93,899 (and counting). That’s how many underwater images Barbara Crites has taken in photo-documenting marine life in the US Virgin Islands. Not bad for someone who’s “not really a water person”. She is proof that anyone can contribute to citizen science if they follow their curiosity, jump in with both feet and discover the world around them…and in turn, themselves. —BB

American Samoa is home to some of the largest corals on record. Reefs in this remote island paradise are thriving, while corals elsewhere are in serious decline. Scientists study what makes these corals more resilient than others in the wake of local and global stressors.

To help struggling coral reefs around the world, an international team of scientists is planting over a million new coral colonies. They perform the coral equivalent of in vitro fertilization—and watch the corals grow. —KH

Mineral, plant or animal? Coral reefs are all of those, but the reefs are deposited by tiny animals called polyps with unique and fascinating behavior. Join Dr. Pim Boegaerts of the San Francisco based California Academy of Sciences in the field and behind the scenes at the Academy as she studies the behavior of these fascinating animals by using time lapse photography. —DM

A combined group of surfers and fisherfolk come together to help protect Moorea’s local reefs. They create coral gardens to help maintain the health of the ocean. Another focus of the group is to create a dynamic green economy that can be established on land in order to protect the dwindling ocean resources. —IS