An underwater expedition in Argentina’s Mar del Plata Canyon has uncovered a wealth of marine life, including glowing squid, pink lobsters, sprawling coral gardens and rare invertebrates – along with 40 species believed to be new to science.
Led by Argentinian scientists aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor (too), the mission offered the public a rare chance to witness deep-sea exploration in real time – with nearly 4 million people tuning in to their livestream over three weeks.
The team used the Institute’s Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) SuBastian to descend to depths of more than 3,500 metres – almost twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. This marked the first time scientists had directly observed the canyon floor, having previously relied on samples collected by nets and trawls.
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“The deep sea and its awe-inspiring life – from bright corals to mesmerising octopuses – has captivated an entire nation, thanks to a team of passionate scientists and the millions of people watching their work, via livestream,” says Wendy Schmidt, co-founder and president of Schmidt Ocean Institute.
“Argentina is showing the world the power of deep-sea exploration to not only spark wonder, but to remind us how much of our planet remains to be discovered and protected.”
The Mar del Plata Canyon, located 300 kilometres offshore from the city of Mar del Plata, is one of Argentina’s largest submarine canyons.
At 1,014 metres, the team found a reef of Bathelia candida, a stony coral that creates habitat for other marine life. At 1,500 metres they documented an extensive bed of red Anthomastus sp., a mushroom-shaped soft coral.
Other species recorded included sea anemones, sea cucumbers, urchins, snails, corals and crinoids. While many are thought to be new to science, official confirmation will require detailed taxonomic work.
The expedition reached unprecedented public engagement for the Schmidt Ocean Institute. While typical dives average 4,000 online views, this mission drew an average of 500,000 per dive, amassing over 17.5 million views in total. Roughly 75% of viewers were from Argentina, where the livestreams were watched everywhere from classrooms to gyms.
“It’s been incredible to see how people of all ages have connected with the deep sea,” said Dr Martín Brogger of CONICET and the Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos.
“We received hundreds of messages from families, teachers and kids who felt inspired, surprised and even emotional watching the live broadcasts. Some young students told us they now dream of becoming marine biologists – an impact that goes beyond science by creating a shared sense of wonder and curiosity that can truly last a lifetime.”
Lauretta said one of his favourite moments was seeing videos of children pretending to pilot their own ROV. “Those videos filled my heart with joy – and hope for the future,” he said.
Not all discoveries were natural wonders. The team also found human debris, including shoes, plastic bags and fishing gear – evidence that human impact reaches even the deep ocean.
“This cruise underscores the power of ocean exploration and science in igniting the imagination,” said Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Executive Director, Dr Jyotika Virmani.
“It was inspiring for us to see Argentinians fall in love with their own deep sea, and we are grateful to the science team, who balanced the demands of seagoing science with their passion to share their research with millions.”
The findings lay a foundation for future research and resource management, say the team, offering both a scientific milestone and a national moment of pride.
In pictures: Mar del Plata Canyon expedition
Image and video credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute CC BY-NC-SA Attribution.
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