Until now, scientists thought oxygen was only made using energy from sunlight. The discovery of “dark oxygen” challenges that theory.
A discovery from the "complete darkness" of the Pacific Ocean seafloor is testing the scientific consensus on how oxygen is made and has even called into question the origins of life on Earth, a new study says.Until now, scientists thought oxygen was only made using energy from sunlight.
While studying the nodules that contain metals, Sweetman and colleagues found them to carry a very high electric charge, "which could lead to the splitting of seawater into hydrogen and oxygen in a process called seawater electrolysis," SAMS explains."When we first got this data, we thought the sensors were faulty, because every study ever done in the deep sea has only seen oxygen being consumed rather than produced," Sweetman said.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘Dark oxygen’ on ocean floor may rewrite Earth’s origins of lifeAndrew Paul is Popular Science's staff writer covering tech news. Previously, he was a regular contributor to The A.V. Club and Input, and has had recent work featured by Rolling Stone, Fangoria, GQ, Slate, NBC, as well as McSweeney's Internet Tendency. He lives outside Indianapolis.
Read more »
'Dark oxygen' discovery on the Pacific Ocean floor stuns scientists — and could rewrite origins of lifeWeird but True news: 'Body' wash, Apple to the rescue & suicide pod
Read more »
Bull’s-eye ocean’: Webb finds Earth-like planet that may hide small Atlantic-like seaLHS 1140 b sits within its star's habitable zone. This possibly Earth-like world could be veiled by an atmosphere and harbor a liquid ocean.
Read more »
This Day in History: Aviator Amelia Earhart vanishes over the Pacific OceanThis Day in History: Aviator Amelia Earhart vanishes over the Pacific Ocean
Read more »
Best friends break world record by 9 days after successfully rowing across the Pacific OceanTwo best friends now hold multiple world records after enduring 37 grueling days out on the Pacific Ocean — attempting to row from California to Hawaii. Here's their story.
Read more »
Oakland firefighter, 25, dies during nighttime ocean swim in Pacific BeachPolice were near Crystal Pier investigating a drowning that happened Thursday around 2 a.m.
Read more »