The ozone layer is a deep layer in the stratosphere, encircling
the Earth, that has large amounts of ozone in it. The layer
shields the entire Earth from much of the harmful ultraviolet
radiation that comes from the sun. Interestingly, it is also
this ultraviolet radiation that forms the ozone in the first
place. Ozone is a special form of oxygen, made up of three
oxygen atoms rather than the usual two oxygen atoms. It usually
forms when some type of radiation or electrical discharge
separates the two atoms in an oxygen molecule (O2), which can
then individually recombine with other oxygen molecules to form
ozone (O3). The ozone layer became more widely appreciated when
it was realized that certain chemicals mankind manufactures,
called chloroflurocarbons, find their way up into the
stratosphere where, through a complex series of chemical
reactions, they destroy some of the ozone. As a result of this
discovery, an international treaty was signed, the the
manufacture of these chemicals was stopped. The ozone l