Children swallow a bunch of lies without realising it. Parents and educators often brush them off with a (half-)lie and as a society we’re no angels either with St Nicholas, Santa and the Easter Bunny. So is lying pedagogically acceptable? We asked professor of historic and general pedagogy Lieselot De Wilde of the Department of Social Work and Social Pedagogy.
You can't literally put them under a microscope, but advanced computer simulations help Maarten Baes study galaxies. A good thing too, because the study of galaxies is a relatively new branch of astronomy and much is still to be discovered.
In 2024, will we find a solution to the world’s many conflicts or can we expect more wars? And what role should Europe play? We put these questions to international politics expert Sven Biscop.
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, surfaced in the eighties. Long gone are the times when the virus was a sure death sentence. Still, even after all these years the stubborn stigma that surrounds HIV persists. Why is that and what can be done about it?
Researchers around the world are looking for innovative ways to detect and treat breast cancer. So are experimental oncologist An Hendrix and medical oncologist Hannelore Denys, two top researchers from Ghent.
“Climate change is a global problem. But if you really want to know its impact, you have to have local data.” So say meteorologist Steven Caluwaerts and bioengineer Pieter De Frenne. They both do research on microclimates, albeit with a different starting point. “Actually, we are very complementary. We should meet more often!”
What if trees could talk? Well, every so often they do. In doing so, they give a glimpse of the past. For example, a 250-year-old oak in the castle grounds at Elverdinge near Ypres tells us more about the First World War. The tree survived this war, despite the incessant bombs. The Woodlab at Ghent University tells us the touching story of this oak tree.
Autumn is the season for mushrooms – they are everywhere, and certainly growing in abundance in forests. But did you know that the mushrooms you see are just a very small part of a vast, gigantic, mainly subterranean network? And that without this network, other plants simply wouldn’t be able to survive?
They are already well established in elite sports, but amateur athletes are also increasingly using technology to improve their sports performance or prevent injuries. Sports technology is everywhere it seems, but there are pitfalls.
The summer months are reading months for many people. But what makes a good book? Is there a formula for success? We ask a literary expert.
Imke Kissel researches unilateral vocal cord paralysis and wants to develop therapies tailored to the needs of patients.
We all worry from time to time. It can even be good to clear the head, says professor Ernst Koster (department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology). However, it can also get out of hand.
