Australia's Great Barrier Reef is very young

2001/07/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Geologia

According to studies by seventeen European and Australian geologists, the Great Barrier Reef is approximately 500,000 years old. This coral colony, located near the northeastern coast of Australia, is the largest in the world, but is much younger than other large coral colonies and atolls.

The research was conducted by choosing the right place and making two large holes. The first, 86 meters, reaches the inner layer of the barrier. The other, 210 meters, was built in another narrow and elongated coral colony that surrounds the barrier. Samples were extracted from both holes and their composition was analyzed. Initially, based on the proportion of strontium isotopes, scientists concluded that the oldest coral stretch is between 490,000 and 1,050,000 years old.

Another technique used was paleomagnetism. The Earth's magnetic field last underwent a sharp change in coral structure 790.000 years ago. This means that the coral is younger, according to experts, about 600,000 years old.