Corals Are Now Such Sensitive Creatures

Corals (which evolved during the Cambrian Era with temperatures 10C warmer and CO2 levels 20X higher) have recently become very sensitive creatures. We aren’t sure exactly when they became so emotional, but apparently it has been in the last 50 years.

In 1954, the US detonated a 15 megaton hydrogen bomb in the Bikini Atoll, raising water temperatures to 55,000 degrees and creating a crater 2km wide by 73m deep. 55,000 degrees is not quite as hot as Moscow, but it was still on the toasty side.

55 years later, Corals are thriving in the Atoll

“I didn’t know what to expect – some kind of moonscape perhaps.  But it was incredible, huge matrices of branching Porites coral (up to 8 meters high) had established, creating thriving coral reef habitat.  Throughout other parts of the lagoon it was awesome to see coral cover as high as 80 per cent and large tree-like branching coral formations with trunks 30cm thick. It was fascinating – I’ve never seen corals growing like trees outside of the Marshall Islands.


About Tony Heller

Just having fun
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4 Responses to Corals Are Now Such Sensitive Creatures

  1. Brendon says:

    How did the natives of the island fare when they returned? Not so good I hear. Way to go USA!!

  2. Brendon says:

    Oh and you neglect to mention the dozens of species of coral that went extinct.

    • Ian says:

      I am not writing in defense of US nuclear testing (and it should be obvious to you that that is not what the article is about either, and hence also that your previous comment about the fate of the natives of the atoll was irrelevant to the actual argument which is solely concerned with the fragility, or otherwise, of coral), but if, when you write in your second comment, “Oh and you neglect to mention the dozens of species of coral that went extinct”, you only mean that these species of coral died off locally then you shouldn’t use the word “extinct”. If, on the other hand, you really are claiming that Bikini Atoll was the unique home to dozens of species of coral that the nuclear testing killed off (while leaving others apparently thriving), then I, for one, require evidence for that claim other than just your say so. So, please give us the list of these dozens of corals, and referential evidence that they are extinct because of the atomic tests at Bikini Atoll.

      • Brendon says:

        Read the link in Steve’s article.

        At least 28 of these species losses appear to be genuine local extinctions probably due to the 23 bombs that were exploded there from 1946-58, or the resulting radioactivity, increased nutrient levels and smothering from fine sediments.

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