NYU Abu Dhabi, on Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Island, sits only about a kilometer away from a massive coral reef that's trying to survive some of the most extreme environmental conditions in the world.

John Burt, NYUAD marine biologist and associate professor of biology, says he couldn't ask for a better natural laboratory for his team of researchers to explore how environmental and human-triggers affect reef fauna in the Arabian Gulf. What they learn in Abu Dhabi, could provide important insights into coral reef's ability to survive climate change worldwide.