#dark oxygen

[todropscience]

DEEP SEA PRODUCE ITS OWN "DARK OXYGEN"

Small metallic nodules, like potato-size strewn across the deep sea ocean seafloor produce oxygen in complete darkness and without any help from living organisms, a new research reveals.

Called polymetallic nodules, are found in the deep sea and produce oxygen through seawater electrolysis, where seawater splits into oxygen and hydrogen in the presence of an electric charge. This charge may come from the difference in electric potential that exists between metal ions within the nodules, which leads to a redistribution of electrons. This is called by scientists as dark oxygen, as is produced without sunlight, as photosintesys does.

-Polymetallic nodules coat fields of the ocean floor Photo: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research

These nodules polymetallic nodules are common between 3,000 to 6,000 m below the ocean surface. These nodules mostly contain oxides of iron and manganese , but also metals like cobalt, nickel and lithium, as well as rare earth elements such as cerium that are essential components of electronics and low-carbon technologies. This also raise new concerns about potentially mining polymetallic nodules, which could represent a vital source of oxygen for deep-sea ecosystems.

Main photo by Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Reference (Open Access): Sweetman et al., 2024. Evidence of dark oxygen production at the abyssal seafloor. Nat. Geosci.

[mindblowingscience]

Potato-size metallic nodules strewn across the Pacific Ocean seafloor produce oxygen in complete darkness and without any help from living organisms, new research reveals. The discovery of this deep-sea oxygen, dubbed "dark oxygen," is the first time scientists have ever observed oxygen being generated without the involvement of organisms and challenges what we know about the emergence of life on Earth, researchers say.

Continue Reading.

[cee-sees-the-sea]

One thing i really like about studying deep ocean science is that a lot of the terminology I encounter just makes me feel like a wizard. Oh, what am I doing for my end of year project? Studying abyssal polychaete worms. Oh and they came from one of the many Abyssal Plains across the seabed? The same ones we discovered special metals from that produce "Dark Oxygen"? Oh ok.

In all seriousness though abyssal plains, ridges, etc, just the general seabed is really important part of the wider marine ecosystem as a whole, and I think that as a (hopefully soon graduated) scientist I have a vague ethical duty to inform people about them.

The Clarion-Clipperton Zone is a stretch of seafloor across the Pacific ocean. Divided into various sections and overseen by the International Seabed Authority, it regularly faces consideration by various international bodies for deep-ocean mining claims. The reason for this is because of these small, potato-sized clumps of precious metals that sit on the seabed. They have the exact mix of metals to act as batteries, and produce oxygen in the lightless to near-lightless depth of the Abyssal zone via electrolysis. This is INSANE for a number of reasons but my personal favourite is its implications for the origin of life, which previously where thought to have been most probably possible via anerobic chemosynthetic means. We could be looking at the cauldron of life and deciding to take it apart for (very expensively margined) electric cars, basically.

[redreadretale]

Discovery of oxygen being produced deeper than sunlight reaches - read the article for more! Epic discovery!

[b-theshittyhuman]

What's dark oxygen?

Is it like... emo air?

fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck

[lejournaldupeintre]

Dark oxygen

“Dark oxygen” from the ocean’s abyss baffles scientists. Mining companies want to harvest polymetallic nodules — which are rich in metals that can be used to make batteries — from the deep sea. But scientists just discovered that these so-called “batteries in a rock” might be creating oxygen through seawater electrolysis. It’s a wild revelation that poses new questions about…

[mereinkling]

A New Source of Oxygen

Most of us have a basic affinity for oxygen. And, air quality being what it is in many places, it is probably good news that there is a newly discovered source on the bottom of the sea. This morning I asked my ten year old grandson what I should blog about. I said it could be even something like a new discovery (since C.S. Lewis was such a renaissance man that I can find some link to diverse…

[mysticdragon3md3]

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A post shared by Dr. Harini Bhat (PharmD) | Science Storyteller (@tilscience)

[newspatron]

Dark Oxygen: Deep-Sea Disco & Ocean's Secret 🌊

What do you think about dark oxygen? Share your thoughts and questions below! 👇

Dark Oxygen? More Like Deep-Sea Disco! Move over, photosynthesis, there’s a new oxygen party in town – and it’s happening at the bottom of the ocean. Yep, you heard that right. Scientists have stumbled upon something called “dark oxygen” (which sounds like a villain from a superhero movie, but stay with me). This isn’t your average, run-of-the-mill O2, folks. This stuff is being brewed up in the…

[civilmentor1]

CURRENT AFFAIRS - 30 July 2024

1. Agarwood Agarwood, also known as oud, aloeswood, eaglewood, or gaharu, is afragrant dark resinous wood used in incense, perfume, and smallcarvings .● It is formed in the heartwood of aquilaria trees when they becomeinfected with a type of mold, which in response produces a highlyaromatic resin. ● This process can take several years, and only a small percentage ofinfected trees produce the…

[hindbodes]

[sakuraswordly]

[smoreboi]

just heard about the dark oxygen at the bottom of the ocean thing, and like. Not that it isn’t a cool ass discovery and a good thing for the life down there. But some of the articles I’m seeing about this are giving a very what the Lorax warned us about vibe. Cool that manganese and iron reacting with salt water can make oxygen, neat. Even neat-er if we’ll be able to recreate the reaction up here. But like. We do need the trees still, I hope you know that, looking at some waterlogged rocks isn’t gonna give the same mental health benefits, just saying.