World’s largest coral found in Solomon Islands

The world's largest coral has been discovered by a National Geographic expedition to the Solomon Islands.

HONG KONG — For at least three centuries, it grew in secret on the seabed of the southwestern Pacific Ocean.

Now, the largest coral ever recorded has been discovered, scientists said Thursday, and it’s so big it can be seen from space.

It was found by a National Geographic team conducting an expedition in the Solomon Islands in October to study ocean health.

From the surface, “it looked like a shipwreck,” said Molly Timmers, lead scientist of the Pristine Seas expedition. But the team’s cinematographer dove to take a closer look and found a “mega coral hiding in plain sight.”

“It was a very exciting discovery,” Timmers told NBC News in an email Thursday.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/worlds-largest-coral-found-solomon-islands-pacific-rcna180102

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