TimesLIVE Podcasts Khwezi Science Report

Khwezi Science Report

The Khwezi Science Report is a dive into the warm waters of science where information is made interesting and understandable and is placed in the context of our daily lives.

From archaeology to tech, astronomy to zoology, you'll find it all here with host Tanya Farber, a senior reporter at the Sunday Times. She loves how science connects with other ways of understanding the world around us from all sorts of disciplines.

Each episode takes the listener on a journey through all things weird and wonderful, from the local and global world of research, discovery and innovation.
Weekly English South Africa Science
12 Episodes

Milestone moments from the Covid-19 pandemic

Over the past two years, we’ve lost many people. Jobs have been lost, the economy has nosedived, our lifestyles have been altered forever. We are living through a serious historical milestone and in this episode we reflect on the unforgettable moments we’ve experienced. We chat to renowned medical historian and…
9 Nov 2021 13 min

The national shift in vaccine thinking 

Before SA had a secure and healthy stash of Covid-19 vaccines, there was a mighty push by the South African and African community to make sure that vaccines were being supplied equitably.  However, now that we have a bountiful supply of vaccines and have hopes to vaccinate enough of our…
23 Sep 2021 27 min

We're in a pandemic - but other extreme events are also on their way

When Charlotte Maxeke Hospital went up flames, as did parts of the Mother City, South Africans asked, 'what next?' and 'who caused it?' But the reality is this: being in a pandemic doesn't mean we aren't vulnerable to other disastrous events, and as the climate crisis intensifies, we are going…
9 Jun 2021 11 min

We have paid a hefty mental toll - a year since the land fell quiet

"We are now living in world where grief itself is transmitted globally," says Wits University historian Professor Hlonipha Mokoena. In this podcast, she speaks to Sunday Times reporter Tanya Farber about ways in which the South African and global psyche has changed since a pandemic swept across the globe, bringing…
25 Mar 2021 16 min

Prof Madhi on whether you can get reinfected once you've had Covid-19?

Vaccines are the talk of the town, but what about the natural immunity (or lack thereof) enjoyed by those who have suffered through Covid-19 disease? And what about those who were infected but asymptomatic? Do they have any antibodies to speak of? And what about immunity against the new variant…
11 Feb 2021 17 min

Is pollen the bee's knees of forensic science?

From quack dentists misinterpreting bite marks, to a few grains of glitter solving a crime, forensic science keeps the public enthralled. But what about one of the most accurate forensic disciplines that simply does not have enough resources? In this podcast, we look at the extraordinary world of forensic palynology…
17 Nov 2020 13 min

Is Africa still the worlds guinea pig?

As scientists expedite research into a suitable vaccine against Covid-19, global efforts are at risk of being undermined by political forces. Ahead of the US election, Republican leaders are claiming to be just days away from a suitable vaccine, with the left saying it’s a power play. Russia already threw…
26 Oct 2020 13 min

Traffic jams are back! What now?

In this episode of the Khwezi Science Report, Tanya Farber looks at the physics behind traffic jams, and the conundrum of urban sprawl in which people need to get from A to B to earn a living. She asks if we've learnt anything during lockdown and how to untangle the…
13 Oct 2020 15 min

When bad science risks lives

It all started with one very flawed trial and the next minute, a drug called hydroxychloroquine was doing the rounds on twitter and flying off the shelves. But while fake news about cures for Covid makes its way across the globe, real people suffer. Daniella Djan, author of Crazy Became…
23 Sep 2020 20 min

Singing for sex: male birds rise early

In this episode of the Khwezi Science Report, Tanya Farber takes us into the world of birds in the concrete jungle. She shares a harrowing pet story, shares some fascinating studies, and speaks to an obsessive twitcher, that's an obsessive bird watcher looking for the rare ones, who shares some…
4 Sep 2020 17 min