On the way to explore the beginnings of life on earth. The Botanical Garden of Neuchâtel inaugurates its new exhibition “Traces of Life”, which will take place from March 26 to December 3. Produced in collaboration with research institutions such as the microbiology laboratory of the University of Neuchâtel, it is intended to be accessible and suitable for young and old alike.
Over the course of several interactive rooms, the visitor will be able to discover the first bacteria that allowed life on our planet and observe them under the microscope. A room is also dedicated to the search for life on Mars. However, the connection between the red planet and the Earth is not obvious.
An ambitious mission
The exhibition also features the rover Rosalind Franklin, which will collect information on the possible presence of life on Mars. The machine can be discovered from every angle in an augmented reality room, set up especially for the occasion. Jean-Luc Josset, director of the Space Exploration Institute, participates in the design of the rover. He is at the origin of CLUPI, the acronym for “Close-up Imager”, one of the cameras of the machine.
The spacecraft will be deposited on the surface of the red planet in 2029. Its launch was planned last year, but had to be moved due to the war in Ukraine. /El C