Report on the Institut Pasteur's participation in the Utopiales international science fiction festival 

In 2024, for the fourth year in a row, the Institut Pasteur was an official partner of Utopiales, Europe’s biggest science fiction festival. Every year, the event brings scientists, authors and screen writers into contact with the general public. The festival promotes science fiction as a powerful tool for exploring and understanding real life. Over five days it features several round tables, film screenings, exhibitions and opportunities to meet writers.

The 25th edition was held from October 30 to November 3, 2024 at La Cité Nantes Congress Center. The theme this year was "Harmony."

 

Key figures for the 2024 edition
•    153 000 ffestival goers over the 5 days
•    291 speakers
•    288 signing sessions  
•    7000 m2 of exhibition spaces
•    7 tons of books sold

 

 

This year, seven Institut Pasteur scientists went along to take part in various round tables, and one of the scientists was also a member of the jury of the international short science fiction film competition.

Institut Pasteur participants for this 25th edition:

•    Yannick Goulam Houssen, a research engineer in the BioImaging Platform at the Hearing Institute (round tables: Where do cyborgs begin? and Intimate peace).

•    Thibaut Brunet, Head of the Evolutionary Cell Biology and Evolution of Morphogenesis Unit (round tables: Seen as a monster, The utopia of a balanced world and Life and death of cells).

•    Romain Levayer, Head of the Cell Death and Epithelial Homeostasis Unit (round tables: Stable-unstable: balance in movement and Life and death of cells).

•    Nicolas Rascovan, Head of the Microbial Paleogenomics Unit (round tables: How would biology stand up to intergalactic travel? and What we owe to microbes).

•    Miria Ricchetti, Head of the Molecular Mechanisms of Pathological and Physiological Aging Unit (round tables: Postponing death and Reinventing bodies).

•    François Bontems, Head of the partnership with the Utopiales and a scientist in the Structural Virology Unit (moderator of round tables: Telling the future and All cycles are in nature).

•    Valérie Choumet, group leader in the Environment and Infectious Risks Unit (jury member for the international short science fiction film competition).

Check out the program for more details about the round tables

Check out the video produced at the festival with the participation of our scientists

Members of the public who attended the Utopiales took part in a fascinating quiz: Can we recover dinosaur DNA? Can sponges walk? Can cells be remotely controlled by light? Our experts from the Institut Pasteur shone a light on these questions and provided some answers!