The cosmos is full of incredible things

Scientists made an incredible discovery in the ocean’s ‘twilight zone’ off Tahiti

(CNN) Deep in the ocean off the coast of Tahiti, scientists made an incredible discovery in November: acres of giant, pristine, rose-shaped corals blossoming from the sea floor in what’s known as the ocean’s twilight zone. And until its latest discovery, the vast majority of the planet’s known coral ecosystems were believed to extend to a depth of just 25 meters, illustrating how much of the ocean — which covers more than 70% of Earth’s surface — still needs to be explored. The discovery suggests that there are, in fact, many more large reefs out in our ocean at depths of more than 30 meters, which have not been mapped, Barbiere said. Though the Tahiti reef appears healthy right now, there’s still concern that the effects of climate change will reach it, said Steven Mana’oakamai Johnson, a postdoctoral research scholar and marine scientist at Arizona State University. The big takeaway is that [the UNESCO team] found this track of reef that’s in good condition, which definitely speaks to how little we’ve done to truly map the ocean, said Johnson, who is not involved with the research.

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The Reddish Egret, a particularly glamorous heron, is best known for its startling antics in capturing fish. When fishing, the egret sprints across the lagoon, weaving left and right, simultaneously flicking its broad wings in and out, while stabbing into the water with its bill. Fish startled at the egret’s crazed movements become targets of that pink dagger. At times, the bird will raise its wings forward over its head, creating a shadow on the water. It then freezes in this position for minutes. Fish swim in, attracted by a patch of shade and . . . well, you know the rest. Learn more at BirdNote.org.