When a large, jelly-like blob was pulled from an Oklahoma lake, many locals thought they had encountered something straight out of a science fiction film—some even joked it looked like an alien egg pod. Photos of the strange, translucent mass quickly spread online, sparking wild theories about extraterrestrial life and mysterious lake creatures. However, wildlife officials assure there’s no cause for concern. The so-called “alien egg pod” is actually a bryozoan, a colony of tiny aquatic animals that have existed for over 470 million years.

Despite their unusual appearance, bryozoans are harmless and beneficial to the environment. These creatures, also called “moss animals,” inhabit freshwater lakes and rivers, attaching themselves to submerged surfaces such as branches, docks, and rocks. They reproduce by cloning, forming large gelatinous masses that can reach the size of a basketball. Although their slimy texture and odd shape may seem unsettling, experts emphasize there’s nothing to fear.