Expert debunks dangerous myth about global crisis: 'More people need to hear this'
A meteorologist is clearing the air about one of the biggest environmental victories in human history.
In a TikTok by ABC News Live (@abcnewslive), ABC News chief climate correspondent Ginger Zee breaks down the story of the ozone layer crisis and how international cooperation helped turn the tide.
The main topic of the video is how the 1980s ozone layer crisis was solved. She explains that the ozone layer, a thin band of gas high in the atmosphere, protects life on Earth by acting like a sunscreen.
"Without it, you burn," she says. "And I don't mean spring break Mexico burn; I mean burn to death."
After scientists discovered in 1985 that the ozone layer was thinning because of man-made chemicals, specifically chlorofluorocarbons found in refrigerants, aerosols, and air conditioners, nearly 200 countries came together to pass the Montreal Protocol.
The protocol phased out ozone-depleting substances that helped the ozone layer heal, and according to scientists, it could fully recover within the next 40 years. This could mean 443 million fewer cases of skin cancer and 63 million cases of cataracts prevented by the end of the century.
The story of the ozone layer serves as a powerful case study for how people can unite to solve environmental challenges.
"Can you imagine if we all came together and did that for greenhouse gas emissions?" asked Zee at the end of the video.
Reducing harmful carbon pollution today could help prevent extreme weather events, sea level rise, and habitat loss in the future. While Zee's video is a celebration of a past win, it also serves to clarify ongoing misconceptions.
She responds to a social media comment that falsely claims environmental scientists have been moving the goalposts from the ozone crisis to global warming to climate change.
Do you think America has a plastic waste problem?
Definitely
Only in some areas
Not really
I'm not sure
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
It is important to understand the distinction between these two crises. The ozone crisis was caused by specific chemical compounds that damaged the protective atmospheric layer.
On the other hand, global warming refers to the rise in Earth's average surface temperature because of harmful greenhouse gases. Climate change is the broader term that includes warming along with shifts in weather patterns, precipitation, and sea levels.
"Can this be a main segment on the main news. More people need to hear this," one user wrote.
"Same with bird eggshells cfcs and ddts! We helped that! We can band together for change," another commenter pointed out.
At a time when misinformation spreads fast online, accessible explanations like this one can help turn the tide — again.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
5 days ago
- New York Post
This weight loss drug can reduce your migraine days by half — it's not Ozempic
Next-generation weight loss drugs may do more than shrink your waistline. A new study suggests that a medication in the same family as Ozempic could cut the number of days people suffer from migraines by more than half. 'Most patients felt better within the first two weeks and reported quality of life improved significantly,' said Dr. Simone Braca, a neurologist at the University of Naples Federico II and lead author of the study. Advertisement 4 Migraines affect roughly 12% of the US population aged 12 and up. astrosystem – Researchers tested liraglutide, a medication that mimics the GLP-1 hormone, which helps regulate blood sugar, suppress appetite and aid digestion. The drug is currently marketed as Victoza for Type 2 diabetes and as Saxenda for long-term weight management in people with obesity. Advertisement The researchers gave liraglutide to 31 adults with obesity and chronic migraines, defined as 15 or more headache days per month. Before joining the study, each participant had tried at least two other migraine-prevention drugs without success. 4 Liraglutide belongs to a class of medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. luchschenF – After taking a daily 1.8 milligram dose of liraglutide for three months, their average headache days dropped from 20 to about nine per month. Advertisement Participants also saw a 35-point drop on the Migraine Disability Assessment Test, which signals a meaningful improvement in their work, school and social life. 'The benefit lasted for the full three-month observation period, even though weight loss was modest and statistically non-significant,' Braca said. Rather than weight loss easing migraines, researchers believe the drug works by lowering the pressure of cerebrospinal fluid — the liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Advertisement 'An increased pressure of the spinal fluid in the brain may be one of the mechanisms underlying migraine,' Braca told ABC News. 'If we target this mechanism, this preliminary evidence suggests it may help migraine sufferers.' 4 Some participants experienced mild gastrointestinal side effects while taking liraglutide. Choi_ Nikolai – The drug was generally well-tolerated, with about 38% of participants reporting mild side effects like nausea and constipation, but none stopped treatment because of them. 'Our findings show liraglutide may be effective for treating stubborn, high-frequency migraines in patients with obesity, and that this effect is independent of weight loss,' the researchers concluded in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain. The team is planning a larger follow-up study to measure brain pressure more directly. 'We also want to see if other GLP-1 drugs can provide similar relief, possibly with fewer gastrointestinal side effects,' Braca noted. More than just a bad headache At least 39 million Americans suffer from migraines, but the American Migraine Foundation estimates the true number is likely higher since many go undiagnosed. Advertisement The debilitating neurological condition causes throbbing head pain that can last hours or even days, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, vision changes and sensitivity to light and sound. 4 Studies show that women are two to three times more likely to experience migraines than men. Studio Romantic – Migraines can take a serious toll on daily life, often leading to missed work or school, reduced productivity, strained relationships and even withdrawal from social events and hobbies. Advertisement On top of that, migraines are strongly linked to depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges — and they're associated with a higher risk of stroke, heart disease and other chronic illnesses. Scientists don't yet know exactly what causes migraines, but genetics play a big role: up to 80% of sufferers have a close family member who also has the condition, according to the Cleveland Clinic. There's still no cure for migraines. While some medications can ease symptoms, they don't work for everyone. That's why this new study has experts buzzing. Advertisement 'These patients were dealing with at least 15 headache days a month, and on average, they had 11 fewer days after taking the medication for just three months,' Dr. Luis Felipe Tornes, a neurologist, told Medical News Today. 'That's life-changing for someone living with near-constant pain,' he added, noting that the drug's possible role in reducing brain pressure 'opens up a whole new way to think about treating migraines.'
21-06-2025
How targeting Iran's nuclear facilities could impact the environment
The destruction of uranium enrichment sites that support Iran's nuclear program would not likely have severe environmental consequences, several nuclear experts told ABC News. Israel has stated that its attack on Iran is aimed at destroying its capabilities of producing nuclear weapons, alleging that the uranium enrichment sites within Iran are producing materials to make a nuclear weapon. Facilities across Iran range from those extracting uranium to processing facilities where the uranium is transformed into the right chemical form before it goes through the process of enrichment -- or increasing the quantity or concentration, Kathryn Ann Higley, distinguished professor of nuclear science and engineering at Oregon State University and president of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, told ABC News. "Iran would deny that those are nuclear weapon facilities," Matthew Bunn, who leads nuclear policy research at Harvard University, told ABC News. "They're nuclear facilities for sure. Iran claims they're for producing civilian fuel." The enrichment sites are located in Fordo, deep inside a mountain in northwestern Iran, and in Natanz -- which was targeted by military strikes last week. Other facilities targeted include the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, used for metallic uranium production, and the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Israel confirmed that they struck Isfahan again Friday night, targeting centrifuge production areas. While the conflict is concerning, radioactivity as a result of the military strikes is not a top concern, nuclear experts say. "There's plenty to worry about in the Iran-Israel war, but the release of radioactivity is not one of them," Lee Berstein, a professor in the nuclear engineering department at the University of California, Berkeley, told ABC News. Uranium isn't radioactive enough to present a widespread threat The sites targeted so far in Iran contain centrifuges that spin really fast and separate and enrich uranium into a higher grade, Emily A. Caffrey, director for the Health Physics Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told ABC News. However, the rule of thumb with radioactive materials is, the longer the half life, the less dangerous it tends to be in the short-term, Berstein said. But even materials with long half-lives can be hazardous over longer periods of time. The half life of Uranium-235 is more than 700 million years, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is radiological and chemical contamination at the Natanz facility, where an above-ground portion of the fuel enrichment plant was damaged after a military strike on June 13, International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi told the United Nations Security Council on Friday. The facility likely contained canisters of uranium hexafluoride gas that was released into the environment as a large gas cloud once it was hit, Caffrey said. Uranium hexafluoride is the main risk stemming from the uranium enrichment sites, Di Fulvio said. The gas results from the separating of uranium that is essentially a "precursor" of nuclear fuel. But those gas clouds do not have the ability to cause long-term contamination or radioactive issues, Caffrey said. "It's just a big, heavy gas molecule, so it's not going to go very far," Caffrey said. Enrichment operates at very low pressure, almost near-vacuum pressure, Bunn said, adding that the centrifuges themselves have very little uranium hexafluoride. The canisters would contain the majority of the gas. While there is destruction at multiple sites -- including Natanz, Isfahan and Arak as well as sites in Tehran -- there are no sites where radiological activity has been identified outside facilities, Grossi said. No radiation leaks were reported at Natanz during previous incidents in which the facility sustained damage in 2020 and 2021 -- the latter being a cyber attack, said Angela Di Fulvio, an associate professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and director of the Arms Control Domestic and International Security Program. How far radiation spreads from any particular release depends on the weather -- wind in particular, but also rain, Bunn said. If hexafluoride interacts with water, it can create hydrofluoric acid, causing some chemical issues but not radioactive ones, Caffrey said. "There are a lot of countries that have borders on the Persian Gulf that would not want to see the water in the Gulf contaminated by clouds of radioactive particles blowing in the wind passing over the coasts," said John Erath, senior policy director of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. However, uranium hexafluoride appears to be confined within the facilities that were targeted and is manageable with appropriate procedures and safety precautions, Di Fulvio said. Over time, the leaked uranium hexafluoride would get diluted and diffuse out of the environment, Higley said. How does exposure to uranium affect the human body If ingested or inhaled, uranium hexafluoride gas -- in which each of the molecules has six fluorine atoms -- can cause kidney damage, Caffrey said. Atoms combined with a heavy metal can be a "really toxic substance," but usually in large quantities, Bunn said. "You would need to inhale or imbibe a humongous amount of it into your body in order for there to be any effect," Berstein said. The danger isn't radioactivity but rather the heavy metals, Bernstein said. Another 'Chernobyl' situation is unlikely, experts say The 1986 nuclear disaster at Chernobyl likely wouldn't be replicated, even if one of the nuclear reactors in Iran were targeted by military strikes, the experts said. "The Chernobyl disaster was a very special event that was a result of a really badly designed power plant," Bernstein said. Israel and the U.S. are likely being very cognizant of avoiding the nuclear reactors due to the potential disaster that could result if they are hit, Erath said. Nuclear reactors are also now solidly built and would require a large amount of fire power -- such as the U.S. military's massive bunker-buster bombs -- to cause an explosion, the experts said. One of the factors that exacerbated the Chernobyl disaster was a design flaw within the nuclear reactor that exploded, Bernstein said, adding that the design is no longer used. Striking Iran's nuclear reactors -- used to generate nuclear power -- wouldn't release nearly as much radioactive material as Chernobyl, the experts said. The Khondab reactor was under construction and did not contain fuel or other nuclear materials when it was hit on Thursday, according to the IAEA. The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, a 1,000-megawatt facility built by Russia, has also been a focus of recent concern, Di Fulvio said. Expulsion of radioactive materials from Bushehr could result from one of three ways: a direct hit by a rocket or missile; damage to the pool of water where spent fuel, the radioactive nuclear fuel that has been removed after it has generated electricity, is stored for cooling; and if the electricity supplied to the plant is interrupted and the plant loses all backup means to generate electricity, M.V. Ramana, a physicist and professor at the University of British Columbia's school of public policy and global affairs, told ABC News. "Although the Israeli military might not be deliberately targeting Bushehr, it is a possibility given the extensive bombing that Iran has been subject to," Ramana said. Grossi warned that the Bushehr nuclear facility might be hit, saying that this would be, "the nuclear site in Iran where the consequences of an attack could be most serious." "It is an operating nuclear power plant and as such it hosts thousands of kilograms of nuclear material, Grossi said. This plant is used for energy production and not for uranium enrichment, Di Fulvio said. Iran is required to return spent fuel rods from Bushehr back to Russia when they are safe for transport.
21-06-2025
Diabetes drug may cut migraine days in half with little weight loss: Study
Drugs in the same family as Ozempic and Wegovy are known for treating diabetes and helping with weight loss, but a small, early-stage study suggested they might also ease migraines -- even when there's no weight loss. The benefit appears to come from lowering pressure in the brain, Dr. Simone Braca, a neurologist at the University of Naples Federico II and lead author of the study, explained to ABC News. 'This study is very interesting in that the GLP 1s are hypothesized to lower brain pressure, which can then lower your chance of getting a headache or a migraine,' Braca said. The small, 12-week study tracked 26 adults with obesity who had chronic or frequent migraines. Published in Headache -- the official journal of the American Headache Society -- and presented at this week's European Academy of Neurology meeting in Finland, it tested liraglutide, a type of GLP-1 drug commonly used for diabetes and weight loss. After taking a daily 1.8 mg dose of liraglutide for three months -- the amount typically used to treat diabetes -- their average number of headache days per month dropped from 20 to about nine. Participants also reported less disability from migraines, with scores on a standard headache impact scale cut by more than half. Although some participants lost a small amount of weight, Braca said the few lost pounds were not meaningful enough to explain the improvement in migraines. Instead, Braca pointed to pressure from cerebrospinal fluid -- the liquid that surrounds and cushions the brain and spine. He said he believes that even slight buildups of this fluid can press on nearby veins and nerves in the brain, potentially triggering migraines. 'An increased pressure of the spinal fluid in the brain may be one of the mechanisms underlying migraine,' Braca said. 'And if we target this mechanism, this preliminary evidence suggests that it may be helpful for migraine.' Nearly half of patients reported at least a 50% reduction in headache days, according to the Headache paper. About 40% experienced mild side effects like nausea or constipation. None stopped taking the medication. With such promising results, Braca and his research team, led by Dr. Roberto De Simone, are already planning larger trials. Future studies will measure brain pressure more directly and explore whether other GLP 1 drugs might also offer the same relief but with fewer side effects. 'There are still a substantial portion of migraine patients that face an unmet need and that live with its burden,' he said. 'New drugs that could target other pathways, I think that could be reassuring to those patients and give them hope.' The study adds to growing evidence that GLP-1 drugs may have benefits beyond diabetes and weight loss. Researchers are already studying these medications for a range of other conditions, including reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, easing symptoms of addiction and treating Alzheimer's disease.
