If you've gone snorkeling or visited the touch tank at your local aquarium, you've likely seen a sea urchin. The black, spiny creatures play a critical role to the health of coral reefs. In 2022, there was a mass mortality event, killing nearly every urchin in impacted areas along the U.S. Virgin Islands and stretched for thousands of miles between the Caribbean and the east coast of Florida. When that happened, scientists began the search for why. Sea urchins would lose their spines, then in a matter of days, they'd die. MORE: https://bit.ly/3Ahi1RT ►Subscribe: https://on.wtsp.com/youtube ►Website: https://www.wtsp.com/ ►Facebook: https://facebook.com/10TampaBay ►Twitter: https://twitter.com/10TampaBay