“Horses” will be the theme of the next Science Bar

[Press release] - Published on May 13, 2024 in Press Room

On May 16, starting at 8:30 p.m., the next Science Bar organized by the University of Montpellier will take place. For this edition, Nicolas Boulbes, paleontologist at the Institute of Human Paleontology, Pauline Hanot, postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Evolutionary Sciences of Montpellier (ISEM), and Hélène Roche, ethologist at the TAKH association at the Przewalski's horse conservation center, will talk with the public about this iconic animal.

The Science Bar has become one of Montpellier's flagship scientific culture events, offering a monthly participatory and citizen-led debate on all aspects of science from January to June. Throughout the season, scientists are invited to engage in a dialogue where their knowledge and practices are shared, but can also be discussed. The season is co-produced by the scientific culture departments of the UM and its partners: INRAE, INSERM, and IRD. This evening event will be translated into sign language. Admission is free, subject to availability.

A Science Bar dedicated to horses

The horse, "man's noblest conquest," is widely regarded as the domestic animal par excellence. However, it is also, and perhaps above all, a large herbivorous ungulate mammal that had its place in ecosystems before humans eliminated it in the wild. There are literally hundreds of horse breeds. While some are less than a hundred years old, others have been around for a very long time, such as Przewalski's horse, a wild horse that was already domesticated 5,500 years ago. Considered untamable, they are theoldestpopulation ofhorsesliving in the wild and, as such, represent a group whose protection is fundamental. Przewalski's horse was hunted, domesticated, then returned to the wild, and finally saved from extinctionat the last minutethrough conservation efforts and reintroduction into the natural environment. This small horse, whose close cousins adorned the walls of prehistoric caves in Europe, shares common ancestors with domestic horses. Descended from a small forest animal, the horse has evolved considerably over 60 million years to become the large and powerful animal we know today. From prehistory to the leisure era, its history is a fascinating one!

To discuss this topic of science and society, three multidisciplinary experts will answer questions from the audience:

• Nicolas Boulbes, paleontologist at the Albert 1er Foundation Institute of Human Paleontology, based at the European Center for Prehistoric Research in Tautavel. He is an associate member of the HNHP laboratory "Natural History of Prehistoric Man" (UMR 7194, MNHN-CNRS-UPVD).

• Pauline Hanot, postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Evolutionary Sciences of Montpellier (ISEM) – University of Montpellier.

• Hélène Roche, ethologist at the TAKH association at the Przewalski horse conservation center. Trained as an ethologist, she specializes in scientific mediation on equine behavior. Her research work leads her to discuss equine behavior with historians and sociologists.