Scientists have discovered a “massive” detached coral reef in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The reef is 500m high; taller than New York’s famous Empire State Building. The reef was first spotted on 20th October by an underwater robot. Five days later a team of divers led by Dr. Robin Beaman, James Cook University, was sent down to have a better look. They discovered that the base of the reef was an impressive 1.5km wide.
“This unexpected discovery affirms that we continue to find unknown structures and new species in our Ocean,” states the co-founder of Schmidt Ocean Institute. “The state of our knowledge about what’s in the Ocean has long been so limited. Thanks to new technologies that work as our eyes, ears and hands in the deep ocean, we have the capacity to explore like never before”.
The Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia’s most remarkable natural phenomenons. It contains an abundance of marine life and comprises over 3000 individual reef systems and coral cays. There are also hundreds of tropical islands within the area, famous for some of the world’s most beautiful golden beaches. Here’s a report by CBS news:
“To find a new half-a-kilometer tall reef in the offshore Cape York area of the well-recognized Great Barrier Reef shows how mysterious the world is just beyond our coastline,” says the executive director of Schmidt Ocean Institute.
Post Your Comments