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This beloved Scottish soda just released a less sugary remodel
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The countrys famous national drink Irn Bru (pronounced Iron Brew) recently halved the amount of sugar inside the drink to cut down on costs. - photo by Herb Scribner
Fans of sugary soda aren't having much luck in Scotland.

The countrys famous national drink Irn Bru (pronounced Iron Brew) recently halved its sugar content to cut costs, according to NPR.

A new tax in the country could have forced the company to raise the price of the drink to stay competitive in the soda market. Instead, the company made its drink less sugary to avoid the tax, NPR reported.

According to the drink's website, Irn Bru dropped from 10.3 to 4.7 grams of sugar per 100 ml.

Brett Marshall, who works at a convenience store in Glasgow, told NPR he's been seeing customers at his store squint at the nutrition facts on the drink to read about the sugar. Many, he said, are on the hunt for the original version.

Marshall said he stocks both the new and old version of the drink, which reminds some drinkers of Mountain Dew and has been described as "a cross between bubble gum and cream soda."

"They're looking for the original Irn Bru," he told NPR. "Dentist's favorite! Keeps 'em in business!"

The drink's decision to halve its sugar has come as the United Kingdom has looked to stop its ongoing obesity crisis.

In fact, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found in 2017 that the U.K. is the most obese country in Western Europe. The groups annual Health at a Glance report said 26.9 percent of the population has a body mass index of at least 30. And only five countries in the OECD had higher levels of obesity, with four outside of Europe and one in Eastern Europe.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt recently called the obesity issue in the U.K. a national emergency that needs a prompt response from the government, according to The Guardian.

Hunt said the government was looking into adding a sugar tax to help people cut back on the amount of sugar theyd consume daily.

We have got to do something about this, he said. "Ive got a 1-year-old daughter, and by the time she reaches adulthood a third of the population will be clinically obese. One in 10 will have type 2 diabetes. It is a national emergency.
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.