Tag: Coral

A NOAA researcher swims in front of the massive coral in the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument. Credit: NOAA Fisheries.

Colossal Coral in the Mariana Islands is Largest of its Kind

3/31/2026 - By oceanservice.noaa.gov, oceanservice.noaa.gov. Researchers measure 14,500-square-foot coral structure in an underwater volcano. In a time when coral bleaching, disease, and habitat loss are increasingly common, a hidden giant defies the odds. A majestic cathedral-like structure — built by colonies of Porites rus, a species of stony coral — rises from a… SEE MORE

A diver uses a lift bag to transport loose rubble. Credit: NOAA

Innovative Coral Restoration Begins in Hawaiʻi After Ship Grounding

3/14/2025 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. A promising and emerging coral restoration technique is being tested in the coastal waters of Hawai‘i for the first time. Scientists are testing rubble stabilization as a coral restoration technique in the coastal waters of Hawai‘i for the first time, with promising results. It involves securing loose, broken… SEE MORE

This three-panel image shows a boulder star coral in St. Croix, USVI, as it shifted from healthy (May 2023), to bleached (October 2023), to recovered (March 2024), following extreme marine heat stress throughout the Caribbean basin in 2023. (Image credit: NOAA)

NOAA Confirms 4th Global Coral Bleaching Event

5/1/2024 - By noaa.gov. The world is currently experiencing a global coral bleaching event, according to NOAA scientists. This is the fourth global event on record and the second in the last 10 years. Bleaching-level heat stress, as remotely monitored and predicted by NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch (CRW), has been — and continues to… SEE MORE

Jim Maragos/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (original picture), modification: Mielon, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

The Beauty and Fragility of Coral Reefs

9/14/2022 - By Rachel Ross. Coral reefs are large underwater structures composed of the skeletons of colonial marine invertebrates called coral. The coral species that build reefs are known as hermatypic, or "hard," corals because they extract calcium carbonate from seawater to create a hard, durable exoskeleton that protects their soft, sac-like… SEE MORE

Celebrate a day dedicated to promoting awareness and preserving our coral reefs.

Rare, Pristine Coral Reef Found off Tahiti Coast

1/22/2022 - By Victoria Milko. Deep in the South Pacific, scientists have explored a rare stretch of pristine corals shaped like roses off the coast of Tahiti. The reef is thought to be one of the largest found at such depths and seems untouched by climate change or human activities. Laetitia Hédouin… SEE MORE

Coral Evolution Tweaked for Climate Change

12/9/2021 - By Caleb Jones. On a moonless summer night in Hawaii, krill, fish and crabs swirl through a beam of light as two researchers peer into the water above a vibrant reef. Minutes later, like clockwork, they see eggs and sperm from spawning coral drifting past their boat. They scoop up… SEE MORE

https://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/news/featuredstories/feb15/coraletiquette.html

Australia’s Barrier Reef Erupts in Color as Corals Spawn

11/24/2021 - CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is spawning in an explosion of color as the World Heritage-listed natural wonder recovers from life-threatening coral bleaching episodes. Scientists on Tuesday night recorded the corals fertilizing billions of offspring by casting sperm and eggs into the Pacific Ocean off the Queensland… SEE MORE

Researchers Complete First-ever Detailed Map of Global Coral

9/10/2021 - By Caleb Jones. HONOLULU (AP) — Researchers have completed a comprehensive online map of the world’s coral reefs by using more than 2 million satellite images from across the globe. The Allen Coral Atlas, named after late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, will act as a reference for reef conservation, marine… SEE MORE