The wound on Earth will completely heal: scientists have announced the date for this event (photo).

Nearly 40 years have passed since scientists first detected a growing hole in the Earth's ozone layer. For decades, researchers have monitored its fluctuations, and now they believe it may be on track to fully heal, according to Daily Mail.

New data collected by NASA indicates that the ozone hole over Antarctica this year is the seventh largest since 1992. Dr. Paul Newman, head of NASA's ozone research team, states that the Antarctic hole in 2024 is smaller than those observed in the early 2000s. Moreover, experts from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predict that the protective layer of the Earth, located 32 kilometers above the planet's surface, may be on a path to recovery.

Dr. Newman also notes that the gradual improvement observed over the past two decades demonstrates that international efforts to curb ozone-depleting chemicals are indeed effective. Consequently, scientists have concluded that the ozone hole over Antarctica could potentially close completely by 2066.

At the same time, researchers caution that the ozone hole still covers an average of nearly 20 million square kilometers. For comparison, this is three times the size of the United States. Despite the optimistic forecasts, researchers warn that there is still a long way to go before the ozone layer returns to its natural thickness.

As the ozone hole expands, it allows harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation to reach the Earth, increasing the risk of cancer and cataracts. Nevertheless, each year, a combination of ozone-depleting chemicals and low temperatures leads to the formation of a seasonal ozone hole over Antarctica. Fortunately for humanity, it also shows promising signs of recovery.

NASA and NOAA utilize satellites and ground-based meteorological probes to measure ozone gas concentrations in the atmosphere. Their observations revealed that the annual ozone layer over the South Pole was relatively small compared to other years during its peak depletion from September 7 to October 13. The largest size of the ozone hole was recorded on September 28, measuring 22.4 million square kilometers. In comparison, in 2023, the peak size of the ozone hole reached 26 million square kilometers.

A recent study by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) indicates that the ozone hole formed longer and was smaller than expected. By September 13, the ozone hole measured 18.48 million square kilometers, which is less than during the same period in recent years.

Interestingly, the ozone layer over the North Pole is also showing some signs of potential recovery. This year, particularly favorable weather conditions have allowed the Arctic ozone layer to be 14.5 percent thicker than the average since 1980.