Mumbai, July 24: A team of scientists has discovered "dark oxygen" production 13,000 feet below sea level in the Pacific Ocean. The findings, published on Monday, July 22, defied the general consensus among the researchers that oxygen is produced via photosynthesis linked to sunlight. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), around half of the Earth's oxygen comes from the ocean via plants, making this discovery particularly significant as "dark oxygen" is not being produced by plants. Let's explore what "dark oxygen" is, how it is produced, and what its significance is. 

Scientist Andrew Sweetman encountered a perplexing phenomenon in the remote Pacific Ocean. Initially suspecting a malfunction in his monitoring equipment, he was astonished to find that his sensors detected oxygen production at a depth of 13,100 feet on the seabed, where no sunlight reaches. Earth’s Core is Leaking? New Study on Discovery of Traces of Helium Reveals Shocking Facts About Our Planet.

How Is 'Dark Oxygen' Produced?

The journal published by Nature Geoscience explains that the study reveals that oxygen is released from metallic "nodules" resembling coal lumps, breaking down H2O molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. These nodules, found in the region, are polymetallic and have formed over millions of years through the chemical interaction of shell fragments, squid beaks, and shark teeth. Photosynthetic organisms such as plants, plankton, and algae produce oxygen using sunlight. However, this oxygen production occurs in the dark, sunless depths of the Pacific Ocean, challenging conventional understanding of how oxygen is generated. Band-Aid on Open Wounds Causes Cancer? Study Finds Cancer-Causing Forever Chemicals in Popular Bandage Brands Including Johnson & Johnson.

Significance of 'Dark Oxygen'

Dark oxygen is a shocking discovery as it challenges the theory of the production of oxygen, where sunlight plays an important role. It proves that oxygen can be produced even without light in the dark. This adds to a new process of the production of oxygen. "I suddenly realized that for eight years I'd been ignoring this potentially amazing new process, 4,000 metres down on the ocean floor," Sweetman says.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 26, 2024 04:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).