After 30 years of surveillance, scientists have seen the first fingerprints of healing the ozone hole above Antartica.
Ozone is a gas in the atmosphere that shileds everything living on the Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the Sun.
In 1985, scientists found out that the ozone layer was depleting due to the Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs were used in foams, refrigerants, blowing agents, packing materials and propellants. When CFCs reached the stratosphere and hit by the Sun's Ultraviolet Radiation, it produces chlorine atoms that destroy ozone molecules. Which could cause sunburns, that even plants cannot live and grow, nor can the plankton that serve as food for the most of the ocean life.
But thanks to the Montreal Protocol that phase out of using the harmful chemicals. That nearly all nations signed and agreed. The treaty is considered to be the most successful environmental agreement in history.
And now this resulted in 20% less ozone depletion since 2005.
Source: NASA
Using satellite data taken between 2005 to 2016.
And it is expected to have full recovery by 2060 or 2080.
*Susan Solomon, a professor of atmospheric chemistry and climate science at MIT, whom found multiple lines of evidence for the healing. The findings were published Thursday in Science.
The study shows a new hope that we can fix large environmental problems. If we continue to tackle and regulate human impact on the environment.
Sources: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/06/antarctic-ozone-hole-healing-fingerprints/, http://mashable.com/2018/01/05/nasa-finds-direct-evidence-the-ozone-layer-is-recovering/#L5TxCrH9qmqf, http://news.mit.edu/2016/signs-healing-antarctic-ozone-layer-0630