A team of Australian scientists has just discovered a new, detached coral reef in the Great Barrier ReefOpens in a new tab that spans more than 1,600 feet from bottom to top. For reference, that size makes this reef significantly taller than the 1,250-foot-tall Empire State Building, or the 984-foot-tall Eiffel Tower. The discovery of the coral also marks the first time people have found one of these mondo chunks of underwater ecosystem in the region in 120 years.
On October 20th, scientists with the #EdgeGBROpens in a new tab expedition uncovered a new detached reef to be added to the #GreatBarrierReefOpens in a new tab. The reef is 500m high, taller than the Eiffel Tower. #OzOceans2020Opens in a new tab #NewReefGBROpens in a new tab #KeepExploringOpens in a new tab #NewDiscoveryOpens in a new tab pic.twitter.com/oiu0tVPe5BOpens in a new tab
— Schmidt Ocean (@SchmidtOcean) October 25, 2020Opens in a new tab
Smithsonian MagazineOpens in a new tab reported on the discovery, which occurred on October 20. The team of Aussies was aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor when it stumbled upon the reef. And, yes, that is a lovely little reference to The Neverending Story‘s own Luck DragonOpens in a new tab.
The team of scientists, led by Dr. Robin Beaman from James Cook University, stumbled upon the fresh coral during an underwater-mapping session along the Reef’s northern seafloor. To further analyze the coral reef, the team went back with Falkor‘s underwater robot, SuBastian, several days later. That probing of the underwater mountain can be watched in the video below, as well as in this part-two videoOpens in a new tab.
“We are surprised and elated by what we have found,” Beaman said in a Schmidt Ocean Institute press releaseOpens in a new tab. “To not only 3D map the reef in detail, but also visually see this discovery with SuBastian is incredible,” the scientist added. (For those wondering, SuBastian is also indeed a Neverending Story reference.)
Schmidt Ocean Institute
And while the new, giant coral reef will undoubtedly yield plenty of interesting findings in the future, research into it is obviously just beginning. Which means, despite the six-plus hours of exploratory footage available in the two SuBastian videos, there’s not a lot to see; especially in terms of the alien-like creaturesOpens in a new tab we’ve come to expect from the ocean. Although Schmidt scientists have found plenty of those before too, like thisOpens in a new tab hundred-plus-year-old siphonophore.
Feature image: Schmidt Ocean InstituteOpens in a new tab
