Record invisible gold deposits found in underwater volcano near Japan

Japanese scientists have discovered unusually large deposits of invisible gold near the Higashi-Aogashima underwater caldera. The gold is chemically trapped within pyrite minerals on the seafloor rather than existing in a visible metallic form. The hydrothermal vents in the area also support unique ecosystems that researchers are still working to understand. Extracting the gold would pose major technical difficulties alongside significant environmental risks. The find has sparked debate over whether resource extraction is worth the potential ecological consequences.