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How do our surroundings influence our health?

Sarah De Saeger

In the simplest terms, health is the sum total of the effect of genes, behaviour, and surroundings. But of course we can’t just change our genes. So, if we want to avoid getting ill, it’s more productive to consider our behaviour and our surroundings as they are the things we can influence. Ghent University, KU Leuven, the University of Antwerp and Hasselt University are pooling their expertise in the first large scale ‘exposome’ research project in Flanders.

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"The road to climate-friendly industry starts with research"

Het gebouw van Capture

How to use waste water, CO2 and plastics as a source of energy or a raw material? This is one of the key questions that keeps professor Korneel Rabaey occupied on a daily basis. A question to which he is now seeing an answer emerge, thanks to the new research platform CAPTURE, which he helped to conceive. The opening of a physical research centre will accelerate progress in this area considerably, which has been his goal for years.

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Ghent University goes all-in on circular water management with pilot project constructed wetland

Tom Ceriez knielt bij de helofytenfilter

Ghent University uses about 260.000 m³ water annually, of which 92% is high-quality tap water. This needs to change. Ghent University is going to instigate the necessary adjustments based on a new policy on circular water management – and a break-away from traditional techniques. This is why, since 12 May 2021, there’s a wastewater treatment facility at Site Heymans in Ghent, Belgium based on water plants and bacteria: a constructed wetland.

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Are savings still sensible?

Geld

It is no longer profitable, yet the money keeps flowing into Belgian savings accounts. “In human terms it is understandable, but it’s a drama for our economy”, explains professor Gert Peersman. Are there alternatives? And what about saving for our old age?

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