We Would Shout, and Swim About, the Coral that Lies Beneath the Waves

A vibrant patch of coral grows in the Red Sea off the coast of Saudi Arabia. WHOI geochemist Konrad Hughen, biologist Simon Thorrold, and colleagues are departing today on a two-week expedition to survey, map, and assess the condition of the Red Sea’s reefs from Yanbu to Jeddah, in collaboration with the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). In a brief survey last year, Hughen noted that the coral appeared nearly pristine in some places, while showing signs of poor health in areas close to the polluting runoff from cities.
(Photo by Konrad Hughen, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)