Active ingredient

As part of the “Le Collège à la Bibliothèque” lecture series, Professor Jean-François Joanny, holder of the Chair in Soft Matter and Biophysics , will deliver a lecture titled “Active Matter” on November 3, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Introduction

In living matter, every component (cell, microorganism, animal) consumes energy. This matter therefore does not follow the laws of thermodynamics and, in many circumstances, behaves very differently from conventional materials. Using examples from biology, this lecture will shed light on this highly specific behavior.

Active matter is a form of matter in which each constituent consumes energy. This includes all biological systems, but more broadly, it also encompasses the behavior of groups of animals or humans, as well as certain synthetic systems. Active matter does not follow the laws of thermodynamics and, in many circumstances, behaves very differently from classical materials. Examples, often drawn from biology, will illustrate behaviors specific to active matter.

The lecture series is presented in partnership with Pour la Science magazine .