Thousands of starfish die from mystery plague, leaving scientists dumbstruck

Scientists are struggling in a race against time to find what’s causing a disease that’s been killing thousands of starfish since last year – resulting in gruesome deaths that physically tear and melt their bodies apart.

Starfish – or more accurately sea stars – are being obliterated on both sides of the North American coast by an unexplained disease that causes white lesions to appear before the animal’s body sags and ruptures and it spills out its internal organs. In some cases, the starfish's arms rip themselves from the rest of the body. In the end, the starfish 'melts' into a slimy gooey substance.