Nearly 46 years ago, scientists noticed strange pinging sounds coming from an area in the central Pacific Ocean. Their source remained a mystery for decades. It has now been found to be a remnant of a human activity, showcasing how interfering with nature can have repercussions. In 1979, a deep-sea mining experiment was carried out in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ). This region is rich in nickel, manganese, copper, zinc, and cobalt deposits that are present in rocks known as polymetallic nodules. These materials are used in electric vehicle batteries, and for this reason, the CCZ has been on the radar of the mining industry. Years ago, an experiment tried to understand whether these materials can be mined, and how this might affect the marine system. Later, after the mining experiment was over, the region started emitting strange sounds. Scientists remained confused about their origin. A study has found that the pinging sound is the result of human activity. Also Read: 13,000ft-deep secret: Scientists discover oxygen in the darkest region where it shouldn’t exist
The mining experiment left visible marks on the ocean floor. A study led by the National Oceanography Centre and the Natural History Museum in London, published in the journal Nature, states that the mining machinery affected the region and is the reason for the sound. The ocean floor caught the sound of the machines, and this is what researchers have been hearing all these years. The machines are no longer there, yet the sound remains, which is shocking. Dr Adrian Glover, the study’s author, said that the machinery left a sonic imprint, and “the scars made by the mining machine 44 years ago look almost as if they were made yesterday.” Also Read: Thousands of barrels with mysterious chemical found in the ocean in California cause major scare
Should oceans be mined?
The mining also affected the marine ecosystem, as sea creatures that inhabited the region vanished. The study showed that mobile organisms, such as xenophyophores, are now making a comeback here, although the original animals remain missing. The biological recovery is good news, but the ecosystem remains affected, considering the original species are yet to colonise the area again. The mining experiment shows that mining the seabed might not be a good idea, as it can affect the ecosystem for hundreds of years. Disturbing the marine ecosystem can spell doom for the entire world. This is also the place where scientists found “dark oxygen”, that is, oxygen found in the darkest part of the ocean where sunlight does not reach. It was an astonishing discovery since oxygen was being created without photosynthesis.