What Really Happened to the Ozone Layer

Remember when the ozone layer had a huge hole in it? Now it’s shrinking! Here’s what happened...

The ozone layer is high in the atmosphere and shields us from radiation. But in the early 80’s scientists noticed the ozone above the south pole was depleting…. fast. Scientists suspected that chemicals in everyday products were rising into the atmosphere and destroying ozone molecules.

So scientist Susan Solomon led an expedition to the south pole and proved that the chemicals, called chlorofluorocarbons, were to blame. Her work became the basis for the UN Montreal Protocol, which banned chlorofluorocarbons in 1987.

Since then, emissions have dropped dramatically and the latest data from NASA satellites shows that the ozone layer is recovering!

Subscribe for more optimistic science and tech stories!

#animation #ozone #optimism #science #tech

[paigeburton]

They never tell us when something fixes itself or gets better from us trying. I wish they would do more of this. Thank you so much for positive news. Oh my God we need it.

[slifsillybilly]

HVAC technician here it really is amazing the progress we have made on using environmentally, friendly, refrigerant

[aaryangotad]

I remember being taught about this when I was in school and boy were we scared that the ozone layer would completely disappear someday 😂. Glad to see world ACTUALLY achieved something together for the betterment of the planet.

Edit :- I was not expecting this comment to blow up 💀

[eddiemus]

This just made me time travel. I remember as a kid in the 80’s we were told about this hole and how it would take so many decades to reverse the damage and I thought I would never see that happening. But here we are. I’m glad to hear this.

[Beyonder]

Fun fact with the acid rain: in agriculture, we didn’t used to apply any sulfur since there was enough coming down in the form of acid rain to supply the crop entirely with its sulfur needs. We’ve driven acid rain down so much that we’re now putting down 15-20 pounds of sulfur per acre every year (in an average corn crop.) puts in perspective how much acid rain there really was.

[stay_coolXD]

From my understanding, this was the only time the whole humanity set their differences aside and worked together to fix a problem. Literally the only time

[edpersona_l]

For those wondering; this is ONE OF THE ONLY times where everyone in the UN (yes, EVERYONE) decided to get together and pass the Montreal Protocol, UNIVERSALLY RATIFIED

[Yuvrajain]

The best way to protect nature is to stop destroying it

[najashitv]

I've seen at least 100 shorts from this channel and I finally subscribed for more optimistic science and tech stories

[crestfallenguy]

It's rare to see humanity come together to do something good

[jimmytrex]

I hate how the world coming together and fixing an environmental problem seems so unnatural

[masonieboi]

It’s so heartwarming knowing that humanity truly can work together for a cause.

[ayubhussein-zt]

Fun Fact: North Korea also agreed to do this

woah, not to be that person but rarely people get a viral comment so thanks i guess

[knifedance]

Fun facts: CFCs were expensive and dangerous enough to handle, and enough scientists actually expected this to be the case that alternatives to CFCs were being developed as early as the 1960s. Many companies were already tooling up to produce them by the 1970s. This is why the transition happened so quickly after the ban: It was actually already happening before the ban did.

So it’s less a story of how heroic politicians and activists saved us all, and more a story about how good science actually does play a significant factor in markets.

[captaindishman]

I never knew that the hole was closing! Thank you for brightening my future a little bit!

[StrixGenesis]

The fact that nature can recover itself if given enough time and proper care ( like no pollution and other stuff ) is what amaze me

Edit: 1.6k likes... this is the most likes I have ever had man

[EliteTJ]

From my understanding the other reason why the chemical companies agreed to do this was that the safer alternative was actually cheaper than the one that was causing the ozone layer to disappear

[Iconology]

I miss the days when policy was informed by science and not the other way around. When factual evidence was sacrosanct and not weaponised as some sort of agenda.

[Damonkyking]

The smile in her voice when She says "It's shrinking" Is Just so precious i love this Channel

[onubohrok]

I love the Montreal protocol because it serves as an example for two huge facts:

1) Human activity does have an environmental impact on our atmosphere

2) we're capable of developing actionable plans and alternatives to reverse it.