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Scientists say they’ve discovered the world’s biggest coral, so huge it was mistaken for a shipwreck
Scientists say they have found the world’s largest coral near the Pacific’s Solomon Islands, announcing Thursday a major discovery “pulsing with life and color.” The coral is so immense that researchers sailing the crystal waters of the Solomon archipelago initially thought they’d stumbled across a hulking shipwreck.
“Just when we think there is nothing left to discover on planet Earth, we find a massive coral made of nearly one billion little polyps, pulsing with life and color,” marine ecologist Enric Sala said.
The standalone structure, formed from a “complex network” of tiny coral polyps, has likely been growing for 300 years or more, the researchers said.
Manu San Félix/National Geographic Pristine Seas
At about 111 feet wide and 104 feet long, the team said the “mega coral” was three times bigger than the previous record holder — a coral dubbed “Big Momma” in American Samoa. The massive coral is not a coral reef, structures that can be far larger but are comprised of many distinct coral colonies, they explained.
“While Big Momma looked like a huge scoop of ice cream plopped down on the reef, this newly discovered coral is as if the ice cream started to melt, spreading forever along the seafloor,” said lead scientist Molly Timmers.
It’s longer than a blue whale and thought to be “so colossal” that it could be seen from space.
ManuSan Félix/National Geographic Pristine Seas
The coral was discovered at the southeastern tip of the Solomon Islands, in an area known as the Three Sisters. It was spotted by a National Geographic team embarking on a scientific expedition in the region.
Hotter and more acidic oceans have drained the life from corals in many of the region’s tropical waters, a process called bleaching, including Australia’s famed Great Barrier Reef. But this latest discovery offered a small glimmer of hope, the research team said.
“While the nearby shallow reefs were degraded due to warmer seas, witnessing this large healthy coral oasis in slightly deeper waters is a beacon of hope,” said coral scientist Eric Brown.
The lush rainforests and pristine waters of the Solomon Islands have long been celebrated for their ecological diversity. Wildlife observations made in the area in the 1920s helped prove a key part of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.
“There is so much to learn about the richness of marine life and the ocean ecosystem, but this finding opens doors of knowledge,” said top Solomon Islands official Collin Beck. “More scientific research is needed to better understand our rich biodiversity and our planet.”
Steve Spence/National Geographic Pristine Seas
The discovery was announced as representatives from around the world meet in Baku, Azerbaijan for the COP29 United Nations summit on climate change.
The Solomon Islands national climate minister, Trevor Manemahaga, told CBS News’ partner network BBC News at the summit that his nation was proud to be the home of the massive, newly discovered coral.
“We want the world to know, that this is a special place, and it needs to be protected,” he told the BBC. “We rely mostly on marine resources for economic survival, so coral is very, very important.”
Small, low-lying island nations such as the Solomons are among the most vulnerable to the increasing effects of climate change and sea-level rise.
The Pentagon office investigating reports of unidentified anomalous phenomena, the government’s term for UFOs, received 21 reports last year that contain enough data for the intelligence community to continue actively investigating.
The majority of the reports the office received described orbs, lights, cylinders, but about 4% fell into the category of “other” and included unique descriptions like “green fireball,” “a jelly fish with [multicolored] flashing lights” or a “silver rocket approximately six feet long.”
“There are interesting cases that with my physics and engineering background and time in the [intelligence community], I do not understand, and I don’t know anybody else understands them,” Dr. Jon Kosloski, director, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) told reporters during a briefing on the unclassified version of the annual report mandated by Congress.
Kosloski said the office has found “no evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity, or technologies,” and he said none of the cases point to foreign adversaries or breakthrough technologies.
In total, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office received 757 reports of UAP between May 1, 2023 and June 1, 2024. Of the 757 received, 485 occurred during that time period, while 272 occurred outside of the reporting period but were not included in previous reports.
The office resolved 49 of the cases by identifying the object as various types of balloons, birds or drones, and it expects to resolve 243 others by identifying them as one of those objects, as well.
Another 444 didn’t have enough data to keep investigating, so the office will go into the its active archive to see if other data can be found.
Twenty-one merit further analysis, and these cases Kosloski found interesting because they correspond with the typical shapes the office receives reports on, like orbs, triangles, and cylinders, and at least “one of those cases has been happening for an extended period of time.”
Kosloski acknowledged that even though investigators have not identified any of the cases as breakthrough technologies, the office can’t rule it out.
“We’re open to that as an explanation for it, but we’re just not attributing breakthrough technology as the explanation to it,” Kosloski said. “An open mind works both ways. So if we don’t understand what it is, we can’t say that it is or it is not breakthrough technology.”
The AARO expects to soon release the second volume of the U.S. Government Involvement with Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena detailing the government’s investigatory efforts from November 2023 to April 2024. The first volume released earlier this year looked at efforts from 1945 to 2023.
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Interest in gold investing has surged since the start of the year, fueled in large part by a sustained upward trend in gold prices. Over the last 11 months, the price of gold has climbed to new heights while consistently breaking previous price records and attracting even more investors to the precious metal. Given gold’s price trajectory, some analysts have even predicted that the price of gold would reach $3,000 per ounce before the end of 2024.
This month, however, has led to an unexpected twist for gold investors. In early November, the price of gold began to slide, dropping from a near-record high of $2,736.35 per ounce on November 1 to where it sits today at just $2,560.90 per ounce. This downturn has prompted many investors to wonder whether it’s time to reevaluate their precious metal investing strategies.
Price fluctuations are part of investing, however, especially when it comes to longer-term investments like gold. Still, understanding how to react during such declines can help investors make the most of a dip in gold’s value. And with the potential for gold’s value to fluctuate in the coming months, there are a few moves in particular that investors may want to make now that the price is dropping.
Learn how to add gold to your portfolio today.
3 smart gold moves to make while the price is dropping
Here are three smart moves to consider while gold prices are on the decline:
Dollar-cost average into physical gold
When gold prices retreat from their peaks, implementing a dollar-cost averaging strategy can be particularly effective. Dollar-cost averaging into physical gold is an investment strategy where you buy a fixed dollar amount of gold at regular intervals, regardless of the current market price. Instead of trying to time the market by waiting for prices to drop significantly, this allows you to accumulate gold gradually over time. By investing consistently, you automatically buy more gold when prices are low and less when prices are high, which helps to reduce the impact of short-term market fluctuations on your overall investment.
To start dollar-cost averaging into gold bars and coins (or other types of gold bullion), decide on an amount you can comfortably invest each month (or at another set interval). For example, if you decide to invest $200 in gold each month, you’ll buy $200 worth of gold every month, whether the price per ounce has increased or decreased. Over time, this approach averages out the cost per ounce of gold in your portfolio, potentially lowering the overall price you pay compared to lump-sum investing.
Find out more about the benefits of gold investing here.
Explore gold mining stocks at discounted valuations
Exploring gold mining stocks at discounted valuations can be a strategic way to gain exposure to the gold market without directly buying physical gold. When the price of gold drops, mining companies often see their stock prices decline as well, making these stocks potentially undervalued. So, investing in gold mining stocks now could allow you to benefit from the profitability of these companies when gold prices rebound, as their earnings and stock values generally increase with rising gold prices.
To get started, research well-established mining companies with strong track records and solid balance sheets. Focus on companies with efficient production methods, low debt levels and mines in politically stable regions. This can reduce some of the risks associated with mining, such as production disruptions and regulatory issues, which can impact profitability. During the process, you may also want to explore gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to diversify your exposure across several companies.
Rebalance your precious metals portfolio
Market corrections also provide an excellent opportunity to reassess and rebalance your precious metals holdings. So, it may be worthwhile to consider diversifying across different forms of gold investments, including physical bullion, mining stocks and gold ETFs. Each vehicle offers distinct advantages and risk profiles and maintaining a balanced approach can help optimize your portfolio’s performance across different market conditions.
This is also an ideal time to evaluate your overall precious metals allocation within your investment portfolio. While some investors maintain a standard 5% to 10% allocation to gold, your specific percentage should align with your risk tolerance and investment objectives. Use this period of lower prices to adjust your holdings accordingly, ensuring your gold position remains in the recommended proportion.
The bottom line
The key to successful gold investing lies not in reacting emotionally to short-term price swings but in maintaining a disciplined, long-term approach. Whether you’re a seasoned precious metals investor or just beginning to explore gold as an investment option, these market conditions may present valuable opportunities to enhance your portfolio’s position in this enduring store of value.
As you navigate the shifting gold market, though, just remember that gold’s recent price decline doesn’t necessarily signal a long-term trend reversal. Historical patterns suggest that corrections are normal and healthy within broader bull markets. By implementing these strategic moves during price dips, you may be able to strengthen your position and capitalize on future market movements.
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