How to make soap in wartime?
During the Second World War, we were short of everything, and therefore of soap. The Belgian population, rationed, made some with its own means. […]
Decode messages with a red filter
Do you want to send secret messages to your friends, without anyone else being able to read it? Or even send a secret invitation to a lover? Play with light and color transmission to hide your messages. It’s your turn to play! […]
Create a colorful rain in a glass
A colorful rain in a glass of water, can you believe it? Here is a […]
No radar, no microwave oven! A History to discover at the War Heritage Institute.
The microwave oven is now present in most kitchens in so-called industrialised countries. Did you know that there are more than 300 million of them in use around the world? A look back at the success story of an object that came out of the radars used during the Second World War. […]
An extraordinary garden at the Natural History Museum of Tournai
Since June, the Museum of Natural History and Vivarium of the City of Tournai invites you to discover its new garden laid out in 2000 yd, combining relaxation and education. […]
Biodiversity at the PASS – Many activities for your children
Biodiversity will be the theme of this summer 2020 at the PASS. Numerous outdoor and indoor activities await you to discover 3 themes which are food, matter, and biomimicry. […]
5,000 years ago, we drank chocolate
You probably eat chocolate every day.
For some people, biting into a piece of chocolate has become a simple, comforting, greedy, daily gesture.
Biting into a piece of chocolate is a tradition that dates back to the 1800s… But did you know that the history of the chocolate drink, or rather the cocoa drink, is much longer?
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Hearing, an incredible sense to discover with Houtopia, a universe of senses
At Houtopia, the hearing will no longer hold any secrets for you! Discover the McGurk effect, stereophony, and the Chladni table. […]
Understanding optical illusions with René Magritte
Sometimes your brain shows you images that in reality don’t exist or are physically impossible. Images that present a different reality. These are called optical illusions. A principle that René Magritte, the famous Belgian painter, was able to exploit to create remarkable and world-famous paintings. […]
The phenakistiscope, the ancestor of cartoons
A very fast succession of images gives the impression of continuous movement, like in cartoons. It works thanks to a phenomenon called the retinal persistence. It was the Brussels native Joseph Plateau who discovered it and created the first phenakistiscope. […]
The protective mask through History
If there is one object that symbolizes the coronavirus pandemic that affects the entire planet these days, it is the mask. A small square of plastic or fabric that has become essential to protect ourselves from the spread of Covid-19. This accessory, which acts as a barrier to microbes and other harmful substances, is not new. Thanks to the observation of the first “scientists” and doctors of the past, the mask was created, it must be said, to protect us. Here is the little story of the mask. […]
How does the chameleon blend into its environment?
When we change clothes, it’s for the pleasure of wearing what we like, playing sports or dressing up. The chameleon makes fun of fashion or carnival, if it changes skin color, it is for more primary reasons. Green, brown, yellow, but also blue or pink, the chameleon is the undisputed master for changing skin. But how does it work? […]
How are Gilles de Binche’s masks made?
The Gille is the most important character in the carnival of Binche, a village located in the Province of Hainaut in Belgium. We can easily recognize him by his orange suit, his big white feathers that he wears on Mardi Gras on his head, and by his mask, his mustaches and red favorites, green glasses! But how are these masks made? […]
White chocolate, real or fake chocolate?
Belgium’s flagship product, recognized beyond its borders, chocolate is a delicacy you may enjoy almost daily. In a spread, in cocoa, or a stick, decorated by hazelnut fragments or filled with praline, the possibilities are numerous as long as you can lick your fingers afterward. But chocolate is brown, right? So what is white chocolate? […]
The giraffe, an animal that will surprise you every time!
Few animals like giraffes. It’s true what! They are tall on legs, they have a very long neck, a doe look, camel horns and a leopard dress. What strange mammals! […]
War Heritage Institute: the drone from yesterday to today
Drones, these devices recognizable among a thousand by the roar of the propellers, are not only used to take photos. This technology, developed for military purposes during the First World War, fulfilled many missions for the army, such as detecting humans or animals using an infrared camera, filming and transmitting what was happening in the field in real-time. […]
Making pancakes is like doing chemistry in your kitchen.
Every year, at La Chandeleur, families make pancakes. A tradition that we like to carry on, because pancakes are delicious and cheerful to make. To succeed in pancakes preparation, you have to know the recipe of course, but also understand how it works. Indeed, making pancakes is mixing different chemicals, and to do chemical reactions in a pan. […]
How about 3D printing a Neanderthal man?
Here is an original idea to meet our distant cousin! This is what the researchers did to give us an appearance of the Spy man, whose fossilized bones were discovered in 1886 in the Spy Cave. […]
The jerrycan: a story of can
An essential tool today for long journeys by car, the jerrycan was above all developed during the Second World War to meet the practical needs of soldiers. You had to think about refueling from time to time, and in wartime, impossible to detour by the nearest service station. […]
The black grouse, this endangered capercaillie.
The Hautes-Fagnes plateau is the last Belgian bastion where rare black grouse still live. These little Bruyère roosters are unfortunately endangered. Different organizations are working to preserve their habitat to save this species of bird from extinction. […]
You wolf! Are you giving me a hand?
Wolves cooperate with each other in hunting and rearing the young. Much like humans, where family members organize to feed, educate and protect children. For heavy tasks, wolves team up and coordinate to make their work easier. So much so that they are expecting. The craziest thing is that he’s also waiting for his healer to pull a heavy object with him. […]
Coral bleaching is a sign of stress
The Great Barrier Reef is certainly the oldest colonization of the universe by an animal. […]
How did we get to make bronze?
We talk about the Bronze Age from elementary school, as well as in documentaries, and […]
What is charcoal?
There are many coal mines in Belgium. This can be seen in the many slag […]
When paleontologists confuse the bones of iguanodons with gold
It is at Bernissart, in the province of Hainaut in Belgium, that iguanodon skeletons are […]
What is alcoholic maceration?
Liqueurs from the Gervin distillery, a story of know-how. Liqueurs are appreciated, after a meal […]
How to set a fire with a flintstone?
Is flint really effective in starting a fire? During prehistoric times, flint was a tool […]
Why is the panda black and white?
An emblematic figure of WWF, the giant panda has not only become a star, but […]
Where do champagne bubbles come from?
The bubbles present in champagne are composed of carbon dioxide. The same gas we release […]
Why does champagne make us drunk faster?
Champagne contains alcohol. This is why it should be consumed in moderation by adults. But […]
Natural Christmas trees, why do some smell and others not?
The Christmas tree is the star of the house. It decorates, it lights up, it […]
Where does the smell of gingerbread come from?
There is no Christmas without the delicious gingerbread. Whether it comes in the form of […]
How do fireworks work?
During this holiday season, you will certainly not fail to contemplate fireworks illuminating and coloring […]
Cook the scallops without heating: the hidden power of lemon!
Cooked or not cooked Saint-Jacques? It seems improbable to you and yet, who has never […]
Saffron, an effective spice to fight against depression
We have all heard of serotonin, the happiness hormone that contributes to our well-being. You should know that this hormone produced in our brain and in our intestines is essential for the survival of mammals. Because it is what prompts us to reduce risk taking! […]
Music is great for our health. Do you know why ?
It makes us smile, it energizes us, we even use it to decorate the atmosphere of our evenings or to find the right rhythm for our jogging, in short the music makes us feel good.
But more than that, music is good for our health. […]
What is the difference between crystal and glass?
Its brilliance does not deceive us, but yet we are entitled to question the difference between crystal and glass. Especially since crystal and glass are both composed of silicon oxide, in other words sand subjected to very high temperatures to make it melt. […]
