Scientists discover the world’s largest coral discovered in the Solomon Islands

Scientists in the Solomon Islands have discovered a huge coral, believed to be the largest ever recorded. This draws worldwide attention to its scale and environmental significance. The coral, which is about 35 meters wide and 30 meters long, covers an area comparable to two basketball courts and can be seen from space. The discovery, made by a team from National Geographic’s Pristine Seas expedition in October, highlights the presence of previously unrecorded marine giants.

A hidden giant in the ocean

Dr. Molly Timmers, the expedition’s lead scientist, noted that the coral looked “like a shipwreck” from the water’s surface. Its enormous size was confirmed by underwater divers, who found the coral stretching across the seabed in undulating waves of brown, yellow and blue hues. The coral, estimated to be between 300 and 500 years old, dwarfs the previous record holder, a coral known in American Samoa as “Big Momma.”

Pristine Seas founder Dr. Enric Sala compared the discovery to finding “the tallest tree in the world” and emphasized its importance in marine biodiversity research. Dr. David M. Baker, a coral reef researcher at the University of Hong Kong who was not part of the expedition, emphasized that large coral structures represent resilience because they have withstood significant environmental changes over centuries.

A vital marine habitat at risk

Although the coral appears healthy, scientists have raised concerns about the threats it faces from both local and global stressors. Overfishing disrupts coral reef ecosystems by removing key species that support their health, while climate change poses a longer-term threat. Coral reefs are highly sensitive to ocean warming, which can lead to coral bleaching and ultimately coral death, Timmers noted.

With more than 490 species of hard and soft corals, the Solomon Islands are home to one of the world’s richest coral ecosystems. The discovery of this coral serves as a reminder of both the hidden wonders of the ocean and the urgent need for conservation amid rising global temperatures.