Search for hot rocks that can provide energy widens
Drilling holes into an extinct volcano might sound like a very strange start to a project about energy. But that’s …
LIFESTYLE
‘Smart’ masks for high-tech protection
With the spread of the Coronavirus, face masks have become an everyday accessory.
But now some brand have begun to …
What is your parenting style
Being a parent means there is a lot of variation in how we raise our children and our parenting style …
Emotional intelligence – develop your child’s
When stress is high, it is more important than ever for children to learn how to deal with their emotions.…
Six effective tips to get more eyes on your Instagram stories
Are you looking for ways to improve your Instagram marketing strategy?
Do you want to get more people involved in …
Major changes planned for South African drivers
Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, has outlined several of the initiatives that are currently being worked on by his department.…
Ostriches cool off on Cape Town beach
Something like this could only happen in South Africa. A pair of ostriches were spotted strolling casually along the beach …
Insights from Morocco into how smartphones support migration
For undocumented migrants and refugees travelling to new countries, accurate information is vital. Because of this, smartphones – mobile phones …
How the coronavirus mutates and what this means for the future of COVID-19
The recent appearance of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus causing COVID-19 infections), that may be associated with increased transmission …
Why being endowed with oil is not always a boon: the case of Nigeria and Angola
In countries with weak governance institutions, natural resource wealth tends to be a curse instead of a blessing. Where citizens …
Increasing land use could turn Mount Kilimanjaro into an ecological island
Located in Tanzania, with a height of almost 6,000 metres, Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s tallest mountain. Over the years, there’s …
Adolescent girls in five African conflict zones share stories about their lives
International organisations around the world are increasingly committing themselves to undertaking inclusive approaches to peacebuilding. These organisations all pledge …
Ancient marvels: the first shell-crushing predators ground up their prey between their legs
Shell-crushing predation was already in full swing half a billion years ago, as our new research published in the Proceedings …
South African astronomy has a long, rich history of discovery – and a promising future
The South African Astronomical Observatory in Cape Town is the oldest permanent observatory in the southern hemisphere: it turned 200 …
AI makes huge progress predicting how proteins fold – one of biology’s greatest challenges – promising rapid drug development
Takeaways
- A “deep learning” software program from Google-owned lab DeepMind showed great progress in solving one of biology’s greatest challenges
Coronavirus and food safety: what the studies say
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, not much was known about SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus) and its survival in food, on various …
Nestle is planning a vegan KitKat
Nestle SA is in the process of adding its first vegan milk chocolate to its product list, as the world’s …
Mercedes recalls vehicles
Mercedes-Benz has had to recall more than one million cars due to a safety defect within the cars’ emergency call …
Why political staffers are vulnerable to sexual misconduct — and little is done to stop it
Brittany Higgins’ allegation she was raped in a minister’s office at Parliament House is just one of a number of …
10am brunch, 1pm Kmart: when the media pokes fun at someone’s lifestyle, it’s harder for the next person to get COVID tested
In countries like Australia where infection rates remain relatively low, contact tracing is a crucial defence in our fight against …
Five principles that should guide future DNA ‘editing’ in South Africa
In recent years there have been several major innovations in genetics. One prominent example is CRISPR-Cas9, a novel biotechnology …
Technology and supermarket chains can help strengthen southern Africa’s food systems
Agriculture and agro-processing value chains have been under pressure during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been particularly marked where they …
Bumble’s CEO becomes rare female billionaire
Bumble, a company that caters to women and is led by women, has made its 31-year-old female founder a billionaire.…
‘Google, Facebook should pay for news’ says Microsoft
Microsoft feels that the US should adapt the proposed Australian law, that would force Google and Facebook to pay publishers …
An app that measures vital signs
During the Coronavirus pandemic, plenty of innovators and inventors have come forth to embrace the challenge of creating health focused …
5 early detection warning signs of childhood cancer all parents should know
Among the many health-related concerns during the Covid-19 pandemic are life-threatening illnesses that are going undiagnosed or being overlooked because …
A brief history: what we know so far about fast radio bursts across the universe
Fast radio bursts are one of the great mysteries of the universe. Since their discovery, we have learned a great …
Coca-Cola trials first paper bottle
The Coca-Cola company is said to test a paper bottle as part of a long-term plan to eliminate plastic from …
Life without Google, unimaginable
Try to think of a world where you can’t quickly jump on your phone to Google something. That’s the reality …
Elon Musk’s younger brother sells Tesla shares
According to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange commission, Kimball Musk, younger brother of Elon Musk and a …
AI can now learn to manipulate human behaviour
Artificial intelligence (AI) is learning more about how to work with (and on) humans. A recent study has shown how …
Hundreds of fish species, including many that humans eat, are consuming plastic
Trillions of barely visible pieces of plastic are floating in the world’s oceans, from surface waters to the deep seas…
How many undiscovered creatures are there in the ocean?
“The oceans cover 70% of the surface of our planet, and yet they are still the least explored,” says Sir …
If machines can beat us at games, does it make them more intelligent than us?
The year 1997 saw the ultimate man versus machine tournament, with chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov losing to a machine called …
Pigs can play video games with their snouts
Scientist found that pigs can play video games, after testing four fun-loving swines.
The four pigs, named Hamlet, Omelette, Ebony …
O2 fined £10m for overcharging customers
The mobile network O2 has been fined with £10.5m by telecoms regulator Ofcom for overcharging their customers.
According to Ofcom, …
South Africa’s power problem is going to get worse over the next 5 years
Eskom estimated that, without additional capacity, an electricity supply shortfall of between 4000 and 6000 megawatts could take place over …
‘SA to get new smart cities and upgraded highways’ says Ramaphosa
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the government is currently working on conceptualizing a number of post-apartheid smart cities in provinces …
Where has the joy of writing gone and how do we get it back for our children?
NAPLAN results indicate a decline in students’ ability to write. Outcomes in literacy, including writing, affect student achievement across multiple …
What are nebulisers? And how could they help spread COVID-19?
A nebuliser — a medical device that turns a liquid into a fine mist, typically to deliver inhaled medication — …
To succeed in an AI world, students must learn the human traits of writing
Students across Australia have started the new school year using pencils, pens and keyboards to learn to write.
In workplaces, …
Exploring the Indian Ocean as a rich archive of history – above and below the water line
On many beaches around the Indian Ocean, keen observers may spot bits of broken pottery. Washed smooth by the ocean, …
Robots can outwit us on the virtual battlefield, so let’s not put them in charge of the real thing
Artificial intelligence developer DeepMind has just announced its latest milestone: a bot called AlphaStar that plays the popular real-time strategy …
Second executive arrested for R130 m Cell C fraud
An IT executive working at mobile operator Cell C has been arrested for his alleged role in fraud and corruption …
US airline plans to buy flying electric taxis
Unites Airlines is planning on purchasing 200 flying electric taxis, with the hope of flying passengers to the airport within …
You can’t have a Hollywood meet cute on a dating app — but is that such a bad thing?
The “meet cute” is the moment in which two unlikely people encounter each other while going about their ordinary lives, …
AI can excel at medical diagnosis, but the harder task is to win hearts and minds first
Scientists in Japan reportedly saved a woman’s life by applying artificial intelligence to help them diagnose a rare form of …
How we built a robot that can evolve – and why it won’t take over the world
The latest research on robots is often described as if it were a step on the inexorable march toward a …
Breaking the science glass ceiling: four African women share what it took
Less than 30% of researchers worldwide are women and UNESCO data shows that only about 30% of all female …
How the emoji could help democratise online science dialogue
As communication about science and health increasingly moves online, new ways are emerging for people to participate in public dialogue …