Videos

Have you ever noticed how seeds are omnipresent? You find them in our daily bread, they are used in medicines, cosmetics, and even jewelry. This has always been the case, throughout the history of mankind. Archaeobotanist Sidonie Preiss dives into archaeological wells, granaries, and even latrines to recover seeds and reconstruct the shared history of plants and mankind.

It’s always thought that evolution happens by slow and gradual changes. But can evolution also happen fast? Oh, yes - as Zoë de Corte's research on beetles shows.

Last year, we all witnessed the horrible fire in the Notre Dame de Paris. While the magnificent stained-glass windows survived the inferno, they suffered damage and need to be repaired. But how can you repair such historic artefacts, of over 900 years old? That's where the 'science of light' comes in, as Mathilde Patin explains in this video.    

In 2006 Marine biologist Anton Van de Putte went on a 3-month- expedition to Antarctica. Unfortunately, he only managed to collect 400 samples, which were often no bigger than this little fish. Thanks to a simple but brilliant idea, he now has more than 2 million samples at his disposal...

When you swallow seawater, you actually ingest thousands of particles (mud, clay, phytoplankton, ...) that are barely visible for the naked eye. Michael Fettweis enlightens you about this universe of particles in a sip of seawater.

Did you know that your smartphone contains, among many other precious metals, about 20 milligrams of gold? That may not seem like much, but it's 200 times as much gold as in a small piece of gold ore. Nick Gys (UAntwerpen - VITO) is working on a technique to easily recycle these precious metals from smartphones.

Once upon a time there were two types of cephalopods: the nautiluses and the ammonites. Although the ammonites were much better adapted, they became extinct. And the nautiluses? They're still swimming around today. Stijn Goolaerts studies fossils of these fascinating creatures and draws a wise lesson for mankind from the sad fate of the ammonites.

Katrien Van de Vijver is a physical anthropologist: by studying skeletons and bones from the Middle Ages, she tries to reconstruct the story of the past. See what she can learn from this

A gecko, a post-it and a tube. Let these 3 things stick into your mind for just one minute. Giorgio Russo (VIB - VUB - Vrije Universiteit Brussel) explains how a gecko could potentially help to heal wounds after surgery. 🦎👩‍⚕️

Did you know that there is no specific legislation for female intimate products? Fortunately, Quinten Marcelis researches these products for toxic substances in order to have unsafe products removed from the market.

Muscles are important for those who want to perform at the top of their game. But also the brain has to be in top condition. Jeroen Van Cutsem should know: he investigates the effect of mental fatigue on sports performance.

We all know Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, but why isn't Muhammad Yunus equally well-known? As a social entrepreneur, he brought something much nobler to the world. Philippe Eiselein wants to help social entrepreneurs grow their impact.