Zach Rago plunges into the water from the edge of a motor boat. Clad in full diving gear, he kicks toward the ocean floor until he reaches an intricate and sprawling coral reef. He examines the coral meticulously, measuring distances and angles before positioning a camera adjacent to the reef. For the next several hours, he labors diligently to photograph the coral. Rago is here to observe the transition of the coral from a brilliantly colored living organism to a decaying corpse.
He is here to document the coral’s death.
Netflix’s documentary “Chasing Coral” (2017) recounts the journey of a team of coral scientists determined to unveil a problem hidden beneath the surface of the global climate change debate: the bleaching—and eventual death—of vast stretches of the world’s coral reefs, including the vibrantly captivating and economically crucial ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Read more at America.