High in the atmosphere, ozone acts as a shield, blocking harmful UV radiation from the sun. Without this shield, we would be more susceptible to skin cancer, cataracts, and impaired immune systems. Closer to Earth, in the air we breathe, ozone is a harmful pollutant that causes damage to lung tissue and plants.
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Ozone, made up of three atoms of oxygen, is a relatively unstable molecule found in the EarthΓÇÖs atmosphere. Most ozone is concentrated in the atmosphere below a 50-km (30-mile) height. Although it represents only a tiny fraction of the atmosphere, ozone is crucial for life on Earth because it absorbs biologically harmful UV radiation.
