A couple weeks ago our Animalia newsletter (subscribe here if you have not yet) we surfaced a story about the devastating 2013 sea star wasting disease that killed upwards of 90%+ of some sea star species up and down the Pacific Coast of North America, how this sea star collapse has led to severe declines in critical kelp forests, and how scientists are battling to successfully breed sea stars in captivity for the first time to restore them into the wild.  

Well.....we tracked down the scientist leading that work, and he's joining us today on the pod! 
Jason Hodin is his name, a metamorphosis scientist at the University of Washington.  So what is a metamorphosis scientist doing saving sea stars?  Find out in this episode and much more about the incredible sea stars and their vital role in marine ecosystems.
And please go support the work of Jason and his team with a donation of any size to their Stars of the Sea Fundraiser that is providing the resources for this Herculean effort.

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Please join us on October 16th for a very special, live retirement party for the world's most famous rat, Magawa, who has saved many lives in Africa! That's right, a retirement party for a rat!  Need we say more?  Details and tickets are here.