Scientists Just Found ‘Dark Oxygen’ — A Type of Oxygen That Exists Without Light, Deep in the Ocean

We always thought that you needed sunlight to generate most of our oxygen on the planet through photosynthesis. It is the process by which plants and other microorganisms convert sunlight into chemical energy, of which oxygen is a byproduct.

But scientists recently discovered a new way of producing oxygen deep in the ocean floor without the need for sunlight, called “Dark Oxygen”.

Oxygen Without Light? The Surprising Discovery

Scientists Discover "Dark Oxygen" in the Deep Ocean | Vantage with Palki Sharma | N18G

In a groundbreaking study, scientists have now confirmed that certain metallic minerals deep in the ocean floor can produce oxygen without sunlight. This means that those rocks have created oxygen without photosynthesis, the process by which most of our oxygen is produced.

This phenomenon has now been named “Dark Oxygen” because of how it creates oxygen in complete darkness. The discovery was made in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean, which is about 13,000 feet deep, which simply means that no light could reach it, yet oxygen is being produced in the area.

Source: Daily Galaxy

How Does It Work? The Role of Polymetallic Nodules

The process is simple; these rocks are surrounded by water, and water translates to a chemical symbol of H2O. Meaning each molecule of water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.

To produce oxygen without sunlight, scientists have theorized that these rocks, which are rich in different metals such as manganese, cobalt, and nickel, split the water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen through some form of seawater electrolysis.

If it is really true that these rocks can split those water molecules into atoms, then there is no need for them to get sunlight, nor will it require any biological activity.

Source: Discover Magazine

Implications for Life on Earth and Beyond

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

The existence of dark oxygen production suggests that we have to rethink how life could or could not exist in certain areas. Because this means that life could’ve existed in environments that we previously thought it couldn’t, such as those where sunlight can’t reach.

Some examples are Jupiter’s moon Europa or Saturn’s moon Enceladus, because both of those have icy surfaces yet produce tons of oxygen. They might have used the same process that these rocks deep within our ocean use to produce the dark oxygen.

Source: New York Post

Environmental Concerns: Deep-Sea Mining and Ecosystem Disruption

Now that we have discovered that there might be a way to produce oxygen deep in our sea floors and start the process of life, it raises ethical concerns about deep-sea mining.

Deep-sea mining refers to the process of collecting minerals from the ocean floor, about 200m or more below the surface. Which means it also often happens in areas that sunlight can’t reach, but now we know that life could exist even in those harsh environments.

So now, we can’t just mine and dig without confirming that there will not be an ecosystem that will be disturbed in the process.

Source: Sustainable Ocean Alliance

Author's Final Thoughts

The revelation about the process of producing oxygen without the need for sunlight deep in our ocean should open up our minds about the complexity of life and our world.

As we continue to explore to understand these processes that we ensure sustainable practices not only for those delicate ecosystems dependent on this dark oxygen, but also for our planet that we all still live on every single day.

Read more: Scientists Found a Potentially Habitable Planet, K2-18b — And Think It Could Already Host Alien Life

Disclaimer: All images used in this article are artistic depictions meant to help readers visualize events. They are not real photos of the individuals, animals, or things involved.