Featured Research: Economy & Business

Story

University of Pretoria expert to co-lead eucalyptus tree genome project

Prof Zander Myburg of UP’s Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute is part of an international team that will embark on a large-scale genome sequencing of 2 000 eucalyptus trees.

Story

UP’s Engineering 4.0’s ‘smart avos’ key to determining impact of transportation conditions on agricultural products

Scientists at the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Engineering 4.0 research facility are tracking the journey of 3-D-printed avocados on a ship from South Africa to the Netherlands.

Talking Point

South African case study sheds light on how vaccine manufacturing can be developed

The uneven availability of COVID-19 vaccines has become an increasingly urgent and vexatious issue. But managing the problem of what’s been labelled “vaccine nationalism” is proving a hard nut to crack.

Talking Point

Nearly half of South Africa’s live music workers may quit the industry for good

For people working in South Africa’s live music sector, 2020 has been “devastating”. That was the term that researchers read most frequently in responses to the country’s largest-ever live music and COVID-19 survey, published in November. As one respondent put it: "I have lost everything. All income, accommodation – everything".

Lecture

‘Can International law address the most pressing concerns of society? In search of solidarity’

Our society is facing a myriad of challenges, many of which have been exacerbated and highlighted by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. These include, among many others, the scourge of poverty, and environmental issues such as anthropogenic climate change. Academic literature has observed that the rise in populism has eroded the ability of international law to play a positive role in addressing many...

Talking Point

Air pollution, temperature and respiratory disease: a South African study

Global warming and air pollution have something in common: their effects on human health. Air pollution is a well-known cause of breathing problems. Hot weather can also bring on these symptoms. Pollution and global warming also affect health in combination.