When people think of the word “beautiful”, butterflies or puppies might come to mind, or maybe even your loved one. However, for many ecologists and biologists alike, discovering new, untouched landscapes is the most beautiful feeling.

Coral reefs are underwater ecosystems characterized by reef-building corals, which are formed by colonies of coral polyps as they group together. The Great Barrier Reef and the Red Sea Coral Reef are two of the most notable reefs on Earth. 

On April 17 2023, a new coral reef was discovered in Ecuador near the Galapagos islands. The coral reef is presumed to be “centuries-old,” Global News said. This coral reef is a huge discovery for the marine biology world.

While The Great Barrier Reef may be the biggest coral reef in the world, there is much left to be desired. For instance, much of the reef has been tainted by human interaction and bleaching, the act of forcefully taking coral from reefs. 

In addition, this coral reef will be used as a new site for researching natural climate change and the effects the environment has on coral reefs. 

The scientists who discovered the reef express their excitement, saying they are “losing it” and that the reefs are “like ocean time machines,” Michelle Taylor said.

“The region’s reefs were nearly all destroyed by ocean warming in the 1980s,” Global News said. The reef is 600 meters (656.168 yards) below sea level, explaining how the reef was able to survive the warming of the region.

Almost 90 percent of The Great Barrier Reef has been destroyed in recent years due to climate change and human interaction, meaning this discovery could change people’s perspectives on what climate change can do to the flora and fauna of the ocean.

“By monitoring [the reef] in years ahead, [scientists] will be able to evaluate the impact of the climate crisis,” Global News said.