![The discovery of "dark oxygen" is seeing debate over its legitimacy, with the potential future of the world's energy caught in the middle.](https://san.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Nodules-Featured-Image-Getty.jpg?w=1920)
[JACK AYLMER]
A NEW DISCOVERY MIGHT FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE.
BUT A DEBATE IS BREWING OVER ITS LEGITIMACY,
WITH THE POSSIBLE FUTURE OF OUR WORLD’S ENERGY CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
HERE’S WHAT’S GOING ON.
THESE ROCKS FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN- KNOWN AS POLYMETALLIC NODULES- MIGHT HELP POWER OUR PLANET.
BUT new research claims THEY ALSO MAKE OXYGEN, POTENTIALLY CRITICAL FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THEIR SURROUNDING ECOSYSTEM.
RESEARCHERS FROM THE SCOTTISH ASSOCIATION OF MARINE SCIENCE CALL IT A GROUND-BREAKING REVELATION.
DARK OXYGEN – SCOTTISH ASSOCIATION OF MARINE SCIENCE
“This discovery of oxygen production at the seafloor in areas where you have these polymetallic nodules, is really important, because to power the the green economy, we need to extract metals from the ground or potentially the deep ocean.”
[JACK AYLMER]
THE PHENOMENON HAS BEEN DUBBED DARK OXYGEN-
UNTIL THESE FINDINGS CAME OUT IT HAD LONG BEEN BELIEVED THAT OXYGEN COULD NOT BE PRODUCED WITHOUT SUNLIGHT.
SO IF THESE NODULES ARE IN FACT PRODUCING OXYGEN-
THEY’RE DOING SO IN COMPLETE DARKNESS – AND AS NON-LIVING MATERIAL.
TWO THINGS THAT CONVENTIONAL SCIENCE HAS SAID IS IMPOSSIBLE.
HOW IMPORTANT THIS POTENTIAL SOURCE OF OXYGEN IS TO OTHER OCEANIC ORGANISMS IS STILL UNCLEAR-
BUT THE RESEARCHERS BEHIND THE STUDY SAY IT COULD BE VITAL.
THEY’RE NOW WARNING AGAINST REMOVING NODULES FROM THE OCEAN TO POWER GREEN TECH.
DARK OXYGEN – SCOTTISH ASSOCIATION OF MARINE SCIENCE.mp4
“So what we have discovered means that we’re going to have to carefully think about if deep ocean mining goes ahead, where that mining should take place, because this oxygen is likely being used in whatever quantity that it’s produced by the ecosystem to basically breathe.”
[JACK AYLMER]
BUT, NOT EVERYONE AGREES THE SCIENCE HERE IS SOUND.
THE METALS COMPANY IS ONE OF THE LEADING ORGANIZATIONS THAT AIMS TO MINE NODULES FROM THE SEA FLOOR-.
THEY HOPE TO USE THEM TO KEEP THINGS LIKE ELECTRIC VEHICLES, SOLAR PANELS, AND WIND TURBINES RUNNING.
WHEN REACHED FOR COMMENT BY STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS ABOUT THIS DARK OXYGEN DISCOVERY, THEY CALLED THE FINDINGS FLAWED.
The metals company IS PROMISING A PUBLISHED SCIENTIFIC REBUTTAL FROM THEIR TEAM.
SAYING THE METHODOLOGY USED BY THE SCOTTISH RESEARCH GROUP is raising serious concerns about the validity of their conclusion.
THE METALS COMPANY ALSO INSINUATED THAT THE TIMING OF WHEN THIS DISCOVERY WAS PUBLISHED INDICATES THE MOTIVATIONS BEHIND IT MAY NOT BE PURELY BASED IN ADVANCING SCIENCE.
THE INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY IS CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN MEETINGS TO DETERMINE THE FUTURE OF THE DEEP SEA MINING INDUSTRY.
AND WHETHER OR NOT THIS DARK OXYGEN REVELATION GIVES AUTHORITIES PAUSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH MINING OPERATIONS REMAINS TO BE SEEN.
JACK AYLMER – STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.