Author: The Conversation

By MJ (Thinus) Booysen, Stellenbosch University and Joshua Sello, Stellenbosch University The minibus taxi is ubiquitous in southern Africa. These vehicles are the backbone of the urban economy, providing affordable mobility for millions. In Cape Town, South Africa’s second most populous city, they are central to the transport landscape. Around two-thirds of the city’s public transport users rely on paratransit services (which respond flexibly to demand), carrying about 830,000 daily passengers across 1,466 routes, and run by private individuals or associations rather than the state. Minibus taxis in Cape Town, South Africa. But because these vehicles run on petrol and…

By Britta Rennkamp, University of Cape Town; Andrew Marquard, University of Cape Town; Gina Ziervogel, University of Cape Town; Harald Winkler, University of Cape Town; Mark New, University of Cape Town; Melanie Murcott, University of Cape Town; Ralph Hamann, University of Cape Town, and Wikus Kruger, University of Cape Town The South African minister of electricity and energy, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, is proposing to suspend the country’s carbon tax after experiencing pressure from fossil fuel lobbies. The carbon tax is based on a “polluter pays” principle under the Carbon Tax Act, which increases the cost of fossil fuel-intensive activities. When the…

Lived experiences shape how science is conducted. This matters because who gets to speak for science steers which problems are prioritized, how evidence is translated into practice and who ultimately benefits from scientific advances. For researchers whose communities have not historically been represented in science – including many people of color, LGBTQ+ and first-generation scientists – identity is intertwined with how they engage in and share their work. As researchers who ourselves belong to communities that have been underrepresented in science, we work with scientists from marginalized backgrounds to study how they navigate STEM – science, technology, engineering and math…

By Gijsbert Hoogendoorn, University of Johannesburg; Anneli Douglas, University of Pretoria, and Greg Richards, Tilburg University Creative tourism is a growing form of travel where visitors learn by taking part in hands-on, culturally rooted activities. These can include classes in local cooking, craft workshops or music sessions. Tourism researchers Anneli Douglas, Gijsbert Hoogendoorn and Greg Richards investigated what kinds of tourism in this niche appeal to South African millennials (defined as those born between 1981 and 1996). Here they share some ideas about expanding creative tourism so that it can help create jobs and opportunities in low-income and rural communities.…

Valentina Dargam, Florida International University and Joshua Hutcheson, Florida International University When someone opens the door and enters a hospital room, wearing a stethoscope is a telltale sign that they’re a clinician. This medical device has been around for over 200 years and remains a staple in the clinic despite significant advances in medical diagnostics and technologies. The stethoscope is a medical instrument used to listen to and amplify the internal sounds produced by the body. Physicians still use the sounds they hear through stethoscopes as initial indicators of heart or lung diseases. For example, a heart murmur or crackling…

From the earliest year of school, children begin learning how to express ideas in different ways. Lines across a page, a wobbly letter, or a simple drawing form the foundation for how we share meaning beyond spoken language. Over time, those first marks evolve into complex ideas. Children learn to combine words with visuals, express abstract concepts, and recognise how images, symbols and design carry meaning in different situations. But generative artificial intelligence (AI), software that creates content based on user prompts, is reshaping these fundamental skills. AI is changing how people create, edit and present both text and images.…

Walk into a shop, board a plane, log into your bank, or scroll through your social media feed, and chances are you might be asked to scan your face. Facial recognition and other kinds of face-based biometric technology are becoming an increasingly common form of identification. The technology is promoted as quick, convenient and secure – but at the same time it has raised alarm over privacy violations. For instance, major retailers such as Kmart have been found to have broken the law by using the technology without customer consent. So are we seeing a dangerous technological overreach or the…

Leah Davina Junck, University of Cape Town and Rachel Adams, University of Cape Town Artificial intelligence or AI uses computers to perform tasks that would normally have needed human intelligence. Today AI is being put to use in many aspects of everyday life, like virtual banking assistants, health chatbots, self-driving cars, even the recommendations you see on social media. A new survey of over 3,000 South Africans from all walks of life asked how people feel about AI. It reveals that most South Africans can’t relate to AI in meaningful ways – despite the global hype about its pros and…

Yaseera Ismail, Stellenbosch University A major breakthrough in quantum technology was achieved in October 2024: the first-ever quantum satellite communication link between China and South Africa. The connection spanned a remarkable 12,900km: the longest intercontinental quantum communication link established to date. The longest before this was 7,600km and within the northern hemisphere only. It was achieved with quantum key distribution, a method for a sender and receiver to share a secure key that they can use to safely send messages. Any interception during transmission leaves traces that can be detected. It involves sending single photons (tiny particles of light). If…

In his 2019 State of the Nation address, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he was creating a commission on the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). The term refers to the integration of advanced digital technologies like AI and robotics, as well as automation, into various economic and social domains. The first (1760s to early 1800s), second (1870s to early 1900s) and third (1950s to late 20th century) industrial revolutions were mechanical and electronic in nature. The 4IR is characterised by the fusion of physical, digital and biological systems. It is fundamentally reshaping industries, work and societies. Ramaphosa acknowledged at…