India, Dec. 3 -- The Antarctic ozone hole has fully closed earlier than usual this year, offering a rare moment of optimism amid record global temperatures and climactic doom and gloom.

Copernicus, the European Earth observation agency, confirmed that the hole that formed in August had completely healed by December 1, 2025. October 2025 was 1.55 degrees Celsius (C) warmer than the pre-industrial average (1850-1900), yet the ozone layer showed one of its strongest signs of recovery in recent years.

The 2025 ozone hole is "the smallest in five years, marking the second consecutive year of relatively small holes compared to the series of large and long-lasting ozone holes from 2020-2023, and had higher ozone concentrations, fueling hopes f...