Nitrogen on Show

The “Aux sciences Citoyen.ne.s” festival, organized by Les Petits Débrouillards d’Occitanie each September, this year focused on sol qui peut!, which directly translates as soil that can! Dr Claire Delon, CNRS research scientist and INSA project coordinator, presented the INSA project to the broader community at an evening dedicated to small discussion groups between invited scientists and local residents. Dr Delon explained the impact of nitrogen on the environment, as well as the nitrogen paradox in Africa, where areas with too much or too little nitrogen coexist.

The festival also included a science village, made up of a dozen creative outdoor workshops. Each workshop presented an activity that allowed participants, both young and old, to better understand the nature and importance of the ground beneath our feet. One of the workshops presented a fun and educational board game, developed by Les Petits Débrouillard animators in collaboration with the INSA project, that allows people to explore the issue of nitrogen in the environment, and its role in feeding the planet.