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Asgardia: More than just Marvel
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Asgardia: More than just Marvel

2018-10-30T12:27:40+02:00

Asgardia: More than just Marvel

What comes to mind when you hear the word Asgard or Asgardia? For most, it will undoubtedly be the central kingdom based in outer space that is portrayed in Marvel’s The Avengers series of movies. The kingdom of Asgard plays a prominent role as the home of origin for the God of Thunder: Thor, and his brother – the God of Mischief, Loki. The kingdom portrayed in the Marvel super-hero series is based on Norse religion and mythology. Asgard or Asgardia is one of the Nine Worlds of Norse mythologies and is home to the Aesir tribe of gods. It is situated in the sky and connected to Midguard by the […]

Asgardia: More than just Marvel2018-10-30T12:27:40+02:00
cockroach milk
Got Milk?
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Got Milk?

2018-06-25T14:24:25+02:00

cockroach milk

Got Milk?

With an ever growing demand for dairy-free milk alternatives and substitutes, scientists have widened their net of sources for such a substance. These include the popular nut, legume and plant based alternatives such as soy and almond milk as well as rice, flax, oatmeal, peanut, pea, quinoa, cashew and coconut milk to name a few. As of 2017, almond milk has gained the title of “America’s favourite plant based milk” (Huffington Post, 2017). It is estimated to be a $738 million business, with it far superseding the previously popular soy milk alternative. Although vegan and vegetarian consumers make up a small percentage of the overall consumer market, more and more people are seeking […]

Got Milk?2018-06-25T14:24:25+02:00
South African Inventions
Superb South African Inventions
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Superb South African Inventions

2018-06-25T14:16:46+02:00

South African Inventions

Superb South African Inventions

South Africa is known for many things such as its wildlife, diverse and scenic landscapes, its eleven official languages, and its diverse cuisines and cultures. However, it’s also home to the little-known inventors of some of the most innovative inventions that are utilised and recognised internationally. One of the most famous examples is, of course, the world’s first ever heart transplant which was performed by Dr. Christian Barnard in Cape Town in 1967, a revolutionary surgical procedure that transformed the cardio-thoracic landscape. He later went on to perform another 10 heart transplants, drastically improving the quality of life of his patients.

Another medical marvel that is on the list of South […]

Superb South African Inventions2018-06-25T14:16:46+02:00
The Advancement of Artificial Intelligence
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The Advancement of Artificial Intelligence

2018-06-25T12:54:29+02:00

The Advancement of Artificial Intelligence

The robot revolution is here in the form of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Once a futuristic concept, AI related technology is being embedded unknowingly in most of the technology that we utilise on a daily basis. Mark Zuckerberg’s brain-child, Facebook has been one of the largest testing platforms for the development of artificial intelligence; with Zuckerberg being a major advocate for the advancement of AI technology including robots. In 2017, a team of researchers at the Facebook Artificial Intelligence Research facility built a ‘Chatbot’ that was designed to ‘learn’ how to negotiate by imitating the human trading and the bartering system. However, after the two programs (affectionately nicknamed Alice and Bob) were paired together […]

The Advancement of Artificial Intelligence2018-06-25T12:54:29+02:00
Plastic-Eating Enzyme
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Plastic-Eating Enzyme

2018-05-02T13:09:17+02:00

Plastic-Eating Enzyme: A Promising and Powerful Pollution Problem Solver

Plastic is one of the largest pollutants in the world, with over a billion tonnes of plastic products subsisting in all environments including large parts of the ocean. Through the rise in the popularity of disposable plastic products, scientists estimate that over 8.3 billion metric tonnes of plastic based products have been created in the past six decades. As plastic takes more than 400 years to degrade, the vast majority of all plastic products ever produced, still exist in some form or another. The prediction that has been quoted time and time again that in the next half-century, the ocean will contain more plastic (ton for ton) than fish […]

Plastic-Eating Enzyme2018-05-02T13:09:17+02:00
Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity – Wi-Fi at its worst
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Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity – Wi-Fi at its worst

2018-07-18T12:39:01+02:00

Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity – Wi-Fi at its worst

Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity is a largely contested condition that has raised more than a few eyebrows in the medical community as of late. It is a condition that most people have never heard of, and is often referred to as the ‘Wi-Fi allergy’ as it is associated with a negative reaction to an ‘over-exposure’ to Wi-Fi. Despite the ‘legitimacy’ controversy and pseudoscience accusations surrounding Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS), it is slowly but surely being recognised by various medical experts worldwide as a legitimate and soon-to-be established medical condition.

So what does Electromagnetic Sensitivity actually mean, and how does it occur? EHS is defined as a medical condition in which a person is […]

Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity – Wi-Fi at its worst2018-07-18T12:39:01+02:00
Making self-driving cars a reality
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Making self-driving cars a reality

2018-09-05T10:27:09+02:00

Making self-driving cars a reality

Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, predicts that by “November or December of this year, we should be able to go from a parking lot in California to a parking lot in New York, no controls touched at any point during the entire journey.”

Musk has clarified the plans and predicts that level 5 autonomy[1], is roughly two years away. Many of the other major automakers like Mercedes and Ford are giving a 2020 to 2025 timeframe for level 4 autonomous driving, but Tesla is pushing hard for the end of 2018. Currently, Tesla’s Autopilot can be classified as advanced cruise control and lane assistance, but new cars rolling out […]

Making self-driving cars a reality2018-09-05T10:27:09+02:00
Fighting all forms of illegal gambling
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Fighting all forms of illegal gambling

2018-09-05T10:06:05+02:00

Fighting all forms of illegal gambling

Selina Rapulane
On 23 May the Vaal University of Technology Southern Gauteng Science and Technology Park was honoured with a second visit as a spin-off from the Premier’s office by the Gauteng Gambling Board as arranged by Ms Anne Naidu; VUT’s Communications Practitioner at the Southern Gauteng Science and Technology Park.
Mr Hugh Makhaya, from the Gauteng Gambling Board, an agency of the Department of Economic Development which is headed by MEC Maile, addressed the VUT-Sasol students who are being trained for entrepreneurship. The organisation’s mandate is to regulate gambling in the province and to protect the public from gambling industries.
As the Honourable Premier mentioned in his speech on 18 […]

Fighting all forms of illegal gambling2018-09-05T10:06:05+02:00
Taking technology to township schools
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Taking technology to township schools

2018-09-05T09:47:25+02:00

Taking technology to township schools

Anne Naidu

The Vaal University of Technology and the Southern Gauteng Science and Technology Park (VUT SGSTP) wishes to extend an invitation to you to join us in launching the I2P® Labs at Lebohang Secondary School and Thuto Lore Comprehensive School on 31 May 2017.

The I2P® Lab (abbreviated from Idea 2 Product Laboratory), is a facility that provides learners with the ability to conceptualise, design, develop, fabricate and test new and innovative ideas. Using entry-level Additive Manufacturing (AM) personal 3D printer platforms, the I2P Lab aims to provide access to AM for school learners.

The lab provides assistance to encourage more effective teaching and learning experiences. It offers skills development and […]

Taking technology to township schools2018-09-05T09:47:25+02:00
Graphene-based sieve turns seawater into drinking water
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Graphene-based sieve turns seawater into drinking water

2018-09-05T09:35:38+02:00

Graphene-based sieve turns seawater into drinking water

British researchers, lead by Rahul Nair, at the University of Manchester, have discovered a way of efficient desalination by creating a graphene-based sieve that is capable of removing salt from sea water. The graphene sieve has left seawater fresh to drink.

Climate change is wreaking havoc on the world’s urban water supplies. With already rising temperatures and a decreased amount of rainfall – the UN predicts that by 2025, 14% of the world’s population will encounter water scarcity. At the same time, sea water will be something we have in abundance, as Greenland’s coastal ice caps are melting at a rapid rate. If the entire Greenland Ice Sheet […]

Graphene-based sieve turns seawater into drinking water2018-09-05T09:35:38+02:00
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