Scientists have developed a that can copy the of sunlight. The new drug tricks the into making it darker and giving us a suntan. The drug makes our body produce more of a pigment found in our skin called melanin. A pigment is in our body that colours our skin. Plants also have pigments that give them colours. The scientists are from the Massachusetts General Hospital in the USA. They say their drug could have many for our health. The biggest benefits could be to prevent skin cancer and perhaps even slow down old people look. Too much sunlight and getting suntans can give us skin cancer, make our skin look old and give us many .
Scientists say the drug can give people suntans because there are no UV rays. When people are out in the sun, UV rays burn our skin and damage it. The rays make lighter-skinned people turn red, those people use sunblock or cover their skin. The drug makes the body produce dark melanin, which makes our skin look tanned. Melanin is the body's natural . Researcher Dr David Fisher said the drug could help fight skin cancer - the most type of cancer. He said the drug could make our body produce more melanin. This could protect the skin from UV and cancer. He said: "Dark pigment is associated with a risk of all of skin cancer."
