It’s the first day of Advent and for a few years now I’ve been taking the time to fill a calendar in a recreational and fun way. Christmas spirit, are you there? Let’s go for this Advent calendar version 2025!
01. A quote that carries meâČ
This year, I chose another quote by Henri PoincarĂ©. Last year, I opted for a quote about life. Today, I have decided to select one about science, where the French scientist shares a certain sense of humor, if not a definite one. đ
Il ne faut pas dire que la science est utile parce qu’elle nous permet de construire des machines. Il faut dire : les machines sont utiles parce qu’elles nous permettent de faire de la science.
Henri Poincaré, taken from the French work entitled La Valeur de la Science.
My personal translation
We should not say that science is useful because it allows us to build machines. We should say: machines are useful because they allow us to do science.
For more quotes, see the blog page: The quotes corner.
02. An image that makes me dreamâČ
I choose a starry photo of the cosmos: Cosmic Cliffs of the Carina Nebula because the starry sky always thrills me.
Credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI. July 2022.
03. A musical crushâČ
This year I’m choosing the soundtrack from the animated series based on the Saint Seiya manga, Les chevaliers du zodiaque in the French version. This saga is one of the fictional universes that I appreciate, reminding me of my childhood. There are several OSTs (Original SoundTracks); I choose a “piano cover” of the excerpt entitled Sad brothers, FrĂšres tristes in French.
04. A super cute imageâČ
Credits: Hamster article in Wikipedia FR, December 2025.
05. A song that gets you goingâČ
I choose the French song Je marche Seul by Jean-Jacques Goldman, which sometimes happens to me to hum the air or some lyrics.
06. Something that comforts when things are badâČ
Inspired by the choice of the previous day: walk. To change your mind, to open yourself to other horizons and to aerate your mind. I am thinking of the following French quote:
Si tu n’arrives pas Ă penser, marche ; si tu penses trop, marche ; si tu penses mal, marche encore.
Jean Giono
My personal translation
If you can not think, walk; if you think too much, walk; if you think badly, still walk.
07. A little free happinessâČ
Play small games online, solve enigmas, puzzles. An example: Pumpkins, the math puzzle of the “World” n° 31, a mathematical enigma proposed by the French mathematician MickaĂ«l Launay in the newspaper Le Monde.
08. A beautiful love songâČ
My choice is not a love song, rather a melody of love that I enjoy listening to regularly. Listen to a tender, delicate love.
09. A cinematic crushâČ
I choose a film released ten years ago: The Island by Michael Bay, an action film but also made you think about certain social issues.
10. A must-see videoâČ
How can we prove that the Earth is round for sure? Thanks to the strongest sound ever recorded in the history of mankind.
12. A personality to discoverâČ
I like to listen to anecdotes about science, luminous, illuminating explanations with a trait of humor. I choose this year to honor Fabrizio Bucella, physicist, doctor of science, professor of universities at the Université libre de Bruxelles, teaching in the universities of Bordeaux and Reims, sommelier, and director of the Inter Wine & Dine school. I share a YouTube video entitled Le paradoxe du café (or énigme du dollar manquant) in French, The coffee paradox (or Missing dollar riddle) in English.
13. A place to discoverâČ
I choose The castle of Clos Lucé, home of Leonardo da Vinci in Amboise in the Loire Valley. Where is this immersive cultural space? An hour from Paris by TGV, two hours by car, the Chùteau du Clos Lucé is located in the heart of the city of Amboise, 400 meters from the Royal Castle of Amboise.
14. A TV series in the spotlightâČ
15. A literary crushâČ
The last book read particularly striking for me is Ă l’aube de nouveaux horizons (At the dawn of new horizons in English) by Nathalie A. Cabrol.
16. A memorable memoryâČ
After the infinitely large, I think of the infinitely small. A striking memory in connection with this particular world? The visit of the Palais de la DĂ©couverte in Paris in 1997⊠28 years ago and the discovery of the world of the atom in “life size” in particular.
17. An initiative to discoverâČ
If you have old silver photos without the negatives that you donât know what to do with them, these can be restored and archived. This is the initiative of La Conserverie, a place of archives. An initiative of general interest in my opinion.
18. Something that restores faith in humanityâČ
Empathetic listening. Being able to enter the world of the other as if it were his own in order to understand it: to achieve it and you offer a beautiful gift to the person listened to. I share a link on a French training institute to learn about empathetic listening and also to train in the Person-centered therapy (PCT), Approche Centrée sur la Personne in French: ACP France.
19. An idea to brighten the daily lives of othersâČ
I share a book about a methodology to learn to learn. To be able to build an effective working method for oneself.
20. Common sense advice that does goodâČ
Find out how to rest at best. In the books, we can find a lot of advice, techniques but make one or adapt it so that it can work for oneself.
21. An exploding expression or play on wordsâČ
A French saying, expression
C’est en forgeant que l’on devient forgeron·ne.
Word for word translation in English: it’s by forging that one becomes black-smith.
In English, a different idiomatic expression is rather used instead:
Practice makes perfect.
I share a saying that I have seen quite a few times this year. It invites to embark on a task without thinking a priori about the result, the performance. To focus on the work, on the task itself, the rest can be done over time đ
22. A blog to discoverâČ
This year, I decide to honor the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS in French).
23. A fun and easy to set up gameâČ
A game like “aperitif cards”. Generally, you play it while waiting to order or waiting for the dishes in a restaurant or at the beginning of a meal, as an aperitif.
If we have forgotten the game at home, we can create a “baccalaureate game”-like. For example, quote a country name beginning with the letter D. Telling how one went about finding it. Generally, we do not see the time pass and the dishes at the restaurant arrive quickly đ
24. A funny, moving and/or meaningful anecdoteâČ
A mathematician joke comes to mind. Funny? It’s being discussed⊠Smile.
What I found funny more were the reactions provoked by the joke. Among them: “Without messing around, you must not go to the Rassemblement du Corbeau! We have to promise not to go!â A reference to the TV series Kaamelott, where the druid has to go to a rally where he has to tell a joke but he can not tell one that makes you laugh. Personally, I laughed at the mathematical joke and also reactions on the joke đ
25. A wish for all other humansâČ
I wish all other humans to listen with empathy, taking the time to put themselves in the other’s place in a close proximity. Certainly one of the most beautiful gifts to give to another person.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2025! đ