The first Planctothon was held in Paris on 28th April co-organised by PHABB!

On Tuesday 28 April, a group of international scientists, artists, plancton enthousiasts and students gathered around a shared interest in phytoplankton, centered on the Curiosity field microscope. The event was organised by Sahima Hamlaoui as part of the Planktonautes d’Île-de-France and Plankton Planet initiatives, and co-organised by PHABB, which opened participation to students and researchers from the MNHN.

This engaging and transdisciplinary outreach event brought together participants from diverse backgrounds. The day began with water sampling and plankton filtration in the Seine River and within the Botanical Garden of the MNHN. This was followed by observation sessions using the Curiosity microscope, which let to stimulating discussions, and concluded with a convivial lunch. The plankton observed in the samples was identified and the records were uploaded to the participatory science platform iNaturalist, on the Planktonautes d’Île-de-France page.

Overall, this workshop was highly inspiring and laid the groundwork for many more such initiatives to federate a growing community around plankton.

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