Well, hairspray is not really the focus of this article, but the process of science IS, and that explains its connection to the UCMP!

With all of the efforts on our Understanding Evolution website, it did not take long before it became apparent to us that much of the confusion about evolution is linked to confusions about science itself – how it works, what it is, what it is not, and what is not science. In response, UCMP pulled together an astonishing set of advisors and launched a new website that is gaining a lot of attention in the science education community – Understanding Science. The site is extremely rich and contains numerous examples of how science really works.

So back to the hidden hazard of hairspray – Read Ozone depletion: Uncovering the hidden hazard of hairspray, one of the online interactive case studies on the Understanding Science website. This article looks at the work of chemists Mario Molina, F. Sherwood Rowland, and many others and examines how scientific research revealed the global threat posed by chlorofluorocarbons and influenced policy changes. And see how Molina and his colleagues’ investigations measure up against the Science Checklist: read The science checklist applied: CFCs and the destruction of the ozone layer.

And while you are there, explore the rest of Understanding Science, an NSF-funded website, and let us know what you think!