Scientists Are Giving Coral Reefs Underwater Umbrellas
Monday, October 5, 2026100 words2 minutes2076 reads
Scientists in Florida put simple shades over brain corals in the sea. The shades were like underwater umbrellas. They blocked about 60% of sunlight. This helped corals during very hot water.
Corals are animals. Tiny algae live inside them and make food from sunlight. Too much heat and strong light can harm this partnership. Corals may lose algae and turn pale. This is called bleaching.
During the test, shaded corals bleached less. Some got their colour back after scientists added shade. Shade cannot cool the ocean. It may be most useful for rare or important corals during a heat wave.
