THE SCIENCE INSIDE

THE SCIENCE - Feature scientist – Dr Lieketseng Ned

Tonight, we are in conversation with occupational therapist, Dr Lieketseng Ned from Stellenbosch University. She is the youngest lecturer within the Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies. She talks about her current research, which focuses on participatory visual methodologies to enhance community participation. On Unscience, we look at something very…

4 Nov 2019 51 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Pollution

This week, we chat with Nano technologist Florence Lehutso, from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), as she delivers her teams’ findings on nano-pollution and the extent of pollution on our water sources if not evaluated and studied extensively. In our final story, Wouter Le Roux from the…

31 Oct 2019 47 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Implementing the NHI Bill

The Department of Health has set up a R500-billion fund for the implementation of the highly contested National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill, which will give the majority of South Africans access to quality healthcare. However, many ask where will the money come from and how will it work, we find…

31 Oct 2019 51 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Climate Change

Climatology professor, Francois Engelbrecht from the Global Change Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand, unpacks a scathing report on the dramatic effects that a 2˚C increase in temperature has on climate change. Unscience gets a little stinky tonight; we discover what role various gastrointestinal gases play and what their…

31 Oct 2019 50 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Feature Scientist - Thulile Khanyile

On the show tonight, we chat with molecular biologist, Thulile Khanyile who is a lecturer, social entrepreneur and PhD candidate in the HIV Pathogenesis Research Units in the School of Pathology. Her PhD is searching for an HIV vaccine that can mimic the broadly neutralizing antibody response of the Donor…

31 Oct 2019 54 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Male breast cancer

New research confirms that men with breast cancer have lower survival rates than women, as men often delay seeing a doctor even when they notice unusual signs or symptoms in their body. Furthermore, men make up less than 1% of breast cancer cases and often receive treatment based on data…

28 Oct 2019 50 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Food security and waste

Seventy percent of wastage happens within the food supply chain, yet Gauteng‚ the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal have the highest rate of young children who are underdeveloped. North West University Senior lecturer, Chantelle Witten, from the Faculty of Health Sciences unpacks how poor nutrition affects children’s growth and development. On…

21 Oct 2019 51 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Honouring Women In Science: Dimakatso Gumede

Tonight we chat with Dimakatso Gumede of the Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Research Group at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). She is one of a few specialising in stem Cell reprogramming in SA. She recently submitted her doctoral thesis on a rare genetic skin, lung and muscle disorder,…

28 Aug 2019 55 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Honouring Women In Science: Science Communication

In commemorating women’s month, the Science Inside dedicates the entire month to all South African women contributing to the various fields in science and science communication. We start of today’s show with those who once graced the Science Inside with their skills and talent. We get in conversation with Elna…

28 Aug 2019 50 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Disruptive tech

In tonight’s show, we hear from software businessman and tech innovator, Luyanda Vappie on how he and his business partner Motsholane Sebola’s innovation is disrupting modern day computing. They have built Prism, the world’s first personal computer that utilises laser for virtual peripheral input and output. On Unscience, we learn…

28 Aug 2019 55 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Climate change and Disaster Management

Tonight we unpack the African Centre on Philanthropy & social Investment’s dialogue on the prospects of mitigating risks associated with climate change, particularly as it pertains to disaster management and planning strategies in the likely event of a natural disaster striking. On Unscience, we chat about how eating insects rather…

28 Aug 2019 49 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Ugly Side of Beauty-Mica

Tonight’s show looks into a naturally found mineral used to add glimmer in our cosmetics. The mineral is currently mined by about 22 000 minors in India as a means to feed their families, but sadly some do not make it out alive. This week’s Unscience investigates how Bitcoin is…

20 Jul 2019 52 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Food Insecurity

Statistics reveal that 90% of South Africa’s food ends up in the landfill and on this show, we find out from the University of Free State’s researcher and diet professor, Louise Van Der Burg about what is driving food insecurity nationally and globally. Later in the show, we hear about…

20 Jul 2019 40 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Blood

The South African National Blood Services Operations Testing Manager, Charl Coleman talks about how chemical biology researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, will convert blood type A into a universally acceptable type through the use of human gut microbes. On Unscience, we look at a chilling, rare…

20 Jul 2019 50 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Big Data

With mounting amounts of data production and consumption worldwide, this week we aim to understand the concept of ‘Big Data’ and what it means for us all. For a better and broader understanding, we speak to Terrence van Zyl from the School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics at Witwatersrand…

19 Jun 2019 30 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE- Feature Scientist - Nkululeko Tunzi

Nkululeko Tunzi, born and bred in Soweto, Dube, is our feature scientist this month. The Tshwane University of Technology, school of computer science graduate has been making country-wide headlines recently, after having invented an innovative walking stick that aids blind people to navigate around their spaces with much ease. In…

19 Jun 2019 51 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Genetics App

In our main story, SBIMB students at the Wits University have developed a genetics app that will educate South Africans on how genetics work; we also featured baby Sinazo and his parents to take us through their story. In the news, new research finds that too much of unnecessary antibiotics…

11 Jun 2019 41 min

THE SCIENCE INSDIE - Renewable Energy

This week we kick-started the show with a story on how Wits University students have power generating have patented at the PeCo power system, which in future may power up homes with solar power where we may see its effects unburdening the national power grid from the demand. In unscience…

11 Jun 2019 49 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Featured Scientist – Tebogo Masebe

This month we feature Tebogo Masebe, a Geomorphologist, who has just completed her masters in geography at Rhodes University. She speaks us about being part of an all female contingent that went on a voyage to the Antarctica for research purposes in 2016. In the news, we speak to a…

11 Jun 2019 52 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Hyperandrogenism

In our main story, we spoke about the regulation of hyperandrogenism, a medical condition characterized by excessive levels of androgens in both female and male athletes. We looked at the ethical implications that come with the regulation of the condition through the inducing of hormone suppressing drugs. On Unscience, we…

11 Jun 2019 50 min