Sargassum superblooms are choking coastlines around the Atlantic
Science Friday

Sargassum superblooms are choking coastlines around the Atlantic

B2Upper-intermediateOctober 14, 202612 min
  • Science

An unwelcome visitor is arriving on beaches from West Africa to the Caribbean, and Brazil to Florida. It’s brown, it’s stinky, and it’s more abundant than ever: sargassum. This free-floating seaweed has become a major problem for coastal ecosystems, communities, tourism, and infrastructure. So what is fueling the sargassum superbloom? And is there anything to do about it? Flora chats with satellite oceanographer Brian Barnes about sargassum biology, why the blooms are so hard to deal with, and what we could do about it. Guest: Dr. Brian Barnes is an oceanog...

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So what is fueling the Sargassum Superbloom, and is there anything to do about it?

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who studies Sargassum.

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0:00

Hey, it's Flora and you're listening to Science Friday. An unwelcome visitor is arriving on beaches from West Africa to the Caribbean, Brazil to Florida. I will give you a hint.

0:15

It's brown, it's stinky, and it's more abundant than ever. Sargassum, a type of free-floating seaweed. It's become a major problem for coastal ecosystems, communities, tourism, and infrastructure. So what is fueling the Sargassum Superbloom, and is there anything to do about it?

0:35

Joining me now is Dr. Brian Barnes, satellite oceanographer at the University of South Florida who studies Sargassum. Brian, welcome to Science Friday. Thanks so much for having me, Flora.

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