"The horse" will be the theme of the next Science Bar

On May 16, starting at 8:30 pm, the next Bar des sciences will be organized by the University of Montpellier. For this year's event, Nicolas Boulbes, paleontologist at the Institut de paléontologie humaine, Pauline Hanot, postdoctoral researcher at the Institut des sciences de l'évolution de Montpellier (ISEM) and Hélène Roche, ethologist from the TAKH association at the Przewalski's horse conservation center, will talk to the public about this emblematic animal.

The Bar des sciences has become one of Montpellier's flagship events for scientific culture, offering once a month, from January to June, a participatory citizen debate on all aspects of science. Throughout the season, scientists are invited to engage in a dialogue in which their knowledge and practices are not only shared, but also discussed. The season is co-produced by the UM's scientific culture services and its partners: Inrae, Inserm and IRD. This evening will be translated into sign language. Admission free, subject to availability.

A Science Bar dedicated to horses

The horse, "man's noblest conquest", is widely perceived as the domestic animal par excellence. There are literally hundreds of breeds of horse. While some are less than a hundred years old, others have existed for a very long time, such as Przewalski's horse, a wild horse that was already domesticated 5,500 years ago. Considered untamable, they represent the oldest population of horses living in the wild, and as such are a group whose protection is fundamental. Przewalski's horse was hunted, domesticated, returned to the wild and finally saved in extremis from extinction by the conservation of the species and its reintroduction into the wild. This little horse, whose close cousins adorned the walls of Europe's prehistoric caves, 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, powerful animal we know today. From prehistory to the age of leisure, the horse's history is a fascinating one!

Three multidisciplinary experts will be on hand to answer questions from the public on the subject of science and society:

• Nicolas Boulbes, paleontologist at the Institut de paléontologie humaine fondation Albert 1er, based at the Tautavel European center for prehistoric research. He is an associate member of the HNHP "Histoire naturelle de l'Homme préhistorique" laboratory (UMR 7194, MNHN-CNRS-UPVD).

• Pauline Hanot, postdoctoral researcher at the Institut des sciences de l'évolution de Montpellier (ISEM) - University of Montpellier.

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