Overview

• Running from July 23 to August 11 aboard R/V Falkor (too), the Argentine-led Schmidt Ocean Institute campaign used the ROV SuBastian in the Mar del Plata submarine canyon, the institute’s first mission led by Argentine scientists and the first to stream every deep dive in the Southwestern Atlantic.
• The team reports roughly 40 suspected new species across groups such as anemones, sea cucumbers, urchins, snails, corals and crinoids, with confirmation requiring months to years of taxonomic study.
• Livestreams on YouTube and Twitch drew about 17.5–18 million total views, averaging roughly 500,000 per dive and peaking above 92,000 concurrent viewers, with strong participation from schools and families.
• Scientists documented deep cold-water coral habitats, including reefs at around 1,014 meters and extensive Anthomastus sp. fields near 1,500 meters, while dives reached depths approaching 3,900 meters.
• More than 200 hours of ultra‑HD video and collected samples are now at the MACN in Buenos Aires for taxonomic, microplastic and blue‑carbon analyses, as researchers flag funding and career‑continuity strains and local authorities move to recognize contributors.