The scientific community of Monaco will come together later this month as the Fête de la Science returns to the Principality for its fifth edition, offering the public an opportunity to discover topics ranging from marine biology and archaeology to medicine and environmental research.
The event will take place on Wednesday 30th September from 2pm to 6pm at Espace Léo Ferré, offering free entry and activities designed for both children and adults.
SCIENCE BROUGHT TO LIFE
Rather than simply presenting work taking place across Monaco’s scientific institutions, the afternoon will give visitors the chance to get involved through live experiments, demonstrations, quizzes, educational games, and hands-on activities.
Among the institutions taking part will be the Centre Scientifique de Monaco (CSM), with researchers from its marine, medical, and polar biology departments sharing their work directly with the public.
Visitors will have the chance to observe corals under a microscope and explore their anatomy with 3D models, while sea anemones will be used to demonstrate concepts surrounding the human immune system. The CSM’s polar biology team will also introduce its research on penguins and Antarctic ecosystems.
The Spéléo Club de Monaco will introduce visitors to the world of caving and the geology, biology, and archaeology connected to it.
FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN TO HUMAN HEALTH
With Monaco’s Mediterranean connection, marine science and conservation will play a major role throughout the event.
The Oceanographic Institute will present an activity linked to its Méditerranée 2050 programme, exploring the region’s biodiversity and ecosystems alongside pressures from pollution, climate change, and overfishing. Visitors will also be encouraged to consider, with this information in mind, what the Mediterranean could look like by 2050 and how it must be protected.
Additional participants will bring research covering cetacean conservation, marine pollution, protected areas, and climate change, while the full programme will extend beyond the sea.
SCIENCE BEYOND THE SEA
The Centre Hospitalier Princesse Grace (CHPG), where more than 50 clinical research projects are currently taking place, will highlight the role of research in the development of new medicines, medical devices, diagnostic methods, and treatments.
Meanwhile, Monaco’s prehistoric and natural heritage will also be showcased through the Musée d’Anthropologie Préhistorique and Jardin Exotique, whose Botanical Centre houses more than 10,000 cacti and succulents, around 85% of which are protected species, while conducting research on plant reproduction, growth, and conservation.
Bringing together institutions, associations and researchers from across the Principality and beyond, the Fête de la Science aims to make scientific research accessible beyond laboratories and institutions, giving the public the chance to observe, experiment and interact directly with those behind the work.
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Photo credit: Government Communications Department / Manuel Vitali