Although proponents of the technology say it would have little effect on undersea life, others urge further research to gauge its impact on marine ecosystems. “Many organisms thrive at 500 meters’ depth,” says Adina Paytan, a professor affiliated with the Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz. The twilight zone—which extends from 200 to 1,000 meters below the surface—is not only home to organisms such as whales, squid and jellyfish but “extremely important for many ocean processes, such as the carbon cycle and nutrient cycling,” Paytan says. Companies will need to ensure that their water intake and salty brine by-product don’t harm marine life or significantly alter these processes. {read}