On World Nature Day, 5 March 2026, the Iret headquarters in Montelibretti took part in the “Curiosi per Natura!” (Curious by Nature!) Open Day organised by the Working Group for the Dissemination of the Regional Research Campus of Rome 1 – Montelibretti (ARRM1).
The morning was dedicated to primary school students, who explored the world of science through practical and interactive activities.
As part of the “Let’s clean up the world with plants” initiative, researchers Patrizia Brunetti, Maria Luisa Antenozio, Francesca Maria Caporusso and Silvia Pioli worked with children to explore what pollutants are and how plants interact with their surrounding environment. Through observations, questions and a small experiment with seeds and coloured solutions, the children formulated hypotheses about what happens when a plant comes into contact with a pollutant.
The message we wanted to convey is that nature often has surprising tools at its disposal: some plants are able to absorb and accumulate pollutants without suffering serious damage. This ability can be exploited by scientific research to develop sustainable strategies for the remediation and recovery of contaminated environments.
It was a moment of curiosity, discovery and discussion that showed how engaging science can be when you learn by observing and experimenting together.
