Why there is hope that the world's coral reefs can be saved

From coral farming to 3D printing, scientists are using novel methods to save a vital part of our ecosystemFor most of us, the colourful, otherworldly marinescapes of coral reefs are as remote as the alien landscapes of the moon. We rarely, if ever, experience these underwater wonderlands for ourselves - we are, after all, air-breathing, terrestrial creatures mostly cocooned in cities. It is easy, therefore, not to notice the perilous state they're in: we've lost 50% of coral reefs in the past 20 years; more than 90% are expected to die by 2050 according to a presentation at the Ocean Sciences Meeting in San Diego, California earlier this year. As the oceans heat further and turn more acidic, owing to rising carbon dioxide emissions, coral reefs are tipped to become the world's first ecosystems to become extinct because of us.Just because we don't see them doesn't mean we won't miss them. For, as we are belatedly discovering, the nice, dry human world that we've made for ourselves is dependent on the planet's natural systems and coral reefs are no exception. They protect our coastlands from erosion, they are the nurseries for the fish we eat and they harbour the plankton that produce the oxygen we breathe. Globally, coral reefs support a quarter of all marine life and the livelihoods of a billion people. Continue reading...