Chapter 1: The Ghost Ships Beneath the Waves

Hidden at a depth of 5,900 feet (1,800 meters) in the Black Sea, one can find an extraordinary ghost ship, resting in a tranquil yet lifeless underwater grave. This wooden vessel has lain undisturbed for 2,400 years, preserving its state as if caught in a moment frozen in time. After being examined by a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), a fragment of the ship was retrieved and dated to the fifth century BC. Remarkably, this piece of history remains untouched by time, akin to a fossil, safeguarded within a watery time capsule due to the lack of oxygen.

The unique hydrology and geography of the Black Sea create a barrier that prevents water circulation between its surface and deeper layers. The sea is stratified, and below 600 feet, the water is devoid of oxygen. While the upper layer of the Black Sea receives oxygen through natural exchange with the atmosphere, the lower 90 percent exists in a state of anoxia, rendering it a dead zone.

Yet, the Black Sea is not isolated in this phenomenon. Various anoxic dead zones are found worldwide, and geological history has documented numerous ancient seas where the depletion of oxygen eradicated marine life. Oxygen is essential for most living organisms. Without it, life in both terrestrial and aquatic environments ceases to exist. The remnants of these ancient marine dead zones are preserved in geological formations known as black shales.

Black shales are fine-grained sedimentary rocks rich in organic material, formed from sediments deposited in areas with little to no oxygen. These deposits accumulate layer upon layer over millennia. What distinguishes black shales from regular shales is their high organic content. In typical conditions, organic matter such as dead flora and fauna descends to the ocean floor, where it is consumed by bacteria and other organisms. However, in anoxic waters, few organisms can survive, leading to the accumulation of organic carbon with silt and clay. As this sediment is buried and transformed into rock, the elevated organic content results in the characteristic dark coloration of black shales.

The oil industry actively searches for these black shales buried deep within the Earth. As temperatures increase, the organic matter transforms into oil and gas deposits. A global prevalence of black shales at certain geological periods indicates widespread anoxia in ancient oceans. During the Late Cretaceous period, high levels of carbon-based greenhouse gases resulted in a warm climate, while extensive anoxic regions in the deep ocean accumulated carbon and contributed to the formation of black shales. These Cretaceous black shales play a significant role in modern society as a key source of oil. Ironically, the carbon from this ancient period is now being released back into the atmosphere as we burn fossil fuels, propelling us into another era of warm climate conditions.

Section 1.1: Are Dead Zones Truly Lifeless?

Referring to anoxic waters as dead zones can be misleading. While you won't encounter typical marine life such as fish, scallops, or corals in these environments, they are not devoid of life. Instead, they host a different type of organism that does not rely on free oxygen.

Not all forms of life require oxygen. When life first emerged on Earth four billion years ago, the atmosphere lacked free oxygen. It took several billion years for oxygen levels to rise. During that time, life flourished, dominated by chemosynthetic organisms that thrive without free oxygen.

Chemosynthesis is the process through which certain bacteria produce food by utilizing chemicals instead of sunlight. These bacteria derive their energy from the conversion of inorganic molecules into organic compounds, enabling them to thrive in environments devoid of sunlight and pre-existing organic matter. They obtain energy through the chemical oxidation of inorganic substances, feeding on materials like ammonia, molecular hydrogen, sulfur, hydrogen sulfide, and ferrous iron.

Chemosynthetic bacteria are found in some of Earth's most extreme environments, including hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor, where they thrive under crushing pressures and extreme temperatures. They also inhabit polar ice, remote caves, and even petroleum deposits.

Subsection 1.1.1: Chemotrophs and the Preservation of Organic Matter

One specific group of chemosynthetic organisms is known as chemoautotrophs. These organisms utilize hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and other inorganic compounds to generate the energy necessary for synthesizing organic carbon compounds. Chemoautotrophs are particularly adapted to survive in harsh anoxic environments.

Chapter 2: Insights from the Deep

The first video titled "EVERYTHING About Ghost Ships You Need To Know | How to Get Eiburn's Wound, Berald, & More - Lost Ark" dives deep into the lore surrounding ghost ships, exploring their historical and cultural significance.

The second video, "Stunningly Preserved 'Time Capsule' Ship Found - YouTube," showcases the remarkable discovery of a ship that has remained untouched for centuries, highlighting the implications for marine archaeology and our understanding of ancient maritime practices.

Read more on Medium publications:

Environmental Articles on EarthSphere

Stories, Life Observations and more on Dropstone

Read my recent Rand Soler book

Sources:

Ancient Black Sea shipwreck is unprecedented discovery (By Kristen Romey; National Geographic)

Oceans without oxygen (Source: ScienceDaily)

Permian Black Shales (Source ArcheanWeb)