This is part 5 of our multi-part series on Human Skin Color.

There is a big difference among the skin cancer rates across different racial-ethnic groups in America. Some of this difference can be explained by skin color, and the ability of skin to engage in a tanning response. In this video, we look at why skin cancer forms, and the role that the skin pigment eumelanin can play in protecting against mutations that can lead to uncontrolled cell growth, and cancer formation.

For more information on the biology of human skin color, visit www.evo-ed.org.

Support for this work was provided by the National Science Foundation's Division of Undergraduate Education program under Award No. DUE2020221