Matthew Du Plessis

Matthew du Plessis is the Mail & Guardian's former managing editor and chair of the Adamela Trust. He writes on the environment, dinosaurs, particle accelerators, evolutionary anthropology, genomics and super-continental fields of molten lava.

Inside Facebook’s big bet on Africa

Africa Matthew Du Plessis - 25 May 2020

New undersea cables will massively increase bandwidth to the continent

Easter eggs from the most South African dinosaur

Article Matthew Du Plessis - 9 Apr 2020

After years of data processing at the Wits laboratory, one evolutionary scientist has constructed a 3D model of a baby Massospondylus

The vax revolution will be filmed

Article Matthew Du Plessis - 6 Mar 2020

New tech is poised to help vaccines last longer and reach many more people with far less fuss

Grass roots of Ice-Age extinctions

Article Matthew Du Plessis - 14 Feb 2020

Mammoths and sabre-tooth cats once roamed the continent, but were our ancient ancestors responsible for their disappearance?

Jurassic parkour in SA lava fields

Article Matthew Du Plessis - 31 Jan 2020

After stumbling on mention of tracks in a dissertation from the 1960s, scientists are shedding new light on the dinosaurs that hotfooted it through SA’s prehistoric past

Bionic mushrooms are a thing now

Article Matthew Du Plessis - 9 Nov 2018

Scientists have the technology (and apparently the inclination) to make fungus better, stronger, faster

New light on old civilisations

Article Matthew Du Plessis - 28 Sep 2018

Scientists are remapping the stories of ancient civilisations by shooting them with lasers

Bug evolution thrown into Chaos

Article Matthew Du Plessis - 7 Sep 2018

Super-strains of bacteria need a new nemesis, and scientists reckon they’ve found one

Laziness: Lifeline or death knell?

Article Matthew Du Plessis - 31 Aug 2018

Sluggish snails prevailed, but Homo erectus may have died out because, honestly, why bother?

Set course for the heart of the Sun

Article Matthew Du Plessis - 17 Aug 2018

They promise the earth and never deliver, but sometimes the world’s leaders give us the sun, the moon and the stars

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Uh oh, there’s a disorderly Deadpool in the gene pool

Article Matthew Du Plessis - 3 Aug 2018

CRISPR-Cas9’s responsible use has been welcomed as an important stride in medical research and molecular biology

Oh great, even more water on Mars

Article Matthew Du Plessis - 27 Jul 2018

We used to laugh at the idea that Mars had canals — now it turns out there’s a whole fricking lake

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Press Releases

Special Reports

Let’s unite behind our masks

special reports - 12 Aug 2020

We owe it to young people who hold our dreams for the future to not be discouraged by the Covid-19 pandemic – or our poor leaders

Special Reports

Brand South Africa’s statement in response to allegations of corruption

special reports - 11 Aug 2020

The Board of Trustees and the Management of Brand South Africa have undertaken to investigate any allegations presented against it

Special Reports

Grants for the production of Covid-19-relevant medical and pharmaceutical products: call for proposals

special reports - 11 Aug 2020

Winning innovative projects may be supported with a grant expected to range from €50 000 to to €200 000 depending on whether your initiative is for- or non-profit

Special Reports

WiMSA shines a light on the future of women in mining

special reports - 7 Aug 2020

Men in mining must begin to take it upon themselves to support the development of women in the industry

Special Reports

Department of Public Works and Infrastructure reveals second gender-based violence advocacy artwork

special reports - 7 Aug 2020

The men and boys of South Africa are important role players in this mission to ensure that women are respected, protected and treated equally

Special Reports

Empowering the voice of women in leadership to enable full participation in their roles in leadership and decision making

special reports - 7 Aug 2020

Sibanye-Stillwater has 13% female representation in its workforce and is actively working to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Special Reports

Surviving the tobacco ban

special reports - 7 Aug 2020

Nicotine is given as the ‘likely’ reason for lower Covid-19 infection rates but authorities still stress the health risk of smoking

Special Reports

Smokers hold thumbs for cigarette ban to be lifted

special reports - 7 Aug 2020

SATTA is worried about the impact of the ban on its own members activities and how the ban is helping black marketeers to make millions of rands illegally