Ocean Depths Unveil ‘Dark Oxygen’ Mystery

Oxygen discovery defies knowledge of the deep ocean (BBC): Scientists have unveiled a mysterious phenomenon: ‘Dark Oxygen’ production deep within the ocean’s depths. Contrary to previous beliefs, this oxygen isn’t generated by photosynthetic organisms. Instead, metallic minerals found in seafloor nodules play a crucial role. Dive into the fascinating world of ‘Dark Oxygen’ and its implications for our understanding of life’s origins and deep-sea ecosystems! 🌊🔍”

[v.prestorpnrcrtlcrt]

Those nodules are valuable. Rare Earths inside.

[Jon]

Hmm yes... I remember there was also a lot of papers about manganese nodules in the early seventies. Mineral riches beyond the dreams of avarice just waiting to be scooped up. Some billionaire even built a special boat but all they found was half a Russian submarine

[NaturalWorldFacts]

Bloody fantastic as always John!! Such a fascinating concept, and very excited to see it in the public eye and communicated so effectively (and unsurprisingly so, might I add 😁)! Mighty fine thumbnail too. Hope to catch up soon, moving end of August but settled mid Sept so will try to shoot you a message around then. Hope you're doing brilliantly

[AndrewMann]

Making oxygen using the principles of electrolysis in the ocean sounds possible as water contains plenty of oxygen and all atoms have electric fields. Not sure we need the new term Dark Oxygen though.

[richarddeveas]

Okay!! Low-voltage electrolysis in seawater (salt water)! What about the Hydrogen and chlorine gas! Why no mention of both?

[AbacabTv]

so if oxygen can be made in the dark, there’s life in planets where light is much dimmer… meaning creatures like in a quiet place can truly exist

[ferguskeeling]

John - this piece brought me right back to my o'level chemistry on hydrolysis using anode and cathode... fascinating discovery.

[markboon]

I'll leave a preliminary rebuttal by Jon Hellevang, including link to source, on the "robustness" of the research here. The study by Sweetman et al. and its findings was rejected by many science journals apart from only Nature, who carry an active predisposed agenda against deepsea mining. So, for the less gullible on this "magic" discovery, here is some counter information:

"The paper hypothesis that seawater electrolysis may contribute to this “dark oxygen” production. However, the paper also points out that such a process would requires a voltage of 1.23 V plus an overpotential of approximately 0.37 V to split seawater into H2 and O2. While the highest voltage recorded in the tests was 0.95V.

There seems to be quite a few MAY and IF in the paper, and the need for more tests before concluding.

Some questions which pop to mind are:
➡ If the nodules actually work as a battery; why does it “discharge” over 2 days in these tests and not at the seabed over thousands of years?
➡ If nodules actually cluster together to create a higher voltage sufficient for electrolysis, and this paper is relevant for manganese crust as suggested by the author in the media – would not this result in an enormous voltage level for crust?
➡ Could a more natural explanation for the oxygen source be the manganese oxide releasing oxygen during the experiment, resulting in a net zero sum oxygen production?

One should be aware and not jump to conclusions at this early stage, based on a single paper. It will be interesting to see if it is possible to replicate the paper and what mechanism if found to best explain the readings.

When it comes to the implications, a highly relevant question will also be:
❔ If oxygen is produced at the seabed by nodules at level of relevance for the ecosystem, are there any data showing elevated oxygen level at the seabed near such nodule fields compare to similar deep sea areas without nodules? As far as I understand it, this is not the case, and the deep sea is experiencing large influx of oxygen from ocean current circulation.

Again, I will not conclude at this early stage based on a single paper and urge one to be sceptical to the implication of such findings when covered by the media.

It might also be worth noticing that about 1.5 years ago a single paper about natural radioactivity in nodules became a "big hit" in the media.

More studies and evaluations linked to that paper concluded as following:
Measurement mostly correct -> Interpretation misleading -> Cause of unnecessary hysteria."

[knightshade]

Their are talks about mining those nodules by some big mining companies

[andrewmill]

Why would oxygen be necessary for life on exoplanets? I think you mean Earth-based life.

[donniekak]

I thought they had earths atmospheric gasses all worked out and knew everything?

[peterpeh]

It would seem the substance would be a great boon for space travel and such, where oxygen production or regeneration might be a limiting factor.

[briangman]

Interesting, what if we engineer rocks covered in these minerals and seed the sea in other areas ?

[Jr-qols]

Slight changes, very small, add up over time. So maybe the should not be stripping the sea bed, mining these nodules.

[atpeace]

We are aliens destroying a planet - congratulations

[deuce]

The oxygen supply comes straight from Doo-Doo rocks

[brionfranks]

I would like to get some nodules and test them in my lab.
I'm pretty sure that they would be more or less inert but you can use aluminum or magnesium which dissolves in plain water generating hydrogen gas and an electric current .

[BADGIZM]

saw another video where they explained if they are closer together they generate more of a charge so i believe the oxygen amount would depend on the amount of them in one area.

[videolabguy]

Does the deep water pressure play into the process?

[peternicholsonu]

Fascinating news to most of us. I have lived life interested in the circle of life. Of note...if there was similar resources on other planets they by your thoughts not have sustained life would they. We need trees etc along with the vital chain of circumstance of inhalation which relies upon so much more than oxygen.