Conservation (continued)$$$

[westwind737]

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1279108

This is a continuation of the above post.

First of all, I think that saving as many as possible from each category would be a start, which I think as home Aquarists.. We are already at a head start. But we need to ensure the survival contractually..

So my next question is, how does one save coral. Does it have to be entire colonies, or could we freeze tissue samples of each.

I am almost certain that the so called "next trillion dollar industry" nanotechnology will come to appreciate the chemical defense systems as the biomedical industry has already begun to. And if there's nothing to look at, I fear we will miss out on breakthrough advancement in our own survival.

So aside from aesthetics, (which I think corals are way prettier than koala bears). But regardless of reintroduction into the wild or even some food source. But purely for science.

I might be wrong so anyone with a PHD in biology feel free to tell me so. But isn't nature the most valuable of resources for understanding technology of health and prosperity. And to that effect isn't coral and all the biodiversity on a warm tropical reef which is so hard to identify... one of the most important resources.
Also, if it so hard to identify isn't that a testament to it's value. For if we found a new metal we couldn't "figure out" would science not afford every effort to understand it.

I fear we do not have 50 years but like one of you said more like 10 before this opportunity is gone. And I know there are some philanthropists out there that have some pretty deep pockets for projects like this. So never say never. So do you guys think it's worth it? For science?