Coral transplanted on Archireef’s tiles.
Phil Thompson/Archireef
Weather & Science
Vulnerable Coral Moved to a 3D-Printed Reef in Hong Kong Is Thriving
Fragments of coral inserted in clay tiles are surviving and growing, researchers say, a hopeful sign for saving the animals at risk from climate change.
In the subtropical sea off northeast Hong Kong, orange and white-striped clownfish somersault like acrobats, black sea urchins furtively wiggle their antennas and crabs shuttle between crevices in a leggy panic.
Much of this activity in Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park gravitates around corals that are thriving on an artificial reef made of 3D-printed terracotta tiles, installed two years ago by researchers at the University of Hong Kong (HKU).