
ALT Image 1 Coral reefs rank among Earth's most diverse and productive ecosystems, supporting extraordinary marine biodiversity while sustaining millions of people through food security, coastal protection, and livelihoods. Yet climate change, pollution, and overfishing are driving unprecedented declines. In their global assessment of 892 reef-building coral species, Obura et al. found that 44% are now threatened with extinction, highlighting the growing vulnerability of the very organisms that build coral reefs. Photo by Dr. Tom Shlesinger, Papua New Guinea, 2018

ALT Artist’s impression of the trans-Neptunian object (612533) 2002 XV93 occulting a background star. Observations of a stellar occultation in January 2024 revealed gradual fading and recovery of the starlight, providing evidence for a very thin atmosphere around the object. Credit: NAOJ / Ko Arimatsu
































