Ozone hole shrinks as Earth's protective layer recovers

The ozone hole in 2024 was smaller than in recent years, indicating continued recovery of the Earth's protective ozone layer. This improvement is attributed to both natural atmospheric fluctuations and the significant reduction of human-made ozone-depleting substances, like CFCs, since the Montreal Protocol. The ozone layer is expected to fully recover to 1980s levels by mid-century, with complete recovery over the Antarctic projected for 2066.