AN EARTH-SHATTERING KABOOM: A Supernova ‘Destroyed’ Some of Earth’s Ozone for a Few Minutes in 2022: A new study suggests that explosive events in space have the potential to temporarily switch off the natural shield that protects us from harmful solar radiation. “The effect was detectable for just a few minutes before the ozone repaired itself, so it was ‘nothing serious,’ Dr. Ubertini said. But had the supernova occurred closer to us, he said, ‘it would be a catastrophe.'”