WHERE DID THE OZONE LAYER COME FROM?
The invisible layer in the atmosphere that protects us from deadly radiation formed billions of years ago
WORDS SCOTT DUTFIELD
Prehistoric algae are to thank for the formation of the ozone layer
Between 10 and 25 miles above our heads in the stratosphere, there is a layer of oxygen dedicated to blocking dangerous forms of solar radiation, called the ozone layer. Along with visible light, the Sun also emits rays of radiation in the form of ultraviolet (UV) light.
Within UV are three different wavelengths of light, commonly referred to as UVA, UVB and UVC, each of which has different levels of energy. UVA is the least energetic light, while UVB sits in the middle and UVC is the most energetic. On their journey from the Sun and into Earth’s atmosphere, the high energy of the UVC rays is absorbed by the oxygen molecules that form the ozone layer.