This is an edited extract from Sarah Wild’s new book ‘Human Origins’
Sipho Kings and Sarah Wild consider the question we all ask: Do our efforts count, or
is this just about what big corporations do?
Although it is totally discredited, its pervasive influence still colours perceptions because of its long association with empirical validity
The MeerLicht telescope will scour the skies to study transient celestial events. But its link to the MeerKAT radio telescope is what sets it apart.
Editing embryos may end up saving lives, but what does it mean for the human gene pool?
Researchers who sequenced the genome of gut bacteria in the world’s oldest natural mummy have cast doubt on theories about migration out of Africa.
Using Africa’s national parks, scientists have garnered essential information which will help refine their understanding of Earth’s climate.
The only known planet inhabited exclusively by robots, Mars may become the only other planet in our solar system colonised by humans.
South Africa’s children are bearing the brunt of increasing food prices – and the effects may be permanent.
The Southern Ocean could yield important clues about the effects of climate change.
Presenting science in a more relaxed and informal environment than the usual academic setting.
Get in on the science debate, says Mail & Guardian’s science editor Sarah Wild.
Not only are they at the mercy of publishing houses, their rights are also limited by South African law.
Pluto is back to being everyone’s favourite planet that’s not a planet.
Empathy from the council? The City of Johannesburg’s social media man gives service delivery gripes a human touch.
Ever wondered what it’s like to use the internet at speeds of up to 10 gigabits a second? You may have to go back to university to find out.
Poor pass rates and stifling government policies and regulations have been undermining efforts to boost local innovation in technology.
Admittance to the particle accelerator reveals our ability to back international science experiments.
The only planet inhabited entirely by robots is revealing interesting facts as little rovers trundle across the surface of the Red Planet.
The commercial potential of intoxicating kougoed, or Sceletium tortuosum, is reinvigorating a Nourivier community in the Northern Cape.
Braamfontein will soon be home to not only artists and hipsters, but tech-savvy researchers attracted to innovation and rejuvenation of the city.
A South African astrophysicist is part of a team seeking to drag ancient cosmic secrets out of the polar skies.
Astronomers are discovering more and more exoplanets that could support life as we know it, but distance from a sun is only one critical requirement.
The world of science is filled with interesting, quirky and downright strange discoveries. Sarah Wild chooses some of this year’s highlights.
The first phase of the mammoth scientific project is tipped to cost almost €2bn, but experts say this figure is an extreme worst-case scenario.
Only 0.76% of GDP, R24-billion, was spent on the sector in the 2012-2013 financial year, substantially less than in other emerging countries.
Rhodes University’s Professor Tebello Nyokong wants to produce students who push the boundaries of innovation.
We’ve all seen it in movies, but can supercomputers really rise up and reign supreme over humanity?
The massive radio telescope, which will form part of the Square Kilometre Array, is projected to be completed on time despite delays.
The latest science shows that your phone might be stopping you from getting enough sleep, raising the risk of accidents, heart ailments and diabetes.
A National Advisory Council on Innovation shake-up is to improve communication between council and Minister Naledi Pandor amid an influx of new blood.
The art of winemaking in South Africa owes a great deal to the men and women in lab coats, writes Sarah Wild.