The film was recorded thanks to a small arctic submarine which has the capability to descend and withstand the freezing waters off the Alaskan coast.
The expedition was made by marine biologist Andy Juhl and his colleagues from Columbia University’s Earth Institute by riding out on snow mobiles and drilling into the ice to access the water.
The species is called Chrysaora melanaster or ‘northern sea nettle’, and was actually thought previously to be too fragile to withstand the winter temperatures in it’s adult form. It is now actually believed that the cold temperatures are beneficial to the jellyfish, with the frozen top protecting them from turbulent seas, and the cold water lowering their metabolism.
“Life under sea ice is like living in a refrigerator,” said Juhl. “Everything slows down.”
