Ultraviolet Radiation

While the threat of nuclear annihilation seems to be fading, we find ourselves menaced by a far humbler technology: some of our cherished consumer appliances.When NASA scientists said last week they discovered record levels of ozone-destroying chemicals over the Arctic, we didn't need any Strategic Defense Initiative to spot the weapons of mass destruction.There they are, many of them: 160 million home refrigerators, 130 million air conditioned autos and 80,000 office buildings with chillers that keep us crisp in the blistering summer heat.

Teen-agers and young adults increasingly are being diagnosed with skin cancer, according to doctors who warn that the development could herald a wave of deadly lesions later in these patients' lives. This onset is much earlier than in previous generations: Malignancies once thought to take 20 to 30 years to become noticeable are being removed from the faces, backs and necks of what one dermatologist described as "remarkably young" patients. Melanoma -- the deadliest form of skin cancer -- now ranks as the most common cancer among people age 25 to 29. From the mid-1970s to the late 1990s, melanoma rates rose 60.5 percent among women age 15 to 29, according to figures from the American Cancer Society.

SPF is not enough A recent study by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group raised serious questions about the effectiveness of many sunscreens. Among the findings: Many products fail to offer protection from all forms of ultraviolet radiation, and common claims such as "all-day protection" are misleading at best. With summer vacation season fully under way, families who plan to spend time outdoors should not only be cautious about what sunscreens they buy (SPF rating of at least 15 and both UVA and UVB protection are a minimum)

Archie C. Epps III, 66, one of the first high-ranking black administrators at Harvard University, died Thursday of complications from surgery, the university said. Mr. Epps became dean of students in 1971, a time of turbulence on campus, and served until 1999, overseeing student organizations and in 1992 publishing the university's first handbook on race relations. Mr. Epps, who arrived on campus as a divinity student in 1958, was a scholar of Islam and edited the book The Speeches of Malcolm X at Harvard.

Telescopes on board the shuttle Endeavour yesterday captured data on iron molecules blasted into space by a supernova explosion in 1006, and on carbon blown from a much smaller stellar blast first observed last month."

Q. Can you tell me what to do about sunblock? I have become increasingly sensitive to the sun, although I always wear sunblock. The problem is that I seem to be allergic to the ingredients that make sunblock work. I have even tried hypoallergenic brands, but my face gets bright red and puffs up no matter which brand I try. Could you recommend any kind of sunblock that won't ruin my skin? The skin on my face seems the most sensitive. I always wear a big hat when I am out in the sun, but even so, my face breaks out. When I use sunblock on my arms and my legs, however, I don't seem to have the same reaction.

Carroll County General Hospital will sponsor a free skin cancer screening tomorrow and Thursday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.If you are concerned about a blemish or mole, now is the time to have it checked by an expert.You may register by calling 857-6935.Screenings will be conducted by Dr. Marilyn Miller, Dr. James Vogel and Dr. Ronald Schuster, plastic surgeons, and Dr. Lawrence Feldman and Dr. Ronald Goldner, dermatologists.One in seven Americans will develop skin cancer in a lifetime, more than 500,000 people this year alone, Dr. Miller says.

WASHINGTON -- As the deadline approaches for the United States to stop making almost all ozone-destroying refrigerants for domestic use, a private group is estimating that up to 22,000 tons a year, or one-third the amount sold in this country, may be smuggled in.The federal government has no current estimate of the amount )) of the chemicals, mostly chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, entering the country illegally. But last year officials said it was about 10,000 tons.An international agreement, in 1987, aims to limit damage to Earth's protective ozone layer but does not ban use of the chemicals.

There is bad news in the air: NASA scientists have found the highest-ever levels of ozone-destroying chemicals over the Northern Hemisphere, building up much faster than expected. These scientists were so worried by their findings that they released preliminary results before all the data is in and analyzed. And while NASA's Michael J. Kurylo said scientists are "trying to avoid calling the problems in the northern hemisphere an ozone hole," it now appears that this could happen sooner rather than later.

WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration is proposing that all sunscreens and tanning products be required to carry warnings about the dangers of sun exposure and that cosmetic products that only promote tanning -- but do not screen against the harmful rays of the sun -- display a warning that they do not protect against sunburn."