The Caribbean island of Bonaire faced the problem of the disappearance of coral reefs for quite some time. Fortunately, thanks to 3D printing technology and the help of Fabien Cousteau, the grandson of oceanographer Jacques Yves Cousteau, they will try to solve the problem in a modern and seemingly quite effective way. Fabien has long been involved in the problems and protection of the oceans, so he was recruited as a specialist to help develop a plan for the restoration of coral reefs around the island. For this project, Cousteau decided to use the technology of three-dimensional printing, using raw materials similar in chemical composition and texture to the production of artificial corals. This will help to attract fresh-printed corals to polyps, algae, crabs and fish.
“3D printing was once used to preserve coral reefs. Four years ago in Australia, specialists from the Reef Design Lab in a similar way saved the disappearing reef by implanting artificially created coral into one of the faults, ”reports Engadget.
Coral reefs are not for nothing called “marine tropical forests” and “underwater gardens”, because they represent one of the most diverse ecosystems of our planet, being the habitat of many marine species of animals and plants. Over the past 30 years, the area of coral reefs has been significantly reduced. Researchers say that if things go on like this, by 2030, some reefs may disappear completely due to climate change, pollution of ocean waters with urban run-off, and a number of factors that do not have the most beneficial effect on corals.
Due to the fact that three-dimensional printing allows you to create coral, almost indistinguishable from the present, both externally and internally, as well as give it any shape, making tunnels and caves inside it, experts consider this method to be the most preferable, modern and effective, which gives hope the widespread use of this method of restoring reefs and their ecosystems.
The article is based on materials .
Comments
Post a Comment