Retrotech & Lowtech : how forgotten patents can shake the futur

Our planet is currently going through an unprecedented energy crisis.
Yet many forgotten energy innovations throughout history exist and continue to be relevant to today’s world. All in all, we must perhaps look into the past to find solutions for tomorrow’s world.
The book takes us on a journey through time and space, allowing us to discover more than sixty little-known innovations in energy production: from Lavoisier’s warming in- soles (1780) to Jean-Luc Perrier’s hydrogen-powered car (1979), from Bell’s photophone (1880) to Jean Pain’s compost (1969)
The book invites us to reflect on the notion of progress, on the importance of archives and patents, on technical mutations and the relationship between science and art.
It seems that the notion of possible is within everyone’s reach and that, if the energy transition has already begun, it depends only on each one of us.
The book under the supervision of Cedric Carles, designer and researcher, Thomas Ortiz, engineer and artist, and Eric Dussert, coordinator of the digitization of prints at the BnF. This edition was coordinated by Loic Rogard, an interdisciplinary energy and environment researcher.
This book brings together contributions from amateurs and specialists alike.spaces for open access to technology and questioning the notion of innovation.