Scientists struggle to protect infant corals from hungry fish

FILE - This July 26, 2023, image provided by phade® by WinCup, Inc., shows a 'Coral Fort,' made of biodegradable drinking straws off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. This July 26, 2023 image provided by phade® by WinCup, Inc., shows a 'Coral Fort,' made of biodegradable drinking straws off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

South Florida researchers trying to prevent predatory fish from devouring laboratory-grown coral are grasping at biodegradable straws in an effort to restore what some call the rainforest of the sea.