Coral Gets Second Chance to Thrive, Thanks to Tech

A new Australian innovation is giving coral reefs a lifeline, with millions of coral larvae now thriving thanks to a breakthrough “larval seedbox” developed by scientists at CSIRO and Southern Cross University.

“The seedboxes work as a delivery system, allowing coral larvae more time to disperse and settle where they can establish and grow into juvenile corals,” said Dr Christopher Doropoulos, Senior Research Scientist at CSIRO. “They’re simple, cost-effective, and dramatically increase coral larval survival.”

In the first large-scale trial at Lizard Island in 2024, coral settlement increased up to 56-fold across thousands of square meters. The compact underwater seedboxes act as nurseries, releasing larvae gradually to colonise damaged reef zones. A new trial in the Whitsundays will release up to 20 million larvae, targeting areas hit by bleaching and storms. Supported by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, Qantas, and the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the project could transform coral restoration worldwide, turning cutting-edge research into a scalable, climate-resilient hope for the planet’s reefs.