And where is the question mark?

Insularity. The inability to conceive that other countries can have such a system without losing basic freedoms (cf Americans with gun laws).

Angela Dansby takes a weekend trip to the many-towered Tournai, Hugh Dow visits Ixelles cemetery, Breandán Kearney looks at some of the more obscure beers that deserve more recognition, and Geoff Meade grapples with post-Brexit pet bureaucracy.

This issue isn’t only about animals:

@goodclimate.bsky.social‬ finds out about recent archaeological excavations in Brussels.
Lisa Bradshaw talks to Maja-Ajmia Yde Zellama about her movie Têtes Brûlées.
Simon Taylor meets influential DJ Lefto.
And Colin Delfosse shows us real muscle building.

We also explore rescue pets, alpaca walks, cow cuddling and how Brussels deals with rats. Sometimes, wildlife is right under our noses. 🐀🦙🐄🐈
Beyond fur & feathers: medieval manuscripts show cheeky rabbits running amok in sacred texts. 📜🐇

Belgian zoos showcase creatures from faraway lands. 🐼 Pairi Daiza has pandas in a former abbey; Antwerp Zoo balances august heritage with modern needs. Both try to keep animals in a respectful living culture.

In this issue we check out:
🐕 🦮🐕‍🦺 🐩Malinois, Tervuren, Bouvier and bichon frisé dogs
🐴 Brabant draft horses
🐄 Belgian Blue cows
🐔 Mechelse Koekoek/Coucou de Malines chickens
🐇 Flemish Giant rabbits
🐦 Belgian canaries
It’s a true menagerie!

From parachuting dogs to musclebound cows, from mammoths to pig-sized rabbits, Belgian fauna tells stories of work, pride, art & survival.
We start off in the Institute of Natural Sciences. Among the dino bones are the remains of (perhaps) the world’s first dog – and he’s Belgian!
🦖🦣🦴

Science is never just about equations.
It's a conversation across borders, and across time.
It’s about who we become when we unlock the atom – and what we choose to do next. Sometimes the quietest rooms – like those of Solvay – echo the loudest truths. 🇧🇪💣🧠