Corals News Briefs

These underwater umbrellas can shade coral reefs to protect them from bleaching. Our oceans are incredibly hot , and that heat stress is a major threat to coral reefs. To truly protect corals, we need to address climate change as a whole. But in the meantime, scientists say they can give reefs a bit of relief simply by providing them with some shade. Researchers recently tested this concept in the Florida Keys with underwater “umbrellas” made out of shade cloths—the same textiles used on farms or in home gardens to protect plants from the harsh sun. Those umbrellas floated above.