In the heart of the Northern Cape, science will step out of the classroom and into the community as the North-West University (NWU) brings its third Vice-Chancellor’s Science Day to Mothibistad on 6 August 2025.

The event, to be held at the Thabo Moorosi Multi-Purpose Hall in Kuruman, is part of a growing outreach initiative by the NWU to strengthen public engagement with science and spark the interest of rural learners in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. It follows successful editions in Mabieskraal (2023) and Taung (2024).

Drought, intensified by global warming and compounded by human action, has taken a devastating toll on wildlife across Africa and the Amazon between 2023 and 2025. According to a sobering new United Nations report, animal populations are being ravaged not just by thirst and starvation, but by human intervention as fragile ecosystems buckle under climatic stress.

By Prof Nomali Ngobese

In a landmark outreach initiative aimed at revitalising rural agricultural development, the School of Geo and Spatial Sciences at the North-West University (NWU) visited the Makouspan community near Mahikeng on 7 July 2025 to initiate strategic partnerships with local farmers across 3,800 hectares of arable land.

This collaboration seeks to harness scientific expertise to transform dormant farmland into a driver of economic empowerment and food security.

Prof Amare Abebe, research director at the Centre for Space Research, was recently appointed as the new president of the African Astronomical Society (AfAS). AfAS is the continent's primary professional body promoting astronomy research, education and outreach. It also plays a key role in positioning Africa as a global hub for astronomical excellence, driving innovation and inspiring future generations across the continent.

Soil – humble, overlooked and often taken for granted – is one of the most vital resources on Earth. Yet, understanding its complex chemistry remains a scientific challenge, particularly in the vast, varied landscapes of South Africa.

As foot-and-mouth disease continues to threaten the livestock industry, students from the North-West University (NWU) will be taking a stand on whether or not it should be compulsory for farmers to vaccinate their animals against the disease.

Two teams of NWU animal science students will be tackling this and other topics during the 55th Annual South African Society for Animal Science (SASAS) Student Quiz and Debate Competition, taking place from 8 to 10 July 2025.

Prof Olubukola Oluranti Babalola from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Microbiology subject group recently visited the National Potato Innovation Centre in Scotland. She delivered a seminar on her pioneering research into rhizosphere microbiomes and their role in developing sustainable agroecosystems.

It is late at night and above you stretches the vast expanse of the Southern African sky that stretches to eternity. You are alone with your thoughts, or at least you think you are. Suddenly, your senses are jolted awake by an unexpected sound. You look around, but see nothing. Then you hear it again: “Ribbit-ribbit… ribbit-ribbit…” You take out your phone – it’s time to discover who your companion is.

When brown fat cells start sending the wrong signals, the body’s energy balance can shift in unexpected ways, which is bad news for people living with obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Dr Khanyisani Ziqubu, a PhD student from the North-West University (NWU), set out to investigate how brown fat behaves in obesity and whether plant-based compounds might help steer it back on track.

In the damp, grassy slopes of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, an unassuming amphibian has leapt into the scientific spotlight. Named Breviceps batrachophiliorum – Latin for ‘frog-loving people’ – this newly described species of rain frog is a triumph of taxonomy and a compelling example of the intersection of citizen science and academic rigour.