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Video: Texas man breaks down when he discover his father is alive after Hurricane Harvey
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Aaron Mitchell broke down into tears on Monday when he found out his father had survived the storm. The two spoke on the phone for the first time since last week when cell service went dark. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
News Division
Published: Aug 31, 2017, 1:39 AM
Countless stories of humanity have emerged in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. But Aaron Mitchells story is one of a kind.

Mitchell broke into tears on Monday when he found out his father had survived the storm. The two spoke on the phone for the first time since last week when cell service went dark, according to CNN.

"Dad I love you, he said to his father over phone.

CNN interviewed Mitchell prior to the discovery. He described his harrowing journey to find his family.

"There's been no cell service since Thursday, Friday. Haven't gotten ahold of anybody. If my mom and dad is watching, I'm OK," he said holding back tears. "My mom's in Oklahoma and my dad, there's no telling where my dad's at. I'm here in Rockport, waiting on you."

Mitchell said he walked 12 miles in the dark to his dads house, hoping he would be there. But he wasnt.

When he caught up with reporters, CNN offered a satellite phone for Mitchell to speak with his father.

Mitchell said the storm terrified him.

"I just lost everything I worked for. Everything. The only thing I got are the clothes on my back" he said.

This is far from the only family story to emerge from the disaster. On Monday, a CNN reporter captured a photo of two dogs left behind in a boat with food by their owners who fled the storm. The family said they hoped to eventually return.

Elsehwere, Texas residents have fired up their boats to do their own search and rescue missions, hoping to bring those caught in the storms wake to safety.
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.