Mother-daughter duo discovers world’s largest coral colony in Australia
SMRTR summary
A mother-daughter diving team has stumbled upon what scientists believe is the world's largest documented coral colony while surveying Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The massive "elephant skin" coral stretches 364 feet across, roughly the size of a soccer field, creating what Jan Pope described as a "very surreal underwater landscape" resembling a "rolling meadow."
Pope, a veteran diver with 35 years of experience, and her daughter Sophie Kalkowski-Pope discovered the giant during the Great Reef Census, a citizen-led initiative mapping the entire reef system. "When we jumped into the water, I could immediately understand the significance of what we were seeing," Kalkowski-Pope said, noting it took three continuous minutes to swim the colony's length.
The discovery offers hope during a particularly devastating period for coral reefs worldwide. While rising ocean temperatures have triggered mass bleaching events affecting over 80% of global reefs since 2023, this ancient colony appears to be thriving thanks to protective tidal currents and its sheltered location.
Scientists are keeping the exact coordinates secret to prevent damage from tourism or boat anchors while they conduct genetic testing to confirm whether it's truly a single organism.
SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to Interesting Engineering.
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