Super Coral That Can Survive Global Warming | National Geographic

1998 18% of the world’s reefs died as a

1998 18% of the world’s reefs died as a result of a global bleaching event many

result of a global bleaching event many

result of a global bleaching event many people believe that we’ve now lost up to

people believe that we’ve now lost up to

people believe that we’ve now lost up to 30% of the world’s reefs another 30% are

30% of the world’s reefs another 30% are

30% of the world’s reefs another 30% are critically endangered and the potential

critically endangered and the potential

critically endangered and the potential for us to see massive degradation in all

for us to see massive degradation in all

for us to see massive degradation in all reef habitats worldwide is high by 2050

reef habitats worldwide is high by 2050

reef habitats worldwide is high by 2050 what we now know with our climate

what we now know with our climate

what we now know with our climate changing the water is warming and the

changing the water is warming and the

changing the water is warming and the water is becoming more acidic and these

water is becoming more acidic and these

water is becoming more acidic and these are two stressors that are extremely

are two stressors that are extremely

are two stressors that are extremely difficult for cars to cope with the

difficult for cars to cope with the

difficult for cars to cope with the rates of change are so fast because of

rates of change are so fast because of

rates of change are so fast because of our intervention the changes in those

our intervention the changes in those

our intervention the changes in those colors that occur when the Carl’s health

colors that occur when the Carl’s health

colors that occur when the Carl’s health declines and the image becomes paler and

declines and the image becomes paler and

declines and the image becomes paler and paler and more washed out and you can

paler and more washed out and you can

paler and more washed out and you can see it evokes an emotional reaction in

see it evokes an emotional reaction in

see it evokes an emotional reaction in all of us

what we’re trying to do here is to

what we’re trying to do here is to leverage 25 years of basic scientific

leverage 25 years of basic scientific

leverage 25 years of basic scientific knowledge that gives us an inkling that

knowledge that gives us an inkling that

knowledge that gives us an inkling that curls are perhaps a little bit more

curls are perhaps a little bit more

curls are perhaps a little bit more flexible in their biology than we would

flexible in their biology than we would

flexible in their biology than we would think that there are certain individuals

think that there are certain individuals

think that there are certain individuals that are doing surprisingly well in

that are doing surprisingly well in

that are doing surprisingly well in conditions that are killing others so

conditions that are killing others so

conditions that are killing others so we’re interested in focusing on those

we’re interested in focusing on those

we’re interested in focusing on those corals and then thinking about how we

corals and then thinking about how we

corals and then thinking about how we might build capacity or breed cars that

might build capacity or breed cars that

might build capacity or breed cars that are better able to withstand future

are better able to withstand future

are better able to withstand future ocean conditions that is warmer and more

ocean conditions that is warmer and more

ocean conditions that is warmer and more acidic I’m all about taking my skill set

acidic I’m all about taking my skill set

acidic I’m all about taking my skill set and applying it in an area that I can

and applying it in an area that I can

and applying it in an area that I can and that’s in the area of climate change

and that’s in the area of climate change

and that’s in the area of climate change adaptation what happens if we don’t

adaptation what happens if we don’t

adaptation what happens if we don’t mitigate fast enough the fossil

mitigate fast enough the fossil

mitigate fast enough the fossil fuel-burning what do we do and the

fuel-burning what do we do and the

fuel-burning what do we do and the solution is to attempt to assist corals

solution is to attempt to assist corals

solution is to attempt to assist corals to adapt or acclimatize to the changes

to adapt or acclimatize to the changes

to adapt or acclimatize to the changes at a rate that matches the rate of

at a rate that matches the rate of

at a rate that matches the rate of change in the environment we have no

change in the environment we have no

change in the environment we have no magic bullet answer we are at the early

magic bullet answer we are at the early

magic bullet answer we are at the early stages of this project and we are trying

stages of this project and we are trying

stages of this project and we are trying a lot of things we’ve done some pretty

a lot of things we’ve done some pretty

a lot of things we’ve done some pretty amazing things to to do damage to the

amazing things to to do damage to the

amazing things to to do damage to the planet but it’s our mo to react and then

planet but it’s our mo to react and then

planet but it’s our mo to react and then event and and set the course one let’s

event and and set the course one let’s

event and and set the course one let’s not be bogged down or paralyzed by the

not be bogged down or paralyzed by the

not be bogged down or paralyzed by the enormity of the problem we are doing

enormity of the problem we are doing

enormity of the problem we are doing with corals what nature does we’re just

with corals what nature does we’re just

with corals what nature does we’re just trying to accelerate the rate at which

trying to accelerate the rate at which

trying to accelerate the rate at which they do it to keep up with the very fast

they do it to keep up with the very fast

they do it to keep up with the very fast rates of change in the environment

rates of change in the environment

rates of change in the environment that’s the only way we’re going to go

that’s the only way we’re going to go

that’s the only way we’re going to go forward