While sunscreen can protect from sunburns, skin cancer and premature aging, new research published Wednesday revealed that a chemical found in many formulas can contribute to the destruction of coral reefs.
As TIME reported, new research published in the journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology revealed that the chemical oxybenzone is harmful to coral in a variety of ways. Sometimes called the “rainforests of the ocean,” coral is integral to biodiversity and to the environmental health of ocean life, including fish. Local economies also rely on beautiful coral as a tourist draw.
The graphic explains everything you need to know about oxybenzone—and how you can avoid it if you choose to. For more information on sunscreens that don’t contain oxybenzone, check out this list from the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
More Must-Reads from TIME
- L.A. Fires Show Reality of 1.5°C of Warming
- Behind the Scenes of The White Lotus Season Three
- How Trump 2.0 Is Already Sowing Confusion
- Bad Bunny On Heartbreak and New Album
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- We’re Lucky to Have Been Alive in the Age of David Lynch
- The Motivational Trick That Makes You Exercise Harder
- Column: All Those Presidential Pardons Give Mercy a Bad Name
Contact us at letters@time.com