Millions of bizarre blob-like creatures have washed up on West Coast beaches in recent years due to warming waters caused by climate change.

The gelatinous, transparent mases are found along the coasts of Northern California and Oregon, and sometimes as far away as Alaska, but typically live in warm seas – and at great depths.

Now scientists from Oregon State University have discovered that these pyrosomes or ‘sea pickles’ are appearing en masse as a result of a major marine heat wave that began in 2013 – marking the first time the animals have been seen in 25 years.

Since the proliferation of pyrosomes in the Pacific Ocean, they have also consumed most of the energy in the sea, reducing the number of salmon and seabirds.

Pyrosomes feed on phytoplankton, which form the basis of marine food webs that provide food for a wide range of marine animals, but growing numbers of sea pickles mean there are not enough available.

These creatures can grow from just a few centimeters to up to 20 meters in length and resemble a pink tube with stiff bumps covering the body.

Pyrosomes are colonies of thousands of animals called zooids that form in a hollow tube that can grow large enough for a human to fit through.

The sea creatures have a gene called luciferase that produces light and when it reacts with a luminous chemical, it sends the light up and down the tube, allowing it to see several meters in front of it.

They can also reproduce through asexual reproduction – effectively cloning themselves – or they can reproduce with a sexual partner.

The researchers looked at data from 80 groups of creatures, three feeding pools, five waste pools and two fisheries collected since 2014.

“Pyrosomes consume animals at the base of the food web and conserve that energy,” said Lisa Crozier, research scientist at NOAA Fisheries Northwest Fisheries Science Center and co-author of the paper.

“They take energy out of the system that predators need,” she added.

According to the study, pyrosomes have long been considered “trophic dead ends” because they cannot serve as an energy source for other species, and how nutritious they are for other creatures that have consumed them in recent years remains unclear.

“That has an impact on the entire ecosystem… the pyrosome consumes energy that would normally have passed through multiple prey before ultimately ending up in a salmon,” study co-author Dylan Gomes said. The Seattle Times.

Pyrosomes are not consumed as often as other creatures, such as jellyfish, and the study suggests that this “may be because they are harder to digest, offer lower energy content, or remain new to the food web so predators have not yet responded.”

The 2013 marine heat wave, known as ‘the Blob’, increased water temperatures, allowing pyrosomes to thrive, while some fisheries closed as salmon, cod and Dungeness crab populations declined.

Scientists have speculated whether rising temperatures could be to blame for animals’ metabolisms increasing in warmer water, causing them to use more energy.

“You can think of it as more being consumed for the same amount of seafood produced,” Gomes said NewScientist.

Gomes said the study does not take into account factors that could affect declining marine life, such as declining oxygen levels caused by warming waters.

However, he added: ‘It is a first attempt to understand how marine heat waves are changing the ecosystems of the northeast Pacific Ocean.’

The team also compared other marine animals to the pyrosomes and found that they benefited most from the ecosystem, while other species such as jellyfish, cod, sardines, sea snails and other creatures missed out, causing their populations to decline.

While other creatures such as salmon pass on their energy source to feed larger animals, the research suggests this is not the case for pyrosomes, where 98 percent of their waste and residue accumulate in the seabed – so-called waste pools.

Two weeks after playing coy about his love life, Tom Schwartz enjoyed a trip to Las Vegas, NV this weekend with his rumored girlfriend Sophia Skoro.

The flame-haired vintage designer-curator will graduate from the University of Oregon in 2022, which would make her 22 or 23 — half the age of the 41-year-old Vanderpump Rules star.

On Monday, Sophia shared one Instagram slideshow and a video of their adventures during Madonna’s Celebration Tour at the T-Mobile Arena last Friday or last Saturday.

In the TikTok post, Skoro and Schwartz synced along to Skinny Legend’s cover of Justin Timberlake’s 2006 hit SexyBack before dancing together.

The Oregon native – who is employed as an associate media planner for Publicis Groupe agency Zenith, shared a photo of her vintage playing card-themed purse resting on a roulette table.

Sophia – who tagged Tom in a car photo of her lap – rocked a ‘Material Girl’ crucifix top from LA’s Voulez Vous Vintage with black leather trousers for the concert.

“Tom, what are you doing here?” TikTok user @carlyhague asked in the comments.

TikTok user @brittany commented, “Tom, you did enough in Vegas, sir.”

“Tom was on a millennium break, but this time I apologize,” wrote TikTok user @kris.

TikTok user @mry commented: “Blink twice if you need help.”

The co-owner of Schwartz & Sandy’s Lounge previously appeared at Skoro’s TikTok video from February 7 in which they brave a rainy night in LA together.

The self described ‘fake baby’ – whose father ‘Carpet Carl’ Skoro owns Marion’s Carpet & Flooring Warehouses – moved to the overcrowded city in California in 2022.

Tom previously hinted he was ‘hanging out’ with someone special while appearing on the February 20 episode Watch what’s happening livesaying, “I think she would rather I didn’t say it.”

Sophia marks Schwartz’s first love interest since his “whirlwind romance” with hairstylist Jo Wenberg.

“Okay, maybe a little mixed signals. We had a lightning-in-a-bottle situation there for a while,” the Minnesota-born, Florida-raised Bravo lebrity told host Andy Cohen.

‘I don’t know if it was sustainable, given my mental state. I don’t know if I was equipped for a conventional relationship. I should have been committed. I should have been committed. I found myself in a very strange place like nothing I have ever experienced in my entire life. I’ll shut up now.’

Tom also kissed his former Vanderpump Rules co-star Rachel Leviss at Scheana Shay and Brock Davies’ wedding in August 2022, which she later called “absolutely staged and absolutely produced” for the Emmy-nominated reality show.

Schwartz hasn’t had a real girlfriend since finalizing his divorce from Vanderpump Rules co-star Katie Maloney in October 2022 after five years of marriage and 12 years together.

Get to know the junior partner of Tom Tom Restaurant & Bar in the eleventh season of the spinoff The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, airing Tuesday on Bravo.

Another blini for your caviar, ma’am?’ I am asked as we sail above the snow-capped mountains of Iceland and I take a seat on my wide throne, finished in Italian cream leather and walnut.

Around me, my fellow guests, all smartly dressed and brimming with excitement, sip perfectly chilled Dom Perignon champagne vintage 2013 (which costs more than £200 a bottle) as they get to know each other.

We’re aboard Abercrombie & Kent’s private jet, flying in extreme style from Reykjavik, Iceland, to Portland, Oregon.

The company takes small groups of wealthy travelers around the world on trips costing up to £156,605 ($200,000) for up to 26 days.

These types of private jet tours have become increasingly popular since the pandemic and are now offered by several luxury travel companies, including hotel groups Aman and Four Seasons. I taste it for one trip.

As they traverse the world, guests are treated to three-course meals prepared by private chefs, reclining chairs, soft slippers and duvets, Briggs & Riley toiletries packed with L’Occitane goodies, iPads stocked with newly released films, a traveling ‘bell boy’ responsible for the luggage and a photographer ready to capture every moment. There’s even a doctor on board for the duration of the trip, for ultimate peace of mind.

The Abercrombie & Kent aircraft is a reconfigured and customized Boeing 757. Such aircraft usually carry around 200 passengers. But this one only has 48 handmade, business class-style seats, which massage the occupant in different positions and lie flat at the click of a button.

I’m assigned 9A, a window seat with absolutely everything I need within easy reach: almost as soon as I notice my phone’s battery is running low, I find a charger in a side pocket; when the cabin chatter increases as I go to sleep, I find a pair of Bose noise-canceling headphones above my head; The moment I get hungry or need a refill, a cabin crew member comes over and places something on the wide walnut table in front of me.

The ratio of guests to cabin crew is 1:7 and the staff wear navy blue skirt suits, corsages and broad smiles.

During the flight, conversations flow as quickly as the bubbles. “On these trips, we become like one big family,” said Ann Epting, A&K’s senior vice president of private jet travel. It may sound cheesy, but it’s true.

As we cross Canada’s deep blue lakes, white linen cloths are laid on our tables and we are treated to chicken Caesar salads, followed by honey-lime glazed Arctic char with lobster sauce and a caramel-chocolate mousse pudding with crumbled brownies.

I’ve had worse meals at Michelin star restaurants and can’t quite believe what I’m tasting at 35,000 feet.

The extensive and unlimited drinks menu includes negronis and espresso martinis, campari, martini, cognac and bottles of red and white wine that would cost over £100 at your local restaurant.

The eight hours fly by in a ridiculously luxurious haze, and before we know it the plane lands in Portland. I have never been so unhappy getting off a plane.

Once we disembark, the plane is cleaned and replenished, ready for the lucky guests who will continue on a 25-day Wildlife Safari tour, visiting eight countries and making stops to spot snow monkeys in Japan, bears in Malaysia, Bengal tigers in India, lemurs in Madagascar and gorillas in Uganda – all while wrapped in luxury.

They will be in the air for a total of 55 hours. A comparable route via commercial flights would take 117 hours, plus 77 additional stops. A trip on any other tour between Cebu in the Philippines and Sandakan in Malaysia usually takes 19 hours plus two stops; A&K’s private jet does it in 40 minutes.

Passengers never have to queue and are guided through private terminals with immigration cards pre-filled by staff.

Hotel stops, meanwhile, are made at the world’s top brands, including The Peninsular, Shangri-La and Ritz-Carlton.

If the plane lands somewhere outside the luxury hotel aisle, A&K books a three- or four-star hotel and converts it to a five-star hotel. They train staff (or bring in their own), replace furniture, bedding and mattresses, paint walls and add artwork.

For this all-inclusive odyssey, you’ll be asked to pay £139,670 pp ($176,000). Demand is high and almost 40 percent of customers return for their second, third or even ninth trip.

When guests spend what some people pay for a house, expectations are obviously very high. Does the staff ever say ‘no’ to guests? “No,” comes Ann’s quick response, a wry smile spreading across her face. “Honestly, we do everything we can to meet our guests’ needs, and ‘no’ isn’t really in our vocabulary. There was one time a couple asked for eight feather pillows in every hotel room, so we made sure that happened.”

Then there was the woman who brought nine suitcases and presented seven pages of dietary requirements; the veterinarian who wanted to eat a pig’s head in the remote Philippines; the man who proposed after being airlifted to Everest base camp, then asked if the staff would arrange his wedding a few days later – which of course they did in Sicily.

So, is it worth it? If you have the money, absolutely. But it is also dangerous. Fly around the world like this and you might never want to take a normal commercial flight again.

Located on a remote island in Alaska sits a McDonald’s seemingly frozen in time, with its original drive-thru menu still on display and its interior untouched from the day it closed in 1993.

Canadian videographer and photographer Chris Luchardt recently visited the abandoned fast food restaurant on Adak and documented what he found.

His YouTube video shows the windows and doors closed, but outside is a sign showing some of the items that were offered decades ago – as well as the incredibly low prices they were all offered for.

Back then, a BigMac cost $2.45 (the equivalent of $5.10 today) and a hamburger cost 99 cents (the equivalent of $2.08 today). Today, those same items cost about $7.19 and $3.39 respectively, depending on your location.

In a sign of the times, when Jurassic Park was a huge success at the cinemas, a sign at the drive-thru stand advertises a ‘Dino-Size’ meal. The blurb explains: “Get Dino-Size fries and a large soda in a free Jurassic Park collectible cup.”

One photo uploaded to Flickr by user Travis S. also reveals the eatery’s interior, with a terracotta tiled floor and retro-style plastic chairs.

Filmmaker Luckhardt notes in his video how the McDonald’s is located in the ghost town of Adak, which once served as a bustling naval base with more than 6,000 residents.

The grassy rock served as an important strategic base to protect against Japanese invasion during World War II and beyond.

However, once tensions had subsided, the base was closed in 1997 and many people living in the community had already moved out by that time.

Luckhardt told DailyMail.com that the Adak McDonald’s opened in July 1986 and that the Navy “helped the franchisee ship everything.”

The prices at the restaurant were higher than those in mainland America because everything had to be flown in or shipped.

One veteran told Luckhardt that he paid more than $6.00 for a 20-piece McNugget meal when the restaurant opened.

Despite the relatively high prices, another veteran said people were not deterred and it was “packed every day.”

And compared to the modern McDonald’s menu, those prices seem much more reasonable — with a Filet-O-Fish costing just $1.95 in 1993, while today the same sandwich would cost you about $5.99.

For years the restaurant remained a popular spot, but when the military efforts began to wane, the owner decided to close shop.

Luckhardt explains, “The franchisees left Adak when the Navy base was decommissioned and subsequently opened two McDonald’s in Oregon.

“They later moved to Texas and opened two other McDonald’s.

“When they closed their business in Adak, the McDonald’s corporate team deployed a crew to collect the arches along the main road in late 1994.”

After lying vacant for many years, the McDonald’s restaurant was repurposed as an employee dining facility by a local seafood processing company from 2011 to 2013.

“Icicle Seafoods gutted the kitchen, but the pastel-colored chairs remained intact, based on an interior photo from 2018,” says Luckhardt.

The restaurant was then boarded up after “an unfortunate act of vandalism shortly before the pandemic,” which resulted in “at least one of the restaurant’s windows being smashed.”

Like McDonald’s, most other buildings in Adak are abandoned.

Luckhardt’s drone footage reveals a patchwork of vacant buildings left to the elements, while parked vehicles are also rusting.

One building with antennas was used for ‘radio navigation and intelligence gathering’, while the base also housed a hospital, pub and town hall.

According to Luckhardt, 33 permanent residents still live in Adak today.

Some are employed by the small local government, some work at the airport where there are two flights a week from Anchorage, while a group also manages accommodation for tourists, including hunting, fishing and bird watching.

Several homes in Adak are listed on Airbnb, with rates starting around $200 per night.

A map of the small community on the local government website shows that some of the facilities still operating include a bar and grill, liquor store, gas station, school and post office.

A woman who became pregnant when she was 14 years old has spoken out about the cruel comments she receives from critics who call her a ‘whore’ and accuse her of ‘promoting teenage pregnancy’.

Alex Yetter, 22, from Oregon, has more than 100,000 followers on TikTok, where she documents her life as a real estate agent and single mother to her seven-year-old son Milo.

The content creator reflected on what it’s like to be a teen mom in the latest episode of the Real series My Extraordinary Familyand says her journey has been a “wild rollercoaster.”

“When I found out I was pregnant I was absolutely terrified,” she said. ‘I don’t feel like I was able to enjoy my pregnancy as a teenage mother because I hid it and was very afraid to tell people. There was a lot of shame around it.’

Alex recalled how her parents, Matthew and Sara, were ‘quite disappointed’ when she told her she was pregnant at the age of 14.

“I don’t feel like anyone is ever prepared for that,” she said. “You’re never prepared to tell your parents you’re pregnant at fourteen, and you’re never prepared to hear that your fourteen-year-old is pregnant.”

Looking back, Alex’s mother said she “could have been a lot more supportive,” but she worried her daughter was repeating her mistakes.

“Being a teen mom myself made me feel like a failure,” Sara admitted. ‘It really hit me hard. If I could go back, I would definitely change my reaction.”

Alex said she faced “a lot of judgement” after finding out she was pregnant. Her classmates called her out and spread “terrible rumors” about her.

After giving birth to Milo, she left public school and began taking online classes as she worked toward her degree.

“The first year of motherhood was definitely difficult for me,” she said. ‘I was fifteen. At fifteen you can’t even drive a car.’

However, her mother proudly pointed out that she was a hands-on mother from the start, saying that she “did everything for Milo.”

“You got up with him. You took care of him. You were a very independent mother,” she told her daughter.

‘I think being young mothers has connected us in a way, because we’re almost like sisters. We grew up together,” Alex said of her relationship with her mother.

At the age of 18, she graduated from high school and moved into her own home with Milo, who was three years old at the time.

“Having Milo at such a young age has definitely made me more driven because I wanted to provide him with a good life,” she said.

‘I’m a real estate agent. I would say I am successful. Am I where I want to be? Probably not. I think there is always room to grow.’

Alex didn’t talk about Milo’s father, but she noted that she struggles with people telling her to lower her standards because she has a child.

“If you’re a single mother, you should have higher standards,” she said. ‘Why lower your standards when you have children? That makes no sense.’

Alex posts videos about her life on social media to encourage other single mothers to build their dream lives, but it has also made her a target for online trolls.

‘II have received tens of thousands of hate comments that are quite cruel. Honestly, most of them are just calling me a whore,” she explained.

‘People will say, “How dare you promote teen pregnancy?” I would never. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, nor would I ever promote it. I’m convinced you should wait until you’re married.

“A lot of the more positive reactions are people just being proud of me for being a good mother, for giving Milo a good life,” she added. “I really thrive on that, and I don’t pay attention to the negative.”

Alex described having a seven-year-old son at her age as fun, noting that she has no regrets about how her life turned out.

“I feel like my life is much better with Milo than without it,” she said. ‘I couldn’t imagine it any other way. ‘

A woman traveling the world alone has shared the 'genius' lies she tells others in a bid to stay safe abroad – even going so far as to wear a fake wedding ring.

When Oregon's Rebecca Tribelhorn started jet-setting around the world on her own, she always knew her safety was a top priority — so the solo traveler decided to get creative.

The 32-year-old, who has visited more than 40 countries from Ireland to Mexico, has lied about her relationship status and her ability to speak English during her travels.

Now, after a decade of solo travel, the travel photographer has built quite a reputation for sharing her quirky tips and tricks online.

She urged other female travelers to always trust their instincts and lie often because others may think they are looking for romance.

“Always trust your instincts and tell lies when necessary,” Rebecca instructed.

'You are asked whether you almost always travel alone. Are [usually] innocent – ​​just people who are curious or want to know more about you.

She added: 'Despite this, I always recommend lying and saying you will meet a friend, family or partner later.'

Rebecca explained that some people often misinterpret women who travel alone as actively seeking a romantic partner.

'Some people really won't understand that you like to travel alone and/or just like to be alone, and will simply view your aloneness as an open invitation.

“I've found that saying you have a boyfriend/partner/husband is much more effective at encouraging someone to leave you alone,” she said.

The backpacker even told solo travelers to wear a fake wedding ring if it “helps sell the lie” so they would feel more secure – regardless of whether they are married or not.

One of Rebecca's most important safety tips abroad is to never reveal accommodation information.

She said this also helps reduce the risk of your valuables being stolen.

“For women especially, it's so important to have a place where you feel safe and secure,” Rebecca explains.

“Lie and say you were jetlagged when you arrived and you can't remember. You can even just pick a random direction, point and say 'that way.'

The 32-year-old also instructed others to never act confused or unfamiliar in an area as this puts you at risk of being taken advantage of.

Rebecca believes that if you act confidently, you reduce the chance of being targeted – but if help is needed, seek it at a local store or restaurant.

“I tell strangers that I've been somewhere before to sell a false idea of ​​trust and knowledge,” she revealed.

'When you travel there is a risk of being scammed, and people who want to take advantage of you want to know that you are not aware of their tricks.

'Even though it is just as 'innocent' as paying too much for a taxi ride.'

But what is the backpacker's most effective lie? Pretend she doesn't speak English.

“This lie is perfect to use when you don't want to deal with it,” the photographer added.

“It's versatile and it's just a quick and not overly rude way to get loose with minimal effort.”

Followers flocked to the comments on the Instagram video in which she shared numerous safety tips for traveling abroad, with many agreeing with telling a few white lies.

'Haha yes!! Travel lies are always acceptable,” one person commented.

A second joked: 'After watching Taken I need all these tips.'

“Haha yeah…sorry, don't speak English and just moving always works,” a third wrote

Another said: 'I hate lying unless I'm traveling alone hahaha.

“I even post my stories one or two stories after so no one knows where I am at the moment.”

The seasoned solo traveler then also gave some general advice on trotting the globe.

Advising her followers to 'start small', she added: 'Do a local weekend trip close to home where you can test your skills but still feel safe knowing you can go home if you need to.

'Then come up with bigger trips or join other solo travelers on a group trip.'

Rebecca believes that traveling is a great way to make friends and meet others who are just as passionate about travel.

“In my experience, most of the people you meet when you travel the world are good people.”

She continued, “These lies I recommend will help protect you from the perhaps 10% chance that something bad could happen.

'For me, it's worth protecting myself at the start, rather than regretting that I didn't take a few seconds to take a precaution that will ensure my journey is smooth and risk-free .'