US EditionScientists Finally Solve Mystery of Strange “Golden Orb” Found 2 Miles Deep
Researchers used full genome sequencing to identify the orb as a cuticle from Relicanthus daphneae after standard DNA tests failed.
- Researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have identified the 'golden orb' discovered in 2023 at 3,250 meters below the Gulf of Alaska as a discarded cuticle from a giant deep-sea anemone called Relicanthus daphneae.
- When the remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer first spotted the smooth, golden object stuck to a rock in 2023, the strange mass lacked identifiable anatomy, leaving marine biologists stumped for years.
- Routine testing initially failed, but Allen Collins, director of the National Systematics Laboratory, confirmed whole-genome sequencing matched the orb's mitochondrial DNA to Relicanthus daphneae, revealing it as dead tissue from the anemone's base.
- Relicanthus daphneae secretes this tough, chitinous cuticle to anchor itself to the seafloor, then detaches and relocates, abandoning the orb-like remains behind on the ocean floor.
- CAPT William Mowitt, acting director of NOAA Ocean Exploration, stated this finding demonstrates the value of deep-sea exploration in unlocking secrets that help us understand the ocean and strengthen national security.
12 Articles
12 Articles
'It was right in front of us the whole time': scientists identify mysterious 'golden orb' discovered off Alaska's coast
A close up image of the “golden orb” in the lab of the Smithsonian Institution. (Image credit: NOAA Fisheries) Remember that mysterious “golden orb” government scientists found at the bottom of the Gulf of Alaska in 2023? Was it an egg? A sponge? Remnants of a space alien? Scientists were baffled. Two-and-a-half years later, they say they’ve figured it out. So picture this. Some scientists aboard the research vessel called the Okeanos Explorer …
Explorers sent a robot three kilometers deep beneath the surface of the ocean, near Alaska, to search for strange creatures, and unexpectedly found gold. To be more concrete, they found a golden, smooth and shiny mass, with a disconcerting hole, which was stuck to a rock from the seabed. Was it a coral? A sea sponge? An alien? No, the explorers concluded. After more than two years of research, the United States National Office of Oceanic and Atm…
'Golden egg' mystery discovered at the bottom of the sea solved
A two-and-a-half-year-old mystery of a ‘golden orb’ has been solved (Picture: NOAA) An enigmatic golden orb sparked alien fears after being found by explorers during an expedition in the Gulf of Alaska but its origins have now been solved, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have said. Almost three years after remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer found the strange entity – measuring a little over four inches (10cm) – sc…
Scientists finally solve mystery of strange “golden orb” found 2 miles deep
A mysterious “golden orb” found more than two miles deep in the Gulf of Alaska left scientists baffled for over two years, sparking wild speculation about its origins. After an intensive investigation combining deep-sea expertise, microscopic analysis, and advanced DNA sequencing, researchers finally cracked the case. The strange object turned out not to be an egg, sponge, or anything alien, but the remains of tissue from a giant deep-sea anemon…
At the end of August 2023, a mysterious golden bullet was discovered in the deep sea in the Gulf of Alaska. Researchers were now able to reveal the secret.
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