Liesbeth Aerts

From the moment humans could draw, we’ve turned to our own bodies for inspiration. Painted on cave walls or splayed open in Renaissance anatomical studies, the human body has always been a subject of awe, fear, reverence, and inquiry. What changes across time is how we look at it. Recent books by Ruben Verwaal and Babette Van Rafelghem continue this long lineage in surprising, creative formats, each reframing the body not only as a biological entity, but as a cultural canvas.

On Wednesday November 20th, 2024, Els left home early in the morning, as she always did. She got on her bike, ready for another busy but exciting day at Hasselt University. The preparations for Dag van de Wetenschap were in full swing. A yearly highlight on the calendar, she had poured herself into the preparations for weeks.

When Elisabeth Stes stepped away from the lab, she did not walk away from science. A trained biotechnologist with a PhD, she carried her research mindset with her and built a new career in science communication, first at a public research institute, and now at a leading pharmaceutical company.