Porni Banerjee | ২৪ জুলাই ২০২৪ ১৬ : ৪৫Porni Banerjee

In a groundbreaking research, scientists have discovered a strange phenomenon, dubbed as “dark oxygen” that is being produced deep inside the bed of Pacific Ocean. The oxygen is produced 13,100 feet below the ocean surface in complete darkness by polymetallic nodules containing metals such as manganese, nickel and cobalt.

The study has bewildered all as it contradicts the general scientific explanation of the production of oxygen through photosynthesis – a process that requires sunlight – and also raises questions about the origins of life on Earth.

Published in the journal Nature Geoscience, the study explains that the production of oxygen is impossible at such depths where sunlight does not enter, making it a challenge for plants to do photosynthesis. However, what is fascinating is that in this case dark oxygen is not being produced by plants.

“For aerobic life to begin on the planet, there had to be oxygen and our understanding has been that Earth’s oxygen supply began with photosynthetic organisms. We have another source of oxygen on the planet, other than photosynthesis,” said lead researcher and ocean scientist Andrew Sweetman.

Given high voltage potentials (up to 0.95 V) on nodule surface, it is therefore hypothesized that seawater electrolysis may contribute to this dark oxygen production, the study revealed.

Oceanic plankton, Drifting plants, Algae, and some bacteria are some primary elements that produce oxygen through photosynthesis with the help of sunlight. However, in the case of dark oxygen, complete darkness prohibits them from oxygen production in the deep ocean bed.

This accidental discovery came to limelight when a team of researchers were examining the possible impacts of deep sea mining in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. The study was funded by a Canada based deep sea mining firm, which plans to mine that area using heavy machinery to extract valuable ocean minerals and metals present in the ocean bed.

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