Wastepickers play a key role in the fight against plastic pollution
Melanie Samson, an Associate Professor in Sociology at the University of Johannesburg says research shows waste pickers collect 80%-90% of the used packaging and paper recycled in South Africa
What if the Big Bang wasn’t the beginning? It may have taken place inside a black hole
Our calculations suggest the Big Bang was not the start of everything, but rather the outcome of a gravitational crunch or collapse that formed a very massive black hole – followed by a bounce inside it.
Airbnb scams: New book explores thriving criminal activity on big tech platforms
Julie Reid , a professor at the University of South Africa, draws from first-hand accounts and over 600 cases from around the world of victims lured into scams or physical danger by fake Airbnb reviews and listings, providing a detailed case study.
Trump’s Afrikaners are South African opportunists, not refugees
We should not be unduly surprised that the government of the US has imported 49 Afrikaners and labelled them as “refugees”. The claim is that they are escaping from the persecution of Afrikaners. The Trump administration knows perfectly well this claim is a complete fabrication.
Here is a fact: Most South African farmers are black
Johann Kirsten, Director of the Bureau for Economic Research and Wandile Sihlobo Senior Fellow, Department of Agricultural Economics, both from Stellenbosch University argues that South Africa is to blame for providing inaccurate data to feed these false narratives.
South Africa's wattled cranes are no longer endangered: Why the bird's numbers are rising
Cranes are some of the world’s most majestic birds, with 15 species found globally. Four of these are found in Africa. The wattled crane in South Africa was in decline, but seems to have turned a corner. Its numbers have increased from just 188 birds in 2000 to 304 today. Crane researcher Lara Fuller explains how the population’s recovery recently led to it being moved from Critically Endangered to Endangered on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s list of threatened species.
Beyond the smoke in South Africa’s energy revolution
South Africa remains heavily dependent on coal for electricity, with over 74% of its energy still sourced from fossil fuels.
So who would win in a fight between 100 men and 1 gorilla?
The internet’s latest absurd obsession is: who would win in a no-rules fight between 100 average human men and one adult male gorilla? But, beyond the jokes and memes, this silly debate provides an opportunity to reflect on human evolution. What are the real strengths of our species? What have we sacrificed?
Valentin-Yves Mudimbe: the philosopher who reshaped how the world thinks about Africa
Christophe Premat, Associate Professor in French Studies (cultural studies), and head of the Centre for Canadian Studies, Stockholm University reflects on Mudimbe's intellectual legacy
A robot that you ride like a horse is being developed
Matías Mattamala, a Postdoctoral Researcher from the Oxford Robotics Institute at the University of Oxford, discuss what would be needed for Corleo to achieve a level of agility and balance, while safely carrying a human through natural environments.
80 years after Mussolini’s death, what can democracies learn from his fascist rise?
If the monarchy, military, other political parties and the church had attempted a principled, united opposition to fascism early enough, most of Mussolini’s crimes would likely have been avoided.
I was a child soldier - and here's how we can protect children
The problem persists because children’s presence on the battlefield throws the training and ethics of professional soldiers off balance. Children are widely considered innocent, harmless, and deserving of care and protection. Harming them can cause severe emotional and psychological distress that conventional soldiers are ill-equipped to handle.
How Pope Francis influenced the global climate movement
Originating from Argentina, Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pope, witnessed firsthand the destruction of the Amazon and the plight of South America’s poorest communities. His concern for justice for vulnerable communities and protection of the planet go hand in hand with his religious leadership.
Pope Francis' greatest reforms and controversies
There were many unusual aspects of Pope Francis’ papacy. He was the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas (and the southern hemisphere), the first to choose the name “Francis” and the first to give a TED talk. He was also the first pope in more than 600 years to be elected following the resignation, rather than death, of his predecessor.
The rich history of hot cross buns: From ancient traditions to modern delights
Early Christians started marking bread with a cross to show their devotion, and ate it throughout the year. They believed the cross kept away evil spirits and helped the dough rise.
South Africa’s coalition government is at risk of crumbling: collapse would carry a heavy cost
South Africa’s post-election government of national unity (GNU) was heralded as a revival of the spirit of compromise last seen in the 1990s. But less than a year into its term, tensions between the ANC and DA are threatening to derail the coalition. While the GNU has enabled some initial governance and policy gains — from fresh accountability efforts to the promise of public service reform — deep ideological divides and political brinkmanship are stalling progress. As budget disputes intensify, the future of this historic experiment in power-sharing hangs in the balance.
Do Inuit languages really have many words for snow? The results are surprising
Thought to be a hoax, a new study looking at 616 languages around the world discovered that Eastern Canadian Inuktitut had the highest number of words related to snow.
Ernest Cole: The South African photographer at the centre of a powerful and heartbreaking film
Kylie Thomas, Senior Researcher and Senior Lecturer at Radical Humanities Laboratory, University College Cork, NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies, is intrigued by how the film would convey this complex life story.
AI is automating our jobs – but values need to change if we are to be liberated by it
Artificial intelligence may be the most significant disruptor in the history of mankin. . AI will undoubtedly help solve vast problems, while generating vast fortunes for technology companies and investors. However, the rapid spread of generative AI will also automate vast swathes of the global workforce, eviscerating white-collar and blue-collar jobs alike.
The dark side of superstition and the reality of ritual child murder
Emmanuel Sarpong Owusu, a doctoral researcher and lecturer at Aberystwyth University in Wales, writes about superstition-driven crimes against vulnerable groups in African settings.
New study unravels the genetic history of Africa’s largest pastoralist community
The Fulani have long intrigued social anthropologists with their complex cultural heritage. They raise mainly cattle, goats and sheep in the vast, arid Sahel region.
South Africans flush toilets with drinkable water: why not use seawater instead?
As the planet gets hotter and freshwater sources dry up, cities and towns will not be able to continue the global norm of using millions of litres of clean, drinkable water to flush toilets. South Africa’s Water Research Commission recently commissioned a study into using seawater to flush toilets in Cape Town.
‘Sometimes you need to eat an entire cucumber’ - experts on viral TikTok trend
A series of viral videos by TikTok “cucumber guy” Logan Moffitt has raked in millions of views for his cucumber salad videos.
Consumers around the world are boycotting US goods
“Boycott USA” messages and searches have been trending on social media and search engines, with users sharing advice on brands and products to avoid.
South Africa's civil servants are missing skills especially when it comes to technology
The study found that most South African government officials were familiar with the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. But they were not familiar with how these technologies could be used to improve the efficiency of the state.