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Mike
Carruthers:
Why
do we have fingerprints? Certainly they're useful in identifying
people.
Nina
Jablonski:
But fingerprints originally were
designed in evolution to help animals gain a secure footing
on slippery surfaces.
Nina Jablonski,
author of the book Skin-A
Natural History.
And also fingerprints
allow us to have very, very sensitive tips of our fingers so
that we can touch one another with an exquisite sensitivity.
Even though we're
all more aware of the dangers of sun exposure and the importance
of putting on sunscreen, skin cancer is on the rise.
For a variety
of reasons, skin cancer in middle-aged and older people is on
the rise because they're suffering from the cumulative effects
of quite a bit of sun exposure - especially pale-skinned people
who spend a lot of time getting suntans during their teen years.
In their twenties they're paying this price as they get older.
But skin cancer
is also on the rise in young people. Presumably, says Nina,
because of the increase of tanning booths.
This is a great
concern because for young people in their twenties and thirties,
developing skin cancer is a major problem and indicates that
they're suffering a lot of damage to the DNA and other important
molecules in their skin as a result of sun exposure.
At somethingyoushouldknow.net.
I'm Mike Carruthers and that's Something You Should Know.
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