The Seastar in the Mar del Plata Canyon: How one image captured the hearts of a nation and showed people do care about the now visible deep ocean.

JOHANNA WESTON; DANIEL LAURETTA; GREGORIO BIGATTI; GRAZIELLA BOZZANO; BROGGER MARTÍN; RODRIGO CALDERÓN; NADIA CERINO; IGNASIO CHIESA; CRISTINA DAMBORENEA; CARLA DE ARANZAMENDI; BRENDA DOTI; NAHUEL FARIAS; SANTIAGO HERRERA; EZEQUIEL MABRAGAÑA; MARIANO MARTINEZ; FLORENCIA MATUSEVICH; EMILIANO OCAMPO; LEONEL PACHECO; GUIDO PASTORINO; PABLO PENCHASZADEH; EMANUEL PEREYRA; RENATA PERTOSSI; JESSICA RISARO; NOELIA SANCHEZ; JAVIER H. SIGNORELLI; VALERIA TESO; DIEGO URTEAGA

Glasgow

Congreso; 2026 Ocean Sciences Meeting; 2026

The Talud Continental IV expedition marked the first deployment of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in Argentina. Conducted aboard the R/V Falkor (Too) in summer 2025 and led by Argentinian scientist, the mission explored the Mar del Plata Submarine Canyon's biodiversity from 800 to 4,000 m. Unlike earlier expeditions that lacked in situ visualization, this mission provided direct observation of deep-ocean environments and revealed habitats of remarkable richness and abundance of invertebrates and fishes. As with all of ROV SuBastian's dives, operations were livestreamed on YouTube and Twitch, but this expedition achieved unprecedented public engagement. The turning point ca me during the fourth dive at 1,280 m, when the ROV filmed a distinctively shaped seastar. Within days, the image went viral, transforming the seastar into a meme and igniting attention. Average livestream audiences soared to -500,000 per dive (compared to -4,000), with more than 17.5 million views across three weeks, nearly 75% from Argentina. The dives became a cultural moment, inspiring countless pieces of artwork, music, videos, food, toys, and educational activities, and were widely covered in national and international media. A strong social media presence, particularly on Instagram, a robust Ship-to-Shore program reaching >900 students, and an active Artist-at-Sea onboard further amplified the impact. Crucially, science communication struck a careful balance of authentic enthusiasm while avoiding overly technical detail or fear-based narratives. The deep ocean was presented as it truly is: beautiful, relatable, and worth caring about. This tone resonated with viewers who joined the knowledge-generation process by creating common names for species like batata for a purple sea cucmber. Post-cruise media coverage, community events, and educational programs ensured the ocean remained visible in public life. The mission's success demonstrates that the public is not only fascinated by the deep ocean but deeply engaged when given the chance to connect with it, while learning about marine invertebrates and fishes. While viral moments are rare, the lessons learned-accessible and interactive livestreaming, immersive visuals, genuine communication, and strong school and media partnerships-offer a model for future expeditions.