Sun Worship or Withdrawal?

Is exposure to the sun helpful or harmful?

Little has been so important to life on earth as the sun. For thousands of years, cultures the world over have found the sun so germane to life that they have created extravagant religions around it. Sun worship has been highly pervasive.

For those of us today who see the sun as a big ball of gas, the question arises: Is the sun healthful or harmful to human health? Does exposure to the sun increase or decrease longevity? What can the study of long-lived cultures reveal to us about this controversial subject?

Many people today are aware that the sun has the ability to harm us and other lifeforms through its potent UV rays. We are encouraged to slather ourselves and our children inhigh SPF sunscreens and to wear protective clothing , as it is currently prevailing wisdom with apparent evidence that the sun is a major cause of skin cancer. Is this apparent carcinogenic effect factual? Has the harmful effect of the sun increased because of a degradation of the ozone layer?

For the rest, see Sun Worship or Withdrawal?