With climate change, sea temperatures are rising and experts are predicting that coral could cease to be reproductive.

That would mean that eventually coral reefs would disappear altogether.

A devastating situation, especially for island nations like the Maldives.

The coral act as a shield from rising sea levels and storm erosions.

But help is coming.

An exciting breakthrough by acoustics expert Professor Steve Simpson and his pioneering team at Bristol University in the UK is unraveling underwater communications and discovering that listening to the heartbeat of the reef might be the key to healing it.

“This is a prototype.

” “What we're going to be doing here ” “is to be spreading our underwater ears out.

” “With a hydrophone in each end, ” “and these hydrophones ” “are listening in different directions.

” “And then with a four track recorder ” “and some wet headphones, ” “we're going to be able to snorkel ” “and actually listen live to the reef.

” “I've never done that before.

” “So it's really exciting to see what a reef ” “sounds like as we swim over it.

” Jess Hodge, a marine ecologist researching coral restoration, helps drag Steve's giant ears through the reef so that they are able to listen live to what Steve calls the ocean's orchestra.

“That is the first time I've ever ” “heard a reef like that ” “That is amazing!

” “Its a really fresh insight into the reef, ” “we see bright, colorful fish.

” “We see colorful corals.

” “But what we don't connect with ” “so well is the soundscape.

” “Our ears don't work underwater, ” “but with acoustic recorders ” “we realize that the soundscape ” “is absolutely full of life ” “and that soundscape ” is the sound of biodiversity.