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science Friday 19 January 2024
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Largest deep-sea coral reef to date is mapped by HEALTH

scientists off the US Atlantic coast DOCTOR ON DUTY
Oranjestad
Hospital 7:00 pm / 10:00pm
Tel. 527 4000
By CHRISTINA LARSON San Nicolas
AP Science Writer Imsan 24 hours
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sci- Tel.524 8833
entists have mapped the Women in Difficulties
largest coral reef deep in PHARMACY ON DUTY
the ocean, stretching hun- Oranjestad:
dreds of miles off the U.S. del Pueblo: Tel. 582 1253
Atlantic coast. Seroe Preto: Tel. 584 4833
While researchers have
known since the 1960s that Women in Difficulties
some coral were present OTHER
off the Atlantic, the reef’s Dental Clinic 587 9850
size remained a mystery Blood Bank Aruba 587 0002
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until new underwater map- Walk-In Doctor’s Clinic
ping technology made it +297 588 0539
possible to construct 3D Women in Difficulties
images of the ocean floor. EMERGENCY
The largest yet known Police 100
deep coral reef “has been Oranjestad 527 3140
right under our noses, wait- Noord 527 3200
ing to be discovered,” said Sta. Cruz 527 2900
Derek Sowers, an ocean- San Nicolas 584 5000
ographer at the nonprofit Police Tipline 11141
Ocean Exploration Trust. Ambulancia 911
Fire Dept.
115
Sowers and other scientists, In this image provided by NOAA Ocean Exploration, a few large thickets of Lophelia pertusa Red Cross 582 2219
including several at the coral grow along the edges of large rock shelf overhangs at the Blake Plateau off the
National Oceanic and At- southeastern coast of the U.S., in July 2019. TAXI SERVICES
mospheric Administration, Associated Press Taxi Tas 587 5900
recently published maps of Prof. Taxi 588 0035
the reef in the journal Geo- The world’s largest tropi- ocean floor are created Taxi D.T.S. 587 2300
Taxi Serv. Aruba 583 3232
matics. cal coral reef system, the using high-resolution sonar A1 Taxi Serv. 280 2828
The reef extends for about Great Barrier Reef in Aus- devices carried on ships. Women in Difficulties
310 miles (499 kilometers) tralia, stretches for about Deep reefs cover more TRAVEL INFO
from Florida to South Car- 1,430 miles (2,301 kilome- of the ocean floor than
olina and at some points ters). tropical reefs. Both kinds Aruba Airport 524 2424
reaches 68 miles (109 ki- Sowers said it’s possible of habitat are susceptible American Airlines 582 2700
lometers) wide. The total that larger deep-sea reefs to similar risks, including Avianca 588 0059
area is nearly three times will be discovered in the fu- climate change and dis- Jet Blue 588 2244
582 7896
Surinam
the size of Yellowstone Na- ture since only about 75% turbance from oil and gas
tional Park. of the world’s ocean floor drilling, said Erik Cordes, a Women in Difficulties
“It’s eye-opening it’s has been mapped in high- marine biologist at Temple AID FOUNDATIONS
breathtaking in scale,” said resolution. Only 50% of U.S. University and co-author of FAVI- Visually Impaired
Stuart Sandin, a marine bi- offshore waters have been the new study.q Tel. 582 5051
ologist at the Scripps Insti- mapped. Maps of the Alcoholics Anonymous
tution of Oceanography, Tel. 736 2952
who was not involved in Narcotics Anonymous
the study. Tel. 583 8989
The reef was found at Fundacion Contra Violencia
depths ranging from 655 Relacional Tel. 583 5400
feet to 3,280 feet (200 me- Centre for Diabetes
Tel. 524 8888
ters to 1,000 meters), where Child Abuse Prevention
sunlight doesn’t penetrate. Tel. 582 4433
Unlike tropical coral reefs, Quota Club Tel. 525 2672
where photosynthesis is Women in Difficulties
important for growth, cor- General Info
al this far down must filter Phone Directory Tel. 118
food particles out of the
water for energy.
Deep coral reefs provide
habitat for sharks, sword-
fish, sea stars, octopus,
shrimp and many other
kinds of fish, the scientists
said.
Tropical reefs are bet-
ter known to scientists
and snorkelers because
they’re more accessible. facebook.com/arubatoday/