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U.S. kids react hilariously to international school lunches
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Cut Video offered some American children traditional school lunches from across the world, and, as their faces show, they thought some were better than others. - photo by Payton Davis
Payton Davis
Deseret News
Published: Sep 10, 2015, 12:10 PM
When it comes to school lunches from across the globe, a new clip by Cut Video shows not all of them are created equal in the eyes of U.S. students, at least.

According to BuzzFeed, the Cut Video staff gathered "a bunch of American kiddos" and offered them a diverse slate of dishes typically served at schools in other countries, including India, France and Sweden.

Between the students' remarks and faces after eating foreign selections, it's no wonder the clip has collected more than 3 million views since its release, Khaleda Rahman wrote for the Daily Mail.

The video might even include a lesson for a younger audience, noted Rahman.

"Kids are notoriously picky eaters," Rahman wrote. "But perhaps American children will appreciate their meals a bit more after seeing this delightfully funny video of seven contemporaries trying school lunches from around the world."

All in all, reviews were mixed on the Indian, Swedish and French lunches.

A surprise favorite, however, was the high-energy biscuit from Afghanistan.

"I would go to Afghanistan to get that really, really good cube cookie thingamajig," one kid said after trying the traditional Afghan food.
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.