Coral reefs are tiny if considered as a percentage of Earth. They cover less than 0.1% of the planet. But they host all marine species, which makes them crowded places where underwater warfare reigns. Animals and plants struggle every day for life - space and food - and to be able to succeed many have evolved chemical defenses to protect themselves and their offsprings from predators.

Medicine research is today hugely interested in these potent weapons, that may hold the key to new drugs to treat everything, from cancer and Parkinson's disease to viruses and arthritis.

Scientists have already collected and identified thousands of these compounds and new treatments are slowly coming to market. This is one of the many, very good reasons why we should treasure them as a natural environment. Their future is at risk though, and with it our entire medicine cabinet could disappear, leaving our world poorer and weaker.