Incredible NASA images suggests hole in the ozone layer is HEALING

A gaping hole in the ozone layer appears to be HEALING, scientists have claimed.

The ominous opening was first spotted in the 1950s and its alarming growth then sparked global panic during the 1980s Thatcher era.

Governments hastily banned CFCs, the chemical culprits thought to have caused the hole to swell in size.

Now this dramatic tactic appears to have made a difference, according to .

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We can now be confident that the things we’ve done have put the planet on a path to heal,” said lead author Susan Solomon, professor of atmospheric chemistry and climate science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“Which is pretty good for us, isn’t it? Aren’t we amazing humans, that we did something that created a situation that we decided collectively, as a world.

"We got rid of [the chemicals], and now we’re seeing the planet respond.”

The CFC danger chemicals were found in aerosols like deodorants and also in refrigerators or freezers, but have now been phased out.

READ MORE: Nasa’s £800million Juno space probe enters orbit of ‘biggest, baddest planet’ in our solar system: Jupiter

This tactic appears to have caused the ozone hole above Antarctica to shrink by 4 million square kilometres since 2000.

Solomon now believes the hole will close by the middle of the century.

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The ozone layer protects the planet from dangerous ultraviolet radiation, which is known to cause skin cancer in humans.

“What’s exciting for me personally is, this brings so much of my own work over 30 years full circle,” Solomon added.

“Science was helpful in showing the path, diplomats and countries and industry were incredibly able in charting a pathway out of these molecules, and now we’ve actually seen the planet starting to get better. It’s a wonderful thing.”