The Unsuspected Origin of Sunscreen: Study Points to Prehistoric Rituals

A new study suggests that Homo sapiens may have used ochre-based body paint as an early form of sunscreen around 41,000 years ago. This practice would have helped our ancestors survive a period of intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation caused by a temporary disturbance in Earth's magnetic field, known as the Laschamp event.

During this event, Earth's magnetic field weakened by up to 10% of its usual strength, allowing more solar radiation to reach the planet's surface. This increased UV exposure would have posed a significant health risk to humans at the time, reports Science Alert.

Researchers at the University of Michigan , led by space physicist Agnit Mukhopadhyay, reconstructed the global space environment during this period and found that the regions most affected by radiation coincided with areas where evidence of ochre use, rock art , and sewing tools has been found. This suggests that Homo sapiens adopted strategies such as applying ochre to their skin, making tight-fitting clothing, and using caves as shelter to protect themselves from solar radiation.

Homo sapiens adopted strategies such as applying ochre to the skin, making tight-fitting clothing, and using caves.

Ochre, a natural pigment composed primarily of iron oxides, has been used by various cultures throughout history. Experimental studies and ethnographic observations indicate that ochre may offer protective properties against UV radiation. For example, some indigenous communities, such as the Himba in Namibia , still use ochre mixtures to protect their skin from the sun.

Adopting these protective measures may have given Homo sapiens an evolutionary advantage over other human species, such as Neanderthals, who lacked these adaptations and became extinct around the same time. The combination of sun protection, adequate clothing, and cave shelter may have allowed Homo sapiens to expand across Europe and Asia during this challenging period.

This study, published in the journal Science Advances , offers a new perspective on how technological and cultural adaptations allowed Homo sapiens to overcome adverse environmental conditions and highlights the importance of ochre not only as a symbolic element, but also as a functional one in human survival.