NOVA Online | Tracking El Niño | What else can coral reefs tell you?

What else can coral reefs tell you?

Coral is made up of calcium carbonate—the same thing used in cement and toothpaste. While scientists look at the ratio of oxygen isotopes to find out water temperature, they can also look at the ratio of carbon isotopes to discover how much zooplankton and light were available when the coral was growing. Scientists can also X-ray coral to find out how old it is and how much it grew each year.

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