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Subscribe to RSSSunscreen! You dutifully slather or spray it on before heading outside, but forget to reapply -- and you get burned. Or, you miss that spot on your back that's impossible to reach without asking for help -- and you get burned.
Now, researchers from King's College in London believe they they could create a sunblock pill from coral, something that could be available within five years, The Telegraph's website reports.
Coral protects itself from sunburn by converting compounds produced by the algae living inside it into a natural kind of "sunscreen," which protects both the coral and the algae from the sun's harmful UV rays. Scientists already knew that -- now, they are beginning to understand how this happens.
"What we have found is that the algae living within the coral makes a compound that we think is transported to the coral, which then modifies it into a sunscreen for the benefit of both the coral and the algae," lead researcher Dr. Paul Long explains. "Not only does this protect them both from UV damage, but we have seen that fish that feed on the coral also benefit from this sunscreen protection, so it is clearly passed up the food chain."
Testing on human skin may begin soon, but before that, the researchers plan to use those coral compounds to create a lotion. Long adds that the research, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, wouldn't use the coral, an endangered species, itself, but rather would attempt to synthetically copy those key ingredients.
But until sunblock comes in a pill, you can always stick to your SPF sauvignon blanc.
Watch Dr. Peter Long, lead researcher for the project, discuss the larger implications of his work.
Related sunny stories:
- Drink wine, don't get sunburned
- Can't stand the rain? Moods really are tied to the weather
- Real-life vampire, or is it just a sun allergy?
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Leave a Comment:
GOOD IDEA! We have such an abudence of Coral Reefs, we can just harvest them, grind them up and eat them!
My thoughts exactly. We're a fu&*ing ridiculous species, aren't we? The article says they won't actually use the coral, but I wouldn't put anything past us. We're a bunch of greedy arses.
The article clearly states that they would not use the actual coral but would try and synthesize the compounds involved. I think that this is a great idea. Most people are not very conscientious about putting on sunblock when they are out in the sun. Being able to take a pill would make it much easier to stay protected. Aside from helping people avoid sunburns, imagine the reduction in skin cancer that could result if this effort is successful. I wish them luck in bringing this research to a successful conclusion.
Yeah.........kind of like the elephant tusks the Chinese think are medicinal.
This will be a great idea until they find out that eating coral causes stomach cancer.
5 year count down begins, in the mean time, stuck-up on sunscreen specials until then. Coral and algae compounds Goooooo!!
No mention whether this would protect against both UVA and UVB rays. :(
My vote has the U.S. FDA giving the okay for the synthetic coral compound to support UVA/UVB protection in sun screen skin care cosmetic products but not for use in pill form.
So the brainwashing of another pill for the pill generation.
Huh. There are pills that work, and there are those that don't. If you take the a pill for an unproven reason, it's your own fault.
Yes please! I'm a ginger and I turn red in less than 5 minutes without sunscreen. Problem is, I hate the stuff with a passion so I usually end up avoiding going outside or just sweating through long sleeves. Anything that helps is good in my book.
i think chinese people will use these researches to destroy all corals in the world,as they are actually doing and you can easily see in their fashion jewelry markets,they sell tons of coral components of endanegorus species of corals.
i think chinese people will use these researches to destroy all corals in the world,as they are actually doing and you can easily see in their fashion jewelry markets,they sell tons of coral components of endanegorus species of corals.
Assuming they don't harm any coral then ok! I'm not fond of sunscreen, it irritates my skin, so if this works with no side effects then wonderful!
Hurry! Let's kill all of our coral just because people don't want to use sunscreen! 20 years from now people will wonder why we don't have any coral left.
Read the article before you post something and make a fool of yourself. They did say they will synthesize the relevant compounds.
20 million seahorses are ground up everyear! Trillions of small fish are made into omega pills! Yea, they will just make some out of thin air at night! Besides, Why don't we just eat the fish if it moves up the food chain?
If you can go out in the sun, do it. If you need something on your skin or a pill to be able to go outside remember that the FDA and CDC will lie to protect their funding sources and employment futures. So many ex-government agency workers become employed by big agriculture and big pharmaceutical companies that there should be a law put in place to stop it. Natural exposure to the sun is beneficial in many ways and you should supplement with 5000 IU of Vitamin D3 on top of the sun to make sure you get enough. D3 does not build up to toxicity like D2 (which is added to milk). Research shows that Vitamin D actually reduces cancer and generally improves all the systems in the body. Read the following for more info:
http://www.grc.com/health/vitamin-d.htm
I think I'll wait on the pill and just start on the Sauvignon Blanc idea!
It already exists. It is called astraxantin. It's in the algae and is a powerful antioxidant as well. It's what's in salmon that makes it pink...if you don't believe me, Google it...
You spelled it wrong. It's spelled astaxanthin, and it costs $7000 per kg.
I would like to see them work on having a bug repellent just like for dogs that you just put on once a month like they have for dogs, especially for mosquitos. This would prevent thousands of deaths in third world countries and deet, the one we use now is way more toxic than sunscreen.