The Literary Prize “The Taste of Science”

The Prize “The Taste of Science”launched by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation is a literary prize which aims to select and reward the best works of scientific mediation.

Monday June 5, 2023, during a very animated and moving ceremony, in the impressive Planetarium of the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, in Paris, the winners of the Prize received, from the hands of Minister Sylvie Retailleau, a trophy that symbolizes science and knowledge: a reproduction of The Young Owl (1918) by Francois Pompon.

The Youth “Taste of Science” Prize

This prize rewards a work intended for a public of 9-13 years, and among the three works selected by the jury, it is a jury of children who named the winner: two classes of 6th of Plouaret (Côtes d’Armor ) and a 5th grade class from La Cerisaie college in Charenton-le-Pont (Val-de-Marne).

This year the prize was awarded to a trio, Guillaume Golding, Pierre Véquaud and the illustrator Camouche, Le livre s’appelle Estelle and Noé discover the center of the earth, published by Millepages. An album in which the authors have perfectly transmitted their passion for geology by telling, at the height of children, what is under our feet.

The “Taste of Science” Prize for adults

For this 14th edition, it is a scientist who has been rewarded: her name is Audrey Dussutour, she is a biologist (specialist in ants and single-celled organisms) and research director at the CNRS.

During this edition, it was moreover doubly honored with another selected work, just as fascinating, which is entitled The Odyssey of the Ants, a work written in both hands with Antoine Wystrach.

The one for which Audrey Dussutour won the famous Owl de Pompon was published by HumenSciences. It is illustrated by Simon Bailly and is called Me the Blob. It was the author who gave it its popular name, finding its inspiration with the horror film The Blob with Steve McQueen (1958), and with the song Blobs are attacking the beach, by Ludwig von 88!

The Blob, from its scientific name, Physarum polycephalum, was even in space with Thomas Pesquet, during his last space adventure. This “enigmatic being”, as the author explains, has no nervous system, but can learn and even communicate with its fellow creatures.

“It’s a little weird, but it’s not a plant, it’s not a fungus, it’s not an animal. It’s an organism that belongs to a kingdom that is little known to the general public. , which are called amoebozoans.”

Audrey Dussutour

at franceinfo

To better discover the Blob and why not, adopt it if you wish, Audrey Dussutour gives you in her book all the ”experiences-recipes” to take care of it.

Happy science reading everyone!