Why Beaches Are Swamped With Sargassum, the Stinky Seaweed Menace
A worker removes sargassum from the shore of Playa del Carmen Beach in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, on June 18, 2025. Large quantities of planktonic macroalgae known as sargassum are clogging Mexico’s beaches and causing significant economic losses to tourism companies, both in terms of cleanup costs and canceled reservations. (Photo by Elizabeth Ruiz / AFP) (Photo by ELIZABETH RUIZ/AFP via Getty Images)
