The hole in the ozone is on track to be gone by 2060

The Antarctic ozone hole is starting to heal.
(Image credit: Newsmakers)

The oceans are rising, Oregon will basically fall into the sea when the Big One hits, and the globe just keeps getting hotter. But hey, look on the bright side — at least the giant hole in the ozone is on track to be fully healed later this century!

The spot of good news comes from Susan Solomon, the lead author in a study published Thursday in Science that appears to prove that the hole in the ozone above the Antarctic is on track to actually repair itself sometime around 2060. The researchers praise the 1987 Montreal Protocol as at least partially responsible for the progress, thanks to its ban of chlorinated compounds in refrigerator coolants and aerosols, which used to float up to terrorize the stratosphere.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.