Take Home Message: Crown of thorns starfish are ravenous predators of coral, and their population outbursts threaten coral reefs worldwide. Thankfully, researchers at two Australian universities have devised a clever action plan to address the problem. Using an automated starfish killing robot, scientists hope to control starfish outbreaks by injecting the invertebrates with vinegar, dissolving them from the inside out. Starfish outbreaks are caused by poor water quality, which is a problem for many ecosystems, not just reefs. Help protect your local water quality by reducing runoff from your yard, using less fertilizer and pesticides, and by buying organic.