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University of Hawaii students receive 'ominous' email about potential 'nuclear attack'
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University of Hawaii at Manoa campus. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News special workflow
Published: Oct 12, 2017, 1:01 PM
University of Hawaii students received an "ominous email" on Monday from the school that had a subject line that read: In the event of a nuclear attack.

The university sent the email to prepare students, faculty and parents about the unlikely but not impossible threat of a nuclear missile attack that North Korea poses to the islands, according to Hawaii News Now.

The universitys email said, "In light of concerns about North Korea missile tests, state and federal agencies are providing information about nuclear threats and what to do in the unlikely event of a nuclear attack and radiation emergency.

The universitys email also told residents and visitors to the school to prepare for emergency sirens and to follow instructions.

One of the schools professors, Diane Desierto, tweeted her reaction to the email.

Students also shared their confusion.







The email comes amid rising tensions between the United States and North Korea. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have engaged in a war of words for weeks.

Most recently, multiple reports suggest North Korean hackers stole information from South Korea that outlines plans for war-time efforts between the South Korea-U.S. coalition and North Korea, according to the BBC.

Trump tweeted this week that diplomacy between North Korea and the U.S. may no longer be an option.
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.