Heat Stress Is Hitting Caribbean Reefs Earlier Than Ever This Year NYT: Science By: Catrin Einhorn 16 May 2024 at 16:27 Scientists in the United States are reporting βunprecedented patternsβ of surface warming, an ominous sign for coral. Β© Jorge Silva/ReutersBleached corals off Brazil this week. The world is currently experiencing a global coral bleaching event, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.