Read the full story in August issue of Alaska Beyond magazine.

Seattle area resident Laura James spends many hours each year piloting an underwater exploration robot beneath Puget Sound waves to count sea stars, many of which are experiencing “sea-star wasting syndrome.” The syndrome, which has caused extensive die-offs from Alaska to Mexico, may start with a deflated appearance, unnatural twisting and lesions and rapidly progress to loss of arms, softening of tissue and death.