SA国际传

The pandemic and political strife didn't give us a break in 2021 鈥� but SA国际传谋 staffers still found some moments of joy in their reporting.

Stony coral disease has scorched the already struggling reefs of South Florida and caused some species like Florida鈥檚 picturesque pillar coral to go locally extinct. The threat is so serious that it has produced an unprecedented national research and 鈥淣oah鈥檚 Ark鈥� rescue effort, where almost 2,000 corals have been pulled out of Florida鈥檚 waters and quarantined in aquariums around the country.

The new research found corals infected with the disease in a lab, and compared to healthy corals from the same genotype, had an immune response. It's a new discovery that could lead to better detection of the disease before it's too late.

Over two days in May, scientists replanted many of the species of coral susceptible to stony coral disease to see if they can survive now that epidemic levels of the disease have subsided.

For more than five years, a disease has been wiping out corals that provide the foundation for Florida's reef tract. Now it's reached the most remote and healthy area of the reef.