RIYADH, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Red Sea Development Company announced on Monday the discovery of a 10-meter-high, 600-year-old coral colony south of Saudi Arabia's Al-Waqadi Island.
The discovery was made by the company's marine science and environment experts in the Red Sea, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The rare discovery is the first of its kind in the Red Sea region, estimated at hundreds of years old, which was measured through the size and number of rings that grow annually on the colony's outer structure, the company explained.
The colony will enable scientists to read the rings of coral reefs and learn more about the ocean temperature in previous years, and its chemical composition at the time.
The company is assigned to implement the Red Sea Project, one of many initiatives the kingdom launched to diversify its economy. Enditem
