"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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125 Comments
gracefarrellalmost 2 yearsI think it is some sort of fish egg
orcarainbowalmost 2 yearsit's like play dough, so I think it must be dried up mud
fr-its-kadyalmost 2 yearsHow could there be dried up mud in water???
kitcatsalmost 2 yearsplus its biological
cisasivejacualmost 2 yearsso we all in 5th grade and our teachers making us do current event padlets?- ad4iankalmost 2 years6th grade and doing current eventss
iloverolboxsomualmost 2 yearsno i am in 4th and i use dogo- iloverolboxsomualmost 2 yearsi am in 4th grade and i do current events padlets
- shivermetimbersalmost 2 yearslol bro im in 6th and i still need to do this stuff
anon_143almost 2 yearsi think its an egg shell of some sort.
ella77almost 2 yearsI wonder what it is.
emocriticalmost 2 yearsLooks like a wet peice of cardboard. LOL
oreocookie64almost 2 yearsit does though lol
- kitcatsalmost 2 yearsThats Cool
swiftie_13almost 2 yearslooks like a kelp ball- wefasune-169178658214almost 2 yearsWooooow
- genofipa-169178658254almost 2 yearsthis is cool