On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will pass over parts of Mexico, the US, and Canada. I went online to buy a pair of eclipse glasses and read about some products that were not the real deal and wondered how I’d know for sure (the American Astronomical Society has a curated list of suppliers that was updated for the 2024 eclipse). And that’s when I started thinking, “what actually happens if I stare into the sun.”

Read MoreThe science of why staring at the sun is a bad idea