The Brutal Science of Coral Collapse

Coral reefs are disappearing faster than rainforests, and here's the brutal science.

When water heats up just half a degree, corals kick out their algae roommates in panic mode.

These tiny algae are basically the coral's personal chefs, making food through

photosynthesis and giving reefs those vibrant colors. Without them, corals turn bone

white and start starving. It's like evicting your kitchen staff during a famine.

But temperature isn't the only killer. Ocean acidification is dissolving their calcium skeletons

from the outside while bleaching attacks from within. Picture trying to build a sandcastle

while someone pours vinegar on it. These underwater cities cover less than one percent