The shock discovery that metallic nodules could be producing oxygen in the deep sea made headlines last year – now the team behind it is launching a new project to confirm and explain the findings

In the 1960s, the U.S. Navy was exploring the other "final frontier" -- the sea. A series of underwater habitats called "Sealabs" were constructed for scientific exploration on the ocean floor.

While NASA was trying to put a man on the moon, the Navy was quietly conducting a series of tests to see if humans could live and work on the deep seafloor.

Deep-sea scientists have announced the most detailed examination yet of our deep ocean which could provide clues to how life on Earth began – and even whether life can be sustained on other planets in and outside our solar system.

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Prof Sweetman, addressing concerns raised by mining companies such as Canada's Metals Company, stated that upcoming experiments would provide conclusive evidence. He advocated for a cautious approach, emphasising the importance of understanding deep-sea ecosystems before proceeding with large-scale industrial activities.

Scientists who recently discovered that metal lumps on the dark seabed make oxygen, have announced plans to study the deepest parts of Earth's oceans in order to understand the strange phenomenon. Their mission could "change the way we look at the possibility of life on other planets too," the researchers say.

A new study led by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), published in The ISME Journal, sheds light on how a species of foraminifera, single-celled organisms found in almost all marine habitats,

Scientists studying samples that NASA collected from the asteroid Bennu found a wide assortment of organic molecules that shed light on how life arose.

Certain metallic rocks seem to be making oxygen in the dark, without light or sunshine, at the bottom of the ocean.

The discovery challenges traditional photosynthesis concepts, revealing new possibilities for life in harsh environments, Science noted.

Founded in 2023, DeepSeek has operated mostly under the radar before launching the first version of its model in November. The third version launched this month and is showing some breathtaking results.