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This viral before-and-after photo shows harrowing damage of California wildfires
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The Los Angeles Times shared one specific image in an article Monday, using a slider tool to show the vast difference of Northern California communities before and after wildfires... - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News special workflow
Published: Oct 11, 2017, 1:01 PM
Before-and-after photos of the widespread destruction caused by the Northern California wildfires circulated on the internet Monday and Tuesday.

The Los Angeles Times shared many of these images in an article Monday, using a slider tool to show the vast difference in the affected communities before and after wildfires raged through, displacing thousands of people from their homes.

This photo appeared several times on social media.

This GIF from CNN shows those two images overlaying each other.

At least 11 people have died and 1,500 buildings and homes have been destroyed because of the fires, according to The Washington Post. More than 100,000 acres have burned across Northern California.

Officials in Sonoma County said theyve received more than 100 calls about missing people, NBC News reported.

Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for the affected area of Napa and Sonoma counties, according to NBC News.

Brown also asked for a federal declaration of a major disaster in the Golden State.

Pacific Gas & Electric Company told NBC News that 94,000 customers were without power on Tuesday morning, and 30,000 customers have had their gas shut off.

Residents described their experiences to NBC News.

"It was an inferno like you've never seen before," said Marian Williams of Kenwood, in Sonoma County, to an NBC Bay Area affiliate.
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.