Metallic Rocks In The Ocean Produce Oxygen Without Photosynthesis

Summary

The video delves into the potential ramifications of deep-sea mining of polymetallic nodules, which are mineral deposits rich in metals like manganese, cobalt, and nickel. These 'ocean potatoes' not only harbor significant biodiversity but also produce oxygen, suggesting a non-photosynthesis based oxygenation of early oceans. The discovery challenges our understanding of life's evolution and raises concerns about the environmental impact of mining these nodules, which could disrupt ecological niches and the planet's oxygen balance.

Takeaways

• 🌊 The script discusses a potentially groundbreaking discovery in ocean sciences related to polymetallic nodules, which could impact deep-sea mining and our understanding of life's origin.
• 🔍 Polymetallic nodules, also known as manganese nodules, are mineral deposits rich in metals like manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, and lithium, which are in high demand for battery production.
• 🌐 These nodules are found in vast quantities on the ocean floor, particularly in regions with hydrothermal vents, and can be as large as potatoes or large eggs, lying on the seafloor.
• 💡 The historical interest in mining these nodules dates back to the 1970s and 1980s, but concerns over environmental damage led to a halt in such activities by the early 1980s due to economic reasons rather than environmental regulations.
• 🚫 Mining these nodules could cause irreversible damage to the marine ecosystem, as they are a crucial part of the biosphere with high biodiversity, similar to coral reefs.
• 🔬 Recent studies have found that these nodules may produce oxygen, a discovery that was unexpected and could have significant implications for understanding the evolution of life and the origin of oxygen on Earth.
• 🔋 The nodules act like natural batteries, producing voltage that can lead to the electrolysis of water, resulting in the production of oxygen and hydrogen.
• ⏳ These geological phenomena grow extremely slowly, taking millions of years to form, and may have been present for over 500 million years, potentially oxygenating early oceans and providing an environment for complex life to evolve.
• 🌿 The discovery challenges the traditional view that photosynthesis was the primary source of oxygen for the evolution of complex life, suggesting that non-photosynthesis processes could have played a significant role.
• 🌍 The implications of this discovery are not only scientific but also ethical, as mining these nodules could have detrimental effects on the planet's biodiversity and ecological balance.
• 🔮 The script suggests that similar conditions to those that form these nodules could exist on other celestial bodies, potentially providing environments conducive to the origin of life elsewhere in the universe.

Q & A

What is the significance of the discovery discussed in the video?

The discovery discussed in the video is significant because it involves polymetallic nodules, which are mineral deposits found on the ocean floor. These nodules contain various metals like manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, and lithium, which are in high demand for battery production. The discovery could have major implications for deep-sea mining and the environment.

What are polymetallic nodules commonly referred to as?

Polymetallic nodules are commonly referred to as manganese nodules, although they contain more than just manganese.

What is the typical size of these polymetallic nodules?

The typical size of these polymetallic nodules is similar to that of a potato or a large egg.

Why are mining companies interested in these nodules?

Mining companies are interested in these nodules because they contain various metals that are in high demand, especially for the production of batteries.

What historical context is provided about the interest in mining these nodules?

In the 1970s and 1980s, there was a surge in interest in mining these nodules as countries explored ways to extract them from the ocean floor. However, concerns about environmental damage and economic factors led to a decline in interest.

What environmental concerns were raised about mining these nodules?

Environmental concerns included the potential destruction of bioecological niches and irreversible damage to biodiversity, similar to the impact of mining coral reefs.

Why did mining efforts for these nodules largely stop in the 1980s?

Mining efforts largely stopped in the 1980s due to economic reasons, specifically a sudden decrease in metal prices, which led to near bankruptcies for many companies involved in these ventures.

What new discovery about these nodules has been made in recent studies?

Recent studies have discovered that these nodules seem to produce oxygen, which contributes to the high biodiversity in certain regions of the ocean.

How do these nodules produce oxygen?

The nodules act like natural batteries, producing voltage that leads to the electrolysis of water, resulting in the production of oxygen and hydrogen.

What implications does this discovery have for our understanding of the origin of life on Earth?

This discovery suggests that these nodules could have played a role in oxygenating early oceans, providing an environment necessary for more complex life to evolve. It challenges the idea that photosynthesis was the only source of oxygen for early life.

What potential impact could mining these nodules have on the environment?

Mining these nodules could lead to a major environmental collapse, as they contribute significantly to biodiversity and oxygen production in the ocean. Eliminating this source of 'dark oxygen' could have unknown effects on the rest of the ocean life and even the planet.

Outlines

00:00

🌊 Oceanic Discovery: Polymetallic Nodules

This paragraph introduces the topic of polymetallic nodules, also known as manganese nodules, which are mineral deposits found on the ocean floor. These nodules contain valuable metals like manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, and lithium, making them a target for mining companies, especially for battery production. The speaker discusses the historical interest in mining these nodules, which peaked in the 1970s and 1980s, and the subsequent environmental concerns that led to a halt in mining activities. The paragraph also highlights the potential ecological damage caused by mining these nodules, as seen in past attempts, and the current resurgence of interest due to the demand for battery materials.

05:01

🌱 Unusual Oxygen Production by 'Ocean Potatoes'

The second paragraph delves into a surprising discovery about the polymetallic nodules: their ability to produce oxygen. Scientists observed elevated oxygen levels around these formations, leading to the hypothesis that the nodules act like batteries, generating voltage that causes electrolysis of water, producing oxygen and hydrogen. This natural process, termed 'dark oxygen,' is not dependent on photosynthesis and contributes significantly to the biodiversity in the deep ocean. The paragraph also discusses the potential implications of mining these nodules, which could disrupt this natural oxygen production and have far-reaching effects on marine life and the planet's ecosystem. Additionally, the speaker speculates on the role these nodules might have played in the early oxygenation of Earth's oceans, possibly supporting the evolution of complex life.

10:02

🌌 Implications for Life Beyond Earth

In the final paragraph, the speaker explores the broader implications of the discovery, suggesting that similar geological processes could occur on other celestial bodies, potentially providing conditions for the origin of complex life elsewhere. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of understanding these natural 'geo-batteries' and their role in the evolution of life and the source of early oxygen on Earth. It also underscores the potential environmental consequences of mining these nodules, not only for Earth but also for other planetary bodies. The speaker concludes by encouraging viewers to stay informed about these developments and the ongoing research in this field.

Keywords

💡Manganese Nodule

Manganese Nodules, also referred to as polymetallic nodules, are rock-like formations that typically form on the ocean floor. They are rich in various metals such as manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, and lithium. These nodules are significant in the video's context as they are the central focus of potential deep-sea mining efforts. The script mentions that these nodules can be as large as a potato or a large egg and are a subject of interest due to their potential use in battery production.

💡Deep Sea Mining

Deep Sea Mining refers to the extraction of minerals and deposits from the ocean floor. In the video, it is highlighted as a potentially lucrative industry that could have significant environmental impacts. The script discusses the history of interest in deep sea mining, particularly in relation to manganese nodules, and the potential ramifications if such mining operations were to expand.

💡Biodiversity

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in a particular ecosystem, including the number of species and their genetic diversity. The video emphasizes the high biodiversity around manganese nodules, suggesting that these formations play a crucial role in supporting various life forms in the ocean. The script warns that mining these nodules could lead to irreversible damage to these ecological niches.

💡Hydrothermal Vents

Hydrothermal vents are openings in the Earth's crust, typically found on the ocean floor, where geothermally heated water issues from the Earth's interior. The video mentions that manganese nodules are especially frequent near hydrothermal vents, indicating that these geological features may play a role in the formation or concentration of these nodules.

💡Polymetallic Nodule

Polymetallic Nodules are mineral deposits that contain multiple metals, often found on the ocean floor. They are a key focus in the video due to their composition and potential for use in industries like battery manufacturing. The script describes these nodules as containing a mix of minerals and metals, making them highly valuable.

💡Electrolysis

Electrolysis is a process that uses an electric current to drive a non-spontaneous chemical reaction. In the context of the video, it is suggested that manganese nodules may act like batteries, producing voltage that could lead to the electrolysis of water, resulting in the production of oxygen and hydrogen. This discovery is significant as it provides a new understanding of how oxygen might be produced in the deep ocean.

💡Oxygen Production

Oxygen Production in the video is discussed in relation to the manganese nodules' ability to generate oxygen through a process similar to electrolysis. This is a surprising finding as it challenges traditional understanding of oxygen production in the ocean, which is typically associated with photosynthesis. The script highlights the importance of this 'dark oxygen' in supporting biodiversity.

💡Environmental Impact

Environmental Impact refers to the effects that human activities have on the environment. The video discusses the potential negative impacts of deep sea mining, particularly on the biodiversity around manganese nodules. The script suggests that mining these nodules could cause irreversible damage to the ocean's ecosystem.

💡Evolution of Life

Evolution of Life is the process by which different kinds of living organisms develop and diversify from earlier forms during the history of the Earth. The video suggests that the discovery of manganese nodules producing oxygen might lead to a reevaluation of how complex life evolved on Earth. The script proposes that these nodules could have provided an early source of oxygen, influencing the development of life.

💡Geo Batteries

Geo Batteries, as mentioned in the video, refer to the natural geological formations that can produce electricity. The manganese nodules are described as acting like batteries, generating voltage that could facilitate the electrolysis of water. This concept is central to the video's exploration of how these nodules might contribute to oxygen production in the deep ocean.

💡Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with carbon dioxide and water, releasing oxygen as a byproduct. The video contrasts this process with the production of 'dark oxygen' from manganese nodules, suggesting that oxygen in the deep ocean may not rely solely on photosynthesis.

Highlights

Anton discusses a potentially groundbreaking discovery in ocean sciences with implications for the origin of life and deep-sea mining.

The unusual rock formation known as polymetallic nodules, rich in metals like manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, and lithium, could be crucial for battery production.

Mining companies are interested in these nodules due to the high demand for metals in battery technology, despite the environmental concerns.

In the 1970s and 1980s, there was a surge in interest for mining these nodules, but the projects were abandoned due to economic reasons, not environmental.

Studies show that mining these nodules can cause irreversible damage to the marine ecosystem, similar to mining coral reefs.

Recent studies have found that these nodules may have been oxygenating early oceans, providing an environment for complex life to evolve.

The recovery of microbial communities in mined areas is slow, with some taking up to 50 years, indicating the long-term impact of mining.

A renewed interest in mining these nodules has emerged due to the shortage of materials like lithium for batteries.

Researchers discovered that these 'ocean potatoes' produce oxygen, a finding that was completely unexpected.

The oxygen production by the nodules could be linked to a natural process similar to batteries, where they act as geo-batteries.

The nodules were found to have voltages up to 95 volts, which could be increased through clustering, leading to natural electrolysis.

The process of electrolysis in these nodules produces 'dark oxygen,' oxygen not requiring photosynthesis, supporting high biodiversity.

Mining these nodules could lead to a significant environmental collapse due to the loss of dark oxygen and its impact on marine life.

The discovery suggests that the origin of complex life on Earth might not have needed photosynthesis, as an alternative oxygen source existed.

The existence of these nodules challenges our understanding of the great oxygenation event and the role of photosynthetic bacteria in complex life.

The discovery implies that similar conditions for complex life could exist on other planets, opening up new possibilities for astrobiology.

The study's findings emphasize the importance of not mining these nodules to prevent detrimental effects on the planet's ecosystems.

Anton invites viewers to subscribe and stay updated for future discussions on this topic as more discoveries and clarifications emerge.

Transcripts

hello person this is Anton and today

we're going to discuss what could

potentially become one of the most

exciting discoveries in Ocean sciences

and in studies regarding the origin of

life in the last few decades a discovery

that could have huge ramifications if

one day deep sea mining finally takes

off and starts to recover a lot of

different minerals and deposits from the

bottom of the oceans but in order to

understand why this discovery is so

important let's discuss a little bit of

history and basically what happened back

in the 1970s and 1980s and all of this

is about this and unusual Rock like

formation that goes by different names

normally it's known as the manganes

nodule but because it doesn't just

contain manganes it's much more often

referred to as poly metallic nodule a

type of a mineral deposit that usually

forms on the ocean floor and can

actually be present in huge amounts in

certain regions of the ocean and the

depending on the location and also

depending on how they were created they

will often contain different types of

metals now manganese and iron are pretty

common here but they can also contain

Cobalt nickel copper lithium and

basically a lot of other stuff many

different mining companies today are

desperately looking for because of the

demand when it comes to batteries and

because these nodules mix various

minerals and various metals and a

normally a size of a potato or some kind

of a large egg and also just generally

lie on the seaf floor and can just

easily be picked up naturally quite a

lot of companies out there have been

trying to find a way to exploit this and

to collect them in order to obviously

sell them so they can then be used for

new batteries and in the last few years

several private companies received

certain rights to potentially mine them

in certain locations but nothing so far

has materialized and honestly for the

reasons we'll discuss today hopefully it

never will but I guess what's important

to understand is that this is not the

first time someone has been interested

in mining them as a matter of fact back

in 1970s there was a sudden huge

explosion in pretty much all countries

talking about this and basically trying

to find a way to extract them from the

ocean floor just because you literally

have this metal line there and you just

have to pick it up in order to then

extract everything as long as you have a

ship and a long enough hose and based on

a lot of different surveys we know that

these things are pretty much everywhere

and they don't just appear in oceans

they even appear in various lakes and

are especially very frequent near

hydrothermal vents or ancient locations

where hydrothermal vents existed but

usually at high depths normally around 2

to 4 km and in certain locations there

are so many of them that they literally

form the sea Flor but as you can see

from this picture they also obviously

serve as a really important part of

biosphere the amount of biodiversity

around them seems to be really really

high and so even in the 70s and in the

80s there was a bit of a concern in

regards to mining this because it

basically looked like we were mining a

coral reef destroying huge amounts of

bioecological niches and potentially

causing irreversible damage and while

surprisingly around the early 1980s

after just a few initial attempts this

particular type of mining completely

stopped although ironically it wasn't a

result of some kind of a realization

that we're destroying the biosphere or

any kind of a regulation it was pure

economics the sudden decrease in metal

prices in the late '70s early 80s

basically led to near bankruptcies for

many different companies and the

abandonment of these projects by 1982

and so between 1960s and 1984 something

like half a billion dollars was

completely lost on many of these

Ventures no profits were made and

because there were certain locations

where we know a lot of damage has been

done for the past four to five decades

several scientific teams have been

actually trying to find out okay so what

exactly happened there and did those

areas recover here's actually one of the

locations extremely close to the gapas

island and while you can learn about the

actual details in one of the links in

the description but just to quote some

of the discoveries even 26 years later

microbial communities had only partially

recovered and the full recovery could

take up to 50 years whereas when it

comes to meapa there was no signs of

recovery even after 26 years with only

some SC Avengers returning to the area

but the conclusion being that mining

caused a dramatic and irreversible

damage to various types of life that

used to exist here but despite these

conclusions in the last I guess 3 to 4

years there's been now A Renewed

interest just because of the need for

new batteries and because of the

shortage of things like lithium and so

several companies are now trying to once

again Harvest these unusual ocean

potatoes which led to additional studies

of course including this one that one

once again tried to assess potential

dangers and in the process discovered

something really no one expected these

as I call them ocean potatoes seem to

produce oxygen and quite a lot of it

which is why those unusual locations had

such a huge biodiversity and this by

itself was absolutely unexpected and so

I guess the next question is okay but

how exactly does this work and what

exactly does this mean for our

understanding of evolution of life and

the origin of life on the planet and by

the way the study for this is as always

in the description below and so here as

the scientists were trying to study this

they initially made a surprising

discovery as they were measuring oxygen

levels from the surface of the ocean

going deeper and deeper down to the seaf

Flor now normally in these conditions

you kind of expect the oxygen levels to

drop over time because there's really no

photosynthesis where there's complete

darkness but to their surprise near the

bottom of the ocean they would always

discover these oxygen rich areas and

more surprisingly by measuring this over

several years it seemed pretty clear

that around these formations the oxygen

levels were highly elevated which kind

of made no sense and here there were

several assumptions one of them was that

maybe this is some kind of unusual

organism that seems to create these

habitable conditions in the depths of

the oceans or maybe and I guess more

likely this was just a problem with

measurements and some kind of a

contamination so basically maybe the

equipment was not working correctly and

so several addition observations have

been conducted but the results were

always the same but this time the

researchers behind the study decided to

try something a little bit different

they basically collected these nodules

bringing them to the surface and try

different techniques in order to see if

there's still oxygen being produced and

the answer was yes which almost

instantly leted them to propose a very

bizarre hypothesis these unusual rocks

were basically acting like batteries in

other words they were producing voltage

which would then lead to electrolysis of

water producing oxygen and hydrogen as a

result and because we know that

approximately 1.5 volt or a typical able

a battery is usually enough to split sea

water in order to produce oxygen this

explanation potentially made sense but

it had to be confirmed by measuring the

voltage of these nodules which is

exactly what was done in this study for

a single rock it was up to 95 volts

which though is not as high as 1.5 volts

required for electrolysis would become

much higher if a lot of these rocks were

touching and would thus produce a kind

of a battery series and so by clustering

these nodules together much higher

voltages could be produced thus creating

natural electrolysis with the voltage

itself coming through a chemical process

involving iron rust and so these natural

Geo batteries seem to be responsible for

a production of a lot of oxygen in the

oceans here the scientists refer to this

as dark oxygen or basically oxygen not

requiring photosynthesis and also oxygen

that seems to be responsible for a lot

of these e ological niches producing

tremendous biodiversity in a lot of

these locations as a matter of fact in

some locations the biodiversity of FAA

in these regions is just as high as in a

typical tropical rainforest which means

that mining these would lead to major

environmental collapse but I guess more

importantly by mining these and by

eliminating this dark oxygen we actually

have no idea what effect this would have

on the rest of the ocean life and even

the rest of the planet and so in that

sense this is a real important discovery

which will hopefully stop these mining

plants from becoming a reality but what

about the origin of life well the thing

about these unusual nodules is that

first of all they take a really long

time to grow a typical rock like this

would actually take hundreds of millions

of years as a matter of fact this is the

slowest known geological phenomenon

where a single centimeter takes several

million years to acquire and mostly

through some really complex processes

involving precipitation of various

metals from the seawater or really from

any water above and it's also quite

likely that they already existed at

least 500 million years ago oxygenating

early oceans and providing necessary

environment for more complex life to

evolve and though it's still unknown

exactly when they started forming it's

actually assumed to have started before

aerobic life began on planet Earth or

basically before oxygen was even

required which also suggests that life

on Earth maybe didn't even need

photosynthetic alogy to become more

complex as an additional source of

oxygen already existed in the depths of

the ocean and so because of this

nonphotosynthetic process that very

likely existed for billions of years we

now might have to rethink how we believe

complex life started on the planet and

what oxygen source was dominant back in

the days and so even the great

oxygenation event and the spread of

photosynthetic bacteria in the oceans

along with various algae was always

believed to be a kind of a catalyst for

complex life this particular Discovery

suggests that maybe things were not as

simple and more importantly it also

suggests that all of this could happen

elsewhere because this is a natural

geological process that just requires

water and a lot of metals dissolved in

water for all we know very similar

conditions could exist on a lot of other

objects out there and could thus even

provide conditions for complex life to

originate in the oceans of some other

unusual world and so in some sense this

is definitely a kind of a ground

breaking Discovery both in regards to

the evolution of life and the source of

early oxygen on the planet but also in

helping us understand that maybe mining

any of this would be very detrimental

for the entire planet but because this

is a relatively recent discovery we'll

come back and talk more about this in

some of the future videos once there are

additional discoveries and more

clarifications and so until then thank

you for watching subscribe share this

with someone who Lov learning about

space and Sciences come back tomorrow to

learn something else support this

channel on patreon by joy and membership

or by buying the wonderful person

t-shirt you can find in the description

stay wonderful I'll see you tomorrow and

as always bye-bye

[Music]

[Music]