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NOAA CORAL RESEARCH
Off Gulf coast of Florida, giant concrete domes were dropped more than 200 feet underwater to help restore corals and sea life. All corals outplanted in 2025 survived and even grewScientists have deployed specially designed concrete domes off Florida’s northern Gulf coast to help restore coral habitats. The project ta...
In 2026, Australian researchers combined satellite images and desktop mapping to uncover more than 1,000 previously uncharted coral reefsIn a groundbreaking study, researchers have unveiled over 1,000 previously hidden coral reefs off the northern coast of Australia, utilizin...
Florida was throwing away damaged metal signposts. In 2026, they are being turned into underwater habitatsIn Florida counties, discarded road signposts are being creatively repurposed into underwater habitats. These metal structures are transfor...
ARSBC bought HMCS Chaudière from Canada’s Defence Department for $1 plus 7 cents GST; after its reef conversion, glass tunicates came to cover much of the vesselThe Canadian warship HMCS Chaudière was acquired for a symbolic price and subsequently sunk, transforming it into a vibrant artificial reef...
In 2019, Jordan sank a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar in waters up to 92 feet deep; three years later, its fuselage and wings sheltered corals, sponges, octopuses and pufferfishAn ex-airliner has been repurposed as a lively artificial reef in the Red Sea. As marine species have swiftly inhabited the sunken plane, a...
Galapagos Islands' unique animal, plants served as basis for Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, in 2026 El Nino threatens to wipe out concentration of species not found elsewhere on EarthCharles Darwin Foundation data shows that aftermath of the 1998 El Nino — one of the most powerful and destructive cycles — only 400 of the...
In the mid-late 1970s, Florida sank an F-101, F-102, T-33 and Sikorsky off Bay County; the aircraft served as fishing and diving reefs for more than 10 yearsIn the 1970s, Florida made a bold choice by sinking military jets and helicopters into the Gulf of Mexico, creating makeshift fishing and d...
Science says sand isn’t always made from rocks: Some beaches are built from the remains of living thingsThe next time you stroll along a white tropical beach, remember that the sand beneath your feet may have a far more complex origin than ero...
In 2019, Australia lowered a 58-ton concrete greenhouse into the Great Barrier Reef; the 12-metre underwater structure became a living artwork and coral habitatNestled beneath the waves near John Brewer Reef in Australia lies an innovative Coral Greenhouse sculpture crafted from pH-neutral cement, ...
In the 1950s, U.S. nuclear tests were conducted at Bikini and Enewetak; decades later, Guam corals preserved carbon-14 spikes linked to tests in 1954, 1956, and 1958Guam’s coral reefs act as natural historians, chronicling chemical footprints of Cold War-era nuclear tests. Distinct radiocarbon spikes fr...
In 2002, Florida sank a 510-foot Navy ship off Key Largo; the USS Spiegel Grove became one of the world's largest purpose-built ship reefsIn 2002, the USS Spiegel Grove, a decommissioned Navy ship, was purposely sunk near Key Largo to form an artificial reef. This innovative a...
In 1986, Florida sank this 189-foot ship off the Florida Keys; decades later, its stripped superstructure is covered in sponges, corals and hydroidsThe Thunderbolt, a former military and research vessel, now serves as an artificial reef off Marathon in the Florida Keys. It was intention...
In 1942, the tanker SS Gulfoil was torpedoed in the Gulf of Mexico; nearly 70 years later, NOAA found its wreck covered in Lophelia coralThe SS Gulfoil, a World War II tanker, has transformed into a stunning coral reef over the years. After resting on the seabed for decades, ...
In 2023, Georgia sank two retired Atlanta commuter trains; seven months later, divers found corals, fish, and other marine life colonizing the railcarsRetired MARTA train cars were sunk off Georgia's coast to create new reefs. Divers found marine life and coral growth on the cars within se...
In 1970, Sylvia Earle led five women into an underwater laboratory on a 14-day mission that helped strengthen the case for women in extreme-environment scienceThe year 1970 marked a groundbreaking moment when five female aquanauts embarked on a 14-day journey under the sea in the Tektite II projec...
In 1970, US dumped 2 million tires into the ocean; a plan to save marine life turned into one of the biggest environmental blundersIn 1972, more than 2 million old tires were dumped into the Atlantic Ocean off Florida. The goal was simple. Create an artificial reef and ...
In 2019, scientists mounted speakers playing a healthy reef's sounds over dead coral and watched fish move back in: an experiment now being built into a tool to help restore dying reefsScientists are using underwater speakers to play healthy reef sounds. This acoustic enrichment attracts twice as many juvenile fish to dead...
Scientists just realized the true scale of a massive coral habitat was hiding off the Southeast U.S. for decadesScientists have uncovered a massive cold-water coral habitat spanning over 6.4 million acres off the southeastern U.S. coast. This extensiv...
It stands over 100 feet tall, is nearly 200 feet wide at the base, and may be older than many famous monuments; now NOAA believes that this Maug coral may hold clues to the future of reefsScientists discovered an ancient, massive Porites coral colony, estimated to be over 2,000 years old, in the Maug caldera near the Mariana ...
Water at tip of Florida hits hot tub level and may have set world record for warmest seawaterWeather records for sea water temperature are unofficial, and there are certain conditions in this reading that could disqualify it for a t...