Starfish Embryos Swim in Surprisingly Organized Formation – Like a “Living Crystal”

A starfish embryo, in its earliest stages, before it sprouts its distinctive tentacles, looks like a small bead and spins in the water like a miniature ball bearing. Now, MIT researchers have discovered that when multiple starfish embryos spin up to the water’s surface, they naturally gravitate together and spontaneously assemble into a surprisingly organized, crystal-like structure.