This is an example of how science outreach can be improved through positive interactions on Twitter. While it's certainly no fun to realize that you've made an error, this kind of informal peer review can prevent misinformation and improve the overall product.

Storified by Miriam Goldstein · Thu, Feb 16 2012 18:18:03

Na Bula’: Fiji’s Crown of Thorns

Author: John Bruno on February 2, 2012

Wonderful video starring @labroides on the crown of thorns starfish & Fijian traditional ecological knowledge http://bit.ly/xcTYCO #DeepSN

— Miriam Goldstein · Thu, Feb 02 2012 12:26:15

Their name means 'living' or 'alive': Na Bula': Fiji's Crown of Thorns http://tinyurl.com/7dog33a @labroides via @seamonsterblog

— Helen Scales · Thu, Feb 02 2012 12:37:24

@MiriamGoldste @labroides wow. serious wrongness in that video. Cutting in half caused the outbreak?? seriously?

— Christopher Mah · Thu, Feb 02 2012 12:44:56

@MiriamGoldste @labroides try this: http://ocean.si.edu/blog/plague-sea-stars

— Christopher Mah · Thu, Feb 02 2012 12:46:10

A Plague of Sea Stars | The Ocean Portal | Smithsonian Institution

Sea stars are important members of marine ecosystems, especially in the tropics. We may think of tropical coral reefs as being home mainl...

@echinoblog I hadn't seen that report before. So you're saying there's no validity to the cutting in half? I don't want to propagate misinfo

— Joshua Drew · Thu, Feb 02 2012 12:48:11

@labroides Been following the Crown of Thorns issue for a decade. I've NEVER heard regeneration offered as an explanation for outbreaks.

— Christopher Mah · Thu, Feb 02 2012 13:19:11

RT @echinoblog: @MiriamGoldste @labroides Wrote you guys up a little something for this http://www.echinoblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/helping-my-friends-at-field-museum.html

— Miriam Goldstein · Thu, Feb 02 2012 13:22:45

The Echinoblog: Helping my friends at the Field Museum: Crown of Thorns Starfish Outbreaks-not so simple..

So, I had recent cause to have seen this very nice video about the Crown-of-Thorns video ( Acanthaster planci ). Which touches on some ne...

Yeah, so this Crown of thorns ain't regenerating from this... http://youtu.be/M-ZYpTB8-7w via @youtube

— Christopher Mah · Fri, Feb 03 2012 10:41:05

Is regeneration key to crown-of-thorns seastar 'plague'? MT @echinoblog: @MiriamGoldste @labroides http://is.gd/UxB3EV #DeepSN

— Kevin Zelnio · Thu, Feb 02 2012 13:23:54

@kzelnio @echinoblog @MiriamGoldste turns out, probably not! #DeepSN

— Joshua Drew · Thu, Feb 02 2012 13:27:41

@echinoblog @MiriamGoldste Thanks for the good info, we're working to correct the video so that people get the correct facts!

— Joshua Drew · Thu, Feb 02 2012 13:29:49

Science is an iterative process and when new data come out, we need to jettison old hypotheses. #NoRoomForEgos

— Joshua Drew · Thu, Feb 02 2012 13:30:44

This purpose of this session, moderated by two scientists with a lot of media experience, was to try to help journalists develop good relationships with scientists.

Storified by Miriam Goldstein · Tue, Jan 24 2012 20:14:47

ScienceOnline2012 planning wiki - D1S2c. Science Training for Journalists

Why Scientists Hate and Fear the Media; or, Science training for journalists. (discussion) - Miriam Goldstein (@MiriamGoldste) and Craig ...

@miriamgoldste & @drcraigmc moderating science training for journalists #scio12 · #scio12

Intro to "Sci training for journos" session: "Scientists are assholes. Journalists are assholes. Let's move on." - @drcraigmc Heh. #scio12

— Ed Yong · Thu, Jan 19 2012 10:37:27

I don't think most journalists realize what a huge conflict there is btwn scientists over public communication. #scio12

— Maggie Koerth-Baker · Thu, Jan 19 2012 11:14:43

Scientists, has talking to a journalist ever resulted in harm to your career? How? #scio12

— Karen James · Thu, Jan 19 2012 11:19:16

The relationship between scientists and journalists #scio12, - risks for researchers (e.g. misquotes, promo/tenure and accuracy) vs benefits

— PLoS · Thu, Jan 19 2012 11:18:45

Concrete downside for scis talking to journos: Getting branded as the dept's "media tart." Wow. I didn't know that happened. #scio12

— Lisa Grossman · Thu, Jan 19 2012 11:12:15

And it's worse if you're young & female. MT @ACSpressroom #scio12 Researchers face criticism among peers if they are the media darling…

— Karen James · Thu, Jan 19 2012 11:15:17

I'm shocked by how resistant/scared scientists are about talking to journalists. #scio12

— Mireya Mayor, Ph.D. · Thu, Jan 19 2012 11:31:13

Journos often forget that scientists *don't have to talk to us*. For academics, potential downside >> upside #scio12

— Lisa Grossman · Thu, Jan 19 2012 11:07:36

@maggiekb1 Scientists should remember upside in talking to press: More citations. here's a study: http://t.co/YFSSkRRc #scio12

— Eric Wolff · Thu, Jan 19 2012 11:26:36

Twimg

Packed house in @MiriamGoldste and @DrCraigMc's session on science training for journalists at #scio12: http://t.co/jAZq3vNb

— Karen James · Thu, Jan 19 2012 10:58:02

"Don't just read the press release" does not mean "don't read the press release" #Scio12

— David Shiffman · Thu, Jan 19 2012 10:48:37

Press releases really helpful for finding the right keywords for research, learning about the existence of studies. Not much else. #scio12

— Maggie Koerth-Baker · Thu, Jan 19 2012 10:50:19

Me on press releases: I treat them as deep background. Like Wikipedia. Can be useful. But should only be your jumping off point. #scio12

— Maggie Koerth-Baker · Thu, Jan 19 2012 10:49:45

#scio12 Scientists often have little or no control over the press release.

— David Shiffman · Thu, Jan 19 2012 10:49:09