Faculty of Science

Despite a wealth of research on False Bay, little is known about the chemical make-up of its water, how this varies seasonally and how its vigorous circulation prevents stagnation. But a new study by Dr Sarah Fawcett, Departm

If Europe is going to reap the benefits of conservation measures at home, its experts need an understanding of where “their” birds migrate to when they head off to Africa.  Each year, birds migrate en masse from Europe in search of war

A recent paper published by UCT researchers Associate Professor Adam West and Professor William Bond, draws attention to the global phenomenon of invasive native plant species – and suggests ways of managing affe

PhD candidate Megan Lukas from the Department of Environmental & Geographical Science, was one of 25 young scientists honoured with a Green Talents award at the International Forum for High Potentials in Sustainable Development, wh

Over the past few months, UCT News has been reporting on the ongoing water crisis in Cape Town in its efforts to raise awareness of the drought and its very real consequences. UCT researchers have developed and tested a new logger system to keep a

UCT scientists are part of an international team that has revealed how canny baboons in Cape Town use a sit-and-wait tactic before raiding people’s homes for food. This has been shown by data gathered from bespoke baboon-tracking collars.

Dr Tshifhiwa Gift Mandiwana-Neudani, an ornithologist who first made her mark in the field at UCT’s FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, has debunked a centuries old belief about the evolution of a common gamebird, the f

Cape Town has an innovative and progressive programme aimed at reducing negative interactions between white sharks and recreational water users - the Shark Spotter programme.  Research by PhD student Tamlyn Engelbrecht, from the D

During the Early Jurassic, around 200 million years ago, small and agile two-legged carnivorous dinosaurs called theropods roamed the ancient landscapes. In souther

Four of the eleven new Fellows inducted into UCT's prestigious College of Fellows are from the Faculty of Science.  They are: Professor Bruce Hewitson, Department of Environmental and Geographical Science; Professor Ch