Graphic shows comparison of the newly discovered coral reef with selected landmarks.
GN40733EN

ENVIRONMENT

Coral reef taller than Empire State Building found

By Jordi Bou

October 29, 2020 - Scientists have found a detached coral reef on the Great Barrier Reef that exceeds the height of the Empire State Building, the first such discovery in 120 years.

Scientists found the detached reef, which is the first to be discovered in more than 120 years, in waters off North Queensland while on an expedition aboard research vessel Falkor, ocean research organization Schmidt Ocean Institute.

The reef was first discovered on October 20, as scientists completed an underwater mapping of the seafloor of the northern Great Barrier Reef.

At 500 meters high, it is taller than the Empire State Building (443.2 meters to the tip), the Petronas Twin Towers (451.9 meters), and the Eiffel Tower (324 metres)

At almost 2,300km, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure in the world. It includes around 3,000 coral reefs, 600 continental islands and 150 inshore mangrove islands.

But in recent years, it has been vastly damaged by warmer seas which have killed off coral, dispersed other marine life and sped up growth of algae and other contaminants.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 29/10/2020; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: SOI
Advertisement