Bright purple Janthina shells are turning up on La Jolla’s beaches for the first time in nearly a decade, and locals are buzzing about what it means. These tiny sea snails, famous for their vibrant color and floating ‘bubble rafts,’ usually stick to warmer, tropical waters. Their sudden appearance here is likely tied to a patch of unusually warm water drifting toward our coast—a pattern last seen during the big El Niño event in 2015. Some folks are excited, others a bit concerned: Is this a sign of changing ocean conditions? Anyone else spotted these rare shells lately? #Science #LaJolla #OceanLife