Pollen can survive millions of years in certain conditions. That’s because each tiny grain is protected by a hard shell of sporopollenin, a UV-absorbing substance that can handle high temperatures as well as a wild pH range.
Scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have found those qualities also make for excellent sunscreen. They’ve created a microgel from sporopollenin of Camellia sinensis, the plant farmed to make tea, and found it has an SPF of about 30. Remarkably, the golden gel also cools the surface of the skin by about 5°C, an effect that lasts at least half an hour.
Camellia sinensis pollen is widely available, sustainable and unlikely to trigger allergies, the scientists point out. (Processed into a gel, allergic reactions are even less likely.) Importantly, their research also indicates the gel is reef-safe.
The team hope the findings will spark a “paradigm shift”. “We are currently manufacturing the prototype facility,” says co-author Nam-Joon Cho. “This is not just science but translation.”
