Scientists Discover Giant Coral Specimen Visible from Space

Marine biologists have discovered the biggest coral deposit in history. It is so big that, at first, they mistook it for a shipwreck.

“Just when we think there is nothing left to discover on planet Earth, we find a massive coral made of nearly 1 billion little polyps, pulsing with life,” Enric Sala told CNN. Sala is the founder of the National Geographic Pristine Seas program. 

Pristine Seas’ scientists found the coral in the Pacific Ocean. It is off the coast of the Solomon Islands. It's by far the largest ever discovered. The giant mass is brown and gold. It is covered in lumps and ridges. They're created by the tiny coral organisms. The coral is 111 feet wide, 104 feet long, and 18 feet high. It’s bigger than a blue whale. Satellites can see it from space.

Coral reefs are under threat. Climate change has damaged them. "Underwater graveyards” of bleached-white coral are a grim reminder of the effects of a warming planet on fragile ecosystems. Yet the sheer size of the find suggests that coral may still be thriving in some parts of the ocean. 

“The existence of large and old corals is a sign of hope — that it’s not too late to protect, conserve and restore the oceans while fighting against climate change,” David Baker, a coral expert at the University of Hong Kong, told NBC.

Reflect: Why might it be important to protect and take care of the environment?

Photo of coral reef from Unsplash courtesy of OnBird Phu Quoc.