News

Biologists have confirmed the presence of three different species of termites in Belgium for the first time. Because these tropical insects eat wood, they can cause damage to buildings and other wooden structures. Termites may have arrived here via imported infested wood products. One of the three species can survive cooler climates and may spread further.

Beetles on the Galápagos Islands have adapted quickly and repeatedly to higher altitudes thanks to their genetic heritage from ancient evolutionary events, biologists from the Institute of Natural Sciences have discovered. "This mechanism helps us understand how organisms will adapt in our rapidly changing world."

A team of Belgian geologists has mapped out where critical raw materials, such as lithium for batteries, rare earths for wind turbines, and copper for power grids, can still be found in Belgium. “It’s time to explore our subsoil further,” says geologist Sophie Decrée.

The new report 'Marine mammals and sea turtles in Belgium in 2023' summarizes the results of the monitoring and research on these animals in Belgium in 2023.

In 2023, the aerial surveillance aircraft detected 17 cases of operational marine pollution from ships, and suspicious sulphur and nitrogen levels in the smoke plumes of 24 and 42 ships. Other activities included monitoring of oil and gas installations, marine mammal counts and broader maritime surveillance.

In a warmer climate, summers warm much faster than winters. That is the conclusion of research into fossil shells by earth scientist Niels de Winter.

A young male minke whale that washed ashore in Ostend on May 13 most likely died of starvation. Although sightings of dead and living minke whales have become more frequent in recent years in the south of the North Sea, their washing up on a Belgian beach remains an exceptional event.

FlatwormWatch aims to identify which species of non-native land flatworms are already present in Belgium with the help of citizens.

L'invisible révélé : L'apport de l'imagerie & des analyses chimiques et moléculaires à l'anthropologie biologique. 35^e édition du Colloque du GALF. Ce colloque s'articulera autour de quatre thématiques principales et une séance varia consacrée à l'actualité de la recherche.

Paleontologist Pascal Godefroit tells the complete story of the Iguanodons of Bernissart in a hefty and beautifully illustrated book: from the discovery in the mining village to the latest insights into their cause of death.