Scientist Who Discovered ‘Dark Oxygen’ Ignored It For Years. Here’s Why.

Children are always asking “Why?” As they experience things for the first time, it’s natural to want to find out more. But as children grow into adults, they often dismiss something new that challenges their experience and understanding. This is what happened to me when I discovered a source of oxygen production in the deep sea – but ignored it for nine years. In 2013, I was conducting experiments to measure seafloor carbon cycling in the Clarion-Clipperton zone of the Pacific Ocean in 2013. I deployed a lander system (a remote-operated platform used to carry scientific equipment) to a depth…