"Florida's Sargassum Seaweed Problem Shrinks, Bringing Relief"

The giant blob of sargassum seaweed that has been washing up on Florida beaches and emitting a foul odor has unexpectedly shrunk beyond expectations, according to researchers from the University of South Florida. The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, which extends from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico, has decreased in size, with a total weight of about 9 million metric tons. The amount of sargassum in the Gulf of Mexico has decreased by 75%, and there is now very little seaweed found in the Straits of Florida and along the state's East Coast. The seaweed is predicted to continue decreasing in the Gulf and the Caribbean Sea, providing relief to residents in those areas.