Mystery ‘golden orb’ from Gulf of Alaska finally identified by NOAA
A strange “golden orb” excavated from more than 3 kilometers beneath the Gulf of Alaska, once thought to be an alien egg or an unknown species, has finally been identified after a year-long scientific investigation.
Researchers from NOAA and the Smithsonian announced that the unusual object, first discovered in 2023 during a deep-sea expedition, is a remnant of a rarely seen giant deep-sea anemone called Relicanthus daphneae, specifically part of the organism that anchored it to the ocean floor.
The discovery was made using a remotely operated vehicle exploring around 3,250 meters (more than 2 miles) deep, where it encountered a strange golden structure attached to a rock.
The strange mound-shaped mass with a small opening stunned scientists, who admitted at the time they had no idea what they were looking at.
Schoolboy spots American Revolutionary warship on beach after storm uncovers 230-year-old wreck
A close-up image of the “golden orb” in the Smithsonian Institution laboratory. (NOAA Fisheries)
“Was it an egg crate?” A dead sponge? Did something slip in…or come out? » asked the scientists.
This unusual discovery quickly attracted public attention, fueling speculation online and within the scientific community. But determining his identity proved anything but simple.
This deep-sea anemone, Relicanthus daphneae, which was observed during a 2016 expedition aboard the NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer in the Mariana Islands region, is not the “golden orb,” but it is an anemone of the same species that left its mysterious golden base on the Alaskan seafloor. Note the similar base of the Mariana Islands anemone (the part attached to the rock). (NOAA Ocean Exploration, Marianas Deep Water Exploration)
Dr. Allen Collins, a zoologist and director of NOAA Fisheries, said scientists need to go beyond their routine processes and draw on the expertise of multiple people to solve the problem.
SHOCKING DISCOVERY IN FLORIDA WAREHOUSE LEAVES OFFICIALS SEARCHING FOR WHAT WAS WRONG
“This was a complex mystery that required morphological, genetic, deep-sea and bioinformatics expertise,” Collins said.
In 2023, during NOAA’s Seascape Alaska 5 expedition, scientists discovered the golden-colored life form attached to a rock outcropping at a depth of nearly two miles. (NOAA Ocean Exploration)
Scientists initially struggled because the object lacked recognizable animal features. But further analysis revealed that it was made of fibrous layers filled with stinging cells, suggesting a connection to cnidarians, the group that includes corals and anemones.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Captain William Mowitt, acting director of NOAA Ocean Exploration, said the “golden orb” was just one of many “captivating mysteries” hidden in the depths of the ocean.
“This is why we continue to explore: to unlock the secrets of the deep and better understand how the ocean and its resources can drive economic growth, strengthen our national security and preserve our planet,” Mowitt said.
