First, a couple quick facts about coral:
- About 25% of the ocean's fish depend on healthy coral reefs. Fish and other organisms shelter, find food, reproduce, and rear their young in the many nooks and crannies formed by corals.
- More than 1 billion people depend on coral reefs for food and income. Reefs also act as a natural barrier during storms, helping to reduce the full impact of waves before they reach shorelines and coastal communities. But today, coral reefs are among the most threatened ecosystems on our planet.
There is no doubt that preserving them and protecting them are in the best interest of everyone.
Researchers have successfully frozen samples of Hawaiian coral, keeping them "on ice" at a cool -200° C for 24 hours, and then slowly letting them thaw. Once thawed they returned to their normal state, giving the researchers hope that they may be able to preserve more samples and different types of coral and ensure that they can be preserved as we continue to combat climate change in the oceans.
Like something out of science fiction, small colonies of mature corals have been safely frozen and revived for the first time, though more work will be needed to ensure their long-term survival
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/adult-coral-frozen-survive-climate-change
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