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The Latest Breaking News from Stellenbosch University

South Africa is overlooking solar technology that can keep generating electricity after sunset

South Africa’s coal-fired power stations are retiring. The country must replace a huge amount of electricity over the next two decades. Currently, coal still supplies 74% of the country’s power. But the government’s national energy plan has largely overlooked one technology South Africa is particularly suited to build: concentrating solar…

The Conversation

BALLS on the moon: China set to launch Africa's 1st lunar science mission in 2029

Africa's first space exploration mission aims to send a trio of spherical probes to the lunar south pole aboard China's Chang'e 8 lander in 2029.

Space

Machines whisper before they scream: we built an AI model that predicts expensive problems

In most industries, maintenance is a waiting game. Things are fixed when they break. But in the 21st century, an age defined by data and automation, that approach no longer makes sense. The solution could be predictive maintenance. This is an approach that uses sensors and software to analyse equipment…

The Conversation

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Genetic tests for cancer can give uncertain results: new science is making the picture clearer to guide treatment

Cancer treatment is becoming more personalised. By considering a patient’s unique genetic and molecular profile, along with their lifestyle and environmental factors, doctors can make more accurate treatment decisions. This approach, known as personalised or precision medicine, has been increasingly used in South Africa and has expanded to other African…

The Conversation

Long-COVID, viruses and ‘zombie’ cells: new research looks for links to chronic fatigue and brain fog

Millions of people who recover from infections like COVID-19, influenza and glandular fever are affected by long-lasting symptoms. These include chronic fatigue, brain fog, exercise intolerance, dizziness, muscle or joint pain and gut problems. And many of these symptoms worsen after exercise, a phenomenon known as post-exertional malaise.

The Conversation

Who’s my dad? In South Africa that’s a complex question – report tracks the rise of ‘social fathers’

The State of South Africa’s Fathers 2024 report is published by the new Tataokhona project at Stellenbosch University. The project focuses on research and interventions related to fathers and fatherhood. This is the third edition of this report, and offers valuable insights into the evolving realities of fatherhood in South…

The Conversation

UK ‘the golden child of Europe’ as stocks rally in London; US goods trade deficit widens as tariffs backfire – as it happened

UK’s balanced trade with the US, Trump’s fondness for Britain, and new invitation for a state visit at Buckingham Palace, make the UK popular with investors today

The Guardian - UK

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What one university’s 30-year transformation reveals about Afrikaans and language planning in South Africa

When South Africa became a democracy in 1994, five of the country’s universities used Afrikaans as a medium of instruction. There were also two bilingual universities teaching in Afrikaans and English.

The Conversation

Breast cancer: why it’s difficult to treat and what new approaches are on the horizon

Breast cancer is the number one cancer among women: more than 2 million cases were diagnosed worldwide in 2022. It is also particularly challenging to treat. Physiologist Anna-Mart Engelbrecht, who heads the Cancer Research Group at Stellenbosch University, explains why this is so and how precision medicine could help.

The Conversation

Tito Mboweni: South African Minister and Reserve Bank governor who drove significant economic reforms

Tito Mboweni, former South African Reserve Bank Governor, Minister of Finance, and Minister of Labour was arguably one of the country’s most consequential economic policymakers and drove several significant economic reforms.

The Conversation

Mpox outbreak in Africa was neglected

Other examples of neglected diseases include the West Nile, Zika and Chikungunya viruses

Salon

Golden mole that swims through sand is rediscovered in South Africa after 86 years

The De Winton’s golden mole was last seen in 1937 on the north-western coast of South Africa, and later declared officially lost. This iridescent blind mole with hearing superpowers evades contact with humans and “swims” through sand dunes, making it very difficult to locate. But in November 2023, a team…

The Conversation

South Africa's Land Bank can be fixed: change the funding model and narrow the focus

It is disheartening to see how many South Africans, including parliamentarians, have forgotten the simple and influential role the Land and Agricultural Development Bank (Land Bank) played in South African agriculture.

The Conversation

Who's most likely to save us from the next pandemic? The answer may surprise you

The South African-based scientist who co-discovered the omicron variant of COVID-19 makes an intriguing argument.

WEKU

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The Conversation

Breast cancer patients in South Africa may find it hard to stick to treatment: here's what they told us

Worldwide, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer. It’s also the leading cause of cancer-related death among women. The incidence of breast cancer is expected to rise, with the majority of breast cancer cases occurring among women in low- and middle-income countries such as South Africa, where adherence to…

The Conversation

A basic income grant for South Africa: more money in poor people's pockets, but at a heavy cost

Analyses of the implications of extending income support measures in South Africa, including a basic income grant, have focused on one of three things: how much it will cost, calculations about how much revenue would need to be raised (but without assessing the ripple effects), and how it might affect…

The Conversation

South Africa is surrounded by sea but doesn't have a plan to protect it: three steps to get one

South Africa is surrounded by 2,798km of coastline. Yet, oddly, the country doesn’t have a coherent maritime strategy underpinned by a related national strategy to safeguard its maritime interests.

The Conversation

Land reform in South Africa: what the real debate should be about

Land reform in South Africa is an emotive and politically fraught subject. That’s because land was at the heart of the dispossession of Africans by colonial settlers. Successful land reform can help overcome this legacy, making it central to forging shared national bonds. It can also serve as a basis…

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