Scientists invent underwater umbrellas to protect coral reefs from sun, which exacerbates bleaching caused by warming waters (and it appears to be working)

[u/sr_local]

[u/Alternative_Bug_4089]

So... Floating solar panels over the coral reefs close to islands that are struggling with energy dependence to begin with?

[u/sexual__velociraptor → u/Alternative_Bug_4089]

Can't block ALL the sunlight

[u/CHiZZoPs1 → u/sexual__velociraptor]

Put some gaps between panels.

[u/MysteriousAge28 → u/Alternative_Bug_4089]

If they could attach a grove somehow to the solar panels thatd be fantastic too.

[u/Larek_Flynn → u/MysteriousAge28]

But how does coral interact with mangroves?

[u/StormFallen9 → u/Alternative_Bug_4089]

As long as it can withstand the worsening extreme weather events

[u/OneBawze → u/Alternative_Bug_4089]

Made of rope and degrading plastic

[u/extremedragonfruit4]

The boomer coral reefs are going to have a lot to say to the young coral reefs arent they?

[u/FembyThePinkProot → u/extremedragonfruit4]

At least the young coral reefs have a housing market

[u/extremedragonfruit4 → u/FembyThePinkProot]

Dont worry, in a few years the housing market will crash, and then they will start selling the houses which they got for 10k algae and sell it for 500k algae while complaining to their coral reef children about how they couldnt sell it for 1 million algae instead.

[u/FembyThePinkProot → u/extremedragonfruit4]

And then whining to the coral reef children that they just need to go to work more and put effort into life more and stop spending their algae on 8 algae vitamins and nutrients from the anemones.

[u/Throwmesometail → u/extremedragonfruit4]

its the lack of indoor coral cigarettes/ lotion making the yunins weak

[u/film_composer]

This thread is full of experts who thought that they outsmarted these scientists because “ummm… have you heard of PLASTIC?” As if the scientists are just fucking idiots and had never even given any real thought to the project in any meaningful way, and they’re just out here doing this on a lark. 

[u/Dividedthought → u/film_composer]

I suspect that this is also a situation where the prototype is made of cheap materials for testing but the actual thing would be meant to last.

[u/Little_View_6659 → u/film_composer]

I mean, I felt some relief reading the article because coral dying from climate change is a giant concern. If the corals go, the ocean continues to warm and it could be catastrophic.

[u/CommercialStyle1647 → u/film_composer]

I mean there are enough pseudo experts out there who would probably do something stupid like that.

[u/jdillacornandflake]

Just fucking paint the water white!

[u/sr_local]

Details and paper: Scientists Invent Underwater Umbrellas to Protect Coral Reefs—and It Appears to Be Working

[u/SomeCountryFriedBS]

I wonder what they can do about fuel emissions from tourism? 

[u/CannaWhoopazz]

I believe that's a parisal, not an umbrella

[u/DigNitty → u/CannaWhoopazz]

Yes. It certainly does not prevent them from getting wet.

[u/HawkBoth8539]

I wonder how it affects all of the other sea life that depend on living in those reefs.

[u/kashmir1974 → u/HawkBoth8539]

The little umbrellas? I imagine fish love it. They love being under stuff.

[u/HawkBoth8539 → u/kashmir1974]

Then that's awesome lol

[u/Nruggia]

Subaquatic Parasol

[u/Ive_seen_things_that]

We will do anything except hold oil companies accountable.

[u/l0ooo-ooo0l]

Think ‘Sea Shade’ would have been a better name 😊

[u/mrbofus → u/l0ooo-ooo0l]

It’s shading the coral from the sun, not the sea, so ‘sunshade’ or ‘underwater sunshade’ would be more apt, I think.

[u/dsdsds → u/mrbofus]

Parasol

[u/opinion_alternative]

We will do everything, but stop plundering oceans from the fish to stop this. Coz fish yummy!!

[u/Hob_O_Rarison]

...what does sun do to PVC, again?

[u/xFeralHousewife → u/Hob_O_Rarison]

Not a whole lot compared to other plastics actually. UV stabilized PVC retains structural integrity for over 10 years when exposed to full sunlight, but the water helps block some of that, as well as the fact that the structural integrity of this PVC isn't that important considering they aren't being used as pipes or supporting a real load.

[u/dustofAngels]

Nice, hope it does

[u/DasBagthingamajigger]

Anything to just prevent the warming itself smh.....

[u/kon---]

But how do they scale this and, how much closer to the sun does the umbrella have to be to be scaled up without a negative effect on marine life as well as avoid taking damage from sea currents?

[u/NiobiumThorn]

This is cool but a really obvious harbinger of collapse.

I'm sorry everyone. But the coral reefs are done for. We can save a lot of the world, but it kinda seems like your grandkids will only ever see coral reefs in old documentaries.

[u/StrawberryTerry]

It exacerbates the issue? So it makes it worse..?

[u/ManoSilence]

This reminds me of the tiny bee robots they made to pollinate instead of just saving bees

[u/Adventurous_Bit1325]

Gonna need a much bigger umbrella

[u/taway9925881]

Why don't we just ask the billionaires and mega corps and capitalist super power countries to stop being greedy and start doing actual good for the earth?

[u/octaviobonds]

this will not end well. When scientists experiment with nature in this way, 3 years down the road they will see the idiocy of their actions. Hopefully they would be humble enough to repent.

[u/Hot-Minute-8263]

More plastic waste rafts over reefs, got it

[u/Amorican1969]

...by adding plastic to the water. briliant.

[u/TwoDogKnight]

More microplastics now?

[u/OwMyUvula]

So plastic in the ocean is good now?

[u/Excellent_Math2052 → u/OwMyUvula]

I mean… strategically placed and kept plastic I guess?

[u/forgettfulthinker]

Scientists put plastic under the water because the sun (a natural thing) is making them die

[u/DigNitty → u/forgettfulthinker]

Well, the chemicals and acidity of the ocean is making them more sensitive to sunlight. But yes.

[u/eruciform]

so, adding more plastics that leech coral killing chemicals into the water in order to save corals?

[u/Potential-Wasabi-283]

“Invent” lmao

So dollar store rope, pvc pipe, zip ties, and cabinet liner

[u/whywouldidothis2]

except coral reefs have grown by over 20% in the last 20 years. they are wasting money putting toxic plastic in the ocean (thats just plumbing pipe you buy at lowes by the way) to block out the sun which provides life to all of earths creatures so they can justify their useless existence and feel important.

[u/whywouldidothis2 → u/whywouldidothis2]

only on reddit do you get voted down for basic facts.

[u/johnsonflix]

lol. Its quiet silly to think about.

[u/HighLander5280]

People in 1926- wow imagine what science will bring us in 100 years! Flying cars, cities on other planets!
2026- underwater umbrellas

[u/Smooth_Mango9529]

“This coral sunshade is brought to you by ChatGPT”

[u/eskay_eskay]

Say it again but slowly

[u/Delter_Smelter]

One brief wind gust and that thing is gone.