A robot is navigating the cold depths of the South Atlantic seabed, streaming images of dazzling coral and previously unseen fish, while scientists provide live commentary on YouTube – and Argentines are captivated.

Mar del Plata

A live stream featuring a submarine robot exploring the Mar del Plata Canyon, located 4,500 meters beneath the ocean surface off Argentina, has drawn over a million viewers per day. The broadcast, popular on YouTube, showcases unique marine life such as bright corals and a notable orange starfish, engaging audiences alongside scientists witnessing these discoveries in real time.

The expedition is managed by a 25-person team from the Argentine Research Institute, operating from a ship above the canyon. The success of the stream comes at a challenging time for Argentine science, which has faced a 21% budget reduction and a resulting loss of scientific talent due to financial constraints and government spending cuts.

Underwater robot live stream draws over a million viewers per day

My name is Sofia and I'm really excited to bring you yet another dive stream. And so is the Argentine public. The live cast of the submarine robot exploring the Mar del Plata Canyon 4,500 meters beneath the ocean surface has been broadcast since last week, reaching over one million viewers. YouTube users have been particularly hooked by images of ethereal sea creatures, bright corals, and one star in particular, a cheeky orange starfish that users have compared to Spongebob Squarepants character Patrick Star. Thomas Lupi, the head of the Argentine Research Institute in charge of the expedition, is thrilled by its popularity. They've never had such a wide outreach before. It's really huge. The fact that the replay of the streaming has more views or more viewers than most streams in Argentina is honestly crazy. A 25-person team is leading the mission from a ship above the Atlantic Ocean Canyon where they operate the robot. Viewers can discover the underwater oasis where the cold, nutrient-rich Malvinas current and the warm, salty Brazil current converge, for the first time and at the same time as scientists do. For Lupi, the winning combination comes at a crucial moment in time. Science in Argentina is going through a really tough time, financially, in terms of support, human resources and so on. And the fact that this is happening is like a beacon of light. Internat's messages of long-lived CONACED contrast with the self-described anarcho-capitalist Argentine president Javier Mele's budget cuts to public spending. CONACED, the government's scientific research branch, has seen its budget reduced by 21% last year. Consequently, plunging salaries have unleashed a brain drain of the country's scientists.

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