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
This bike for two lets you pedal through the forest on old train tracks
In an effort to breathe new life into some of America’s historic railway lines, Skunk Train is repurposing unused train tracks as adventurous tour ...
Read MoreClosing the longevity gap: what research reveals about why women live longer
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Across the animal kingdom, females tend to live longer than males, and the same is true for humans. ...
Read MoreCanada sets new methane rules to curb oil and gas emissions by 75 percent by ...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a long-anticipated move, Canada has introduced tougher methane regulations for its oil and gas sector, an industry ...
Read MoreWhy turning support into action matters on International Women’s Day
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM International Women’s Day arrives each year with a familiar mix of brightness and gravity. On March 8, communities ...
Read More
