Anacapa Island, part of Channel Islands National Park in California.

California’s beaches may be some of the most photographed and well-documented coastlines in the world, but just miles from the shore, scientists are still finding creatures never seen by humans. 

This year, scientists from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute discovered a brand new species of gelatinous sea creature while on an expedition to the Channel Islands, according to a recent report. The team was on a 10-day mission from Monterey Bay to the islands to explore the world of deep-sea jellies, which can include but aren’t limited to jellyfish, that live thousands of feet below the ocean’s surface. 

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Special equipment, including a remotely operated vehicle along with a camera capable of working in extremely low light, was used to look for animals that make their habitat on or near the ocean floor.

Lead scientist Steven Haddock said they had been waiting four years for a new ship to go on the expedition, where they were able to reach depths as low as 3,700 meters or over 12,000 feet to glimpse seemingly alien sea creatures, including jellyfish, glowing sea cucumbers and multiple types of deep-sea........

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