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Articles on Ultraviolet radiation

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A history of sunburns may put people at greater risk of developing skin cancer. dnberty/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Skin cancer screening guidelines can seem confusing – three skin cancer researchers explain when to consider getting checked

Widespread screening for skin cancer may not be necessary, but it is important to understand the risks behind UV overexposure and to get checked early if you have concerns.
Sunscreens for sale at a Walgreens drug store. Jeff Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Do chemicals in sunscreens threaten aquatic life? A new report says a thorough assessment is ‘urgently needed,’ while also calling sunscreens essential protection against skin cancer

Rising concern about possible environmental damage from the active ingredients in sunscreens could have ripple effects on public health if it causes people to use less of them.
Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the solar system and is home to a potentially habitable planet. Hubble/European Space Agency/WikimediaCommons

Massive flare seen on the closest star to the solar system: What it means for chances of alien neighbors

Astronomers just measured the largest flare ever from Proxima Centauri, humanity’s closest neighboring star. These flares could be bad news for life trying to develop on a planet orbiting the star.
In the not-too-distant future, tattoos could become medical diagnostic devices as well as body art. LightFieldStudios/iStock via Getty Images

Dynamic tattoos promise to warn wearers of health threats

Researchers are developing tattoo inks that do more than make pretty colors. Some can sense chemicals, temperature and UV radiation, setting the stage for tattoos that diagnose health problems.
A couple taking in the view from Table Mountain, Cape Town. Getty Images

We found high UV doses at high-altitude hiking trails in Reunion and Cape Town

Too much ultraviolet radiation is dangerous for human health. Excessive exposure can cause skin ageing and sunburn and can induce melanoma, cataracts, ocular melanoma, and immunodeficiency.
Climate change and especially variations in the ozone layer have increased the danger from the sun’s harmful rays during the last 25 years. Children are particularly at risk. Shutterstock

Summer is here! Why you need to protect your children’s eyes

The sun emits harmful rays 365 days a year, even when cloudy or rainy. Children must be protected or they may develop cataracts at an earlier age and run the risk of skin cancer of the eyelids.
Intensive sun exposure for marathon runners in the middle of the day could lead to sunburn, skin cancer and cataracts. Rogan Ward/Reuters

The best time for marathon runners to get on the road

Runners have a greater risk of developing skin cancer because they are more likely have sun damage on their skin as a result of chronic sun exposure.

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