LEAP - Peat, Bones, and Stalagmites: exploring ancient climate change and human mobility in Belgium

Climate change is accelerating, transforming ecosystems and challenging human societies worldwide. But how did people respond to climate disruptions in the past? The LEAP project (Learning from the Past) investigates how ancient climate changes affected landscapes, vegetation, and human populations in what is now Belgium.

By studying natural climate archives such as stalagmites from caves, scientists can reconstruct environmental conditions thousands of years ago. Layer by layer, these formations record chemical signals that reveal past rainfall patterns, floods, and other climate events. Using precise dating techniques and high-resolution analyses, researchers can place these environmental changes on an accurate timeline.

The LEAP project combines paleoclimate research and archaeology to explore whether shifts in climate coincided with changes in human behaviour. By bringing together multiple datasets—from cave formations, vegetation records, and archaeological evidence—the team aims to better understand how past societies adapted to environmental change. These insights from the past may help us think about how societies today can respond to the climate challenges of the future.