Florida experiences many types of harmful algal blooms, some of them annually. Several species of algae, like sargassum, aren’t toxic, but can cause economic and environmental stress when they pile up on beaches and clog up coastlines. Others, like red tide and blue-green algae, release neurotoxins, causing massive wildlife kills and affecting beachgoers.

While residents demand answers from their local and state officials, scientists are studying what causes the blooms in the first place and what needs to be done to stop them. Experts are also uncovering alarming evidence that some of these harmful algal blooms have serious impacts on human health, making their research more critical than ever.

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