August 2, 2021 — An ocean expedition exploring more than a mile under the surface of the Atlantic captured a startlingly silly sight this week: a sponge that looked very much like SpongeBob SquarePants.
And right next to it, a pink sea star — a doppelganger for Patrick, SpongeBob’s dim-witted best friend.
Christopher Mah was one of the scientists watching a live feed from a submersible launched off the NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer. He’s a research associate at the National Museum of Natural History who frequently collaborates with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He’s also an expert on starfish.
Mah immediately noticed the underwater creatures’ resemblance to the animated buddies. “They’re just a dead ringer for the cartoon characters,” Mah tells NPR.
So he tweeted an image of the two noting the resemblance, delighting lots of folks. Someone helpfully added faces and legs.