Scientists discover cause of massive sea star die-off
A bacteria related to cholera has been found responsible for the deaths of more than 5 billion sea stars
What happened
Researchers said Monday that a bacteria related to cholera was responsible for the deaths of more than 5 billion sea stars off the Pacific Coast of North America since 2013. The discovery, reported in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, appears to solve a mystery that baffled marine biologists for more than a decade.
Who said what
Entire sea star colonies fell victim to the wasting disease, which starts with "writhing arms" falling off the starfish before skin lesions form and "internal organs ooze out from the inside," leaving "nothing more than a puddle of goo," The Washington Post said. "It’s really quite gruesome," said study co-author Alyssa Gehman, a marine disease ecologist at the Hakai Institute in British Columbia, to The Associated Press.
The disease devastated more than 20 species of sea stars, but the scientists focused their research on the worst-hit, the sunflower sea star, whose numbers have plummeted by more than 90%. They determined the culprit was the Vibrio pectenicida bacteria after four years of experiments. An earlier study had attributed the epidemic to a virus, one of "many false leads and twists and turns" in the quest to isolate the pathogen, the AP said.
What next?
"Now that scientists know the cause," the AP said, they have a "better shot" at successful intervention. The "ultimate goal," said the Post, is to "breed a galaxy of disease-resistant starfish and restore the ecosystems in which they live," primarily through the sea stars eating the kelp-destroying sea urchins that thrived in their absence.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Local elections 2026: where are they and who is expected to win?The Explainer Labour is braced for heavy losses and U-turn on postponing some council elections hasn’t helped the party’s prospects
-
6 of the world’s most accessible destinationsThe Week Recommends Experience all of Berlin, Singapore and Sydney
-
How the FCC’s ‘equal time’ rule worksIn the Spotlight The law is at the heart of the Colbert-CBS conflict
-
How roadkill is a surprising boon to scientific researchUnder the radar We can learn from animals without trapping and capturing them
-
NASA’s lunar rocket is surrounded by safety concernsThe Explainer The agency hopes to launch a new mission to the moon in the coming months
-
The world’s oldest rock art paints a picture of human migrationUnder the Radar The art is believed to be over 67,000 years old
-
Moon dust has earthly elements thanks to a magnetic bridgeUnder the radar The substances could help supply a lunar base
-
The ocean is getting more acidic — and harming sharks’ teethUnder the Radar ‘There is a corrosion effect on sharks’ teeth,’ the study’s author said
-
Cows can use tools, scientists reportSpeed Read The discovery builds on Jane Goodall’s research from the 1960s
-
The Iberian Peninsula is rotating clockwiseUnder the radar We won’t feel it in our lifetime
-
NASA discovered ‘resilient’ microbes in its cleanroomsUnder the radar The bacteria could contaminate space
