A strange “golden orb” pulled from more than 2 miles beneath the Gulf of Alaska, once rumored to be everything from an alien egg to an unknown species, has finally been identified after a yearslong scientific investigation.
Researchers with NOAA and the Smithsonian announced the unusual object, first discovered in 2023 during a deep-sea expedition, is a remnant from 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 about 3,250 meters (over 2 miles) deep, where it encountered an odd golden structure attached to a rock.
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