Elon Musk is trying to get us to Mars and discover other planets. However, we still don’t know all of Earth’s secrets. Scientists of the National Geographic Pristine Seas Program have made an incredible discovery. One of the largest and oldest corals ever was found last month!
The 300 Year Old Coral is made from 1 species!
The discovery was made by the National Geographic Pristine Seas Program. The scientists originally went out to examine ocean health and stumbled upon one of the most unique corals in the world. A Coral Reef is made out of different colonies of coral, however, this 100-foot-long coral is made out of one species. Enric Sala, The founder of Pristine Seas, said it is made of more than 1 billion polyps which have grown over a couple of centuries.
For the National Geographic Pristine Seas Program, the discovery is extra interesting. It houses multiple kinds of fish and other underwater animals! Since the coral has been growing for such a long time, it also gives a better understanding of the evolution of the ocean and the conditions the coral had to grow in!
They discovered the World’s Largest Coral!
Scientists immediately noticed that this one was insanely big. However, they never expected it to be the size it was. Measuring over 100 feet, it is almost 3 times bigger than the previous biggest coral in the world. The size of it makes it even visible from outer space. Which makes you wonder how no one ever discovered it before. However, when you see it from above, it looks like a giant rock or even a shipwreck.
Not All Hope Is Lost for these Reefs, But We Have To Take Action!
Even though the discovery of this 100-foot and century-old coral is a glimmer of hope, we can’t stop our actions of protecting the planet. Global warming is creating harsher climates for these reef-building species to survive. Currently, more than 40% of these species are at risk of going extinct. Even though global warming is a big cause for these species to die out, there are other factors as well.
However, the fact that this coral is a couple of centuries old, gives us hope. This vibrant, life-filled structure is already at risk from climate change, overfishing, and pollution. Scientists hail the discovery as a rare beacon of hope for coral conservation but stress the urgent need for global action.
