For 12 years, researchers in Washington and British Columbia have been tracking down a mystery. 

Along the Pacific coast, sea stars were dissolving into goo. This phenomenon was given a name: sea star wasting disease and it killed billions of these marine creatures. 

For more than a decade, scientists studied the wasting disease but couldn’t figure out why it was happening. 

A new paper published this week in Nature Ecology and Evolution details a likely culprit. 

Guest: 

John Ryan, KUOW environment reporter

Relevant Links:

KUOW: Scientists crack the case of the melting sea stars. It only took a decade

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

For 12 years, researchers in Washington and British Columbia have been tracking down a mystery.&nbsp;
Along the Pacific coast, sea stars were dissolving into goo. This phenomenon was given a name: sea star wasting disease and it killed billions of these marine creatures.&nbsp;
For more than a decade, scientists studied the wasting disease but couldn&rsquo;t figure out why it was happening.&nbsp;
A new paper published this week in Nature Ecology and Evolution details a likely culprit.&nbsp;
Guest: 
John Ryan, KUOW environment reporter
Relevant Links:
KUOW: <a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/scientists-crack-the-case-of-the-melting-sea-stars-it-only-took-a-decade">Scientists crack the case of the melting sea stars. It only took a decade</a>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

For more than a decade, scientists studied the wasting disease but couldn’t figure out why it was happening.  A new paper in Nature Ecology and Evolution details the likely culprit. 

Advertisement