Science with and for society: Classes en Fac 2025 in the SEBIO laboratories

On Tuesday, 3 June 2025, the SEBIO laboratory at the URCA site, in collaboration with URCATech-MOBICYTE, welcomed primary school classes to a 'Classe en Fac' discovery workshop entitled 'The zebra mussel, water quality inspector'.

We took this opportunity to introduce the children to the best investigator for detecting pollution in our laboratory: the mussel! Not just any mussel, but the freshwater zebra mussel. These molluscs are known to filter large quantities of water. Consequently, they accumulate pollutants released by human activities that are present in the water.

The pupils had the chance to act as 'apprentice researchers' and learn about the methods used to assess the impact of pollution on the health of these animals and their ecosystems. Both young and old were delighted to experience the laboratory's activities and immerse themselves in the world of the scientists.