Real-Life Spongebob and Patrick Discovered

Spongebob and Patrick were discovered hanging out in the sea! Isn't it exciting?

Who would ever imagine seeing them for real? The ocean certainly is a wonderland!

A sponge that looks remarkably like SpongeBob SquarePants was discovered by an ocean expedition probing more than a mile beneath the surface of the Atlantic this week.

One of the scientists monitoring a live video from a submersible deployed from the NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer was Christopher Mah. He's a research associate at the National Museum of Natural History who works with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on a regular basis.

The aquatic animals bore a striking resemblance to Mah's animated pals. "They're just like the cartoon characters," Mah tells NPR.

The scientists discovered the yellow sponge and five-pointed pink sea star at the Retriever Seamount off the coast of New England on July 27 using a remotely controlled vehicle at a depth of 6,184 feet (1,885 meters).

"The sponge belongs to the Hertwigia genus, and the sea star belongs to the Chondraster genus," Mah said. He went on to say that the precise species is unknown and that they might possibly be totally new to science.

The Retriever Seamount is truly filled with varied underwater life despite being shrouded in darkness.

Source: https://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/reallife-spongebob-and-patrick-found-hanging-out-in-the-sea-by-noaa/