EARTH: Travels in Geology - Twin Coral Reefs Separated in Time in Western Australia

Alexandria, VA — In Western Australia, visitors can tour two unusually accessible coral reefs. The reefs look similar enough to be fraternal twins, but they are separated in time by 400 million years. Ningaloo is a modern reef where visitors can snorkel amid spectacular reef-building organisms just a few meters from shore. It boasts one of the planet’s healthiest reef environments, where 500 species of fish, 600 species of shellfish and more than 250 species of coral thrive. Ningaloo’s “twin,” the now-dry Devonian-aged “Great Barrier Reef,” is widely recognized as the world’s best example of an ancient barrier reef, with creamy limestone layers providing an unparalleled window into the past.

Explore the modern and ancient reefs along with EARTH in the August feature “Twin Coral Reefs Separated in Time in Western Australia.” Plus, read other stories on topics such as how Europe and other parts of the world are trying to surmount the sociological and political issues surrounding mining, how researchers are tracking the fallout from the Fukushima disaster in the world’s oceans and why a natural gas pipeline project in Alaska has been shelved, all in the August issue. And don’t miss the two other Travels in Geology stories in the August issue: one on Australia’s Blue Mountains and the other on New Zealand’s South Island.

These stories and many more can be found in the August issue of EARTH, now available digitally (http://www.earthmagazine.org/digital/) or in print on your local newsstands.

For further information on the August Travels feature, go to http://www.earthmagazine.org/earth/article/464-7db-7-16 .

Keep up to date with the latest happenings in earth, energy and environment news with EARTH magazine, available on local newsstands or online at http://www.earthmagazine.org/. Published by the American Geological Institute, EARTH is your source for the science behind the headlines.