Explore the outer limits of the brain and matter, create unlimited energy, overcome pain, simulate the unattainable, etc. subjects dear to science fiction that are a now a reality for research laboratories!

The “Science Machina” travelling exhibition celebrates science and the fantastic machines at the heart of the most extraordinary discoveries and developments in recent years, which continue to broaden the scope for new possibilities. Speaking of machines, the exhibition will focus on the dialogue between man and machine and between genius and technology.

Discover these cutting-edge machines through photographs and comic-book art in a series of 12 diptychs.

When science meets the “ninth art”

The comic book is a key component of the exhibition as it depicts scientific machines in an unconventional way, thus bringing together the world of art and science.

The writer Felix Elvis has enlisted 12 comic book artists to take one of the research tools used or partly developed by scientists at Inserm or CEA, and to create a portrayal using comic-book art. Comics, fantasy, manga, etc. each illustration has its own world that reflects the diversity of machines, from the micropump to the supercomputer.

For further discussion, comment and post your questions on social networks using #sciencemachina.

Practical information

SCIENCE MACHINA,

An exhibition organised by Inserm and CEA.

29 October—03 November 2016

Utopiales de Nantes/International Science Fiction Festival

Cité des Congrès de Nantes, 5 rue de Valmy, 44000 Nantes

Audience: children aged 7 and over

Les Utopiales de Nantes

Since its inception in 2000, Les Utopiales, The Nantes International Science Fiction Festival, has been aimed at opening up the world of the future, new technologies and the imaginary to as many people as possible, and helping them to discover it in a highly qualitative way. Chaired by Roland Lehoucq, astrophysicist at CEA, the festival will take place from 29 October to 03 November 2016. As well as covering annual science fiction news, the theme this year will be “Machines”.

As part of this partnership, researchers at CEA and Inserm will participate in debates and discussions with science fiction authors on the issues surrounding these machines and their possible applications. The world of science does not have to be finite and, on the contrary, as a continuously evolving subject, science and science fiction have a close or even common language!

Machines for travel, exploration, service, modification, etc. a wealth of topics predicted by the fertile imaginations of science fiction authors that are researched by institutes today.