Corals can adapt to warming oceans, but not fast enough – new research

A healthy _Acropora_ coral reef in Palau, western Pacific Ocean. Liam Lachs

Heatwaves in the oceans are triggering coral bleaching on a massive scale. If greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated, such heatwaves are projected to occur at least every two years over the coming decades.

Yet, emerging research indicates that corals have at least some capacity to adapt to climate change and heat extremes. This coral heat tolerance is influenced by many different genes, each with potential variants that have arisen over vast amounts of time.