'Dark oxygen': a deep-sea discovery that has split scientists

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Polymetallic nodules and an abyssal urchin. Could lumpy metallic rocks in the deepest, darkest reaches of the ocean be making oxygen in the absence of sunlight? Some scientists think so, but others have challenged the claim that so-called "dark oxygen" is being produced in the lightless abyss of the seabed. The discovery—detailed last July in the journal Nature Geoscience—called into question long-held assumptions about the origins of life on Earth, and sparked intense scientific debate. The findings were also consequential for mining companies eager to extract the precious metals contained within these polymetallic nodules. Researchers said that potato-sized nodules could be producing enough electrical current to split seawater into hydrogen and oxygen, a process known as electrolysis. This cast doub ... Read full article.