Scientists have mapped an entire coral reef bay in centimetre detail using NASA’s Airborne Fluid Lensing technology and artificial intelligence. The maps reveal heavy damage from Typhoon Mawar.

Researchers surveyed Tumon Bay in Guam in 2022 and again in 2024, before and after the Category 4 typhoon struck in May 2023 with winds of 140 miles per hour. The survey covered more than 5 square kilometres.

The maps revealed a 59% decline in massive coral cover and a 35% decline in coral fore-reef habitat. Algae, which competes with corals for space, increased by 105%.

Fluid Lensing addresses a long-standing imaging problem: waves bend light travelling from the seafloor, blurring conventional aerial images. The technology captures thousands of images in rapid succession and uses the waves’ magnifying effect to reconstruct a clear view.

The findings were published in Frontiers in Marine Science. The researchers said this level of detail can guide restoration and protection efforts.