How on earth do you stop an invisible energy ray from causing you damage that you’ll only notice hours, or even years, later?
It sounds like science fiction, but that’s the job that sunscreen does for us every time we put it on.
Read more: The science of sunscreen and How is sunscreen tested and developed, and what’s SPF mean?
In this episode of Huh? Science Explained, ex-chemist and current solvent-enthusiast Ellen Phiddian delivers a primer on why sunscreen is a medicine, what’s in it, and why it’s sticky.
Huh? Science Explained is a LiSTNR production.
Listen to more episodes of Huh? Science Explained:
Originally published by Cosmos as The science of sunscreen
Ellen Phiddian
Ellen Phiddian is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a BSc (Honours) in chemistry and science communication, and an MSc in science communication, both from the Australian National University.
Read science facts, not fiction...
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