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Universal resorts in Orlando and Hollywood have added a new Harry Potter Christmas tradition
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The entrance to Universal Studios is pictured on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2016, in Universal City, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) - photo by Herb Scribner
Universal resorts in Orlando and Hollywood have brought Christmas to their Harry Potter displays this winter.

Both studios have debuted the new Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter display, which is an an audio-visual and sensory extravaganza that is crowned by the transformation of Hogwarts castle, according to Forbes.

We are delighted to welcome Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter as a new Universal Studios Hollywood holiday tradition, said Karen Irwin, president and chief operating officer of Universal Studios Hollywood, according to a press release. Millions of guests visiting from around the world have already experienced the incredible offerings of this immersive land. This exciting new holiday program further expands the Harry Potter universe by bringing some of the holiday spirit from the films to life for guests to experience for themselves.

Hogsmeade village at both resorts (a fictional village in Harry Potter brought to life at the parks) has been overtaken with holiday decorations. Visitors can buy hot butterbeer and a holiday-inspired meal from the Three Broomsticks restaurants.

The display, which runs from Nov. 24 to Jan. 7, includes festive decorations at Hogsmeade village and ends with The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts special, which dresses up the Hogwarts castle with a projection display.

According to USA Today, "The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts show includes projectors that show tiny fairies the Wizarding World fairies who light Christmas decorations in the Harry Potter books and movies floating around and decorating trees.

The stage shows include a number of holiday songs, too, which play off traditional Christmas carols.

"We want the songs to feel like real Christmas carols, said Mike Aiello, director of entertainment creative for Universal Orlando Resort, to USA Today. "Like they could live in or outside of the Wizarding World."

Aiello said the projection show, which lasts eight minutes and runs throughout the day, has been nearly eight years in the making.

"We've wanted to do Christmas in the Wizarding World since the first land opened in 2010," he said. "The planets aligned this year."

In Utah, The Shops at South Towne launched the new Christmas in the Wizarding World display on Nov. 8. Stores inside the mall have been made up to look like Hogsmeade, according to the Deseret News.

Shops associated with the promotion will sell Harry Potter merchandise.

Heather Nash, marketing manager of The Shops at South Towne, said Utahs family friendly nature made it a perfect spot for the promotion.

Warner Bros. looked back and, actually, one of our movie theaters here locally was No. 1 in the country when the first Harry Potter movie came out with sales, Nash said. That said to them there is a huge audience for (the) Harry Potter brand here and that it would be the perfect place to put this first-in-the-nation experience.
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.