I want to know…Would you? Could you?….get better sun protection with hippo sweat?! If hippo sweat could be used to find an actual biological cure to one of the deadliest cancers, melanoma, would you? Could you? Seems far fetched, but ‘researchers have found that hippo sweat (actually an oily secretion) provides hippos with multiple types of protection: from the sun, disease and bugs.’ A professor, Christopher Viney from University of California has been researching hippo sweat since 2004!

‘Viney and his team found that the red-colored secretion acts as both a sunscreen and sunblock, with microscopic structures that scatter light, preventing it from burning the hippo’s skin.’

Nature is amazing isn’t it? Hippo’s are the ultimate in the world of chemical-free sun protection. Unlike our sunscreens that rely on chemicals to block out the uv rays–hippos have sweat that blocks the uv rays naturally!

Viney also found that ‘the sweat also deters bugs, and helps hippos keep wounds or scratches clean no matter how much mud or filth they’re exposed to. The researchers left the sweat stored in sealed containers for months, and it didn’t show any signs of microbial contamination.’

He has dreams of using his findings to create a four-in-one product that included sunscreen, sunblock, antiseptic, insect repellent.

Well, I have a hard enough time trying to get my girl’s to slather on regular  sunscreen. Could you just imagine asking your child to put on their hippo sweat? It probably would have to have a snazzier name…maybe “Sweat No More!” Or maybe just “H” because nobody really wants to remember that they are wearing hippo sweat. Plus it sounds kind of incognito and mysterious!

The ultimate mystery.(hee hee!)

On a more serious note–It is about time that we do more research on biology like this. Most animals have been around longer than humans have. They must hold the secret to life and we should be taking more advantage of that. Nature is simply amazing! It would be kind of cool to get a better sunscreen based on hippo sweat.

So tell me would you? Could you…with hippo sweat? I really love reading your thoughts so tell me what you think!

Source: Greener Design