How a Hong Kong startup is using 3D-printed tiles to help restore coral reefs

TL;DR

A startup in Hong Kong is trying to help coral adapt to the problems humans have caused — with its innovative use of 3D printing and terracotta.More coral species live in part of Hong Kong's subtropical water than in the Caribbean, but the swath of the South China Sea used to boast even more natural beauty."We believe that this area was a coral paradise," David Baker, a coral ecologist at the University of Hong Kong, told CBS News.The team placed the tiles on the sandy bottom of a protected bay and seeded them with living coral, and 95% survived in the past two years.Asked how he came up with the idea, Baker said, "I just thought to myself one evening that, why not tile the sea floor like we would tile a kitchen or bathroom floor?""

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