Mysterious ‘golden orb’ – speculated to be extraterrestrial egg – is identified

• Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have identified a mysterious "golden orb" discovered two miles deep in the Gulf of Alaska in 2023.
• Initially speculated to be an extraterrestrial egg or sponge, the orb has been confirmed as the base of a giant, deep-sea anemone, specifically Relicanthus daphneae.
• The gold-coloured base, usually hidden, was found by the remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer and collected for extensive laboratory examination.
• Identification proved complex, requiring physical structure analysis and advanced DNA sequencing at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, as initial genetic tests were inconclusive.
• Whole-genome sequencing ultimately confirmed the orb's animal DNA matched a known Relicanthus daphneae reference genome, finally solving the deep-sea mystery.

IN FULL

Scientists found a mysterious ‘golden orb’ two miles beneath the surface of the ocean. Now they’ve worked out what it is