Scientists have found the ‘Dark Oxygen’ 4,000 meters below sea level in an abyssal plain known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a 4.5 million-kilometer-square area of the Pacific Ocean. These polymetallic nodules are often found by mining companies in search of materials for the green energy transition. However, a study revealed that these nodules can produce "dark oxygen" underground, where light cannot reach. This discovery could upend our understanding of how life started on Earth and potentially change the meaning of life on other planets within our Solar System. The discovery also complicates negotiations around deep-sea mining regulations. The International Seabed Authority (ISA) has urged 25 countries to implement a moratorium or the implementation of a very least precautionary measure.