CATEGORIES

Can We Improve The Lives Of Captive Animals?

A trip to the zoo can be a fun and educational day out, but do these institutions do more harm than good? 

Anthropology And Ethics

Christa Kuljian’s latest book, Darwin’s Hunch, explores the important – and sometimes shocking – work South Africa’s famous palaeontologists, from Raymond Dart to Lee Berger, have contributed to our understanding of early man

Crazy In Love

How many sexes are there? Two, right? Not if you’re a clam shrimp – then there are three, while other organisms have hundreds or even thousands of ‘mating types’. Such weird mating strategies evolve by chance, but can result in better odds of finding a match.

To Boldly Go …

Selling STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – as a sector in which to work and invest is not a static occupation. Aerospace engineering expert and former NASA executive Jim Adams knows this, and has the experience to understand the way in which the goalposts have moved since, say, the Sixties, when the Space Race was a major driver and there were so many more ‘firsts’ to achieve.

Can We End Animal Testing?

We find out whether innovative techniques using stem cells, computer modelling and 3D-printing could reduce the number of animals used in medical research

The Nuclear Pioneer Who Escaped The Nazis

Meet Lise Meitner, the little-known Austrian physicist who kick-started the nuclear age

Footballing Bees Shed New Light On Insect Intelligence

We bet these guys are good on the wing: bumblebees have been taught to play football by a team at Queen Mary University of London.

Is Anything Good For You Any More?

The world of food is full of conflicting advice. Drinking coffee is good for you; it will give you cancer. Eggs are part of nature s natural bounty; they raise your cholesterol. So many claims, so little agreement.Yet despite the headlines there is a fairly consistent body of research that points at the health benefits, or otherwise, of most popular foods. We re here to sort the facts from the fads. Enjoy!

The Heat Is On For Vulnerable Species

Climate change is driving animals out of their natural ranges. Prof John Wiens has been studying just how bad these ‘local extinctions’ are becoming

This Man Could Save Your Life

Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin’s new book explores information overload

Professor Bruce Hood: Me, myself and I

You made the decision to read this interview, right? Wrong. Prof Hood explains why your sense of self is merely an illusion

When The Chips Are Down

For the last few decades, we’ve been enjoying faster and faster computer speeds, but we’ve now squeezed as much as we can from silicon chips. We take a look at the tech that could take their place

Mooving On From Milk?

Cutting out cow juice might be a bad idea

Eyes Wide Shut

Narcolepsy includes much more than falling asleep at inappropriate times

Lifted By Cranes

New book delves into the lives of South Africa’s stateliest bird species

Ultrasound Sensations

Dolphins echolocate with two-part acoustic beams – technology that could help us improve medical and navigational technology

The Power Of Sloth

Why nature’s laziest animal is an evolutionary success story

Doobie Do

What is cannabis oil and can it really be made into medicine?

Chase the DRAGON

In Early March This Year, Spacex Successfully Sent Its Crew Dragon Craft to the Iss and Returned It Safely to Earth. What Does This Historic Mission Mean for Space Travel?

A View From the Top

Craig Mahlasi Works as a Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing Geographer, Working With Data That Promotes a Fuller Understanding of the Planet

The Race for Fairness

The Olympic Gold Medallist Caster Semenya’s Naturally High Testosterone Levels Are Said to Boost Her Sporting Prowess, but is This Really the Case?

Peak Performance

Deshun Deysel Heads Back to Everest as Part of South Africa’s First All-women Team.

Pick Your Diet

For Every Inch You’ve Added to Your Gut, a Fad Diet Promises to Help You Shed It.

The 10 Strangest Ideas In Science

As Albert Einstein once said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” So with that in mind, here are some of the most radical theories in science, from anti-ageing humans to the Earth’s second sun.

Does The Music We Listen To Affect Our Behaviour?

What we choose to listen to can have a profound effect on our emotions and behaviour.

Putting Fear On Ice

Extreme swimmer Ryan Stramrood uses his own experiences to encourage others to excel.

Future Flow

ENVIRONMENT

how safe is your plane?

this is a question you want answered before booking a trip. we look at the rigorous tests that planes undergo to ensure that flying remains one of the safest modes of transport.

Alternative Angling

Fishing Impossible is a 10-part television series following three fishing fanatics – marine-turned-social-worker Jay Lewis, Easy Jet pilot Charlie Butcher and marine biologist Tom Hurd (better known as The Blowfish) – who indulge elaborate hypotheses in their mission to catch interesting fish in new and creative ways while travelling the world.

are you a genetic superhero?

recent research has revealed a handful of ‘superheroes’ walking among us, whose dna gifts them with resistance against serious diseases. now we just have to find them …