability rating than any of the current bunch, according to a new poll. - photo by Jessica Ivins
Jessica Ivins
KSL
Published: Jun 14, 2015, 2:59 PM
The 2016 presidential candidates particularly of the Republican variety have some terrifying competition: The shark from the classic horror film Jaws has a higher favorability rating than any of the current bunch, according to a new poll.

I think we can all agree that no amount of campaigning can overcome those jagged teeth.

If a giant, man-eating fish can destroy the likes of Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee, imagine what Voldemort, Darth Vader and the Terminator could do to them.

The release of the latest (and credible) Washington Post-ABC News survey revealed that across the board, current presidential candidates are falling very low in the world of public opinion. The Washington Post decided to test the theory that the average Internet user feels more affection for some of the worlds greatest (albeit fictional) supervillains than the men and women who might actually lead our country next year.

Turns out, the Washington Post was right.

A (somewhat silly) Google Consumer survey of 1,000 users revealed all four of the villains mentioned above received higher favorability ratings than the three actual men weve mentioned. Just to be clear? One of those villains killed Harry Potters parents.

Mind. Blown.

But theyre not alone.

As it stands, Americans would rather shoot a game of pool with He Who Shall Not Be Named than vote for Rick Santorum, Chris Christie or Donald Trump who, despite that famous hair, came in dead last with a net favorability rating of -56.

The only Republican candidate who might stand a chance against the Dark Lord? Marco Rubio, who has just as many Americans finding him favorable as those who dont dig him. But he still falls behind the Terminator, the aforementioned Great White and Luke Skywalkers dad.

To be fair, its not like the Democrats are faring much better. The real-life poll had Hillary Clinton at a just a 45 percent favorability rating, with 49 percent ranking the candidate as unfavorable. Thats a -4 percent rating overall.

In case you were wondering, the Terminator was crowned king of the villains with a favorability ranking of 20. Remember how Donald Trump received a -56?

Youre fired.

Let's all just hope things look up before November.
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.