Puerto Rico

As coral reefs face unprecedented heat, scientists are experimenting with new ways to protect them

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There hasn’t been a worse time to be a coral in recent history. Globally, record sea surface temperatures have been building since March 2023. During that time, more than three-quarters of the world’s reefs have experienced heat stress intense enough to cause coral bleaching, said Derek Manzello, an ecologist who coordinates the National Oceanic and … Read more

With record-breaking Atlantic hurricane forecast for 2024, here’s how scientists are helping Caribbean communities adapt to a warming world

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Preparing for the Atlantic hurricane season is always a priority in the Caribbean, especially when forecasts predict large numbers of storms, as is the case for 2024. The region’s most destructive storm in recent years, Hurricane Maria, struck in September 2017, causing unprecedented devastation in Puerto Rico, Dominica, St. Croix and other islands. Maria killed … Read more

Macaque monkeys shrink their social networks as they age – study suggests evolutionary roots of a pattern also seen in the elderly

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There are many changes that can come with aging: hair turns gray, vision is no longer what it was and mobility is often limited. But in addition to these physiological changes, people also experience changes in their social world. As we get older, our social circles become smaller. Such declines in social networks have raised … Read more