In the past few days, scientists have discovered a giant ocean hidden 434.96 miles beneath the Earth, which could change what we know so far about the water on this planet. Once you have considered how big the ocean is, now imagine a three-times-larger underwater world that is located 700 kilometers below the surface of the earth. This isn’t the storyline of a science fiction book; rather, it’s the shocking finding made by a group of scientists who are trying to solve the puzzles surrounding the origins of the water on our planet.
The discovery that could change what we know about the ocean so far
Researchers have discovered an enormous ocean embedded in the Earth’s mantle, more than 700 kilometers below the surface, as a result of their efforts to determine the sources of the planet’s water. The origin of Earth’s water is called into question by this subterranean ocean, which is buried beneath a blue rock called ringwoodite. This subterranean sea is so enormous that its volume is three times that of all the oceans on Earth’s surface put together. In addition to its astounding size, this discovery offers a novel explanation for the water cycle on Earth. It implies that the seas may have gradually filtered out from the Earth’s core rather than arriving from comet impacts, as some theories have suggested.
According to the study’s lead author, Steven Jacobsen, a researcher at Northwestern University in Illinois, this is concrete proof that water originated on Earth. This hidden reserve may also help to explain why the world’s seas have stayed the same size for millions of years, according to Jacobsen. Researchers used a network of 2000 seismographs located throughout the United States to analyze seismic waves from more than 500 earthquakes to uncover this subterranean ocean. Scientists can infer the existence of this enormous water deposit because these waves, which move through the Earth’s interior layers, including its core, slow down when they pass over wet rock.
Our knowledge of the Earth’s water cycle may be altered if water is found in the mantle and perspires along the margins between rock grains. Without this reservoir, the water would be on the surface of the Earth, and the only land that would be visible might be the summits of the mountains, as Jacobsen notes. Researchers are eager to collect further seismic data from all across the world in light of this ground-breaking discovery to ascertain whether or not this mantle melting occurs frequently. Their research could fundamentally alter our knowledge of the Earth’s water cycle and provide fresh perspectives on one of the planet’s most basic functions.
Scientists have also found dark oxygen in the deep ocean
Some scientists believe that metallic rocks in the ocean’s deepest, darkest regions produce “dark oxygen” in the absence of sunshine, but others dispute this notion. The discovery triggered a heated scientific debate and challenged long-held beliefs about the origins of life on Earth. It was first reported in the journal Nature Geoscience last July. For mining corporations anxious to harvest the rich metals stored within these polymetallic nodules, the discoveries were equally significant. According to researchers, nodules the size of potatoes may be generating enough electricity to electrolyze—or split—seawater into hydrogen and oxygen.
This called into question the long-held belief that life began when creatures began generating oxygen through photosynthesis, which depends on sunlight, some 2.7 billion years ago. Environmentalists stated that the discovery of black oxygen bolstered their argument that deep-sea mining presented intolerable ecological risks and demonstrated how little is known about life at these extreme depths. Mining corporations are becoming increasingly interested in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a large underwater area of the Pacific Ocean between Mexico and Hawaii, where the finding was made.
