Reef On Fire: The Strange Disease Spreading through Florida's Corals

In the past 70 years, #coral cover in the iconic Florida Keys, has dropped from 50 percent to five percent and is predicted to fall even lower thanks to a brand-new villain known as "stony coral tissue loss disease." This waterborne blight first appeared in 2014, and can turn hundred-year-old-corals to mush in a matter of weeks. Over the summer, #OceanX took scientists from Mote Marine Lab, @Scripps Oceanography and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on an end-to-end survey of the Florida Reef Tract, in hopes of identifying the bacteria causing the corals to get sick and hopefully identify a cure. #oceanx  In partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies Vibrant Oceans Initiative and the Moore Charitable Foundation. #onebigwave Executive Producers: Mark Dalio, Jonathan Schienberg Producer and Director: Justin Silverman Underwater Director of Photography: Luis Lamar Additional Underwater Camera Operators: Steve Hudson, Bubby Pavlo Topside Director of Photography and Drone Operator: Alexander Mandiola Post Supervisor: Gabe Tanenhaus Editors: Ryan Bell, Patrick Hopkins Social Producer: Erika Jarvis Audio: Alexander Mandiola 2nd Camera Operator: Patrick Hopkins Science Consultant: Mattie Rodrigue Color Correction: Running Man Post Audio Mix: Max Sound Recording