- Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have identified a mysterious "golden orb" discovered two miles deep in the Gulf of Alaska in 2023.
- Initially speculated to be an extraterrestrial egg or sponge, the orb has been confirmed as the base of a giant, deep-sea anemone, specifically Relicanthus daphneae.
- The gold-coloured base, usually hidden, was found by the remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer and collected for extensive laboratory examination.
- Identification proved complex, requiring physical structure analysis and advanced DNA sequencing at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, as initial genetic tests were inconclusive.
- Whole-genome sequencing ultimately confirmed the orb's animal DNA matched a known Relicanthus daphneae reference genome, finally solving the deep-sea mystery.
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