Corals in the Red Sea have to handle higher temperatures, yet they seem to grow and do just fine. The Red Sea is a very warm sea compared to other places. There, summer temperatures can reach up to 34°C, while other ocean waters may reach around 29–32°C. Interestingly, corals in the Red Sea are not only living in higher temperatures but also in higher salinity, or the amount of salt in water, for example, in seawater. You can find a range of different salinities in the ocean, depending on the region. The Red Sea has some of the highest levels of salt. Salinity is a measure of the amount of salt in the water, and the Red Sea has some of the world's highest salt levels. That is why we started wondering whether salinity could be a piece of the puzzle and the ability to live in high salinity one of the secrets of the strong Red Sea corals?
To answer this and other questions related to coral bleaching, scientists often use a coral model organism, which means an animal that is easier to study than corals but at the same time is very similar to corals.

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