We Just Discovered 'Dark' Oxygen on Earth - Breakthrough Explained

Scientists have just discovered a "Dark" Oxygen source at the bottom of the ocean, opening questions about deep sea mining and the origin of life on Earth!

Merch!
I think Scientists are Rockstars so I made t-shirts to celebrate it

Chapters:
0:00 The Accidental Discovery
2:17 Ad Read
3:06 Oxygen and Our Oceans
5:44 Discovering A New Source of Oxygen - Polymetallic Nodules
8:20 The Second Experiment and Electricity Production
11:02 So, What Does This Discovery Mean For Us?

#science #discovery #nature #mystery #energy

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[davideyers]

I think that the sheer fact that the mined areas had not recovered and bacteria hadn't returned is enough to do a lot more study before possible devastation.

[Shogoeu]

Mining company disproving a study that could stop their business - shocking!

[Merrsharr]

It actually makes perfect sense to call it Dark Oxygen, since it's synthesized in darkness (as opposed to photosynthesis which required light)

[ikeeuler]

This reminds me a lot of the studies funded by tobacco companies that showed devastating health problems associated with smoking...that they buried and hid because it wasn't good for their short-term profits.

[divineinpurple]

Whether the battery theory accounts for the oxygen levels or not, the fact that areas that have been mined are not recovering even after 40 years is a very strong argument that these operations need to be stopped until we understand more about them.

[matchrocket]

I'm shocked, shocked I tell you, that metal mining companies dispute the findings of this study.

[AndrewZolnai]

As a geologist who studied proterozoic rocks at the cusp for oxygenated life (when O2 was 'poison' as a by-product of photosynthesis until life as we knkw it evolved) I find this finding not at all odd, however fascinating the work is and important it is to maintain such environs untouched.

[monkeysquad]

Literally everything we've learned about the deep ocean says we shouldn't be mining it.

Researchers - "we need to keep studying to learn more about whether or not we should mine it"

[almightytreegod]

What I got out of this is we need to stay tf away from mining the ocean floor. Very very far away.

[bit-tuber]

Eureka moments in science can move science forward, but it's the "that's funny" moments by the observant that really moves things along.

[mimikurtz]

I was really exited for a minute - when I saw "dark oxygen" I thought you meant in the sense of dark matter.

[CWinterstorm]

One test that could lead to confirmation of this is, if hydrolysis is going on, there should be hydrogen released as well (or they'd need a good explanation as to where that's going) since water should be releasing twice as much hydrogen as oxygen when broken down. I'd be interested to know if they've repeated tests and looked at this aspect and, if so, what they've found.

[objective_psychology]

This could have HUGE implications for the history of life, such as the origins of eukaryotes and animals, with respect to how Earth's free oxygen levels have changed over time

[carpediem]

The fish at 5:13 looked so upset when you said that he looked weird. 😂

[redarndiculous]

Rarely, if ever, have I seen B-roll (background) footage that is so accurate to what is actually being discussed. I'm impressed

[leblade]

I am by no means a physicist or a chemist, I’m a physician but these kinds of research really touches a spot on my brain that excites me, I’m looking forward to more revelations in this field of study

[Airsaber]

You know this is something huge the moment a representative of a mining company tries to form a rebuttal. Now let's see how many years must pass and how much of the ocean floor must still be destroyed before these findings stop being ignored (my guess is decades at the very least, considering the ongoing devastation of the environment by oil companies, among others).

[fdavidmiller]

Chemosynthesis of oxygen is not a novel phenomenon. It’s extremely rare. But it’s been seen before in deep caves.

[GEG]

5:10 I’ve never seen a rendering of the earth like this! So cool to get a topographical mapping of the ocean!

[steineck]

thanks for explaining that drilling companies can decide for themselves if they‘re gonna harm earth or not.