Two-Year Mystery Solved: Golden Orb from Alaska Deep Is Giant Anemone Debris

Researchers at NOAA and the Smithsonian identified a golden sphere found on the seafloor 3,250 meters below Alaska in 2023. The 10-centimeter orb is debris from Relicanthus daphneae, a rarely seen giant anemone that uses a golden coating to anchor itself to rocks. The creature sheds this structure when it moves or reproduces. The specimen is now part of the Smithsonian's collection.