Current Affairs

UPSC CRYOMESH AND FROZEN CORAL - English

CRYOMESH AND FROZEN CORAL

Why in News?

While working on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, scientists have successfully trialed a new method for freezing and storing coral in their first trial.

What is the Need for Freezing Coral

• As rising ocean temperatures destabilize the delicate ecosystems of Coral, therefore scientists are striving to protect coral reefs.
• The Great Barrier Reef has suffered four bleaching events in the last seven years, including the first-ever bleach during a La Niña phenomenon, which typically brings cooler temperatures.
• Scientists used the cryomesh to freeze coral larvae at the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences (AIMS).

What is the Methodology of Freezing Coral

Cryomesh: Cryomesh was devised by a team from the University of Minnesota’s College of Science and Engineering. This is lightweight and can be manufactured cheaply. It better preserves coral and has the properties of cryoplates. The mesh technology will help store coral larvae at -196°C (-320.8°F).

Significance: This cryogenically frozen coral can be stored and later reintroduced to the wild. But current process requires sophisticated equipment including lasers, however a new lightweight “cryomesh” can be manufactured cheaply and better preserves coral.

What is the Great Barrier Reef

• It is the world’s most extensive and spectacular coral reef ecosystem composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands.
• The reef is located in the Coral Sea (North-East Coast), off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
• It can be seen from outer space and is the world’s biggest single structure made by living organisms.
• It was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.

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