Seaweed Season, Social Security Garnishment, & a DinoGator.

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Adam Rogers
June 04, 2025

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Record amounts of sargassum algae are suffocating Caribbean shorelines, with 38 million metric tons detected in May.

The massive seaweed bloom nearly doubled the previous record of 22 million metric tons from June 2022, creating the worst conditions since scientists began tracking the phenomenon in 2011. The algae is washing ashore across the region from Puerto Rico to Guyana, with toxic gases from decomposing seaweed forcing one school closure in Martinique.
Scientists call the escalating growth a "million-dollar question" with no clear explanation for why amounts keep breaking records. While sargassum creates healthy ecosystems in the open ocean, it becomes destructive near shore by blocking sunlight that coral reefs need and smothering seagrasses.
Caribbean tourism officials are struggling with cleanup efforts that can cost millions and require careful handling to avoid damaging sea turtle nests. Some hotels are offering guest refunds or shuttles to unaffected beaches, while French Caribbean officials plan to deploy special vessels that can collect several tons daily. Scientists expect sargassum levels to increase further in June.

Liberal lawyer Lee Jae-myung has won South Korea's presidency, ending six months of political crisis triggered by a botched martial law declaration.

Lee defeated conservative Kim Moon-soo with 51.7% of the vote according to exit polls, restoring stability after former President Yoon Suk Yeol shocked the nation in December by declaring martial law, citing threats from "anti-state forces." Lee led the impeachment that removed Yoon, who now faces insurrection charges punishable by death.
The victory reflected voter rejection of Yoon's conservative party rather than enthusiasm for Lee's policies, according to Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha Womans University. South Korea has been led by a series of acting presidents since Yoon's impeachment, creating a leadership vacuum that hampered negotiations with the Trump administration over trade disputes.
Lee will have immediate challenges, including a 25% US tariff taking effect July 9 that threatens the trade-dependent economy. Acknowledging Trump's pressure tactics, Lee said he would "kowtow briefly" if it allows South Korea's 52 million people to thrive while promising to punish those involved in the martial law episode.

A Harvard study linked moderate coffee consumption to healthy aging in women.

Researchers followed over 47,000 women for 30 years and found that those who drank moderate coffee during midlife were more likely to reach age 70 while staying free from chronic diseases and maintaining good mental and physical function. Coffee drinkers had 2-5% better odds across each health measure compared to non-coffee drinkers.
The benefits were specific to coffee rather than other caffeinated drinks like tea or cola, suggesting coffee's unique mix of compounds drives the advantage. Researchers believe caffeine works together with the coffee bean’s antioxidants to provide anti-inflammatory benefits that other caffeinated beverages lack.
The preliminary study, presented at a nutrition conference, comes from the long-running Nurses' Health Studies and has not yet been peer-reviewed. Researchers noted that genetic differences in how people process caffeine could eventually help tailor personalized dietary recommendations.

The Trump administration paused plans to garnish Social Security checks for defaulted student loans, protecting 452,000 elderly borrowers from losing up to 15% of their fixed incomes. (More)

A 2,000-mile-wide Saharan dust plume, the largest this year, will sweep over Florida and the Gulf Coast starting June 4, creating vibrant sunsets while potentially causing air quality issues and dirty rain. (More)

Wisconsin man Demetric Scott allegedly forged a death threat against Trump using a witness's identity, in an attempt to get that witness deported from his own criminal case. (More)

Twenty thousand people evacuated from Cologne, Germany, after city workers discovered three unexploded WWII Allied bombs. It is the biggest evacuation since the war. (More)

Forty days of nationwide protests over pension reform have created one of Panama's worst social crisis since 1989. President Mulino is refusing to repeal the reforms despite Chiquita firing 4,900 workers for job abandonment. (More)

Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders' party quit the ruling coalition over asylum policy disputes, forcing PM Dick Schoof to resign and triggering new elections less than a year into his term. (More)

US stock markets closed higher on Tuesday (S&P +0.58%, Nasdaq +0.81%, Dow +0.51%). Stocks rose as investors grew bullish on a potential US-China meeting this week. (More)

Peloton launched 'Repowered,' a marketplace for reselling used equipment with AI pricing suggestions. Sellers keep 70% of sales while buyers pay a reduced $45 activation fee instead of $95. (More)

Nvidia reclaimed the world's most valuable company title from Microsoft on Tuesday at a $3.45 trillion market cap, driven by surging AI chip demand. (More)

The Knicks fired coach Tom Thibodeau despite reaching their first Eastern Conference finals in 25 years. (More) At least 15 former Indiana University Basketball players allege sexual misconduct by a former team doctor. (More)

Five-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning joined the ownership of Denver's new National Women’s Soccer League franchise. (More)

World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst apologized to Olympic champion Imane Khelif after singling her out in new mandatory sex testing policy announcements following last summer's gender eligibility controversy. (More)

Reddit launched a privacy feature letting users hide posts and comments from their profiles, eliminating the need for throwaway accounts while supporting better ad targeting. (More)

GPS tracking of South African baboons revealed they walk in line formations to stay near friends, not for survival. (More)

Oxford researchers used new SWOT satellite technology to make the first direct observation of trapped mega-tsunami waves in Greenland fjords that caused mysterious global seismic signals for nine days. (More)

This Soviet-era health spa is supplied by radioactive water.

…and nine museums where you can stay the night.

400-pound gator caught in North Carolina on “suspicion of being a dinosaur.”

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