News
Science
Supergene turns spider into a ‘macho male’
23/12/2021
Biologists from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences found in a spider species that 'macho males' have an extra set of genes that is lacking in feminized males.
Science
Two primitive mammals that lived at the end of the dinosaur era
02/12/2021
Palaeontologists from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences have described two primitive mammals from the Upper Cretaceous that lived about 70 million years ago. One was excavated in Inner Mongolia, the other in Romania.
Science
170 species named after King Leopold III and Queen Astrid
24/11/2021
Two of our Institute’s taxonomists - biologists specialised in the discovery, description and classification of species - have found 170 species of animals named after King Leopold III and Queen Astrid in our collection and in databases.
Science
Marine mammals developed thicker bones as diving weights in super salty sea
23/11/2021
Palaeontologists have discovered that marine mammals developed thicker and heavier bones as an adaptation to a salty inland sea in Central Europe some 13 million years ago.
Science
360-million-year-old shark jaw discovered in Belgian Ardennes
16/11/2021
A team of researchers, including palaeontologist Sébastien Olive (Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences), has described a 360 million-year-old shark jaw found in the Belgian Ardennes. It is an exceptional find because cartilage almost never fossilizes.
Science
The management and operation of the new BELGICA is entrusted to the French shipping company Genavir
15/11/2021
The new oceanographic research vessel Belgica will be operated by Genavir, specialised in the management of scientific vessels. The manager of the French oceanographic fleet will thus also become the first French shipping company to manage a ship under the Belgian flag.
Science
Origin of domestic horses finally established
20/10/2021
Horses were first domesticated in the northern Caucasus, before conquering the rest of Eurasia within a few centuries.
Science
Marine mammals in Belgium in 2020
08/10/2021
In a new report, the RBINS summarises the results of the monitoring and research of marine mammals in Belgium in 2020.
Science
Belgian mussels developed stronger shells
21/09/2021
Belgian mussels have developed stronger shells over the last hundred years. More calcareous shells protect them better from crabs’ claws and seagulls’ beaks. These predators have increased significantly in number during the last fifty years.
Science
Six new snake species described
10/06/2021
Two of them live in trees in Central Africa, three others on limestone hills in Thailand and another one near mountain rivers in the north of South-East Asia and the south of China.