Australia’s Great Barrier Reef corals lead to super sunscreen

Zee Media Bureau

Melbourne: In a step forward in the fight against skin cancer, scientists in Australia claimed to have developed a super sunscreen which mimics the natural sun protection used by Great Barrier Reef corals. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) scientists have discovered new ‘filters’ that are resistant to UVA and UVB rays. They have spent two years studying the way the reef’s corals guard themselves from harsh Queensland sun for millions of years in shallow waters. The super sunscreen, which is safe and resistant to UV rays that causes skin cancer, including melanoma, has been developed by the CSIRO scientists in partnership with skincare company Larissa Bright Australia. “The filters are clear in colour, virtually odourless and very stable, which makes them easy to be incorporated into any emulsion,” said CSIRO scientist Dr Mark York. The research builds on work by scientists at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) who were the first to discover the natural sun screening ability of the reef’s corals. Stretching more than 2,600 km off the coast of Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef ecosystem in the world Australia has the highest skin cancer incidence rate in the world with more than 2000 deaths every year. The sunscreen is expected to hit the global market within five years.