Shedding light on a subject is usually positive, but when it comes to the stars, the North-West University (NWU) is giving scientists a clearer view of the night sky by moving its 20-inch optical telescope off the bustling, light-polluted Mahikeng Campus.

The Mahikeng Astronomy Observatory (MAO) 20-inch optical telescope has moved from the fast-developing Mahikeng Campus to the university’s Molelwane Farm, where there is much less light pollution. 

Waste in South Africa’s protected areas is more than a litter problem. Poor waste practices in South Africa’s protected areas threaten biodiversity, pollute sensitive habitats and weaken conservation efforts. New research shows that better planning, infrastructure and human behaviour can turn the situation around.

Two North-West University (NWU) scholars have received national recognition for research addressing two defining challenges of the modern age: the impact of HIV on African communities and the growing influence of artificial intelligence on journalism.

Prof. Monray Williams and Soligah Solomons were honoured at the National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards ceremony in Gqeberha on Thursday, 3 September.

The horror, the horror. On 26 August, catastrophic flash floods devastated settlements and communities around Rasuwa, close to Nepal’s border with Tibet, high in the Himalayas. The nightmarish scenes, captured by CCTV cameras and witnessed across the globe, showed thousands of tonnes of ice, water, mud and debris surging with fearsome intensity through the Bhotekoshi, Trishuli and Narayani river systems.

Small-scale farmers around Mahikeng often have farming experience but lack access to formal training. A skills project at the North-West University (NWU) is helping to close this gap through accredited training that gives farmers skills they can use to improve their farms and build sustainable businesses.