"Golden Egg" Found On Ocean Floor Baffles Researchers
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The ocean is full of mysteries. But few have grabbed the attention of the scientific community and the public as the recently-found "golden egg." Researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stumbled upon the shiny orb two miles (3.2 km) deep in the Gulf of Alaska on August 20, 2023.
The scientists were exploring the area's marine habitats with a robotic diving vehicle when they spotted the dome-shaped object. Measuring about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter, it lay on a rock amid some white sea sponges. A small hole in its base led the researchers to wonder if it was an egg case or a dead sponge attachment.
Curious to find out, the team grabbed the "golden egg" using the robotic vehicle's suction tube. A closer examination helped confirm that the object is biological in origin. However, the scientists are not sure if the specimen belongs to a new species or one that has already been discovered. They hope to determine that with a laboratory analysis once the expedition ends.
"We likely won't learn more until we are able to get it into a laboratory setting, where we can continue to pull from the collective expertise of the scientific community with more sophisticated tools than we are able to maintain on the ship," says expedition coordinator Sam Candio.
He adds, "While somewhat humbling to be stumped by this finding, it serves as a reminder of how little we know about our own planet and how much is left to learn and appreciate about our ocean."
Resources: oceanexpolorer.noaa.gov, CBSnews.com, allthatsinteresting.com
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94 Comments
corgigrlabout 23 hoursThat's so cool!
mora25471 dayThat's amazing tbh.
tiger1299451 dayamazing
sidacucesalo5 daysyou see how its soft? that means that it was recently hatched. its somewhere nearby.- elitemc275 daysIf I had explored, I for sure would have just passed by this specimen because it looks so similar to SOGGY CARDBOARD
kady42 daysIt is not soggy cardboard because it is golden and this article says A closer examination helped confirm that the object is biological in origin. However, the scientists are not sure if the specimen belongs to a new species or one that has already been discovered.
shavans0005 daysIt is so werid
granbgre0005 daysAhhhhhhhhh this CRAZY
2490295 daysIt looks like wet paper for some reason- smoschopoul6 daysThis is so cool! I swear though, this thing will either be a great scientific discovery that will change the world or it will cause the next pandemic.
torifox6 daysThe goose from the fairytales strikes again!