Tanzanian spray toad extinction highlights the need to protect biodiversity

When a species becomes extinct in the wild, the loss is permanent. For Africa, a serious loss is the extinction of the Tanzanian Kihansi spray toad (Nectophrynoides asperginis) due to habitat change and infectious disease.

This should serve as a wakeup call for policy makers to prioritise and implement conservation measures for…

Academic selected as Top Young Scientist

Dr Moleboheng Ramulumo, a senior lecturer in the School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education at the North-West University (NWU), has been recognised as one of South Africa’s Top 60 Young Scientists.

This recognition is awarded by the South African Young Academy of Science, in collaboration with the Academy of Science of…

African herb and nanotechnology combine for “amazing” results

Maize seeds quickly germinate and become thriving seedlings when primed with fertiliser made from nanoparticles extracted from an indigenous African herb, impepho.

This potent herb (helichrysum odoratissimum), also known as kooigoed and African sage, is at the centre of the research of Dr Bongiwe Dhlamini-Zungu, a recent PhD graduate in…

Pioneering South Africa's circular economy

Gone are the days of the throwaway economy. Environmental scientists and pioneers like Prof Linda Godfrey of the North-West University (NWU) are leading the charge towards a thriving circular economy.

With over 20 years dedicated to studying the waste sector, Prof Godfrey has observed the unsustainability of the traditional linear…

Another successful BMI Day for the Vanderbijlpark Campus

The North-West University's (NWU’s) Vanderbijlpark Campus hosted BMI Day, an annual event organised by the Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics (CBMI) on 14 August 2024.

Since its inception in 2022, BMI Day has grown into a tradition, bringing together current students and accomplished alumni, and – for the first time this…

Prof Mukaro named a top scholar by ScholarGPS 

Prof Raphael Mukaro, an associate professor in physics at the North-West University (NWU), has been recognised as a leading scholar by ScholarGPS. 

ScholarGPS is a comprehensive scholarly…

Alumnus unpacks academic entrepreneurship

The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the North-West University (NWU) hosted its third Food Security and Safety (FSS) seminar on 8 August 2024.

NWU alumnus and CEO of Eco-Agro Enterprise Pty Ltd Dr Sydwell Sihlangu was the guest speaker.

Dr Sihlangu spoke about academic entrepreneurship, which he described as a…

How brown seaweed and spent oyster mushroom substrates could be used as chicken feed

One of the greatest challenges facing Africa is food security. Dr Godfrey Mhlongo, a recent PhD graduate in animal science from the North-West University (NWU), believes indigenous chickens, brown seaweed and oyster mushroom spawn could help feed the continent and preserve the environment.

He has conducted research on the use of oyster…

Academic and student named finalists for the 2024 South African Women in Science Awards

North-West University (NWU) academic Prof Olubukola Oluranti Babalola and student Sinenhlanhla Mthembu have been named finalists for the 2024 South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA).

These awards recognise outstanding contributions by women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Prof…

Animal health is a science of care at the North-West University

The relationship started 10 000 years ago and continues to shape our world to this very day. As human societies transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled farming communities, they recognised the benefits of taming and breeding animals for a variety of needs. Not only did this domestication revolutionise agriculture by…