Atlantic seaweed blooms may be predictable, opening path to carbon removal and biofuels

Across the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and West African coasts, massive arrivals of Sargassum seaweed have become an annual crisis. Thick mats of algae blanket beaches, disrupt fisheries, damage tourism and release harmful gases as they decay, with cleanup costs reaching hundreds of millions of dollars each year. What began as an unexpected environmental phenomenon has grown into a persistent socioeconomic challenge affecting multiple regions on both sides of the Atlantic.