Reforming coral reefs using 3D printing (IMAGE)
Caption
The world's coral reefs are becoming extinct due to many factors such as global warming and accelerated urbanization in coastal areas, which places tremendous stress on marine life. In a paper recently published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, researchers from four of Israel's leading universities highlight a 3D printing method they developed to preserve coral reefs. Their innovation is based on the natural structure of coral reefs off the southern coastal Israeli city of Eilat, but their model is adaptable to other marine environments, and may help curb reef devastation plaguing coral ecosystems around the world. Photo: The workflow of 3D interface, starting with data collection using molecular tools and 3D imaging. Next, the translation of 3D reef structure based on the reef’s biodiversity and core characteristics to generate a design for the 3D printer, followed by the evaluation of the reef reformation goals using the molecular and 3D imaging evaluation toolkit.
Credit
Natalie Levy and Ofer Berman
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