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At the moment, it seems that a real boom in conspiracy theories has been unleashed. How is it possible that a completely new virus emerged from nowhere, causing so many deaths? Many believe that it has to be part of a wider conspiracy. The internet continues to be swamped with all sorts of conspiracy theories. Which raises the question: why do so many people believe in the most improbable stories, and why do we have a problem with that?
For almost eighty years, the Boekentoren has been home to the kilometers and kilometers of books that belong to Ghent University. But what many people don’t know is that during the Second World War a father and his daughter also made their home here amongst the millions of titles.
Conspiracy theories thrive well on the internet and are not always innocuous. In his second opening lecture as holder of the chair 'Etienne Vermeersch', philosopher of science Maarten Boudry delves more deeply into the pitfalls of conspiracy thinking.
Dean Jan Van Bocxlaer talks about the new faculty building on Campus Heymans.
One is from Tunisia and is still getting used to the Belgians’ open mentality in the workplace. The other comes from Russia and can make no sense of all the unspoken rules. Both are researchers at Ghent University, and both have fallen in love with the city of Ghent. Safa Belghith and Ekaterina Longinova tell us about their experiences in Ghent.
The place to be if you are looking for scientific literature, periodicals, theses or manuscripts…. And who knows, maybe even the love of your life? For some, the magnificent setting of the Ghent University Boekentoren tower has not only been a place to study, but also the beginning of something beautiful.
‘Open science’ and ‘open access’ are two key concepts in the contemporary scientific landscape. At Ghent University, the Boekentoren library has become a forerunner in both, thanks to the enormous steps it has taken in terms of digitalisation. And that is something from which everyone has benefitted, and above all researchers.
Researchers at Ghent University (UGent) have discovered enzymes that can cure age- and diabetes-related blindness. Nearly 200 million people worldwide suffer from these diseases. Thanks to financial support from one UGent alumnus and the Industrial Research Fund (IOF), the researchers are now working on eye drops made using these enzymes.
Scientific research can often provide solutions to social challenges. But is society sufficiently involved in the process? Participative research, in which there is active involvement of the people concerned or those for whom the research is being done, allows researchers to be better connected with the community. It is also the subject of the inspiration dag for researchers that is organized by the IDC's on 1 October 2021.
The Ghent University Boekentoren tower is a 64 metre high architectural masterpiece. But the tower is so much than just a monument. “It is a beacon of science, a fountain of knowledge for both researchers and students,” says head librarian Dries Moreels.
A large quantity of water, energy, and nutrition is lost during the processing of vegetables and potatoes. Too much water. At a time when we’re trying to minimise waste, and water is a scarce resource, we need to be smarter about how we manage these losses. The VEG-i-TEC research centre is therefore reviewing the processing method from start to finish.
