Stories

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UP expert details the true, terrifying nature of lightning

There is a common misconception that most lightning victims are struck directly by a “bolt” of lightning from the sky. But according to Professor Ryan Blumenthal, a senior specialist forensic pathologist at the University of Pretoria, less than 5% of victims are struck by the lightning flash itself;– most lighting-related deaths and injuries occur as a result of other lightning attachment...

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UP study finds that lions hunt particular cattle types

When wild lions sneak up on a herd of cattle to grab an easy meal, the dice seem to be loaded more heavily against certain herd members, which are more likely than the others to be killed and eaten, according to a new study conducted by scientists from the University of Pretoria (UP).

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Welcome to Research Matters

Research Matters shows how the University of Pretoria creates a world of answers by highlighting some of our most impactful and innovative research, all of which addresses society’s most pressing concerns in order to transform lives and communities.

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UP vet team gives macaw new lease of life with 3D-printed beak

Many people get prosthetic titanium limbs as a result of illness or injury. Now, thanks to a University of Pretoria (UP) team led by Professor Gerhard Steenkamp, a veterinary specialist in dentistry and maxillofacial surgery at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, a macaw has been given a new lease of life with a 3D-printed beak.

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SA is breaking more high-temperature records than expected

A study by a PhD student at the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology reveals that South Africa is experiencing more maximum temperature records than expected and that this trend seems to be accelerating.

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Disaster triggers solidarity rather than disruption among South Africans

South Africans have been found to tend towards flocking instead of taking flight as a resilience response. This is according to Professor Liesel Ebersöhn, a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Pretoria (UP) and Director of the University’s Centre for the Study of Resilience.