Haute-Garonne: Thomas Pesquet answers questions from students of the Toulouse Academy
Wednesday October 6, Thomas Pesquet, still on the International Space Station (ISS) took the time to answer questions from young students of the Toulouse Academy on Wednesday October 6, a few weeks before his return to Earth.
They are 15 lucky, from primary school to high school at the Toulouse Academy, to have had the opportunity this Wednesday, to ask their questions to Thomas Pesquet live from the ISS. And before this rather extraordinary moment in a school year, even a lifetime, more than 200 students gathered at the Cité de l’Espace.
On the program for this afternoon: biodiversity and its protection. The speakers follow one another, all popularize their trades as much as possible to make themselves understood by all. Mission successful. And first, the young representatives with advice to protect their level of biodiversity. “Eat a little more organic and especially local” says Hélène Soubelet, director of the Foundation for research on biodiversity.
Environmental and space professionals follow one another. Now is the time to talk about the # StudentTonBlob initiative. 4,500 establishments in France have signed up to take care of a blob, an organism that produces pigments like a plant, moves and feeds like an animal and reproduces by spores, like a fungus. They can compare their results with those of Thomas Pesquet. Scientists are thus studying the effect of microgravity on the blob. Audrey Dussutour, at the origin of the experiment, announces a news for the year 2022: “Behind the Blob, the Research”. The objective is to study the effect of global warming on the blob and to educate citizens about the scientific approach. Registrations are already open.
” I’m very emotive “
In the assembly, some looks are Scottish on time on their phone or on their watch. It was not until 3:45 p.m. to get in touch with Thomas Pesquet. The astronaut is right on time. It is Aymeric, a student at the Rive Gauche high school in Toulouse who has the honor to ask the first question. “This is the third time that I speak to you Thomas and I am very moved. Have you noticed from space, variations in light pollution? “. Thomas Pesquet will be questioned several times on the evolution or not of biodiversity. “From where I am, I can give you my feelings, but it is not a scientific guarantee”.
The questions follow one another and the astronaut finds them all “very interesting.” “Commander of the ISS since October 4, Amel wants to know what it consists of. “It’s a bit like being a captain in a football team”, explains the astronaut, “my teammates are doing very well, but if there is a problem it’s up to me to make decisions”. 4:05 p.m. Tomas Pesquet must leave us. Three students were unable to ask their questions. But he promised to come to Toulouse as soon as he returned to Earth.