Amongst all the fears about climate change, scientists have come out with some good news. The hole in the ozone layer is now at its smallest size since it was discovered in 1982. The size of the hole constantly changes but September and October is usually when it is at its largest. The hole is currently 3.9 million square miles instead of near its average at this time of year, 8 million square miles.

This ozone “hole”, which is really an area of depletion, is studied and reported on by both NASA and NOAA. This is not the first time the hole has shrunk to surprising levels. In both 1988 and 2002 similar temperature and atmospheric conditions led to the hole shrinking as well.

This news comes as environmental issues are at the forefront of the political conversation around the world. This topic has been a big focus of the Democratic debates and Swedish teenage activist Greta Thunberg recently chastised world leaders at the UN about their approach to climate change.