Corals can genetically adapt to warmer waters from climate change, scientists say in a study that relied on bioinformatic analysis with supercomputers. Reef-building corals can withstand a small degree of warming. This study with polyps of staghorn coral Acropora millepora across the Great Barrier Reef in Australia found the first evidence that coral pass heat-tolerant genes to their offspring, which can possibly allow a reef to beat the heat. Coral reefs around the world face a race against time. Globally, average temperatures of the surface sea waters where most corals live are rising. The symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae that give coral their dark color convert sunlight to food. When waters become as little as one-two degrees Celsius too hot, zooxanthellae abandon coral and leave behind a 'bleached'-looking and severely weakened reef. A prior 2014 study with computer models found that coral reefs have slowly evolved to keep one step ahead of deadly heat if their waters warm gradually. To read further, please visit https://www.tacc.utexas.edu/-/supercomputing-coral-s-race-to-beat-heat.