This often-overlooked sea creature may be quietly protecting the planet's coral reefs

This type of staghorn coral (Acropora pulchra) appeared to benefit from the presence of sea cucumbers (Holothuria atra), a new study finds. (Terry Moore/Stocktrek Images / Science Source)

Over the years, Cody Clements, a marine ecologist at Georgia Tech, has planted over 10,000 coral fragments across the South Pacific.

"You can just break off a branch from a coral, plant it into the sandy bottom, and it will grow into a whole new coral," explains Clements. "I have corals out there that I've planted and they were the size of my pinky — and now they're the size of a basketball."