clipped from: ngm.typepad.com   
Photo: Kingman Reef

Ecologist Enric Sala investigates the plates of what is thought to be a newly discovered species of coral in the Kingman Reef, located in the South Pacific. The circular shape of this coral is unique. "We called it the flying saucer," says photographer Brian Skerry. The growth of the plates helps scientists determine the age of the coral, which is estimated to be around 500 years old.