General
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Since Alfred Nobel left his fortune for the establishment of the prizes that “reward those who serve humanity” in 1896, hundreds of Nobel Prizes have been awarded. Many of these have been for obscure but significant research, notable only to those working in specific sectors. Others, however, applauded discoveries that have changed the course of human history.
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The engineering sector is the newest playground for cyber criminals. Statistics from security company Kaspersky indicate that attacks on Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and smart building management systems are growing, pointing to an urgent need for engineering companies to improve their security offerings and expertise.
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For decades, nutritionists have been identifying and warning us about the health risks caused by “bad” foods, and offering advice about which foods we should be eating in order to be healthy. Most of these recommendations are based in research, but with new studies being conducted on a regular basis, the lists of healthy and unhealthy food options change as new data comes to light.
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Trips to remote areas of the world can be fraught with peril, and even though we are aware of many of the dangers in specific regions, sometimes they can still sneak up on us. A joint expedition by the Northern Fleet, Russia's naval fleet in the Arctic, and the Russian Geographical Society (RGO) narrowly avoided injuries after a landing boat was sunk off Franz Josef Land.
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25 years ago, a competition to design the flag of a constitutional South Africa was opened to all citizens. The winning entry was designed by the then State Herald, Frederick Brownell, and has come to be one of the most recognised flags in the world.
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Drones are finding their way into common use in a multitude of industries, with many South African companies now using drone technology for survey, mapping, and inspection. Drones are also being used extensively in for film and marketing, according to the 2019 State of Drone Report.
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Science and marketing don’t usually go together, but Neil Gemmell, a geneticist and professor at New Zealand’s University of Otago, used all of the marketing channels at his disposal to launch a new conversation about the Loch Ness monster based on his recent research findings. “I am unashamedly using the monster as a way to attract interest so I can talk about the science I want to talk about,” the told The Washington Post after publishing the results of the study conducted by his team.
A century ago, gold was the most important metal because all of the world’s currencies were based on the gold standard. This led to the international exploration and mining activities that formed the basis of the economies of countries like South Africa.
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Antarctica has become a popular destination for tourists looking for extreme experiences, with some companies charging close to half a million Rand for a “luxury tour” of the world’s southernmost continent. South Africans with some scientific or engineering background can now get an all-expenses paid trip to Antarctica – if they are willing to work.
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These days, automation is all the rage. Companies are using AI and robotics to automate every possible task to create greater efficiencies and profits, leading to heated debates about the roles humans will play in business in the future.
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In an interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in 2015, Elon Musk suggested detonating nuclear bombs over the poles on Mars in order to help make the red planet more liveable for the colonists Musk is planning on sending there. The theory is that the nukes would vaporise a fair chunk of Mars’ ice caps, liberating enough water vapour and carbon dioxide (both of which are greenhouse gasses to warm up the planet substantially.
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Anti-ageing technology has been a multi-billion Dollar industry for decades. From anti-oxidant bearing vitamins to the lotions and potions sold by cosmetics companies, there are numerous products on the market to help fight the signs of ageing. Until now, that was the best modern science could achieve: Fighting the signs of ageing, but not the process itself.
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Sobering images recently released by NASA have illustrated the effect climate change is having on our planet. Comparing Landsat images from 1972 and 2019, it’s obvious that the branching network of glaciers that empty into Greenland’s Sermilik Fjord has changed significantly in the last 50 years.