2021

Supergene turns spider into a ‘macho male’

23/12/2021

Supergene turns spider into a ‘macho male’

Biologists from the Institute of Natural Sciences found in a spider species that 'macho males' have an extra set of genes that is lacking in feminized males.
Two primitive mammals that lived at the end of the dinosaur era

02/12/2021

Two primitive mammals that lived at the end of the dinosaur era

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.
170 species named after King Leopold III and Queen Astrid

24/11/2021

170 species named after King Leopold III and Queen Astrid

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.
Marine mammals developed thicker bones as diving weights in super salty sea

23/11/2021

Marine mammals developed thicker bones as diving weights in super salty sea

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.
360-million-year-old shark jaw discovered in Belgian Ardennes

16/11/2021

360-million-year-old shark jaw discovered in Belgian Ardennes

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.
The management and operation of the new BELGICA is entrusted to the French shipping company Genavir

15/11/2021

The management and operation of the new BELGICA is entrusted to the French shipping company Genavir

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.
Origin of domestic horses finally established

20/10/2021

Origin of domestic horses finally established

Horses were first domesticated in the northern Caucasus, before conquering the rest of Eurasia within a few centuries.
Marine mammals in Belgium in 2020

08/10/2021

Marine mammals in Belgium in 2020

In a new report, the RBINS summarises the results of the monitoring and research of marine mammals in Belgium in 2020.
Belgian mussels developed stronger shells

21/09/2021

Belgian mussels developed stronger shells

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.
Six new snake species described

10/06/2021

Six new snake species described

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.
Neanderthals disappeared from Belgium thousands of years earlier than thought

09/03/2021

Neanderthals disappeared from Belgium thousands of years earlier than thought

Belgian Neanderthal remains, including the world-famous Neanderthals of Spy, are thousands of years older than previously assumed. This is the conclusion of an international research team that re-dated the Belgian Neanderthal remains with a new technique. This discovery implies that Neanderthals disappeared from Belgium much earlier than thought and are therefore no longer the youngest Neanderthals in Europe.