Giant sponge found in Hawaii could be the oldest living organism on Earth?

The creature, found by a team of researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration near Hawaii at a depth of more than 2,100 metres, is the largest representative of sponges ever recorded. It is about the size of a minivan and is most likely one of the oldest creatures living on the planet today.

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An unusual sponge has been discovered in the waters off the north-western part of Hawaii. The area is strictly protected by law and is home to many unusual marine organisms. It is known as Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument and is the largest area of strict protection in the USA. Larger than all other national parks combined.

The species affiliation of the giant sponge representative has not been determined. The creature is white in colour with a slight blue tinge and its undulating appearance resembles a giant brain.

“These creatures are most likely many hundreds to thousands of years old,” – Daniel Wagner, NOAA research manager, said in an interview with the media

Although little is known about the lifespan of sponges, the age of some species found in shallow waters is estimated to be as much as 2,300 years!

Scientists working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration studied the sponge for a year before deciding to make their discovery public.

Despite taking so long to study it, it has not been possible to determine what type of sponge we are dealing with. We may never find out, as samples sent to the world’s leading experts also failed to provide answers. The only thing we know for sure is that it is the largest sea sponge known to mankind.

“Here we have this creature that has probably never been encountered before. It’s enormous in size and these facts combined create a certain amount of uncertainty and hope, what else is waiting to be discovered in the marine depths?” – concluded Christopher Kelly, biologist at the Hawaii Undersea Research Lab

Source: noaa.gov