What is the strange ‘dark oxygen’ they found at the bottom of the sea and why are miners interested?

At the bottom of ocean Scientists have discovered something special that changes the way we thought the planet’s oxygen worked. Previously, it was believed that the oxygen in the ocean, which provides half of the gases we breathe to live, was the product of photosynthesis by marine plants.

However, the stranger discovery found large amounts of oxygen five kilometers deep in the sea where there is no trace of light and therefore photosynthesis could not exist.

How is it possible that oxygen exists in the dark depths of the ocean?

A new study analyzed by BBC World and published in the magazine Natural geoscienceshe discovered that In these hidden places in the ocean, “dark oxygen” is generated from natural metal nodules capable of splitting seawater (H2O) into hydrogen and oxygen.

The discovery, made in the deep seas of Hawaii and Mexico, has sparked the interest of various mining companies in collecting these nodules. And that’s it They contain metals such as lithium, cobalt and copper, which are needed to make batteries.

However, marine scientists warn that very little is still known about them and that They fear that damage will be caused to marine life if these species are stolen on a mass scale.

In fact, the United States National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had already warned that deep-sea mining could “cause the destruction of life and habitat on the seabed.”

The study’s lead researcher, Professor Andrew Sweetman of Scottish Marine Science Association explained to the BBC What These nodules he discovered work like small batteries: “If you put a battery in seawater, bubbles start to form.”

“This is because the electric current separates the seawater into oxygen and hydrogen (which are the bubbles). “We think this happens with these nodules in their natural state.”

By testing this hypothesis, they found that the tension of these nodes —which accumulate in fragments of shells and other marine debris— It is similar to a regular AA size battery.

In addition, the scientists in the study believe that This same process could occur in space, increasing the likelihood that life could thrive on other planets and moons.