Is that a UFO or a jellyfish? Researchers recently discovered a glowing jellyfish in the depths of the ocean near the Mariana Trench.
The UFO-like jellyfish does not have a name, but likely belongs to the genus Crossota, NOAA said in a statement. Researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration used a remotely operated vehicle to film the strange jellyfish almost 2.3 miles below the ocean’s surface.
{"author_name":"NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research","author_url":"https://www.facebook.com/OceanExplorationResearch/","provider_url":"https://www.facebook.com","provider_name":"Facebook","success":true,"height":281,"html":"&#lt;div id=\"fb-root\"&#gt;&#lt;/div&#gt;\n&#lt;script&#gt;(function(d, s, id) {\n var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];\n if (d.getElementById(id)) return;\n js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;\n js.src = \"//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3\";\n fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);\n}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));&#lt;/script&#gt;&#lt;div class=\"fb-video\" data-href=\"https://www.facebook.com/OceanExplorationResearch/videos/843268872443140/?permPage=1\"&#gt;&#lt;div class=\"fb-xfbml-parse-ignore\"&#gt;&#lt;blockquote cite=\"https://www.facebook.com/OceanExplorationResearch/videos/843268872443140/\"&#gt;&#lt;a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/OceanExplorationResearch/videos/843268872443140/\"&#gt;Jellyfish: April 24, 2016&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;p&#gt;Video of a stunningly beautiful jellyfish seen during Dive 4 of the Deepwater Exploration of the Marianas expedition on April 24, 2016, while exploring the informally named "Enigma Seamount" at a depth of ~3,700 meters.\n\nScientists identified this hydromedusa as belonging to the genus Crossota. Note the two sets of tentacles — short and long. At the beginning of the video, you'll see that the long tentacles are even and extended outward and the bell is motionless. This suggests an ambush predation mode. Within the bell, the radial canals in red are connecting points for what looks like the gonads in bright yellow.\n\nWe'll be diving again today, so be sure to tune in to the live video starting at ~1130 Fiji Time to follow along as we explore along the poorly studied Fina Nagu Volcanic Chain in the Mariana region.&#lt;/p&#gt;Posted by &#lt;a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/OceanExplorationResearch/\"&#gt;NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research&#lt;/a&#gt; on Monday, 25 April 2016&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;&#lt;/div&#gt;&#lt;/div&#gt;","type":"video","version":"1.0","url":"https://www.facebook.com/OceanExplorationResearch/videos/843268872443140/?permPage=1","width":500}
In the video, taken April 24, the jellyfish swims through the dark waters of the ocean, likely looking for prey, according to NOAA.
“You'll see that the long tentacles are even and extended outward, and the bell is motionless,” NOAA said. “This suggests an ambush predation mode. Within the bell, the radial canals in red are connecting points for what looks like the gonads in bright yellow.”
The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the ocean and spans a little over 1500 miles across the ocean floor.
Researchers spotted the jellyfish during a dive aboard NOAA’s Okeanos Explorer.
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