A common misconception, is that coral is a type of rock or fossil made of mineral deposits, however, they are actually living marine animals whose exoskeletons are attached to rocks and other solid underwater surfaces like sunken ships. The Caribbean presents an ideal breeding ground for corals. They thrive in warm waters all year round and grow twice as fast when exposed to the strong sunlight there. Disappointingly, scientists have recently found a chemical that is responsible for the death of coral reefs around Hawaii and the Caribbean, and that chemical is oxybenzone, which is primarily found in sunscreen. Every year, people from all over the world migrate to the warm islands around the Caribbean and are unknowingly contributing to the death and deformation of coral reefs in the area. John Fauth, from the University of Central Florida, was quoted saying, “Coral reefs are the world's most productive marine ecosystems and support commercial and recreational fisheries and tourism. In addition, reefs protect coastlines from storm surge. Worldwide, the total value of coral reefs is tremendous. And they are in danger." Studies show that in recent years, the coral reefs in this area have decreased by over 80 percent! The oxybenzone works by deforming coral larvae DNA and trapping them in their own skeleton, making them un able to float with currents and disperse. This chemical is also responsible for coral bleaching, which is when the coral releases all algae that provide it with nutrition. In this way, oxybenzone starves the coral to death. Sunscreen is painted in a positive light because it benefits US, but at what cost? Teams of researchers have suggested that when diving, people should skip out on the sunblock and wear rash guards or scuba gear or invest in oxybenzone-free sunblock to protect their skin.
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The Slime Times is written by the Stress After Dark Creative Inquiry TeamScience isn't all white lab coats and ivory pillars, sometimes you just need to get slimy. Archives
August 2016
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