News
Mating injuries as clues to recognize female dinosaurs
04/11/2025
Fossil giant sea snail reveals what European summers may look like in the distant future
28/10/2025
A Belgian-Dutch study shows that 45 million years ago, Western Europe experienced a warm and humid climate with monsoon-like conditions, under the influence of high CO2 concentrations.
One of the eight treasures of the Heritage Challenge 2025!
21/10/2025
Our project? The restoration of 21 paintings by Alphonse Mora (1891–1977), artist and shell collector, who immortalized underwater life and marine biodiversity in oil paint. Vote for us!
A 400-million-year-old placoderm reveals how the first dentitions were structured
17/09/2025
A placoderm species from Canada that lived some 400 million years ago offers us a glimpse into the very earliest beginnings of tooth evolution: dental plates attached to the palate with small teeth that grew in all directions.
In memoriam: former director Daniel Cahen (1943–2025)
16/09/2025
Daniel Cahen, former director of the institute, passed away on September 11, 2025, at the age of 82. He left a lasting mark on the archaeology and museology of our country.
New iguanodon species discovered in Portugal
15/09/2025
Heritage Days 2025
12/09/2025
On Sunday 21 September, from 10.00 to 15.00, enjoy guided tours backstage at the emblematic building of the Institute of Natural Sciences!
Minke whale washed ashore in Heist guided back to sea
08/09/2025
A minke whale, approximately 6 meters long, ran into trouble in the shallows of Heist Bay on August 31st. After an initial "rescue," the animal returned to shallow water two more times. Each time, the team succeeded in guiding the animal back to deeper water. However, doubts remained about the chance of survival.
Museum Night Fever 2025
08/09/2025
Museum Night Fever returns for their 18th edition!
No fewer than 33 museums will open their doors on October 18th from 7 pm until 1 am for an evening of discoveries, surprising you with original, creative and artistic atmospheres.
Surprise visitor on Ostend beach: a young hooded seal
05/09/2025
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?