Scientists’ experiment is ‘beacon of hope’ for coral reefs on brink of global collapse

Steve Backshall, the naturalist, scuba dives on the reefs of the Maldives for the BBC’s Our Changing Planet. Photograph: Steve Simpson/BBC Studios

An underwater experiment to restore coral reefs using a combination of “coral IVF” and recordings of fish noises could offer a “beacon of hope” to scientists who fear the fragile ecosystem is on the brink of collapse.

The experiment – a global collaboration between two teams of scientists who developed their innovative coral-saving techniques independently – has the potential to significantly increase the likelihood that coral will repopulate degraded reefs, they claim.