The Great Barrier Reef Is Old: It Survived The Great Flood

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A study published in the journal Global and Planetary Change in December 2016 found out that the Great Barrier Reef, the natural wonder off the eastern coast of Australia, almost drowned 1,25,000 years ago. This happened because of the interglacial period marked by a warmer climate, which led to melting of glaciers and polar ice sheets and raised sea levels.

The Morning Ticker reported that the geoscientists studied reef layers older and deeper than the current layers - up to 40 meters below sea level. They also compared samples taken in 2015 with the specimens collected in 1970s, and found that the reef started to grow again once the sea levels stabilized.

The PhD research at the University of Sydney showed that the reef has been reasonably resilient in the past. But now that the Earth is heading to a similar situation again due to global warming, the researchers are afraid that the Great Barrier Reef might be under threat again.

At present, the temperature of the planet and sea levels are tamer than what they had been at the time of last interglacial event. However, if carbon emissions do not reduce soon, we may face a similar situation once again.

Belinda Dechnika, the lead author of the study, said, "In the absence of improvements to reef management and human impacts, sea-level pressures could tip the reef over the edge, potentially drowning it for good."

According to the experts, the Great Barrier Reef is like a sponge cake - with the modern reef just being a layer on the top. The fossil reef that grew before it is about 129,000 to 121,000 years old. The research has been offered grant by the Australian Research Council as part of its Discovery Program.

Besides the rising temperature and sea levels, the other threats to the reef's survival include the mining operations and the pesticide run-offs.