A mysterious ball on the ocean bottom off Alaska: scientists have been trying to solve the mystery for over a year (video)

For more than a year, scientists have been trying to solve the mystery of a mysterious golden ball found at a depth of about 3300 meters underwater off the coast of Alaska. This object was found with the help of a remotely operated underwater vehicle used by NOAA Ocean Exploration.

Although it is known that the orb is of biological origin, its exact nature remains unknown. This is reported by Science Alert.

The ball, about 10 centimeters in diameter, was found attached to a stone covered with white sponges. There is an unexplained hole on its surface, which may indicate an attempt to get in or out of the ball.

Initially, scientists assumed that it could be an eggshell of an unknown species, a dead sponge, or coral. However, after a detailed analysis, they are inclined to believe that it is an egg, given its structure. However, none of the known species of eggs have this shape.

After a year of the discovery, scientists were able to raise the golden ball from the ocean floor and transport it aboard a ship. However, even after that, the researchers were unable to determine what kind of object it was. This discovery is another reminder of how many mysteries lie in the depths of the ocean and how limited our knowledge of it is.

Kerry Howell, a deep-sea ecologist from Plymouth University in the UK, and his colleagues are inclined to believe that it is an egg of some species. The structure of the sphere supports this version: its shell is fleshy and has no obvious anatomical features. A hole was also found on the surface of the sphere, which may indicate that something entered or left it. However, according to scientists, this mysterious sphere is unlike any egg they have ever seen before.

If this sphere is indeed an egg, scientists want to know what species it might belong to. It is important to note that the sphere is very large and does not resemble an ordinary "egg".

The authors of the study emphasize that the size and origin of the sphere are of most interest. Egg-laying animals usually lay their eggs in groups, but in this case, no other golden spheres have been found.

The ocean covers more than 70% of the Earth's surface and hides a huge number of living organisms that we still know nothing about. High pressure and low temperatures are the main obstacles to exploring the deepest parts of the ocean.

Fortunately, modern remotely operated vehicles allow scientists to explore these mysterious depths and study how unknown deep-sea species reproduce.

Research coordinator Sam Candio of NOAA Ocean Exploration notes that although they managed to raise the mysterious sphere from the ocean depths and deliver it to the ship, its identification has not yet been made. All that is known is that the golden ball is of biological origin. This discovery, while presenting scientists with new puzzles, reminds us of how little we know about our planet.

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