Scientists identify mysterious ‘golden orb’ discovered off Alaska’s coast

Key Points:

• In 2023, scientists aboard the NOAA research vessel Okeanos Explorer discovered a mysterious golden orb two miles deep in the Gulf of Alaska, sparking speculation about its nature, including theories of it being an egg or alien remnant.
• After two-and-a-half years of extensive research involving morphological, genetic, and bioinformatics analysis, scientists identified the golden orb as the base of a giant sea anemone species called Relicanthus daphneae.
• Relicanthus daphneae features a deep-colored trunk about a foot wide and tentacles up to six-and-a-half feet long, with the golden base often visible at the bottom or side of these anemones, which have been spotted in various deep-sea locations worldwide.
• The discovery has raised new scientific questions about the species' biology, such as the function of the golden base in reproduction or attachment, and a research paper on the finding has been submitted for peer review.
• Dr. Allen Collins and his team are continuing to study deep-sea species, including newly found carnivorous sponge and jellyfish species in Alaska waters, aiming to expand knowledge of deep-sea biodiversity.