/oss/taxonomy/term/477/all en /oss/article/critical-thinking-student-contributors-you-asked/why-are-some-sunscreens-labelled-reef-safe <p>“Reef-Safe” on the label intends to inform the consumer that the product does not contain ingredients that may harm coral reefs. That claim, though, must be viewed with a degree of skepticism.</p> Thu, 30 Jun 2022 13:36:33 +0000 Cat Wang 9151 at /oss /oss/article/health-history/acrylic-encounters <p>In a classic scene from the movie “How to Marry a Millionaire,” Marilyn Monroe shows off her shapely legs as she sunbathes wearing see-through acrylic shoes and little else. The history of this plastic dates back to 1877 when German chemists Fittig and Paul managed to link together molecules of methyl methacrylate, a colourless liquid, to form polymethyl methacrylate, a tough solid. But it wasn’t until 1936 that commercial production began under the name “Plexiglas.”</p> Wed, 01 Sep 2021 18:31:25 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8833 at /oss /oss/article/technology/what-kind-sunglasses-do-i-really-need <p>The sunglasses at the dollar store feel flimsy, yet I buy a pair. It costs me $1.43. The sticker on one of the lenses states “UV 400 Protection”. I walk over to a fancy sunglasses store and ask the employee if she would trust this pair to filter out UV light. She says no. I ask why not. “Because they’re from the dollar store.”</p> <p>The cheapest pair she sells is a Ray-Ban that retails for $190. Do I need it if I want to protect my eyes?</p> <p><b>The Sun is not your friend</b></p> Fri, 24 May 2019 16:53:02 +0000 Jonathan Jarry, MSc 7779 at /oss /oss/article/quackery/plausible <p>The gold standard in science is the randomized, controlled, double-blind trial. If you want to know whether Garcinia cambogia causes weight loss, or whether glucosamine helps with arthritic pain, there is only one way to find out. You have an experimental group that is given the substance and a control group that is given a placebo, with every other variable being held constant. These are difficult, expensive studies to carry out because you need a large enough group of subjects for statistical weight, you have to ensure compliance and you have to monitor what is going on.</p> Tue, 03 Apr 2018 17:10:02 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 6987 at /oss /oss/article/cancer-environment-health/hazard-and-risk <p>If you watched the news, read newspapers or surfed the web recently you will have been inundated with pictures of bacon and headlines describing it as carcinogenic. That’s because the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified processed meats as being carcinogenic, placing them in the same category as tobacco smoke, asbestos, oral contraceptives, alcohol, sunshine, X-rays, polluted air, and inhaled sand. However, it is critical to understand that the classification is based on hazard as opposed to risk.</p> Fri, 27 Nov 2015 01:19:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2296 at /oss /oss/article/quirky-science-you-asked/sunglass-savvy <p>Should we be spending hundreds of hard-earned dollars on expensive sunglasses or do we get the same protection from cheaper models available off of racks at the pharmacy? It seems that dishing out the extra cash might be bad for our wallets but good for our eyes. Ultra violet (UV) radiation isn’t just bad for skin – it is also damaging to eyes. UV radiation has been found to contribute to such varied conditions as cataracts (clouding of the natural lens that can blur vision) and corneal sunburn (snow blindness).</p> Tue, 06 Nov 2012 17:05:48 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1740 at /oss /oss/article/health/blocking-suns-rays-metal-oxides <p>Ultraviolet light from the sun encompasses a range of wavelengths, all the way from 280 nm to 400 nm. The shorter and more energetic wavelengths from 280 to 320 nm are referred to as UV-B, while the longer less energetic wavelengths are termed UV-A. All ultraviolet rays are energetic enough to break bonds in molecules, meaning that they can disrupt the structure of DNA and trigger cancer.</p> Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:01:33 +0000 Joe Schwarcz 1660 at /oss