“Ruins, debris, dismantling: the modes of existence of technical remains”, a colloquium co-organized by Fanny Valeyre, post-doc at the Space Chair.

What is a “rest” in the spatial domain, how do we define it, what is it made of? Is it waste, debris, ruin? How do we deal with it, what are the ethical and political consequences of its treatment and the conditions of its invisibility? When do you decide on the “end of life” of a technical object? By linking discussions to case studies from different fields (nuclear, transport, communications), and crossing philosophy and social studies on science and technology, this international symposium aimed to question the modes of existence of space debris and more largely technical ‘remains’. Organized in Paris by Ange Pottin (Bourgogne Europe University), Fanny Valeyre (ENS-PSL Space Chair) and Xavier Guchet (University of Technology of Compiègne TC), it took place on March 30 and 31, 2026 – Find The conference program right here.