Coral Bleaching May Foreshadow A New Mass Extinction

Coral reefs are traditionally seen as gleaming examples of harmony and co-operation, the ultimate expression of a beautiful and beneficent world. But a new book by a leading British scientist claims that simmering beneath their surface is a violent ecosystem based on conflict and mistrust. Professor Steve Jones has spent the past five years studying coral systems around the world. He says that, while it is true colonies of coral polyps function as a single organism by sharing nutrients, the relationship cannot be seen as co-operative in any meaningful sense...