New windows to a past
Historians uncover South Africa's thousand-year history gap
New windows to a past
Historians uncover South Africa's thousand-year history gap
Research news
Also visit our Research Hub at https://www.wits.ac.za/research/
UCL-Wits partnership empowers researchers in science communication
The fellowship for six early-career researchers is designed to bridge the gap between academia and society.
African scientist receives prestigious German research accolade
Alexander Humboldt Award bestowed on pharmacogeneticist Prof. Collen Masimirembwa for dedication to ensuring Africans receive safe, efficacious medicines.
World renowned Wits Sterkfontein Caves reopen
Wits University announces the reopening of one of humanity’s most important palaeontological sites to the public.
Wits lauds high school principals
The annual Principals’ Function cements commitment to innovation in education and the success of young people.
Pioneering tests could improve the assessment of dementia in ageing Africans
International researchers have introduced two improved tests that could precisely detect cognitive dysfunction in older African adults.
Reduced sodium legislation saves lives
Study finds that legislation in 2013 to reduce sodium in processed food is now associated with significant declines in blood pressure levels.
Wits researchers find a way to shield quantum information from “noise”
Breakthrough could lead to more stable quantum computers and networks, making future technology faster, more secure, and widely accessible.
Leadership training empowers Africa’s health regulators
The new African Regulatory Leadership Programme (ARLP) is a step towards regional harmonising and establishing the African Medicines Agency.
Afretec Gender in STEM Forum 2025
The Forum, organised by the Afretec Inclusion group, was held in Rwanda in February, bringing together STEM academics from eight member institutions.
The next 1,000 days can set the scene for life
The first 1,000 days of a child’s life (conception to two) are critical for development. Research shows that the next 1,000 days (2 to 5) are also fundamental.
Don’t wait for us, take the lead
Leading climate scientist, Professor Sir David King, urges South Africa to take the lead into combating climate change.
Retirement reimagined
“As people live longer, retirement is evolving from a single event to a life stage transition that can take 10 to 15 years.”
New fossil discovery of an early human ancestor reveals that it walked upright, just like humans
Remarkable new fossils from Swartkrans Cave reveal that a prehistoric relative of humans was also extremely small and vulnerable to predators.
Writing the AI-wrongs in journalism
The rise of AI in journalism signals the time for guidelines around disclosure, transparency and accountability.
CBIE delegation visits Wits to strengthen partnerships
The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) delegation and Wits stakeholders explored research, innovation, and academic opportunities.
Study shows type 2 diabetes doubled in sub-Saharan Africa in 6 years
Poorly controlled type 2 diabetes can, over time, increase the risk of heart and kidney disease and lead to eye, vascular and nerve damage.
‘I am the golden thread’
The Mid-career Academic Portfolio Writing Retreat guides scholars in leadership development through self-reflection.
How academics can share and play with Wits’ new ‘toys’
Recent major research equipment acquisitions demonstrate the need and potential for proactive pursuit in the competitive research resources environment.
Superpowers for disability access
Thanks to the global tech revolution, support for people with disabilities has expanded exponentially in recent years.
Burnt out?
Experts in psychiatry, psychology, and ergonomics explain how burnout manifests and what we can do about it.
Platinum, President, and gold awards for excellence in health research
Lifetime achievement for Prof. Karen Hofman, President Award for Adjunct Prof. Precious Matsoso, and a gold medal for Prof. Shane Norris at the SAMRC awards.
Student side-hustles
From selling handbags to offering haircuts, there are Witsies out there turning campus corners into mini marketplaces.
Award-winning pharmaco-geneticist advances drug discovery and development for Africans
Professor Collen Masimirembwa of the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience receives Precision Medicine World Conference Pioneer Award (PMWC) 2025.
Animals that work for us
Bees, birds, and bats are part of an invisible workforce that supports humanity.
Cracking the job interview code
[Q&A] In our competitive job market, recruiters require job seekers to have multiple skills to even secure an interview.
Global research explores climate change impact on maternal and child health
Analysis of birth records and climate data will establish how many adverse pregnancy outcomes occur due to climate change.
Enabling equity for all employees
Although SA still faces severe headwinds regarding workplace equity, there seems to be a broader societal shift. Here’s what Wits is doing.
Moving out, moving in – The South African semigration story
The rise of remote and hybrid working practices post-pandemic has led to an interesting shift in population growth across South Africa.
Is there (work)life after professional sport?
We cheer them on to the finish line, but what happens to pro athletes after their last race?
When your boss is an algorithm
The digital revolution has opened unimagined opportunities, but it comes with a threat of leaving the most vulnerable workers behind.
Cash and counselling slash unsuccessful TB outcomes by half
A new study shows that tuberculosis patients cash-incentivised and counselled have a 52% lower relative risk of having an unsuccessful treatment outcome.
How Africa became the birthplace of human evolution
Nature Africa marks 100 years since Australopithecus Africanus transformed our understanding of the origins of humans.
A swift, secure, stimulating experience awaits postgraduate students
A packed Great Hall was abuzz with excitement as the 2025 cohort of postgraduate students convened for their Orientation and Welcome on 5 February.
SACAQM and AfricaWeather Partner to Advance Air Quality Monitoring
Partnership will bring advanced monitoring, hardware, IoT communications, and artificial intelligence to AfricaWeather’s environmental intelligence platform.
Land Labour Life
Simon Gush’s visual art and academic research are interconnected.
Regular physical activity before cancer diagnosis may lower progression and death risks
Even relatively low levels of physical activity may be advantageous, findings from a study led by Wits Sport and Health (WiSH) show.
Alternatives to traditional cancer treatment
Opinions around cancer treatment options can be highly divisive, but many patients don’t have the luxury of choice.
Killing cancer with cryoablation
Freeze, fry, microwave, or obliterated – treating early cancer which can progress to advanced life-threatening cancer with cryoablation.
The future of work – A flicker of a silver lining
With a disastrously high unemployment rate and inequality, South Africa has a mountain to climb, but there is hope.
Africa’s largest human microbiome study sheds light on gut diversity and health
The most extensive study of the gut microbiome in Africa has discovered new microbial species and never-before-reported metagenomes* from several African sites.
The sorcerer’s apprentice: The impact of AI on future jobs
What is the future of humans in the world of AI? We look at the myths and realities, risks and opportunities posed by the adoption of AI.
Plugging South Africaʼs skills GAP
Are we adequately training young people for the labour market, or do we need to review our approach to education and training?
Curios.ty 18: #Work
Work isn't static. It changes as we change. In this issue, we turn to our researchers as we grapple with the evolving nature of work and an unknown future.
Let’s talk about #Work
[Editorial] AI, Africa, equity, skills, burnout, toxic workplaces, semigration, sex work, and retirement, all in this issue of Curios.ty.
The chalk-dust revolution
What impact does the changing world of work have on how higher education is delivered to students?
Three million years ago, our ancestors were vegetarian
Nitrogen isotopes in tooth enamel show no evidence of meat consumption in Australopithecus.
Carbon revenues fuel misguided policies in African conservation
Researchers working in Africa warn against consultants promoting a single veld-burning strategy for carbon credits, urging caution for stakeholders.
What we did in 2024
Our research impacted humans, animals and machines, while our students’ side hustles drove innovation, and our scholars deepened our knowledge.
Looking back at 2024 with the Wits Innovation Centre
It was a year of establishment and growth for the Wits Innovation Centre (WIC) as it broke new ground to coordinate and encourage innovation across Wits.
What bone scans reveal about a tiny croc from SA
Journeying back to the Jurassic Era, scientists used cutting-edge tech to uncover the secrets about Orthosuchus stormbergi, a small, early crocodile ancestor.
Lightning sparks art: New Fellow joins Wits Lightning Lab
WIC’s new Artist-in-Lab Fellow aims to create evocative art exploring the mysterious, inexplicable, and magical essence of lightning.
Boost for air quality monitoring in Gauteng
South African Atmospheric Quality Monitoring (SACAQM) and Evotel join forces to monitor the province’s air quality.
Tackling the global energy crisis
Wits is part of a new $150 million partnership to support the global energy transition.
African Urbanisms Conference and Urban Fare
Delegates from various corners of the world converged at Wits to reflect on urban planning and chart the way forward.
Researchers use laser beams to pioneer new quantum computing breakthrough
Innovative computing system using lasers and everyday display technology marks a significant leap in the quest for more powerful quantum computing solutions.
-with-Professors-Lynn-Morris-and-Mucha-Musemwa-600x300px.jpg "Publishing from the South: A Century of Wits University Press")
Celebrating a century publishing excellence
Wits Press commemorated 100 years of publishing excellence with the launch of the book 'Publishing from the South: A Century of Wits University Press'.
Celebrating the recipients of the Postgraduate Merit Scholarships
The Wits Postgraduate Merit Scholarship (PMS) was launched in 2023 with funding from a generous alumnus of Wits.
Wits joins Upanzi Network - an African research labs collab
Carnegie Mellon University Africa announced today that it will expand its digital public infrastructure initiative across the continent.
Nobel laureate warns of big tech and disinformation threats to democracy
Nobel laureate Maria Ressa believes South Africa’s traditional media is strong, but that won’t last, posing an ongoing threat to democracy.
Toolbox for academia and industry engagement
The Wits Innovation Centre (WIC) partnered with Afretec to workshop practical steps of collaboration.
IT leader scoops industry awards
It’s a season of abundance for Dr Stanley Mpofu, who has been named CIO of the Year by industry peers, among other accolades.
Three Wits scientists named amongst the world’s most highly cited
Professors Andrew Forbes, Shabir Madhi, and Derick Raal are three of just 10 South Africans on the annual list of Highly Cited Researchers™.
Unlocking intelligence: The Wits MIND Institute to transform AI research in Africa
The Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute advances AI research, exploring machine, human, and animal intelligence.
Award for climate change biologist
Nearly 1 million species face extinction. The award to Dr Shannon Conradie by the Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer Research Grant boosts interventions.
Royal Society of SA awards Witsies medals, fellowships
Professor Sally Archibald receives the 2025 John F.W. Herschel Medal and Doctors Mitchell Cox and Simone Richardson are 2025 Meiring Naudé medallists.
Witsies appointed to the Presidential Economic Advisory Council
Two Wits academics and several alumni are among the economic thought leaders appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
New Digital Dome launches in Joburg
After major refurbishments, the old Johannesburg Planetarium has been transformed into the state-of-the-art Wits Anglo American Digital Dome.
Workshop explores sustainable design in the age of AI
The workshop gave scholars insights that empowered them to create AI-powered solutions for Africa’s most pressing challenges.
Tuesdays are for Zulu Therapy – Ingoma
Keeping heritage alive through ingoma provides a sense of community, cultural pride and resilience to students.
Rising heat exposure threatens maternal and newborn health
Largest systematic review of its kind assesses 198 studies across 66 countries for the impact of heat on maternal, foetal, and neonatal health.
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Gabrielle Mudiwa awarded the Achmat Dangor Literary Prize 2024
This inaugural award enables a talented young writer to pursue an MA in Creative Writing at Wits thereby ensuring that Dangor’s legacy endures.
Young engineers shine with innovative tech
EIE Open Day 2024: Can a robot do medical triage? Can a face detector spot you when you’re wearing a mask? Can geysers be smart?
Recognition from respected research entities
National research associations have awarded accolades to Witsies across a range of scholarly disciplines as well as in research management and ethics.
Applications invited for new Research Chair for Precision Medicine and Genomics
Based at the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, the Chair will lead academically rigorous research in precision medicine and genomics in Africa.
Training the Next-Gen animators
Four young South African 2D animators train with the world’s best to become teachers for a new generation.
A trek across the desert, in search of our origins
Two researchers transect the inhospitable Namib desert, in search of evidence of ancient human existence in this harsh landscape.
Wits teams clinch coveted SATNAC Challenge awards
Swelihle Sibiya and Andile Mgomezulu won the R&D Challenge and the Huawei Challenge respectively, at the 2024 SATNAC Industry Solutions Challenge.
Innovative app helps adolescents with depression
The Kuamsha app was developed as part of a study to address depression in adolescents in rural and low resource settings.
Create a caring, nurturing culture at work
Today is World Mental Health Day with an urgent call to action for employers: 'It is time to prioritise Mental Health in the workplace'.
Largest study of its kind in Africa finds African men have high risk of prostate cancer, earlier
Researchers have identified the genetic risk factors that contribute to prostate cancer in a diverse group of African men.
Ancient San rock art reveals earliest known depiction of extinct Dicynodont
Rock painting suggests San people were engaging in palaeontology long before Western scientists.
.jpg "Skeletal reconstruction of Moschorhinus kitchingi. The skeletal proportions are based on the preserved elements of NMQR 3351. Illustration by Brandon P. Stuart.")
Moschorhinus kitchingi: The Ancient Stocky Survivor of the Karoo
Wits University and the University of Southern California offer a detailed look at the skeleton of Moschorhinus kitchingi beyond just its skull.
Wits chemists win prestigious chemistry awards
Two Wits chemists have been rewarded for their research by the South African Chemical Institute (SACI).
Pioneering disability inclusion: Wits DRU and Afretec lead the way
Two-day workshop redefines inclusive education and how to leverage new technologies to empower students and staff with disabilities.
Clinician-scientist in surgery receives doctoral fellowship at SA Women in Science Awards
Dr Gabriella Hyman awarded the prestigious Dr Esther Mahlangu Doctoral Fellowship for her clinician-scientist role and research in SA public health sector.
AI in Africa: It’s a matter of MIND
As the world races ahead with AI advancements, concerns are mounting that Africa could be left behind. Enter the Wits MIND Institute.
Eastern Cape meteorite find revealed
The spectacular entry of a meteorite into Earth’s atmosphere has unleashed a chain of events that would not be out of place in a Hollywood movie script.
“Space junk” that fell in Eastern Cape was a car-size meteorite
Meteorites are rare and hold deep scientific value as they give us a glimpse of the make-up and birth of our solar system.
New Director of Energy Leadership for WBS
Dr David Phaho will take the helm of the Wits Business School African Energy Leadership Centre (AELC) from 1 September 2024.
Anomalies in Particle Physics are key to new discoveries
Deviations in the way that particles interact point to the existence of new bosons.
WIC leadership role changes announced
These reflect the Wits Innovation Centre's agility and responsiveness in continuing to grow the University’s innovation ecosystem.
The Wits Innovation Foundation for Democracy opens its doors for business
The Foundation looks to reshape discussions about democracy in Africa.
Exploring the next frontiers in social impact
The 5th African Philanthropy Conference was held against the spectacular backdrop of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, and was the biggest gathering yet.
African expert in precision medicine wins international award
Distinguished Research Professor Collen Masimirembwa in the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience to receive award for research in pharmacogenomics.
A celebration of researchers achieving research excellence
Wits recognises more than a hundred scholars for exceptional research accomplishments in 2024.
Colloquium explores ethical dilemmas arising from the use of AI and Big Data in research
Philosophical, legal, moral, teaching and other angles unpacked at Wits SARIMA Carnegie 4th annual Global Ethics Day online event on 6 August.
Memoir of a decade in African genomics research
A book commemorating 10 years of the AWI-Gen project shares stories of those who researched how genetics, environment, and lifestyle affect health in Africa.
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£2 million grant to research reducing AIDS-related deaths caused by bacterial and fungal infections
Professor Nelesh Govender was awarded one of 7 prestigious 5-year UK National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Global Research Professorships.
140 “missing middle” accounting students funded through donation by anonymous donor
The donation was made in honour of Professor Margo Steele, the first female head of school of the Wits School of Accountancy.
8th World Conference on Research Integrity awards South African Community of Practice
SARIMA Community of Practice for Research Ethics and Integrity wins Anderson-Kleinert Diversity Award at 8th World Conference on Research Integrity (WCRI).
A rising star in SA Higher Education Research named a finalist in 2024 HERS-SA Awards
Fezile Wagner, who leads Wits' Analytics and Institutional Research Unit, is a finalist in the non-profit Higher Education Resource Services-SA (HER-SA) Awards.
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Lesotho's Lost Lake sheds light on past and future water security
Scientists uncover fascinating evidence of an ancient mountain lake that flourished thousands of years ago.
BePRECISE consortium unveils guidelines to enhance reporting in precision medicine research
The inaugural reporting guidelines for precision medicine research, of which Professor Michèle Ramsay is co-author, have been published in Nature Medicine.
From knowledge to impact: Bridging the academic-entrepreneurship divide
Aspiring African innovators and entrepreneurs converge at Wits to learn skills to transform ideas into market-ready solutions.
Transformation: Carnegie Diversifying the Academy welcomes 2024 recipients
Eight PhD students and postdocs were inducted into the programme run by the Wits Transformation and Employment Equity Office (TEEO).
Postgrads learn how to become ‘academic entrepreneurs’
To grow their entrepreneurial spirit and skills, 70 postgraduate students attended the Pan-African Entrepreneurship Week during the winter break.
Peco Power empowers rural community with Rent-to-Own Electricity
The pioneering technology from Wits is transforming energy access with its new impact-driven Champion Franchise Model.
Research rock stars dazzle at 'Science Oscars'
Wits researchers won in six out of 15 categories at the prestigious NSTF-South 32 Research Awards.
Mobile phone data help track pathogen spread and evolution of superbugs
Novel way to map spread and evolution of pathogens, and their responses to vaccines and antibiotics, reveals how to help predict and prevent future outbreaks.
SA professor appointed co-principal investigator in landmark HIV prevention network
Sinéad Delany-Moretlwe is Professor of Global Health and Infectious Diseases and Research Director at Wits RHI.
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Discovering Scotland's first 'almost-mammal’, Saurodesmus robertsoni
Researchers identify the oldest known non-mammaliaform cynodont from Scotland.
Beetle outbreak: Another fossil rove beetle from Botswana
A new species of fossil paederine rove beetle from Orapa.
‘It’s all about the youth’
Dr Solomon Assefa, the former Vice President at IBM Research, delivered the inaugural Professor Barry Dwolatzky Memorial Lecture.
Afretec awards almost $1.7 million
One of the grant recipient projects from Wits University will investigate the role of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Report on governance and management in SA health system launched
The Academy of Science of South Africa released the report, "Achieving Good Governance and Management in the South African Health System" on 28 June 2024.
Tackling brain health through strategic global partnerships
Wits Faculty of Health Sciences and Barrow Neurological Institute, USA, MoU cements relationship to further research neurological conditions
Gilead results on injectable lenacapavir for PREP
First HIV prevention trial in history to show zero HIV infections with an intervention.
Researchers discover a potential vaccine to prevent tuberculosis in people of all ages
In a critical global public health development, a candidate vaccine for tuberculosis (TB) has been created using a gene-editing approach.
Wits-Bath Spa collaboration takes off
Three-year bursary scheme to support strategic collaboration between the two universities.
Wits PhD student wins prestigious John Kiel Scholarship
Pedro Ornelas is one of 72 students globally who won an award from the International Society for Optics and Photonics.
New cutting-edge digitisation equipment for Wits Digitisation Centre
This addition marks a significant step forward in the ongoing efforts to preserve the University's vast archives and collections.
Sappi Chair marks a milestone year of climate action
The Wits research team is spearheading sustainability efforts to bolster climate resilience in the forestry industry.
The social consensus revolution
[Column] To prevent South Africa from becoming a failed society, we must all rise and become active citizens.
Musankwa sanyatiensis, a new dinosaur from Zimbabwe
A new Late Triassic sauropodomorph dinosaur discovered in the Mid-Zambezi Basin, Zimbabwe.
Reimagining democracy
Democracy, as a system of government by the whole population, seems to have had its heyday. Is ‘People Power’ a viable option?
Q&A: The South African Constitution
Constitutional expert, Professor Cathi Albertyn, answers your questions on the South African Constitution, the bedrock of South Africa’s democracy.
A violent freedom
Despite the knife-edge upon which South Africans live, the country is not, in fact, a failed state – but a new form of democracy is required.
The Untouchables: Crime and corruption
Corruption is not unique to SA as US and UK have shown. Democracy relies on holding authorities accountable, but no one seems keen to do that.
Religion and the state: A shifting cocktail of contradictions
Many countries are grappling with religious challenges. Can political structures withstand the pressures of religious groups’ ‘New Right’ ideology?
AI and democracy: For better and for worse
Today’s news and current affairs landscape, which underpins our democracy, requires both ethical content producers and discerning consumers.
Peter Sarnak awarded the 2024 Shaw Prize
Celebrated mathematician and Wits alumnus acknowledged for his profound impact on number theory.
A drought of political will
South Africans are still fighting for the right to basic water supply as enshrined in the Bill of Rights.
Stabilising the crumbling walls of the Fourth Estate
Journalism as an institution is facing a bleak outlook. It needs to dig deep to find ways in which to pull itself out of the well.
Study that empowers traditional health practitioners to test for HIV expands in rural SA
National Institutes of Health 5-year, $2.8m grant to Wits and Vanderbilt University will advance traditional health practitioner-initiated HIV testing.
Wits hosts Southern African synchrotron workshop
South African researchers have fully funded access to the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, through the NRF.
NHI: From aspiration to implementation
Access to healthcare services is a constitutional right but is equal healthcare in South Africa a reality in our lifetime?
Curios.ty 17: #Democracy
This issue is very timely as South Africa celebrates 30 years of democracy, and heads to the polls again on 29 May 2024.
Celebrating 30 years of democracy
[Editorial] Wits continues to contribute towards advancing democracy, social justice, and human rights.
Marching to new drums
A generation of ‘born frees’ are heading to the polls in 2024. What is the soundtrack, if any, that underscores this election year?
How colonialism bastardised ancient rituals
Traditional rituals and practices such as lobola and initiation are often misunderstood in democratic societies where they are viewed through a western lens.
Social grants: A hand up, not a hand-out
The child support grant and proposed pregnancy grant give children a healthier start in life and make democratic and economic sense.
Realising disability rights in Southern Africa
People with disabilities still experience barriers to the realisation of their rights. A new view on disability is required.
Playing the migration blame game
Pushing a nationalist agenda and fuelling xenophobia is politicians’ way of disguising the causes of South Africa’s economic woes.
Democratising knowledge through open access
More than half of SA’s academic publications appear in Open Access sources, with Wits University embracing this trend.
Finding ubuntu in the word of the law
Busisiwe Kamolane-Kgadima, the Acting Director at CALS is driven by human rights, and the fight for social justice.
Stokvels secure income and social capital
A stokvel research project at Wits could lead to greater financial freedom, transparency, and accessibility for members.
Who is accountable for environmental rights?
The lack of enforcement of environmental laws allow powerful entities to act without consequence. Where does the buck stop?
What environmental equality in Africa really looks like
As countries move to adopt green technologies to fight climate change, the Global South is left at a disadvantage in this new revolution.
Conflicts of (natural) interest
The creation of conservation areas has become a tug-of-war between the needs of local communities and preserving critical natural resources.
Using Ubuntu to recognise animal rights
[Column] Under the SA Constitution, animals do not enjoy the same rights as humans. But Ubuntu principles can change that, writes Dr Sheena Swemmer.
Ethical conundrums of the great dictator
[Column] As elected president for one day, I struggle with the same ethical question as those who have come before me: To plunder or to serve?
Democracy and Archives: A quest for truth
Archives are the custodians of evidence in the pursuit of truth and records of Commissions of Inquiry are fundamental to support democracy.
Wits and Liberty launch new Fintech Hub
New Hub will be a place where researchers, entrepreneurs and professionals can get together to leverage technology to solve problems in the field of finance.
New Fossil Bovids from Kromdraai
New Fossil Bovids from Kromdraai shed light on South Africa's ancient ecosystems.
CHAMPS receives grant to study causes of death in adults with HIV in Africa
New grant will enable Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) Network to leverage laboratory capacity and partnerships in Africa.
Global collaboration adds up for mathematician
Number theory specialist Professor Florian Luca is now a CNRS Fellow-Ambassador.
Vaccinologists Keith Klugman and Shabir Madhi awarded Sabin’s prestigious Gold Medal
The Sabin Vaccine Institute presented the Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal to physician-researchers Keith Klugman and Shabir Madhi.
ERC Advanced Grant for Paleoanthropologist Gabriele Macho
European Research Council funds project on early human evolution at Senckenberg.
How to avoid and manage dehydration
About 60% of the human body is made up of water. Excessive water loss can be fatal.
What happened to the Just Energy Transition grant funding?
Researchers take a closer look to determine who the money has gone to, when it was disbursed, and what it was spent on.
Wits welcomes 12 000 future researchers
The University held its annual Postgraduate Orientation Programme from 4 – 6 March in the Great Hall and online.
Light correcting light
Researchers have found a way to send patterned light messages through obstructions, without distorting the message.
Witsie awarded prestigious scholarship
Geoffrey Mwendwa, a PhD candidate in Physics, secures one of the initial spots in the 100 PhDs for Africa Programme (EXAF).
New fossil rove beetle is a first in Africa
In the heart of Botswana, a groundbreaking discovery at the Orapa Diamond Mine has unveiled a fossil that sheds light on the evolutionary history of beetles.
Make sure the water from your tap is safe to drink
With an increasing risk of water-borne diseases such as cholera spreading in cities, it is important to learn how to keep your family safe.
Urgent TB vaccine trial kicks off in SA
Professor Lee Fairlie from the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI) is a Co-National Principal Investigator of the trial.
Empowering academic fellows to share their impact
The Wits Carnegie Diversifying the Academy (CDTA) Programme recently hosted its inaugural Pioneering Science Communications Workshop.
Political theorist Achille Mbembe named 2024 Holberg Prize Laureate
The Holberg Prize is one of the largest international prizes awarded annually to an outstanding researcher in the humanities, social sciences, law or theology.
Advancing gender and leadership in higher education
A group of ten Wits University staff and students recently attended the Afretec Gender in STEM Workshop in Kigali, Rwanda.
Accolades for advancing public health, for good
Medals for health scientists at South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Scientific Merit Awards.
Dung beetles show their love by sharing the load
Before mating, some male and female dung beetles work together to move their brood balls to a location unknown to either.
Women in leadership at the ARUA CoE MEN
Sustained female leadership in the Centre of Excellence for Materials, Energy and Nanotechnology (CoE MEN).
World-class pharmaceutical sciences training goes global
Wits Advanced Drug Delivery Platform (WADDP) enables international research opportunities for its postgrads, postdocs, and early career researchers.
Public research showcase reveals how to age successfully in Africa
A ‘whole of society’ approach is needed to address health issues as populations in Africa age.
Advancing paediatric antibiotic research
Two new African-European research collaborations tackle severe infections in neonates and children.
Connecting a community through concepts
Wits University hosts the Fifth International Legitimation Code Theory Conference.
Meet the 2024 Friedel Sellschop Fellows
Doctors Saeideh Babaee, Ashley Coates, Isaac Nape, and Matt Noakes are the 2024 Friedel Sellschop Fellows.
UK Fellowships for Wits humanities researchers
The African Fellowships programme advances South-North research collaboration to find solutions to global challenges.
Origins of Early Southern Sapiens Behaviour exhibition opens in the Western Cape
The exhibition showcases the archaeological heritage and rich marine environment of the Southern Cape coastline.
Mission impossible? Not for these postdocs
8 Postdoc Fellows join Wits to boost research on the intersecting themes of climate change, just transition, sustainability, and inequality.
Getting into that natural study rhythm
Q&A: Academic stress and pressure can lead students to use unhealthy choices such as medication cocktails, energy drinks and supplements.
Hooked on games and the silver screen
What is it about TV and film that’s so compelling that we can’t resist immersing ourselves in celluloid?
Seeing through the cigarette tax smokescreen
The high taxes on tobacco are counterproductive in decreasing smoking. It only benefits the illegal cigarette trade – and its political masters.
Researchers demonstrate that quantum entanglement and topology are inextricably linked
This experimental milestone allows for the preservation of quantum information even when entanglement is fragile.
Curios.ty 16 (#Drugs): Between hope and hell
In this issue, we highlight the diversity, scope, and multi-dimensional nature of drug-related research at Wits University.
DRUGS!
Editorial: The word ‘drugs’ evokes a range of reactions – from the hopes of ‘miracle’ cures to the sadness of addiction and social harm.
The future of medicine
Imagine a world where medicines can be guided to the exact place that they are needed in the body – a world closer than you think.
Leading the way to an HIV cure
The battle to save millions of HIV-positive lives bears fruit in unexpected ways.
Obesity – a new treatment frontier
Current treatments are complex and expensive but new studies reveal that obesity medication could be the answer to this epidemic.
Alternatives to traditional cancer treatment
Opinions around cancer treatment options can be highly divisive, but many patients don’t have the luxury of choice.
Jagged little pills or panacea for health?
Vitamin and nutritional supplements are big business, but are they effective or just a waste of money – or even dangerous?
The daily drugs in our diet
“We need to create an environment for people where the healthy choice is the easier choice.”
Inside the mushroom bubble
Psychedelics: Are they the magic bullet some claim for the treatment of conditions such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder?
Cheers to SA’s most pervasive drug
Alcohol is so ubiquitous and its marketing so pernicious that there’s a tendency to underestimate its impact on public health. So, why do we drink?
Your drug questions answered
From alcohol to cocaine, caffeine to cough syrup, Wits experts shed light on legal and not-so-legal drugs of choice.
Turning green grass into gold
Academia can help show how the cannabis industry can be a thriving sector in the country.
Beating the ʻpharmaceutical arms race’ in sports
Drugs in sport is eroding the public credibility of many sports heroes’ superhuman performances. Can trust be restored?
Blocking the opioid pipeline
Treating opioid addiction is a painful, time consuming and often frustrating process. New medication can help solve this problem.
Antibiotics: Too much of a good thing?
The complicated doctor-patient dynamic requires managing expectations to protect both drug efficacy and public health.
The antibiotic bully in your beef
The use of antibiotics in livestock threatens public health, the environment, and food security. Researchers explore plants as an alternative.
Mosquitoes on birth control
Eradicating malaria in SA is a national policy goal, but is easier said than done. But sterile insect technique could take the bite out of mosquitoes.
Down the rabbit hole to bring back some words
Profile: Dr Eva Kowalska argues that drugs and addiction are not synonymous, as her research of drug literature and opioid biographies reveals.
Motivational messaging for medicine
Behavioural Linguistics is a new advanced area in healthcare that's especially critical to medication compliance and adherence.
Printing 3D patches to heal wounds
New biotechnical treatments can fast-track recovery from traumatic injuries.
Sucking the venom out of the bite
Treating snake bite victims remains antiquated – hopefully a new way of creating antivenom can lead to a better solution.
From ancient apothecary to modern medicine
How our early ancestors shaped our medicine use today. Throughout history, humanity has used nature's pharmacy for healing.
Put a pill in it!
Column: When it comes to health, we have grown into a society that is looking for a quick fix, rather than treating our lives holistically.
Doobee or not doobee?
Unravelling Shakespeare's Green Quill: Professor Francis Thackeray's quest for cannabis connection.
New Optica Emerging Leader in Optics Chair
SA visionary and quantum expert, Dr Isaac Nape, has been appointed as the inaugural Chair that seeks to advance quantum research.
African endocrinologist again amongst the world’s best
Distinguished Professor Derick Raal has for the fourth time been named as a Highly Cited Researcher™ globally.
Wits mourns the loss of Professor Peliwe Lolwana
Wits is saddened by the loss of Professor Lolwana, who recently retired as the Director of the Centre for Researching Education and Labour (REAL).
Research ethics and integrity as a force for good
While polarisation has emerged as a defining characteristic of our age, ‘good’ ethics can navigate differences to tackle shared challenges.
'Teleporting' images across a network securely using only light
Researchers show for the first time, how we can transport images across a network without physically sending the image.
Upgraded Micro-CT Scanner to advance research
Advanced 3D imaging technology allows for fossil-bearing rocks to be examined non-invasively and saves time and resources.
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New research sheds light on Bantu-speaking populations’ expansion in Africa
The study is unique in that it contains genetic data of both living and past (archaeological DNA/aDNA) populations.
Wits researchers pioneer a new way of searching for Dark Matter
Researchers explore whether Dark Matter particles actually are produced inside a jet of standard model particles.
Wits secures Digital Transformation research grants
Wits University scholars have secured funding as a network partner of the African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec).
What happens to South Africans when they have sleep disorders?
The Restonic Ezintsha Sleep Clinic will pioneer South African sleep research and treat sleep disorders.
First FEBE Research Seminar breaks down barriers
The Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment hosted its inaugural Research Seminar on 25 and 26 October 2023.
2023 Afretec Conference celebrates collaboration
Higher education leaders from across the continent recently convened for the second Pan-African network's annual conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
Shoes maketh man
The humble “plakkie” made its debut up to 150 000 years ago.
Snake researcher features in ‘Women in Herpetology’
50 stories from around the world celebrate the grit and passion of women in amphibian and reptile science.
Ancient sea level and climate changes led to major extinctions around South Africa
Sea level and climate changes altered the marine ecosystems at the South Pole 390-385 million years ago.
Ancient diamonds shine light on the evolution of Earth
Superdeep diamonds formed between 650 and 450 million years ago show how continents developed and moved.
ICESCO Chair for Innovation and Futures in Africa launched at Wits
The Chair will be located within the Tayarisha Research Group that focuses on the effects and implications of digital transformation and governance in Africa.
Future-proofing pandemic preparedness and response
Comparative analysis of the Pandemic accord and amendments to the International Health Regulations texts.
PhD graduate leads efforts to create first quantum microscope
Chané Moodley will be heading a research team into finding the best ways of developing and commercialising a quantum microscope.
Terminally ill patients need more than prayers from spiritual leaders
Cancer patients in Soweto give more clues on how spiritual leaders can assist them to find peace amidst a difficult journey.
WMI summit explores the changing mining landscape
The Summit is another step forward in developing mining tech and skills to drive a low-carbon future and just energy transition.
New study shows signs of early creation of modern human identities
Early ancestors collected eye-catching shells that radically changed the way we looked at ourselves and others.
South Africa’s meteorite heritage grow to over 50
Discovery of two meteorites are the first to be found by a member of the public on South African soil in over 40 years.
Crocks' ancestors grew old sloooowly
A gigantic, ancient crocodylomorph species that was recently discovered grew slower than other large reptiles of its day, such as dinosaurs.
First fossils of ancient human relatives journey to space
Fossils from Homo naledi and Australopithecus sediba become the oldest astronauts to travel to space, flying on Virgin Galactic's spaceship VSS Unity.
Maths education researcher wins prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award
National Research Foundation awards Wits Professor Jill Adler for advancing maths teaching, research, and empowering maths educators in post-democratic SA.
Wits RHI launches Project PrEP
The study will generate real-world data on integrating a new PrEP method, the Dapi-ring, to protect women against sexual transmission of HIV.
Renowned medical oncologist to Chair Ethics Committee
Emeritus Professor Paul Ruff was appointed Chairperson of the Wits Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC): Medical, effective 1 August 2023.
Genomics research in Africa will improve global health
African populations are the most genetically diverse in the world, with thousands of different ethnolinguistic groups across the continent.
Signing, to save a life
The Wits-Afretec Tech-Entrepreneurship Workshop held marks a pioneering stride for young, aspiring entrepreneurs.
Wits and the Bank of China produce the first Chinese Investors’ Confidence Index for South Africa
The index, called CICISA is a quarterly index that tracks the evolution of the “investment climate” or “investment attractiveness” of South Africa over time.
Putting the choice in the hands that matter
A new study has been launched that will harness real-world data to maximise the impact of PreP products on reducing HIV infections.
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Traditional healers in rural Mpumalanga help diagnose HIV
Research project in Bushbuckridge empowers traditional healers to conduct HIV testing, refer those positive for treatment, thereby curbing new infections.
Wits lecturer wins the Silver Jubilee Medal from the South African Institute of Physics
The award is made for outstanding achievements by a young physicist that contributes to the research, education or technology development in physics.
Wits-UoE research partnership ‘heads to Space’
Researchers from Wits and the University of Edinburgh held a symposium to explore collaborative opportunities for Space Research projects.
Wits GCI co-leads pioneering initiative to fight the impact of tropical cyclones
The new R110 million project aims to improve early warnings and enhance resilience to changing tropical cyclones in southern Africa and Madagascar.
Wits Researchers rewarded for excellence
Researchers from all over Wits have been rewarded for their excellence at a Wits ceremony.
Wits to co-lead international research on Migration and Health
The research will focus on the health of migrants in the African Union and European Union corridor, one of the largest migration corridors globally.
Wits audience fascinated by first mission of its kind to Jupiter
South African-born space physicist Professor Michele Dougherty is a principal investigator on the Juice mission to Jupiter.
The surprising path to life: breaking free from Plate Tectonics
New research reveals that the emergence of life on Earth did not require Plate Tectonics
Smarter human oversight is crucial in facial recognition AI
Enhanced human verification techniques and practices will always be required to ensure accuracy and ward off inherent biases.
Researchers demonstrate noise-free communication with structured light
A new approach to optical communication that can be deployed with conventional technology.
India, South Africa and Australia shared similar volcanic activity 3.5 billion years ago
Ancient volcanism dating back to 3.5 billion years ago are common to Archaean cratons of South Africa, India, and Australia.
Wits and Sappi launch new Sappi Chair in Climate Change and Plantation Sustainability
Through the Research Chair Professor Mary Scholes will identify critical research needs and develop research outputs related to climate change.
Curios.ty 15 (#Energy): Igniting innovation
Wits' research magazine focuses on how our researchers are powering up their creativity and expertise to find sustainable energy solutions.
Energising and futureproofing our world
Editorial: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but for South Africans it feels like we are upending this fundamental law of physics.
The first to fuel the fire
The first fuel that enabled human beings to land on the moon was harnessed right here in Africa.
Rolling blackouts: Light at the end of the tunnel?
SA’s could create a new model for many countries facing power shortages but it could also lead to more muddling in the dark.
How to spend $8.5bn correctly to energise and green SA
Dr Andrew Lawrence explores how funding received from the Just Energy Transition Partnership can most benefit South Africa.
Clean, safe, controversial
Nuclear energy has had a bad rap, but in South Africa’s current energy conundrum, its importance in the mix is clear.
The red flags in green hydrogen
Scientists can do better to take industry and government-driven hype out of green hydrogen so that its actual potential can be realised.
Your 8 quirky energy questions answered
From Star Wars to hot curry to Einstein – we’ve got you covered.
Building sustainable cities
Long-term economic and social side-effects need to be considered when thinking about our cities’ energy solutions.
Woodlands and forests con-tree-versial
A tree is not just a tree. It is also fuel, paper, furniture, livelihood, and industry.
Energy in the body
How does the body convert food to fuel? How much do we need? And will running really help with weight loss?
Killing cancer with cryoablation
Freeze, fry, microwave, or obliterated – treating early cancer which can progress to advanced life-threatening cancer with cryoablation.
The energy it takes to navigate an abled-bodied world
The implementation of universal design and access could improve the lives of people living with disabilities.
The psychology of energy
Wits researchers shed light on alternative energies and how to leverage them when we’re depleted and in the dark.
A planet called 'Home'
Our home planet Earth is unique, not only in its position in space but in the way it manages energy to create a comfortable spot for us to inhabit.
Finding facts in a lightning bolt
Lightning research will answer several questions about this lesser-known force of nature.
Can Wits go off the grid?
Cutting greenhouse gas emissions to almost zero is the next big thing on the global agenda, but academics agree it’s not feasible in the medium term on campus.
Skills for a green world
South Africa needs to reskill and upskill in the face of changing technology and shifting workplaces.
‘Clean Coal’ could be a game-changer for SA
Q&A: Coal has a bad reputation, but ‘clean coal’ holds various potential opportunities, says Professor Samson Bada.
On ant(eater) patrol
PROFILE: Living to find innovative ways to solve tough challenges, Dr Wendy Panaino digs deep into the lives of pangolins.
Overcoming energy poverty
Researchers are developing innovative solutions to counter the energy poverty that impacts teaching and learning.
Educating science student-teachers about energy
How good is a science curriculum that’s insulated from working scientists or that ignores climate change and sustainable development?
Africa is getting hotter
Continued extreme heat exposure is affecting the health of vulnerable groups in communities.
Column: Ensuring a just energy transition is complex
Focusing on the dynamics in the electricity sector, Professor Imraan Valodia outlines the challenges South Africa is facing and what can be done.
A country worth fighting for
Column: South Africa is a country on the ropes. Its critical infrastructure, including its energy supply, is crippled. Do we still have some fight left?
Sellschop’s neutrinos and an elusive energy
These ghost particles have travelled light years to where we are and are proof that humans are essentially stardust and sunlight.
Bridging the energy gap with AI
Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) can help catapult South Africa’s energy distribution into the future.
New fossil of a 252-million-year-old sabre-toothed lion shows it reigned just before mass extinction
Fossil is described in a paper exploring the rapid turnover of top predators in African terrestrial faunas around the Permian-Traissic mass extinction.
Wits breaks ground on R250 million sports complex
The Wits Brian and Dorothy Zylstra Sports Complex is an integrated facility for training, research, and clinical practice.
Wits Innovation Centre signals a new era in #InnovationForGood
The WIC will harness the creativity and ingenuity of the University’s rich, diverse community of innovators to solve complex, real-world problems.
Be(IE) innovators of the future
The first Biomedical Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Course sparks a new era for #WitsInnovation.
Sun-powered microgrid study launched in Pretoria
The Pecogrid pilot study will examine the viability of the large-scale rollout of microgrid inverter systems in informal communities.
Respiratory virus plagues SA but new vaccine for pregnant moms saves babies
Does immunising a woman during pregnancy protect her unborn baby against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the months after it is born?
Civil engineers use public satellite images to study why the Jagersfontein dam failed
Study by civil engineers at Wits University finds that the history of the Jagersfontein dam deviates from best engineering practice.
The Lancet Series on the commercial determinants of health
The 3-paper Series launching at Wits today is a ground-breaking exposé of the products and practices collectively called the commercial determinants of health.
Esteemed astronomer joins Wits as a Distinguished Professor
Professor Athol Kemball joins the Wits School of Physics as a Distinguished Professor through the Carnegie Africa Diaspora Programme.
Wits and Telkom launch new industry solutions lab
Telkom and Wits sign a partnership agreement to establish the new Telkom Industry Solutions Lab.
Wits awards 29 Centennial Postdoctoral Fellowships
The University has invested R9-million in postdoctoral fellowships to advance its innovation and internationalisation strategies and its research agenda.
Human genome editing – progress, promise, and challenges
The 3rd International Summit on Human Genome Editing took place in the UK in March. Wits Professor of Genetics Michèle Ramsay was on the organising committee.
Wits and US Congress celebrate 20 years of PEPFAR
The Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute hosted a US Congress Delegation to mark the programme’s two decades of HIV/Aids relief.
Living in food insecure households associated with poor mental health – SA study
To ensure adequate food, one in five South African households revealed that they had to send someone to beg for food.
Dr Mitch Cox named 2023 Optica Ambassador
He is one of 10 exceptional early-career members selected from around the world to serve as a 2023 Optical Foundation Ambassador.
Successful cure of HIV infection after stem cell transplantation
An international group of researchers including Wits scientists have identified a third case of HIV infection cured by stem cell transplantation.
Wits names three scholars as Friedel Sellschop Fellows
The University awarded the prestigious Friedel Sellschop fellowship award to Dr Mitchell Cox, Dr Eloise van der Merwe, and Dr Abhishek Pandey.
Why South African moms buy commercial milk formula when breast is best
Baby formula companies use nefarious and exploitative methods to create an artificial demand for their products, thereby undermining breastfeeding.
Wits Innovation Centre announces team
Dr Adam Pantanowitz has been appointed as Chair in Innovation and Director of the WIC, and Letlotlo Phohole as Senior Programme Manager.
Researchers find distortion-free forms of structured light
Research offers a new approach to studying complex light in complex systems, such as transporting classical and quantum light through optical fiber.
Use practical wisdom in climate change actions
Wits’ Global Change Institute among global scientists calling for a mindset shift about climate change which draws from various knowledge systems
New Wits-UoE doctoral training centre
Wits University is proud to collaborate with the University of Edinburgh (UoE) to establish a new collaborative doctoral training centre in Africa.
Wits researcher invited into her second exclusive global explorers club
Dr Keneiloe Molopyane joins the EC50 class of 2023, after also being selected as an Emerging Explorer for the National Geographic Society in 2021.
This is not just a building ...
The new Data Sciences and Innovation Hub at Wits Rural Campus marks 30 years of rural public health research and sets the scene for an innovative epoch in 2023.
Transformative Fellowships for humanities researchers
The African Fellowships programme advances South-North research collaboration to find solutions to global challenges.
Wits physicist is joint winner of The World Academy of Sciences award
Professor Andrew Forbes shares the award for physics with Professor Jueinai Kwo of Taiwan.
Ground-breaking report card gives crucial health data to manage illnesses of middle-age
Adults aged 45-65, as caregivers and workers, are high risk for non-communicable diseases, but data on healthy ageing in SA are insufficient to inform policy.
Wits endocrinologist again named as one of the world’s most highly cited researchers
Professor Derick Raal has for the third time been named as a Highly Cited Researcher.
Just transition requires political, economic and behavioural change
Achieving access to minimum resources and services for all, while safeguarding our planet, requires redistribution and societal transformation.
Mental health in SA is at shocking levels but people are not seeking help
A new study reveals that South Africans suffer higher rates of probable depression and anxiety than other countries.
Social vulnerability and food insecurity persistently prevalent in South Africans
A new study reveals astounding levels of social vulnerability in South Africa, which is linked to food insecurity.
‘Jet lag’ discovered in body clocks of people living with HIV in rural South Africa
People living with HIV have a significantly delayed internal body clock consistent with jet lag symptoms, found a study by SA and UK universities.
How we treat animals is key to human health, just look at Covid-19
‘Scientivist’ says planetary health must be foremost on all agendas because the ill-treatment of animals and delicate ecosystems plays havoc with human health.
Wits researchers are part of a study on how to end Covid-19 as a public health threat
Study provides recommendations to end the public health threat without exacerbating socio-economic burdens or putting the most vulnerable at greater risk.
We are in ‘an abusive relationship’ with nature
Earth became our servant, and we need it to be our family, says Research Professor Matthew Chersich in delivering his inaugural lecture.
Do financial incentives boost vaccination rates?
Cash incentives only have a marginal effect on increasing vaccination uptake by adults, according to a Wits University and Columbia University study.
Global recognition for research and innovation in pharmaceutical sciences
Wits Professor of Pharmacy, Yahya Choonara, is the 2022 FIP Distinguished Pharmaceutical Science Award winner.
Climate change to impact mountains on a global scale
Research shows climate change will negatively impact mountain landscapes, including increasing risks such as avalanches, river floods and landslides.
‘Dad’s subwoofer’, an electric walking cane, and, is that lighting!?
4th year engineering students show off their bold and visionary solutions with amazing final-year projects.
Africa’s first endovascular robotic unit will advance research and enable ‘outreach intelligence’
The new unit at the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC) is both a robotics research opportunity and a global responsibility.
Wits hosts largest gathering of journalists
Over 350 journalists from across the continent will spend three days at Wits University for the 18th African Investigative Journalism Conference.
Artistic Research is blurring academic and research lines
Artistic research and its ‘tangible’ output – a creative academic degree – is an emerging yet robust field of study and enquiry in Africa.
Review of concussion in sport research underway
Consensus statement by the Scientific Committee for the International Conference on Concussion in Sport will be released in 2023.
Regular physical activity may boost effectiveness of Covid-19 jab
A new study by a team of South African researchers shows the more you exercise, the more protective Covid vaccination seems to be.
Two Wits professors awarded Science for Society Gold Medals
The Academy of Science of South Africa has awarded its highest honour, Science for Society Gold Medals, to Wits Professors Karen Hofman and Achille Mbembe.
Wits to kick-start a national quantum technologies initiative with R54 million funding
The South African Quantum Technologies Initiative (SA QuTI) aims develop a well-established critical mass in the national quantum community.
Maropeng brings visitors Face to Face with early Hominins
The new Face To Face exhibit showcases hominins from The Cradle of Humankind that are brought to life by science and art.
Major partnership to drive digital transformation in Africa
The Afretec network has made 20 million US dollars available to members, including Wits, to collaborate in engineering and technology.
SA ICT employers, practitioners look to global skills markets
The number of SA employers reporting they are recruiting ICT skills overseas has increased dramatically in the past year – up from 38% to over 50%.
Curios.ty 14 (#Wits100): A century of doing good
Wits' research magazine celebrates 100 years of changing the world for good.
100 Years of changing the world. For Good
Guest Editorial: Wits remains a beacon of hope in society. We continue to strive for excellence in all that we do and use our knowledge for the good of society.
Stay curious – there’s a whole new world coming in 2122
Editorial: The stories in Curios.ty 14: #Wits100 showcase the University’s sustained participation, influence and impact in the lab, the classroom, and society.
How higher education can help heal us all
“We live in the most unequal country in the world. We can help bridge the divide and we don’t have any time to waste.” – Dr Judy Dlamini.
Academic and science activism saves lives
Meet the Wits’ science superheroes whose research has saved lives.
Mapping African genetic diversity for better health
The contribution of the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience to the field of human genomics is rewriting history on the African continent.
Death makes us alive
Without death, there would be no life – this might sound like ancient mysticism, but Wits scientists are proving it.
Thirty years of the lab in the bush
Agincourt, one of the longest-running research centres of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa, tracks health and wellbeing over the life course.
The politics of protest
Protests are a hallmark of Wits’ history and have contributed to the University’s legacy of social activism, democracy and constitutionality.
Wits at a time of national crisis: Then and now
South African universities should revisit their multiple publics and explore what a public university in southern Africa today should be.
Telling African stories through art
The Wits Art Museum covers 3 000 m2, housing more than 12 000 artworks, of which 5 551 comprise the Standard Bank African Art Collection.
The evolution of science and research practice
How has science and research practice at Wits has evolved over a century?
The Wits Digital Dome to light up the sky
It’s the end of an era as Wits Planetarium is reimagined as a ‘out of this world’ digital dome.
Facing climate change head-on
Climate change took nearly a century to become mainstream science. Wits is taking the lead in facing up to the challenge.
Digging for the truth of humanity
Wits researchers have over the past century changed, and challenged, the way we think about the evolution of humanity and our ancestors.
Navigating life through the eyes of a gogga
Curiosity about dung beetles could lead us into our future.
Research by the books
Books based on research by Wits authors create a rare recording of history that tracks changes over time.
Identifying faces to recognise humanity
The development of the Wits Face Database: An African database of high-resolution facial photographs.
Business for good
Wits is exploring the opportunities created by social enterprises that focus on addressing local, regional and global challenges.
Beyond the Ivory Tower
Four Wits units demonstrate how translational research can respond to the needs of a world outside the academy.
The best job in the world
Column: Telling the stories of Wits’ research and academics might hopefully light a fire in the mind of the world’s next Einstein.
A philosophy for good. A University for good
There is something significantly common in the way in which all good things are good.
CTIF & Jamfest 2022: Unplugged - but still connected
Joint hybrid conferences for African civic tech innovators and media makers, journalism innovators, and other creatives.
Basaltic magma chambers may grow catastrophically fast
Basaltic magma chambers can grow extremely rapidly - in months to years.
Wits hosts international lightning conference - a first for Africa
Lightning protection research is paramount in order to safeguard people, animals, and infrastructure against one of the biggest weather-related killers.
National Research Foundation accolades for Wits scientists
The Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience won the National Research Foundation Science Team Award while seven Witsies received A-ratings.
Groundbreaking discovery from South Africa challenges the recent re-interpretation of magma chambers
Wits researchers have compelling evidence for the existence of a magma chamber deep within a South Africa’s ancient crust.
‘Mandela's Children’ 32 years later
The stories, people and science behind Africa's largest longitudinal study have been captured in a book by Wits Distinguished Professor Linda Richter.
Street-based female sex workers of all ages in SA at sustained high risk of acquiring HIV
Street-based female sex workers in SA have very high HIV incidence, hence the need to sustain and strengthen efforts to mitigate risk and provide care.
A new way to save rhinos
Technology used to stop a nuclear bomb from being sneaked across a border could one day be at the forefront in the fight to save the rhino.
Obesity and industry - it's not what it looks like
Voluntary actions from industry are not helping fight against obesity-related conditions.
New Partnership Academic Programme on Nuclear Law
Wits is one of five universities to partner with the International Atomic Energy Agency to promote the safe use of the peaceful application of nuclear science.
Book launch on seminal study as ‘Mandela’s children’ come of age
The Birth to Thirty (Bt30) study in Soweto is Africa’s largest and longest-running birth cohort study.
Longest daily weather record for the South digitised
A project examining the Dutch East India Company’s day registers reveals unique information on the Cape’s past climate.
A lifetime dedicated to vaccines saving lives
Shabir Madhi, Professor of Vaccinology and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Wits won the 2020/21 NSTF-South32 Lifetime Award.
Training scholars in groundwater to rock economies and make a splash in water security
Wits hydrogeologist Prof. Tamiru Abiye is a National Research Foundation-rated scholar and winner of the 2021/22 NSTF-South32 TW Kambule Researcher Award.
In with the old: taking the long view when restoring grasslands
Restoration science and practice are critical in combatting the loss of old-growth grasslands and the loss of biodiversity.
Why metals matter in the modern world
Sehliselo Ndlovu, Professor of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering at Wits, won a 'Science Oscar' at the NSTF-South32 Research Awards on 22 July 2022.
Wits innovation changing the world for good
Wits University is home to a wellspring of talent from multiple disciplines where life-changing innovation is incubated.
Wits Research Office recognition for academics awarded by the National Research Foundation
The luncheon celebrated Wits NRF A-rated academics as well as scholars awarded previously but not formally acknowledged in person due to lockdown restrictions.
Wits VC inducted into prestigious Royal Society (UK)
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, internationally renowned nuclear physicist, joins the ranks of Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Stephen Hawking.
Witsies win lifetime achievement, research, and capacity development awards at Science Oscars
Professors Shabir Madhi, Sehliselo Ndlovu and Tamiru Abiye were winners at the 2021/2022 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF)-South 32 Research Awards.
Mammals were not the first to be warm-blooded
Karoo fossils provide “smoking gun” on clues to when warm-bloodedness evolved in pre-mammalian ancestors.
IPBES report warn of over exploitation of wild species
Over consumption of wildlife species for energy and food will place stress on the communities that need them for survival.
Widely-used kidney function tests underestimate scale of kidney disease in Africa
A commonly used blood test which measures how well a person’s kidneys are working may not pick up kidney disease for people in Africa.
Structured light just got more colourful
Researchers from the Wits Structured Light Laboratory showcase recent advances in replacing the traditional linear optical toolkit with nonlinear control.
Famous Sterkfontein Caves deposit 1 million years older than previously thought
New dates for Australopithecus-bearing Sterkfontein Cave deposit places South African hominin fossils at the centre of global palaeo research.
73-year-old Wits Professor to take on the Amazon river to fight climate change
Professor Kurt Sartorius and his colleague from the School of Accountancy, Wayne van Zijl, will set out on an expedition that nearly broke him 50 years ago.
Light travelling in a distorting medium can appear undistorted
That light gets distorted when passing through distorting media seems self-evident. Now Wits Researchers have discovered a hidden property in the light that rem
Boost to pursue his high-risk, high-reward ideas
Professor Benjamin Rosman is one of 18 early-career researchers in the world to be named CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars for 2022-2024.
Genetic risk scores could predict disease in Africans
Using genetic risk scores to predict which individuals have a higher risk genetically of developing a particular disease is set to revolutionise medicine.
A career-long love affair with science
From being dazzled by the launch of space stations in the 1970s to pushing the boundaries of quantum physics.
The 2022 ICT Skills Survey goes live
The impact of hybrid work models on IT skills in South Africa will be among the issues coming under the spotlight this year.
Wits Entrepreneurship Clinic will enable youth to become the future job creators
“Young entrepreneurs are one of the country's best hopes in solving the jobs crisis” - Dr Robert Venter, Project Leader for the WEC.
SA research leads to new WHO guidelines for improved TB treatment
Ground-breaking research conducted in SA to find shorter, more effective treatment for drug-resistant TB has informed global policy changes.
Wits scientists in the team that made the first image of the black hole in the centre of our galaxy
This result provides overwhelming evidence that the object is indeed a black hole and yields valuable clues about the workings of such giants.
Unleashing the potential of university-based archives
Towards the creation of a future Civil Society and Human Rights Archive and Research Hub at Wits.
National Research Foundation rates three Witsies for the first time as world leaders in their fields
The NRF has awarded new A-ratings to three Wits academics in the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Health Sciences respectively.
Geologists explain why most basaltic magma chambers are roofless
Wits geologists come up with an original interpretation for a long-standing petrological paradox – the common absence of roof rocks in basaltic magma chambers.
Twelve Witsies in the running for Science Oscars
Twelve Wits researchers are contenders for the prestigious NSTF-South32 Awards for 2021/2022, four of whom were nominated in two categories each.
Health Sciences student wins Wits FameLab
Mpho Mathole won the Wits leg of the international science communication competition and will go on to participate in the nationals later this year.
Future Ecosystems for Africa programme launched at Wits
Programme aims to identify African ecosystem vulnerabilities while leveraging African-informed transformative change opportunities.
Self-healing arrays of twisted light from a laser
Wits physicist part of team that develops novel laser.
South African History Archive returns home
SAHA was officially relaunched at Wits and will be part of the Archives and Research Hub.
SA teaching hospital shows 23 percent decrease in superbug transmission after novel intervention
A study shows for the first time that Ultraviolet room decontamination paired with manual cleaning decreases transmission of CRE by 23% in a hospital setting.
R50 million donation to advance innovation in South Africa
Alumnus Dr David Fine's generous donation will be used to establish the Angela and David Fine Chair in Innovation.
Mapping mosquitoes to combat malaria
Theresa Mazarire in the Wits Institute for Malaria (WRIM) combines environmental science and public health to control malaria mosquitoes.
Job losses, pay cuts – State of the Newsroom during Covid-19
The 2020 State of the Newsroom report looked at a year of ‘shock, confusion and a need to radically adapt’.
R10 million for the palaeosciences
#Wits100 donation will be used to fund the Micro CT scanner upgrade to benefit palaeontologists.
It’s complicated … but let’s talk about #Gender
Read the 13th issue of Curios.ty, themed: #Gender. We feature research across the gender spectrum that aims to ensure a more equitable and tolerant society.
To live and love across a spectrum
EDITORIAL: The way we choose to identify ourselves provokes questions and demands interrogation to ensure a more equitable and tolerant society.
STEM - not all are equal
Structures need to be put in place at higher education institutions to give women their rightful opportunities.
Beyond the binary
The gender binary has reached its expiry date but it still hasn’t been consigned to society’s dustbin.
The politics of a woman’s body
The backsliding of women’s rights happening right now should be the clarion call that gender rights are still everybody’s business.
The knife between her thighs
Female Genital Mutilation - South African researchers and medical practitioners are increasingly seeing it in its most extreme forms.
Finding Nemo’s sexual identity
As a species, we are only starting to scratch the surface of our understanding of gender, sex, and identity.
Levelling the playing fields
The competitive sporting world is playing catch-up with the realities of gender in modern society.
A woman’s work is never done
The work that women do in households is largely overlooked, yet it is critical for a well-functioning society.
Parenting in the city
Building cities for women will make them more inclusive for all groups.
Older people do bonk
The notion that people older than 50 neither desire nor engage in sexual intercourse is a misnomer that demands further research, particularly in Africa.
Monetising Pride
Responsibility and representation: Where does the buck stop for brands and business sales targeting the LGBTQIA+ community?
Fractured histories
Coloured women find their centre beyond the whisper and gossip.
Being queer in Africa
Despite a history of openness to queerness in pre-colonial times, Africa is now largely unwelcoming to LGBTQIA+ people.
Same-sexuality past and present
The notion that homosexuality is ‘unAfrican’ is totally false. People have engaged in same-sex relationships for centuries.
An illegal failure of our criminal justice system
Hate crimes such as the so-called “corrective rape” of lesbians and trans women is a black mark against SA’s constitutional democracy.
A heart for the queer and gay
Dr Ahmed Badat spends his life focusing on improving LGBTQIA+ mental health training for medical students.
Let’s talk about sex (and health), please
Changes in sexual functioning are a side effect of many physical and mental illnesses, however, across genders, sexual health and behaviour are not addressed.
Mobilising big data and AI to fight GBVF
Gender-based violence and femicide is a pandemic more insidious and endemic than a virus – how technology can help combat and prevent it.
Monstrous males/femme fatales
Gender portrayals in animated films have come a long way, which is important, as animation can be a tool for positive social change.
'Real' men lift others up and don't put them down
Men cannot be left on the periphery of conversations about gender-based violence and abuse.
Performing masculinity in Men’s Res
Q&A with Moeketsi Gordon Koahela on his research into masculinity and male university students.
Philanthropy’s feminist future
Could a growing understanding of the role of women in African philanthropy spark the evolution of the charitable giving sector?
Towards gender parity in academic leadership
Eight female fellows of the Female Academic Leadership (FALF) Programme at Wits share their experiences of breaking the glass ceiling.
We’re not your victims
COLUMN: Srila Roy says that feminists in the Global South are fighting the battle on two fronts, making a history of their own.
SA’s first black female doctor was a Witsie
When apartheid became law in 1948, a black woman from Limpopo had already achieved a series of firsts …
New project will examine Covid-19 vaccine acceptance in southern Africa
A new project will examine Covid-19 vaccine acceptance in SA and Zimbabwe and recommend strategies to promote vaccination.
Creating job opportunities for SA’s youth
The Wits Entrepreneurship Clinic gets going with programme to drive innovation and entrepreneurship.
Developing equal partnerships in unequal societies
Wits strengthens EU partnerships through becoming a CIVIS Alliance strategic partner.
Bushveld Complex functioned as a big magma tank
Scientists find that large, long-lived, and entirely molten magma chambers did exist in Earth’s crust.
New promising interventions to protect term and premature babies from deadly respiratory virus
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) and hospitalisation in infants.
Wits physicist awarded 2022 Sang Soo Lee Award
Professor Andrew Forbes recognised for his outstanding leadership in founding and growing an optics and photonics community in Africa.
French National Order of Merit awarded to Professor Helen Rees
This accolade recognises her outstanding medical career and commitment to improving global health with a focus on public health in Africa.
Population based survey reveals why SA is at a turning point in the pandemic
South Africans had extensive immunity against severe Covid-19 disease and death prior to Omicron, due to high infections in the first 3 waves and vaccination.
Wits celebrates research excellence
It was an upbeat post-pandemic return to campus when Wits academics gathered to celebrate research excellence.
City-slicker or rural farmer? What the bugs in your gut can tell you about your health
Scientists have for the first time described the microbiome in SA individuals in ‘city’ and ‘rural’ populations and discovered new bacteria in SA microbiomes.
Why and how Africans need to participate in genetic studies
Underrepresented populations need to feature more in genomic studies so that they benefit from research that explores how their unique genetics affect health.
Hat-trick of research accomplishments for Wits digital technologist
A researcher and lecturer in the Wits School of Education has begun 2022 with three high-profile achievements.
Covid-19: New tracker for shopping malls
Wits team develops social distancing and shopper behaviour tracker for malls.
Reading the nutritional signs in your burger, chips and soda combo
A study into fast food nutrition labelling found that just 58% of SA’s biggest fast food retailers surveyed provide nutritional information on their products.
EIE hosts first engineering Women’s Conference
The virtual conference highlighted the dynamic interventions that women are making in STEM.
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Ancient human relative, Australopithecus sediba, “walked like a human, but climbed like an ape”
New lower back fossils settles a decades old debate proving early hominins used their upper limbs to climb like apes, and their lower limbs to walk like humans.
EIE Open Day 2021
From ‘sniffing’ for an internet connection to estimating poverty from space, Open Day had you covered.
Lighting up the digital divide with ‘Fibre, Before the Fibre’
Wits leads efforts to develop low-cost, long-range free-space optics that can connect informal settlement communities to high-speed internet.
Wits, British Council to boost innovation in Africa
The new Wits Entrepreneurship Clinic will form part of the Innovation for African Universities Project that will drive economic development.
A child of darkness
Meet Leti, a Homo naledi child discovered in the Rising Star Cave System that yielded Africa’s richest site for fossil hominins.
Harnessing Thor’s hammer
How forensic science is unlocking the mysteries of fatal lightning strikes that could help save thousands of lives.
Wits ergonomics expert joins prestigious Academy of Science of South Africa
Professor Andrew Thatcher from the School of Human and Community Development has been appointed as a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf).
New Surgical Skills Lab to train specialists and sub-specialists
R22-million project to enhance the training of surgeons in South Africa.
New Wits laboratory will advance African genetics research
The Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience today launches a new research lab to understand African genetics and advance precision medicine in Africa.
My story: from Kenyan villager to international researcher
My name is Francis Otieno and I am telling this story to inspire school kids, emerging researchers, and everyone – your dreams are possible!
Witsies win six Science Oscars at prestigious national research awards
Wits researchers won six National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF)-South32 research awards .
R70m to transform the ‘Bara Burns Unit’ into a world-class facility
New specialised Wits Roy McAlpine Burns Unit will treat burn survivors and will create a high-tech skin bank and tissue engineering laboratory in Soweto.
SA ICT sector navigates pandemic unscathed but skills gaps remain
The 2021 ICT Skills Survey results were released on 28 September 2021.
Wits-educated billionaire launches R3-billion vaccine development project in SA
It will help to establish two research centres to boost cancer and vaccine research at the University of the Witwatersrand.
A rising research star
The Oppenheimer Memorial Trust (OMT) has awarded the Rising Star Fellowship to Associate Professor Peace Kiguwa.
Oppenheimer donation advances African Future Studies at Wits
The Oppenheimer Memorial Trust (OMT) has donated R15 million towards the African Future Studies Initiative at Wits University.
Remote work a win for South Africa's ICT professionals
JSCE-IITPSA ICT Skills Survey results will be released on 28 September 2021.
Wits humanities scholar a Falling Walls winner
Professor Dilip Menon’s transnationalism research earns him prestigious Falling Walls Award.
Let’s DIY future democracies for good
#DIYAfrica 2021 creates space for Africans to “Do It Yourself” and realise the potential of new and emerging technologies to bring about change.
Wits to coordinate South Africa’s national quantum initiative
The South African Quantum Technology Initiative (SA QuTI) aims to drive local quantum technology research and innovation.
Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine shows promise in protecting people with HIV
The Wits Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytical (VIDA) research unit conducted the phase 1B/2A clinical trial.
African Research on Kidney Disease begins in Mpumalanga
It’s South African Kidney Awareness Week from 6-10 September and the ARK Consortium has begun a unique African study.
Wits leads ambitious partnership to drive AI in Africa
The AI Africa Consortium partners with Cirrus AI to bring large-scale AI infrastructure capacity and expertise to the African research community and industry.
Burning of fossil fuels directly impacts dung beetles
Elevated carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere negatively affects dung beetles size and survival.
Johannesburg turned into live laboratory to measure 'killer' lightning
DEHN AFRICA donates R500 000 to the Johannesburg Lightning Research Laboratory at Wits University to support pioneering research in lightning protections.
Are you quantum or not? Wits PhD student cracks the high-dimensional quantum code
A new and fast tool for quantum computing and communication.
Research shows that female sex workers are exposed to extremely high levels of violence
This is the first time evidence has been available from a national sample and illuminates the health and complex life experiences of these vulnerable women.
The scandalous times of a book louse
Deborah Minors interviews Professor Robert Muponde on his new book, 'The Scandalous Times of a Book Louse: A Memoir of a Childhood'.
Former Witsie wins 2021 Dirac Medal
Physicist Professor Saul Teukolsky receives the prize for theoretical work essential to the detection of gravitational waves.
Wits launches new Centre for Journalism
The Wits Centre for Journalism will engage with the rapidly changing world of African journalism.
Variants, the fourth wave, vaccines and the unlikelihood of herd immunity
What might happen in South Africa?
Curios.ty 12 (#Solutions): Advancing society for good
Our cutting-edge research offers #Solutions to some of the most challenging problems facing society today.
Wits.For Good. solutions inspire hope
Editorial: From solutions to the structural, political, and socioeconomic challenges in South Africa, to those ‘moonshot moments’ that advance society for good.
Reinventing higher education
We need to rethink higher education by asking what kind of society we want to create.
No place for politics in bricks and mortar
South Africa’s infrastructure seems to be falling apart at the seams. What needs to be done to save the country from further deterioration?
Building a better city
A ‘world class African City’ begins and ends with history and geography.
Pay the taxman his dues
A wealth tax could make a significant contribution to alleviating South Africa’s ailing fiscal situation.
What adds up when teaching maths?
To help close the maths gap in South Africa, Wits experts believe the focus should lie on the teacher.
Getting serious about gaming
Games from the Game Design programme at the Wits School of Digital Arts tell important stories, and allow for solutions to many real-world problems.
Zoom in. Team up. The new era of therapy
Can online platforms help therapists and tutors transform teaching and care beyond the pandemic?
Love in the boardroom
Can love be the central guiding value in big business and in complex decisions?
Mathematics solutions to boost tourism numbers
Numbers in tourism translate into revenue for the sector. Mathematicians are now number-crunching creatively to solve tourism challenges.
Photographing ghosts in space
Photographing a black hole in space, 55 million light years from Earth, seems an impossible task but scientists went to unprecedented lengths to achieve this.
How the brain solves problems
The connections among areas of our brain and how they interact is what counts when trying to find solutions to problems.
Think big to heal South African society
The ructions caused by the pandemic are an opportunity to reconsider core values and spending priorities to address our social ills.
Sense and sensuality in people with disabilities
Wits researchers are creating the space and support for people with disabilities to talk about sex.
Enabling engagement
Breaking down the perceptual barriers between students and people living with disabilities.
Engineering empathy
In search of ways to help his father recover from injuries suffered in a motorbike accident, Nabeel Vandayar enrolled at Wits to study medicine.
Healing South Africa’s public health headache
Academia binds the public and private healthcare sectors in the move towards universal healthcare .
Another brick in the pay wall
The media industry in South Africa has been sputtering along for several years. How do we prevent it from totally collapsing?
Social media regulation: Can we trust the tech giants?
Some scholars consider these ‘liberating technologies’ because they empower citizens to speak back to power and hold leaders accountable.
What the world needs now
As the world looks to COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland in 2021, it’s clear that the time for sitting on the side-lines is over.
Repurposing drugs to treat dangerous diseases
In drug repurposing new uses are identified for a drug outside of its original scope of indication, resulting in more effective treatment.
Can philanthropy grow Africa?
Despite the fact the philanthropy is pervasive – benefactors and beneficiaries abound – relatively little is known about its practice in an African context.
Make South Africa great again!
Column: We don’t just have the ability to turn South Africa around, we have a responsibility to do so.
Weekend theatrics so the show could go on
The solution was to convert the school hall of the McAuley House convent, The Nunnery, into a theatre – over one weekend.
One of the world’s rarest chameleons found clinging to survival
Chapman’s pygmy chameleon, long feared to be extinct in the wild has been found surviving in patches of rainforest in Malawi.
How light pollution affects dung beetles
Light pollution makes it difficult for dung beetles to see the stars which they use to orientate, Wits researchers find.
Variant Bio Launches New Partnership on Kidney Disease in South Africa
Variant Bio is excited to announce the first research project in South Africa through a partnership with the African Research on Kidney Disease (ARK) Consortium
Wits Vice-Chancellor on the purpose of education in the 21st Century – escaping Plato’s cave
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits was part of an eminent panel to discuss the purpose of education in the 21st Century.
'Grand Geek' to lead Wits’ Innovation Strategy
Professor Barry Dwolatzky has been contracted as Director of Innovation Strategy.
Re-inventing the Doppler effect
Wits and HUST researchers report a new form of the Doppler effect.
Wits graduates awarded start-up capital for pharmacy innovation
Wits Pharmacy graduates were awarded seed funding for their automated, antimicrobial-surface coated pill-dispensing innovation, Ra-Pill.
Covid-19 vaccine research ALIVE and thriving at Wits
The Wits African Leadership in Vaccinology Expertise (ALIVE) has awarded research grants for cross-disciplinary Covid-19 vaccine-related projects.
SA-French research cooperation fostering scientific excellence with CNRS-Wits bipartite agreement
Wits and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) today signed a bipartite agreement of research cooperation to foster scientific excellence.
Wits tackles water crisis through new water research programme
The Claude Leon Foundation will fund two research chairs and a research programme in water stewardship worth R15.7 million.
Breathing life into bone
An international Wits-led team of scientists used high-powered X-rays to show how an extinct South African dinosaur, Heterodontosaurus tucki, breathed.
Hate killings of black lesbians in South Africa
“We only write about them when they are dead."
South Africa’s underground astronaut
Profile: NatGeo Emerging Explorer Dr Keneiloe Molopyane.
Dream team heads for world robotics soccer cup
For the first time, a Wits University team will compete in the international RoboCup tournament.
Photonics unlocks second quantum revolution
Wits University’s future hub of Quantum Technology is switched on.
Wits neuropsychologist awarded prestigious global scholarship
Dr Sahba Besharati in the Department of Psychology is one of just 19 CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars, a programme that supports early-career researchers.
The Wits Quantum Initiative launches at Wits
WitsQ will provide first a forum for quantum scientists in all fields across the continent to connect.
Pandemic impact on ICT skills in the spotlight in 2021 ICT Skills Survey
The JCSE-IITPSA Skills Survey assesses skills demand and supply from both a corporate and practitioner perspective.
WhatsApp + maths tutors = a solution for poor learners
An innovative maths WhatsApp hotline threw high school teens an educational lifeline during 2020.
GCRF Funding of Synchrotron Techniques for Africa lauded as great success
Results include 80+ researchers now collaborating from multiple continents, over 50 world class papers published and a new generation of scientists trained.
Survey to unearth health info practices around Covid-19 in SA
Various studies have been conducted to understand the issues surrounding the Corona virus, and its impact on different population groups.
Rhino anti-poaching research goes nuclear
From 2010 to 2019 over 9 600 rhinos were killed in poaching attacks. On this current trajectory, South Africa’s rhino will be nearing extinction in nine years.
One of the world’s coolest inventions
South African-born engineer and entrepreneur is making a significant contribution in the fight against Covid-19.
Wits Archaeologist named 2021 National Geographic Explorer
Archaeologist and biological anthropologist, Keneiloe Molopyane, is recognised as a trailblazer by the prestigious National Geographic Society.
Wits University and French National Centre for Scientific Research announce PhD projects
Wits University and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) have announced five CNRS-Wits PhD projects to be supported in 2021.
South African materials technology used in CERN’s ATLAS experiment
The use of South African technology to produce high tech electronic components will cost five times less than importing the technology from the United States.
Who catches and transmits flu in SA and the implications for vaccination
A new study has found a high burden of influenza in a rural and an urban setting in SA, where asymptomatic people – particularly children – transmit this virus.
In defence of Joburg minibus taxi drivers
It's Global Road Safety Week from 17-23 May. Research by a bioethicist challenges assumptions about road safety, minibus taxi crashes, and who's responsible.
DeepMind establishes scholarship for four Wits Masters students in machine learning
Scholarships seek to increase diversity in the fields of machine learning and are aimed at students from backgrounds underrepresented in AI.
Launch of new online magazine Nature Africa
Wits University is a founding partner of the new online magazine reporting on scientific research and policy across Africa.
Wits scientist appointed to a position of leadership at the European Laboratory CERN
Professor Bruce Mellado has been elected Chairperson of the Institutional Board of the Tile Calorimeter of the ATLAS experiment at CERN.
Novavax Covid-19 vaccine trial results show efficacy against the B.1.351 variant in SA study
Results from the initial primary analysis of the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine trial conducted by Wits VIDA in SA have been published.
Wits cancer researcher awarded highest honour from Cancer Association of South Africa
Professor Paul Ruff received the 2020 A.G. Oettlé Memorial medal from CANSA in recognition of his outstanding contributions to cancer research.
How the language you speak aligns to your genetic origins and may impact research on your health
A new study challenges the presumption that all South-Eastern-Bantu speaking groups are a single genetic entity.
AI-powered Algorithm released to detect the third wave in South Africa
While models show a low risk of a third wave in South Africa, the country is still highly vulnerable.
Sales of sugar sweetened beverages decline after SA introduces Health Promotion Levy – study
A study by PRICELESS-SA and partners shows that SA’s 2018 “sugar tax” led to a reduction in purchases of sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs).
Challenging perspectives on magma chambers
Wits researchers report on a new phenomenon in magma chambers called “magmatic karstification”.
Wits students develop unique cannabis cultivation tech
Two master’s students are developing new technologies aimed at disrupting the booming cannabis, or so called ‘green gold’, industry.
Disentangling the neuromolecular networks involved in speech and language
As a biochemist/biophysicist working primarily with proteins, Sylvia Fanucchi is naturally drawn to the mechanisms of interactions of biological macromolecules.
Wits announces team to advance AI research in Africa
The team, led by Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, will lead Africa’s effort to advance artificial intelligence research and its application across the continent.
Image of black hole shows magnetic fields around a black hole are strong enough to resist gravity
Wits astrophysicists are the only two scientists on African continent that contributed to the study.
Professor Roy Shires wins International Excellence in Endocrinology Award
The Endocrine Society in Washington, D.C. has named Wits Professor Roy Shires as the recipient of the 2020 International Excellence in Endocrinology Award.
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‘Johannesburg Lasts’, a special issue of Ellipses Journal for Creative Research
Online and interactive creative research from the Wits School of Arts and Arts Research Africa.
Wits tests the waters at Wakkerstroom
Wits scientists provide free testing of water quality in honour of International Water Day in Wakkerstroom.
South African Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine study a global game-changer
Findings of the SA study in the Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine trial have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).
Novavax Covid-19 vaccine trial results in SA and UK confirm high levels of efficacy
Results of the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine trial in SA and UK have confirmed high levels of efficacy against the original and variant Covid-19.
Whale and dolphin brains are special, but for heat production, not for intelligence
Scientific evidence shows specialised features in the large brains of whales and dolphins that are adapted for heat production.
Wits and Biovac partner to develop skills to produce viral vectored vaccines in South Africa
The Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit via Wits Enterprise has partnered with Biovac to develop the skills capacity to produce viral vectored vaccines in SA.
Prehistoric killing machine exposed
Previously thought of as heavy, slow and sluggish, the 260-million-year-old predator, Anteosaurus, was a ferocious hunter-killer.
New technology allows scientists first glimpse of intricate details of Little Foot’s life
High resolution X-ray imaging of Little Foot's skull and dentition shows Little Foot suffered periods of dietary stress and illness when she was a child.
Targeted spraying to prevent malaria in low transmission setting halves cost of current practice
A study by Wits scientists and partners has proved that a targeted malaria transmission prevention intervention is not inferior to the 'blanket' approach.
New Earth Sciences Cluster
This new Cluster will further encourage world class research through collaboration, coordination and communications.
National Research Foundation A-rates four Wits scientists again
The NRF has re-awarded A-ratings to four Wits scientists, a grading which confirms that they are recognised as leading international scholars in their fields.
South African Child Gauge tackles the slow violence of malnutrition
The DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development at Wits helped develop the 15th issue of the South African Child Gauge®.
Oxford Covid-19 vaccine trial results
The Wits Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics (VIDA) Research Unit, which runs the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine trial in South Africa, has announced results.
Oxford Covid-19 vaccine shows sustained protection of 76% during 3-month interval until second dose
Researchers at the University of Oxford have today published in Preprints with The Lancet an analysis of further data from the ongoing trials of the vaccine.
Novavax Covid-19 vaccine the first to demonstrate clinical efficacy against South African variant
Clinical efficacy demonstrated in Phase 2b South Africa trial.
Geophysicists develop innovative seismic technologies
Wits geophysicists have invented cost-effective and environmentally friendly seismic technologies that will contribute to sustainable mining exploration.
Wits joins York Univeristy in Africa-Canada Artificial Intelligence Data Modelling consortium
Consortium will research predictive modelling and forecasting of the transmission of COVID-19 in Africa, using Artificial Intelligence.
Curios.ty 11 (#Viral): Covid-19 - An opportunity for a global reset
The pandemic demands a relook of how we connect with each other and the world.
How Covid-19 enabled a reset in the world
Editorial: The Covid-19 pandemic has gone viral and has severely impacted on how we interact, conduct our business, teach and learn.
How national identity affects infection outcome
Could a country’s collective psychology determine the outcomes of a pandemic? A global cohort of researchers believes so.
CTRL-ALT-DELETE: Re-setting the post-pandemic South Africa
The Covid-19 lockdown has had a massive impact on South Africa’s economy, exposing profound weaknesses such as the country’s huge inequality.
How vaccines save lives
The story of how vaccines save lives is important to tell – now more than ever.
Second wave severity: What semi-saved South Africa?
South Africa has surprised itself and the world with fewer Covid-19 deaths despite a significantly higher infection rate as predicted.
The long haul to partial recovery
So-called Covid long-haulers afflicted with 'Long Covid' are showing how long and frustrating the journey to recovery can be.
Making sense of the numbers
Modelling pandemics might be an imperfect science, but it is the best that we have.
Pandemic history foretells a dismal future
If history has taught the world anything, it’s to ignore the warning signs and carry on catching diseases.
When the US sneezes...
Different nations’ responses to the pandemic should serve as a warning to exercise extreme caution in choosing leaders.
Virus wages war on women
Almost everyone has suffered in some way from the effects of the Covid pandemic – but women have suffered far more.
Understanding the infodemic
Covid-19 misinformation, mythology, and fake news has implications for public health.
Valour and the virus
Throughout her career, Professor Glenda Gray has focussed on one thing only – saving lives.
Teaching in a Covid global village
It takes a village to raise a child but the global village is shrinking.
A fleeting green moment in time
Scientists predict that an Age of Pandemics is imminent unless human beings change their ways.
The blame game: Putting a pandemic on the pangolin
Is blaming a threatened species for a global pandemic not an indictment of our environmental conscience?
What we caught online
We need new rules of engagement on social media – even if we don’t know it yet.
Privacy and the dollars in you data
The balance between sharing personal data online and how it’s used and by whom is difficult to define and complex to regulate.
Infection online
Online attacks and phishing surged during Covid-19. Is there a permanent solution to cybercrime?
TikTok/WeChat: US and them
Banning popular apps like TikTok and WeChat is about more than a spat between the US and China.
Big data: A sword to wield or a knife in the back?
Competition policy will determine if big data is a tool for inclusion or exclusion.
Keeping an eye on the virus from the sky
Profile: When Covid-19 hit, 21-year-old Wits engineering student, Xolani Radebe, knew that he wanted to be part of the solution.
Beating the pandemic through innovative thinking
Three Wits postgraduate students demonstrate how their research and innovative ideas contribute to addressing a pandemic.
Finding security in the unseen
Messages carried in structured light can secure quantum communications in the future.
Dimming the lights on malaria
The fight against the disease that kills hundreds of thousands of people in Africa each year could be as simple as changing a light bulb.
Along came a virus…
Column: Professor Lynn Morris reflects on a lifetime of virus hunting, from HIV, through Ebola, to SARS-COV-2.
In the company of criminals
Column: Using the Covid-19 National State of Disaster to try to govern booze and cigarettes, is the wrong approach.
The making of a hospital
How the Wayside Inn became the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital.
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A wealth tax for South Africa
New paper shares details on how to implement a wealth tax in South Africa.
Wits scientists artificially infect mosquitoes with human malaria to advance treatment
Wits scientists and local and global partners have artificially infected mosquitoes with human malaria and identified a new chemical compound to treat malaria.
Building Africa's AI initiative
Considerations behind the largest and most complex undertaking of its kind in Africa’s history.
AI helps to identify new Covid-19 hotspots in Gauteng
Gauteng Government, IBM Research and Wits University are fighting the pandemic with artificial intelligence.
Annual SoAP exhibition goes online
For the first time, the Wits School of Architecture and Planning (SoAP) held its End of Year School Show online.
Species across the globe at risk
Changes in fire activity are threatening more than 4 400 species globally.
Witsies receive 2020 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award
The L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Programme has recognised two female Wits scientists for their groundbreaking research.
Pioneering research and innovation through the Nairobi Alliance
An innovative research partnership with the potential to transform lives and support communities across the world has launched today.
First peer-reviewed results of phase 3 human trials of Oxford Covid-19 vaccine demonstrate efficacy
For the first time, Covid-19 vaccine phase 3 human trial results have been peer-reviewed and published in a scientific journal.
Huge money boost for Planetary and Space Science Project
Wits plays key role in securing funding to develop Planetary and Space Science projects in Africa.
PhD student receives major international grant at CERN
Humphry Tlou, a physics PhD student at Wits, is one of two students to be awarded with the CERN ATLAS PhD grant.
The hunt for an HIV vaccine
Unique insights from an inspiring cohort of women in South Africa.
Wits University physicist wins top South African physics award
The Gold Medal from the South African Institute of Physics is the greatest distinction that is conferred in South Africa for achievements in Physics.
Wits University statement on Oxford Covid-19 vaccine results in UK and Brazil populations
Scientists at Wits University are encouraged by results announced today by colleagues at the University of Oxford in collaboration with AstraZeneca.
The postgraduate blueprint for a future that works
Register for postgraduate study at Wits University and be part of the future of exciting possibilities.
Witsie receives grant to develop early-career research managers
Research manager, Caryn McNamara, one of more than 50 international grantees to help develop research management professionals.
HIV study shows new injection is more effective than current daily HIV pill to prevent HIV in women
Early unblinding of the of long-acting cabotegravir (CAB LA) is a milestone for prevention of HIV among women in sub Saharan Africa.
Africa’s first 5G Innovation Lab
Wits, Huawei and rain jointly launch Africa's first 5G laboratory at the Wits Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct.
Biomimicry control for Covid diagnostics
Wits researchers develop solution to improve accuracy and safety of Covid-19 testing.
Major new African genome study finds varieties that inform African history, migration and immunity
Wits geneticists and partners publish groundbreaking study that informs African population history, environmental adaptation, and susceptibility to disease.
GCRF START grant fulfilling a vision
Exciting new research at Wits made possible through the GCRF START grant.
Wits researcher receives $150 000 Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer grant
Wits conservation scientist, Dr Bernard Coetzee received the prestigious Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer grant for his work on light pollution.
EIE Virtual Open Day 2020
The School of Electrical and Information Engineering (EIE) recently held its Open Day online for the first time.
Anticipating a 'second wave'
Covid-19: When and how South Africa should try to prevent or mitigate it.
Covid-19 pandemic drives need for policy brief on physical activity for health in Africa
More than ever, the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to prioritise physical activity as an imperative for public health in Africa.
New global health research to reduce the impacts of Covid-19 across low- and middle-income countries
Wits Health Consortium divisions - PRICELESS-SA, Agincourt and Ezintsha - secure grant in association with Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
, Zakhele Ndala (School of Chemistry) and Leigh Crymble (Wits Business School)_600x300.jpg "Wits PhD Winners: Tamlyn Naidu (Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering), Zakhele Ndala (School of Chemistry) and Leigh Crymble (Wits Business School)")
Wits PhD Seminar Winners
Finalists at Wits’ first cross-faculty PhD Seminar kept judges and audiences on the edge.
Trial to test if measles, mumps, rubella vaccine protects healthcare workers against Covid-19
The measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine may strengthen immune response to viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19.
Dietary migration of Kruger's Impala rivals the geographical migration of the Serengeti wildebeest
Research shows seasonal dietary changes increase the abundances of savanna herbivore species.
Diamonds are a quantum scientist’s best friend
The discovery of triplet spin superconductivity in diamonds has the potential to revolutionise the high-tech industry.
Ezintsha study provides new data on current ART regimens with concerns about weight gain
The SA ADVANCE study of the potency and safety of SA's commonly used antiretroviral treatment regimens has published new safety data, especially on weight gain.
How social distancing during a pandemic affects the elderly in rural South Africa
Socialising is essential for brain health in the elderly in rural South Africa – has lockdown affected their cognitive function?
10 years of broadcasting for VOW FM
Voice of Wits FM marks 10 years of great radio and growth.
Wits Professor wins top chemistry prize
Professor Charles de Koning is awarded the South African Chemistry Institute’s (SACI) gold medal and gets inducted as a Fellow of SACI.
Wits researcher writes book on the evolutionary origins of life and death
Durand uses cell death as a lens through which to examine the interconnectedness of life and death.
Wits PhD students take leadership roles at the European laboratory CERN
The two students have also been awarded highly competitive fellowships for their outstanding work.
Wits scientist on global commission that cautions against using gene-edited embryos for pregnancy
Wits Professor of Human Genetics Michèle Ramsay has contributed to the international report on Heritable Human Genome Editing released in the UK on 3 September.
Student project goes to Dutch Design Week
The work of Joshil Naran, a masters in Architecture student, has been selected to showcase at a global festival for creatives and innovators.
Wits University resumes vaccinating in the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine trial
Wits University has resumed vaccinating in the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine trial currently also underway in the UK, Brazil and the U.S.
Wits University pauses Oxford Covid-19 vaccine trial as part of standard regulatory procedure
Wits University will pause the Covid-19 vaccine trial it is running with the University of Oxford following a medical event in a volunteer in the UK.
GCRO map shows more women get Covid-19 in Gauteng
More women (56%) than men are testing positive for COVID-19 in Gauteng.
Curios.ty 10, #Mood, explores mental health now and in the next decade
By 2030, mental health will be the single largest global challenge we will face (World Health Organization).
How are you really doing? #MOOD
Life as we know it has changed due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) which has irrevocably altered the way we live, work, behave, think and feel.
A moment in time
Wits postgraduate students in Medical Anthropology share the effects of living under lockdown amidst the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Is South Africa driving us mad?
We live in a state of constant high alert in South Africa. The effect on us is profound but an environment like this also builds resilience.
Putting a number on mental health costs
Mental health costs should be counted in people, not rands and cents.
Mental gymnastics
What’s the best thing you can do for your brain today? Move!
Save you sanity with sleep
Lack of sleep can wreak havoc on your physical health and mental wellbeing – and may have implications for people living with HIV.
The comfort of the Arts
The arts evoke emotion. How do we harness them for wellbeing?
Rock on!
Music is thought to be one of the ways that our ancient ancestors expressed their emotions – and may well have led to early languages.
Can tech save our sanity?
Promising technological and online innovations could be crucial in combating the world’s alarming mental health statistics.
Teaming-up at home
Our dependence on technology brought on by Covid-19 makes cognitive and emotional demands that, unaddressed, threaten our mental wellbeing.
Over ruled – How the head trumps the heart
Our brain is a complex organ – it keeps us breathing, helps us pull our hands from a fire, and keeps our emotions, fears and dreams in check.
The Crocodile Rock
Pay close attention the next time you play a Bach concerto to your pet crocodile. If you look closely, you might just see him tapping his toes to the rhythm.
Traditional answers to mind-body-spirit questions
Indigenous knowledge is critical in helping people cope with mental health issues that western medicine may not address.
How your tribe affects your vibe
We are influenced by those with whom we most closely associate, in terms of our ideologies, political positions and prejudices. Covid-19 exposed who we are.
Madness, she wrote
The feminisation of madness is persistent and pervasive as are forms of Othering across societies.
Feelings about fathers
The role of the father in the family or, more specifically, his absence, has profound implications for the mental wellbeing of his offspring.
Balancing two worlds
PROFILE: Nothing is more empowering than the feeling like you are being heard. Dr Nomfundo Moroe lends an ear and empathy to the Deaf community.
Whiter workplace wellness?
Mental health is set to become a global crisis by 2030. Creating a caring, nurturing culture in your workplace can save employers and employees a lot of stress.
Our ageing brains: Concentrating on dementia
Strong social networks can go a long way to assist people living with forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer's.
Understanding suicide
Suicide risk may start in the womb and studies also connect it to factors including smoking, social media and social inequality.
Concentrating on ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a long phrase to describe a short attention span. In students, ADHD can severely impact academic performance.
The right to die
Q&A: Professor of Philosophy, Kevin Behrens explains why euthanasia is not simply a matter of life and death.
Building a better understanding of disability
People with disabilities, be they physical or mental, are often treated differently, which may affect their mental wellness. How to remove the social barriers.
Facing feelings that fuel power relations
Critical Diversity Studies scholar, Adanma Yisa, explains why automated emotional responses shield us from confronting criticism can undermine reconciliation.
Lockdown blues
COLUMN: Every lockdown has a silver lining, Schalk Mouton discovers as he roller-coasters through the emotional demands of living in isolation.
History has no end
Former student leader and now Professor of Law, Firoz Cachalia, reflects on the mood before Nelson Mandela was released from prison 30 years ago.
-600x300.png "Wits Agincourt nurse Olivia Khosa tests a child in rural Bushbuckridge for COVID for the PHIRST study")
Study on SARS-CoV-2 transmission by asymptomatic people in rural and urban SA
How many people in one household contract SARS-CoV-2, transmit it without having symptoms, and how does this virus interact with other pathogens in the home?
Covid 19: Scientific excellence will help explore new frontiers
When university resources are scarce, building and sustaining equitable research excellence should be paramount.
200 000 years ago, humans preferred to kip cozy
Humans prepared beds to sleep on right at the dawn of our species – over 200 000 years ago.
Accounting, governance and integrated thinking
Special Report by the Wits School of Accounting on how companies should manage the Covid-19 pandemic.
Covid-19 Expert Advice #3: Testing for Covid-19? All you need to know about antibody tests
The third in a series of expert advisories on how to respond to Covid-19 which will be published from time to time by Maverick Citizen.
Covid-19 Expert Advice #2: Practical guidance on disinfecting
This is the second of a series of Expert Advisories on how to respond to Covid-19 which will be published from time to time by Maverick Citizen.
Covid-19 Expert Advice #1: How long should I isolate or quarantine for?
This is the first of a series of expert advisories on how to respond to Covid-19 which will be published from time to time by Maverick Citizen.
Investigating energy materials for efficient and cost effective conversion of sunlight into electric
Alternative energy at increased efficiency with lower cost and improved environmental footprints has a domino effect on socio-economic landscape.
Sustainable solutions to the energy challenge
“Our vision one day is to see such fuel cells commercialised and distributed around Africa and the rest of the world," says Sikhumbuzo Masina, PhD candidate.
Wits students dominate global supercomputing competition
Despite Covid-19, Wits students won second place with their applications to aide analysis of Covid-19 data in the competition held online for the first time.
Male mosquito odours reveal how mozzies mate
For the first time, scientists have identified male mosquito-specific pheromones that influence mating rituals.
Wits experts to speak at international symposium on climate and environmental factors in COVID-19
Symposium coincides with the publication of their article on environmental drivers and the potential seasonality of COVID-19.
Hat-trick of wins for Witsies at Science Oscars
Three Witsies in human genetics, economic geology, and public health research data respectively have won National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) awards.
Sharing a secret … the quantum way
Wits Researchers demonstrate a new quantum approach for sharing a secret amongst many parties, setting a new record for the highest dimensions and parties.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccination of pregnant women could prevent pneumonia in babies
Immunising pregnant women with a potential vaccine against RSV could prevent the most common cause of pneumonia in their babies.
Antarctica more widely impacted by humans than previously thought
Data from 2.7 million human activity records show just how extensive human use of Antarctica has been over the last 200 years.
Wits University senior clinicians volunteer for Covid-19 vaccine trial
Senior clinicians in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Wits University have volunteered to participate in South Africa’s first Covid-19 vaccine trial.
Daytime aardvark sightings are a sign of troubled times
Wits researchers find that aardvarks feeding in the daytime during droughts might be starving.
Wits students showcase South African electronics research at top international workshop
ACES 2020 ATLAS CMS Electronics is the state-of-the-art international electronics conference for Large Hadron Collider LHC upgrades at CERN.
Top nuclear physicist to lead Wits
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi appointed as the Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal from 1 January 2021
The first Covid-19 vaccine trial in South Africa begins
The first participants in South Africa's first clinical trial for a vaccine against Covid-19 will be vaccinated this week.
PhD student’s study on the state of magma in crustal reservoirs published in Nature Communications
The study challenges a recently-emerged paradigm that magma chambers are huge masses of crystals with just a very small amount of melt.
Challenge accepted: bringing a science paper to life through video
Professor Lee Berger accepts a challenge in science communications to turn a science paper into an interesting video lecture.
Dedicated dozen nominated for science oscars
Twelve Wits scientists across disciplines have been nominated for NSTF-South 32 Research Awards, known as the 'Science Oscars', and eight are finalists.
How to discover your own fossil site
Discovering a fossil site takes a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck. Professor Lee Berger describes the clues that led him to the discovery of Malapa.
The long arm and short legs wars
Professor Lee Berger explores the origins of the this great debate and examines the arguments of the terrestrialists and the arborealists.
Wits students’ research on cover of leading world optics journal
Wits Master’s students create best practice guide for efficient and accurate use of DMDs in structured light laboratories.
The impact of Gladysvale
Gladysvale is known for its impact on the dating of cave sites in Africa and has produced some of the most spectacular faunal remains of extinct animals.
GeneXpert testing platform for TB repurposed to accelerate testing for Covid-19
Efforts to test for Covid-19 in SA have been boosted through repurposing the Cepheid GeneXpert® Systems, originally designed to test for tuberculosis (TB).
A Question of Numbers
Does the fossil sample for Australopithecus africanus only represent one species. Professor Lee Berger takes on this sticky question.
JCSE Listening Circle Series
Join South Africa’s Grand Geek’ and leading digital experts as they explore Africa’s Digital Future.
A matter of time
Professor Lee Berger explores the use of the absolute age of fossils in questions of phylogeny, and where the age of a fossil is important.
When were there giants?
Is there any evidence in the fossil record that giants have lived on Earth in the past? Professor Lee Berger explores this question.
The context of fossil hominid discoveries in Africa
Professor Lee Berger explains the context of how original fossils are preserved and explores the context of discoveries.
Choices in a fog of uncertainty: lessons for coronavirus from climate change
The science to policy process that was developed to guide climate mitigation decisions can be applied to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The species concept in palaeoanthropology
Professor Lee Berger explains the concept of species in palaeoanthropology.
Wits needs 300 volunteers for COVID-19 rapid test study
Have you tested positive for coronavirus or been near someone who has? If so, your country urgently needs you for a South African COVID-19 rapid test study.
Exploring the Fossil Hominid Vault at the University of the Witwatersrand
Professor Lee Berger shows what is behind the doors of the Phillip V Tobias Fossil Hominid vault.
An Introduction to the fossils of Sterkfontein
Professor Lee Berger introduces one of the world's longest running and richest fossil hominid sites.
Coronavirus: why South Africa needs a wealth tax now
A wealth tax on the top 1% of South Africans could raise R143 billion. This corresponds to 29% of the R500 billion COVID-19 package announced by the government.
I can’t reach with the screwdriver, please pass the laser!
New metasurface laser opens up a new world of applications using optical control of physical objects.
Wits publishes first clinical data on COVID-19 in South Africa
Health professionals will face difficult ethical decisions when it comes to dealing with COVID-19 patients.
The muddle in the middle-Pleistocene
Professor Lee Berger explains the mystery surrounding human relatives living in Africa during the middle Pleistocene.
Unique Namibian trial finds smart interventions reduce malaria transmission by 75%
Wits scientists along with Namibian, UK and US partners have shown how the smart application of existing interventions can reduce the transmission of malaria.
Wits COVID-19 dashboard gets grant award from the IEEE
New features added as inter disciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration data on the pandemic grows.
Rise of the Prometheus
In the second episode of Professor Lee Berger’s series of lectures on human origin, he delves into his favourite hominid-bearing site, Makapansgat.
Professor Lee Berger to host online video lectures on human origins
Lectures will feature some of the University’s fossils, including the Taung Child, Homo naledi, Australopithecus sediba and various other fossils.
South Africa needs to end the lockdown: here’s a blueprint for its replacement
Academics call on government to develop a comprehensive health and economic strategy if it is to prevent long term socio-economic damage caused by pandemic.
Dinosaur "Easter eggs" reveal their contents in 3D
High-powered X-rays of the world’s oldest fossilised dinosaur embryos show surprising similarities to the embryos of today’s crocodiles, lizards and chickens.
Wits COVID-19 dashboard goes continental
New features added as inter disciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration data on the pandemic grows.
Wits engineers make face shields to protect healthcare workers
A team of innovative Witsies is using their design and engineering skills to create face shields in aid of the fight against COVID-19.
Wits’ Forbes appointed as editor-in-chief of international journal
Forbes is the first South African to take over the reins of the 100-year-old publication published by the UK’s Institute of Physics.
Wits researchers unravel the mystery of magmatic rocks consisting of random proportions of minerals
Geologists found the answer as to why certain magmatic rocks have varying proportions of minerals than what is expected of their type.
Wits researchers launch most comprehensive COVID-19 dashboard in South Africa
The dashboard is aimed at informing government, scientists, the media and general public with quick, easy-to-understand information on the current situation.
Wits PhD student develops novel infection control solution
New self-sanitising surface coating will help to address infection control in hospitals, food processing plants and public transport surfaces.
"Little Foot" skull reveals how this human ancestor lived
Micro-CT scanning of “Little Foot” skull reveals new aspects of the life of this more than 3-million year-old-human ancestor.
New study reveals the secret of magmatic rocks consisting of only one mineral
Geologists from Wits have come up with an original explanation of how nature may produce a class of magmatic rocks that are made up of only one type of mineral.
Roadmap to a win-win against invasive weeds
Researchers at Wits University have created the world’s first framework, to better guide the management of terrestrial invasive species.
Wits academics play leading role in Future Earth 2020 report
The Future Earth Report is an overview of some of the various risks faced by humanity, where it comes to our sustainable future on the planet.
Wits team and industry closer to final LVPS prototype
Team visits Jemstech to view progress on first SA-made prototype for Tile Calorimeter of the ATLAS Detector at CERN.
Curiosity 9: #ClimateEmergency
2020: The year of extreme weather and how to mitigate the climate change.
Fibre communications on steroids: Wits student breaks the code
A team from Wits (South Africa) and HUST (China) show that multi-dimensional quantum communications with twisted light is possible down legacy fibre networks.
Crowd-funding campaign helps Wits students to find large haul of ancient fossils
Group of students find a large haul of fossils on the first day of their dig in Oviston Nature Reserve.
Green Cross needed to halt the climate emergency
EDITORIAL: We do not have a choice. It is incumbent on each of us to tackle the #ClimateEmergency.
Universities cannot be neutral about climate justice any longer
With the world facing a climate emergency, higher education institutions should lead in securing a future for our children.
The burning issue of population control
Many are calling for increased population control but is this a solution to decrease the rate of climate change?
Teens feel the heat of climate change
Climate change not only threatens mental health in South Africa, but also heralds poorer matric pass rates as teens, in particular, inherit the Earth.
Sunny-side up as Wits goes green
Universities breaking new ground in climate research should be models of sustainability themselves.
Finding alternatives to our favourite dirty words
An energy crisis built on an obsession with fossil fuels. Can alternative energy resources save the day for South Africa?
The war on waste pickers
South Africa’s waste pickers are critical to our recycling economy and green future, yet they are marginalised, maligned, and discarded.
Green is the new black
In our bid to save the planet from catastrophe, we have entered “the age of green”.
Clean careers and greener pastures
The green economy could save South Africa in more ways than one – cleaning up the environment will contribute to the economy, too.
Never let a good crisis go to waste
Although we are facing a global climate challenge, there are hidden benefits and opportunities if we respond to this challenge sooner rather than later.
The subtle art of breaking the silence
Underneath the smoke and concrete, artists invite us to respond to changing climates.
The greenbacks in mobile phone mines
Consumer products rule our world. Period. And in our modern lives, electronic equipment is no longer a luxury – it is a necessity.
Hands off our grasslands
Grasslands are vastly biodiverse areas and vital for the sustainability of human wellbeing.
How grass dances with fire
Grasslands have unique strategies that have ensured the enduring survival of southern Africa’s veld.
Changing the leopard’s spots
Chinese people and wildlife poaching: The Africa-China Reporting Project warns of “the danger of a single story”.
The changing nature of accounting
The days are gone where companies must only report on their financial bottom line. Now they should report on their impact on the environment too.
The beauty of a good green deed
PROFILE: An early fascination with the environment sparked an interest in its protection for Miss Earth South Africa 2019.
An evolving understanding of extinction
Palaeoscientists are uniquely placed to interrogate the Earth’s geological records, the origin and development of life, biodiversity change, and extinctions.
Living yoga for the mind
Plants in the office are not there just to look pretty. They can lead to increased productivity, as well as improved mental health for workers.
Climate engineering: saving the world or smoke and mirrors?
Q&A with Professor Bob Scholes on a major project that is about to begin at Wits to look at potential and problems with four climate engineering ideas.
Rock steady, grassy green
COLUMN: Reflections on former Constitutional Court Justice Edwin Cameron’s critical jurisprudence and the environment.
Rise of the African Eco-Warriors
COLUMN: While there is paralysis from above, exciting new forms of movement-building from below in Africa are saying ‘No to climate genocide!’
Dare to care in an ocean of apathy and expenditure
COLUMN: Black Friday blues’ impact on my quest to go green, on my green backs, and the implications for Earth.
Jacarandas then and now
Monitoring the timing of recurring biological events is key to understanding the effects of climate change.
Early modern humans cooked starchy food in South Africa 170 000 years ago
The discovery also points to food being shared and the use of wooden digging sticks to extract the plants from the ground
I pick their brains, I pick their pockets
Business leader and philanthropist, Dr Wendy Appelbaum spoke to Witsies about how to make an impact.
Soweto study informs global network on technique to discover why children die
A Wits-led pilot study in Soweto has shown that minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) can accurately determine cause of stillbirth in South African women.
Wits leads Quantum Computing National Working Group
“Investment in quantum technologies in South Africa is crucial if we want to leverage the next level of discovery research,” says Professor Zeblon Vilakazi.
Wits light research among 2019’s best in optics in the world
‘Fractal light from lasers’ research by Wits physicists named among the most influential in optics and photonics in 2019.
Engineering pivotal moves
Top marks are due for a bionic hand engineered by Wits University postgraduates, who have made mobility more accessible to the 1 million amputees in SA.
Wits innovation set to light up lives
PeCo Power, a new spin-off company, is a home-grown electrical off-grid solution that will radically change lives and impact local communities.
A lasting legacy for Wits History
An essay by the late Professor Bruce Murray, posthumously published by colleagues, celebrates Wits History Department’s centenary.
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Depression increases risk of HIV amongst South African teen girls
Teen girls in South Africa face an extraordinary threat of HIV. Addressing teens' mental health needs may help stem spread of the disease.
Information Security is a leading skills priority
The 10th ICT Skills Survey shows that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is still waiting in the wings.
Learn to write like a pro
Wits University has added a new course to its free, online WitsX/edX learning platform.
Decoding Wits’ innovations the past 100 years
EDITORIAL: It is only through understanding yesterday that we can shape today and create tomorrow.
Surfing the data tsunami tomorrow
Humankind is facing an ever-growing data tsunami that could swamp us as a species – or provide us with unheard of opportunities.
Fair trade: Your soul for data?
In an increasingly data-driven world, are we just walking data sources for the benefit of giant multinational corporations?
Plugging digital leaks
Data are gathering in pools and lakes. As we dip our toes into these murky waters, we see a sign that says, ‘Here be dragons…’
Why words make language
From hieroglyphics to emojis, and grunts to gestures, humans have always used multiple modes to communicate, including language.
Do kids need to code?
Preparing for a digital revolution is as much about getting the basics right as it is looking to the future.
How knitting won the war?
Craftivists have been savvy cryptographers for aeons longer than any computing geek.
Street talk: Behind the tag
Codes are changing and the rules of the game keep blurring as graffiti becomes a casualty of the era of social media.
Editing disease in South Africa
Gene therapy – there is a long road ahead to mainstream techniques and ensure that the technology is cost-effective.
Diagnosing the dead and predicting mortality
A new generation of apps could soon help health professions to decode the causes of death, and predict the likelihood of dying.
Recreating Earth through code
The first Earth System Model developed and based in Africa are creating one of the most reliable and most detailed modulations of climate change.
Reptile laundering
PhD candidate Shivan Parusnath plans to use social media and machine learning to help stop illegal reptile trade on global scale.
Lingua franca of mathematics
Speaking to visitors from outer space would one day require a common language and one not found in a dictionary.
Visiting gayle
It might never be one of South Africa’s 11 official languages, but that would defeat the purpose of gayle – a language of secrets.
Telling tales of ages on stages
For a Wits postgraduate drama student theatrical story-telling is a means to bridge generations and mutually empower seemingly disparate groups.
The invisible image
How animation depicts Bible stories: comparing panel-based image story-telling techniques against those of animation.
Decoding knowledge
Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) is not a magic bullet to transform education, but it holds potential for educators and students.
Navigating political land mines
Using text mining – a relatively under-utilised approach in South African humanities research – to unlock patterns and relationships.
Albinism inside out
People living with albinism endure parochial prejudice and medical scrutiny but their humanity is no less definitive than that of any other along the continuum.
Data and dominance
COLUMN: Data domination by Big Tech, both nationally and internationally, has ominous implications for economies – and privacy.
How not to win the lotto
COLUMN: Today, I am coming clean. Like most South Africans, I am in desperate need of cold, hard cash.
When computers came to Wits
The University bought its first computer from IBM 59 years ago. Today, Wits and IBM are partners in quantum computing.
Wits to host human capacity development workshop in big data and artificial intelligence
The two-day workshop will be part of the National Conference of the Centre of High Performance Computing.
Structured light promises path to faster, more secure communications
Quantum mechanics is embracing patterns of light to create an alphabet that can be leveraged to build a light-based quantum network.
WitsQ to hold first Summer School
The WitsQ Quantum Computing Summer School takes place from 2 - 10 December at the Science Stadium.
Origins Centre opens new rock art archive in newly built wing
The rock art archive is the first of three new floors that will provide public access to some of South Africa's most valuable historical finds.
Enabling the future by decoding the past
The eighth issue of Wits University’s research magazine, Curios.ty is themed: #Code, and is available download or read online.
Wits executives visit Wits students at CERN
A delegation from Wits University, headed by the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Adam Habib, visited the European Laboratory, CERN.
Large-scale forestation of African savannas will destroy valuable ecosystems and ecotourism sites
African scientists speak out about global plans to plant trees on their continent.
Wits researcher wins international award for infection control innovation
Wits academic Michael Lucas took top honours at the International Conference on Prevention and Infection Control in Switzerland, 10-13 September 2019.
Growing older in Africa
We begin to age the moment we are born and an ageing population in Africa has profound implications for people and public health, well-being and productivity.
Homo naledi and Australopithecus sediba travel to the States
The South African national treasures will for the first time ever go on display for international audiences, when it is exhibited in Dallas, Texas
New research supports hypothesis that asteroid contributed to mass extinction
First African evidence to support hypothesis of an asteroid impact that contributed to the extinction of large animals 12 800 years ago.
Teens feel the heat of climate change
A Wits scientist has identified how climate change affects the capacity of adolescents to learn equitably in different environments.
The future is innovation
"Wits and Tshimologong are the pioneers driving Gauteng to a modern economy in the new age of the digital revolution," said Premier David Makhuru.
Croc-like carnivores terrorised Triassic dinosaurs in southern Africa 210 million years ago
Rauisuchians fed on vegetarian dinosaurs according to Wits student Rick Tolchard.
Investments to address climate change are good for business
An internationally respected group of scientists, including Professor Francois Engelbrecht Wits have urgently called for world leaders to tackle climate change.
Can robots decide on right and wrong?
The '4IR: Philosophical, Ethical, Legal Dimensions' conference explored the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
School of Chemistry launches new AI research initiative for Africa
Africans should be the contributors, shapers and owners of the coming advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, says Professor Zeblon Vilakazi.
Getting bang for the buck with the National Health Insurance
The National Health Insurance as a funding mechanism will have to select what it covers and what it does not. A Health Technology Assessment could help decide.
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Digital makers invited to ‘Own Your Force’ as Fak’ugesi
Cross-sector digital creative technology at 2019 Fak’ugesi Festival – Africa’s best creative digital workshops, talks, pitches and digital art exhibitions
Fak'ugesi and Smart City Office - a natural fit
The 2019 Fak’ugesi Festival has partnered with the City of Johannesburg’s Smart Cities Office to bring an exciting African-centric programme line-up.
Technology and creativity by Africans for Africa
Cultural Economies Conference at 2019 Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival.
Wits green chemists find a way to turn cashew nut shells into sunscreen
Team is working on techniques to produce useful compounds from wood and fast growing non-edible plant waste, through a chemical process named xylochemistry.
Cancer research wins hearts at Wits Science Slam
Sourav Saha, a PhD student in the School of Molecular and Cell Biology won first prize at the Wits Science Slam competition for his cancer treatment research.
Southern Africa heading towards climate tipping points
Professor Francois Engelbrecht from the Wits GCI stresses climate risks for southern Africa in talk on Africa’s projected climate change futures in Accra, Ghana
Wits PhD student wins international prize for best journal article in JOSA A
Article aimed to disprove a long-held myth in the field of optics that Bessel beams are self-healing and can reconstruct after all forms of obstructions.
Wits University PhD student discovers new species of early dinosaur
New dinosaur was discovered after it lying misidentified in the university's vaults for over 30 years.
Ancient drop of water rewrites Earth's history
The remains of a microscopic drop of ancient seawater was used to re-establish the date that plate tectonics started on Earth.
Migration and health in southern Africa: Access to care and Universal Health Coverage
Wits and African and global partners kick off a week-long programme focusing on migration and access to care and Universal Health Coverage in southern Africa.
New research initiative will be announced at this year's AI Expo Africa
Major machine learning research initiative will serve as a model for innovation and growth in Africa.
ADVANCE study provides evidence for shift to dolutegravir-containing antiretroviral treatment in SA
The Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute and partners have presented evidence for a shift to dolutegravir-containing antiretroviral treatment in SA.
Homegrown research crosses borders
EDITORIAL: Where do you belong? Where do you feel most at home? Curiosity explores these questions and many more in our latest issue.
Places we once called home
Archaeologists and anthropologists peer into original homes of the past to see what made us who we are today.
Homes of the future
In the age of densification, where will we sleep? Hyper-connected pods, embedded technology and micro democracies.
An eye on assistive tech at home
Eye-gaze devices as assistive tech have the potential to empower people with disabilities by improving their independence at home.
Home in the Arts
When you are thousands of kilometres away, ‘home’ may be what you carry in memories, but it might also be what you choose to forget.
Owner or roamer?
Is buying a house still the solid investment once thought or is it time to turn nomadic?
Feel at home at the office
If home is your castle, can the office be your palace? The need to ensure wellbeing at work is critical.
This is my land
Land ownership has historically been the great divider, and South Africa is no different. But is this the silver bullet to address our gross inequality?
Address: Unknown
Home, health, identity and dignity - creating smarter solutions and symbiotic thinking for Jozi’s homeless people.
Home truths and storied streets
Understand Johannesburg’s challenges, opportunities and intricacies through the cultural microcosm that is Orange Grove.
Coming home to South Africa
Migration myths, human rights and the ongoing struggle to make a house a home.
For a million bucks, would you change your gender?
If you grew up accepting the gender written on your birth certificate, you’re cisgender and probably would’ve never given this question much thought.
How African homes impact health
Machine learning study finds housing have improved in sub-Saharan Africa but adequate water and sanitation remains biggest challenge.
Decolonising houses
PROFILE: A Wits study is the first to look at transforming Victorian/Edwardian bungalows into urban compounds in Yeoville and Rosettenville.
Backyard not backward
Intentional living, the rise of imikhukhu and urban densification for dignity.
Kalahari communes
Sociable weavers are a rarity among birds. Not only do their massive nests endure for generations, but they house several other species as well.
, Michael Westgate (PhD Candidate), Mpofana Sihoyiya (MSc candidate), Prof.jpg "Kenneth Rapetsoa (MSc Candidate), Michael Westgate (PhD Candidate), Mpofana Sihoyiya (MSc candidate), Prof. Musa Manzi (Director, Wits Seismic Research Centre), and Philip Staley (Senior project geologist, Sibanye-Stillwater)")
Sibanye-Stillwater donates R50m worth of seismic data to Wits
Sibanye-Stillwater has donated their 2D/3D reflection seismic data worth R50m to the Wits Seismic Research Centre of the School of Geosciences.
Q&A: Are ecobricks the answer to plastic pollution?
Professor Herman Potgieter answers questions about whether the planet’s plastic trash tsunami can be stopped.
The shape of the South African family
Migrant labour has intrinsically shaped family life in SA. Family structures and the concept of 'home' would be vastly different if it weren’t for this history.
Migrant moms keep the home fires burning
How motherhood has been redefined through the feminisation of migration and maternal motion.
You and Big Brother @Home online
Technology and surveillance cause a sense of moral panic, but such scrutiny has the potential to enhance society.
The mouth of a shark
COLUMN: Adanma Yisa shares her journey of being an African researcher in Africa today, but raised and educated in the Global North.
Pushing privacy buttons
COLUMN: It feels like I am trapped in a scene of the Ferris Beuller movie. It is all a dream of the (near) future. Or a nightmare?
The first homes at Wits
The history of housing, student accommodation and segregated living at Wits University.
Embrace 4IR to address poverty, inequality and unemployment - Ramaphosa
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the keynote address at South Africa’s first #4IRSA Digital Economy Summit.
PechaKucha ‘chitchat’ format illustrates School of Arts research
The Wits School of Arts (WSOA) inaugural Postgraduate Research Day was a confluence of arts research and creativity.
SA students win world supercomputing competition once again
Wits students are part of South African team to take first prize at the International Supercomputing Conference.
Dung beetles get wind
Dung beetles use different directional sensors to achieve the highest possible navigational precision in different conditions.
Traditional newsrooms continue to weaken
Wits Journalism releases the State of the Newsroom 2018 report.
The secret of platinum deposits revealed by novel field observations in the Bushveld Complex
Research from the Wits School of Geoscience shows how platinum deposits form in the Bushveld Complex of South Africa.
Wits researchers contribute to global insights around gender and health
Wits researchers have contributed to a Lancet series on gender equality, norms and health, which was launched on 10 June 2019.
ECHO finds no substantial difference in HIV risk among DMPA-IM, copper IUD, and LNG implant users
The Evidence for Contraceptive Options and HIV Outcomes study compared HIV acquisition risk among women given the injection, intrauterine device, or implant.
Wits enters the quantum computing universe with IBM Q
IBM expands its quantum computing program with Wits as its first partner in Africa on the IBM Q Network.
Becoming quantum ready in Africa
With rapid progress over the last couple of decades we are entering a new era of computing and Africa needs to act now.
Unique SA academic and government partnership to advance universal health care
The Universities Consortium and the Department of Health will launch a Universal Health Care project on June 6, which will test contracting mechanisms.
Where is #Ekhaya for you?
Our homegrown research crosses borders in Curios.ty, the 7th issue of Wits' research magazine, as we explore the concept of #Ekhaya (isiZulu for ‘home’).
Wits African research excellence in materials, migration
Wits University hosts two African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in materials and migration respectively.
Deeper research is needed to prevent fatal mining disasters
Wits geotechnical engineer and his colleagues commented on the reasons on why fatal mine disasters occur in an article published in Science.
Unique SA dataset reveals number of HIV deaths before antiretrovirals
A unique dataset has enabled scientists to better estimate the number of HIV-infected South Africans who had died by 2009 before ARVs became available publicly.
Witsies finalists in Science Oscars
Eight Witsies are finalists in six categories of the NSTF-South 32 Awards, dubbed the ‘Science Oscars’.
First 5G training in SA for ICT postgrads at Wits
Huawei South Africa has launched free 5G training for ICT postgraduates at Wits University.
The "big data mess" and how to clean it up
A rethink of operational processes as a complex system, and the application of machine learning as an adaptive analytical framework.
Earliest evidence of the cooking and eating of starch
Early human beings who lived around 120 000 years ago in South Africa were “ecological geniuses” who were able to exploit their environment intelligently.
Wits celebrates its nationally rated researchers
The Wits Research Office has recognised scholars at the University whom the National Research Foundation has (re)rated and those awarded nationally and at Wits.
DigiMine strikes gold
Sibanye-Stillwater commits additional R30 million to further mining 4.0 research and development.
4IRSA announces 1st Digital Economic Summit for SA
"We are the pioneers who can reimagine how digital innovation can transform our world.”
The year ahead: From legal rights for robots to a Cyber 9/11
Artificial Intelligence will be maturing over the next 18 months with Africa becoming ground zero for 4IR disruption.
‘We are all one’ - A must-see exhibition on why we are
Successful Early Sapiens Behaviour Exhibition extended and taking place at Iziko Museum in Cape Town.
Team of scientists set record for light-matter interaction
The team of physicists has created a tiny superconducting circuit that mimics the quantum mechanical process in which an atom absorbs or emits light.
Make apprenticeships sexy again
South Africa 4IR-readiness and the case for tech-savvy artisans.
New study finds very high rate of unnecessary antibiotic prescribing in SA
A study by researchers at Wits and the London School of Economics has revealed very high rates of antibiotic prescribing in SA.
Economic growth impaired by poor ICT data
Academics and business must partner to help government understand what skills pupils and workers require for 4IR.
Wits students create genetics app
Wits science students have created an app to teach people the basics about genetics.
Discovery research that prioritises humanity
Making the right impact through the fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital and biological spheres.
Accelerating advances for HIV+ Youth in Eastern Cape
Wits has collaborated in a project with Oxford University to test a United Nations development approach to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
A step closer to an HIV cure
Wits-associated scientists are part of an international team that today published research suggesting a cure for HIV.
The brain as a network device
Research by Wits biomedical engineers that incorporates the human brain as part of a computer network is believed to be a world-first.
First HPV vaccine impact project in Africa
The Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute will evaluate the impact of HPV vaccine schedules on the prevalence of this virus on SA adolescent girls.
When the water flows in Alex
Rivers of untreated greywater flow through dusty township streets across South Africa.
We are facing our biggest leadership challenge yet
It is not the robots that will take our jobs but a crisis of imagination and leadership, says futurist Valter Adão.
Ancient asteroid impacts played a role in creation of Earth’s future continents
The heavy bombardment of terrestrial planets by asteroids from space has contributed to the formation of the early evolved crust on Earth.
South African-Scottish research team demonstrate fractal light from lasers
Team confirms a 20-year-old prediction that “nature’s geometry” could be recreated by the use of laser technology.
Australopithecus sediba: No such thing as a missing link
Autralopithecus sediba is not the missing link that connects modern man to its more primitive ancestors.
International researchers confirm species status of Sediba skeleton
Four papers published in a special issue of the open access journal, PaleoAnthropology, address critiques of Sediba, confirming it is indeed a unique species.
Little Foot’s inner ear sheds light on her movement and behaviour
MicroCT scans of the 3.67-million-year-old Australopithecus fossil known as Little Foot shed some light on how she lived and moved.
Curiosity, Issue 6: You are what you eat
Our online research magazine focuses on the socio-economic, political, physiological and psychological dynamics of food and nutrition.
The Hunger Games
EDITORIAL: It is tragic that we live in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution, yet we have millions of people who starve every day.
Disco soups and nutraceuticals
FOOD BITES: From a new form of food activism making gardening “cool” to developing new ways to deliver the medicines – or nutraceuticals – that our bodies need.
Food takes root in Africa
Africa has the ability and resources to feed the world, but much needs to be done on a continent full of challenges, opportunities and pitfalls.
Phansi, profiteers, Phansi!
The Constitution guarantees the right to food and there is enough for all but a system that prioritises profits over people undermines both society and justice.
A healthy meal in every neighbourhood
Few Johannesburg residents enjoy the right to food and even fewer are aware that they have such a right. Community Food Centres could help change that.
Appetite for dignity
Despite efforts to address hunger at Wits, ad hoc food security interventions cannot keep pace with increasing numbers of hungry students.
No space at the table for food communing
Food commons promote returning food (and access to it) to a place where food exists for the public good, rather than to benefit private, commercial interests.
The fight in food prices
New research due this year show link between relative increase in food and beer prices with levels of crime and violent behaviour.
Slave Maize: The truth about mielies
Most Africans consider maize (corn) to be their staple food but few realise it carries a history of slavery, colonisation, modernisation and globalisation.
Crunchy on the outside, squishy on the inside
Edible stinkbugs and pre-dawn insect hunts; only for the brave.
What not to eat
Although eating insects might stave off starvation in a survival situation, chowing down on foam grasshoppers or red-yellow-black bugs could be fatal.
The rat race towards obesity
The fast food generation is trapped in an “obesogenic environment” due to international junk food giants and sugary sweet marketing.
Eat to live not to shrink
There are almost 10 billion people on Earth and possibly 9 billion ideas of the perfect diet but there is no scientific proof the latest fad diet will work.
Body cravings
Adolescent South Africans increasingly struggle with eating disorders, unhealthy eating attitudes and body image issues, in both city and rural settings.
You are what your Ouma ate
The health of your mother when you were born is a known indicator of your prospects in future, but new research shows that you inherit your health even earlier.
Breastfeeding advances society
Breastfed babies are healthier and smarter than formula-fed babies yet these benefits still do not translate into policy and practice.
Beware the monster in your energy drink
Q&A: Dr Aviva Tugendhaft, Deputy Director of PRICELESS SA sheds light on what energy drinks really do to the body.
Misleading labels and insidious ingredients
Only limited legislation protects us against incomprehensible, misleading and detrimental food labels.
The chemistry of chaos and the magic moringa
PROFILE: Professor Luke Chimuka developed a method to produce an extract from the moringa plant that is used as a dietary supplement.
For sauerkraut’s sake, teach our children right!
COLUMN: Sauerkraut. That is how I start my day. Fermented cabbage leaves served with two boiled eggs and a slice of juicy cucumber on the side.
Blue-ribbon bulls and agriculture
HISTORY: The annual Rand Easter Show has it muddy and beefy origins on Wits’ Braamfontein campus.
Little Foot's history revealed for the first time
Professor Ron Clarke's 14-year-long excavation of the Little Foot skeleton reveals her history through the ages.
Peering into Little Foot’s 3.67 million-year-old brain
First ever endocast of the nearly complete brain of the hominin known as Little Foot reveals a small brain combining ape-like and human-like features.
The parable of universal health cover for people on the move
The United Nations declared 12 December Universal Health Coverage Day but for migrants worldwide, accessing healthcare is often fraught with prejudice.
Shedding a new light on optical trapping and tweezing
Wits physicists demonstrate a new device for manipulating and moving tiny objects with light.
Detective mission to characterise and trace the history of a new African meteorite
Wits researchers go on a mission to describe, classify and trace the 4.5 billion-year-old history of a meteorite that landed in Madagascar.
10 years of SA-CERN
Collaboration on Fundamental Physics celebrates a decade, of among others, Wits’ involvement in accelerated technology development.
#4IRSA – Creating the future we want
First round table set the stage for South Africa to formulate a collective response to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Fifth A-rating for 82-year-old engineer
An 82-year-old engineer at Wits has received an A-rating from the National Research Foundation for the fifth time.
Extensive survey shows Quality of Life improving in Gauteng
Despite the challenging economic conditions, the GCRO’s 5th Quality of Life Survey (2017/2018) show the overall quality of life in Gauteng continues to improve.
Experts find stone tools connected communities
Stone tools from the Middle Stone Age in South Africa shows that different communities were connected over long time periods over vast geographical areas.
Wits and Perot Museum launch virtual reality app of Dinaledi cave
Free virtual reality experience provides global access to the Dinaledi caves to researchers, students and amateur explorers.
Wits Cardiovascular Pathophysiology Research Unit a first in the private sector
Wits physiologists and cardiologists have established the Cardiovascular Pathophysiology Research Unit at the Mayo Clinic in Gauteng.
Wits Professor Lee Berger wins Science for Society Gold Medal
The Academy for Science SA (ASSAf) awarded Berger its Gold Medal for excellence in the application of outstanding scientific thinking in service to society.
Climate change: We should react with speed, focus and urgency
GCI Director Barend Erasmus gives insight into the latest alarming IPCC Special Report on Global Warming.
World’s first intentional HIV+ liver transplant
Wits doctors transplanted the liver from a mother living with HIV to her critically ill HIV negative child, who had end-stage liver disease.
Wits partner on physics education conference
Wits University is the co-host of the International Conference on Physics Education, which is being held at the Misty Hills Hotel this week.
Ledumahadi mafube – South Africa’s new Jurassic Giant
A team of international scientists, led by Professor Jonah Choiniere from Wits, described a new species of a giant dinosaur that has been found near Clarens.
Awards for Wits researchers advancing science for society
The National Research Foundation has recognised Wits researchers for advancing their fields.
The hidden technology
Automatic control is a technology that modern society cannot live without.
First South African fossil hunters
Public Lecture series to celebrate Heritage Day will focus on the earliest fossil hunters in Southern Africa and their findings.
Living the Legacy
Editorial: This year marked the centenary of a remarkable leader who transformed our world and left a legacy difficult to emulate.
A country for all its citizens
Opinion: Advocate George Bizos SC is proud to call Nelson Mandela his life-long friend.
At the end of the Rainbow
Nelson Mandela embodied kaleidoscopic reconciliation in 1994, but what is the prism fracturing his legacy in 2018?
It's in your hands
Blaming Nelson Mandela for our current faults conveniently shifts introspection from the mistakes that the ANC and leaders subsequently made in power.
The Brothers Manhattan captured Mandela
Three brothers captured Nelson Mandela shortly before he became South Africa’s first democratically elected President in 1994.
More than Mandela’s wife
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela married Nelson Mandela on 14 June 1958, just six years before he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Sustaining a legend through song
The oeuvre symbolising the life of Nelson Mandela is expansive. These are a selection of the most evocative.
Notes on South Africa through a jazz lens
A patriot at heart, Dr Lindelwa Dalamba is enchanted by South Africa’s cultural history.
mARTdiba
In Nelson Mandela’s personal office in Houghton, there is a stately wooden desk covered in brightly coloured cattle figurines.
A hospital just as Madiba envisioned it
Based at Wits University, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital is a true icon of the legacy that South Africa’s favourite son has left behind.
The Mandela-Obama effect
Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama are widely seen as two of the greatest leaders in the world in modern history. What are their legacies?
The making of Mandela in the media
From “dangerous” black anti-apartheid fighter to iconic leader hailed the world over, to bitter ex-husband and “sell out”.
A Long Walk to Freedom vs the Mthatha Archives
Taking a closer look at the documentary record of his father’s life and Mandela’s recollection in A Long Walk to Freedom.
'Where does daddy live?'
To win the hearts of millions, Nelson Mandela paid dearly – with the hearts of those he loved most.
The 46-year-long Wits LLB that never was
Nelson Mandela is among Wits University’s most famous alumni, but he is not a graduate of the University.
Mandela and military force
20 years since South Africa's military intervention into Lesotho - an opportune moment to consider the Mandela's position on the use of military force.
Creating collective memory
Creating a collective memory in a country with a fragmented past and persistent inequality needs money, skills and political will to preserve its history.
No new Mandela – yet
Sello Hatang, Head of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, shared some intimate moments with Madiba, and nostalgically shares what he beliefs is Mandela's legacy.
Brand Mandela: What’s in a name?
From his name and image, to quotes, pictures, voice and artefacts, the Brand Mandela and the legacy of the ‘father of the nation’ is complicated to manage.
Dare not linger
The following excerpt from the book, “Dare Not Linger”, shows Mandela’s belief in education as the liberator of the human spirit.
Walk a mile in his shoes
Nelson Mandela and his colleagues walked a minefield strewn with political, economic and social traps to prevent civil war and set our democratic path.
Facets of a legacy
Mandela recognised we live in a world that is, and not in a world we wish existed. To truly honour him we must be responsive to his entire political legacy.
Evolution of an anthem
South Africa has the best anthem in the world, a product of a negotiated settlement intended as a measure of reconciliation for a new South Africa.
Multimedia graphic design – 73 000 years ago
Drawing on a piece of silcrete found in Blombos Cave in South Africa predates previous human-made drawings by at least 30 000 years.
Wits scientists closer to slowing progression of Alzheimer’s
A breakthrough by Wits scientists could see patients with Alzheimer’s use a nasal spray to slow down the progression of the disease, the main cause of dementia.
#SA4IR to explore how the 4th Industrial Revolution could shape SA
Wits, UJ, Fort Hare and Telkom to develop a national response to the Fourth Industrial Revolution that could shape the futures of South Africa.
Art and science collide to provoke new thinking about water
What does a polluted river sound like? How does sand-filtered water taste? Will acid mine drainage scald your skin? Do oceans echo?
Wits lifetime and emerging research recognised
Four scientists in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Wits last night won South African Medical Research Council Scientific Merit Awards.
Study by blood doctors a breakthrough for haemophiliacs
A Wits University haematologist is the lead author in research set to revolutionise the treatment of haemophilia, a genetic blood disorder.
Two new Chinese dinosaurs discovered
New fossils from north China shed light on the incremental evolution of insect-eating dinosaurs.
Curiosity 5: #Mandela100
Is Nelson Mandela still a relevant guiding spirit for South Africans in 2018? Curiosity’s latest issue explores Madiba's life and legacy.
Wits signs Memorandum of Understanding with Perot Museum
The MOU is part of the Museum’s new focus on human origins, plans to increase research, produce traveling exhibitions, and cultivate scientific communications.
Wits Lung Lab a breath of fresh air for public health
Wits pulmonologists and partners launched the Lung Laboratory Research and Intervention Centre on World Lung Cancer Day on 1 August 2018.
Wits scientists part of a global coalition to eliminate hepatitis B virus
It is World Hepatitis Day on 28 July. Two research entities at Wits University are part of the International Coalition to Eradicate Hepatitis B Virus (ICE-HBV).
We are all connected
Wits scientists share humanity’s common heritage with Heads of State during 10th BRICS Summit.
Bringing comfort and closure to those who loved them
Identifying the deceased is a mammoth task for forensic specialists in South Africa.
Africa Rising - the future of investment
Unique Wits-researched UN report maps out key areas for African cities to attract Foreign Direct Investment.
Fragment of impacting asteroid recovered in Botswana
Researchers from the Wits School of Geosciences were involved in locating the fall area of the meteorite in Botswana’s Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
Wits researchers on the red carpet at "Science Oscars”
Wits academics Prof. Ian Jandrell, Dr Musa Manzi and Prof. Stephen Tollman have won prestigious NSTF-South32 Awards, the “Science Oscars” of research.
Research and innovation drivers honoured
Wits Enterprise takes top honours at the annual DST/SARIMA Excellence Awards.
In the gaping mouth of ancient crocodiles
As a modern apex preditor, the crocodile's mode of attack - its mouth - had humble beginnings
Scientists peep deep into a diamond to examine its defects
Researchers take a deep look into a diamond to see how the atoms in its platelet defects are arranged in the hardest natural material known to man.
Computational models show that planets can easily exist in triple star systems
Researchers map out regions where exoplanets can exist within triple star systems.
First tetrapods of Africa lived within the Devonian Antarctic Circle
Fossils of two new species of these four-legged vertebrates also evolved in polar regions, and not just in the tropics as previously believed.
Bridging the digital divide with photonics
Wits physicists and engineers team up to tackle Africa’s digital divide with home grown technologies
Wits students at CERN meet with Science Minister and UN ambassador
Students rub shoulders with Minister of Science and Technology and the Head of the Mission of South Africa to the United Nations in Geneva.
Making massive leaps in electronics at nano-scale
Wits PhD student finds a way to control the spin transport in networks of the smallest conductor known to man.
The vehicle of nature
Editorial: Future world wars will be fought over water – a resource that is scarce in many parts of the world, including sub-Saharan Africa.
From 'crisis' to opportunity
Lessons from Cape Town’s water shortage.
Parched Cape Town, Johannesburg drowning
Water security is a complex challenge. Rain both alleviates drought but causes floods. David Olivier and Paulose Mvulane seek the silver lining.
What makes waves in water crises?
Column: Water problems are in large measure problems of people and organisation, not problems of engineering.
Big Bang, water, life
Column: We have had some tyrants in our time but not until the last century or so have we ever come up with the idea of taking a dump in our own drinking water.
The heat of acid mine drainage
Mining is a key contributor to South Africa’s economic development but its effect on the environment could spell disaster.
Washing away our heritage
The effect of water on rock art is a major concern, particularly due to climate change.
Hunting aliens from space
Wits researchers are using high-tech imagery and biological agents to save our water resources and economy from invasive alien plants.
A WATERSHED in arts and science
WATERSHED is a programme that enmeshes the arts and science to provoke new thinking about water.
A People’s Water Charter for South Africa
A social sciences course on Empire and the Crisis of Civilisation contextualises water, food and climate crises as systemic and demanding activist solutions.
Whose water is it anyway?
South Africa’s hydrocolonisation of Lesotho.
Bulawayo’s water wars
The history of water inequality in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, shows that the colonisation of land cannot be separated from the colonisation of water.
(GRACE) unleashes Earth’s water potential
Satellite data helps to track changes in groundwater storage.
Diving deeper in a time of dryness
Finding ways to explore water and oceans differently requires a new kind of fluidity, the kind proposed by Oceanic Humanities.
Using the court to secure water rights
Access to sufficient water is a human right but failures of government often compel people to access this through law.
WASH - a pipeline to saving lives
Diarrhoea is one of the leading causes of sickness and death in children under five in South Africa.
The Good, the Bad and the Dirty
Column: Lessons unlearnt from a week in dry Cape Town.
The 180-million year old quirk
The story of why rainfall at Wits dispenses to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans respectively is a tale as old as Africa itself.
Our pale blue dot
Q&A with Professor David Block from the Wits School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics.
Tech bytes
From slow sand filters and to towers that measure energy and gases.
Thirsty for change
Profile: As a photographer, swimmer and researcher, Dyani Jeram’s life is all about water.
Building the world’s most powerful microscope using particle accelerators
Bruce Mellado, National Contact Physicist of South Africa at the ATLAS experiment at CERN, says there are future plans for a bigger, better LHC.
National Geographic seek to fund Wits student projects
Society seeks to increase its funding to South African students doing research in the country.
Where hominid brains are concerned, size doesn’t matter
The human-like features of Homo naledi's brain surprised the research team that examined the fossil's brain imprints.
CSI for bacteria: Inside Listeria
In a lab in Joburg, a crack team of Wits scientists led the investigation into the ubiquitous Listeria bacteria that stick like glue and thrive in the cold.
It is now up to us
Humans are facing a #Watershed moment in our efforts to secure a collective future.
Pan African Research College on sustainable cities founded at Wits
College supported with five-year grant by Robert Bosch Stiftung and include partner institutions from Ghana, Kenya, the UN and the University of Cape Town.
Public Health postgraduate earns sole distinction for cervical cancer research
A Master's graduate has produced research that impacts health policy in the field of cervical cancer, which is one of the top five cancers that kill women.
Wits professor first ever NRF A-rated political scientist
Professor Lawrence Hamilton is the first political scientist in the history of the National Research Foundation (NRF) rating system to receive an A-rating.
Tech giant recognises African machine learning research
Wits robotics researcher awarded Africa’s only grant in the 2017 round of the Google Faculty Research Awards.
 and Dr Marta Nunes of Wits RMPRU-600x300.jpg "Dr Clare Cutland (L) and Dr Marta Nunes of the Wits RMPRU")
Flu vaccine protects pregnant women against pertussis
Research by Wits scientists shows that pregnant women vaccinated against influenza also have less pertussis infection.
Recreating our ancestral past
Wits – in the champion’s league of archaeology – hosted the first African Conference on Experimental Archaeology.
NMW Bill heads to Parliament amid concerns
The National Minimum Wage Research Initiative at Wits raises concerns over serious shortcomings of the Bills.
DigiMine, the future of mining research
Celebrating the research of the new Sibanye-Stillwater Digital Mining Laboratory (DigiMine) at Wits University.
Cold-blooded pythons make for caring mums
Female South African pythons are the first ever egg-laying snake shown to care for their babies - at great cost to themselves.
Accelerating high-tech training
Wits students contribute to the upgrade of the high-tech software and hardware at the CERN ATLAS detector.
Scifest Africa 2018
Catch these Wits researchers at South Africa’s National Science Festival that kicks off in Grahamstown today.
New study reveals the secret of magmas that produce South Africa's national treasures
Study conducted by the School of Geosciences reveals how platinum-bearing chromite layers form in the crust of the Earth.
Innovative "invisible ink" detects TB
Scientists have pioneered a process to detect TB bacteria by adding a molecule to the bacteria's own armour that lights up under fluorescent light.
Wits researcher co-chairs task force on global cost of epilepsy
Epilepsy affects more than 60 million individuals globally with at least 70% of cases found in low- and middle-income countries.
Wits researchers are World Academy Scientists
Professors Bob Scholes and Shabir Madhi have been elected as Fellows of the prestigious The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).
Sustainable impact from a founding father of green chemistry
A Distinguished Professor of Biocatalysis at Wits, Roger Sheldon has published a paper on green chemistry in a prestigious high-impact research journal.
Mathematics education lessons from SA and Ireland
The Marang Centre for Mathematics and Science Education is advancing specialized knowledge in the field locally and through collaboration with the global north.
Unique research unit in Wits Health Consortium targets non-communicable diseases
It is World Cancer Day on 4 February and Wits specialists are poised to challenge cancer and other non-communicable diseases.
Solving the puzzle of multicellularity
Wits PhD student pieces together the mystery of how single cell life forms evolved into multicellular organisms.
Yum yum! Tasty termites
Rich in proteins, fats, vitamins and nutrients - PhD-student unearths the benefits of edible termites in new study.
"Mrs Ples" is actually a "Mr"
A study of the tooth sockets of one of the world’s most famous fossil skulls, “Mrs” Ples, has made scientists think differently about “her” sex.