Only if they are clones - genetically identical. So not much use in practice, unfortunately.

skew-aberration 27 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

High temperatures affect the algae itself. Transferring the algae to another live coral (bleached coral is alive) a) already happens in nature, if conditions return to normal b) does not protect the algae

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smallerize 4 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I think the article says they just haven't tested other cases. I wouldn't expect the symbiotic microalgae to be that picky.

Edit - The article makes Okkef's point, I just missed it.

	▲	ceejayoz 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		The article says otherwise. > Fragments from different species and even different animals of the same species did not fuse together, and so did not nurse the bleached piece back to health.

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kulahan 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Sounds like a solution is still well within our reach. Normally I wouldn’t suggest something as extreme as using cloning techniques to restore wild creatures, but of course it was extreme actions that got us here in the first place, so I think this balances it out.

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deadbabe 3 hours ago | parent [-]

We don’t use cloning enough IMO.

	▲	linuskendall 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		We use cloning plenty - most fruits we eat are clones, and it has some drawbacks (see Cavendish bananas).

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idontwantthis 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

We could create a bank of coral clones tagged to each individual location.