Natural and Agricultural Sciences News
Students to represent South Africa at global soil-science competition
A team of North-West University (NWU) students will represent South Africa at the 5th International Soil Judging Competition, scheduled for June 2026 in Nanjing, China. This will place the institution on a global platform for soil science training and research.
The team, led by NWU lecturer and research scientist Angelique Daniell from…
Nano-Environment Incubation Programme leads Water Week awareness campaign in Disaneng Village
The North-West University (NWU), through its Nano-Environment Incubation Programme (NanoEnv) in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences on the Mahikeng Campus, successfully hosted a Water Week awareness campaign at Mogakolodi Masibi Comprehensive High School in Disaneng Village on 19 March 2026.
The initiative formed part of…
NWU secures automated greenhouse to advance food security research
The Food Security and Safety (FSS) research niche area at North-West University (NWU) has secured a state-of-the-art automated greenhouse that will strengthen research capacity, support student training and expand crop production studies under controlled conditions.
The initiative is meant to equip students with both skillsets to…
Sustainable agriculture in action at NWU Farmers’ Day
Sunflowers stretching towards the sky and rows of green maize plants swaying in the breeze set the tone for a day rooted in growth, learning and possibility at Pienaarskamp Farm.
Just a day earlier, the farm had already made an impression. Prof. Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), had taken…
NanoEnv and Groot-Marico Biosphere Reserve partnership continues to advance community-based research
The Nano Environment Incubation Programme (NanoEnv) team from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (FNAS) at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus engaged with the management of the Groot Marico Biosphere Reserve and local stakeholders on 20 February 2026.
The purpose of the engagement was to present scientific…
A cleaner way to turn plant waste into fuel
Plant waste is everywhere, in harvested fields, forestry sites and processing plants. A new study argues it could play a bigger role in the energy economy if it can be processed in a cleaner way.
Prof Indra Bahadur, a chemist at the Mahikeng Campus of the North-West University (NWU), has published a review article in Chemical Reviews (…
NWU to livestream partial solar eclipse from campus observatory
Researchers and students at the North-West University (NWU) will livestream a partial solar eclipse from the NWU Solar Observatory* on the Potchefstroom Campus. This gives the public a safe way to experience the breathtaking celestial event on 17 February 2026.
Dr Ruhann Steyn, senior lecturer and researcher at the Centre for Space…
Why wildfires leave some land scarred for years, and how satellites are helping with damage control
When wildfires tear through landscapes, the flames disappear quickly but the damage they leave behind can last for years. A new study by North-West University (NWU) academics shows how satellite technology is helping scientists and decision-makers better understand the true impact of wildfires and plan smarter responses for the future.
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NWU academic publishes book on mathematical modelling
North-West University (NWU) academic Prof Patrick Tchepmo Djomegni, Associate Professor in Applied Mathematics has added an important scholarly contribution to the field of applied mathematics with the completion of his new book on mathematical modelling techniques, a project that reflects both academic excellence and deep personal meaning.…
Why are we going back to the Moon?
Roughly 384 400 km from the pale blue dot we call Earth hangs an orb that has fascinated humanity for millennia. The Moon is our planet’s only natural satellite and is about a quarter of Earth’s size. Only 12 people set foot on it between 1969 and 1972, but more than 50 years later the Artemis programme aims to add to that number.
In…