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THE Antarctic is a dangerous place to be. But it’s not just the biting cold you’ve got to watch out for. People hanging out on the Antarctic’s icy fields are four times as likely to get sunburnt as those at the North Pole, even in areas where the ozone layer is intact. And you’re just as likely to burn exposed skin as sunbathers in Australia. It’s all due to the Sun’s low angle, the long days and the unusually clear atmosphere. Not forgetting that there is more snow and ice to reflect sunlight onto the skin. Charles Cockell and his team from the British Antarctic Survey hope their results will help set up a worldwide database of UV exposure (Polar Biology, vol 25, p 492).