Скачать или смотреть The race to save coral

The race to save the world’s coral is underway. A vital part of the ocean’s ecosystem and food chain, this organism is in big trouble. Thousands of precious coral species are being devastated by mass bleaching events brought on by climate change. At current predictions, 99% of coral will succumb to marine heatwaves by the 2030s.

Scientists are racing to reproduce different coral species, to guarantee their survival as well as restore dying reefs. RAZOR’s Reya El-Salahi heads to the University of Derby in the United Kingdom to meet one of the experts who pioneered a cutting-edge technique to breed baby corals.

The University of Derby, is landlocked and 75 miles from the nearest shore, but it is a world leader in coral research. Dr Michael Sweet and his team have been able to successfully match the conditions of large aquatic tanks to those of wild reefs, including simulating the cycle of the sun and moon to induce regular spawning. An event rarely witnessed by humans.

On its own, no single solution is sufficient. To save the coral, the whole world has to change in order to prevent the oceans from warming further but the University of Derby’s work may hopefully provide one lifeline.