蜜芽传媒

In 1998, many of the world鈥檚 most colourful coral reefs turned deathly white.

"It was very scary," says Dr Clive Wilkinson, a marine ecologist who reported the phenomenon which caused shockwaves around the world.

It was the first recorded global coral bleaching event in history. Studies showed that when the oceans get warmer, it stresses the corals, causing them to expel the algae that give them their colour, and so turn white.

Since then, there have been more global bleaching evens. Scientists later blamed it on rising ocean temperatures caused by climate change.

(Picture: Dr Clive Wilkinson holding coral)