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Stranger comes to rescue of pregnant mom with fussy toddler on flight
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Traveling with babies can quickly become the stuff of nightmares, but a kind passenger became the seatmate of one mothers dreams when he offered to help her with her fussy child. - photo by Jessica Ivins
Jessica Ivins
KSL.com
Published: Sep 18, 2016, 4:30 AM
ATLANTA Traveling with babies can quickly become the stuff of nightmares, but a kind passenger became the seatmate of one mothers dreams when he offered to help with her fussy child.

Atlanta mom Monica Nelson was traveling home from Minneapolis earlier this month with her 20-month-old son Luke in tow. Nelson, who is pregnant, was stressed about keeping her active little boy happy on the flight, Today reported.

I was a little worried about traveling with him without my husband there to help, she said.

Nelsons fears became reality when little Luke grew restless and began to fuss. Thats when the stranger sitting next to Nelson asked if he could take the baby and proceeded to walk Luke up and down the aisles until the child fell asleep.

Another passenger, Andrea Byrd, was so moved by the mans kindness that she snapped a photo and posted it to Facebook.

He did not complain, he just told her that he was a DAD, and wanted to help her so she could rest, Byrd wrote. I was in tears because it showed me today that there are still GOOD people out there in a world full of turmoil.

As of Monday, Byrds post had been shared more than 125,000 times.

Nelson told Today the man told her he, too, had a son named Luke. He didnt hesitate to come to her aid when she was feeling overwhelmed, she said, and for that she will be forever grateful.

Its good to know the world is not all bad, Nelson said. There are some really great people out there.
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.