Experts are Puzzled After Finding a Mysterious Golden Egg Deep in the Ocean Off Alaska

Finding a mysterious golden egg deep in the ocean sounds like something out of a fantasy or science fiction novel or film. Although it sounds like something out of a movie, researchers did discover a mysterious golden egg about 2 miles deep in the ocean off of the coast of Alaska. It is about 4 inches in diameter. Researchers discovered this golden mystery tightly adhered to a rock.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the egg-like shiny object is delicate to the touch. The egg also has a hole, which indicates something may have come out of it or tried to go in. Although no one is 100% sure what this mysterious object is, researchers are leaning towards an egg case, however, it’s not like any ever discovered.

The egg was recorded on a live video feed during the Seascape Alaska 5: Gulf of Alaska Remotely Operated Vehicle Exploration and Mapping expedition. Scientists were so interested in this object that it was suctioned and brought back to land for DNA testing.

What is the Seascape Alaska 5: Gulf of Alaska Remotely Operated Vehicle Exploration and Mapping Expedition?

The Seascape Alaska 5 is an exciting expedition running from August 23 to September 16, 2023. The expedition began in Kodiak, Alaska, and will end in Seward, Alaska. During this expedition, NOAA Ocean Exploration and partners focused on mapping 820 feet of the ocean floor by diving deeper than 656 feet. You can see live streams of the epic dives each day from about 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET.

What Animals Live at the Bottom of the Ocean?

This mysterious golden egg isn’t the only strange animal or specimen on the ocean floor. Many animals and plants live at the bottom of the ocean, many of which we’ve yet to discover. 

One animal that lives at the bottom of the ocean is the goblin shark. Goblin sharks are rare deep-sea sharks we no little to nothing about. These living fossils are very old and about 10 to 13 feet tall. They live in depths of about 300 feet, although some experts believe goblin sharks can dive as far as 1,300 meters (4,270 feet).

Apart from goblin sharks, frilled sharks also live at the bottom of the ocean floor. These deep-sea sharks are listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. They have eel-like features. Like the goblin shark they, are living fossils. Frilled sharks are dark brown and about 6.6 feet long. Experts know very little about these sharks. They are rarely seen by humans. The first recording of a frilled shark was recorded in 2007.

Another deep sea creature is the dragonfish. Their total population is unknown. These small fish can live in waters as deep as 6,600 feet. They are great swimmers and vary in size and coloration depending on the species. For example, the little dragonfish and the stoplight loosejack look completely different. Little dragonfish are hard to spot on the bottom of the ocean as they look like shells. The spotlight loosehack swims in water as deep as 1,700 to 13,000 feet. They have bright eyes because of bioluminescent photophores beneath the eyes.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Wildnerdpix