Aktuelles

On Sunday 21st of September, from 10.00 to 15.00, enjoy guided tours backstage at the emblematic building of the Institute of Natural Sciences!

A young hooded seal photographed on the beach in Ostend on August 21st was the fifth documented case of this northern seal in Belgium. However, the animal was not identified until the next day. By then, it had already returned to the sea, never to be seen again. Or was it?

A team of geologists has assessed the natural disaster risks for 41 European cities based on geological and climatic factors. Naples ranks highest, with Antwerp and Namur also making the top ten.

Step aside, Velociraptor — here comes Shri rapax! This newly described predatory dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia had powerful hands and an exceptionally long claw, allowing it to tackle larger prey than other raptors living in the same desert.

The new report ‘Washed ashore. Marine mammals in Belgium in 2024’ summarises the results of the research into stranded marine mammals in Belgium in 2024.

The second-hand shop Kringwinkel Stroom recently received something unusual: a fossil. It turns out to be part of a mammoth pelvis. The non-profit organization is now donating the fossil to our collections.

Belgium is home to no fewer than 4,672 beetle species. That’s the conclusion of a new checklist. “There are newcomers, such as many species of sap beetles, but also species that have become locally extinct—mainly whirligig beetles and dung beetles,” says entomologist Wouter Dekoninck.

The fauna that colonizes offshore wind turbines influences the marine food web. In particular, the increase in suspension feeders helps to transfer carbon more quickly and directly into the food web.

In 2024, the Coast Guard aircraft again documented cases of marine and air pollution from ships. Other activities included flights in the context of broader maritime surveillance, international operations and marine mammal counts.