Short Wave The ozone layer is still healing…thanks to science
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Jan 13, 2026 Discover the fascinating stories behind the Antarctic ozone hole and how scientists sounded the alarm back in the 1980s. Learn about the unique conditions in Antarctica that affect ozone levels and hear about the harmful chemicals like CFCs that created the problem. Delve into the international efforts, including the Montreal Protocol, that led to a significant reduction of ozone-depleting substances. The most exhilarating news? The ozone layer is healing, albeit slowly, and there’s hope for a full recovery by the 2050s.
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Ozone Is Earth's Sunscreen
- Ozone in the stratosphere blocks harmful UV and forms from O2 when sunlight splits molecules.
- Balance of formation and destruction fluctuates seasonally and is crucial for life on Earth.
Discovery Of The Antarctic Ozone Hole
- In the early 1980s scientists measured dramatic springtime ozone declines over Antarctica and called it a 'hole.'
- Weather balloons and aircraft found high chlorine and bromine breaking down ozone rapidly.
Antarctic Isolation Fuels Ozone Loss
- Antarctica's polar vortex isolates its air, preventing mixing and creating conditions for seasonal ozone thinning.
- Polar stratospheric clouds activate otherwise inert chlorine and bromine, causing rapid spring destruction once sunlight returns.