Scientists say a record amount of seaweed hit the Caribbean and nearby areas in May
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A record amount of sargassum piled up across the Caribbean and nearby areas in May, and more is expected this month, according to a new report.
The brown prickly algae is suffocating shorelines from Puerto Rico to Guyana and beyond, disrupting tourism, killing wildlife and even releasing toxic gases that forced one school in the French Caribbean island of Martinique to temporarily close.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Travel Weekly
41 minutes ago
- Travel Weekly
Holland America Line pitches a relaxing Caribbean experience in new campaign
A new Holland America Line advertising campaign aims to differentiate its Caribbean cruises from competitors that sail mega-ships with amusement-park qualities. The campaign, "Refreshingly Free," tells cruisers what they won't find on Holland America sailings. "Refreshingly free of bland buffets," one ad reads. "Refreshingly free of amusement parks on board," another says. Holland America Line has found strength in its Alaska and Europe sailings and is now looking to bolster interest in the Caribbean, said chief marketing officer Kacy Cole. "I think we're not top of mind when you think about Caribbean," she said. "You don't think about Holland America or, candidly, the typical type of cruising that we do. And I think for us, it's really about how do we differentiate within each region?" The line crafted the campaign after surveying guests about what is most important to them on a Caribbean cruise. Exceptional service came in as the highest-ranked factor. During that same research process, some customers shared distaste for the experience aboard the largest cruise ships, recalling long lines and staff that could not keep up with demand due to the number of guests onboard, Cole said. "They are looking for service and relaxation and cultural enrichment," she said. The launch of the campaign accompanies the launch of fare discounts of up to 40% for certain sailings this fall and next spring. Those promotions, dubbed "Travel By Sea," run through the end of July.
Gizmodo
an hour ago
- Gizmodo
Worms Caught Building Flesh Towers in the Wild
Scientists have just discovered something most of us probably would've been fine never knowing: wild nematodes—also known as roundworms—love to climb on top of each other to build fleshy, writhing towers. Researchers in Germany detailed their discovery in a new study published Thursday in Current Biology. They found and videotaped several nematode species, living out in the wild, organizing into these living worm towers—a phenomenon previously only seen in the lab. The findings also show that the microscopic worms use these structures to climb onto animals or objects that can bring them elsewhere, though there remain many other questions about the practice. According to senior study author Serena Ding, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, the towers are hardly a secret among the worm science community. But the behavior had reached a sort of mythical status, since no one had ever documented it in wild nematodes. That could have meant the worms are only compelled to build towers under lab conditions, which might have limited the usefulness of any research on the behavior. 'It's just something that always bugged me. I mean, yes, we're studying nematode collective behavior in the tower context and other contexts, but is it real?' Ding, the leader of a lab focused on nematode research at Max Planck, told Gizmodo. 'So when I started my research program four years ago, I really dedicated a push towards just actually finding nematodes at a high density and high numbers doing this stuff out there. And then we were successful.' It ultimately took months for Ding's colleagues, particularly co-author Ryan Greenway, to find and record instances of natural worm tower building in the decaying fruits strewn across the orchards near the University of Konstanz (one of three locations where the Institute is based). Once the towers were found, the researchers brought some into the lab for further study. They also encouraged and studied the creation of worm towers in the lab with Caenorhabditis elegans, a species frequently used for research. 'There's the important finding of, 'Yes, they do exist.' But the second finding is that we actually confirm the towers can serve to disperse individuals at the same time,' Ding said. 'This [has] always been thought of as a dispersal behavior, but nobody's really confirmed it.' The researchers observed the worms in these towers latching onto animals like fruit flies passing them by, for instance, or using them as a sort of bridge to cross otherwise unreachable gaps. Moreover, the towers appeared to collectively respond to stimuli like being touched. The fruits contained loads of nematodes, but the towers themselves were always made of only one species at a time. All of this suggests that these living buildings should be seen as temporary 'superorganisms,' similar to slime molds or certain ants. Though Ding and her team did hope and expect to find the worm towers in nature, they were surprised in other ways. The researchers found no evidence of the lab worms taking on different roles inside the tower, for one. The worms were equally mobile, and none appeared to have an advantage over others in becoming the head of the tower (i.e. the part that most benefits from this behavior). These worms are clonal, however, meaning they're practically identical to each other genetically. And it's possible that things aren't quite so chummy among more distantly-related worms in the wild. 'These are active directions which we're trying to follow up on right now, because not everybody gets to disperse. So who gets to disperse? Are they helping each other? Are they cheating?' Ding said. There are other questions left to be answered about these towers. The team's lab experiments showed that C. elegans worms were capable of building towers throughout their lives, for instance, including adulthood. Previous research had suggested this behavior was only performed by dauer worms—a larval stage of life some worms adopt to survive harsher environments. At the same time, the natural towers they found were only made out of dauer worms, so maybe there's something else that makes the behavior more common during that stage of life. This research is only the start for Ding and her team, since they plan to pursue these mysteries further. But Ding hopes her team's work can already impart a valuable lesson, especially to other worm researchers. She notes worms like C. elegans are commonly altered in the lab so scientists can track how certain behaviors might work on the molecular level. But she argues that there's also still plenty more to be learned from studying them out in the real world. 'What I'm trying to do is to take really well-known organisms but study them from a more natural perspective. I want to understand not just how the behavior is generated, but also what the behavior means for the animal from a more ecological and evolutionarily relevant perspective,' she said. 'At least for me, this is an important study where as a worm person, I can publish a study without using a single mutant and we're just looking at the behavior, and what those behaviors say. For me, that's super exciting.' Personally, I'm just glad I now have more frightening trivia to bring up at my next party.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Marriott India strengthens the Green Commitment on World Environment Day 2025
Achieves Milestone of Planting 100,000 Trees BENGALURU, India, June 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Marriott India proudly achieved its ambitious goal for World Environment Day 2025, a commitment to plant 100,000 trees across its extensive portfolio of over 150 hotels nationwide. This significant undertaking marked a powerful escalation of Marriott India's dedication to sustainability and ecological restoration, building upon the success of its previous environmental initiatives. This landmark endeavor was built upon the successful foundation of last year's 'Two Trees per Room' initiative, launched on World Environment Day 2024. That program, a cornerstone of Marriott India's environmental stewardship, saw over 32,600 trees planted by more than 4,900 volunteers. This year, Marriott India exponentially scaled its impact, with over 15,000 volunteers planting 100,000 trees. This monumental achievement reinforced its commitment to tangible environmental action and a healthier planet. To achieve this ambitious goal, each Marriott India property actively participated in localized tree-planting initiatives. This collective effort, in collaboration with reputable reforestation organizations, was designed to dramatically expand Marriott India's collective green footprint. Trees were strategically planted in areas optimized for ecosystem restoration, biodiversity enhancement, and climate change mitigation, while also providing vital support to local communities. "Marriott India is incredibly proud to have successfully achieved our goal of planting 100,000 trees, a testament to our profound dedication to environmental responsibility," said Sanjay Gupta – Chairman of the Marriott India Business Council. "This ambitious goal truly underscores our belief that sustainability is not just a passing trend, but a fundamental pillar of responsible hospitality. We are committed to making a lasting, positive impact on our environment for generations to come." Demonstrating strong collective action in the Bengaluru market, the Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel & Convention Center spearheaded a sapling planting drive. This initiative involved 150 volunteers from nine Marriott India properties. It resulted in over 10,000 new trees being planted in Prestige Estates across Bellandur and Varthur, significantly contributing to the 100,000 tree goal. Participating hotels included: Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel & Convention Center; The Ritz-Carlton, Bengaluru; Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel; Courtyard by Marriott Bengaluru Outer Ring Road; Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway; Courtyard Bengaluru Hebbal; Aloft Bengaluru Outer Ring Road; Aloft Bengaluru Whitefield; and Four Points by Sheraton Whitefield. Marriott India's dedication extends beyond this signature initiative. Marriott India continues to implement a wide array of innovative practices aimed at minimizing their ecological impact, including energy-efficient operations, robust waste reduction programs, and responsible sourcing. By leading through example, Marriott India is committed to setting new benchmarks for sustainable hospitality within the industry. ABOUT MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of nearly 9,500 properties across more than 30 leading brands in 144 countries and territories. Marriott operates, franchises, and licenses hotel, residential, timeshare, and other lodging properties all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy®, its highly awarded travel platform. For more information, please visit our website at and for the latest company news, visit In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on X and Instagram. Marriott encourages investors, the media, and others interested in the company to review and subscribe to the information Marriott posts on its investor relations website at or Marriott's news center website at which may be material. The contents of these websites are not incorporated by reference into this press release or any report or document Marriott files with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and any references to the websites are intended to be inactive textual references only. View original content: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
