8 years ago
3
Fish and other animals produce their own sunscreen: Copied for potential use in humans
In the study published in the journal eLife, scientists found that zebrafish are able to produce a chemical called gadusol that protects against UV radiation. They successfully reproduced the method that zebrafish use by expressing the relevant genes in yeast.
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http://www.sciencedaily.com
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Never knew that! Humans are really lacking in useful things like this haha!
Yes, we have some pretty interesting vulnerabilities. I find the most fascinating part to be that the compound is produced in other vertebrates (fish, reptiles, and birds) but not in mammals. Looks like we missed out on that part of the genetic lottery. In general, it seems that animals covered in scales, feathers, or hair have the some of the best protection form UV exposure. Although I'm happy to not be covered in fur, humans and other mammals not covered in hair seem to have similar risks when it come to sun exposure.
Well good thing humans evolved a lovely brain so that we could think about these sorts of things and realize UV rays can be harmful and then later on invent sun screen! I wouldn't trade our extremely conscious minds for scales feathers or fur!