One of the best Pacific Ocean locations to witness a stunning abundance of tropical fish, sharks and corals is also the least expected – Bikini Atoll, a site of U.S. nuclear tests in the middle of the last century.
The surprising recovery of the atoll’s reef in the decades after experiencing sea-surface temperatures of 55,000 degrees Celsius and forces that obliterated islands underlines the capacity of marine life to heal, under certain circumstances, from even stupendous assaults.
Researchers say the 187 square kilometers (72 square miles) of remote reef is in good health compared with many other locations in the Pacific – a backhanded compliment that’s an indictment of the toll taken by overfishing, pollution and other human activities in the region.
