We’ve bred corals to better tolerate lethal heatwaves, but rapid climate action is still needed to save reefs

Improvements in heat tolerance remain modest compared to future heatwaves.

James Guest, Reader in Coral Reef Ecology, Newcastle University • conversation
Oct. 14, 2024 ~8 min

Chagos Islands: how to ensure their coral reefs aren’t damaged as they return to Mauritius

The environmental impacts of a change in management and human activity depends on what, if any, development takes place and how it is managed.

Adam Moolna, Lecturer in Environment and Sustainability, Keele University • conversation
Oct. 9, 2024 ~6 min


Our digital 3D models of huge coral reefs could help revive these precious ecosystems

Creating 3D computer models of entire reefs – sometimes known as digital twins – can help researchers monitor these precious ecosystems faster and more accurately than ever before.

Tries Blandine Razak, Researcher, School of Coral Reef Restoration, IPB University • conversation
Sept. 23, 2024 ~7 min

A 600-year-old coral shows us how the Pacific Ocean has changed since 1370

Our work shows the ocean around Fiji is the hottest it has been in at least the past 653 years.

Jens Zinke, Professor of Palaeobiology, University of Leicester • conversation
Aug. 15, 2024 ~7 min

Rising temps threaten the Great Barrier Reef’s existence

New research documents unprecedented levels of ocean heat leading to bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef, endangering a vital ecosystem.

Stacey Plaisance-Tulane • futurity
Aug. 12, 2024 ~4 min

Sunscreens can hurt the marine environment – here’s how to choose one that’s healthy for you and the sea

Certain sunscreens could harm the marine environment - here’s how to choose ones with environmentally friendly UV filters.

Anneliese Hodge, PhD Researcher, Ecotoxicology, Plymouth Marine Laboratory • conversation
Aug. 2, 2024 ~9 min

Oceans without sharks would be far less healthy – new research

A broad review of shark research shows that sharks play critical roles in keeping ocean ecosystems such as coral reefs and seagrass beds healthy.

Michael Heithaus, Executive Dean of the College of Arts, Sciences & Education and Professor of Biological Sciences, Florida International University • conversation
Aug. 1, 2024 ~8 min

The world’s fourth mass coral bleaching is underway, but well-connected reefs may have a better chance to recover

Coral reefs share genetic material across wide areas, with help from ocean currents. This ability is especially important during episodes like the mass bleaching currently occurring.

Annalisa Bracco, Professor of Ocean and Climate Dynamics, Georgia Institute of Technology • conversation
June 26, 2024 ~9 min


From glowing corals to vomiting shrimp, animals have used bioluminescence to communicate for millions of years – here’s what scientists still don’t know about it

Dozens of animals, some on land but many in the ocean, can produce light within their bodies through chemical reactions. Scientists are still trying to understand when and why this trait developed.

Andrea Quattrini, Research Zoologist and Curator of Corals, Smithsonian Institution • conversation
June 14, 2024 ~10 min

Coral reef recovery could get a boost from an unlikely source: Sea cucumbers, the janitors of the seafloor

Sea cucumbers have been overharvested for centuries. At the same time, coral reefs have declined as well. Research suggests that saving the former may help restore the latter.

Mark Hay, Professor of Environmental Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology • conversation
June 11, 2024 ~4 min

/

14