The Empire State Building jut got dressed in tricolour! The iconic skyscraper in New York illuminated its famous tower lights in green, white, and orange on Saturday, August 15, in partnership with the Federation of Indian Associations, marking this year’s India Day theme, “Harmony in Heritage,” which recognizes the shared traditions, values, and contributions connecting the Indian American community and the United States.&nbsp;Cast members of the popular Indian television show Taarak Mehta Ka Ulta Chashma, including Asit Kumarr Modi, Dilip Joshi, Mandar Chandwadkar, and Sonalika Joshi, joined the special lighting ceremony and flipped the iconic light switch. Actor Adivi Sesh also participated in the celebration.&nbsp;Following the ceremony, the group visited the Empire State Building Observation Deck and posed for photographs from the 86th Floor Observation Deck.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cast of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma at Empire State Building

Adivi Sesh poses on the 86th floor of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma

Following the ceremony, the group visited the Empire State Building Observation Deck Experience, recently named the #1 Top Attraction in the United States in Tripadvisor’s 2026 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things to Do. They also posed for photos from the building’s 86th Floor Observation Deck. Actress Sonalika Joshi, who plays Madhavi Bhide on the sitcom, shared glimpses from the celebrations on social media. Sharing visuals from New York, she wrote, “Proud proud proud moment for us. Very Grateful to FIA who invited us to the USA to celebrate the 44th India Day Parade ..Had all life time memories. Happy Independence Day to all.”The actor’s post captured some of the special moments from the celebrations, including visuals from the iconic New York City setting and the cast’s appearance at the event.Mandar Chandwadkar, who plays Atmaram Tukaram Bhide in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, also shared a glimpse of the cast’s appearance celebrating India Day in New York. The team’s presence got a Taarak Mehta reference as the caption read as “Gokuldham Society in the heart of Times Square!” The post further said, “From your TV screen to NYC- this was a moment! The beloved Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah cast brought Gokuldham vibes to New York!”It also revealed that the special appearance was part of the Indian Independence Day Flag Hoisting Ceremony organised by the Federation of Indian Associations in New York City.The note read, “This special moment was part of the Indian Independence Day Flag Hoisting Ceremony organized by FIA (Federation of Indian Associations) in New York City.” The post tagged several members of the Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah cast, including Asit Kumarr Modi, Dilip Joshi, Mandar Chandwadkar, Sonalika Joshi and others, giving fans a glimpse of the show’s ensemble together in New York.

New York's Empire State Building was draped in tricolour on August 15, with Taarak Mehta cast and actor Adivi Sesh in attendance. The iconic building marked India's 80th Independence Day by it hosted popular Indian actors, celebrating India Day in the US.

The Empire State Building jut got dressed in tricolour! The iconic skyscraper in New York illuminated its famous tower lights in green, white, and orange on Saturday, August 15, in partnership with the Federation of Indian Associations, marking this year’s India Day theme, “Harmony in Heritage,” which recognizes the shared traditions, values, and contributions connecting the Indian American community and the United States. Cast members of the popular Indian television show Taarak Mehta Ka Ulta Chashma, including Asit Kumarr Modi, Dilip Joshi, Mandar Chandwadkar, and Sonalika Joshi, joined the special lighting ceremony and flipped the iconic light switch. Actor Adivi Sesh also participated in the celebration. Following the ceremony, the group visited the Empire State Building Observation Deck and posed for photographs from the 86th Floor Observation Deck.

New York's Empire State Building was draped in tricolour on August 15, with Taarak Mehta cast and actor Adivi Sesh in attendance. The iconic building marked India's 80th Independence Day by it hosted popular Indian actors, celebrating India Day in the US.

Gokuldham to NYC: Taarak Mehta cast lights up Empire State Building in Indian tricolour

A daring climb above New York City ended with an unexpected marriage proposal after two people scaled the transmission tower of the Empire State Building, unfurled a peace banner, and later descended before being arrested.&nbsp;Wearing black outfits and covering their faces, the pair reached the top of the 1,454-foot landmark and displayed a banner that read, “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">WATCH: Masked individuals climb Empire State Building and unfurl banner reading ‘When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace’ <a href="https://t.co/rLohX2VeOE">pic.twitter.com/rLohX2VeOE</a>&mdash; Rapid Report (@RapidReport2025) <a href="https://x.com/RapidReport2025/status/2072362931040157859?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

What happened next surprised onlookers even more. After climbing down to a lower platform, the man dropped to one knee and appeared to propose to his companion. She accepted, removed her face covering, and the two hugged and shared a kiss.&nbsp;The Empire State Building's observation deck is open to visitors and offers panoramic views of New York City, but access to the higher sections of the tower is prohibited.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-tariff-blow-trump-refuses-to-extend-us-trade-pact-with-canada-and-mexico-he-negotiated-in-first-term-1782936096825">After tariff blow, Trump refuses to extend US trade pact with Canada and Mexico he negotiated in first term</a>&nbsp;According to CBS News, citing law enforcement sources, the couple was identified as 32-year-old Ivan Kuznetsov and 33-year-old Angelina Nikolau, although his social media page identifies him as Ivan Beerkus. The two live in East Orange, New Jersey, and are known for carrying out similar high-rise climbing stunts without ropes or other safety equipment.&nbsp;An NYPD helicopter responded to the scene as the pair began climbing down at about 12:35 p.m. They were later taken into custody.&nbsp;Responding to the incident, an Empire State Building spokesperson said, "The unauthorised incident at the building has been resolved with the constructive and helpful coordination of the NYPD. There was at no time danger to tenants, visitors, and Empire State Building Observation Deck guests."&nbsp;The spokesperson added, "It is to be emphasised that the Empire State Building Observation Deck, atop the World's Most Famous Building in the centre of New York City, does offer a practical way for the most memorable marriage proposals."

After descending to a lower platform, the man got down on one knee and appeared to propose to his companion. She accepted the proposal, removed her face covering, and the pair hugged and kissed.

A daring climb above New York City ended with an unexpected marriage proposal after two people scaled the transmission tower of the Empire State Building, unfurled a peace banner, and later descended before being arrested. Wearing black outfits and covering their faces, the pair reached the top of the 1,454-foot landmark and displayed a banner that read, “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.”

After descending to a lower platform, the man got down on one knee and appeared to propose to his companion. She accepted the proposal, removed her face covering, and the pair hugged and kissed.

Watch | Peace, proposal and police: Couple scales Empire State Building, gets arrested

New York, which is on the east coast of the United States, was hit by a rare earthquake of 4.7 magnitude, on Friday (Apr 5), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). During the quake, buildings rattled sparking panic among residents since NYC is not in an earthquake-prone region.&nbsp;

<h2>‘You’re making the ground shake’</h2>

The earthquake occurred on Friday morning around 10:23 am (local time) while Janti Soeripto, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Save the Children US was addressing the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rare-earthquake-of-47-magnitude-rocks-new-york-new-jersey-708142">Rare earthquake of 4.7 magnitude rocks New York, New Jersey</a>

Soeripto was speaking about the sufferings of the women and children in Gaza amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas when tremors were felt in the room. Subsequently, delegates were seen looking around and the room fell silent.&nbsp;

“Was that an earthquake,” she asked, to which Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour, who was sitting next to her said, “Yeah. You’re making the ground shake,” leading some to chuckle.&nbsp;

“Madam President, Am I ok to continue?” Soeripto asked before continuing with her statement.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: “You’re making the ground shake!” UN Security Council hears as mid-morning <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/earthquake?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#earthquake</a> interrupts briefing on the situation in the Middle East. <a href="https://t.co/1F8TZBHKKu">pic.twitter.com/1F8TZBHKKu</a>
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) <a href="https://twitter.com/UN_News_Centre/status/1776262950359085313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Statue of Liberty shakes, NYC skyline during the quake</h2>

The epicentre, according to the USGS, was near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey. However, the quake was felt across New Jersey, NYC, western Connecticut, and northern Pennsylvania, reported Reuters. The depth of the epicentre was 5 kilometres, as per the US government agency.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/earthquake-aftershocks-rattle-new-jersey-708223">4.0 magnitude aftershock recorded in New Jersey, little damage reported</a>

A video by EarthCam also showed the NYC skyline the moment that the earthquake – one of the strongest quakes on the east coast in the last century – also rattled NYC’s iconic landmark the Statue of Liberty.&nbsp;

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EarthCam captured the moment a 4.8-magnitude earthquake recorded in New Jersey shook residents in surrounding states and New York City on Friday morning. The earthquake was the strongest in NJ since 1884. <a href="https://t.co/cKXmXqmxtW">pic.twitter.com/cKXmXqmxtW</a>
— EarthCam (@EarthCam) <a href="https://twitter.com/EarthCam/status/1776293926011367717?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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In a series of posts on X, another historic structure that stands out on the NYC skyline, the Empire State Building confirmed that it was doing just fine after the earthquake. “I AM FINE,” said the post on Friday.&nbsp;

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I AM FINE
— Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmpireStateBldg/status/1776254633599480130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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After a second earthquake&nbsp;of magnitude 4.0 was reported in New Jersey on Friday, the Empire State Building yet again took to X and said, “NOT AGAIN,” and in a subsequent post said, “I AM STILL FINE”.&nbsp;

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I AM STILL FINE
— Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmpireStateBldg/status/1776369314565599282?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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There have been at least 12 aftershocks that registered 1.8 or more on the Richter scale, according to the USGS.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

New York, which is on the east coast of the United States, was hit by a rare earthquake of 4.7 magnitude, on Friday (Apr 5), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

New York, which is on the east coast of the United States, was hit by a rare earthquake of 4.7 magnitude, on Friday (Apr 5), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). During the quake, buildings rattled sparking panic among residents since NYC is not in an earthquake-prone region. ‘You’re making the ground shake’ The earthquake occurred on Friday morning around 10:23 am (local time) while Janti Soeripto, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Save the Children US was addressing the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Also Read | Rare earthquake of 4.7 magnitude rocks New York, New Jersey Soeripto was speaking about the sufferings of the women and children in Gaza amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas when tremors were felt in the room. Subsequently, delegates were seen looking around and the room fell silent. “Was that an earthquake,” she asked, to which Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour, who was sitting next to her said, “Yeah. You’re making the ground shake,” leading some to chuckle. “Madam President, Am I ok to continue?” Soeripto asked before continuing with her statement. #BREAKING: “You’re making the ground shake!” UN Security Council hears as mid-morning #earthquake interrupts briefing on the situation in the Middle East. pic.twitter.com/1F8TZBHKKu — UN News (@UN_News_Centre) April 5, 2024 × Statue of Liberty shakes, NYC skyline during the quake The epicentre, according to the USGS, was near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey. However, the quake was felt across New Jersey, NYC, western Connecticut, and northern Pennsylvania, reported Reuters. The depth of the epicentre was 5 kilometres, as per the US government agency. Also Read | 4.0 magnitude aftershock recorded in New Jersey, little damage reported A video by EarthCam also showed the NYC skyline the moment that the earthquake – one of the strongest quakes on the east coast in the last century – also rattled NYC’s iconic landmark the Statue of Liberty. EarthCam captured the moment a 4.8-magnitude earthquake recorded in New Jersey shook residents in surrounding states and New York City on Friday morning. The earthquake was the strongest in NJ since 1884. pic.twitter.com/cKXmXqmxtW — EarthCam (@EarthCam) April 5, 2024 × In a series of posts on X, another historic structure that stands out on the NYC skyline, the Empire State Building confirmed that it was doing just fine after the earthquake. “I AM FINE,” said the post on Friday. I AM FINE — Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) April 5, 2024 × After a second earthquake of magnitude 4.0 was reported in New Jersey on Friday, the Empire State Building yet again took to X and said, “NOT AGAIN,” and in a subsequent post said, “I AM STILL FINE”. I AM STILL FINE — Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) April 5, 2024 × There have been at least 12 aftershocks that registered 1.8 or more on the Richter scale, according to the USGS. (With inputs from agencies)

WATCH: UNSC meeting interrupted, Statue of Liberty shakes after rare earthquake rattles New York

The study of asteroids is important. It can really be a marvellous field of study till all the space rocks are whooshing past Earth. It certainly must be a delight to see these world-ending space rocks do a flyby, a delight that dinosaurs could not get.

It is precisely for the preservation of this delight and prevention of its conversion into sheer, existential fright&nbsp;that we always have our lenses towards the sky to be on the lookout for any of these asteroids coming our way.

Unknown to most of us on Earth, asteroids are shooting past the Earth fairly regularly but&nbsp;some of them have a close encounter with our home planet.

<h4>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/iss-discovers-tomato-which-remained-lost-in-space-for-eight-months-667098">A tomato lost for 8 months on space station has finally been found, and it is a big deal</a></h4>

&nbsp;

Asteroid 2001 QQ142 is one such asteroid. This asteroid has been designated by NASA as a near-Earth space rock. It is expected that it will fly by Earth at a distance of only 5.5 million kilometres soon. This may look like a huge distance but considering cosmic distances, this is but a tiny stretch.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/monstrous-dark-hole-in-sun-releasing-superfast-solar-wind-towards-earth-scientists-warn-666834">Monstrous dark hole in Sun releasing superfast solar wind towards Earth. Scientists warn...</a>

The asteroid on its own doesn't have any sinister motive. It's doing its thing and orbiting around the Sun. Earth just happens to be in the vicinity. It is approaching Earth at a mind-boggling speed of 23975 kilometres per hour. This makes it much faster than Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles.

<h2>So, what's the size of this asteroid?</h2>

The asteroid is nearly 2,200 feet wide. So it can be compared to a huge bridge. It is bigger than the iconic Empire State Building.

When it flies by the Earth, it will not be the asteroid's first visit to Earth's neighbourhood. It came to say hello on August 1, 1901. But at that time it maintained a safe distance and at its closest, it was 72 million kilometres away from Earth. It will come back in our backyard again in January 2028.

(With inputs from agencies)

The study of asteroids is important. It can really be a marvellous field of study till all the space rocks are whooshing past Earth. It certainly must be a delight to see these world-ending space rocks do a flyby, a delight that dinosaurs could not get.

The study of asteroids is important. It can really be a marvellous field of study till all the space rocks are whooshing past Earth. It certainly must be a delight to see these world-ending space rocks do a flyby, a delight that dinosaurs could not get. It is precisely for the preservation of this delight and prevention of its conversion into sheer, existential fright that we always have our lenses towards the sky to be on the lookout for any of these asteroids coming our way. Unknown to most of us on Earth, asteroids are shooting past the Earth fairly regularly but some of them have a close encounter with our home planet. Also Read | A tomato lost for 8 months on space station has finally been found, and it is a big deal Asteroid 2001 QQ142 is one such asteroid. This asteroid has been designated by NASA as a near-Earth space rock. It is expected that it will fly by Earth at a distance of only 5.5 million kilometres soon. This may look like a huge distance but considering cosmic distances, this is but a tiny stretch. Also Read | Monstrous dark hole in Sun releasing superfast solar wind towards Earth. Scientists warn... The asteroid on its own doesn't have any sinister motive. It's doing its thing and orbiting around the Sun. Earth just happens to be in the vicinity. It is approaching Earth at a mind-boggling speed of 23975 kilometres per hour. This makes it much faster than Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles. So, what's the size of this asteroid? The asteroid is nearly 2,200 feet wide. So it can be compared to a huge bridge. It is bigger than the iconic Empire State Building. When it flies by the Earth, it will not be the asteroid's first visit to Earth's neighbourhood. It came to say hello on August 1, 1901. But at that time it maintained a safe distance and at its closest, it was 72 million kilometres away from Earth. It will come back in our backyard again in January 2028. (With inputs from agencies)

Asteroid bigger than Empire State Building set to approach Earth

Scientists at the United States-based NASA have found “one of the most elongated asteroids” ever pictured by their planetary radar. The space agency said that the asteroid flew past Earth at a safe distance, earlier this month, but what caught their attention was the odd shape which they described as oblong. The asteroid was being closely tracked by the scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, US who made “invaluable observations to help determine its size, rotation, surface details, and, most notably, shape,” said the space agency in a press release.&nbsp;

The asteroid in question is called 2011 AG5 whose close approach on February 3 gave scientists the opportunity to get a detailed look at the celestial object first discovered in 2011. The asteroid is said to be 1600 feet long and about 500 feet wide and its dimensions are comparable to the Empire State Building. The celestial object was seen by the powerful 230-foot (70-metre) Goldstone Solar System Radar antenna dish at the Deep Space Network's facility near Barstow, California, revealing the dimensions of this extremely elongated asteroid, said NASA.&nbsp;

The principal scientist at JPL who helped lead the observations, Lance Benner noted that there have been 1,040 near-Earth objects observed by planetary radar out of which 2011 AG5 has been “one of the most elongated we’ve seen”. The observations which took place at the end of last month and ended on February 4 also noted other details like a large, broad concavity in one of the asteroid’s two hemispheres and would appear as dark as charcoal if it were to be viewed by the human eye.&nbsp;

“The observations also confirmed 2011 AG5 has a slow rotation rate, taking nine hours to fully rotate,” said NASA. The space agency also confirmed that since the radar provides precise distance measurements, they believe that asteroid 2011 AG5 orbits the Sun once every 621 days. Earth will not have a close encounter with it until 2040 and even then it will pass at a distance of about 670,000 miles (1.1 million kilometres), it added.&nbsp;

“Interestingly, shortly after its discovery, 2011 AG5 became a poster-child asteroid when our analysis showed it had a small chance of a future impact,” said Paul Chodas, the director of NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at JPL. He added, “Continued observations of this object ruled out any chance of impact, and these new ranging measurements by the planetary radar team will further refine exactly where it will be far into the future.” 
&nbsp;

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Scientists at the United States-based NASA have found “one of the most elongated asteroids” ever pictured by their planetary radar. The space agency said that the asteroid flew past Earth at a safe distance, earlier this month, but what caught their attention was the odd shape which they described as oblong.

Scientists at the United States-based NASA have found “one of the most elongated asteroids” ever pictured by their planetary radar. The space agency said that the asteroid flew past Earth at a safe distance, earlier this month, but what caught their attention was the odd shape which they described as oblong. The asteroid was being closely tracked by the scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, US who made “invaluable observations to help determine its size, rotation, surface details, and, most notably, shape,” said the space agency in a press release. The asteroid in question is called 2011 AG5 whose close approach on February 3 gave scientists the opportunity to get a detailed look at the celestial object first discovered in 2011. The asteroid is said to be 1600 feet long and about 500 feet wide and its dimensions are comparable to the Empire State Building. The celestial object was seen by the powerful 230-foot (70-metre) Goldstone Solar System Radar antenna dish at the Deep Space Network's facility near Barstow, California, revealing the dimensions of this extremely elongated asteroid, said NASA. The principal scientist at JPL who helped lead the observations, Lance Benner noted that there have been 1,040 near-Earth objects observed by planetary radar out of which 2011 AG5 has been “one of the most elongated we’ve seen”. The observations which took place at the end of last month and ended on February 4 also noted other details like a large, broad concavity in one of the asteroid’s two hemispheres and would appear as dark as charcoal if it were to be viewed by the human eye. “The observations also confirmed 2011 AG5 has a slow rotation rate, taking nine hours to fully rotate,” said NASA. The space agency also confirmed that since the radar provides precise distance measurements, they believe that asteroid 2011 AG5 orbits the Sun once every 621 days. Earth will not have a close encounter with it until 2040 and even then it will pass at a distance of about 670,000 miles (1.1 million kilometres), it added. “Interestingly, shortly after its discovery, 2011 AG5 became a poster-child asteroid when our analysis showed it had a small chance of a future impact,” said Paul Chodas, the director of NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at JPL. He added, “Continued observations of this object ruled out any chance of impact, and these new ranging measurements by the planetary radar team will further refine exactly where it will be far into the future.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NASA team spots a 1600-foot oddly shaped asteroid as big as Empire State Building

Australian Scientists have found a detached reef, more than 500 metres high – taller than the Empire State Building – at the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef.

Measuring more than 500 meters high -- taller than the Empire State Building, the Sydney Tower and the Petronas Twin Towers -- the reef was discovered by Australian scientists aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel Falkor, currently on a 12-month exploration of the ocean surrounding Australia.

A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the mass death of young and old corals in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is threatening the recovery of the largest living structure on Earth. The bleaching of corals off Australia’s northeastern coast due to ocean warming and acidification is happening across all species and to specimens of all ages, according to a new study that analyzed coral demographics.

Half of the Great Barrier Reef's corals have died over the past 25 years, scientists said Wednesday, warning that climate change is irreversibly destroying the underwater ecosystem.

A study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society Journal found an alarming rate of decline across all sizes of corals since the mid-1990s on the vast World Heritage-listed reef off Australia's northeastern coast.

Larger species, such as branching and table-shaped corals, have been affected hardest -- almost disappearing from the far northern reaches of the reef.

(With inputs from agencies)

Australian Scientists have found a detached reef, more than 500 metres high – taller than the Empire State Building – at the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef.

Australian Scientists have found a detached reef, more than 500 metres high – taller than the Empire State Building – at the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef. Measuring more than 500 meters high -- taller than the Empire State Building, the Sydney Tower and the Petronas Twin Towers -- the reef was discovered by Australian scientists aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel Falkor, currently on a 12-month exploration of the ocean surrounding Australia. A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Meanwhile, the mass death of young and old corals in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is threatening the recovery of the largest living structure on Earth. The bleaching of corals off Australia’s northeastern coast due to ocean warming and acidification is happening across all species and to specimens of all ages, according to a new study that analyzed coral demographics. Half of the Great Barrier Reef's corals have died over the past 25 years, scientists said Wednesday, warning that climate change is irreversibly destroying the underwater ecosystem. A study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society Journal found an alarming rate of decline across all sizes of corals since the mid-1990s on the vast World Heritage-listed reef off Australia's northeastern coast. Larger species, such as branching and table-shaped corals, have been affected hardest -- almost disappearing from the far northern reaches of the reef. (With inputs from agencies)

Coral reef taller than the Empire State Building discovered in Australia