Perhaps we need to revise our understanding of how early life on Earth evolved.
Researchers from the Scottish Association for Marine Science have discovered an unusual phenomenon on the floor of the Pacific Ocean: metallic nodules
Professor Andrew Sweetman, the study’s lead author, and his team studied the impact of deep-sea mining on the seabed in the Clarion-Clipperton — a vast stretch of ocean floor between Hawaii and Mexico. The unexpected oxygen readings were initially attributed to equipment failure, but repeated measurements confirmed the interesting phenomenon.
The object of the study was potato-sized metal nodules rich in cobalt, nickel, and manganese. These elements form a natural «battery», generating a voltage of up to 0.95 volts on a single nodule. When several nodules are combined, the voltage can increase significantly.
«For aerobic life to begin on the planet, oxygen was needed. We thought that the source of oxygen on Earth was photosynthetic organisms. But now we know that oxygen is also produced in the depths of the ocean, where there is no light. This forces us to reconsider where aerobic life could have originated,» explains Svetman.
This discovery could have significant implications for deepwater mining plans. Further research is needed to assess how mining and associated sediment disturbance will affect this natural process.
The team published the study in the journal Nature Geoscience.