Coral Faces Second Mass Die-Off

The weather has been rough this year.  Hurricanes, rough winter and extreme summer heat.  that extreme summer heat has caused more issues than just high electricity bills from running the air conditioner.  The world's coral reefs have come under severe stress and scientists fear they are in danger of dying off.

The heat is causing the coral to shed its color, or bleach.  Many corals have already expired and the dying isn't stopping now.  Warm water in the Caribbean could cause coral there to undergo drastic bleaching within the next few weeks.

This is the second time coral has undergone a mass die-off.  In 1998, some 16% of the world's shallow-water reefs died.  However, scientists fear that in some areas, such as Thailand, the die-off this year will be worse than that of 1998.