Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This page may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. There is no additional cost to you whatsoever.
A lump of darkish oxygen from the ocean
Dark oxygen collected from the ocean ground
Something darkish and metallic-like is pumping out giant quantities of oxygen from the underside of the Pacific Ocean, at depths the place a scarcity of daylight makes photosynthesis not possible, scientists have seen.
The discover has shocked scientists and the supply stays a thriller. The oxygen is likely to be generated by metal-rich mineral deposits, some form of metallic substance or nodules, they declare.
Are these darkish potato -like balls on the underside of the ocean the origins of life?
To researchers’ shock, they measured voltages of as much as 0.95 volts throughout the floor of the nodules. It is feasible that the nodules catalyse the splitting of water into oxygen and hydrogen, however extra experiments are wanted.
The scientists additionally say this new discovery may change every part about what we learn about oxygen itself, and the way life as we all know it’s created.
This challenges what we all know in regards to the emergence of life on Earth, researchers say: “When we first acquired this information, we thought the sensors have been defective, as a result of each examine ever performed within the deep sea has solely seen oxygen being consumed reasonably than produced,” examine lead creator Andrew Sweetman, a professor and chief of the seafloor ecology and biogeochemistry analysis group on the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)
But when the devices stored exhibiting the identical outcomes, Sweetman and his colleagues knew they “have been onto one thing ground-breaking and unthought-of,” he stated.
So what does that imply for deep sea mining? Green Prophet has coated many tales and analysis to make clear the problems with deep sea mining and what this might do to delicate, deep sea ecosystems.
A deep sea mining rig
Dr. Paul Johnston, from Greenpeace’s Science Unit, says, “This examine reveals that processes are happening within the deep sea and that are related to these mineral nodules that we’re solely simply changing into conscious of. The ecological significance of this course of as a supply of oxygen in deep-sea environments will not be actually identified however could also be extremely vital.
“We ought to impose a moratorium on exploiting these techniques as a result of we nonetheless lack a complete understanding not solely of their biodiversity, but additionally of the complicated ecological features they assist.”
Scientists are becoming a member of within the name to guard the deep seabed from mining because the International Seabed Authority in Jamaica this week to determine the way forward for the deep sea mining industry.
