CATCH OF THE WEEK What a week for monster catches! We kick things off in Virginia Beach, where 23-year-old angler Mike Rogerson reeled in a bluefin tuna that tipped the scales at a whopping 835.8 pounds! This beast of a fish, caught aboard the charter boat High Hopes, is set to shatter the state record by more than 130 pounds. The 90-minute battle with the 108-inch tuna was described as "something off of National Geographic." Congratulations, Mike, on a catch of a lifetime!
DEEP SEA MYSTERIES The ocean depths revealed some of their secrets this week, starting with a rare sighting of the elusive king-of-the-salmon in Monterey Bay, California. This ribbon-like fish, normally found at depths of 900 meters, was spotted by a diver just 15 feet below the surface. Its name comes from the belief of the Makah people that it leads salmon to their spawning grounds. What a majestic and mysterious creature! 
WRECK & RELIC History buffs, rejoice! Maritime archaeologists have unearthed the largest medieval cargo ship ever found. The 600-year-old vessel, a cog named Svaelget 2, was discovered in the strait between Denmark and Sweden. Measuring 92 feet long, this remarkably preserved shipwreck offers a unique glimpse into medieval trade and life at sea. Among the artifacts found were shoes, combs, and even the remains of the ship's brick galley. 
SCIENCE CORNER Our weekly science update brings some sobering news and incredible innovation. A new report confirms that the world's oceans absorbed a record amount of heat in 2025, continuing a nine-year trend and fueling concerns about sea-level rise and extreme weather. On a more hopeful note, scientists in Hawaii are training marine fungi to eat ocean plastics, a potential breakthrough in the fight against pollution. 
*Sources: The Virginian-Pilot, Izvestia, Smithsonian Magazine, IFLScience, ScienceDaily, and others.*
