Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: One martyr reported in Israeli drone strike targeting motorcycle in Ain Qana.
Israeli media: Sirens sound in Nahal Oz settlement in Gaza Envelope.
Syria: Local sources report that General Security forces targeted the camp of French fighters from the 'al-Ghuraba division' in the Idlib countryside with mortar and tank shells.
Syria: Local sources report a general military mobilization of foreign fighters in Idlib following armed clashes in the “French Camp” in the Idlib countryside.
Syria: Local sources report that International Coalition forces carried out an airdrop operation on a house in the village of al-Kassar, eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor.
Local sources: 3 killed, 7 injured in attack on transport bus in Idlib countryside, Syria
The 'French faction' in Idlib announces that Syrian security forces are preparing to attack its camp amid accusations that it is collaborating with ISIS.
Palestinian media: Israeli occupation forces storm the Old City in the center of Nablus, occupied West Bank
Local sources to Al Mayadeen: Sudanese army forces drones strike town of Kabkabiya, North Darfur.
Syrian Observatory: The plane is loaded with air defense systems and heavy weapons as part of US troop reinforcements to its bases in northeastern Syria

Robots, limestone are being used to save coral reefs

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 19 Feb 2023 10:07
2 Min Read

Faster hardier specimens that can be multiplied and transplanted by robotic arms are being developed by biologists.

  • x
  • A diver examines one of the coral nurseries on the coral reefs of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. (AFP)
    A diver examines one of the coral nurseries on the coral reefs of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. (Getty Images)

Coral reef death and destruction harm the environment by removing a vital ecosystem that fosters biodiversity. With varying degrees of success, experts have experimented with breeding corals in nurseries, cross-breeding to create more resilient species, and adding microorganisms to corals.

The acidity of the ocean's water is rising as it warms and more carbon dioxide is absorbed by it. As a result, coral polyps' ability to extract calcium carbonate from the water and grow naturally slows down. Additionally, the already-formed skeleton may begin to disintegrate.

The chief of Coral Maker, Taryn Foster, is working to create a limestone skeleton for the coral to grow on using the equipment she inherited from her family's masonry business. Despite being faster than it would be naturally, the process is still slow.

Read next: Australia's Great Barrier Reef suffering 'widespread' bleaching

Related News

OpenAI unveils new search browser built around chatGPT

Australia targets AI chatbots in new anti-bullying plan

Corals require between three and ten years to complete this process in the natural environment. This can be shortened to a year or a year and a half with skeletons. However, because corals are delicate and particular about their environment, all other factors, including light levels, salinity, water temperature, and current strength, must be carefully managed.

Foster now hopes to reach about 1.7 million corals by producing 280,000 skeletons annually after two successful tests, but in order to do so, a sizable portion of the process will need to be automated.

Foster is developing and training two robotic arms with Autodesk AI in San Francisco, one to cut coral fragments and glue them into plugs and another to attach them to the limestone skeletons.

More of these robots will be built, and the process will be applied globally to aid in coral reef restoration. "I think of this as a delivery or scaling mechanism for these other technologies that people are developing, like coral propagation," says Foster. "Just at a much faster rate and on a bigger scale."

Read next: Great Barrier Reef at risk of second severe coral bleaching summer

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • coral reefs

Most Read

Yemeni Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari , during a ceremony in an undisclosed locations in Yemen, undate (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemeni Armed Forces mourn martyred Chief of Staff al-Ghamari

  • Politics
  • 16 Oct 2025
How an Israeli-backed firm spied on US churches to push propaganda

How an Israeli-backed firm spied on US churches to push propaganda

  • Politics
  • 15 Oct 2025
From previous scenes of the Qassam Brigades targeting an Israeli D9 bulldozer with a Yassin 105 shell, east of Deir al-Balah. (Military Media of the Qassam Brigades)

US knew fatal Rafah blast cause was not Hamas op., says journalist

  • Politics
  • 20 Oct 2025
Smoke and fire rises after 'Israel' launched airstrikes on the village of Ansar, Lebanon, October 16, 2025 (social media)

'Israel' launches two waves of brutal strikes on east, south Lebanon

  • Politics
  • 16 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
An Israeli settler stands over a woman who was harvesting olives after assaulting her, October 19, 2025 (social media)
Politics

West Bank sees 757 Israeli settler attacks in one year

The OpenAI logo appears on a mobile phone in front of a screen showing part of the company website in this photo taken on Nov. 21, 2023 (AP)
Technology

OpenAI unveils new search browser built around chatGPT

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, from right, and War Secretary Pete Hegseth listen as President Donald Trump meets in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Monday, October 20, 2025, in Washington (AP)
Politics

‘Your mom’ politics take over Trump administration

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem during a public address on October 21, 2025 (Screengrab)
Politics

Sheikh Qassem: Lebanon stability depends on ending Israeli aggression

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS