Antarctica's Ozone Hole Reaches Alarming Record Size

The annual hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica grew to a record size in September, according to scientists from the European Space Agency. However, this is a natural occurrence that happens each year due to temperature and atmospheric conditions. The ozone layer thins during the polar spring, allowing unique polar stratospheric clouds to form and interact with ozone-depleting chemicals. The hole is not a permanent hole but a temporary thinning of the atmosphere. The ozone layer is on track for full recovery in the next few decades, thanks to the Montreal Protocol banning chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that were responsible for the ozone depletion.