Trillions of potato-sized rocks scattered across the deep ocean floor are rich in metals such as cobalt and copper—making them a target for mining companies eager to fuel the clean-energy transition. But recent research suggests these rocks may also be supporting marine life in ways scientists are only beginning to understand. In this episode, scientist and ... Show More
Aug 2024
‘Dark Oxygen’ Is Coming from These Ocean Nodules, and We Don’t Know How
Polymetallic nodules litter a stretch of ocean between Mexico and Hawaii. They contain metals, such as manganese and cobalt, that mining companies want to use for battery production. Researchers recently found that these seafloor blobs might make their own oxygen—and no one knows ... Show More
17m 29s