The next Jhe OSU Pythéas Scientific Day, dedicated to« carbon in all its forms »will take place on Friday 28 November 2025 on the’Îlot Bernard-Dubois, near Gare Saint-Charles in Marseille.
Among the elements that make up our universe, carbon occupies a unique and essential place. It is at the heart of the chemistry of life, of a complex planetary biogeochemical cycle and of the Earth's climatic equilibrium, in close connection with its major role as a source of energy for human activity.
Recent research confirms its central role in planetary dynamics. The Global Carbon Project (2024) reports that fossil fuel emissions reached a new record of 37.4 Gt CO₂ in 2024 (+0.8 % vs 2023), with no peak in sight. At the same time, a study published in Nature Climate Change (Müller et al., 2025) showed that the oceanic carbon sink weakened by around 10 % in 2023 as a result of record surface temperatures, which reduced the solubility of CO₂ and encouraged unexpected degassing. These results highlight the fragility of natural sinks in a context of global warming and the importance of improving our observations and models to anticipate changes in the carbon cycle.
At the’OSU Pythéas, Carbon is tracked through observation and research missions, from planetary compartments (soil, vegetation, oceans, atmosphere) to the exploration of extraterrestrial environments (origins and forms of carbon in the Universe). The aim of this work is to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms governing the transformation, transport and storage of carbon on all scales.
Talking about carbon also means tackling major societal issues: climate change, the adaptability of ecosystems and societies, sustainable cities, but also research practices and the carbon footprint of our activities. Carbon science is more than just observing, experimenting and modelling: it raises questions about the sustainability of our societies and leads the scientific community to question its own practices.
Following on from the “carbon” workshop organised by the OSU's Observation Committee in November 2024, this day is an opportunity to share knowledge, observation results and feedback on carbon «in all its states».
Sign up before 9 November 2025
This day will be an opportunity to cross our points of view, to broaden our knowledge and to reflect collectively on the place of carbon in scientific research and in our everyday practices.
