3-D coral reefs in Maldives in a bid to restore lost ecosystem

The 3-D model resembles a real reef typical to the marine waters of Maldives.

The dying coral reefs of Maldives got an all-new chance for revival using the latest 3-D printing technology. An experimental project is initiated by a 3-D printer laboratory in Melbourne, Australia which aims to aid the ailing coral reefs survive the harsh damages of climate change and increasingly warming waters.

The 3-D model resembles a real reef typical to the marine waters of Maldives.

The mold took about 24 hours to be printed and then cast in ceramic which is similar to the calcium carbonate found in the corals and is also inert in nature which means that it would not affect the water by any means.

(Video Credit: The Edition, Youtube)

Industrial designer Alex Goad explains the procedure to be a little complex as they have to be cautious about the intricacies of the design and also its delicateness.

The molds were shipped to the Maldives and then assembles at Summer Island. They were then filled with concrete and submerged seven meters below the surface of the water.

Live corals were then grafted onto them and the growth is expected to take around two or three years keeping in mind the condition of the environment around.

It is already known how global warming is treating the reefs around the world. Bleaching and marine water pollution too have eroded many of the coral reefs around the globe thus hampering the marine ecosystem to a large extent.

This new printing technology is offering a hopeful way of saving these rainforests of the sea by mimicking their nature and characteristics hence proving to be more effective in replanting and restoring them.