The Ozone Layer's Shield

An illustrated science story from Wonder Science — free to read, with narration.

The Ozone Layer's Shield — an illustrated science story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Science.

The Ozone Layer's Shield — book cover — Wonder Science
The Ozone Layer's Shield — an illustrated science story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Science.

Page 1

Felix groaned, rubbing his arm as he flopped onto the picnic blanket. "Ouch! I think the sun is out to get me today." Riku squinted up at the bright blue sky…
Felix groaned, rubbing his arm as he flopped onto the picnic blanket. "Ouch! I think the sun is out to get me today." Riku squinted up at the bright blue sky over Golden Gate Park. "It does feel extra strong. Is there, like, a giant magnifying glass up there?" Yasmin giggled, pulling her notebook from her bag. "Not a magnifying glass, but it makes you wonder... what's between us and all that heat?"

Felix groaned, rubbing his arm as he flopped onto the picnic blanket. "Ouch! I think the sun is out to get me today." Riku squinted up at the bright blue sky over Golden Gate Park. "It does feel extra strong. Is there, like, a giant magnifying glass up there?" Yasmin giggled, pulling her notebook from her bag. "Not a magnifying glass, but it makes you wonder... what's between us and all that heat?"

Page 2

"My mom says it's the ozone layer," Yasmin said, tapping her pencil. "She calls it Earth's sunscreen, but what is it actually made of?" Riku grabbed a can of…
"My mom says it's the ozone layer," Yasmin said, tapping her pencil. "She calls it Earth's sunscreen, but what is it actually made of?" Riku grabbed a can of bug spray from their picnic basket and pointed to the label. "Look! This says 'CFC-Free.' Maybe that has something to do with it?" Felix sat up, intrigued. "CFC? What's a CFC?"

"My mom says it's the ozone layer," Yasmin said, tapping her pencil. "She calls it Earth's sunscreen, but what is it actually made of?" Riku grabbed a can of bug spray from their picnic basket and pointed to the label. "Look! This says 'CFC-Free.' Maybe that has something to do with it?" Felix sat up, intrigued. "CFC? What's a CFC?"

Page 3

To find that answer, you have to travel back to 1985, to the coldest, loneliest place on Earth. In a small research station in Antarctica, surrounded by endless…
To find that answer, you have to travel back to 1985, to the coldest, loneliest place on Earth. In a small research station in Antarctica, surrounded by endless ice, a machine hummed quietly. It was a Dobson spectrophotometer, and it was about to reveal a terrifying secret about our sky. The scientists there were charting an unexplored map, not of land, but of the very air above them.

To find that answer, you have to travel back to 1985, to the coldest, loneliest place on Earth. In a small research station in Antarctica, surrounded by endless ice, a machine hummed quietly. It was a Dobson spectrophotometer, and it was about to reveal a terrifying secret about our sky. The scientists there were charting an unexplored map, not of land, but of the very air above them.

Page 4

"Something is wrong with these numbers," said Joe Farman, staring at the data. His colleagues, Brian Gardiner and Jonathan Shanklin, peered over his shoulder…
"Something is wrong with these numbers," said Joe Farman, staring at the data. His colleagues, Brian Gardiner and Jonathan Shanklin, peered over his shoulder with worried looks. For months, their reliable old machine had been reporting impossibly low levels of ozone. "It must be broken," Jonathan insisted, running a hand through his hair. "These readings can't be real."

"Something is wrong with these numbers," said Joe Farman, staring at the data. His colleagues, Brian Gardiner and Jonathan Shanklin, peered over his shoulder with worried looks. For months, their reliable old machine had been reporting impossibly low levels of ozone. "It must be broken," Jonathan insisted, running a hand through his hair. "These readings can't be real."

Page 5

They checked everything, convinced their equipment was failing after decades in the harsh Antarctic conditions. But their perseverance kept them going.
They checked everything, convinced their equipment was failing after decades in the harsh Antarctic conditions. But their perseverance kept them going. Yasmin imagined them thinking of the famous scientist Louis Pasteur, who said, 'Chance favors the prepared mind.' For years, they had prepared, measuring the sky day after day, and now they refused to give up on this mystery.

They checked everything, convinced their equipment was failing after decades in the harsh Antarctic conditions. But their perseverance kept them going. Yasmin imagined them thinking of the famous scientist Louis Pasteur, who said, 'Chance favors the prepared mind.' For years, they had prepared, measuring the sky day after day, and now they refused to give up on this mystery.

Page 6

Finally, they brought in a brand-new instrument, and it told them the same terrifying story. There was a gigantic hole in the ozone layer, growing larger every…
Finally, they brought in a brand-new instrument, and it told them the same terrifying story. There was a gigantic hole in the ozone layer, growing larger every spring. Scientists soon discovered the cause: those CFCs Riku saw on the can were acting like tiny pac-men, with a single chlorine atom from a CFC capable of destroying over 100,000 ozone molecules. They had found the hidden pattern of destruction.

Finally, they brought in a brand-new instrument, and it told them the same terrifying story. There was a gigantic hole in the ozone layer, growing larger every spring. Scientists soon discovered the cause: those CFCs Riku saw on the can were acting like tiny pac-men, with a single chlorine atom from a CFC capable of destroying over 100,000 ozone molecules. They had found the hidden pattern of destruction.

Page 7

The discovery sent shockwaves around the globe, as CFCs were used in everything from refrigerators to hairspray. But then, something amazing happened: the world…
The discovery sent shockwaves around the globe, as CFCs were used in everything from refrigerators to hairspray. But then, something amazing happened: the world listened. In 1987, nations signed the Montreal Protocol, agreeing to ban the harmful chemicals. It was proof that when humanity works together with perseverance, we can solve even the biggest environmental problems.

The discovery sent shockwaves around the globe, as CFCs were used in everything from refrigerators to hairspray. But then, something amazing happened: the world listened. In 1987, nations signed the Montreal Protocol, agreeing to ban the harmful chemicals. It was proof that when humanity works together with perseverance, we can solve even the biggest environmental problems.

Page 8

Yasmin finished her story, looking at her friends. "So that's why the can says 'CFC-Free'!" Riku exclaimed, holding it up again.
Yasmin finished her story, looking at her friends. "So that's why the can says 'CFC-Free'!" Riku exclaimed, holding it up again. "We're helping the ozone shield heal!" Felix rubbed his sunburned arm thoughtfully. "Whoa. So that invisible layer is the only reason this sunburn isn't a million times worse?" Yasmin nodded, smiling. "Exactly!"

Yasmin finished her story, looking at her friends. "So that's why the can says 'CFC-Free'!" Riku exclaimed, holding it up again. "We're helping the ozone shield heal!" Felix rubbed his sunburned arm thoughtfully. "Whoa. So that invisible layer is the only reason this sunburn isn't a million times worse?" Yasmin nodded, smiling. "Exactly!"

Page 9

"So the air conditioner in my dad's car is safer now, too?" Riku asked. "And the foam in my mattress?" added Felix. "Yep," Yasmin confirmed, making a note.
"So the air conditioner in my dad's car is safer now, too?" Riku asked. "And the foam in my mattress?" added Felix. "Yep," Yasmin confirmed, making a note. "And the refrigerators in our kitchens. The whole world changed its technology because those scientists in Antarctica didn't give up." She remembered something her grandmother once said, 'As Confucius taught, the man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.'

"So the air conditioner in my dad's car is safer now, too?" Riku asked. "And the foam in my mattress?" added Felix. "Yep," Yasmin confirmed, making a note. "And the refrigerators in our kitchens. The whole world changed its technology because those scientists in Antarctica didn't give up." She remembered something her grandmother once said, 'As Confucius taught, the man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.'

Page 10

"The ozone layer is our planet's invisible shield, and by working together, we're saving it," Yasmin summarized, closing her notebook.
"The ozone layer is our planet's invisible shield, and by working together, we're saving it," Yasmin summarized, closing her notebook. Felix gazed up at the sky. "That's amazing." Riku then looked at his friends with a new question in his eyes. "If the ozone layer protects us from the sun's energy, what about all the other gases in our atmosphere? What do they do for us?"

"The ozone layer is our planet's invisible shield, and by working together, we're saving it," Yasmin summarized, closing her notebook. Felix gazed up at the sky. "That's amazing." Riku then looked at his friends with a new question in his eyes. "If the ozone layer protects us from the sun's energy, what about all the other gases in our atmosphere? What do they do for us?"

About this story

  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)

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