Scientists from various Australian universities revealed today that water temperatures in and around the Great Barrier Reef have risen to their highest levels in 400 years over the past decade, threatening the world's largest coral reef.
Scientists collected samples from coral reefs, studied them to measure temperatures, and used ship and satellite data dating back about 100 years.
The study concluded that ocean temperatures, which had been stable for centuries, began to rise from the year 1900 as a result of the influence of human activities, and from 1960 to 2024, researchers observed an average annual increase in temperatures; starting from January to March by 0.12 degrees Celsius (0.22 degrees Fahrenheit).
The Great Barrier Reef has experienced massive coral bleaching for five consecutive summers since 2016, a process in which large parts of the reef turn white due to heat stress, increasing the risk of their death. The study found that these five seasons were among the six warmest in the past four centuries.
