In this week’s selected podcast episode, “Dark Breath” (BBC Discovery), we shift from last session’s business perspective to a more scientific lens on deep-sea mining.
The episode explores the recent discovery of “dark oxygen” — oxygen produced without photosynthesis in the darkness of the abyssal plane — and what this might mean for our understanding of deep-sea ecosystems.
Interestingly, some of this research was sponsored by The Metals Company, who we discussed last time. The findings raise important questions and may even support delaying or rethinking proposed mining activities.
This brings us back to a question raised in our last discussion:
How should we think about the credibility of research funded by parties with a conflict of interest?
Listen, and join the discussion!
To prepare, please listen to:
“Dark Breath” — BBC Discovery podcast (26 minutes)
The full episode is well worth listening to. But as always, you are very welcome to join even if you haven’t had time to listen in advance.
You can listen:
- On the BBC Discovery website
- On Apple Podcasts
- Or via your favorite podcast app
Supplemental Material (Optional)
- Interview with Alycia Smith, a PhD student on the project discussed in the BBC Discovery (Unexplainable podcast, 23 min)
- Evidence of dark oxygen production at the abyssal seafloor This Nature paper is referred to in both the Discovery episode and the above interview