We are on the topic of Ozone depletion and Global Warming, and Ms J asked us, why do western people get skin cancer easier than we Asains do? Even when we are all under the same sun? I thought it was a good question...
I did some research... and I found out that typing in the whole question doesn't work. Thus I searched bit by bit. It doesn't take a genius to realise that all humans are created uniquely, we all have different skin colors! Asians tend to have yellowish skin (under the decks of makeup) while Europeans have almost white skin (with a pinkish hue due to the blood vessels underneath the skin, of course) and African Americans have black skin. The reason why we all have different skin colors is because of the genes, plus the amount of melanin (2 types, red or very dark brown) in our skin vary. Look at the picture below (taken from http://www.myuniversalfacts.com/2005/09/why-do-people-have-different-colors-of.html):
Oh wait. Actually the amount and type of melanin in our skin is affected by the genes. Anyway, melanin controls the UV radiation from the sun that penetrates the skin by absorption (from Wikipedia! Refer to references below). TAA DAA! The key word(s).... UV rays!
As we know the amount of UV rays we are exposed to is dependent on the ozone layer (which is, as we know, is depleting). So what has this got to do with Europeans getting skin cancer easier than Asians? Asians have darker skin than Europeans, which mean that we have more melanin in our skin. Melanin protects our skin by controlling the amount of UV radiation that penetrates in it. Thus we are protected against skin cancer... and light-skinned people are 10 times more prone.
But whatever it is, everybody is unique... we are all beautiful in God's eyes! We are all God's children.
'We may have different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race.' ~Kofi Annan
God bless!
Joanne
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_skin_color
http://www.myuniversalfacts.com/2005/09/why-do-people-have-different-colors-of.html
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