Communities tell their stories about water, gather valuable data
World Water Day on 22 March has underscored the urgent need to add community experiences of water to the data used to manage this fragile resource in an era of climate change. A multi-sectoral project using the SenseMaker tool and methodology does just
Marine microfibres: less plastic than predicted
Microfibres are fine strands of thread used to make clothing, carpeting and household items like mops. They are found in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and throughout the world’s oceans. Natural, rather than synthetic, microfibres, thoug
Antarctic ice-shelf puzzle
Ice shelves, massive floating bodies of ice, are well-known for their buffering effect on land-based ice sheets as they slow their flow towards the sea. This buffering effect plays an important role in moderating global sea level rise.
Epigenetic autism study breaks new ground
When Dr Colleen O’Ryan, from the Department of Molecular & Cell Biology at UCT, embarked on an ambitious project to research the genes associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a cohort of South African chil
New study explores establishing a new Bearded Vulture population in South Africa
The Bearded Vulture is one of the most threatened vultures in Southern Africa, with only around 100 breeding pairs left in the wild. In the past, the species was once far more widespread, occurring in both the Eastern and Western Cape, all the way down
When giant mustelids roamed South Africa
Recent discoveries by scientists at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and Iziko Museums of South Africa show how a wolf-sized otter (Sivaonyx hendeyi) and leopard-sized wolverine (Plesiogulo aff. monspesulanus) lived alon
Harnessing plant power to curb COVID-19
Here’s a different reason for tobacco to be in the news. Cape Bio Pharms, a biotech company with its origins in the Biopharming Research Unit (BRU) at the University of Cape Town (UCT), has joined the global effort to create a fast and affordable
UCT’s two 2020 WEF Young Scientists
Every year, the World Economic Forum (WEF) selects an elite group of researchers under the age of 40 to participate in their Young Scientists programme. This year, the University of Cape Town (UCT) is represented by two brilliant women scientists.
Siberians and First Americans go way back
A team of international researchers has assessed the population history of prehistoric humans that lived in the region around Lake Baikal, Russia, and found the deepest connection to date between the peoples of Siberia and the Americas. The research &n