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justleesa:Very interesting, thanks for posting....just a question, how can they check the growth rings without killing the coral?
They extracted an eight-foot core sample, being careful to plug the gap and avoid harming the coral. Using a masonry saw, they sliced it into thin sections, X-rayed them and used the growth bands to establish the coral's age. Each pair of black-and-white bands represents one year.
Scientists do about the same with old trees - looking for similar patterns, etc. Certainly better than cutting the tree down and studying the stump. :11:justleesa:ah-hem...I guess I over looked that part...Thanks
how can they check the growth rings without killing the coral?