How does a coral atoll form?
The story of the changing earth can be read in its rocks and formations. Some of the details have been set down by an assortment of very odd earth science reporters. Among these are the diligent corals that built reefs and lonely atoll isles in the midst of the deep ocean. The structure of the typical coral atoll was figured out by Charles Darwin about 130 years ago. Darwin was a shrewd observer, and some of his theories later proved to be true. He was correct about the structure of the coral atoll, though scientists had to wait more than 100 years to prove it. Darwin suspected that the coral rock was a crusting on the top of an undersea mountain. Modern scientists drilled almost a mile through the coral surface of Eniwetok Atoll and struck the solid foundation of an ancient volcanic mountain. Through the ages many, volcanoes erupt on the deep floors of the Pacific and other oceans. And through the past million years four ice ages have frozen and then freed vast quantities of the world
