Although thousands of soldiers died at the Battle of Waterloo in Belgium in 1815, few human remains have been found. A new study by professor Tony Pollard of the University of Glasgow suggests that many bones of dead soldiers were sold as fertiliser. In his findings, published in the Journal of Conflict Archaeology on 18…
Read moreThe €4.8 billion question: will the Ventilus high-voltage line be above or below ground?
Should Ventilus, the new high-voltage line that will transport electricity from wind farms in the North Sea to the Belgian hinterland, be built above ground or below ground? It is ’the 4.8 billion euro question’. While farmers and local residents are pleading for a more expensive underground line, twenty Flemish employers’ and sector organisations are…
Read moreDixie Dansercoer: the polar explorer who left behind an impressive record of achievements
On 7 June it will be exactly one year since Dixie Dansercoer died during a mission after falling into a glacier crevasse in Greenland. The famous Belgian polar explorer became known for his heroic and record-breaking sporting trips to the North and South Poles, which were accompanied by parallel scientific missions. In April 2021, Dirk…
Read moreLandbouwsector misbruikt oorlog in Oekraïne om afbouw veestapel te blokkeren
De belangrijkste Europese landbouwvereniging en lobbygroep Copa-Cogeca misbruikt de oorlog in Oekraïne in een poging om de veevoerproductie op te drijven. Met de start van de federale taskforce agrivoeding springt de Boerenbond mee op de kar. Niet om de veestapel af te bouwen, maar wel om de Europese farm-to-forkstrategie die ons voedselsysteem milieuvriendelijker zou moeten…
Read moreBelgium: a small country with great biodiversity
Every year on the 22nd of May, the International Day for Biodiversity takes place. With this global campaign, the United Nations aims to make citizens aware of the great diversity of plant and animal species on earth. Although Belgium is the second most populous country of the European Union and one of the most livestock-intensive…
Read moreBelgian researchers on animal testing: Call for an end is premature
Are animals still needed for research? Yes, they are. At least that is the conclusion of a meta-analysis of methods and models used in research into Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease carried out by an interdisciplinary team of Belgian researchers. The paper “Do we still need animals? Surveying the role of animal-free models in Alzheimer’s and…
Read moreMinder en betere proeven op dieren: ‘Iedereen vindt het belangrijk, niemand wil ervoor betalen’
Proefdieren gebruiken in wetenschappelijk onderzoek of niet? Tegenstanders pleiten voor de afschaffing, wetenschappers benadrukken de blijvende noodzaak. Onderzoekers zijn verplicht om het aantal proefdieren te verminderen, proeven te verfijnen en indien mogelijk andere methodes toe te passen. Onder meer systematic reviews bieden mogelijkheden. Al zijn dergelijke uitgebreide literatuurstudies tijdrovend en duur. Die prijs willen weinigen betalen. Lees…
Read moreBelgian scientists discover ten new predatory fish in East African Lake Edward
A team of Belgian scientists has described ten new species of small predatory fish from Lake Edward in East Africa, the Royal Museum for Central Africa reported Friday. The discovery of the new predatory fish species by the Belgian scientists confirms that Lake Edward, located on the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and…
Read moreGrowing number of Ukrainians find their way to Belgian animal aid
The number of Ukrainians fleeing their homeland is increasing. Many of them do so in the company of their pets. While Belgian cities and municipalities offer the refugees the necessary help, the Prince Laurent Foundation takes care of the pets that travel with them. As more people find their way to the Foundation, it becomes…
Read moreGemeente Boechout treedt niet op tegen veroordeelde puppyhandelaar
De gemeente Boechout wees zaakvoerder Mathieu Clerckx al meer dan een jaar geleden op de illegale plaatsing van twee containers die fungeren als showroom voor zijn hondenzaak Puppyhouse/Happy Doggy. Het lokale bestuur verwijst naar het Antwerpse parket dat zijn activiteiten onderzoekt na twee eerdere correctionele veroordelingen voor malafide importactiviteiten. Volgens het parket belet niets de gemeente…
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