Scientists have tested underwater umbrellas to protect coral reefs from heat damage, and they appear to work.

In summer 2024, researchers placed 20 shades over 10 brain coral colonies in the Florida Keys. The shades cut light exposure by 60 percent.

During the second-hottest summer on record there, shaded corals bleached less than unshaded ones. Some even regained colour.

The study was published in Frontiers in Marine Science. Lead author Karen Neely of Nova Southeastern University said shading cannot cool water but blocks harmful UV.

The 2023 bleaching event had devastated Florida corals. The team sees shades as a stopgap for prized corals.

Climate action remains the real solution, they said.

Researchers placed 20 shades over 10 brain coral colonies in the Florida Keys in summer 2024. The shades cut light by 60 percent during the second-hottest summer on record. Shaded corals bleached less and some regained colour. Karen Neely of Nova Southeastern led the study. The team calls shading a stopgap, not a cure.