In the last 200 eld , we human being have inflicted astonishing sum of violence and wipeout on our home planet . The forecast seems grim . But every so often , we see a glimmer of hope . The recent ? Researchers in the Antarctic report that a tear in the ozone layer above the continent is showing signs of healing . They write their determination in the journalScience .
For those of us who have n’t seen the inside of an Earth science classroom in years , here ’s a prompt refresher . The ozone layer is a blanket of ozone gas that wrap up around our planet , shielding us from nearly all of the Sun ’s radiation sickness . Without this blanket , we ’d be goner . Butpollutionhas rip holes in this protective level , forget the satellite and its inhabitants vulnerable to , you know , being burnt to a crisp . So yeah , it ’s reasonably serious .
Some of the best - known perpetrator in ozone weakening are chemic compounds call chlorofluorocarbons ( CFCs ) , which were , for a clock time , wide used in popular product and appliances like aerosol sprays and breeze conditioners . By 1987 , CFC - link hurt to the ozone layer was so serious that state around the worldsigned a pact , agreeing to censor the chemicals .
Apparently , the ban is working . Studies over the last 10 years have indicate that the ozone level has begin to patch up itself up in sure place , and the in style research in Antarctica expect that out .
Lead author Susan Solomon is an atmospheric scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . She and her colleague have been monitor the south-polar ozone hole for eld , reckon at its area , superlative , and chemical profile . They now report that , from 2000 to 2015 , the size of mess has shrunk by million of square miles .
“ We as a planet have avoid what would have been an environmental catastrophe , ” SolomontoldAlexandra Witze inNature . “Yay us ! ”
clime scientist count on that even if the south-polar jam continues close at this pace , it wo n’t completely heal over until at least the class 2100 , and the Arctic ozone hole showsno signs yetof mending . We still have a lot of oeuvre to do before we can declare victory , but this is still a very unspoilt commencement .
Know of something you retrieve we should get across ? Email us attips@mentalfloss.com .
