Some Hawaiian corals are tougher in the heat — and that gives reef rescue a head start

Testing corals from two Hawaiian bays, researchers found that heat tolerance depends on both the species and the water a coral grew up in — some colonies handled hot water markedly better than others. The Florida Atlantic and Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology teams say knowing which corals are naturally tougher, while keeping diversity wide, gives restoration crews a smarter way to rebuild reefs that can cope with a warming ocean.