Fool's Gold Is the Ocean's Iron Pipeline

Nanoparticle — An image of a nanoparticle from the Pacific's Kilo Moana vent.

(Image credit: University of Delaware)

Miniscule particles of fool's gold, spewing from hydrothermal vents, fertilize the oceans with iron, new research indicates.

It's no surprise that fool's gold entered the oceans in the hot, mineral-rich water gushing from hydrothermal vents on the seafloor. However, a team of researchers found that a significant amount of these particles are so small — called nanoparticles, they have diameters one thousand times smaller than that of a human hair — they can disperse across long distances before sinking.

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"As pyrite travels from the vents to the ocean interior and toward the surface ocean, it oxidizes gradually to release iron, which becomes available in areas where iron is depleted so that organisms can assimilate it, then grow," said George Luther, a study researcher and professor of oceanography at the University of Delaware. "It’s an ongoing iron supplement for the ocean much as Geritol or multivitamins are for humans."

Wynne was a reporter at The Stamford Advocate. She has interned at Discover magazine and has freelanced for The New York Times and Scientific American's web site. She has a masters in journalism from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Utah.