stony coral disease

The answer to Florida's ailing coral reefs may lie in a probiotic, not unlike the bacteria found in yogurt.

Florida's barrier reef has lost 95% of its coral over the last half-century. Researchers, activists and government agencies are working to restore the reefs and ensure their long-term survival.

Finding the disease persisting in ocean sand means dredging, hurricanes and other things that stir up the ocean floor can spread the disease.

The new research found corals infected with the disease in a lab, and compared to healthy corals from the same genotype, had an immune response. It's a new discovery that could lead to better detection of the disease before it's too late.

Scientists investigating a devastating new coral disease infecting reefs from Florida to and throughout the Caribbean may be zeroing in on a culprit...