Scientists from America's ocean-health agency NOAA are currently exploring the Mariana Trench — the deepest section of the world's oceans — and they're making some amazing discoveries. Earlier this week, cameras 2.3 miles below the surface of the water captured footage of a previously unknown species of jellyfish and, well, just look at it. It's a luminous, gelatinous beauty of a thing — full of calm and fluid grace.
Jellyfish are pretty unreal creatures to begin with, with an attitude toward life and existence best described as Very Relaxed. They have no spine, no brain; no nervous, circulatory, or digestive systems, and yet they're incredibly successful, even technically immortal in some cases. And they do all this while looking positively angelic. In fact, are jellyfish god's real angels? I mean, why not? Wings are such a bother when you can just float divine.
Scientists think this particular jelly is a member of the genus Crossota. This is because it has two sets of tentacles, long and short, and its stance at the beginning of the video — bell motionless, tentacles outstretched — suggest it's an ambush predator. It floats along on ocean currents, just doing nothing and waiting to bump into some prey. Which, again, is exactly the relaxed attitude that's symbolic of Jellyfish Living 101.
If this sort of footage floats your boat (or sinks your submersible), then you should definitely keep an eye on NOAA's website. (Oh my god, like Noah — I just got that.) The agency uploads daily video updates from the Mariana Trench and there are regular live streams, too. They've also spotted a tiny dumbo octopus and what looks like a new species of harp sponge! Oceans, man, they're full of it.
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