The Ancient Mammoth: The Discovery of the Oldest Sequenced RNA, Muscle Biology, and Viruses in Pleistocene Megafauna

Reefs of Time explores how fossilized reefs provide insights into the survival of corals in the Anthropocene. With rising global temperatures, pollution, overfishing, ocean acidification, and other human-caused challenges, today’s coral reefs face unprecedented threats. Scientists are looking to the past to understand how reefs survived previous environmental changes, from sea level shifts to temperature fluctuations, to guide conservation efforts for the future.

Lisa Gardiner combines cutting-edge science with vivid accounts of her expeditions to tropical locales, revealing how fossils and other reef remains offer glimpses into how corals persisted through time. She takes readers into “the shallow end of deep time,” exploring ancient cities of fossilized limestone built by corals and other reef life millennia ago. While modern reefs face challenges unlike anything in history, the fossil record provides hope that corals can adapt and endure.

Featured Highlights

• Examines how fossilized reefs provide insights into coral survival over millennia.
• Explores the impact of historical environmental changes on reef ecosystems.
• Blends scientific research with firsthand expedition stories from tropical locales.
• Offers lessons from the past to inform conservation strategies in the face of climate change and human impacts.
• Reveals how ancient reefs can guide the preservation and resilience of modern coral ecosystems.