Sunscreen

We all know the pain of applying thick, greasy sunscreen only to have half of it wash off, putting delicate marine habitats at risk. Some scientists are out to change this, using a natural molecule that offers more protection for less sunscreen.

The damage sunscreen can do to corals is tied to a common ingredient called oxybenzone, and Stanford scientists have now shown how corals convert the compound into a potent toxin that brings about their demise.

Research has confirmed chemicals in sunscreen can be detected in the blood of users after just one application. But experts urge people continue using sunscreen as there is no evidence to suggest these findings point to negative health consequences.

​A new study has found that four active ingredients in sunscreen can leech into a person's bloodstream at levels high enough to warrant further toxicology testing. Cancer experts say it’s unclear whether these chemical concentrations are dangerous to humans.​

​It's one of the dilemmas of vacationing at the seaside – you want protection from the sun, yet most sunscreens are harmful to the marine environment. Well, scientists may be onto a solution. They've discovered that a compound found naturally in seaweed could keep us from getting burned.

​​A team of astronomers may have discovered a “hot Jupiter” exoplanet with an atmosphere that snows titanium oxide – a kind of sunscreen – exclusively on the one side of the planet that is bathed in perpetual darkness.

​One of the hassles involved with using sunscreen is the fact that it should be reapplied at least once every few hours. That isn't the case, however, with an experimental new coating made from DNA. It actually gets more effective the longer it's left on the skin.

Scientists have created cheap, disposable and eco-friendly UV exposure sensors, using paper treated with titanium dioxide and food dye.

​There are already a number of sunlight exposure-tracking devices out there, that let us know when it's time to apply more sunscreen. That's all very well and good, but how do we know if we've put enough on in the first place? Well, that's why the Sunscreenr was developed.

A new UV-monitoring device may help take some of the guesswork out of knowing how much time to spend in the sun. Worn on a hat, the UBSafe can tell you when your particular skin type has had just the right amount of UVB rays.

Scientists have uncovered a technique used by a zebrafish and other animals to create their own sunscreen and then reproduced it in the lab. They say the method could one day be used to produce sun lotion for humans and other pharmaceuticals.

Most people generally think of water and sweat as being things that hinder the effectiveness of sunscreen. According to Shiseido, however, its newly-developed WetForce technology not only keeps water from compromising sunscreen, but actually uses it to help block UV rays.