Something STRANGE Found in Deep Sea | The Dark Oxygen Mystery

At a depth of 13,000 feet below sea level, scientists have found something that has raised questions about our very existence. Something that shouldn't have happened at such a deep depth, but despite that, its presence has given us a big warning. Just a month ago, we heard a lot of news that deep sea animals are coming out of the sea in large numbers. Was this the reason behind this? One day in 2013, deep sea scientist Andrew Sweetman and his team wanted to find out the health of deep sea animals. They realized that deep sea animals could be in danger in this particular area. The Clarion-Clipperton Zone, CCZ, which lies between Hawaii and Mexico in the Pacific Ocean. Why is it dangerous? I'll tell you about it in a moment. But with this in mind, Andrew Sweetman sent his special machine, the Automated Seafloor Lander, 5000 meters below sea level. As soon as the lander reached the bottom, it opened its mouth and started pulling in the deep water. In a special chamber, which is called a benthic chamber, this is basically a tank that captures the deep water, isolates it, and studies it through the sensors inside. Through this, they wanted to find out how much oxygen is reduced in the deep water of the sea. Because, as we have been taught, 80% of oxygen is produced at sea level through plants, algae, phytoplanktons, and some bacteria through photosynthesis process. And then this oxygen dissolves in the deep layers below the sea, which keeps marine life alive. This means that the amount of oxygen gradually decreases in the deep layers of the sea, because naturally, all the fish above it use it. But, in this research, what Andrew Sweetman saw was completely strange. Instead of reducing the amount of oxygen, it was increasing rapidly. Despite using the oxygen of all the fish, the oxygen wasn't decreasing, it was increasing. Now, in some areas, they found more oxygen in the deep sea than in the surface water. This observation was so weird that Andrew and his team couldn't believe it at first. They had to test it again using different measurement equipment. And finally, they confirmed that yes, there is something in the depths of the sea that is producing this unknown oxygen. This was called the dark oxygen. But, how was this dark oxygen produced? And how was it hidden from us till now? Are the strange and giant creatures of the deep sea dependent on this dark oxygen? Is there any role of this dark oxygen in their life evolution? All these questions started troubling Andrew. And then Andrew's eyes went towards a very interesting observation. Do you remember, in the beginning, I said that Andrew was worried that the animals of the deep sea could be in danger. What was the reason? Because the Clarion-Clipperton zone is a very famous area, specifically for deep sea mining. It is literally a machine for printing the money of billionaires. Because according to research, there are trillions of dollars of metals and minerals in this area alone. If we evaluate it in numbers, it will be around 16 to 17 trillion dollars. Just imagine, trillions of dollars worth of metals and minerals are present here. Among them, the most in-demand metals are manganese, nickel, and cobalt, which is available at around 75% to 85% from only one source. And that source is this. Small stones of potato shape and shape, polymetallic nodules. These stones are so unique that it takes billions of years to make them. Obviously, it is made by nature. During which time, layer by layer, metals and minerals are slowly deposited in them. And the interesting thing is that these stones are spread out in this area's sea floor in an area of 90 lakh square kilometers, whose total quantity is around 2,100 crore tons. Could there be any trace of toxic oxygen in these stones? This question came to Andrew and his team. But who could answer this question? Only one person, who was the king of the chemistry of the ocean world, and an old colleague of Andrew, Dr. Franz Giger. After meeting Dr. Giger, both scientists decided to test this unique stone in their lab. By creating an environment similar to the one at the bottom of the ocean, we will be able to observe the behavior of these stones very closely and the oxygen will automatically become water. Right in front of our eyes. And then he immediately brought the same polymetallic nodules from the ocean floor, disinfected it with mercury chloride, so that if there is any oxygen-producing bacteria sitting on it and it is actually producing oxygen, it can kill it. And finally, he placed it in an airtight jar in the water and recreated the exact environment of cold and salty water and started tracking the oxygen levels. And exactly the same thing happened as it was happening in the deep sea. Instead of oxygen being less, it started increasing in that jar. And that too so much that it increased by three times from the normal level. That is, now this at least proved that the source of oxygen gas in this new generation is not a plant or microorganism at all. The source of this oxygen is not biotic, but abiotic. So then, what was happening? How was a black, wrinkled stone breathing oxygen? Well, now all that was needed was just one last experiment with which Dr. Giger's suspicions would finally come to light. But it was not going to be that easy for Dr. Giger. Because behind these two scientists were some big shots who had to wash their hands Let's pause the story here for a while and I want to ask you a question. Look, oxygen, the gas that is literally our life, our soul, was it born because of this gas? Or did life on earth, i.e. plants, give birth to oxygen? So, did oxygen give birth to life or did life give birth to oxygen? Kind of like the egg of the first egg, right? You will be very surprised to hear this. Earth was born 4.5 billion years ago, right? Life on earth was first born 3.8 to 4.1 billion years ago. But, just 2.4 billion years ago, do you know how much oxygen was produced on earth? 0.001%. And how much is it today? 21%. And that is why animals like us are able to breathe today and we are alive. So the question is, what exactly happened on earth 2.4 billion years ago that it felt like an oxygen bomb? Well, before understanding that, it is undeniable that oxygen explosion forced the animals on earth to rapidly evolve, to adapt. Just like today's technological boom has forced companies to replace their manual systems and adapt to smart systems. But, don't worry, now accounting, sales, website, HR, inventory, you have to automate all the operations of your business. Now, you can do all this with just one software, URU. Also, very soon, on 13th and 14th August, URU is going to organize India's biggest tech and business event, URU Community Days, Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Which will be a dream place for any entrepreneur or business enthusiast. Because, URU smart classes, 200 plus talks, live demos, influencer and guest sessions, and more than 20,000 plus attendees are expected here. You can learn a lot from here. I myself attended URU Community Days last year, and trust me, whether it's your business, job, you're a freelancer, or you're just an enthusiast of technology and ERP software, if you want to learn practically from real businesses, want to meet a lot of industry experts, so this is a place where you have to be. It's going to be a lively lifetime experience like the last time. After the event, don't forget to wait for the after-party where you can enjoy yummy food as well. I'll attach a link in the description below. Don't forget to register yourself now because entry is free, but slots are limited. Now, let's get back to our main topic. Just imagine, the Earth 2.7 billion years ago looked just like an alien planet. An orange sky filled with methane and carbon dioxide, without oxygen. A sea filled with sulphur and iron, on which some bacteria and microorganisms are thriving, feasting on the waste of this same chemical. A hero is born among the creatures who will change the fate of the Earth. Cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria acquired a genetic mutation that made it so powerful that it could use sunlight and water to produce energy. Today, we call it photosynthesis. But in this process, it started releasing oxygen gas as waste, which changed the direction of life and the state of the Earth. These creatures started multiplying in the number of billions. The amount of oxygen kept increasing, as if each inch of the Earth's land and sea was breathing oxygen. This caused the remaining chemical creatures to die. Because oxygen gas was toxic to them. Because oxygen is extremely reactive. But this changing nature and situation gave birth to a new generation of creatures, for whom this toxic oxygen was a nectar. Our microscopic ancestors were born, who were literally under the umbrella of this oxygen gas. Because oxygen gas also created an ozone layer In its protection, we quickly multiplied and evolved into all the forms and colors that we see today. Scientists called this event the Great Oxidation Event. And only after this, the Earth was able to become the planet that we call home today. But now comes the twist in the story. The discovery of this new dark oxygen is contradicting this, right? Because oxygen was already present on Earth, at least in the deeper layers of water. In fact, many studies have shown that in the Clarion-Clipperton zone, there are 5,000 to 6,000 species of creatures that only survive in this area. 88 to 92% of the species are those that are completely unknown and undescribed to us. And all of them are dependent on this dark oxygen. How do we know? Well, in the 1980s, some excavations were carried out in this area just to test it. And the entire ecosystem was destroyed. 70 to 80% of the creatures were destroyed to the extent that they could not be recovered even after 45 years. We think that the entire deep sea is just one ecosystem. But thinking like this is a big mistake. It's like saying, because I live in Mumbai, the entire world is like Mumbai. In India, if you find a Bengal tiger, then in Australia, you find kangaroos and ostriches. In the Arctic, you find polar bears. But in the deep sea, there is much more diversity than this. Here, up to each trench, that is, deep tunnels, different species live, which are only developed for that world. You won't believe it, but if a blue whale also dies on the surface, then thousands of creatures fall on its 150-ton carcass and celebrate the feast. Not for a day, but for 50 years. First of all, big hunters like hackfish and sharks celebrate the feast on its meat. Then scavengers like crustaceans, molluscs eat the remaining meat. After which, worms eat everything. But in the end, whatever bones, fats, and rotten things are left, many chemical-eating bacteria climb on top of it, which produce a large amount of hydrogen sulfide gas. This is called the sulfophilic stage. And as you know, hydrogen sulfide gas is the best food for deep-sea microbes, which are then eaten by tube worms, squids, and fish. And this process continues. What a disgusting beauty of nature, right? Did you know that there are also poisonous ponds in the deep sea? Now, poisonous for us, of course, but for many animals, their home is their world. This is called a cold seep or brine pool. Now, the ponds in the sea are strange, right? This is because they are made of brine, which is an extremely salty water, 5-6 times more salty than seawater. And the seawater of the deep sea also sinks because its density is high and because there is no oxygen here. And methane, other gases, and minerals are accumulated. But this poison is the food for many bacteria, which are eaten by many shellfish, which go around this pond, which then go on to eat crabs, shrimps, and fish, and even sharks. This is a typical example of how even a small ecosystem connects a large food chain, on which many creatures depend, for many decades and centuries. And now if we talk about polymetallic nodules, which produce this dark oxygen, and create a large ecosystem, then the mining operations of the 1980s have already proven this. 70-80% of the creatures and their ecosystems were destroyed, which could not be recovered even 45 years later. But the sad thing is, even after so many clear evidence, you know, a powerful lobby has stood up, which is openly denying it. Like the metals company, TMC. Do you know what's the most ironic thing? This TMC company itself, through scientists, conducted the initial research of the deep sea. But when the bitter truth came out, then they tried to suppress it completely. TMC called the research of both those scientists as flawed and misleading, and even Nature Geoscience Journal, which is a proper peer-reviewed scientific journal, started blaming it. Is it more important for these billionaires and companies than the delicate lungs of the sea? Well, there was only one way to stop them, and it was in the hands of these two scientists. So far, Andrew Sweetman and Dr. Franz Giger, these two scientists had proved through their lab experiments that these metallic nodules really release oxygen gas. But they just had to prove the exact mechanism behind it. So, how could these two scientists do it? Well, Dr. Franz remembered that he had proved through a lab experiment that the salty water of the sea can interact with the metals of the sea and generate electricity. Yes, like an underwater battery. In the right conditions, they can create a simple type of reaction, which we have learned about in our childhood. Water, or H2O, can be split into two parts, hydrogen and oxygen. I'm talking about electrolysis. So, are these underwater polymetallic nodules also releasing oxygen through this reaction? Are there arbo-underwater batteries hidden in the depths of the sea that produce this dark oxygen? Sounds weird, right? Well, it was very important to test this, for which, once again, the two scientists brought the samples of these stones to the lab and put them in a salty environment-like water like a deep ocean. But this time, they put two electrodes on the surface of the stones and measured it with a voltmeter, and they were shocked. I mean, both emotionally and literally. Because 0.95 volts of electricity was actually produced. But how? Well, in just a short while, I'll give you a revision of the concept of physics, then you'll enjoy it. See, 0.95 volts, what does electricity mean? And that too, from a stone. So, electricity has a simple principle that electricity will always go from high potential to low potential. This is basically a universal principle Like, for example, imagine if you take a pipe and fill it with water. Will the water in this pipe move forward on its own? No, right? But if you leave one end of the pipe and lift it, then a force will suddenly be created in the water of that pipe, which will push it forward. Well, electricity works exactly like this. Lifting the pipe was to create a potential difference. And the flow of water is the force that moves ahead of the charge, which we measure in volts. So, a AA battery, which is also called a 1.5 volt battery, has a potential difference of 1.5 volts between the positive terminal and the negative terminal. And to cover that difference, the charge travels from the side where it is in excess to the other side where it is less by a force of 1.5 volts. And if you insert a circuit in the middle, like a bulb, for example, then the charge will pass through that circuit and reach the negative terminal. And that bulb will light up. Now, in this polymetallic stone, if you look at it, there is already manganese, which is exactly in our batteries, and which also creates a positive terminal in the batteries. It just doesn't have zinc like batteries, but it is replaced by iron oxide, which plays the role of a negative terminal. And the rest of the medium, which is called electrolyte, is actually seawater, which is filled with ions such as Na+, Cl-, H2+, OH-. And that is why when scientists inserted one electrode at one point of its surface and another at another point, the voltmeter showed a reading of electricity of 0.95 volts. Which was very shocking for both these scientists because they had not expected anything in millivolts. They had not expected anything at all. In fact, they had expected electricity to come out in nanovolts. So, much more electricity was produced than expected. Now, if these stones are really producing electricity, then does it simply mean that electrolysis is taking place in the deep sea, in which a lot of dark oxygen is being produced? Well, there's a catch. Both the scientists agreed that to make the electrolysis process visible, at least 1.23 volts of electricity would be required. But we only got 0.95 volts. To which they addressed in their research paper, that these stones can definitely produce 1.23 volts if they are found in a large number or in a clustered form, which is quite common in a deep-water landscape. For example, two stones can produce 1.9 volts together. Now, in 2023, this research was properly validated. It was also confirmed by statistical data that the link of oxygen production to which voltage is consistent. And after that, finally in 2024, a proper peer-reviewed scientific journal, Nature Geoscience, published the study because the evidence was really quite convincing. But on September 2024, The Metals Company received an unusually big reply, with a lot of raw data and research notes, challenging that this discovery is completely flawed. They said that they have been spending $75 million and funding the research for 12 years to do mining in an honest and sustainable way so that they can extract minerals and produce clean energy. But how much can we trust this company's words? It's like a cat telling itself that it's the most honest guard of milk. Their conflict of interest is clearly visible. But in this matter, the COMRC, that is, the Critical Ocean Minerals Research Center, also got involved, which called this discovery a yellow flag. Because they said that two other researchers had already done the same experiment, but they did not get such results. For example, the University of Southern Denmark had done a similar research, but using a different type of lander, the Covariance Lander. They got the opposite result. The oxygen was not increasing, but decreasing. Now, Andrew and the team's response to this was that the Covariance Lander cannot measure results so accurately. But some other genuine scientists and researchers have also raised concerns. For example, an independent researcher at Aarhus University, Bob Arker Jorgensen, had got the exact opposite result two months ago. And he told a magazine in an interview For example, Or number two, And number three, Because if H2O is split through electrolysis, then hydrogen gas should also be released along with oxygen. So is hydrogen gas increasing? So all in all, according to Jorgensen, this research has given us more questions than answers. And it has made us realize how little we know about the ocean even today. So, is Andrew and team's research wrong? Is it proven? Well, not at all. In fact, now the game has started moving at a faster pace because Andrew's research got more support than criticism. Look, whenever there is a big discovery in science, there are always massive debates, which is the beauty of science. Because it makes us run faster to determine the truth with full accuracy and caution. Repeatability is very important in science, for which many scientists have now started performing such experiments to observe and experience for themselves. But as of now, the good news is that despite the heavy pressures of mining companies throwing crores of rupees and lobbying, most of the deep marine scientists and with their confidence, 33 countries are supporting the ban on deep sea mining or at least putting a temporary hold. And that's why the International Union for Conservation of Nature, a global authority, has put a temporary hold on deep sea mining until we understand all the risks associated with deep sea mining. But, the bitter truth is that deep sea mining is just a small trailer of our carelessness. Take a look at this area. Its size is as large as two Pakistans. But this is not a land, but a pile of garbage. Yes, a pile of garbage as large as two Pakistans, that is, three Rajasthans, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. And this is just a proper pile, where the garbage is extremely concentrated in the water and in some areas, there is even solid concentration. But if you count its soft edges, this area becomes a bigger patch than India. A 2014 research found that there are at least 5.25 trillion plastic pieces here, which weigh a total of 269,000 tons. And you won't believe it just because of this one patch. Every year, 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die. Either by eating something poisonous, getting stuck in a pile of plastic, or by getting stuck in fishnets made of nylon. And the most concerning thing is that this is not the only garbage patch in the world. In fact, look at this. There are at least 5 major garbage patches like this in the world. And God knows how many minor patches there are. Listen to the story of a retired naval officer and researcher, Victor Vescovo. In his 5 deeps expedition, he was destined to go to the deepest point of the five oceans. And as soon as he reached there, plastic bags and wrappers welcomed him. But as I continued going along the bottom, cruising around, I did see what appeared to be one or two particles of man-made matter. And one of them had a letter on it, printed. Just imagine, these plastics are reaching a deep tunnel 11 kilometers below the water. Now, the biggest problem is that these plastics will never end. They will never be naturally destroyed. For centuries, they will just keep accumulating, which is toxic to the fish and their ecosystem. Let me tell you why. The way we are showing carelessness, according to many reports, by 2040, the number of plastics in the oceans will triple. That is, more plastics will be found in the ocean than fish. Just imagine. And I am talking about macro, that is, large-sized plastics. Which means that in the ocean, microplastics will multiply faster. According to a 2017 study, today, 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have plastics and microplastics in their stomachs. Out of which, 50% of the animals suffocate and die because of this. A study by Portland University found that 99% of the fish that the Americans were eating contained microplastics. Another study found that 100% of the fish contained microplastics. Today, the situation has become such that an average person consumes 78,000 to 2,11,000 microplastics a year. You won't believe it. A study by the University of New Mexico found that out of 51 brain samples, more than a credit card amount of plastic was found in each brain sample. Yes, 0.5% of the brain mass, which is 6 to 7 grams of pure plastic. Just like a credit card, only in your brain. Think about how much is in the lungs, kidneys, and other organs. And note, this test was done on Americans. In Indians, in you and me, this amount of plastic can be much more than this. Because we all know it. There are no regulations in India, no air, water, food, nothing. Microplastics are found in the placentas of newborn babies. How is this affecting the growth and development of children? Human civilization is literally running at the speed of a horse today. At the same time, the regulations that protect our nature are being written slower than the speed of a tortoise. There is a debate on them for years. And then when it gets too late and dark, then they are implemented. We humans have become the biggest enemies of nature, which has given birth to us. This dark reality was brought to us by the discovery of this dark oxygen. To do more deep and rigorous research on this topic, the Nippon Foundation of Japan has granted a grant of 2 million pounds. This research started in 2025 and will continue for 3 more years. And in the next year, that is, in 2026, it will send its equipment 11,000 meters below sea level and study those samples as well. These will be its major goals. Number one, to reproduce its original discovery. That is, if its research is consistent here as well, then this is a very good sign. Number two, this time it will also carefully measure the hydrogen levels. Because in the electrolysis process, not only oxygen, but also hydrogen gas is released. Number three, we will see if this newly produced hydrogen is also very important for the survival of deep water creatures. And number four, we will also see if microorganisms can also play a major role in producing this dark oxygen or if the source of this oxygen is purely abiotic, that is, life-independent. Now think about the profound implications of this research. I mean, we have always thought that life is dependent on photosynthesis for oxygen. For which we need both the liquid ocean and the sun. And that is why we use space telescopes like Kepler to target exactly those planets that are in the Goldilocks zone from their star, like the Earth. That is, at the ideal distance from their star to the Earth. But if this beyond a doubt proves that dark oxygen is a major source of oxygen in the deep sea, which can also produce oxygen without life or photosynthesis, then should we limit our alien life search operations to only the planets in the Goldilocks zone? Is the existence of liquid oceans and the sun also an important criterion? I mean, what does life need? Water, energy and chemistry. Water is found in liquid form in deeper layers in frozen oceans. Energy is also produced in the depths of frozen worlds through the extreme heat of hydrothermal vents. Through these vents, most scientists agree that life was born on Earth and not the sun's energy. And finally, the right chemistry. Now, finding dark oxygen in the deep sea supports the right chemistry even more. Because oxygen makes life evolve rapidly. Interestingly, even on Earth, the sun played a very small role in the birth of life. All the right biological molecules, such as nucleic acids, such as RNA, lipids and amino acids, were formed in the absence of the sun many kilometres below the surface in the deep sea. So, are deep seas capable of producing and evolving life on their own? Dark oxygen is the key to all these questions. But just until then, we humans will have to stop our own future from being ruined Do share this video with your friends and families and see you very soon. Jai Hind!