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Vladimir Putin becomes a meme after hugging and kissing adorable new puppy
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Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a puppy presented by Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov during their meeting in the Bocharov Ruchei residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017. The presidents met at the sidelines of a summit of leaders of ex-Soviet nations in Sochi. (Maxim Shemetov, Pool Photo via AP) - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News special workflow
Published: Oct 15, 2017, 4:19 AM
Every now and again, Russian President Vladimir Putin makes headlines for a reason other than politics.

Thursday is one of those days.

The Russian president turned into this falls best meme this week after photographs leaked of him cuddling and kissing a cute new puppy, according to The Huffington Post.

As Reuters reported, Turkmenistans Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov offered Putin an adorable alabai dog named Faithful in honor of Putins 65th birthday.

Social media went ablaze when photos of Putin cuddling and kissing the young pup hit the internet.

Several photos poked fun at Putin and Trump, as well as Russias alleged interference in the U.S. election. Others expressed surprise at how "normal" and "human" the gift made Putin come across as.

The alabai breed is listed as part of Turkmenistans national heritage, the Associated Press reported.

Plush and cuddly when they are young, alabai dogs grow into fierce shepherd dogs, fearless in warding off wolves but also in dealing with human strangers, according to the Associated Press.

Putins previous pup, a black Labrador named Koni, used to strike fear in German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

It's not unheard of for international leaders to give animal gifts to each other, though not always with the best results, according to NBC News.

Putin previously became a meme in the United States after Russian news outlet TASS reported he had scored seven goals in a Russian hockey game.
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.