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Reef Ecologic is Reviving Reefs with Electricity

As the global temperature rises and man-made events alter the environment, fragile ecosystems are in danger of being completely destroyed. One such ecosystem is the Great Barrier Reef, the coral coves of which have been rendered brittle and weak by mass-bleaching events.

Enter Reef Ecologic with a dose of science. The organization has been testing out a new method of restoring reefs, and surprisingly, it involves the one thing you’d assume wouldn’t go great with water: electricity. Ecologic places metal nets on the ocean floor near the reefs and runs a weak electrical current through it. Don’t worry, it’s low enough that it won’t hurt any fish. The electrical current attracts minerals in the water, promoting the creation of limestone on the metal net. While we can’t bring back the parts of the reef that have already been lost, this method can be used to create new parts.

Tests are currently being run in the oceans north of Cairns. Results aren’t quite conclusive yet, but what they currently have is definitely promising.

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