Incredible Coral 100 Buses Long Discovered in The Indian Ocean, Could Be One of The World's Largest
Scientists have mapped a single coral colony stretching 1.5 kilometers off a remote Australian island in the Indian Ocean, potentially making it one of the world's largest known coral structures. The Porites colony measures roughly 140 buses in length and covers an area comparable to three Melbourne Cricket Grounds. Researchers believe it could be a single giant organism that has grown undetected for decades in deep, cool waters that may have shielded it from recent bleaching events. The discovery was made by an Australian crew during recent surveys.
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- ✓ A single coral colony measuring 1.5 kilometers long has been discovered off a remote Australian island in the Indian Ocean.
- ✓ The colony is a Porites species covering an area roughly equivalent to three Melbourne Cricket Grounds.
- ✓ Scientists estimate the colony could be one giant organism that has grown for decades.
- ✓ The discovery was made by an Australian crew during recent underwater surveys.
What changed
First scientific mapping and measurement of a 1.5 km single coral colony off a remote Australian island, revealed by an Australian research crew.
Live updates
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Massive coral colony found off remote Australian island
Scientists have mapped a single coral colony stretching 1.5 kilometers off a remote Australian island in the Indian Ocean, potentially making it one of the world's largest known coral structures. The Porites colony measures roughly 140 buses in length and covers an area comparable to three Melbourne Cricket Grounds. Researchers believe it could be a single giant organism that has grown undetected for decades in deep, cool waters that may have shielded it from recent bleaching events. The discovery was made by an Australian crew during recent surveys.
Why it matters
Most large coral formations are actually reefs built by many colonies over millennia. A single colony of this scale is scientifically rare and offers a unique window into coral resilience and longevity. Its location in deeper, cooler water suggests potential refuges for corals as ocean temperatures rise. The find also highlights how little of the deep ocean has been systematically mapped.
What is confirmed
- A single coral colony measuring 1.5 kilometers long has been discovered off a remote Australian island in the Indian Ocean.
- The colony is a Porites species covering an area roughly equivalent to three Melbourne Cricket Grounds.
- Scientists estimate the colony could be one giant organism that has grown for decades.
- The discovery was made by an Australian crew during recent underwater surveys.
Still unconfirmed
- The colony may be one of the world's largest single coral organisms.
- Deep, cool waters may have protected the colony from recent mass bleaching events.
What to watch next
- Peer-reviewed publication of the survey data and age estimates
- Genetic testing to confirm single-organism status
- Assessment of the colony's health and bleaching history
confidence 85%Sources used for this update (6)
- ScienceAlert — Incredible Coral 100 Buses Long Discovered in The Indian Ocean, Could Be One of The World's Largest
- ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation — Coral colony the size of three MCGs thriving off remote Australian island
- Yahoo News Australia — Aussie crew uncover 1.5km secret hidden underwater for 30 years
- Oceanographic Magazine — Huge 140-bus-long coral colony mapped by scientists for first time
- ZME Science — Scientists Found a Coral Formation Nearly a Mile Long. It Could Be One Giant Organism
- www.yahoo.com — Scientists Discover a Curious 'Dragonball' Structure Deep in The South China Sea
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