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"LarvalBot" underwater robot delivers first batch of coral babies to the Great Barrier Reef

David Szondy December 13, 2018

A Queensland University of Technology (QUT) team has developed the "LarvalBot" underwater robot that, for the first time, has succeeded in reseeding damaged areas of Australia's Great Barrier Reef with heat tolerant baby coral polyps to help combat the effects of predators and climate change.

The "LarvalBot" undersea robot has dispersed microscopic baby corals (coral larvae) to help scientists working to ...

Environment

Robots to play "stork" and plant coral larvae around the Great Barrier Reef

Nick Lavars October 28, 2018

That Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is in serious trouble is no longer subject to debate, but the best way to deal with the problem very much is. The latest idea to emerge involves robots playing the role of "the stork" and distributing coral larvae across the Reef to promote new growth

The Great Barrier Reef is under threat from a string of coral bleaching events prompting the ...

Marine

Underwater drone watches over reefs – and kills coral-destroying starfish

Ben Coxworth September 1, 2018

It's no secret that the world's coral reefs are in trouble, and unfortunately scuba divers can only do so much in the way of monitoring or protecting them. Scientists in Australia, however, have developed an autonomous underwater drone that could be of great help.

The RangerBot can monitor and protect reefs for up to eight hours at atime

Environment

Dead coral recruited to help keep the Great Barrier Reef alive

Michael Irving July 24, 2018

The ultimate fate of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is looking pretty dire. Now, researchers from the University of Queensland have outlined a plan to recycle dead coral into structures that can help protect the remaining reef and promote new growth.

In an effort to help protect the Great Barrier Reef, Australian researchers have proposed recycling dead ...

Environment

Great Barrier Reef has "died" five times already – but this might be the last straw

Michael Irving May 28, 2018

As the fate of the Great Barrier Reef remains uncertain, a new study has examined the health of the reef over the last 30,000 years, and found that it has suffered five “death events” in the past – but its current woes could be the last straw.

A new study has found that the Great Barrier Reef has persisted through five major "death ...

Biology

Coral reefs put up "cloud umbrellas" to keep cool

Darren Quick April 17, 2018

We've recently seen a number of proposals for protecting coral reefs from the dangers of climate change, and now it turns out that corals already have a self-defense mechanism. They can release aerosols into the atmosphere to create a protective "cloud umbrella."

Scientists have discovered that corals on the Great Barrier Reef emit compounds that end up as ...

Environment

Could a floating film protect coral reefs?

Ben Coxworth March 26, 2018

Although the outlook may be bleak for the world's coral reefs overall, there might at least be hope for little bits of them. Scientists at the Great Barrier Reef Foundation have announced development of an eco-friendly film that could help protect corals against bleaching.

Environment

Giant fans, starfish assaults and the half-baked plan to save the Great Barrier Reef

Nick Lavars January 22, 2018

Australia's Great Barrier Reef is in a bit of trouble. The Australian government has announced a AU$60 million plan to preserve the world's largest living structure, but environmental experts are wondering whether it is simply a way of avoiding a larger, more complex issue.

Researchers at work examining coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef

Environment

"Perfect thermal storm" caused 2016 Great Barrier Reef coral bleaching

Michael Irving July 3, 2017

The Great Barrier Reef has seen better days, after a one-two punch of coral bleaching events struck it in 2016 and 2017. Warming sea temperatures has been pegged as the culprit, but researchers have found that a “perfect thermal storm” of oceanographic conditions led to the 2016 mass bleaching.

Severe coral bleaching has affected huge swathes of the Great Barrier Reef for two consecutive years

Environment

Great Barrier Reef bleaching even worse than first thought

Nick Lavars May 29, 2017

The news has gone from bad to worse to "very concerning" for Australia's Great Barrier Reef, with the world's largest reef system suffering through a second consecutive coral bleaching event that is proving even more destructive than first predicted.

Scientists have confirmed that 29 percent of shallow water corals in the Great Barrier Reef died ...