On the seafloor, volcanic and magmatic forces create hot springs that spew heated water into the depths of the ocean. Hot, acidic water scours metals from Earth’s crust, and these warm, chemical-rich waters support exotic deep-sea ecosystems. Historically, metals like iron and manganese were thought to quickly react and form particles that would clump together or stick to other things, causing them to sink to the seafloor. But new research from The College of the Environment’s Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean (JISAO) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows that these metals actually remain dissolved and follow deep-sea currents to provide a major source of iron to the world’s oceans. Their findings are published on the cover of Nature’s July 9, 2015 issue.