The secrets of the hydra

Did you know about HYDRA? Not the mythological one... the real one. And it hides a CRAZY power.

Thibault Lagache, a researcher at the Pasteur Institute, takes you on a journey of discovery of one of the most fascinating organisms on the planet. It doesn't age. It can regenerate ad infinitum. It has neurons... and a microbiota.

And guess what? These miniature creatures could well help us better understand the human BRAIN.

Using AI and mathematical modeling, Thibault and his team are analyzing how these neurons react, communicate and interact with microbes.

The aim: to explore the origins of our nervous system, and advance research into neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases.

And the best part? All their tools are freely available to the scientific community.

(video in french, English subtitles available)