system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
So broadly speaking, white reflects radiation and black absorbs radiation. Then why do paler people experience sun damage so much faster than darker people?

I mean I know it's because of melanin but I guess I'm just approaching biology like the amateur physicist I am here and I'd like to reconcile the two! I mean why does melanin end up making skin darker to reflect more light?

EDIT: Thank you all so much for your great answers! Really enjoyed reading the discussions that were started too :) I think the reality of biology tends to be so much more complex than the (relatively) simple scenarios examined in physics, and that's part of what makes it so interesting!
gpt
The purpose of melanin is not to reflect light. Melanin actually absorbs the UV radiation from the sun. Without sufficient melanin the UV radiation penetrates our skin cells and damages the DNA. If you're out in the sun without protection long enough the DNA damage gets severe enough to kill the cells resulting in various degrees of sun burn.