Videos

Biologist Nikol Kmentová is fascinated by ... parasites. Why? Because they are the most successful life form on earth. To find out why they are the true champions of life on Earth, Nikol tries to unravel the secrets of these fascinating creatures in the depths of Lake Tanganyika in Africa. In this video, she reveals the strategies that allow parasites to thrive in one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet!

Daniely Reis Santos is a plant lover. She especially loves plants' ability to engage in photosynthesis: capturing CO2 from the air and converting it into sugar using the sun's energy. In her doctorate, she is determined to do the same: use solar energy to convert CO2 into useful products through a process called photo electrocatalysis. But in order to do so, there are some challenges she must tackle.

Last summer, Wallonia experienced massive rainfall, resulting in deadly floods. Did you know that we only expect such weather once every 400 years at the most? We can calculate this because we have been measuring precipitation in our country for more than 120 years. But with 120 years of data, how (well) can you predict 400 years from now? Jorn Van de Velde will tell in this video. 

Did you know that the sea can penetrate our lands and water resources unnoticed? Today, we find that saltwater in our polders, up to several kilometers inland. This salt water can make agricultural land and water supplies unusable. To find out exactly how far inland and how deep the saltwater problem reaches, Wouter Deleersnyder and his colleagues use a helicopter, a giant metal detector, and their knowledge of physics & geology. How all of this works, is explained by Wouter in this video.

When you think of animals with horns, you probably think of cows, goats, and rhinos. But did you know that many species of snakes have horns too? While this has been under the eye of researchers for a long time, it's still unclear why some snakes have horns. What do you think they're for? Federico Banfi sheds some light on current hypotheses. He hopes to find answers in his Ph.D. research.  

In order to convince the construction sector to build more circularly, hard figures are needed to show that circular constructions are more advantageous both ecologically and financially. This is what Lisa Van Gulck (University of Ghent) wants to ensure.

The disappearance of forests is nothing less than "a genocide of trees, with bleeding stumps and amputated branches. With this powerful imagery, the French writer Pierre Gascar already sounded the alarm about the environment 50 years ago. Sara Buekens studies how he and his colleagues wanted to put environmental issues on the agenda in their novels half a century ago. Are you ready for an ecological novel?

What does a nutcracker have to do with tackling climate change? Well, Kristof Bal explains it to you in 150 seconds.