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This is the world's first 'space nation,' and it's completely free to join
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The worlds first space nation named Asgardia, after the Norse mythology location launched on Nov. 12. - photo by Herb Scribner
If youre looking for a new country, you might want to consider the stars.

The worlds first space nation named Asgardia, after the Norse mythological city of the skies launched on Sunday, sending a satellite to the International Space Station, according to CNN.

The satellite is about the size of a loaf of bread.

The nation contains 0.5 TB of data, which belong to the 18,000 Asgardia citizens. The data include such items as family photos and digital representations of the Asgardia flag and constitution.

So far, 114,000 people have joined the nation. Its completely free to join.

Russian scientist Dr. Igor Ashurbeyli founded the nation in October 2016, according to CNN.

Dont get too excited about the prospect just yet. As Slate writer Neel V. Patel wrote, Its a kind of futuristic utopian dream that is also totally unrealistic.

I dont want to polemicize what makes a country a country, but I think we can all agree its more than just a bit of information on an external drive floating around aimlessly somewhere, he wrote.

Patel said the country also has economic restraints. For example, its housed at the International Space Station, which requires nearly $100 billion to develop and run for just 10 years. Citizens from the country could never physically live on the space station with current funding, Patel wrote.

And the countrys political leaders face potential issues, too. People can actually run for office in this nation through its website. But their power may be limited.

The 1967 Outer Space Treaty is the most binding resolution the international community has in terms of what countries are allowed to do off the planet, and its 50 years old. It certainly doesnt provide any direction for how a new nation in space could be created or how it should function, Patel wrote.

For now, the country will orbit in a satellite above Earth, according to New Scientist.

Ashurbeyli looks to have the United Nations recognize the country. His ultimate dream is to see Asgardia colonize other planets, New Scientist reported.

Time will tell whether the Space Kingdom of Asgardia becomes the first space-based nation," according to New Scientist, "or whether it will remain simply an orbiting external hard drive.
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.