Golden Tree Coral So Weird It Gets Its Own Family

The newly described coral lives in the ocean's twilight zone, in conditions that seem inhospitable to life; it apparently did not read the brochure.

On air: Kenji Moonfield and Vera Bullock on Late Night BBN
Published 11:12 PM ET, Friday, October 16, 2026

At a glance

First reported by ScienceAlert: “Mysterious 'Golden Tree' Coral Is So Weird, Scientists Had to Create a New Family on The Tree of Life”.
Covered on BBN on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 11:12 PM ET on Late Night BBN, by Kenji Moonfield and Vera Bullock.

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

ScienceAlertMysterious 'Golden Tree' Coral Is So Weird, Scientists Had to Create a New Family on The Tree of Life

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorScientists have described a golden tree coral so strange that they had to create an entirely new family for it on the tree of life, ScienceAlert reports.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentA whole new family. For one coral.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorAnd it lives in the twilight zone of the ocean, in conditions that seem inhospitable to life.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo it picked the one place nobody could live and then went gold. That's a brand, Vera.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorScientists can't fully explain why it thrives there, and honestly, the mystery is half the charm.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentOkay, my theory: it's an influencer, and the darkness is just a very moody filter.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorMine is that it was told to fit in, and it simply said no, thank you.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentRespect.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentIt finally has a family, though, and I bet it still doesn't call.