Some scientists have already theorized that space aliens could look like jellyfish, but maybe it’s actually the other way around.
A team of marine biologists from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration captured footage of a jellyfish called the rhopalonematid trachymedusa, which looks like a flying saucer.
Cosmic Jellyfish
NOAA
The Office of Ocean Exploration and Research’s project, called Okeanos Explorer, aims to gather environmental knowledge and discover the undiscovered from exploring the ocean. According to the team’s website, the office is the only federal department exploring the unknown parts of the deep sea.
A dive to “Utu,” a previously unexplored seamount of the American Samoa Exclusive Economic Zone, on Feb. 21 explored a volcanic crater. Starting at more than 3,000 meters below the surface, researchers were able to capture shots of many fantastic deep-sea creatures, including the UFO jellyfish.
As scientists state in the project’s video, the translucent outer skin allows us to view their yellow reproductive organs and red digestive system. The team also points out the jellyfish has two sets of tentacles—a set facing upward and a set facing downward—but the purpose of this isn’t currently known.
According to Gizmodo, the team is using a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to capture their explorations of the depths. This specific find, in the South Pacific, comes from protected waters and is home to a very diverse population of marine life.
H/T Gizmodo