Long-lost coral reefs rediscovered off the coast of Africa

North America Science Fri, 24 Jul 2026 02:58:45 GMT Moderate confidence — 64/100

This marine ecosystem in the Gulf of Guinea shows the resilience of coral reefs against climate changeBy Sanidhya Sharma edited by Claire CameronUnderwater drones found the mesophotic coral ecosystem teeming with life.
Gérard ZinzindohouéSome 60 years ago scientists documented a coral reef off the coast of Benin in West Africa that they presumed was already dead.
But now researchers have rediscovered the coral reef and found it to be a thriving deep-water community.

This marine ecosystem in the Gulf of Guinea shows the resilience of coral reefs against climate changeBy Sanidhya Sharma edited by Claire CameronUnderwater drones found the mesophotic coral ecosystem teeming with life.
Gérard ZinzindohouéSome 60 years ago scientists documented a coral reef off the coast of Benin in West Africa that they presumed was already dead.
But now researchers have rediscovered the coral reef and found it to be a thriving deep-water community.

Sources: Scientificamerican