Offshore oil drilling has a long history in California, but is highly unpopular today. The latest major spill is likely to fuel efforts to wind down oil and gas production statewide.

Huge blooms of brown seaweed have fouled Florida and Caribbean beaches almost every year over the past decade. They originate in Africa and South America. and are fueled by human activities.

In principle, some portion of the shoreline is public land along virtually all US coasts. But these can sometimes overlap with private property interests, creating confusion and conflict.

As part of the nation's massive wartime mobilization effort, millions of Americans, for the first time, traveled abroad – where many had their first encounters with the marine predators.