{
  "id": 14270384,
  "title": "Spawning coral release quintillions of eggs each year: new research",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/spawning-coral-release-quintillions-of-eggs-each-year-new-research",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-13T18:54:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Conversation AU",
    "slug": "the-conversation-au",
    "url": "https://theconversation.com/spawning-coral-release-quintillions-of-eggs-each-year-new-research-294058"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Most coral species spawn once a year, releasing an immense quantity of eggs and sperm into the ocean via synchronized, moon-synchronized events. This creates vast slicks of tiny pinkish spheres, equivalent to hundreds of thousands of Olympic-sized swimming pools, all released simultaneously. A study published in Ecology and Evolution estimated that corals across the Indo-Pacific region release roughly 3.5 quintillion eggs (3,500,000,000,000,000,000) during each spawning event. This number is vital for understanding and preserving coral species, as it provides essential baseline data for ecosystem health and regeneration. The research, conducted across hundreds of coral species, revealed that branching Acropora, Porites, and Montipora corals contribute to half of the total egg supply. Estimating such vast amounts is challenging, as direct egg counts are only available for a few species. The study used related species' patterns and species-level measurements to fill data gaps. Understanding coral egg production is crucial for reef conservation, as damaged reefs need healthy coral spawn to recover after severe marine heatwaves.",
  "summary": "The first estimate of coral egg numbers across the Indo-Pacific shows which species can help rebuild devastated reefs.",
  "key_points": [
    "Corals release 3.5 quintillion eggs annually during synchronized spawning events.",
    "Branching Acropora, Porites, and Montipora corals contribute to half of the total egg supply.",
    "Estimating egg production is challenging due to lack of direct egg counts for most species."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}