Two miles below the Gulf of Alaska, where sunlight never reaches and the pressure crushes anything fragile, a tiny golden dome clings to a rock. This strange object discovered in August 2023 surprised scientists and the Internet. For more than two years no one could say what it was.
Now, researchers from NOAA and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History have solved the mystery. The so-called “golden orb” is not an alien egg or an unknown species. This is the surviving base of a rare deep sea anemone known as Relicanthus daphni.
The object was first observed during NOAA’s Seascape Alaska 5 campaign. A remotely operated vehicle descended 3,250 meters into the volcanic field and observed the sea floor. Amidst the basalt rocks and sponges, the golden dome stood out.
The object measured approximately four inches in width and its surface appeared smooth except for a slight crack, giving an unfamiliar but lifelike appearance. Scientists watching the livestream debated whether it was an eggshell, a sponge, or something altogether new, before collecting it for analysis.
The samples began their extensive research process, which included microscopic analysis and comparison tests and genetic examination. Initial DNA barcoding failed due to contamination from microbes living on the orb.
The researchers used whole-genome sequencing, which identified a matching result. The orb contained DNA from Relicanthus daphni, a little-understood giant anemone whose tentacles can extend several meters across. The mitochondrial genome showed a close match with known references, establishing a biological relationship.
The study concluded that the sphere was not a living organism but rather a cuticle, an outer layer shed or left behind by the anemone. The anchoring process to the seabed requires the cuticle to be located beneath the body of this species.
When the animal moves or dies, the hard base may remain attached to the rocks. That “golden footprint” is what researchers recovered, explaining why it lacked a mouth, muscles or any recognizable anatomy.
The search did not end here. Genetic analysis revealed that the sphere had become home to a community of microbes. Some processed nitrogen, while others resembled deep sea sediment organisms.
In fact, the decaying anemone base was transformed into a tiny recycling system on the sea floor, where organic remains feed chemical processes and support new life.
