A 'Golden Orb' on the Ocean Floor Came From a Mysterious Animal
Key takeaways
- A recent study, which is still awaiting peer review, rules out the extraterrestrial origin social media users suggested at the time.
- This species can reach 30 centimeters in diameter and live between 1,600 and 4,000 meters deep.
- Relicanthus daphneae moves across the ocean floor.
Why this matters: a development in AI with implications for how people work, create, and decide.
A golden orb found on the ocean floor.Courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Three years ago, during an expedition at the bottom of the Gulf of Alaska, a submarine detected a golden orb that contrasted with surrounding rocks. Its smooth, organic surface did not resemble that of any known animal; the team immediately retrieved it for study. Now, at last, we know what it was.
A recent study, which is still awaiting peer review, rules out the extraterrestrial origin social media users suggested at the time. The researchers conclude that the mysterious orb is in fact the organic remains of Relicanthus daphneae, a giant and rare anemone that inhabits the deep sea.
This species can reach 30 centimeters in diameter and live between 1,600 and 4,000 meters deep. Its biology baffles specialists because it does not quite fit the rules that define anemones and corals. Since its discovery, scientists have struggled to classify it, and its evolutionary origin remains uncertain.