An astonishing find beneath Alaska's deep sea
There’s still so much we don’t know about the depths of our oceans—and a recent discovery by scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) proves just that.
During a deep-sea expedition off the coast of Alaska, NOAA's remotely operated underwater vehicle came across something truly bizarre: a mysterious golden sphere with a hole on one side, nestled against rocks 3,300 meters below the ocean’s surface—a place where sunlight and heat can’t reach.
“I don’t even know what to make of this,” one researcher remarked during a live stream of the discovery.
The strange orb appeared to be firmly attached to the ocean floor, and its unusual structure immediately sparked a flurry of speculation among the team.
“There’s a large hole in it. Something either went in or came out,” said another member of the mission.
“I just hope that when we examine it, nothing decides to crawl out—like the start of a horror movie,” joked one of the scientists, alluding to the eerie possibility that the team may have inadvertently discovered eggs from an unknown—and potentially dangerous—species, according to ScienceAlert.
“We Still Don’t Know What It Is”
Even now, the true nature of the object remains a mystery. Researchers have suggested it could be a previously unknown species of deep-sea sponge or coral.
“We want to study its structure. It appeared fleshy, with no clear anatomical features. There’s a hole that suggests something either entered or exited—but it doesn’t resemble any egg I’ve seen before,” said marine ecologist Kerry Howell from the University of Plymouth, speaking to The Guardian.
What they do know is that it’s not a fish egg—it’s far too large for that. But it is clearly of biological origin, and its soft, pliable texture further deepens the mystery.
Another curious detail? It wasn’t found in a cluster, as most marine animals tend to lay their eggs in groups. If it is an egg, its isolation is already fascinating—and unusual enough to raise new questions about what else might be lurking in the uncharted abyss of Earth’s oceans.
This discovery highlights how much of our planet’s underwater world remains unexplored—and hints that the deep sea may still be hiding secrets we've only just begun to uncover.
