/oss/taxonomy/term/646/all en /oss/article/covid-19-health-and-nutrition/masked-kids-are-alright <p>It is easy to raise the spectre of science to scare people. Talk about a new vaccine technology messing with your DNA and you’ve conjured up instant anxiety. It is an especially potent technique when the target of the sciency boogeyman is a child. Children are frequently at the center of moral panics, from video games to heavy metal music, from alleged Satanic ritual abuse to reactionary views on gender expression.</p> Fri, 25 Feb 2022 18:56:31 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 9039 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/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