In a trial at the reef’s Heron Island off Australia’s east coast, the researchers collected large amounts of coral spawn and eggs late last year, grew them into larvae and then transplanted them into areas of damaged reef.
With corals in trouble around the world, researchers are examining the role of smell in telling fish to come to a healthy reef or stay away. That may help scientists find ways to manipulate the smells to help damaged reefs recover.
One of the more potent reasons for saving species and the environment is that nature is where we find our most powerful medicines. For three decades, a hunt’s been underway on land and sea for molecules that could help fight cancer. That hunt is winding down now in the coral reefs of Palau.
Scientists have found a group of corals in the Pacific island nation of Palau that live in water acidic enough to kill most other corals. Now they’re hoping what they learn from the unusual reefs may help save others threatened by the increasing acidity of oceans around the world.