iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

Since 2021 specimens are digitised as part of @disscoflanders.bsky.social. We work towards making data FAIR by mapping fields onto the approp. data standards, making images available under a CC0 1.0 deed, and linking mineral names & locations to @Mindat.bsky.social Next stop: GeoCASe & DiSSCover 3/3

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

Estimated at c. 5.000 hand specimens, the collection can be traced back to the Mineralogical Cabinet of the State University of Leuven (1818-1835). More recent (20th C.) acquisitions include purchases from Ward’s Natural Science Establishment and a large donation by H. Bosmans. 2/3

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

For #MineralMonday ⚒️: A first set of 589 minerals from the collection of the KU Leuven dept. Earth & Environmental Sciences can from now onwards be consulted online : blendeff.be/s/en/collect... 📷 KU Leuven. Imaging Lab #Mineralogy #OpenAccess #FAIRdata #digitalspecimen #naturalhistory 1/3

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

Interested in the full story (in Dutch): )? bio.kuleuven.be/museum/downl... Check out this specimen online via blendeff.be/s/en/item/MU... #ornithology #birds #naturalscience #academicheritage (5/5)

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

Maybe this took place in South America, where both species occur in the wild, or maybe it happened later on, after they were shipped to Europe. Why? Your guess is as good as ours... although we think it is unlikely to be a repair as the trogon still has a complete tail with 12 feathers. (4/5)

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

📷 CC BY-SA 3.0 by Stephen Turner & Mdf (3/5)

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

It's a composite specimen, combining elements of 2 birds belonging to different species. At some point in the 19th c. an unknown taxidermist glued the central tail feathers of a ♀️(?) Amazonian Motmot (𝘔𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘢) on the back of an adult ♂️ Amazonian White-tailed Trogon (𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘰𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘴). (2/5)

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

For today's #TaxidermyTuesday 🐦 a case of taxidermal engineering: This mounted bird with its striking tail feathers from the #KULeuven Zoology Museum recently caused quite a few raised eyebrows as it turned out to be “not a real bird” (1/5) 📷 by KU Leuven. Imaging Lab @disscoflanders.bsky.social

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Reposted by Ann Van Baelen

Quentin Cosnefroy @quentin-cosnefroy.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Did Neandertals choose their prey when practicing cannibalism?🍖 Check out our new study, just published in Scientific Reports - @natureportfolio.nature.com! We provide the strongest evidence to date for a highly selective cannibalism at the end of Neandertal lineage, 41-45.000 years ago. 1/7

doi.org

Highly selective cannibalism in the Late Pleistocene of Northern Europe reveals Neandertals were targeted prey - Scientific Reports

Scientific Reports - Highly selective cannibalism in the Late Pleistocene of Northern Europe reveals Neandertals were targeted prey

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Reposted by Ann Van Baelen

Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 01/10/2025

One of my favorite anecdotes from THE PREHISTORY OF THE FAR SIDE: "That doesn't sound like the Jane Goodall we know."

A few days after this cartoon was published, my syndicate received a very indignant letter from someone representing the Jane Goodall Institute.
Not only did my syndicate and I both get read the Riot Act, there was a vague implication that litigation over this cartoon might be around the corner.
I was horrified. Not so much from a fear of being sued (I just couldn't see how this cartoon could be construed as anything but silly, but because of my deep respect for Jane Goodall and her well-known contributions to pri-matology. The last thing in the world I would have intentionally done was offend Dr. Goodall in any way.
Before I had a chance to write my apology, another complication arose.
The National Geographic Society contacted my syndicate and expressed a

desire to reprint the cartoon in a special centennial issue of their magazine. My editor, aware of what had just occurred, declined, explaining why.
Apparently, whoever it was that sent the inquiry from National Geographic was shocked. They told my editor that "that doesn't sound like the Jane Goodall we know." They did some checking themselves, and an interesting fact was eventually discovered: Jane Goodall loved the cartoon. Furthermore, she was totally unaware that any of this "stuff" was going on. Some phone calls were made, and the cartoon was not only reprinted in the centennial issue of National Geographic, but was also used by her Institute on a T-shirt for fund-raising purposes.
I've since had an opportunity to visit Dr. Goodall at her research facility in Gombe. It's a wonderful place (sort of like right out of National Geographic).
"To refer to Dr. Goodall as a tramp is inexcusable even by a self-described 'loony' as Larson. The cartoon was incredibly offensive and in such poor taste that readers might well question the editorial judgment of running such an atrocity in a newspaper that reputes to be supplying news to persons with a better than average intelligence. The cartoon and its message were absolutely stupid." —Excerpt from the above-mentioned letter that started the ruckus

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

Sinds enkele jaren zet onze dienst in het kader van @disscoflanders.bsky.social sterk in op de digitalisatie van de natuurwetenschappelijke collecties van @kuleuven.bsky.social. Maar waarom digitaliseren we al die opgezette vogels, mineralen, bodemmonolieten en fossielen eigenlijk? 👇🏻

eoswetenschap.eu

Van kikker tot kennisbank: waarom we onze natuurwetenschappelijke collecties digitaliseren

Hoewel natuurwetenschappelijke collecties in het verleden vaak een ietwat stoffig imago hadden, vormen ze een onschatbare bron van kennis. Digitalisering en ...

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Reposted by Ann Van Baelen

TraceoLab @traceolab.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

We’re deeply concerned about the disappearance of our colleague Pierre Noiret. Please share and help us spread the word. For more information please check: www.police.be/avis-de-rech...

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

Zeker! 😁 ik denk er alvast wat over na.

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

Excellent idee! Ik ben alvast fan!

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

Interessante bijdrage, Marcel! De situatie hier in Vlaanderen is in vele opzichten gelijkaardig, vrees ik. Ook hier weinig nieuw middenpaleo onderzoek...

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

With its small bifaces also a very interesting parallel for the nearby 🇧🇪 Middle #Palaeolitic site of Oosthoven-Heieinde

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

👉The concept of this series was inspired by www.personalhistories.arch.cam.ac.uk 👍We plan to add more interviews focusing on other collections ... so to be continued! For more information, please visit blendeff.be/s/en/page/home Enjoy!

blendeff.be

Home · Blendeff - Scientific collections and art collections KU Leuven

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

Lastly, prehistoric archaeologist & em. prof. Pierre M. Vermeersch describes the contribution of canon Henry de Dorlodot (1855-1929) to the #prehistory collection and the importance of assemblages resulting from more recent #fieldwork to Belgian #archaeology. youtu.be/PxjHYiX92AM?...

youtu.be

KU Leuven - interview em. prof. Pierre M. Vermeersch

YouTube video by KU Leuven Wetenschappelijke Collecties en Erfgoed

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

They have created a new, easier & more environmental friendly technique to make soil monoliths. How cool is that! 😎

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

Secondly, soil scientist & em. prof. Seppe Deckers (joined by current curator @k-oron.bsky.social) talks about the soil monolith & lacquer profile collection & its connection to the Belgian soil map. youtu.be/RnObMUMGSB0?...

youtu.be

KU Leuven - interview em. prof. Seppe Deckers en prof. Karen Vancampenhout

YouTube video by KU Leuven Wetenschappelijke Collecties en Erfgoed

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

He also describes how the collection of the #museum was divided following the split of the university in the late 60s-early 70s into a Dutch and a French speaking uni (KU Leuven & UCLouvain). Yes, you read that correctly!

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

In a 1st interview, ichthyologist🐟 & em. prof. Dirk Thys van den Audenaerde discusses how the Coelacanth ended up in the Zoology Museum. youtu.be/P88cUCFLQFI?...

youtu.be

KU Leuven - interview em. prof. Dirk Thys van den Audenaerde

YouTube video by KU Leuven Wetenschappelijke Collecties en Erfgoed

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

Academic staff involved as curators / collection managers have contributed in many ways, but their knowledge abt the collections is in danger of being lost once they retire. With these interviews, we hope to document their knowledge & create awareness abt the importance of the collections.

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

Besides their scientific contribution, these objects/specimens also document the history of the university & reflect the evolution of scientific disciplines through time.

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

From a bowhead whale🐳 over prehistoric stone tools to podzol lacquer profiles… throughout its history KU Leuven has amassed a vast patrimony of valuable objects and collections. Many of these objects and specimens have been used in #university teaching or in research.

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

To document the KU Leuven scientific #collections, our unit (Scientific Collections & Heritage) teamed up w/ Storyrunner to create a series of interviews in which former curators & collection managers talk abt the history of the collections and their own role & contribution. A 🧵:

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

Great! Could you add me too please?

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Ann Van Baelen @amjvanbaelen.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

Hi Matt, would you mind adding me to the list? Many thanks!

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