Chicken farmers in underprivileged communities are battling to contain feed costs while meeting growing consumer demand. An NWU master’s student has been exploring a potentially win-win solution.

Keamogetswe Constance Mokubung recently earned her master's degree in animal science under the guidance of Prof Upenyu Marume. Her research focused on the effects of incorporating fulvic acid into broiler diets in place of antibiotic growth promotants, specifically examining its potential impact on growth performance, health and meat quality.

The Indigenous Knowledge Systems Centre (IKSC) at the North-West University (NWU) and The Innovation Hub Management Company, a subsidiary of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency, recently organised a five-day CoachLab® workshop to empower third-year, fourth-year and postgraduate students in the IKSC.

North-West University (NWU) students Luciano Willemse, a PhD student in biochemistry, and Nadia Olivier, a PhD student in pharmacology, excelled in the virtual provincial FameLab competition held on 10 September.

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Physical and Chemical Sciences (SPCS) will host its highly anticipated SPCS in Action event on 25 and 26 September 2024 at the Mahikeng Campus.

With the theme “Connecting academia and industry through science”, this event seeks to enhance collaboration between the scientific education and industrial sectors, providing a valuable platform for students, academics and professionals to engage with industry leaders.

The Ministry of Electricity and Energy hosted its Nuclear Energy Summit on 12 September at River Meadow Manor in Irene, Pretoria, and the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), Prof Bismark Tyobeka, made his expert voice heard.

The theme of the summit was “Enhancing Nuclear Technology for Sustainable Development in South Africa”.

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (FNAS) , together with the Water Research Group, the Safety, Health and Environment Department and the Green Team, celebrated International Water Week from 26 to 30 August in Potchefstroom.

The Zoology subject group of FNAS organised three community engagement activities to raise awareness of the importance of clean water and sustaining water sources for the future. This included a river clean-up at the Trimpark, a Fish Day at Vyfhoek Primary School, and a citizens Science Shop.

The observable part of our universe is 93 billion light years in diameter and growing. It holds secrets accumulated over 13.8 billion years of interstellar expansion, cosmic explosions, and the fusion of matter that has shaped all that is known and all that isn’t. These are numbers that the mind struggles to comprehend. Just think of the research opportunities that await.

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 endangered species.

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 chemistry from the North-West University (NWU). Her study focused on developing nano-engineered, environmentally friendly fertilisers designed to boost crop yields with reduced inputs.