Scientists from the University of Southern Denmark discovered that extreme deep-sea pressure forces nutrients out of sinking organic particles, creating an unexpected food source for ocean microbes.

This process, observed in marine snow (tiny clumps of dead algae and organic material), releases up to 50% of carbon and 58-63% of nitrogen as the particles descend 2-6 kilometers.

The findings challenge previous assumptions about deep-ocean ecosystems and the carbon cycle, suggesting that significant carbon may remain suspended in deep waters rather than being buried in sediments.

The study, published in Science Advances, highlights how hydrostatic pressure acts like a 'juicer,' squeezing dissolved organic matter accessible to microbes.This discovery could reshape understanding of carbon storage and its role in climate processes.Researchers plan to validate these findings in the Arctic Ocean, where they hope to detect molecular signatures of this pressure-driven leakage.The implications extend to energy resources, as long-term carbon burial in sediments contributes to fossil fuel formation.