September 01, 2024
A new study has found that metal nodules located on the ocean floor are producing dark oxygen, which challenges scientists’ belief that only algae and plants generate oxygen during the process of photosynthesis. This discovery shows that oxygen can be generated in the absence of sunlight on the dark ocean bed. A researcher named Andrew Sweetman discovered this strange phenomenon while he was conducting research in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean. The nodules comprise metals including lithium, cobalt and copper and function like batteries, converting water into oxygen and hydrogen. Scientists also believe that aerobic marine organisms could depend on the oxygen generated by these nodules.
Watch this video to learn more about dark oxygen
Image for representational purposes
