On October 20, the reef was first discovered as scientists completed mapping the coastline of the Northern Great Barrier Reef.
At an altitude of 500 meters, it is taller than the Empire State Building (floors above 381 meters), Sydney Tower (305 meters) and Petronas Twin Towers (451.9 meters).
The team explored the reef on Sunday using an underwater robot named Sebastian, and live-streamed footage of the research.
Experts say the base of the “blade-like” reef measures 1.5 kilometers (about 1 mile) wide, 500 meters below sea level to its shallow depth.
The newly discovered detached reef in the Great Barrier Reef is one of many, and the first to be discovered in 120 years.
Schmidt Ocean Institute
Robin Beyman, who led the campaign, said he was “surprised” by the discovery.
“Not only a detailed map of 3D, but also a visual look at how this discovery with Sebastian is incredible,” he said in a statement.
“This unexpected discovery confirms that we continue to find unknown structures and new species in our oceans,” Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of the Schmidt Ocean Institute, said in a statement.
“Our state of knowledge about what is in the ocean has been limited for a very long time. Technologies Thanks to new technologies working as our eyes, ears and hands in the ocean, we have the ability to explore as before. New oceans are opening up. Ecosystems for us, And reveals the various life forms that divide the planet with us. “
The Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef, covers about 133,000 square miles and contains more than 1,500 species of fish, 411 species of hardened coral and dozens of other species.
But the reef is facing a crisis – recent studies show that it has lost .0% of its coral population in the last three decades, the main driver of the reef’s disturbance with climate change.
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