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
Israeli media: Israeli Prime Minister's Office: The security cabinet has approved Netanyahu's proposal on Gaza.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The Lebanese Council of Ministers approved the general objectives of the US paper unanimously by the ministers who remained in the session.
Hezbollah, Amal Movement ministers withdraw from the Lebanese cabinet session as it discusses the proposal of US envoy Tom Barrack.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: An Israeli drone bombed a car in the town of Kfardan in the Baalbek district.
Al Mayadeen’s correspondent: An Israeli raid targeted the outskirts of the town of al-Qatrani, Jezzine District
Al Mayadeen’s correspondent: Israeli warplanes launch a raid targeting the vicinity of the Burguz area
Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in southern Lebanon: An Israeli airstrike targeted the outskirts of Jbaa in the Iqlim al-Tuffah region
Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in southern Lebanon: An Israeli airstrike targeted the outskirts of the town of Ansar
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in southern Lebanon: Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes on the al-Mahmoudiyah area
New York Times: Trump plans to meet with Putin as soon as next week

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

Tech joins the fight: Silicon Valley powers US war drive

Chinese tech continues to accelerate after DeepSeek’s AI breakthrough

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

Shiekh Naim Qassem giving a speech commemorating the anniversay of martyr Mohammed Saeed Izadi, August 5, 2025, in Lebanon

Sheikh Qassem threatens 'Israel', warns against foreign intervention

  • Politics
  • 5 Aug 2025
UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

  • Politics
  • 1 Aug 2025
Protesters chant anti-Israeli slogans as they carry a banner that reads:" Freedom for Palestine, Alliance stop the war," during a demonstration in support of Palestinians in Gaza, outside the Israeli embassy, in Athens, Monday, June 9, 2025 (AP)

Athens mayor slams Israeli ambassador over Gaza war, graffiti claim

  • Politics
  • 3 Aug 2025
Hezbollah says disarming Resistance is a blow to Lebanon’s sovereignty

Hezbollah to overlook cabinet decision; Amal urges corrective approach

  • Politics
  • 6 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, centre, leads a Cabinet meeting which is supposed to discuss the disarmament of Hezbollah, at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, August 7, 2025 (Lebanese Presidency press office)
Politics

Hezbollah, Amal ministers walk out of cabinet over US disarmament plot

Trucks carrying humanitarian aid, line up as they wait to enter Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Khaled Elfiqi)
Politics

Only 188 of 800 promised aid trucks entered Gaza: Euractiv

Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India listens to Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer as they meet for bilateral talks at Chequers near Aylesbury, England, Thursday, July 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Trump doubles tariffs on India over Russian oil despite partnership

Ansar Allah leader Sayyed Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi during a speech in Sanaa, Yemen, August 7, 2025 (Al Mayadeen screengrab)\
Politics

Al-Houthi slams Gaza blockade, warns against disarmament, 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