Corals Get Covered

Corals Get Covered: The Gulf oil spill was different from many big oil spills in history because oil spewed from a well in the deep sea instead of leaking onto the ocean's surface. GoMRI scientists have found that oil remains in the deep to this day—and
(Chuck Fisher, Penn State University)
Corals Get Covered: The Gulf oil spill was different from many big oil spills in history because oil spewed from a well in the deep sea instead of leaking onto the ocean's surface. GoMRI scientists have found that oil remains in the deep to this day—and some has affected fragile, slow-growing corals that live in the deep sea. After the spill, some were covered in a brown oily substance, seen in this photo as a brittle star clings to the coral skeleton.