Distillations | Science History Institute Whatever Happened to the Ozone Hole?
Apr 17, 2018
A look back at 1980s panic over a disappearing layer of Earth’s sunscreen and how scientists traced the cause to common chemicals. The story follows field discoveries in Antarctica, lab breakthroughs explaining polar chemistry, and how science, policy, and industry coordinated a global phaseout. It highlights practical substitutes, long recovery timelines, and why the ozone turnaround is considered an environmental success.
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Five Steps For Solving Environmental Problems
- Follow a clear, repeatable process: identify the problem, gather evidence, inform the public, enlist industry, and implement policy.
- Continue monitoring after implementation and adjust regulations as needed.
CFCs Were Invisible But Chemically Dangerous
- Researchers Molina and Rowland linked common CFCs to ozone destruction via UV-driven decomposition in the stratosphere.
- Their 1974 Nature paper flagged household refrigerants and aerosol propellants as long-lived chlorine sources that can deplete ozone.
Susan Solomon's Antarctic Expedition Found The Smoking Gun
- Susan Solomon led a 16-person Antarctic expedition that took the first in situ stratospheric chemical measurements.
- Her team found unusually cold polar clouds and chemistry that activated chlorine, providing the smoking gun for the Antarctic ozone hole.
