Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site mit-eddie.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!mit-eddie!jfw From: jfw@mit-eddie.UUCP (John Woods) Newsgroups: net.cooks,net.flame Subject: Re: Re: Truth in Advertising? Message-ID: <3210@mit-eddie.UUCP> Date: Wed, 28-Nov-84 22:39:06 EST Article-I.D.: mit-eddi.3210 Posted: Wed Nov 28 22:39:06 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 30-Nov-84 06:37:57 EST References: <2559@dartvax.UUCP> <642@watdcsu.UUCP> <1245@utah-gr.UUCP> <2804@ucbcad.UUCP> <1894@nsc.UUCP> Organization: MIT, Cambridge, MA Lines: 19 >> What I've always wondered is why the closer to the equator people live, the >> darker their skin tends to be. It seems that in the interests of maintainting >> a reasonable body temperature, it should be just the opposite. >> >> Wayne > >I had heard that this has to do with the intensity of the sunlight in the >area being discussed. Dark(er)-skinned people have more UV-absorbing compounds >in their skins which helps guard against skin damage/sunburn. This would seem >to tally with the above observation. It's true. Relatively few people achieve thermodynamic equilibrium with the sun. Good thing, too. -- John Woods, Charles River Data Systems decvax!frog!john, mit-eddie!jfw, JFW%mit-ccc@MIT-XX When your puppy goes off in another room, is it because of the explosive charge?