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The Schmidt Ocean Institute discovered the first new area of the Great Barrier Reef in 120 years, and it is taller than the Empire State Building.
Scientists have discovered a 500-meter-high coral reef, the first discovered off Australia’s Great Barrier Reef since the late 19th century.
The discovery of the detached part of the reef was made by the Schmidt Ocean Institute, which is on a 12-month mission to study relatively unexplored areas of the Great Barrier Reef.
The newly discovered reef is said to be in excellent condition, supporting an abundance of coral, fish and sharks – a positively surprising find considering the mass bleaching that occurs over much of the Great Barrier Reef.
More astounding, however, is the enormity of the newly discovered range, which extends 1.5 kilometers at its base and reaches over 500 meters high.
For reference, the reef would rank 11th in the tallest buildings in the world, beating the likes of Malaysia’s Empire State Building, Sydney’s Tower Eye, and Petronas Towers (the tallest twin towers in the world).
Scientists haven’t even ruled out finding more detached reefs, with these types of reefs surrounded by cold, deep oceans less likely to be affected by rising temperatures than other coral reefs, serving as a sanctuary for species.
More than half of the Great Barrier Reef has lost its coral due to ocean warming and mass mortality events pic.twitter.com/Jn5ZCXmXJM
– NowThis (@nowthisnews) 24 October 2020
Tom Bridge, principal investigator of the expedition, told the Guardian: “What it highlights is how little we know about much of the ocean, even the Great Barrier Reef. “
He continued, “We know more about the surface of the moon than we know about what lies deep beyond our shores. “
The expedition is partly aimed at increasing deep ocean mapping, with only 20% currently being mapped with modern tools.
One of the most fascinating experiences of my life was snorkeling in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Simply incredibly beautiful. These corals are alive and should not be touched to preserve the reef. # ONEV1 #OVTTDS #TTDS pic.twitter.com/Xnqa7ERLvR
– Kim Simmons (@ KimSimmons11) October 28, 2020
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