Catastrophic Coral Bleaching on Australia's Great Barrier Reef

Imagine crystal blue waters stretching as far as the eye can see. Now, envision those pristine waters masking a ghostly wasteland of white, lifeless corals beneath the surface. This is the nightmare fast turning into reality on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, where a new study has found coral bleaching reaching "catastrophic" levels.

But before we get into the grim details, let's step back and marvel at the wonder of the Great Barrier Reef: the biggest living structure on Earth, running 133,000 square miles off the east coast of Australia, houses more than 1,500 species of fish, 400 types of hard coral, and keeps whole communities alive with fishing and tourism. It is not only an ecological treasure but also an economic engine that pumps billions into Australia each year.

Bleaching Process Explained