Oct
15

October 15, 1980

“The Coral Reef: Researching a Living System” opens at the National Museum of Natural History. The exhibition marks the first time it has been possible to keep a large reef community, including corals, alive and healthy in isolation from the sea. More than three tons of coral rubble and a least two hundred species of plants and animals were transported from the Caribbean for the exhibition and research project. Housed in a 3,000-gallon tank system, this microcosm reef community is kept alive by high intensity lights, a wave-generating machine and a battery of monitoring equipment.

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Posted: 15 October 2010
About the Author:

Alex di Giovanni is primarily responsible for "other duties as assigned" in the Office of Communications and External Affairs. She has been with the Smithsonian since 2006 and plans to be interred in the Smithson crypt.