Mysterious giant 'ribbon' stretches from Atlantic Ocean to Gulf of Mexico; here’s everything you need to know

For over 15 years, a massive stretch of brown algae called the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB) has been growing in the Atlantic Ocean. It now stretches across 8,850 km, almost twice the width of North America. Once limited to the Sargasso Sea, this huge floating mat of seaweed is now spreading rapidly reportedly due to pollution and warming oceans. While it supports marine life, its uncontrolled growth is damaging coral reefs, releasing harmful gases, and harming coastal economies.

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