Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

For Once, Some Good Environmental News Out of Antarctica

For Once, Some Good Environmental News Out of Antarctica

[DIGEST: BBC, CNN]

New research published in the journal Science suggests the thinning in the ozone layer above Antarctica is starting to heal. Researchers carried out detailed measurements of the amount of ozone in the stratosphere every September between 2000 and 2015. They used data collected from weather balloons, satellites and model simulations, to show the thinning of the layer declined by 1.5 million square miles, an area larger than India.


The researchers estimate the thinning in the ozone peaked in the 1990s, and credit the healing to the 1987 Montreal Protocol, an international agreement limiting the production of ozone-destroying chemicals, phasing out substances including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons, once present in refrigerators, hairsprays and air conditioners. Professor Susan Solomon of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who lead the research team, was optimistic. "We can now be confident that the things we've done have put the planet on a path to heal," she said in a statement. "We decided collectively, as a world, 'Let's get rid of these molecules'. We got rid of them, and now we're seeing the planet respond."

The ozone layer, a shield of gas surrounding the planet, blocks harmful ultraviolet radiation emitted from the sun. Depleting the layer endangers human and animal life, increasing the chances of skin cancers, cataract damage, and other diseases. The effects of depletion also extend to plant life, resulting in lower crop yields and the potential disruption of the ocean’s natural food chain. The ozone layer’s natural production and destruction in the stratosphere balances out over time, but the reason the thinning occurred primarily over Antarctica was due to the extremely cold climate and the presence of large amounts of light. These conditions helped produce polar stratospheric clouds, which in turn create the chlorine chemistry that destroys the ozone.

Credit: Source.

More than half the shrinkage, researchers found, is a result of the reduction in atmospheric chlorine. "Even though we phased out the production of CFCs in all countries including India and China around the year 2000, there's still a lot of chlorine left in the atmosphere," said Professor Solomon. "It has a lifetime of about 50-100 years, so it is starting to slowly decay and the ozone will slowly recover.” According to Professor Solomon, these chemicals have a lifespan of roughly 50 - 100 years, so researchers do not expect the hole to completely heal until at least 2050 or 2060.

Others in the scientific community are less optimistic and are not entirely convinced these findings can be attributed to the reduction of chlorine in the stratosphere. "The data clearly show significant year to year variations that are much greater than the inferred trends shown in the paper," said Dr Paul Newman from NASA. “If the paper included this past year, which had a much more significant ozone hole due to lower wave driven forcing, the overall trend would be less."

More from News

Donald Trump
Mehmet Eser/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Demands 'Boss Of AT&T' Fix Equipment After Failed Conference Call In Bizarre Meltdown

When most of us have technical difficulties, we contact tech support or customer service.

But if you're President of the United States, just ranting on social media—then having your White House Press Secretary post a screenshot of your post on a social media platform people actually use—is apparently the answer.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Lauren Boebert speaking to Alex Stein
Prime Time with Alex Stein/Blaze Media

Lauren Boebert Casts Doubt On Moon Landing During Wild Interview With Conspiracy Theorist

Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert was criticized after she seemingly agreed with the conspiracy theory that the moon landing was faked in a wide-ranging interview with conservative conspiracy theorist Alex Stein.

The segment began with the duo casting doubt on nuclear weapons—Boebert even joked about needing "tin foil"—and moved into weirder territory when Stein praised Boebert for "vibing" with him on the topic of the moon landing. Conspiracy theorists have long alleged the moon landing was fabricated by NASA in what they claim was an elaborate hoax.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rosie O'Donnell; Oprah Winfrey
Simon Ackerman/Getty Images; Ernesto Ruscio/GC Images

Rosie O'Donnell Calls Out Oprah For Attending Jeff Bezos' Wedding In Scathing Poem

Among the various celebrity hangers-on who attended Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's Venice wedding, the one that seemed to generate the most controversy was Oprah Winfrey.

After all, a woman known for her progressive politics whose entire ethos is about teaching people how to be their best selves, attending the wedding of man who directly funded a fascist regime dismantling our country before our eyes doesn't exactly add up.

Keep ReadingShow less
Lisa Murkowski
Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

Lisa Murkowski Slammed After Criticizing Massive Budget Bill She Just Voted For

Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski was slammed after she claimed that President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill is "not there yet" despite casting the deciding vote to narrowly pass it before sending it back to the House.

In a marathon voting session, the Senate narrowly passed the legislation in a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote after three Republicans joined all Democrats in opposition.

Keep ReadingShow less
Woman listening to her boyfriend play guitar
Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Things People Initially Found Attractive About Their Partner That Now Annoy Them

Being in a relationship can be wonderful, but it's not without its ups and downs.

In order for it to work, we have to allow it to grow and change over time rather than being locked forever into what it was when we first started dating our person.

Keep ReadingShow less