Scienceville
Ultraviolet Magic!
UV rays (invisible rays from the Sun) reach us on sunny days. They make some animals glow, and one animal makes its own sunscreen!
Did you know?
Hippos make their own sunscreen! Their skin gives off a reddish liquid. It soaks up the Sun's UV rays.
Snow, sand and water bounce UV rays back at you. So you need sun care even on a snowy mountain!
Scorpions glow blue-green under UV light! Scientists use UV torches to find them at night.
Try this: The Shadow Check
Do this with an adult
Go outside with an adult on a sunny day. Stand still at 9 o'clock, 12 noon and 4 o'clock. Each time, ask the adult to mark your shadow with chalk. When is your shadow the shortest? When your shadow is shorter than you, UV rays are strong. Then it is best to play in the shade. Never look straight at the Sun.
Go further: Earth's Own Sunscreen
High in the sky is a thin layer of a gas called ozone. It soaks up most of the Sun's harmful UV rays. It works like sunscreen for the whole Earth! Some gases once used in fridges and spray cans harmed this layer. So countries agreed to stop using them. Now the ozone layer is slowly healing. Ozone Day is on 16 September.