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The pups on UPS DOGS might steal away internet cats' thunder
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When you deliver packages to houses all across the country, youre bound to meet a few friendly creatures along the way. - photo by Mary Dalrymple
Mary Dalrymple
KSL.com
Published: Oct 23, 2017, 1:02 PM
AMERICA'S FRONT PORCH When you deliver packages to houses all across the country, youre bound to meet a few friendly creatures along the way.

And though mail carriers and dogs traditionally dont get along, the Facebook page UPS DOGS is changing that stereotype, one picture at a time.

UPS DOGS was created back in 2013 as a place for UPS drivers to share photos of the various dogs they met day to day. Since that time, it's grown into a vibrant community of more than 260,000 dog lovers. The page recently started going viral as the internet became charmed by the adorable pictures of dogs and drivers.

The posts, which range from heartwarming to hilarious, even have some people considering a career change.

"I'm seriously considering switching jobs to drive for UPS so I can see all the puppers every day!" one commenter wrote.

Based on the posts, it seems like one of the major perks of being a UPS driver is having a job where you get to interact with dogs all day. Some drivers even carry treats in their trucks, and the dogs seem to love helping out with deliveries.

One driver posted in August about a dog he'd built up a loving friendship with over all the deliveries.

"This boy met me every time I went to his house... He always got a biscuit but had to let me scratch his cotton top," he wrote.

On a recent delivery, the driver found out his little four-legged friend had passed away and had to share how much the friendship had meant to him.

"I can never thank you enough for all of the smiles you brought to me," he said of the deceased pup.

The page just goes to show, having a little extra love in your life from man's best friend can go a long way.
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.