By Gofaone Motsamai
The unusual presence of green stinkbugs in offices, homes and public buildings is no cause for concern, according to Professor Johnnie van den Berg from the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management at North-West University (NWU).
Unpredictable rainfall and rising temperatures are threatening crop production across Southern Africa. A groundbreaking discovery by a North-West University (NWU) researcher could pave the way for stronger, more resilient crops capable of withstanding harsh weather and environmental stress.
Dr Moichwanetse Tsholofelo, who recently earned her PhD in biology, led the study which identified a unique plant protein that boosts stress resistance and helps plants maintain vital internal balance during extreme conditions.
Dr Elvis Moyo has fought his way to victory on the mats – and now he's done the same in the classroom. The South African Jiu-Jitsu champion has earned a PhD in applied radiation sciences from North-West University (NWU).
Dr Moyo received his doctorate during a graduation ceremony at the NWU's Mahikeng Campus on 9 May 2025.
Africa is getting the short end of the stick as climate change is tightening its grip on the continent, although it has only contributed about 3% (at most) of global carbon emissions since the Industrial Revolution.Africa is the most vulnerable continent to the effects of climate change, with droughts, floods, extreme heatwaves, and shrinking forests and vegetation causing widespread devastation.
The School of Agricultural Sciences at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus is preparing a new generation of agricultural professionals through a combination of academic training, practical experience and sector-focused initiatives.
Comprising four core disciplines, namely agricultural economics and extension, animal health, animal sciences, and crop sciences, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes aimed at meeting industry needs.
They might be small and largely inconspicuous, but ants are becoming big business for a growing market of enthusiasts. In April, Kenyan authorities intercepted two Belgian teenagers, a Vietnamese national, and a local accomplice as they attempted to smuggle 5 400 live queen ants out of the country.
Whatever shape the future takes, robotics and coding are likely to be part of it. Fifty primary school learners from the Mahikeng area had the opportunity to learn basic coding and robotic skills during a training programme at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus from 22 to 24 April.
The group of Grade 6 and 7 learners and two educators from DP Kgotlheng Primary School spent three days at the Science Centre of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.
By Gofaone Motsamai
Heat stress is among the most urgent climate-related challenges affecting beef cattle productivity, requiring South African cattle breeders to adopt climate-smart strategies to bolster food security under changing environmental conditions.
“Heat stress is becoming a major threat to livestock productivity,” said Prof Giel Scholtz of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) in an online guest lecture hosted by the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences on 24 April 2025.
A new international study is shedding light on how future biology teachers from South Africa and Indonesia perceive the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom, and what they believe is needed to make it work effectively.
Dr Moleboheng Mokhele-Ramulumo, a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Education and member of the Research Unit for Self-Directed Learning at the North-West University (NWU), led the comparative study. It focused on the perceived benefits of AI in biology education and teachers’ self-reported Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK).
By Gofaone Motsamai
While the release of weevils into the hyacinth-infested waters of the Hartbeespoort Dam is a welcome development, these insects alone cannot be expected to permanently solve the dam’s pollution problem.
“The use of weevils must be part of an integrated plan to resolve the issue,” says Prof Wynand Malherbe from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Water Research Group in the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management.