Tech

Watch This Soothing Deep Sea Jellyfish Swim

In the Pacific Ocean, just east of the US Mariana Islands, is the deepest part of the world’s seas: the Mariana Trench.

Plunging over a mile deeper than the 29,029 feet high peak of Mount Everest, the trench is home to some of the weirdest creatures we’ve ever seen. Right nearby, on a ridge called the Enigma Seamount, is where researchers found this beautiful, spider-like jellyfish 2.3 miles below the surface.

Videos by VICE

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer caught the little guy swimming deep down below in this new video.

Marine biologists have identified it as belonging to the genus Crossota, but they don’t yet know the exact species. The little guy was only several millimeters long, and likely only lived for a few days, the typical lifespan of these type of jellyfish.

In the video, you can watch the small friend idly float along in its far away underwater world. While it might look relaxed, it’s likely on the prowl, hoping something will meander into its tentacles and get stung.

This isn’t the first alien-like species NOAA has found in the area. They’ve also discovered this bizarre, never-before-seen sponge, and an octopus that looks like it has elephant ears, among other finds. You can watch a livestream of the expeditions here, and some of the best highlights here.