This summer, against the backdrop of record-shattering heatwaves and the typical desire to hit the beach, some people may be wondering if the lotion we slather on to protect against the Sun is just as dangerous as the skin cancer sunlight can generate.
Since the dawn of humanity, we've depended on the Sun to survive. Our solar system's star drives weather on Earth, influences ocean currents, climate and makes plant life possible. But only relatively recently have humans developed mechanisms to protect ourselves from it as much as physically possible when exposed. Of course we're talking about sunscreen. While there is evidence that Ancient Egyptians and Greeks used mixtures of plant extracts to prevent tanning (they likely didn't know about the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation from the Sun), the first sunblock was developed less than a century ago.
