Virtual coasts improve understanding of possible coastal planning outcomes

A new immersive visualization allows people to make informed decisions on coastal plans by experiencing changes to an area through a first-person perspective. Published in Frontiers in Marine Science, the tool is the first of its kind to include both audio and visual animations, as well as simulate both above and below the water. The visualization helped people understand trade-offs between aesthetics and functionality, and increased their appreciation for marine environment protection efforts.