Wits Radio Academy THE SCIENCE INSIDE

THE SCIENCE INSIDE

The Science Inside is a weekly show that goes inside the science of major news events. We take a news story each week - from a missing plane to the world cup - and dissect the science angles involved. We indulge every scientific discipline, from biology to psychology, and incorporate the insights of scientists, journalists and researchers in order to tell interesting radio stories.

The Science Inside is presented by Bridget Lepere.
Production by Bridget Lepere.
Technical production by Kutlwano Gwinch Serame.

The show airs on Voice of Wits every Monday at 7pm.
Weekly English South Africa Science
72 Episodes
24 – 44

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Light pollution

As the world, particularly Africa, battles to keep the lights on, there are quite a few risks to keeping our man-made lights on. Join us in this week’s show as we chat with nature conservationist from the Witwatersrand University, Dr Bernard Coetzee to explore the dark side of light. In…
11 Jun 2019 43 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Featured Scientist – Dr Nosiphiwe Nqwala

This month we feature Dr Nosiphiwe Ngqwala is a senior Lecturer at the Pharmacy Department at Rhodes University. She has special interests in pharmaceutical chemistry, water, sanitation and the removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewater. In the news, we discuss how India managed to evacuate over a million people ahead of…
11 Jun 2019 51 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - SKAO Treaty

South Africa has put its signature on the international treaty establishing the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) as an intergovernmental organisation tasked with building and operating the world's most powerful radio astronomy telescope. The treaty establishes the SKAO as only the second intergovernmental organisation dedicated to astronomy in the world,…
27 Mar 2019 50 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Featured Scientist – Collins Saguru

Our featured scientist for this Month is Collins Saguru who is a chemical engineer, a research fellow at the University of the Witwatersrand in the department of chemical engineering. He has developed an economical, environmentally sustainable and novel method of recovering and reusing precious metals found in the autocatalytic converters…
5 Mar 2019 56 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Human Settlement

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has in the recent weeks held a showcase of the future roadmap of what human settlements could look like. The strategic framework recognises the demand and need for alternative and innovative technologies being in the built environment to help achieve citizens' right…
1 Mar 2019 45 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - WiFi

In light of the challenges currently faced by the South African national power utility Eskom, we look at how scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found alternative ways of harvesting electricity from WIFI signals. In unscience, we discuss how new research findings suggest that the brain is able…
22 Feb 2019 48 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Feature Scientist - Mpho Tshisaphungo

Our very first feature scientist for year is Mpho Tshisaphungo, who is the first female to head the space weather centre at the South African National Space Agency. She talks about how her career in space weather found her and how being the best keeps her on her toes. On…
6 Feb 2019 50 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Feature Scientist - Zamaswazi Tshabalala

It’s our very last show for the year and we close it off with a feature scientist, physicist, Zamaswazi Tshabalala of the CSIR (The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research).She specialises in nanotechnology applications that improve gas-sensing mechanisms. In the news we hear about the world’s first genetically-edited human twins…
4 Dec 2018 51 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis remains one of the top 10 causes of death in the world, with South Africa being high on the list not only in terms of incidences but study of the disease. Prof Robin Wood from University of Cape Town explains how they are testing the air someone with TB…
27 Nov 2018 51 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Desalination

Turning salty water into drinkable water is one of the ways to address droughts like the one to hit Cape Town in recent times. Leslie Petrick from University of Cape Town explains the worrying health effects of desalinated water. Our Unscience is about how women on the contraceptive pill blink…
20 Nov 2018 53 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Biobricks

This week we spend time with Dr Dyllon Randall from UCT who was part of world first research where human urine was used to make building bricks. In Unscience in gets delicious with a mathematical formula for the perfect pizza. Later in the show we visit Cape Town's package free…
13 Nov 2018 50 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Feature Scientist - Natalie Benjamin-Damons

Our Feature Scientist this month is Natalie Benjamin-Damons, who has worked on improving the lives of children living with HIV through the use of physiotherapy. We speak to her about her work and journey as a scientist. In Unscience we ask ourselves whether lizards also have nightmares. Our science news…
9 Nov 2018 50 min

29 Oct THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Hyperloop

Elon Musk recently announced that the Hyperloop transport system will be unveiled in Los Angeles soon and able to travel at up to 250km/h. We find out how it works with Dr Geoffrey Beck from the Physics Department at Wits University and explore how South Africa's transport system could evolve…
29 Oct 2018 52 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Maths Genius

Young maths whizz Sbahle Zwane, has become popular on social media with his incredible skills. We speak to him and his mother as well as Professor Kate Cockcroft from Wits University about the origins of intelligence. In Unscience we find out about fainting goats. Later in the show, Dr Shirley…
23 Oct 2018 50 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Alternative Cars

With increasing petrol prices and the UN calling for more radical restrictions on fossil fuels, we explore alternative vehicles. In our science news, Senegal struggles with containing trachoma and we discover that bees are affected by the solar eclipse. Winstone Jordaan from GridCars explains if electric vehicles are the way…
16 Oct 2018 56 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Dinosaur Fossil Discovery

Find out about the recent discovery of the first dinosaur graveyard in the Eastern Cape with Dr Jonah Choiniere from Wits University and James Rhalane from the community of Qhemerha . In our science news we discuss an unusual HIV organ transplant and a new kind of glasses that block…
9 Oct 2018 55 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Feature Scientist - Vivey Phasha

On our monthly Feature Scientist, we talk to Vivey Phasha, a product development technician at CSIR (The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) on the science behind beauty and cosmetic products. In our science news we discover a polymer coating that can make buildings cooler and the benefits of making…
3 Oct 2018 53 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Artificial Intelligence

A recent development in Artificial Intelligence will make use of human language development. In UnScience we discover a new kind of fish species that melts when brought to the surface. Later on, we talk more on Artificial Intelligence.
25 Sep 2018 1 hr 01 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Haemophilia

In the news this week we chat microdosing LSD and naming satellites. A research breakthrough in the treatment haemophilia offers hope to all those with the rare blood disorder. We talk to the lead author and researcher Prof Johnny Mahlangu from Wits University about the work. In UnScience, find out…
11 Sep 2018 56 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - NASA

Following NASA's new solar probe we speak to Dr. Daniel Cunnama, an outreach astronomer at the South African Astronomical Observatory. In Unscience, we talk about how male birds are less likely to sing to female birds that are ingesting antidepressants. Later in the show we explore how South African monitors…
5 Sep 2018 47 min
24 – 44