Looking at laptops, TV and phones making us age faster

This story version has been formatted as an on-air script for broadcast outlets. See the original research story here.

TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME COULD ACCELERATE AGING

TOO MUCH BLUE LIGHT FROM GADGETS SUCH AS TVS, LAPTOPS AND PHONES COULD ACCELERATE THE AGING PROCESS, ACCORDING TO A NEW STUDY.

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RESEARCHERS AT OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY FOUND THAT THE LIGHT COULD ALSO LEAD TO OBESITY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS.

THE TEAM USED FRUIT FLIES TO CONDUCT THE STUDY BECAUSE THE CHEMICAL REACTIONS IN THEIR CELLS ARE SIMILAR TO THE ONES THAT OCCUR IN HUMAN CELLS. 

RESULTS SHOW THE FLIES DIDN’T FUNCTION AT AN OPTIMAL LEVEL AFTER BEING EXPOSED TO THE LIGHT, WHICH THEY SUGGEST COULD CAUSE EARLY DEATH.

BECAUSE SO MANY OF US ARE USING DEVICES THAT EMIT BLUE LIGHT FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME DAILY, RESEARCHERS SAY THE NEXT STEP IS TO STUDY THE EFFECTS ON HUMAN CELLS.

THE STUDY IS PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL FRONTIERS IN AGING.