The U.S. Air Force can thank the natural world for its new extreme weather defenses at a base in Florida.
Rutgers University designed a "self-healing" reef built from concrete modules and living oysters. The structures have been installed in St. Andrew Bay next to Tyndall Air Force Base.
The idea is for the "Reefense" modules to protect the base and its inhabitants from flooding and tidal surges amid hurricane conditions.
Eventually, the structure will make up a 160-foot-wide reef featuring 800 interconnected concrete cubes, according to the university.
In addition to helping reduce the potential for property damage and increase human safety during coastal flooding, the modules will provide a habitat for oysters, which form natural seawalls in shallow water when they attach to one another.
"We wanted to develop an ecologically functional, engineered structure providing the strength and longevity of hard structures while facilitating the benefits provided by organisms colonizing the modules," said David Bushek, director of the Rutgers Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory.
"In doing so, we have made a lot of discoveries and advances in science and technology in the past few years. We've pushed the needle a lot," Bushek added.
In Florida, protection against natural disasters is becoming increasingly important. Back-to-back hurricanes, Helene and Milton, led to plenty of destruction in the state in 2024. Tyndall has also experienced significant weather-related damage.
According to Rutgers, the Category 5 Hurricane Michael in October 2018 ripped through the base's hangars, damaged fighter jets, and left much of the site in ruins.
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Definitely 👍 "This experiment will document the Reefense modules' ability to help protect and enhance the bay shoreline and make it more robust and resilient," Bushek added.
While flood defenses are key, so is reducing the production of planet-warming pollution that makes extreme weather events such as hurricanes stronger and longer lasting.
The U.S. Air Force is taking steps to reduce its polluting impact. For example, it is testing the capabilities of all-electric aircraft. It is also set to utilize clean, renewable geothermal energy at a base in Texas.
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