corals

Corals are related to sea anemones, and they all share the same simple structure, the polyp. The polyp is like a tin can open at just one end: the open end has a mouth surrounded by a ring of tentacles. The tentacles have stinging cells, called nematocysts, that allow the coral polyp to capture...

The sweeping reefs growing off 200 steamy miles of remote Australian coastline—from Cairns to Cape Melville, home to sugar farms and dive resorts—contained some of the least damaged corals growing in one of the world’s best marine parks. Until now. In stunning new findings that have laid bare...