Ann Van Baelen
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amjvanbaelen.bsky.social
Ann Van Baelen
@amjvanbaelen.bsky.social
130 followers 200 following 22 posts
Palaeolithic archaeologist working with natural science collections @DiSSCoFlanders @KU Leuven
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amjvanbaelen.bsky.social
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
November 25, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Reposted by Ann Van Baelen
quentin-cosnefroy.bsky.social
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
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
doi.org
November 20, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Reposted by Ann Van Baelen
joshuajfriedman.com
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
October 1, 2025 at 6:13 PM
amjvanbaelen.bsky.social
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? 👇🏻
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 ...
www.eoswetenschap.eu
June 18, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Reposted by Ann Van Baelen
traceolab.bsky.social
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...
April 8, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Reposted by Ann Van Baelen
tomgauld.bsky.social
My latest cartoon for @newscientist.bsky.social
A venn diagram. The three circles are labelled: The Archaeologist The Pirate The Dog The area where all threel overlap is labelled: Loves digging things up Dog/Archaeologist overlap is labelled: Gets excited by bones Pirate/Archaeologist overlap is labelled: Good with maps Dog/Pirate overlap is labelled: Buries things for later
January 12, 2025 at 12:29 PM
amjvanbaelen.bsky.social
With its small bifaces also a very interesting parallel for the nearby 🇧🇪 Middle #Palaeolitic site of Oosthoven-Heieinde
hanshuisman.bsky.social Hans Huisman @hanshuisman.bsky.social · Dec 17
Neanderthal site (surface finds of worked stone) on the shore of a thaw lake (dark grey) and sand dune (light grey) visible in GPR image. Esbeek, NL. Report came out last week.
December 17, 2024 at 8:25 PM
amjvanbaelen.bsky.social
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 🧵:
November 27, 2024 at 7:16 PM