Science at UM [S03-ep16]: Spittle under the microscope
This week on "Science at UM," Ashley Nord, a researcher at the Structural Biology Center, talks to us about bacteria, viruses, and droplets. Our report takes us on a tour of the Phenopsis with Myriam Dauzat. Finally, our last-minute guest is Ghyslaine Besançon, who introduces us to the screening and discussion of the film Bigger Than Us. A program co-produced with Divergence FM and airs every Wednesday at 6 p.m. on 93.9.
We’ve all found ourselves in the middle of a heated argument with someone who’s either very angry or very drunk—someone who, caught up in the heat of the moment or under the influence of alcohol, sprays a torrent of spit with every word, leaving us with no defense other than to squint tightly and take a small step back.
It’s an unpleasant sensory experience, but it also feels like an intrusion—as if the person you’re talking to isn’t just sending you a mixture of water, proteins, and mineral ions; after all, that’s what saliva is made of. By the way, did you know that the term “postillon” comes from the Italian “postiglione”? “Poste” here refers to a horse-drawn carriage used to transport travelers.
At first glance, this seems quite far removed from our own saliva droplets, and yet these droplets also carry passengers. Remember COVID and our anxiety whenever one of those liquid bombs landed on our faces. Yes, droplets are excellent vehicles for viruses. But are viruses the only ones to benefit from this fast and free mode of transport? No, bacteria can also be airborne, as can occur in the transmission of tuberculosis. These aerosols were the subject of our guest’s latest paper, published in the Journal of Aerosol Science.
She is a CNRS researcher and biophysicist at the Center for Structural Biology ( CBS ), and she is also one of the eight recipients of the Impulscience grant awarded by the Bettencourt Foundation last November for her research on biofilms.
In the second half of the program, our latest report on the M3P platform takes us along with Myriam Dauzat to see Phenopsis, an automated system for irrigation and image capture in a grow room that allows users to monitor the development of more than 500 plants.
Finally, our last-minute guest is Ghyslaine Besançon, communications director at Institut Agro Montpellier, who will introduce the screening and discussion of the film *Bigger Than Us*, taking place on February 6 at 6 p.m.
At UM Science, you’ve got the program—let’s get started!
Co-production: Divergence FM / University of Montpellier
Host: Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interview: Aline Périault / Lucie Lecherbonnier
Report: Aline Périault / Lucie Lecherbonnier
Director: Alice Rollet
Tune in to the show “A l’UM la science” on Divergence FM 93.9
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