On a routine ocean exploration off the coast of Alaska, scientists stumbled upon an unexpected and puzzling discovery: a mysterious golden orb lying 3,300 meters (2 miles) beneath the ocean surface. The orb, found by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) from NOAA Ocean Exploration, was attached to a rock and surrounded by white sponges. Its appearance and texture immediately raised questions about its origin, sparking both curiosity and suspense among the team members involved in the expedition.
The Discovery: A Golden Mystery in the Depths
The orb was discovered during a 2023 expedition using NOAA’s Ocean Exploration’s remotely operated underwater vehicle. Located deep beneath the waters off Alaska’s coast, where sunlight never reaches, the orb was found tightly attached to a rock covered in white sponges. Measuring approximately 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter, it stood out starkly against the surrounding dark and cold ocean depths.
At first, the team was baffled by the object, unable to determine what it could be. The researchers offered various theories during the livestream of the dive. The most popular guesses included it being an egg casing from an unknown species, a dead sponge, or possibly a form of coral. The researchers continued to observe the object in real-time, hoping to uncover more clues about its nature.
“I don’t know what to make of that,” said one of the researchers during the livestream. As the team examined the orb further, another researcher commented, “It’s definitely got a big old hole in it, so something either tried to get in or tried to get out.”
The Suspense: Poking the Orb
The shape and features of the orb were intriguing, but it was the hole on one side of the object that really caught the team’s attention. This mysterious hole led to even more speculation about what could have occurred inside the orb. Was something once trapped inside? Or perhaps something had emerged from it?
“I just hope when we poke it, something doesn’t decide to come out,” one researcher said, half-joking, half-concerned. “It’s like the beginning of a horror movie.” The comments revealed just how unsettling the object appeared in the unfamiliar and alien environment of the ocean depths. Despite the humorous remarks, the sense of unease underscored the team’s growing anticipation of what might happen next.
With the orb showing no immediate signs of action, the team carefully proceeded to collect it using a suction sampler. The decision to collect the object was made cautiously, as the team continued to be uncertain of what they might encounter. The researchers were also aware that they were venturing into a realm of the ocean that remains largely unexplored, where new species and phenomena are waiting to be discovered.
Theories and Speculations: Could It Be an Egg?
After the orb was collected, the research team had time to reflect on the possibility that the object might be an egg, as many researchers initially speculated. However, the size and appearance of the orb were unusual. It was much larger than the typical fish eggs observed in the ocean, which led some experts to suggest it could belong to a larger creature, possibly a squid or a species previously unknown to science.
Deep-sea ecologist Kerry Howell from the University of Plymouth commented on the peculiar nature of the orb. “We’re going with egg because of the texture. It felt fleshy and it doesn’t have any obvious anatomy. It has a hole in it that suggests something has come in or gone out. But it doesn’t look like any egg I’ve ever seen,” Howell said in an interview with The Guardian.
While it’s clear that the orb has some of the characteristics of an egg casing, the size and solitary nature of the object are what make it particularly interesting. Normally, eggs from oviparous animals (those that lay eggs) are found in clusters, but this lone orb challenges that expectation. This anomaly alone makes the orb a fascinating subject for future study, and scientists are eager to identify whether it represents a new species or simply an unexplored way of reproduction for known marine creatures.
The Next Steps: Analyzing the Golden Orb
With the orb safely collected, the research team plans to conduct further analysis to understand its composition and origins. The orb’s texture was described as somewhat soft, which indicates that it may not be as rigid or hardened as most egg casings found in the ocean. Scientists are hopeful that through detailed laboratory examination, they will be able to determine the precise biological origin of the orb.
In particular, further analysis will focus on the chemical properties of the orb and whether it contains any genetic material that could help identify its source. The discovery has already sparked excitement within the scientific community, as it hints at the possibility of a species not yet cataloged by marine biologists.
As Sam Candio, the exploration coordinator for NOAA Ocean Exploration, noted, “Isn’t the deep sea so delightfully strange? While we were able to collect the ‘golden orb’ and bring it onto the ship, we still are not able to identify it beyond the fact that it is biological in origin.”
The orb’s mystery adds to the long list of uncharted wonders that continue to emerge from the depths of our oceans. As technology advances, more questions arise about the life forms that thrive under such extreme conditions. The ocean is a realm full of secrets, and this orb may be just one of many surprises that await us beneath the surface.
So of course, they had to kill it.