Chlamydia cousin in Great Barrier Reef coral offers hope for bleaching

Researchers investigating the coral microbiome in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef have found two clusters of co-existing bacteria. And, for the first time, they’ve discovered that one of them is a close relative of the bacteria that causes chlamydia in … Continue reading Chlamydia cousin in Great Barrier Reef coral offers hope for bleaching

Great Barrier Reef endures fourth coral bleaching event in seven years

Rare coral bleaching brought on by abnormal sea temperatures is rapidly becoming the norm on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, which has just experienced its fourth such event in six years. The mass bleaching is said to have affected more than 90 percent… Continue reading Great Barrier Reef endures fourth coral bleaching event in seven years

Special boosted coral is now reproducing on degraded areas of reef

If corals are going to survive on today’s ecologically stressed reefs, they’ve gotta be tough. Scientists have therefore been developing a special “turbo-charged” coral, which has recently been found to be reproducing on the Great Barrier Reef.Continue… Continue reading Special boosted coral is now reproducing on degraded areas of reef

Online portal puts users at the controls of a real reef-diving ROV

Even in non-pandemic times, the Great Barrier Reef is still a difficult place for much of the world’s population to get to. That’s where Teleportal.Fish comes in, as it allows anyone with a computer to virtually visit the reef via a live link to a remo… Continue reading Online portal puts users at the controls of a real reef-diving ROV

Ships releasing alkalinizing agents could buy time for Great Barrier Reef

The increasing buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is reshaping the environment in many ways beyond the ongoing rise of global temperatures. Some major ones relate to the ocean, which is becoming not just warmer but also more acidic, threatenin… Continue reading Ships releasing alkalinizing agents could buy time for Great Barrier Reef

New spire found in Great Barrier Reef dwarfs the Empire State Building

Scientists exploring the Great Barrier Reef have discovered a huge, never-before-seen coral reef that is taller than the Empire State Building. Standing detached from the main reef, the massive structure is the first new reef to be discovered in the ar… Continue reading New spire found in Great Barrier Reef dwarfs the Empire State Building

Floods of nutrients found to up the risk factor for heat-stressed corals

As recent bleaching events have shown, warming ocean waters pose a great threat to the existence of natural wonders like the Great Barrier Reef, but they aren’t the only factor that needs to be taken into account. Scientists have discovered that abnorm… Continue reading Floods of nutrients found to up the risk factor for heat-stressed corals

Feeding coral probiotics found to boost their chances of survival

Scientists are exploring many options when it comes to shoring up the wellbeing of coral reefs in the face of warming waters, and an international team of researchers is putting forward another possibility. Through experiments on stressed corals in the… Continue reading Feeding coral probiotics found to boost their chances of survival

Directed evolution produces heat-resistant coral to endure climate change

The world’s coral reefs face an uncertain future in the face of climate change and warming oceans, and scientists have been forced to get creative in conjuring up long-term solutions. Among those is the idea of developing new types of coral that are mo… Continue reading Directed evolution produces heat-resistant coral to endure climate change

Turbines brighten clouds over Great Barrier Reef in world-first trial

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and for scientists contending with a third major bleaching event in five years at Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, such times are very much upon us. In a world first, researchers have conducted a cloud-bright… Continue reading Turbines brighten clouds over Great Barrier Reef in world-first trial