Natural and Agricultural Sciences News

Science is a ball(oon) of a time!

Science is wickedly addictive. It is a window to wonders the imagination never knew existed. Godfrey Mosotho knows this more than most and he is not keeping the secret to himself.

Mosotho runs an experiment in which he launches meteorological balloons to measure ionising radiation…

NWU hosts prestigious physics conference

The South African Institute of Physics (SAIP) conference has, for many years, played a central role in bringing together the South African physics community, providing a venue for the dissemination of new findings, the fostering of research collaborations and the inspiration of students. 

Including indigenous plants in diets can boost food security

Indigenous grains, fruits and vegetables could go a long way towards boosting food security in South Africa. What is needed is greater awareness among households and other stakeholders about the value of these plants. 

This is according to two researchers from the North-West University (NWU). Dr Abiodun Olusola Omotayo and Prof Adeyemi…

NWU student shares his Global Enterprise Experience

North-West University (NWU) student, Martin Nkgodi Maupa, is beaming with pride. Martin, who is a team president of the Young Entrepreneurs Business Organisation, now represents the NWU as Community of Practice (CoP) member in the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme, after recently competing in the 2021 Global…

NWU’s impactful protein research is showcased in Science

Multidisciplinary research done by Prof Albie van Dijk from the North-West University (NWU), in collaboration with researchers from other national and international institutions, is reminiscent of detectives solving a mystery – a 16-year-old one, to be specific.

Prof Albie, a veteran in molecular biology, of which protein research is an…

NWU researcher and Fulbright Scholarship holder shares his tricks of the trade

To get a Fulbright research scholarship is easier than he anticipated, says North-West University (NWU) academic Dr George van Zijl, who recently returned from a research visit to the University of Florida in the United States of America (USA).

This scholarship provides South African university faculty or research…

NWU alumnus Ofentse Rabaji is a trailblazer

North-West University (NWU) alumnus, Ofentse Rabaji, was recently recognised by the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) for being a trailblazer and innovative entrepreneur. 

In 2020 Ofentse proved how one man’s waste can be another man’s treasure by making face masks for the less fortunate, using scrap cotton fabric. He also sold…

Watch out for contaminated meat sold on the streets

The wide range of bacterial species found in ready-to-eat meat sold on the streets of Johannesburg indicates that consumers of this meat could be at risk of food poisoning.

This is according to the findings of a study conducted by Dr Mpinda Edoaurd Tshipamba, North-West University (NWU) master’s graduate in the subject group Animal…

Perennial grasses are the answer for veld restoration

In a water-scarce country like South Africa with growing demands for grazing, cultivated perennial grasses could be the answer to protecting the veld and providing nutrition for animals.

“Droughts, scarcity of rain and overgrazing have caused a lot of degradation of the veld, and therefore veld restoration is a priority for farmers and…

NWU online colloquium shares the wonder of the Mahikeng Astronomical Observatory

The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (FNAS) at the North-West University (NWU) hosted an online colloquium about its Mahikeng Astronomical Observatory (MAO) on 12 July 2021.

The title of the colloquium was “NWU Mahikeng Astronomical Observatory: science cases and usage…