Dark oxygen in depths of Pacific Ocean could force rethink about life
Scientists found "dark oxygen" from metallic lumps in the Pacific Ocean's depths, challenging oxygen production assumptions. These nodules generate oxygen in darkness, rich in metals, with potential implications for life origins.
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Scientists have discovered "dark oxygen" being produced by metallic lumps in the depths of the Pacific Ocean, challenging previous assumptions about oxygen production. These potato-shaped nodules, found four kilometers below the ocean surface in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, generate oxygen in total darkness, similar to photosynthesis in plants. The nodules, rich in metals like cobalt and nickel, have an electrical charge comparable to an AA battery, capable of splitting seawater into hydrogen and oxygen through seawater electrolysis. This unexpected finding raises questions about the origins of life on Earth and the potential for oxygenated habitats on other ocean worlds. The study, published in Nature Geoscience and partly funded by The Metals Company, which plans to mine these nodules, suggests a need to reconsider the evolution of complex life and the possibility of life existing beyond Earth. This groundbreaking discovery challenges existing scientific paradigms and opens up new avenues for understanding the processes that may have contributed to the development of life on our planet and others.
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2 commentsI would have preferred the title:
"First non-living naturally occurring source of oxygen production known to man discovered on earth."
Related
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Researchers, led by Northwestern University's Franz Geiger, found deep-sea metallic minerals can generate oxygen, challenging photosynthesis as the sole source. Polymetallic nodules act as "geobatteries," producing oxygen through electrolysis. Deep-sea mining risks disrupting this vital process.