Is This Glass Octopus Real?

In an age of exhausting AI-generated videos and manipulated images purporting to showcase real marine life that have never been seen by human eyes, it's easy to forget that there are actually authentic mind-boggling sea creatures living among us.

The need to fabricate fake species should be unnecessary when one considers that more than 80% of Earth's oceans have not yet been explored, according to National Geographic. 

As oceanic exploration continues, it remains to be seen what other fascinating creatures lurk in the depths of our planet. Yet fakeries abound across the internet, leaving readers and social media users to have to separate fact from fiction. 

For proof of how mysterious and magical the depths of the ocean can be, we've collected 13 stories showcasing completely authentic marine creatures that remind us of the majesty — and weirdness — to be found under the sea: