Coral larvae survive being frozen and thawed for the first time

A technique called cryopreservation might help save some threatened coral reefs

adult coral

DEEP FREEZE  The first coral larvae to survive being frozen and then thawed by scientists are a kind of a mushroom coral (close-up of an adult coral shown with scattered greenish tentacles).

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

For the first time, researchers have quick-frozen coral larvae and then — the tough part — safely thawed them.