A monumental coral reef taller than the Empire State Building has been uncovered in Australia

A “monumental” new reef, stretching 500 meters (around 1,600 feet), has been discovered in the Great Barrier Reef, making it taller than some of the world’s tallest skyscrapers.

Researchers discovered the detached reef, the first of its kind in over 120 years, in the waters off North Queensland during an expedition aboard the Falkor research vessel, as announced by the Schmidt Ocean Institute on Monday.

The reef was initially spotted on October 20, as scientists completed an underwater survey of the northern Great Barrier Reef’s seafloor.

Standing 500 meters tall, it surpasses the height of the Empire State Building (381 meters to the top floor), the Sydney Tower (305 meters), and the Petronas Twin Towers (451.9 meters).

On Sunday, the team used an underwater robot named SuBastian to explore the reef and streamed the footage live.

Experts report that the base of the “blade-like” reef spans 1.5 kilometers (almost 1 mile) in width, rising 500 meters to its shallowest point, which is 40 meters below the ocean surface.

The region is home to seven other tall detached reefs, including the reef at Raine Island, a key nesting site for green turtles.

Robin Beaman, the leader of the expedition, expressed his surprise at the discovery.

“Not only were we able to 3D map the reef in great detail, but witnessing this discovery firsthand with SuBastian is truly amazing,” he said in a statement.

Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of the Schmidt Ocean Institute, commented, “This unexpected find confirms that we are still discovering unknown structures and new species in our oceans.”

“Our understanding of the ocean has always been so limited. With new technologies acting as our eyes, ears, and hands in the deep sea, we now have the ability to explore like never before. These new oceanscapes are revealing ecosystems and diverse life forms that share the planet with us,” she added.

The Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the world, spans nearly 133,000 square miles and is home to over 1,500 species of fish, 411 species of hard corals, and many other species.

The reef is currently facing a critical situation – recent research reveals that it has lost 50% of its coral populations over the past three decades, with climate change being a major factor driving the reef's decline.