There is increased scrutiny on the directionality of innovation systems in advancing critical global sustainability and development objectives. Equally, innovation policy mixes require complimentary measurement agendas to track activity and outcomes and inform public investment decisions. South Africa has a clear innovation policy mix for its arts, culture and heritage (ACH...
Globally, children and young adolescents under 15 years old constitute approximately 11% of all tuberculosis (TB) cases, with a growing concern over TB infections in children under 5 years old, especially in resource-limited settings. Nonetheless, the true extent of TB burden among children remains inadequately explored in South Africa. The application of a random forest-Bayesian...
Evaluating the real-world effectiveness of vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, and various biomedical interventions is crucial to address gaps in evidence from randomised controlled clinical trials and inform the national rollout of vaccinations. In the context of COVID-19, these gaps may include vaccine effectiveness against variants of concern and in high-risk subgroups such...
Humans are unique in their ability to build complex social networks that foster cooperation, knowledge sharing and innovation. Evidence from the African Middle Stone Age provides some of the earliest signs of these connections, alongside increasingly sophisticated behaviours. Archaeologists study past social interactions through various proxies, with stone tools playing a central...
SIGNIFICANCE: It is now possible to quantify variability of nitrogen isotope (δ15N) ratios in tooth enamel bioapatite of hominin and non-hominin taxa from Plio-Pleistocene deposits in Sterkfontein's Member 4 in the Cradle of Humankind in South Africa. Lüdecke et al. (Science. 2025;387(6731):309-314) claim from both nitrogen and stable carbon isotopes that Australopithecus...
SIGNIFICANCE: This Commentary underscores the urgency of rethinking how artificial intelligence systems and publishing models intersect. Rather than focusing solely on efficiency or access, we call attention to structural inequities that shape who is visible in the scholarly record. By highlighting the systemic risks of exclusion, we argue for proactive collaboration between...
SIGNIFICANCE: Reported experiments on Mars include measurements of the speed of sound and its dependence on the atmospheric conditions. Although the conditions of temperature and pressure vary significantly more than on the surface of Earth, it is nevertheless useful to have typical values for these parameters. We note that such typical values of temperature, pressure and air...
SIGNIFICANCE: We describe the development of a machine learning algorithm that automates the location of landmarks on insect wings, thereby allowing rapid calculation of wing size and shape. While the method was developed using tsetse wings, it is readily applicable to all wings and other structures. The method will be useful in determining wing size and shape and how these...
SIGNIFICANCE: Technological advances have elevated the importance of digital research infrastructure across the research life cycle. The growing complexity of the digital research infrastructure ecosystem has given rise to new standards, practices and job roles requiring unique and specialised skill sets. Research software is a critical component of this ecosystem. Despite the...
SIGNIFICANCE: Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools are rapidly changing research practice. Their responsible use can boost efficiency and support researchers, but misuse threatens research quality and trust. This Perspective outlines a framework for use encompassing key research integrity values like honesty, fairness and respect. This discussion adds to the growing body...
BOOK REVIEWLost in the labyrinth of good intentions - A review of 'Artificial Intelligence'Martin BekkerSchool of Electrical and information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Email: [email protected] Title: Artificial intelligence: A Driver of inclusive Development and Shared Prosperity for the Global South Author: Arthur...
BOOK REVIEWGoodhart's Law needs an addendumSioux McKennaCentre for Postgraduate Studies, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa. Email: [email protected] Title: Audit Culture: How Indicators and Rankings are Reshaping the World Authors: Chris Shore and Susan Wright ISBN: I9780745336459 (paperback, 256 pp; GBP20); 9780745349305 (eBook, 256 pp; GBP15) Publisher: Pluto Press...
BOOK REVIEWCoal mining, ancestral graves and land dispossession: A review of 'No Place to Rest'Stha YeniInstitute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS), University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa. Email: [email protected] Title: No Last Place to Rest: Coal Mining and Dispossession in South Africa Author: Dineo Skosana ISBN: 9781776149292 (paperback, 224...
BOOK REVIEWThe South as subjectMarc RöntschOdeion School of Music, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. Email: [email protected] Title: Life Writing and the Southern Hemisphere: Texts, Spaces, Resonances Editors: Elleke Boehmer and Katherine Collins ISBN: 9781350360808 (paperback, 299 pp; GBP22) Publisher: Bloomsbury, London Published: 2024As the...
BOOK REVIEWEveryday acts of repair in postcolonial South AfricaFrancis B. NyamnjohDepartment of Anthropology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. Email: [email protected] Title: The Work of Repair: Capacity after Colonialism in the Timber Plantations of South Africa Author: Thomas Cousins ISBN: 9781531503536 (hardback, 320 pp; USD125); 9781531503543...
BOOK REVIEWMedical research, evidence and politics: An insightful history of the South African Medical Research Council, 1969-2022Julie ParleDepartment of Historical and Heritage Studies, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. Email: [email protected] Title: A Widening Idea of Health and Health Research: The South African Medical Research Council from Creation to...
BOOK REVIEWComparing like and unlike: Discovery through knowledgeable commitment in every disciplineWieland GeversEmeritus Professor of Medical Biochemistry, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. Email: [email protected] Title: On Discovery: How Knowledge is Produced across the Disciplines Editor: Jonathan Jansen ISBN: 9781009596596 (paperback, 325 pp...
OBITUARYRobert 'Bob' Alexander Pullen (1939-2025): A legacy of institutional leadership, technical excellence and dedicated serviceG. Friedrich B. SlabbertPresident: South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE), Johannesburg, South AfricaCorrespondenceOn 27 May 2025, South Africa's engineering fraternity lost one of its most influential and steadfast pillars - Robert...
LEADERClimate change, well-being and the rigour of engagementThis year has been an important one for South Africa's leadership in science. Our country hosted the S20 meeting, centred on the theme of 'Climate Change and Well-being'. Many South African scientists and science administrators worked very hard indeed to make this important meeting successful, productive and inclusive...
This short communication estimates the impact of the time academics spend on research and development (R) on the research intensity of South Africa. Research intensity is indicated by the R expenditure as a percentage of the gross domestic product (GDP). A country's research intensity is indicative of technological progress and global competitiveness, which arises from improved...
The transition to university-level chemistry often reveals numeracy skills gaps that can hinder student confidence and academic success. Online learning tools can help characterise and address these gaps. This study introduces a Scientific Numeracy Smart Worksheet (SNSW) resource to characterise and address the numeracy-based strengths and weaknesses of a large cohort of first...
Seagrass meadows face ongoing declines and are increasingly targeted for restoration. Traditional in-situ restoration techniques involve trade-offs between restoration success and donor meadow impacts. To overcome these challenges, we provide the first assessment of ex-situ mariculture of the endangered seagrass Zostera capensis to support its restoration in South Africa...
This research presents a deep learning approach to determine pineapple size from images, to identify the instances of pineapples, and subsequently to extract fruit dimensions. This was achieved by first detecting pineapples in each image using a Mask region-based convolutional neural network (Mask R-CNN), and then extracting the pixel diameter and length measurements and the...
Nanotechnology has become a focal point of interest on the road to disease intervention due to its vast applications in biomedicine and biotechnology. In this study, we evaluated the antioxidant properties of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) synthesised from Anacardium occidentale leaf extracts. The ZnONPs were characterised using UV-Visible and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR...
The sustainable use of medicinal plants by smallholder farmers in the Amatole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, plays a vital role in rural livelihoods. Despite challenges such as limited inputs, capital, institutional support and market access, the cultivation of medicinal plants significantly contributes to smallholder welfare. However, research...