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Watch how these families of Olympians are reacting in Rio
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In some cases, the families of Olympians may be feeling more pressure from the stands than the Olympians themselves. - photo by Megan McNulty
Megan McNulty
Deseret News
Published: Aug 11, 2016, 9:29 AM
In some cases, the families of Olympians may be feeling more pressure from the stands than the Olympians themselves.

Whether it's nailing a perfect gymnastics bar routine or winning gold in the men's 4x100 freestyle relay, the cameramen never fail to zone in on the reactions of the athletes' family members.

Aly Raisman, the 22-year-old gymnast who already has two gold medals and one bronze as part of the "Fierce Five" women's gymnastics team in London 2012, is back to compete in Rio. On Sunday, she qualified as the second U.S. gymnast to compete in the all-around competition, kicking the reigning Olympic all-around champion Gabby Douglas out of the running.

According to People.com, during the qualifying round as Raisman competed on the uneven bars, her weakest event, her "nervous parents couldn't hide their cringes and sighs of relief" as Aly completed a clean routine.

NBC captured the moment that soon became viral.

Lynn Raisman, Aly's mother, told People that she tends to get emotional because of the time and effort her daughter invests preparing for competition.

"I get nervous because I know what goes into it and how many hours she's prepared and how hard she is on herself, and I want her to be happy and go out there and do the best performance she can do," Lynn Raisman said. "I want her to have the best outcome."

Michael Phelps, who claimed his 23rd medal and 19th gold medal in the men's 4x100 freestyle relay Sunday, was cheered on by his fianc Nicole Johnson and 1-month-old son Boomer.

"One of the coolest things about being a father going into Rio is that our firstborn has the chance to see my last race ever," Phelps told Us Weekly. "I think that's something that'll be real special, that we'll be able to share stories with him. and I'm excited to have a lot of photos and just to share the moments and memories with him growing up as a kid."

For some Olympians, competing in the Olympics may be carrying on a family tradition.

Deakin Volz, a Team USA pole vaulter will compete in Rio 24 years after his father, Dave Voltz, represented the U.S. in pole vaulting.

Deakin Volz is coached by his father Dave who is a former American record-holder from Indiana University and was fifth in the vault at the 1992 Barcelona Games, according to the IndyStar.
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.