Today’s Big Story

Do We Need Better Sunscreen?

Americans are buying up foreign sunscreens for better protection

I think there are two types of people when it comes to sunscreen. Those who treat it as an afterthought … perhaps they forget to apply or simply buy the convenient bottle from a pharmacy or convenience store while on vacation. And then there are people like me, who examine the ingredients and make sure to apply it with care each morning before leaving the house.

Now, I actually survived a brush with skin cancer a decade ago, which is why I’m so vigilant about it. But you should be to, so you don’t have to endure a cancer scare. Did you know that skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the country? It is, so sun protection remains crucial.

But it’s not just whether people are using enough sunscreen, but what ingredients are in it. Sadly, we don’t have the best sunblocks here in the States. Compared to the U.S., both Europe and Asia have more approved active sunscreen ingredients, says Henry Lim, dermatologist at Henry Ford Health in Detroit and former president of the American Academy of Dermatology.

The Food and Drug Administration’s ability to approve the chemical filters in sunscreens that are sold in countries such as Japan, South Korea and France is hamstrung by a 1938 U.S. law that requires sunscreens to be tested on animals and classified as drugs, rather than as cosmetics as they are in much of the world. So Americans are not likely to get those better sunscreens—which block the ultraviolet rays that can cause skin cancer and lead to wrinkles—in time for this summer, or even the next.

Sadly, the FDA hasn't approved a new UV filter for sunscreen in more than 20 years. Newer sunscreen ingredients available elsewhere are much more efficient at filtering and absorbing UV rays and are less likely to penetrate skin or cause allergic reactions than U.S.-approved ones, says cosmetic chemist Michelle Wong, who lives in Australia.

In a rare example of bipartisanship last summer, Sen. Mike Lee of Utah thanked New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, for urging the FDA to speed up approvals of new, more effective sunscreen ingredients. Now a bipartisan bill is pending in the House that would require the FDA to allow non-animal testing. Until then, I’d suggest buying some European sunblock or my go-to lightweight Japanese daily moisturizer with SPF 55.

The World’s Biggest Election

India’s election is being watched because it’s one of the elections that could change the world in 2024

Early vote counting suggests Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will officially win a rare third term today—entering a new decade as leader of the world’s most populous country at a time when India is growing closer to the U.S. and gaining clout around the world. The New York Times says Modi will have a much slimmer majority in Parliament and will likely need to turn to junior partners like the Telugu Desam Party to form a government.

The election is the latest in an unusually busy stretch of elections around the world that are challenging the status quo. On Sunday, Mexico elected its first female president. And a day earlier, South Africa’s storied African National Congress lost its majority for the first time since the end of apartheid three decades earlier, forcing it into coalition talks with other parties.

Later this week, voters across Europe will go to the polls to choose members of the European Parliament, the only European Union institution elected by citizens of the 27-member bloc. The Associated Press reports that far-right parties are hoping for a strong showing in the polls, where issues ranging from farming to the war in neighboring Ukraine are energizing voters.

The Effects of Same-Sex Marriage

After ’dire predictions,’ the effects have been largely positive, a new study finds

When America’s first state-sanctioned same-sex marriages took place in Massachusetts in May of 2004, only 31% of Americans supported same-sex marriage, while 60% were opposed, according to a Pew Research Center poll. Much of that opposition was fueled by fears that expanding the definition of marriage beyond the traditional union of a man and a women would undermine the institution and be destabilizing to families. Researchers at the Rand Corp. decided to find out if those predictions turned out to be true.

The analysis found that America has not seen any negative effects on marriage, divorce or living arrangements among all couples. Reviewing nearly 100 studies examining the consequences of same-sex marriage on multiple measures of family formation and well-being found no harm to different-sex unions. The researchers suggest that issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples had, if anything, led to a small positive impact on marriage attitudes among high school seniors.

However, two decades after that historic moment—and nine years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled state-level same-sex marriage bans were unconstitutional—advocates worry that marriage equity is vulnerable despite its wide acceptance today. According to Axios, some conservatives have signaled they will use the conservative supermajority on the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge marriage equity following the successful challenge to the Roe decision.

Taco Bell’s New Giant Cheez-It

The highly-anticipated collaboration will be available nationwide this week

Taco Bell always goes wild with their culinary mash-up collaborations. But somehow, they always work, right? The latest—a giant Cheez-It cracker transformed into a tostada—has been called a “fast food fever dream” and yet Eater says it’s “an absolute revelation.”

You might recall that two years ago, Taco Bell and Cheez-It created two new menu items that used a massive cheese cracker—16-times bigger than normal—for a test sold at only one restaurant, sparking a frenzy among its fans. Well, beginning June 6, the collaboration is going nationwide. But only for a limited time. The “Big Cheez-It Tostada” will cost you $3.99 while the fancier “Big Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme” will set you back $5.49.

Of course, like any fast food you find in the United States, the reality of what you’re served and the beautiful imagery used to sell it differs somewhat substantially. But Taco Bell’s never been known for particularly beautiful food. And while some critics loved their samples, The Takeout called theirs a “soggy letdown.” So perhaps it all comes down to how fresh the oversized Cheez-It is, or how quickly you can dive into it.

The Long Read

What happens when China’s online history is erased?

Get your ideas out of your head.