Reuters: Hottest oceans in 400 years endanger Great Barrier Reef, scientists say

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https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/hottest-oceans-400-years-endanger-great-barrier-reef-scientists-say-2024-08-07/

Hottest oceans in 400 years endanger Great Barrier Reef, scientists say
By Alasdair Pal
August 7, 2024 11:38 AM EDT

SYDNEY, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Water temperatures in and around Australia's Great Barrier Reef have risen to their warmest in 400 years over the past decade, placing the world's largest reef under threat, according to research published on Thursday.

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A group of scientists at universities across Australia drilled cores into the coral and, much like counting the rings on a tree, analysed the samples to measure summer ocean temperatures going back to 1618.

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From 1960 to 2024, the study's authors observed an average annual warming for January to March of 0.12°C (0.22°F) per decade.

Since 2016, the reef has experienced five summers of mass coral bleaching, when large sections of the reef turn white due to heat stress, putting them at greater risk of death.

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