Launch of Research into Deep-Sea ‘Dark Oxygen’Supporting Scottish Association for Marine Science’s work to discover new mechanism for creating oxygen

The research, which seeks to understand the actual conditions surrounding dark oxygen, is being led by Professor Andrew Sweetman of SAMS. The research will involve surveying 11,000 meters below the ocean surface using newly developed, specialized experimental equipment, and in addition to identifying the source of dark oxygen, will attempt to clarify its role in deep-sea ecosystems.

The Nippon Foundation Chairman Yohei Sasakawa emphasized the significance of this research, expressing his desire for solid science to shed light on actual deep-sea conditions in a world that is still largely unknown to humans. The Foundation will support SAMS with roughly 2 million pounds (approximately 440 million yen) over three years, with the aim of unlocking the mysteries of the deep sea in cooperation with global research institutes and international organizations.

UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) has endorsed this research as a United Nations Ocean Decade activity. NASA has shown interest in the latest science at the heart of this research – the possibility that oxygen is created without relying on photosynthesis – which is expected to shed light on the origins of life on earth and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.