Over the past few years scientists have noticed a disturbing rise in the number and the intensity of summer storms, and most educated predictions are warning that this acceleration shows no sign of slowing down. Furthermore, scientists have proven that his new breed of massive summer storms is doing severe damage to the Earth’s ozone layer which shields us from harmful solar radiation. As National Geographic reported last week: “In a recent series of research flights over the United States, Harvard University atmospheric chemist James Anderson and colleagues found that summer storms often loft water vapor into the stratosphere. ‘It was an unequivocal observation,’ he said. ‘We had a number of flights, and this was an abiding feature’ of the storms. Under the right conditions, this water vapor could trigger chemical reactions that deplete the ozone layer, which prevents harmful ultraviolet rays from reaching Earth’s surface, the study says. Even small reductions in the ozone layer can make people more susceptible to skin cancer and eye damage, experts say.” You can read the full story by visiting National Geographic.
