阿根廷布宜诺斯艾利斯（美联社）——透明面孔的鱼类在昏暗的水域中漂游。如雪花般的死亡植物碎屑从上方世界飘落而下。柔软的海绵从海底的煤烟状沉积物中隐约可见。唯有海洋生物学家间或的低语，打破这浓重的沉寂。

不知为何，这场南大西洋海洋生物的直播仿佛让所有阿根廷人都为之着迷——他们要么在观看，要么在讨论并制作相关表情包。

这支由阿根廷和美国研究人员组成的团队利用遥控潜水器在4000米（13000英尺）深的海底拍摄生物。他们周一告诉美联社，从未想过这次科考会引起如此轰动。相关视频在YouTube上日均播放量超过160万次，占据电视新闻头条，甚至引发全国性讨论——人们开始关注自由派总统哈维尔·米莱执政下阿根廷科研经费削减的问题。

“这对我们来说是个巨大的惊喜，”探险队队长丹尼尔·劳雷塔（Daniel Lauretta）表示，“这件事让我们内心充满喜悦，因为我们希望传播这一消息。或许有些年轻人正在学习，也许我们正在唤醒他们的科学好奇心。”

通过高清摄像机捕捉到的众多生物中，包括一只平静的海星，其鲜艳的橙色令人联想到《海绵宝宝》动画中著名的派大星；一只形似红薯的海参；以及一只酷似毛茸茸蜘蛛的深海蟹。

这些图像激发了人们对深海奥秘的集体惊叹，随之而来的是大量拟人化现象——观众们为无脊椎动物分配星座符号，并参与社交媒体上的趣味测试，比如“根据你应对压力的方式，你是哪种深海生物？”（若你对周遭漠不关心，便是透明鱿鱼；若易怒爆发，则显然是枪虾）。

这场直播自上周开始，将持续至8月10日，每天最长播出10小时。科学家们正在测绘布宜诺斯艾利斯海岸外鲜有研究的海底峡谷，采集样本并鉴定数十种新物种，直播实时观看人数峰值常达5万。

“清晰度令人难以置信。色彩和变焦能力——这些都让我惊叹不已，”劳蕾塔（Lauretta）表示，“我认为公众也感受到了这种震撼。”

该项目由阿根廷主要科研资助机构国家科学技术研究委员会（Conicet）的科学家与施密特海洋研究所基金会共同合作开展。该非营利组织由谷歌前执行董事长埃里克·施密特创立，旨在推动海洋学研究。在米莱政府为消除阿根廷长期财政赤字而大幅削减科研经费之际，此次科考行动激发了阿根廷科研界的自豪感。

阿根廷国家科学技术研究委员会（Conicet）的研究员和学者们呼吁于周三举行48小时全国大罢工，试图借此引起公众关注。

40岁的乔治娜·瓦兰西（Georgina Valanci）周一一边钩织，一边出神地看着直播。她说：'阿根廷人对国内发生的一切都充满热情。我认为这体现了我们的骄傲，因为这样的事情正在我们的国家发生。'

米莱于2023年底上台后解散了科学技术部。阿根廷国家科学技术研究委员会（Conicet）去年实际预算削减了21%。近几个月来，该机构研究人员的薪资缩水35%。行业估算显示，过去一年半间，国有科技机构已流失3400个工作岗位。

视频中每日展现着海星再生腕足或变形虫吞噬猎物的画面，实时弹出的评论表达着对阿根廷国家科学技术研究委员会（Conicet）的支持。本周一，多位用户留言高呼“Conicet万岁！”

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) Transparent-faced fish drift through dusky waters. Snowlike flecks of dead plants sift down from the world above. Soft sponges peek through the soot of the seafloor. Only occasional mutters among marine biologists break the thick silence.

And somehow, this livestream of sea life in the South Atlantic feels like it has everyone in Argentina watching or talking and making memes about it.

The group of Argentine and American researchers behind this remotely operated vehicle filming life-forms 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) undersea told The Associated Press on Monday that they couldnt have imagined that their expedition would become such a sensation. It has attracted more than 1.6 million views a day on YouTube, dominating TV news broadcasts and even sparking a national conversation about the defunding of Argentine science under libertarian President Javier Milei .

It was a huge surprise for us, said expedition leader Daniel Lauretta. Its something that fills our hearts because we want to spread the word. Perhaps there are young people who are learning, maybe were awakening some scientific curiosity.

The vast array of creatures glimpsed via high-definition camera include a placid starfish so orange it evokes Patrick of SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon fame, a sea cucumber reminiscent of a sweet potato, a deep sea crab that looks like a hairy spider.

The images have created a sense of collective wonder at the mysteries of the deep sea and with it, a hearty dose of anthropomorphism as viewers assign zodiac stars to invertebrate and take social media quizzes along the lines of Which deep sea creature are you based on how you handle stress? (If you ignore the world youre a translucent squid, if you explode with anger youre apparently a pistol shrimp).

Often peaking at 50,000 simultaneous viewers, the livestream began last week and runs everyday until Aug. 10 for up to 10 hours as the scientists map the little-researched submarine gorge off the coast of Buenos Aires, collecting samples and identifying scores of new species.

The clarity was incredible. The colors, the zoom capability that really amazed me, Lauretta said. I think that feeling reached the public too.

The project is a collaboration between scientists mostly from Conicet, Argentinas leading scientific funding and research body, and the Schmidt Ocean Institute Foundation, a nonprofit set up by Googles former executive chairman Eric E. Schmidt to advance oceanographic research. The expedition has also inspired pride in Argentine research at a time when Milei is slashing spending on science in a drive to eliminate Argentinas chronic fiscal deficit.

Researchers and fellows from Conicet have sought to seize on the attention by calling for a 48-hour nationwide strike Wednesday.

Argentines are very passionate about everything that happens in Argentina, said Georgina Valanci, 40, who seemed mesmerized by the livestream while crocheting on Monday. I think it represents a bit of the pride that something like this is being done in our country.

Milei dissolved the Ministry of Science and Technology after coming to power in late 2023. Conicet suffered a 21% budget cut in real terms last year. Salaries for Conicet researchers have lost 35% of their value in recent months. Industry estimates show state-funded science and technology organizations losing 3,400 jobs in the last year and a half.

Each day as the video shows sea stars regenerating arms or amoeba engulfing prey, comments pop up expressing support for Conicet in real time. Long live Conicet! several users posted on Monday.