Australia’s Great Barrier Reef used to be a symbol of the pristine beauty that the ocean offers, but now it represents the terrible mark that human-induced climate change is having on the world as half of the coral that made up the reef has died in the past couple years. Is there still hope? The answer is yes thanks to researchers at two Australian universities who have developed an underwater robot that could help turn the tide in the ongoing struggle to save at-risk reefs. The briefcase-size submersible is designed to move autonomously along damaged sections of reef, seeding them with hundreds of thousands of microscopic baby corals. These seeded specimens were derived from corals that survived the coral bleaching event of 2016-17, which are believed to be especially tolerant of warmer ocean temperatures. If the baby corals manage to take hold and grow, the researchers say they will eventually develop a fleet of submersibles that would be used to save reefs around the world.
How a robot could save Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
More of Today's Solutions
Zimbabwean grandmothers transform mental health care globally
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A deceptively simple yet revolutionary mental health therapy based on grandmothers' wisdom and sensitivity took root in Zimbabwe. ...
Read MoreA new dawn in asthma care: the first new treatment in 50 years offers hope
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For the first time in half a century, researchers discovered a breakthrough cure for asthma attacks, giving hope ...
Read MoreDrinking gold nanocrystal elixir shows promise in MS and Parkinson’s tr...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern (UT Southwestern) Medical Center are making progress against neurodegenerative disorders such ...
Read MoreImprove your daily routine: a neuroscientist’s advice to strengthening ...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In today's fitness-focused society, the importance of brain training is frequently overlooked. Daniel Amen, M.D., draws on over ...
Read More
