## 1 _Editorial_
What these findings signify for the future of corals and coral reefs, and whether such MCEs could represent putative refugia from climate change impacts, remains to be determined. Until it is clear that there are places where corals may continue to thrive despite the myriad environmental impacts working against them, it will be important to continue to develop coral aquaculture technology [26]. Towards this end, Taiwan's National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium (NMMBA) has established long-term cultures, both in situ and ex situ, of a number of coral species for purposes of tourism, research, and conservation. Although numerous studies have focused on enhancing the settlement, survival, and growth rates of coral larvae, they frequently overlook the critical post-settlement developmental phase; this encompasses the development of polyps and skeleton, the formation of tentacles, and the generation of new individuals. To better understand these processes, we tracked the growth of newly settled recruits of a number of species [27] and found that some species, such as _Galaxea fascicularis_ and _Mycedium elephantotus_, demonstrate \"skeleton-over-polyp\" growth, whereby the skeletons grow around the polyps. In contrast, _Pocillopara verrucosa_ and _Seriatorona caliendrum_ exhibit \"polyp-over-skeleton\" trajectories, in which calcium carbonate is cemented beneath the polyps. It was clear that the presence of Symbiodiniaceae dinoflagellates influenced growth (both their identity and density), as has been documented previously [28; 29]. We found, specifically, that there was a relationship between tentacle growth and Symbiodiniaceae density, and this relationship was coral-host-species-dependent. Such studies of coral development and growth will be key to optimizing coral culture protocols in situ and ex situ, and, more generally, will increase our understanding of coral biology. Aside from conserving and coral reefs for their beauty and value as habitat to myriad species, many coral-reef-dwelling organisms are thought to be a wellspring of prospective natural products of value to humankind, including drugs, cosmetics, and even pigments. Regarding the latter, marine pigments are safer and more stable and biocompatible than their synthetic alternatives [30], and well-characterized pigments include chlorophylls, carotenoids, and melanin [31]. During asexual coral propagation, NMMBA researchers noticed an intriguing occurrence whereby contact with certain octocoral species led to the skin of operators turning black [32]. This black pigment was characterized from the soft coral _Sinuliara flexibilis_ and was found to be similar to melanin. The study drew inspiration from methodologies used for melanin purification in other marine organisms, prompting future investigations of marine pigments via spectroscopic analysis. Perhaps the newly identified dye could even be adopted for human use, such as for the textile industry. Over the last decade, coral cryopreservation research has seen significant advancements driven by an interdisciplinary approach that combines concepts and technologies from cryogenic biology, nano-engineering, and cellular biochemistry [33; 34; 35]. We now have cryopreservation methods for coral biomaterials such as gametes, tissues, larvae, and symbiotic dinoflagellates, garnering attention from conservationists worldwide. The recent breakthrough in coral cryopreservation is the production of adult corals from cryopres preserved larvae with our customized devices [36; 37]. However, achieving successful cryopreservation requires the fine-tuning of freezing methods to minimize cryoinjury and maximize success rates. As cryopreservation gains recognition as a reliable strategy for preserving coral biodiversity amid ongoing environmental challenges, it has become imperative to delve into its effects on molecular parameters that influence post-thaw viability.