Sunburn’s Real Culprit: It’s Not DNA Damage

You may be surprised at what’s really triggering immediate sunburn reactions like inflammation and cell death.

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For decades, scientists blamed DNA damage for the angry red sunburn that follows a day of too much sun. But they may have been pointing fingers at the wrong molecular culprit.

A December 2024 study identified RNA damage as the true instigator of sunburn’s immediate painful effects, upending our understanding of how ultraviolet (UV) radiation affects our skin.