Videos

Weiwei
Zhang
KU Leuven

How similar is the vocabulary of different language varieties?

A 'vector', isn't that something for mathematicians and physicists? Linguist Weiwei Zhang (KU Leuven) proves the opposite. She uses vectors to study related words and synonyms that appear in different language variants, such as "subway" in American English and "underground" in British English.
Luciana
Monteiro Krebs
KU Leuven

Recommendations in Academic Social Networks

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?
Marie-Anne
Markey
KU Leuven

Language in our brain: the power of analogy

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...
Anne
Asnong
KU Leuven

Do you sit on your toilet seat all day?

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. 🚽
Marine
Van Hollebeke
KU Leuven

What if you're too weak to breathe?

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. 
Anastasia
Papangelou
KU Leuven

The circle of food

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!
Jinat
Hossain
KU Leuven

Staying afloat: how rural Bangladeshi women adapt to changing climate

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. 
Rebeca
Gavrila
KU Leuven

A new prognostic tool for traumatic brain injury in the elderly

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.
Luca
Martulli
KU Leuven

Putting cars on a diet: discontinuous carbon fibre composites

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.
Evy
Meys
KU Leuven

Your social relations as the key to happiness

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.
Ahmad Wali
Ahmad-Yar
VUB

Closing the gaps in migration data

Migration is often seen as something 'negative', and as a 'modern' phenomenon. But migration has always been a part of humanity and comes with many positive effects, as Ahmad Wali Ahmad Yar (VUB) argues.
Negin
Madelat
VUB

Water, oxygen and metals: a perfect recipe for disaster

Corrosion of metal structures can lead to disasters, such as the collapse of the Morandi bridge in Genua in 2018. In order to help prevent such tragedies engineer Negin Madelat is working on a method for the early detection of corrosion underneath a thick layer of coating.