As demand for cobalt, nickel, and other critical minerals surges, governments and companies are eyeing the deep ocean floor. Scientists warn of irreversible damage to deep-sea biodiversity, while ...

A study analyzing these modules reveals that these rocky lumps are capable of producing “dark oxygen” 4,000 meters below sea level where light cannot reach.

A cnidarian is attached to a dead sponge stalk on a manganese nodule in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. Diva Amon and Craig Smith, University of Hawaii at Mānoa Picture an ocean world so deep and dark it ...

A cnidarian is attached to a dead sponge stalk on a manganese nodule in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. Diva Amon and Craig Smith, University of Hawaii at Mānoa Picture an ocean world so deep and dark it ...

The U.S. government is moving closer to approving deep-sea mining in international waters, opening a contentious new front in ...

Norway's recent approval of deep-sea mining sets a precedent for other nations, as they seek to access critical minerals necessary for renewable energy technologies. While environmentalists and ...

The rush to mine the deep ocean is no longer a distant possibility. It’s here, thanks to global demand for minerals like cobalt and nickel rising, meaning governments and corporations are eyeing the ...

The path to the world’s technological future could be found on the deep ocean floor. But that path may come at a high price. The debate centers on critical minerals embedded in rocks on the seabed.

A deep-sea ecologist writes that the United States’ new rush to allow deep-sea mining raises significant environmental ...

Deep-sea mining is gaining momentum as countries seek critical minerals for the green transition, but scientists are raising alarms about potential environmental consequences. The International Seabed ...

When the submarine plunged to about 1,500 meters below sea level, ecologist Jeff Drazen asked the pilots to cut the strobe lights that had been guiding them through the pitch-black waters. For a ...