Golden Orb Identified as Deep-Sea Anemone Base

Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Smithsonian Institution have identified a mysterious golden orb discovered in the deep waters of the Gulf of Alaska in 2023 as the abandoned base of a rare giant sea anemone. The four-inch-wide, dome-shaped object, retrieved from a depth of more than 3,250 meters during an expedition aboard the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, puzzled researchers and sparked widespread speculation about its origins for over two years.

The orb was spotted in August 2023 by the remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer while exploring a seamount on the ocean floor. Attached to a rock amid sponges, it featured a golden hue, a mound-like structure and a small opening near its base. Expedition members, observing via video feed from the surface, expressed immediate uncertainty. One remarked at the time, "I just hope when we poke it, something doesn't decide to come out. It's like the beginning of a horror movie."

A robotic suction arm collected the specimen, which was then transported to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History for analysis. Initial examinations revealed no typical animal anatomy, only fibrous layers...