Scientists from Hawaii and the Smithsonian Institute have been experimenting with freezing the sperm and embryonic cells of coral in an effort to preserve the threatened species. 

Hawaii became the first successful sperm bank this past summer, and now local scientists have finished a successful collaboration with Australian colleagues to preserve species from the Great Barrier Reef. 

The cells can be unfrozen tomorrow, or hundreds of years from now. 

Lead scientist, Mary Hagedorn, from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute explains: