Coral Reefs - Atlas Obscura
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One person's trash is an octopus's home.
underwater

This Octopus Is Using a Beer Bottle as a Nursery

In the Florida Keys, a marine biologist discovered a bit of debris that had become a cephalopod dwelling.
Benji Jones April 1, 2025
An elkhorn coral shows signs of bleaching on the coral reef of Sand Key in the waters south of Key West.
underwater

Florida’s Iconic Corals Aren’t Having Babies Anymore

A recent baby bust has scientists alarmed—it's a bad sign for the future of a reef that's already struggling.
Benji Jones March 3, 2025
Divers measure and document details of the world's largest coral, which could cover two basketball courts.
world's largest

The World's Largest Coral, a Single Organism, Can Be Seen From Space

Recently discovered in the Solomon Islands, the mega coral is likely centuries old.
Benji Jones November 18, 2024
Anumi Sassaroli surveys the fish population on a portion of the Florida Keys' barrier reef as part of a coral conservation project through the nonprofit CARES.
coral reefs

These Summer Campers Are Saving Oceans One Coral Polyp at a Time

In the Florida Keys, young people are helping to rebuild the world's third largest barrier reef.
Karuna Eberl June 25, 2024
A colorful orgy in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is triggered by the moon.
nature

Australia's Synchronized Coral Spawning Can Be Seen From Space

The world’s largest living structure renews itself in nights of moonlit passion.
Melissa Scott Sinclair April 26, 2024
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Coral World Undersea Observatory Tower

A rare underwater observatory in the Caribbean that provides breathtaking views of vibrantly colored aquatic life.
Riviera Beach, Florida

1,000 Mermaids Artificial Reef

Off the Florida coast, a whimsical world of marine sculptures are revitalizing coral reefs.
A bottlenose dolphin in the Red Sea near the southern Israeli coastal city of Eilat.
science

Dolphins in the Red Sea May Use Coral to 'Self-Medicate'

Scientists observing a pod in the wild think the animals may choose specific species for a skin care wellness routine.
Ashley Stimpson June 7, 2022
temples

Podcast: Seashell Shrines and Bones With the Places Team

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
The Podcast Team October 7, 2021
A spiral formation of jack fish in Heron Island's harbor was the winner of <em>BMC Ecology and Evolution</em>'s inaugural photo competition.
science

What Do You See in This Spiral of Color and Light?

A researcher says her award-winning image of a swirling school of fish is also a metaphor for the oceans' health.
Gemma Tarlach September 9, 2021
Corallimorphs on a hard coral in the Palmyra Atoll.
coral reefs

The Mysterious Coral Cousin Swarming the Palmyra Atoll

Little is known about pesky corallimorphs, except that they seem to thrive when reefs are damaged. 
Hannah Seo August 18, 2021
A giant clam near Ligpo Island in the Philippines.
animals

The History, Myth, and Future of the Giant Clam

Despite traditional and modern protections, Palau's massive mollusks are at risk.
Cynthia Barnett July 6, 2021
A dragon figure made out of seashells and coral.
New Taipei City, Taiwan

Fufudingshan Shell and Coral Temple

A Buddhist temple covered in intricate designs and carvings made out of seashells and pieces of coral.
The South Pacific atoll of Teti'aroa is about 30 miles north of Tahiti.
islands

French Polynesia's Teti'aroa Has Been an A-Lister Retreat for Centuries

Research reveals the lush islets have been a setting for royal relaxation, political negotiations, and ritual fattening.
Bridget Alex May 19, 2021
Gili Meno, Indonesia

'Nest'

This underwater sculpture park is the basis for a manmade coral reef.
Heron Island is a good place to look at (and smell) coral.
coral reefs

How Do Stressed-Out Corals Smell?

The answer could help researchers detect bleaching events before they happen.
Jessica Leigh Hester December 11, 2020
Once the lights go on, colors emerge. Most of this bed of hard coral belongs to the genus <em>Leptoseris</em>, a group abundant in the deeper waters of Hawaiʻi, but observed here for the first time in the Coral Sea. The pink and reddish hues belong to photosynthetic algae pulling energy from the dim light.
coral reefs

Turning On the Lights in the Ocean's Twilight Zone

The surprising colors of Australia's Coral Sea Marine Park.
Luna Shyr July 7, 2020
The “Ocean Siren” changes color in real time—from dark blue to dark red—as the water temperature fluctuates.
museums

This Sculpture Is a Mood Ring for the Great Barrier Reef

An artist talks about his environmentally responsive artwork—the first installation in an underwater museum at the intersection of coral and culture.
Katie Dundas May 28, 2020