'Dark oxygen' mission takes aim at other worlds

Gas from the seafloor has scientists wondering if oxygen could be found in the oceans of other planets.

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Their mission could "change the way we look at the possibility of life on other planets too," the researchers say.

The initial discovery confounded marine scientists. It was previously accepted that oxygen could only be produced in sunlight by plants - in a process called photosynthesis.

If oxygen - a vital component of life - is made in the dark by metal lumps, the researchers believe that process could be happening on other planets, creating oxygen-rich environments where life could thrive.

Lead researcher Prof Andrew Sweetman explained: "We are already in conversation with experts at Nasa who believe dark oxygen could reshape our understanding of how life might be sustained on other planets without direct sunlight.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq6gg5mnn8eo

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