Featured Research: Sustainability

Photo

Satellite images classifying the different plant growth patterns and varieties

This classification map shows the different types of plants in a crop field in various areas in Gauteng. The legend shows red for weeds, green for maize and yellow for mixed growth areas.

Story

Arid conditions stimulate plant trait diversity – UP part of worldwide study that offers hope for biodiversity conservation

The University of Pretoria (UP) has been part of a groundbreaking international study to understand how plants found in drylands have adapted to these extreme habitats. The results of this large-scale study, which involved 120 scientists from 27 countries, were recently published in scientific journal Nature and have significant implications for protecting biodiversity as the planet warms and...

Gallery

Experience how scientists selected samples for analysis across South Africa's drylands

UP researchers contributed datasets from South African drylands, with sampling being carried out in the vicinities of Graaff Reinet and Prince Albert in the central Karoo, and around Lichtenburg in the North-West province. These sites provided unique data as South Africa’s drylands are particularly rich in plant species compared with many of the other sites included in the study.

Podcast

Where weird plants thrive: aridity spurs diversity of traits

Listen to the Nature podcast where a round up of the UP and partners study is mentioned explaining what happens when environments get more dry and plant species numbers drop, but the number of traits increase and the global significance of this research.

Lecture

Artificial Intelligence for Artificial Intelligence: Can Artificial Intelligence Create Itself?

Artificial Intelligence has had a major impact in the fourth industrial revolution and has been instrumental in finding scalable solutions to complex problems posed by the United Nations Sustainable Development goals. However, this has not been without challenges. As the adoption of artificial intelligence has grown, we find ourselves in the situation where artificial intelligence has moved out...

Story

RE.SEARCH 9: What if? 

RE.SEARCH 9 is our most novel edition yet. In it, we have featured research that encourages us to think afresh, and is doing so, we’ve highlighted new ways of looking at research. You can expect to read about research that has potential and promise for the future but which is still nascent or represents an educated guess. This edition also features a range of multimedia that you can immerse...