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We end of our final show for the year, by commemorating milestones in the health sector and its fight against HIV. We hear the story of HIV activist and nurse, Angela Motsusi, as she recounts her first diagnosis of HIV, overcoming stigma and living positively. We get into our first story for tonight, with head of HEAids, Dr Ramneek Ahluwalia, as he talks about the launch of the new one-pill-a day drug, dolutegravir. We discuss how the drug will reduce the impact of the HIV epidemic in South Africa. Finally, we discuss the possible nasty surprises and lessons that the newly discovered HIV subtype could have on the fight against HIV, with the head of the Centre for HIV and STIS’s, Dr Adrian Puren.
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On tonight’s show, we are in conversation with 21 year old, third year Accounting Wits University student, Godiragetse Mogajane. He is the founder of Goodie Tutors, a maths and science tutoring and call centre platform. His company prides itself in its 100% pass rate annually. He talks about their achievement and how he will revolutionise the education sector through his app.
On unscience, we learn about an app, which will help you look amazing, even if you cannot decide for yourself.
We wrap up our chat with Godi as he is fondly known, to hear what growing up as a nerd in Hammanskraal was like and where Goodie Tutors is headed in the future. -
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The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research is working on a study that will help municipalities manage wastewater through their municipal beneficiation project. The project aims to harness energy through a process called anaerobic digestion. They are also investigating how they can salvage biogases produced by human and bio waste, recover lost water in sludge and better manage wastewater. CSIR researcher Khuthadzo Mudzanani, talks about the practicalities of the research and its impact.
On Unscience, we look at an interesting study, which suggests that sleep deprived people are more likely to opt for foods and diets with a higher calorie count.
In our final story, we speak to the Head of Department of the Centre for Environmental Management, at the University of the Free State, Prof Paul Ober-holster. He chats about how they together with the CSIR have successfully implemented an algae-based wastewater treatment solution at the Motetema wastewater treatment works in the Sekhukhune District Municipality in Limpop -
South Africa is a water stressed country and to conserve the limited water resources, researchers realise that wastewater rehabilitation is necessary to supplement the already frail water infrastructures. Professor Miklas Sholz speaks to us about his research, which focuses on artificial wetlands reconstruction to rid communities such as the Alexandra Township of stagnant grey water. In the interview, he also speaks about ways in which the Jukskei River can be revitalised.
On Unscience we discover another way in which our brain tricks us into believing we knew what would happen the next moment. The study reveals that we actually do not have the ability to predict events, especially in that particular state. -
Tonight, we are in conversation with occupational therapist, Dr Lieketseng Ned from Stellenbosch University. She is the youngest lecturer within the Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies. She talks about her current research, which focuses on participatory visual methodologies to enhance community participation.
On Unscience, we look at something very unusual, the case of pet owner’s affection being the possible reason behind the owners losing their limbs, yikes!
Finally, we conclude our conversation with Dr Ned, as she speaks about her personal life and how her interests in indigenous knowledge and people with disabilities led her to research decolonising knowledge on health and well-being. -
This week, we chat with Nano technologist Florence Lehutso, from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), as she delivers her teams’ findings on nano-pollution and the extent of pollution on our water sources if not evaluated and studied extensively.
In our final story, Wouter Le Roux from the CSIR unloads the results of his study where he discovered that water sourced from hand-dug wells in the community of Stinkwater is contaminated and unsafe to drink.
Lastly, on unscience, we find out how high-level mathematicians are tricked by some aspects of their knowledge about the world and as a result fail to solve primary school-level subtraction problems. -
The Department of Health has set up a R500-billion fund for the implementation of the highly contested National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill, which will give the majority of South Africans access to quality healthcare. However, many ask where will the money come from and how will it work, we find out from the Head of Health at SECTION27, Sasha Stevenson.
On unscience, we find out why a healthy diet is detrimental to one’s vision, as researchers from the University of Bristol examine cases of patients with unexplained vision impairment due to a poor diet.
Lastly, we hear from Professor Andrew Briggs, who is a health economist from the University of Glasgow, as he speaks about a similar financing system in the UK, the National Institute for Health Care Excellence (NICE) has worked and the lessons SA can take away from their experience. -
Climatology professor, Francois Engelbrecht from the Global Change Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand, unpacks a scathing report on the dramatic effects that a 2˚C increase in temperature has on climate change.
Unscience gets a little stinky tonight; we discover what role various gastrointestinal gases play and what their interactions with the microbiome in the gut is.
In our final story, we learn key lessons about disaster management, risk reduction and the complex interconnectedness between risk and resilience as the world gears up for climate change adaptation. -
On the show tonight, we chat with molecular biologist, Thulile Khanyile who is a lecturer, social entrepreneur and PhD candidate in the HIV Pathogenesis Research Units in the School of Pathology. Her PhD is searching for an HIV vaccine that can mimic the broadly neutralizing antibody response of the Donor CAP256, which will help the body to selfheal and reject the HI Virus.
On Unscience, we look at how memories are stored and why the least important memory pops up at the most inappropriate times.
Later we kick back and relax as we get up close and personal with Thulile and find out about other interesting things she gets up to when she is not in the lab or classroom. -
New research confirms that men with breast cancer have lower survival rates than women, as men often delay seeing a doctor even when they notice unusual signs or symptoms in their body. Furthermore, men make up less than 1% of breast cancer cases and often receive treatment based on data collected in women. Professor Michael Herbst from CANSA weighs in on this conversation.
On Unscience, we explore the movies. We learn about how an artificial intelligence tool is able to detect spoilers on your behalf to stop them from ruining surprises in your favourite movies.
Finally, we speak to a paediatric oncologist as we further delve into the topic of cancer in young children. We discover what causes cancer in children and which of those cancers are more prevalent. -
Seventy percent of wastage happens within the food supply chain, yet Gauteng‚ the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal have the highest rate of young children who are underdeveloped. North West University Senior lecturer, Chantelle Witten, from the Faculty of Health Sciences unpacks how poor nutrition affects children’s growth and development.
On Unscience we discover that Mona Lisa was not genuinely smiling in Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting.
In our final story, the Disco Soup or ‘soup protest’ movement, raises public awareness by salvaging and cooking unsold or damaged vegetables at a their cooking session in Diepkloof Soweto -
Tonight we chat with Dimakatso Gumede of the Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Research Group at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
She is one of a few specialising in stem Cell reprogramming in SA. She recently submitted her doctoral thesis on a rare genetic skin, lung and muscle disorder, which resulted in the breakthrough for treatment and medicating of various conditions. On Unscience, we learn about what the women of the Pimbwe tribe of Tanzania do when desperate times call for unconventional methods. Lastly, we wrap up the show in conversation with Dimakatso on growing up in Soweto, losing her mother, overcoming her loss and the importance multilingualism plays in communicating science. -
In commemorating women’s month, the Science Inside dedicates the entire month to all South African women contributing to the various fields in science and science communication. We start of today’s show with those who once graced the Science Inside with their skills and talent. We get in conversation with Elna Shütz and Lutfiya Suliman who both presented and produced the show before. They share their highlights, challenges in communicating science, milestones in their careers and what they have they been up to since leaving radio broadcasting. On tonight’s unscience, we find out how cosmetic jewellery could double as a contraceptive while adding to the beauty aesthetic.
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In tonight’s show, we hear from software businessman and tech innovator, Luyanda Vappie on how he and his business partner Motsholane Sebola’s innovation is disrupting modern day computing. They have built Prism, the world’s first personal computer that utilises laser for virtual peripheral input and output. On Unscience, we learn about a computer system that sheds some light on how imaging can adversely or positively affect our emotional wellbeing. Lastly, we chat to computer scientist at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Yaseen Moolla about their biometrics systems and how they can be used to identify young children through the combination of technology and biology.
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Tonight we unpack the African Centre on Philanthropy & social Investment’s dialogue on the prospects of mitigating risks associated with climate change, particularly as it pertains to disaster management and planning strategies in the likely event of a natural disaster striking. On Unscience, we chat about how eating insects rather than meat could save the Earth from further greenhouse gas emissions and save you money. In our final story, we look at how climate change affects various industries and how various approaches are being executed to address these threats.
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Tonight’s show looks into a naturally found mineral used to add glimmer in our cosmetics. The mineral is currently mined by about 22 000 minors in India as a means to feed their families, but sadly some do not make it out alive. This week’s Unscience investigates how Bitcoin is causing more carbon dioxide emissions comparable to Vegas or Hamburg. Our final story uncovers an inherent condition where women of African descent are experiencing balding at a much younger age and University of Kwa-Zulu Natal‘s dermatology professor, Ncoza Dlova explains what the treatment of variant PAD13 in Central Centrifugal Alopecia is and what are the other factors driving it .
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Statistics reveal that 90% of South Africa’s food ends up in the landfill and on this show, we find out from the University of Free State’s researcher and diet professor, Louise Van Der Burg about what is driving food insecurity nationally and globally. Later in the show, we hear about a peculiar concept of preserving sperm to make it viable for baby making in space, in this week’s Unscience. Finally, we chat to Co-operative and Policy Alternative’s Centre’s coordinator, Jane Cherry about a vegetable garden set up to feed and supply underprivileged Wits students with fresh produce.
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The South African National Blood Services Operations Testing Manager, Charl Coleman talks about how chemical biology researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, will convert blood type A into a universally acceptable type through the use of human gut microbes. On Unscience, we look at a chilling, rare but extremely distressing phenomenon, where patients were found conscious during CPR. Still on the bloody topic, University of the Witwatersrand Pathology and Haematology professor, Johhny Mahlangu unpacks hemochromatosis, a blood condition that is characterised by the oversupply of iron in the blood, which can be caused by ingesting iron supplements or through regular blood transfusions.
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With mounting amounts of data production and consumption worldwide, this week we aim to understand the concept of ‘Big Data’ and what it means for us all. For a better and broader understanding, we speak to Terrence van Zyl from the School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics at Witwatersrand University. In unscience we try to understand poly-dacty-ly, and how people with one or more finger can have more advantages than those considered ‘normal’... in the second story, Phumlani Nhlanganiso Khoza, from the School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics who is the brainchild of the newly launched Scilinx Research laboratory and the Scilinx Studio tell us more about it’s Big Data research aims.
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Nkululeko Tunzi, born and bred in Soweto, Dube, is our feature scientist this month. The Tshwane University of Technology, school of computer science graduate has been making country-wide headlines recently, after having invented an innovative walking stick that aids blind people to navigate around their spaces with much ease. In the news, UP prepares for the 4th industrial revolution (4IR) as it ‘employs’ a robot to help students in libraries, and Huawei South Africa launches the first and free 5G training for postgraduates at Wits University. In unscience we explore the Jellyfish, and what makes these strange sea creatures so fascinating
- Se mer
