A l'UM la science [S02-ep10]: From coastal aquifers to polymers

This week on A l'UM la science, Linda Luquot, researcher at Géosciences Montpellier and winner of the French Academy of Sciences award, talks about coastal aquifers. In the second half of the program, Vincent Darcos tells you all about the Synbio 3 polymer platform. Finally, Sorenza Seghers invites you to visit the Spotlight on Biodiversity exhibition. Co-produced and broadcast by Divergence FM 93.9.

Did you know that the water contained in rivers, streams and lakes makes up just 1% of the Earth's stock of liquid freshwater? Did you know that in France, around 75% of the water we consume comes from groundwater? At a time when water crises have never seemed so close - and we tasted the first signs of them this summer - these large reservoirs of fresh water represent a strategic manna that we must urgently take an interest in, if we are to exploit them sustainably. But first, where are these aquifers to be found? Just about everywhere, since the earth's crust is made up of 20 to 25% water. Everywhere, including by the sea, where these coastal aquifers can be the scene of interactions between freshwater and seawater.

We talk about it with our guest of the day, Linda Luquot, a researcher at Géosciences Montpellier. Her work was rewarded last October with the Michel Gouilloud Schlumberger Prize from the French Academy of Sciences (see the ceremony here). Today, we draw on one of her publications, published in the Journal d'hydrologie and entitled: Une approche multidisciplinaire de caractérisation des aquifères alluviaux côtiers pour améliorer la compréhension de l'intrusion d'eau de mer et de l'évacuation des eaux souterraines sous-marines (April 2022).

After the peptide plateau, our report remains on the Synbio 3 platform of the Balard chemistry cluster and takes you today to the plateau dedicated to polymers. Vincent Darcos is our guide and talks about pearl necklaces and spaghetti.

Finally, the last-minute guest will be Sorenza Seghers, a student on the Mediacces scientific mediation master's program. She invites you to the Maison départementale de l'environnement at the Domaine de Restinclières for the exhibition Spotlight on biodiversity on view until December 30.

At UM la science you've got the program, here we go!

Coproduction: Divergence FM / Université de Montpellier
Animation: Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interviews: Lucie Lecherbonnier/ Aline Périault
Reporting and editing: Aline Périault
Production : Tom Chevalier

Listen to the program "A l'UM la science" on Divergence FM 93.9