Extreme Heatwaves Killed Half of the Great Barrier Reef’s Coral in 2 Years, Study Says

Global warming's rapid desiccation of the Great Barrier Reef has taken an even more substantial — and permanent— toll than previously understood, a new study has found. Nearly half of the coral in the northern, most pristine part of the reef system has died after two successive heat waves.

Writing in the journal Nature on Wednesday, researchers warned of possible wide-scale collapse of reef ecosystems if global temperatures continue to rise.