What do invisible gases, vintage hairspray, and satellites have in common? They all played a role in one of the greatest environmental comebacks in history. Seen from 225 miles above, the Gulf Coast glows like a constellation—clusters of light scattered across the dark. But what truly makes this view possible can"t be seen: the ozone layer, silently shielding everything below from the sun"s ultraviolet rays. By the 1980s, that shield was thinning fast—damaged by chemicals once used in refrigeration and aerosol products. The solution? A global pact. The Montreal Protocol, signed in 1987, led to a swift phase-out of ozone-depleting substances. Today, satellites show that the hole over Antarctica is shrinking. Scientists believe it could be fully healed by mid-century.
Nighttime view over the Gulf Coast
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Swimming with the sea cows
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Observing a squirrelly day
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Feeling lazy? Today s your day.
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Speed skaters in the Gangneung Oval, Pyeongchang, South Korea
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Marine Day in Japan
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Antarctica Day
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Moon Day
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World Population Day
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Happy New Year! (Again!)
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Kjell Henriksen Observatory
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Astronomy Day and National Public Lands Day
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Megalong Valley, Blue Mountains National Park, Australia
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Ocean City, Maryland, at sunrise
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day
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Aspens in the White River National Forest, Colorado
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Portland celebrates its bounty
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Wicker fields in Cañamares, Spain
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3, 2, 1 … Happy New Year!
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Three cheers for polar bears!
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Shark Awareness Day
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Joshua Tree National Park
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On the rebirth of the Olympic Games
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Museum Mile Festival
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Visiting a Maratha fortress
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Christmas Tree Point Road and Twin Peaks, San Francisco
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Tokyo welcomes a futuristic new art museum
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Black History Month
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Superbloom in Carrizo Plain National Monument, California
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A star is borne by seaweed
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Splügen Pass, Switzerland