THE SCIENCE INSIDE

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Shamba The Lion

A video of Shamba the lion attacking the man who raised him has gone viral. We speak to Dr. Kelly Marnewick from the Endangered Wildlife Trust and others about wild animals in captivity. In Unscience we ask what will happen when our sun dies. As cardiovascular diseases continues to be…

15 May 2018 52 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Burn Awareness

In light of Burns Awareness Month we unpack how plastic surgery can treat these scars. Listen to Dr Wayne Kleintjies as he unpacks this treatment. In Unscience, brown widow spiders are ready to die for love and have Ben Ten tendencies. Later on, we speak to Dr Sudhakar Muniyasamy, who…

8 May 2018 54 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Shot Hole Borer

A tiny beetle is threatening the life of Johannesburg's trees. Hear from the people working on this, Prof Wilhelm de Beer and Neil Hill. In Unscience we find out how a bug might be the answer to the world's plastic problem. Our scientist behind the science, Professor Mandeep Kaur, explains…

2 May 2018 49 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Unpacking Rabies

A recent rise in cases of rabies makes us look at this disease that can harm both animals and humans. We speak to University of Pretoria’s Professor Andrew Leisewitz. In Unscience, sleeping too little could lead to health problems and a shorter life span. We speak to Dr. Nolwazi Nombona…

24 Apr 2018 49 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Data Security

Facebook's recent data scandal has us rethinking our data security online. We find out about the ethics and policies in data mining from Dr Vukosi Marivate from the CSIR. In Unscience, who thinks they are smarter - men or women? Later we speak to the scientist behind the science with…

17 Apr 2018 51 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Plastic Bottles

A recent study accused Coca-Cola and other brands of having levels of microplastics in their bottled drinking water. We find out how this could happen and what it does to our bodies with Bettina Genthe from the University of Pretoria and Douw Steyn from Plastics SA. In Unscience this week,…

10 Apr 2018 54 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Family Day

It's Family Day on the show. Your family's genes may be why you hate coriander leaves. If you're hoping to start a family, Dr Mohamed Iqbal Cassim from the BioArt fertility centre says trends in fertility have changed. In Unscience, there is a reason why you might have the sensation…

3 Apr 2018 52 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Meat

We find out what happens to contaminated meat, such as the products recalled after the recent Listeria outbreak. We hear from food control experts and microbiologists, Dr. Juno Thomas, the head of Enteric Diseases at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and Dr. Lucia Anelich. In this week’s Unscience, find…

27 Mar 2018 52 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Lassa Fever

The current outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria is much higher than the yearly norm. We find out what’s happening with Prof Lucille Blumberg, deputy director of NCID. In Unscience, your personality might be the reason you are addicted to social media. Later Dr. Bianca Verlinden, a malaria researcher at…

22 Mar 2018 57 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - The Psychology of belief

Following the controversy at the Seven Angels Church in Ngcobo in the Eastern Cape, we look at the psychology of belief with religion specialist Dr Karen van der Merwe from the North West University. In Unscience, we look at the big bang theory and a time before time began. Later…

13 Mar 2018 52 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Hijacked Buildings

Following Joburg Mayor, Herman Mashaba’s decision for government to take over dilapidated buildings and abandoned properties in the city, we looked at property hijackings and how these spaces are being used for urban living and use. Margot Rubin, senior researcher at the South African Research Chair in Spatial Analysis and…

6 Mar 2018 58 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Landfill

Tragedy struck Hulene, a town on the outskirts of Mozambique when twenty-one people living on the town’s only landfill, were killed by a 50m high rubbish heap which collapsed on their homes. This week’s show was inspired by this topic and we had a chat with a consulting engineer and…

28 Feb 2018 51 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - 23rd Winter Olympics

The 23rd Winter Olympics are underway in Pyeongchang, South Korea. We look at how fake snow is made and the effects of climate change on snow sports with professor Marius Mayer of the Ernst Moritz Arndt-University in Greifswald, he tells us more. In Unscience, mining other planets for diamonds could…

21 Feb 2018 53 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Medical Male Circumcision

Inxeba (The wound), a South African film which sparked nationwide conversation around issues of culture, initiation, circumcision, and masculinity, inspires our show this week and we are looking at the medical aspects of male circumcision (MMC). We speak to Dr. Thabani Nkwanyana and he unpacks all you need to know…

14 Feb 2018 54 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Listeriosis

South Africa is facing the world’s biggest recorded outbreak of listeriosis and we find out why this food-borne disease is so unique. In Unscience, hear why expensive fake medicine might just work better than cheap placebos. Find us on www.journalism.co.za/science Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thescienceinsidepodcast

6 Feb 2018 38 min

THE SCIENCE INSIDE - Sustainability

The sustainability of our planet's natural resources is important for all people and their wellbeing. We find out why Africa's food security is at risk with Professor Joachim von Braun, who is the director of the Centre for Development Research (ZEF) at Bonn University in Germany and professor for economic…

9 Jan 2018 40 min