The Beginning by Samir Rana

Hi everyone! The first few weeks have been more than exciting as I’ve already gained some experience in working with fruit flies. From the start, we began working on our introductory experiments. Throughout the series of trials, it has been wonderful working with my peers, tackling the challenges of the lab together. Thanks to Dr. Leystra and Dr. Purdy, I’ve gained much more confidence in trying out new equipment and working with fruit flies in the lab. The best part is, it only gets even more exciting from here! 

As the third week of TRIP is underway, we have officially begun our independent research projects. After multiple days of practice, I’ve decided to study the effect of blue light on anxiety and energy levels. Throughout quarantine, technology has grown in numerous ways and has surrounded every individual, both children and adults. As we’ve all taken classes or meetings from home, the amount of time we spend around technology, whether it's a computer, television, or phone screen, has only increased. As a result, I became interested in what kind of impact all this technology has on our bodies. Research has already shown blue light decreases vision in humans but does it have additional negative effects on us? Since the growth in technology is relatively recent and new, I plan to discover just how dangerous blue light can be on our mental and physical health. 

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