Coral reefs off the coast of Panama collapsed for some 2,500 years, during a time of intense shifts in oceanic temperatures, found a new study. But when conditions returned to normal the corals came back. “We may not be able to correct what we’ve already done to the earth’s atmosphere and climate,” said Erik Cordes, a marine ecologist at Temple. “But if we take steps now to mitigate our effects on global climate in the coming years, corals might rebound.”