discovery.com: Some coral reefs may be protected from global warming by a natural thermostat that regulates sea-surface temperatures in the open ocean, researchers said Wednesday.

The research team led by reef specialist Joan Kleypas studied a region of ocean northeast of Australia where surface temperatures have risen little since 1980.

Reefs there suffered fewer episodes of bleaching, which is when corals expel the colorful, microscopic algae that provide them with nutrition. Bleaching episodes, triggered by warming water, can be deadly for the coral and have damaged nearly half the reefs worldwide. [ read more ]