16 November 2023

10:25 – 11:10

Amphithéâtre Faure

Jean Audouze

Jean Audouze is an astrophysicist and Director of Research Emeritus at the CNRS, based at the Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris (IAP). His research interests include nucleosynthesis, the chemical evolution of galaxies and cosmology. He was successively Director of the IAP from 1978 to 1989, Scientific Advisor to President François Mitterrand from 1989 to 1993, Chairman of the Etablissement Public du Parc et de la Grande Halle de la Villette from 1993 to 1996, Director of the Palais de la découverte from 1998 to 2004, Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the Salon Européen de l’Innovation et de la Recherche from 2004 to 2009 and Chairman of the French National Commission for UNESCO from 2010 to the end of 2014. He also taught astrophysics at the Ecole Polytechnique from 1974 to 1989, and science culture at Sciences Po (Paris) from 1990 to 2008. He is currently Associate Scientist at the Théâtre de la Ville de Paris and Chairman of the “Prévenance – Apprenons à vivre ensemble” association. He is the author, alone or in collaboration, of over 200 scientific publications and more than 20 popular science books.

Conference: What role does energy play in the evolution of the Universe and Life?

Energy comes into play at two points in the history of the Universe: first, at its very beginning, in the form of what is known as dark energy, and then in the various generations of stars that precede the birth of the Solar System and the Earth. A living being can mobilize energy for its own benefit. All life on Earth has been able to develop thanks to its use of solar energy.