“Our coral reefs are in danger … we need your help.” When new players log on to NASA’s NeMO-Net, they’re greeted with a video message from oceanographer Sylvia Earle. “Your mission is to take command of a research vessel, and travel the world collecting data on the ocean,” she says.
Warming temperatures, rising sea levels and other disturbances have already destroyed or damaged most coral reefs around the world, and experts predict that 70 to 90 percent of the live coral today will be lost by 2050 if climate change isn’t kept in check. These ecosystems are more than just beautiful places — coral reefs are important for humans, providing food through fisheries, income through tourism and coastal protection to hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
It’s tricky for scientists to track just how much coral is being lost, since reefs are spread all over the world and hidden underwater. ...
