The Ozone Layer: Our Global Sunscreen
It's not often that scientists get to conduct experiments that seem like they come out of a science fiction novel or a video game. Yet, that is what some researchers at NASA did a few years ago. Atmospheric physicists Paul Newman and Luke Oman built a simulation of the Earth’s atmosphere and then proceeded to strip away our protective ozone layer. Their computer model reproduced the chemistry and circulation of the air; the natural variations in temperatures and winds; and the minor changes in the amount of energy received from the sun. Newman and Oman then added ozone-destroying chemicals to the atmosphere at a rate of 3% more per year—on top of what was already in our 1970s atmosphere. For several months, they ran their model on a supercomputer and reproduced about 80 years of simulated Earth time. They called their experiment "The World Avoided."