Seaweed is piling up on beaches. This robot might be its match

A new robot is designed to sink sargassum before the stinky seaweed comes ashore. Blooms of sargassum, a leafy brown seaweed, have increased in size and number over the past decade. As the blooms have grown, so too has their impact on coastal communities. The stinky seaweed can wreck local economies and ecosystems — and even threaten human health, some research suggests. But the creators of the AlgaRay say that their robot might do more than halt this damage. It could also fight climate change.

This week NPR is doing something new — dedicating an entire week to stories and conversations about the search for climate solutions. Head to npr.org/climateweek for more stories of solutions.

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