Videos

We don't know enough about the algorithms used by Academic Social Networks and how they recommend to researchers which papers to read and which scientists to follow. What if these algorithms are unknowingly influencing researchers' activities, and in a way steer what they should work on next?

People are very good at making analogies: our brains can very quickly see similarities between two things and then draw comparisons between them. We're so good at it that we do it unconsciously. Marie-Anne Markey (KU Leuven), with the help of Boris Johnson & Jane Austen, explains how this can be seen in our language...

Imagine having to visit the toilet 30 times a day for 'number two'. That's not possible, right? Unfortunately, it's the reality for a lot of patients with rectal cancer who've had rectal surgery. Anne Asnong tries to help these people so that they no longer have to spend their life 'chained' to the toilet seat. 🚽

If you get sick and are too weak to breathe on your own, a mechanical ventilator can save your life. But did you know that prolonged use of such a device can also make it very difficult to breathe on your own again once you have recovered? Marine Van Hollebeke tells you why. 

Our poo and pee are too precious to waste, says Angelou Papangelou. The phosphorus in our excrement and in animal manure can serve as the food of our food and shouldn't go to waste. That's why Anastasia Papangelou is mapping the nutrient stocks and flows in the country, so that we can put our poo and pee to good use!

The land of farmers in coastal Bangladesh remains flooded for almost half of the year. To tackle this, Bangladeshi farmers use 'floating farms'. Jinat Hossain tells you more about this innovative adaptation mechanism. 

Every year, nearly one out of three 65-year-olds in Belgium suffers a bad fall, which may lead to a traumatic brain injury. Rebeca Gavrila is developing a prognostic tool to predict how a certain type of fall accident will impact the patients functioning. This way, she wants to help doctors to choose the best rehabilitation strategy.

Is it possible to make our cars lighter, and therefore more environmentally friendly, without compromising our safety? Luca Martulli (KU Leuven) turns to lightweight carbon fibre composites to do so.

Social contacts are very important for our well-being. Unfortunately, people with disabilities often rely on a much smaller network. Evy Meys (KU Leuven) is investigating how their network can be strengthened.

"Some people barely dare to leave their homes because they are so anxious, worried to death to have a panic attack in the supermarket." Therapy and medication can help people with such an anxiety disorder. Still, some people continue to have a hard time. Laura Luyten (KU Leuven) wants to help those people.

An aortic aneurysm is a bulging of the large body artery. If such an aneurysm bursts, the patient can die. You'd think you'd better have surgery for this immediately, but such an operation is complex and risky. That is why engineer Klaas Vander Linden (KU Leuven)is trying to predict whether an aneurysm will burst.

In this video, Elke Emmers (KU Leuven) takes you on a speed date with a real plot twist. In her research she tries to adjust the attitudes of teachers, remedial educationalists and other professionals towards persons with disabilities.