As Corals Wither Around The World, Scientists Try IVF
"A couple hours after sunset, everyone is donning a wetsuit. In minutes, 15 to 20
dark figures are standing in a graveyard on the west coast of Guam. But they're not here for the tombstones. They've come to help rescue something from dying in the waters nearby — the corals."
"Corals along Guam's coastlines have been dying in recent years, and they're not alone. Warming seawater and increasing ocean acidity are damaging reef ecosystems around the world. Some scientists and environmentalists fear a worldwide collapse by 2050."
"The coral reefs we see are actually colonies of millions of tiny animals. In a single night, the corals cast a fog of sperm and eggs into the water, some of which fertilize to make baby coral larvae. And some of those larvae settle back onto the reef, making it grow."
"Dirk Petersen says, 'OK, let's go. It's gonna be the night, guys. Spawning time.'"