Sunscreen made from pollen could protect beachgoers from sunburn while minimizing harm to coral reefs, a new study finds.
Researchers found that a gel made from the pollen of camellia flowers (Camellia sinensis) blocked ultraviolet (UV) light about as well as existing commercial sunscreens, such as those made with oxybenzone or octinoxate. But unlike these conventional options, the pollen-based gel didn't cause coral bleaching in a laboratory experiment. Coral bleaching is the process by which corals expel the symbiotic algae living within them, leaving the corals more vulnerable to environmental stress.
