You know that the ozone hole is a big problem (literally). But what exactly is an ozone hole? Who figured this all out? Take a walk in chemist Susan Solomon’s shoes and open your eyes to what’s up with ozone.

Step 1 Future shock?
It’s the 1970s, when refrigerators, air conditioners, and aerosol cans have been leaking chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) into the air for decades. Six miles (ten kilometers) above your head is the stratosphere, where the ozone layer resides. Up there, the sun’s ultraviolet rays constantly produce and destroy ozone (molecules of three oxygen atoms). The ozone layer absorbs most of these harmful rays before they reach the earth’s surface, protecting plants, animals, and people.

Many chemists believe that CFCs are depleting the ozone layer. As a precaution, certain uses for CFCs are being phased out in the United States. However, no one knows for sure if the theories are right, and global CFC production is on the rise.

Step into the future to see if the theories are right. If you want to stay and disco a little more, skip your turn.