Coral frozen in time throws a lifeline for the Great Barrier Reef

Justine O'Brien, manager of conservation science at Taronga Conservation Society Australia, placing coral sperm samples in a cryo rack, filled with liquid nitrogen at a laboratory in Sydney. (Image: AFP)

AFP

Sun, 08 Jun 2025

By Laura ChungRows of tanks filled with liquid nitrogen sit in temperature-controlled chambers at Sydney's Taronga zoo, cradling parts of the Great Barrier Reef's diverse and magnificent corals frozen in time.The world's largest store of cryogenically frozen coral is a frosty Noah's Ark for an ecosystem that scientists warn could be the first to disappear if climate change is not combated fast enough.Trillions of cells from dozens of key coral species on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) – collected each year during mass spawni...

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