Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique: Researchers from the Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies (BCSS) Ocean Observatory have documented ancient forests that grew on the Mozambican coast thousands of years ago and have been found beneath the sea, where they now serve as hotspots teeming with marine life similar in biodiversity to coral reefs. The discovery raises the question of how many more of these hidden peat reefs exist around the world’s coastlines and how to evaluate them as a carbon store and develop policies to protect them and their biodiversity.

Bleached corals can fully recover within a few weeks through brief contact with healthy corals, opening new possibilities for restoration.

A new research project will determine the types of natural infrastructure that can support flood resilience along the North Carolina coastline.

As oceans warm, some corals may hold the key to reef survival. New research reveals that heat tolerance varies not only between coral species, but also among populations living in different environments. One Hawaiian coral species from cooler, wave-exposed waters withstood significantly more heat stress than its counterparts, while another showed similar tolerance across locations. The findings reveal why understanding coral diversity and environmental history is critical to identifying resilient corals and guiding restoration efforts as marine heat waves intensify.

Reaching net zero sooner would limit long-lasting changes to El Niño and the tropical Pacific, new climate modelling suggests, although heat stored deep in the ocean means changes to the tropical Pacific could persist for centuries.