Whales also get sunburns!
November 10th, 2010 - 12:50 pm ICT by ANILondon, Nov 10 (ANI): A study from the University of London has found that even whales suffer the effects of exposure to strong UV rays, such as blisters and sunburns.
The scientists studied more than 150 whales in the Gulf of California and found that the whales had blisters that were caused by sun damage.
The study concluded that darker skinned whales showed fewer signs of sun damage because just like humans, they have more cells that produce a dark brown pigment called melanin.
Laura Martinez-Levasseur explained that whales were good models for this because “they need to come to the surface to breathe air, to socialise and to feed their young, meaning that they are frequently exposed to the full force of the sun,” reports the BBC.
“The increase in skin damage seen in blue whales is a matter of concern, but at this stage it is not clear what is causing this increase. A likely candidate is rising ultraviolet radiation as a result of either ozone depletion, or a change in the level of cloud cover,” she said.
This study showed no signs of skin cancer in the whales, but the team are going on to find out how the whales respond to sun damage at a genetic level.
Martinez-Levasseur said, “I hope this will also open the door for other researchers to look into the effects of sun damage on wildlife.”
The report appears in the Royal Society journal, Proceedings B. (ANI)
- Ozone layer holes causing sunburn among whales - Nov 10, 2010
- Arctic ozone layer depleted by 40 percent: Experts - Apr 06, 2011
- FDA warns vacationers of tanning health risks as Memorial Day weekend approaches - May 26, 2010
- Blame your ancestors if you don't get a tan - Jun 22, 2010
- Cream that gives you natural tan - Oct 17, 2010
- Grapes may help you prevent premature ageing - Aug 01, 2011
- Keep wrinkles at bay, protect skin from childhood - May 11, 2012
- 'Ozone layer no longer vanishing' - Sep 21, 2010
- Ultraviolet light 'helps skin cancer cells survive, proliferate' - Dec 08, 2010
- Busting myths about tanning and sun protection - May 25, 2010
- Unprecedented Arctic ozone loss found - Oct 05, 2011
- Two-thirds of Earth''s ozone would have disappeared by 2065 in simulated world - Mar 20, 2009
- Geography and radiation determine how you tan - Jun 22, 2010
- Sun-triggered protein 'makes skin cancer worse' - Feb 04, 2011
- Season, time of day 'predict higher UV levels' - Nov 16, 2010
Tags: blisters, blue whales, cloud cover, dark brown pigment, full force, genetic level, gulf of california, journal proceedings, laura martinez, levasseur, melanin, ozone depletion, proceedings b, signs of skin cancer, skin cancer, skin damage, sun damage, ultraviolet radiation, university of london, uv rays