Coral reefs are disappearing at an unprecedented rate as climate change, marine heatwaves, pollution and coastal development threaten one of Earth's richest ecosystems. While scientific research has greatly advanced our understanding of the crisis and ways to restore damaged reefs, a new international paper argues that science alone will not be enough to protect them.

Writing in Science Advances, researchers from Bar-Ilan University and leading institutions around the world call for a fundamental shift in coral conservation by integrating science with art, design, culture and community engagement to inspire public awareness and meaningful action.

Why do some coral reefs weather marine heatwaves better than others? A new study published in Scientific Reports shows that the answer may lie not only in local ocean conditions, but also in climate patterns that span entire ocean basins. By combining long-term ocean observations with chemical records preserved in coral skeletons, the researchers reveal how large-scale climate oscillations regulate the natural cooling that can help protect coral reefs during marine heatwaves. First author Dr. Hana Camelia and Dr. Thomas Felis from MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences at the University of Bremen lead the study.