Introduction The earth’s atmosphere is one of the most valuable natural resources. For centuries, scientists have tried to identify how the atmosphere works and what enables it to sustain life on the planet. Scientific advances in the last century have provided an in-depth understanding of the atmosphere; its compositions, and the effects that it has on the earth. One part of the atmosphere that scientists have studied is the ozone layer. This film of gas is situated in a layer known as the stratosphere, and this layer lies above the troposphere and extends to 50km above the surface of the planet. The ozone layer is an important natural component of the earth’s upper atmosphere since it has an impact on the lives of living organisms on earth. This paper will set out to discuss the effect of the ozone layer on the earth. The paper will also highlight the damages being done to the ozone layer, mostly by human activity, and the impact that these ozone depletion will have on the lives of living organisms. The Ozone Layer The earth’s atmosphere is divided into several layers with the lowest region, the troposphere, supporting virtually all human activities. This lowest region extends for about 10KM in altitude and it is followed by the stratosphere. Ozone is a naturally occurring gas that is mostly concentrated in the stratosphere. Ozone occurs in varying concentrations at different altitudes. The strongest concentration of ozone occurs at an altitude of 20 to 25 kilometers and it forms the ozone layer. The ozone layer was first discovered by the French physicists, Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson as they were studying the chemicals in the atmosphere. Their initial discovery was advanced by the British meteorologists G. Dobson who explored further the properties of this layer and even came up with an instrument that could measure the level of ozone in the stratosphere (Sivasakthivel 30). Dobson discovered that the ozone layer played a crucial role in the environment by filtering out harmful UV radiation from the sun. He therefore concluded that it would be useful to measure the level of ozone in the upper atmosphere and keep track of any changes. Dobson established a worldwide network of stations to monitor the state of the ozone in the stratosphere between 1928 and 1958 and these stations continue to function today. Ozone is a gas made up of three oxygen atoms that are chemically bound to make up the active ozone gas. Unlike molecular oxygen, which is odorless and colorless, triatomic ozone (O 3 ) is blue in color, exists in a liquid state and has a strong odor. Ozone is formed in the stratosphere following a chemical reaction between the high-energy ultraviolet (UV) radiation and the normal oxygen at this altitude. The reaction between oxygen molecules and the UV splits the oxygen molecules (O 2 ) into atomic oxygen (O). This atomic oxygen then combines with normal diatomic oxygen molecules (O 2 ) to form triatomic ozone (O 3 ). McKinney observes that the ozone is constantly being made and broken down in earth’s atmosphere and that without human interference; a dynamic equilibrium exists between ozone production and ozone destruction (465). The stratospheric ozone is essential to the preservation of life on the earth’s surface. Most of the stratospheric ozone is created above the tropics near the equator since the sun is almost dire