In October 2020, Australian scientists d×™₽ iscovered a free-standing cora↕✔l reef "skyscraper" onα←'β Australia's Great Barrier Reef,✘' nearly 500 meters high and₽γ 1.5 kilometers wide♦♥, surpassing the heigh&★t of the Eiffel Tower•§&≠ and the Empire State Building in New Yα∏♥€ork, the first time sβ↕λ€uch a huge discovery in →≤✘±120 years. coral reef.
This marks a challenge - given the high c€ ost of ocean exploration and th≤✔e still-nascent exploration technolπ±♠βogy, we know very litt★£↓le about the underwater wor↔ ld. To better understand the m εysteries of the worl≤d's oceans, a teγ£am of scientists is using satellite imaging£× to map in unprecedented detail o>☆ne of Earth's most iconic underwater ecos©£βystems: shallow coral re•€efs
They are also researchers on the Allen Coral A★ ×≈tlas project, which was started by Vulca λn, the philanthropic group founded by th±αe late Microsoft co-foun"der Paul Allen. The United Nations Environme™•×nt Programme (UNEP) i§☆σs working with Vulcan to empower corλ∑₽al reef practitioners, mana€✔™gers and policymakers around the world, especiaεσ™lly in developing countries, on how t ₹ o use the new atlas.
"The atlas is desi£α☆αgned to improve our understanding oφ$∏✔f coral reef ecosystems and drive better&™π evidence-based policies to☆₹Ω protect corals," said Chuck Cooper, gen£$÷αeral manager of government and community relatio→♥ns at Vulcan.
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