The divers could hardly believe what they were seeing. In front of them, acres and acres of pristine rose corals were stretched across the sea bed. For photographer Alexis Rosenfeld, it was a "magical" experience. "It was like a work of art."

Last November, a group of marine explorers dived deep into the ocean near Tahiti, French Polynesia, as part of a global mission to map the seafloor. 

The discovery, 70 metres below the surface, was beyond their wildest expectations. The scientists had no idea the coral extended so far into the twilight zoneThere is just enough light to sustain life in the twilight zone. Most known coral reefs only reach depths of 25 metres. , where the light from the sun begins to dim. And incredibly, the coral appeared to be completely healthy, unharmed by the climate changes affecting corals in shallower water. 

"We think that deeper reefs may be better protected from global warming," says French diver Dr Laetitia Hedouin. "So the discovery of this reef can inspire future conservation."

For coral experts, the new reef is a rare piece of good news. Coral reefs are one of the world's most threatened ecosystems. They are vulnerable to pollution, rising sea temperatures and changing water acidity. 

The statistics are shocking. In the next 20 years, scientists predict between 70% and 90% of all living coral will disappear. 

But some corals may have unlocked the key to survival. At the northern end of the Red Sea in the Gulf of Aqaba, something extraordinary is happening. The temperature of the water is rising faster here than average. Despite this, the corals are thriving. No mass bleachingBleaching occurs when a coral becomes stressed by environmental changes. It evicts its algae, which produce energy, and the coral loses its colour.  events have occurred.

In a laboratoryA room for scientific experiments or research. nearby, scientists are racing to find out the corals' secrets. They think the answers might lie in the past. Red Sea corals migrated from the south, where sea temperatures were always warmer. "They still remember in their biology how to live at 33C," summarises one expert.

For ecologists, it is a moment of hope: some species can adapt to survive the climate crisis. 

New examples are emerging all the time. In the Caribbean, anole lizards have evolved longer legs and toe pads to grip onto rocks during fierce hurricanes. Across the planet, limbs, ears and beaksThe bill surface area of Australian parrots has increased by 10% since 1871. This helps the parrot to regulate its temperature.  are getting larger as animals adapt to a warming world. 

But the idea that all species will adapt to climate change is a myth, warn conservationists. Many simply cannot keep up with the pace of global warming.

In 2019, the Australian government declared the Bramble Cay melomys extinct. Scientists think the rodent, which was last seen in 2009 on its shrinking island home, is the world's first mammal to fall victim to climate change.

According to a UN report, one million species are at risk of extinction due to human activities. Many believe we are already witnessing the Earth's sixth mass extinction eventSince 1500, Earth could have lost up to 13% of its two million known species. The past five major species die-off events were caused by natural environment changes., the first to be caused by humans. 

From coral to lizards to rodents, species across the planet are facing pressures from climate change. How well they can adapt, if at all, will determine the future of the world we live in.

Yes: The Gulf of Aqaba corals are proof of nature's extraordinary resilience. The planet has changed dramatically throughout its history. Nature will survive whatever changes are still to come.

No: Climate change is unlike anything the Earth has been through before. Animals cannot adapt quickly enough to survive pollution and climate change. Nature has reached a crisis point. 

Or... We should not be complacent. Some species may adapt to survive. But we cannot afford to stop preserving our planet as it is now. A future with only the most resilient creatures is a bleak one.