Scientists discover ‘dark' oxygen being produced more than 13,000 feet below the ocean surface

A mysterious phenomenon discovered in 2013 in the Pacific Ocean puzzled ocean scientist Andrew Sweetman. Sensor readings indicated that oxygen was being produced on the seabed at depths where no light could penetrate. This discovery challenges the assumption that oxygen is only consumed in the deep sea. The research, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, highlights the unknown aspects of the ocean depths and has implications for the mining of rare metals and minerals on the seafloor. The study suggests that there may be another source of oxygen on the planet, apart from photosynthesis, which could help unravel the origins of life.