News

The RV Belgica will exceptionally be open to the public during the Navy Days in Zeebrugge on 4 and 5 July. Come aboard and discover the world behind marine scientific research!  

Minister Jean-Luc Crucke and representatives of the Geological Survey of Belgium (GSB), part of the Institute of Natural Sciences, visited the Pontpierre site in Lorraine (France), where white hydrogen was detected. This working visit formed part of the further development of BE.Hydrogen, Belgium’s national programme for the geoscientific exploration of natural hydrogen. It provided an opportunity to compare field experience and scientific insights with the Belgian approach and ambitions regarding natural hydrogen exploration.

On 10 May 2026, the Foam Alert Service that was developed by the Institute of Natural Sciences in 2020 indicated a high risk of dangerous foam formation along the Belgian and Dutch coasts. Alerts were subsequently issued to municipalities and surf clubs, and no incidents occurred.

A team of Belgian and Thai biologists has described a new species of gecko. The Black Tokay (Gekko dam) lives in the border region between Thailand and Malaysia.

The Institute of Natural Sciences opens its doors for the  Brussels Museums' Nocturnes. We are expecting you on Thursday 9 April from 6pm onwards!  Visit our wondrous exhibits and discover an array of exciting activities curated exclusively for this evening.

The Council of Ministers has approved funding for the national scientific exploration programme for natural hydrogen. The exploration project aims to determine whether hydrogen is present in the Belgian subsoil. Natural hydrogen offers significant potential for making energy-intensive and chemical industrial processes more sustainable.

The last Neanderthals, including the individuals found in Belgian caves, descended from a single group that had survived a bitterly cold period by retreating to southwestern France.

On February 19, 2026, Sylvain Gozingan brilliantly defended his doctoral thesis entitled “Developing a multi-scale modelling framework for coastal hydrodynamics and larval connectivity in the Gulf of Guinea, West Africa.” His work leads to important conclusions for the sustainable management of shrimp stocks in Benin.