Uncertainty about social media’s role in adolescent mental health
Stellenbosch University August 5, 2024
Although there is a slight yet significant positive link between anxiety and depression in adolescents and the time they spend on social media, as well as their engagement on different platforms, the jury is still out on whether social media is to blame for the current mental health crisis... Read more
New study reveals hidden health risks of indoor fireplaces
ResearchStellenbosch UniversityUncategorized August 5, 2024
During the cold winter months, it is nice to light an indoor fireplace for extra warmth or to have the occasional ‘braai’ (binnebraai). The downside is that you may be inhaling tiny solid or liquid substances that could be harmful to your health. In a new study published in... Read more
If there is one thing that South Africa’s new government of national unity should prioritise, it is child-headed households. Children from these households are being deprived of their constitutional rights to family or parental care, alternative care, adequate shelter and social security. There is also an expectation that they... Read more
Uncovering ancient wonders: The world’s oldest termite mounds found in South Africa
ResearchStellenbosch University June 21, 2024
In what is described as an astonishing breakthrough, scientists have discovered the world’s oldest, inhabited termite mounds along the Buffels River in Namaqualand. These mounds, dating back a staggering 34,000 years, are rewriting our understanding of prehistoric life, climate and carbon storage. An Ancient Marvel These termite mounds, called... Read more
Stellenbosch University (SU) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) of South Africa to “to find new approaches and strategies in the fight against corruption”. The MOU will focus on the areas of training and research; community engagement; capacity building; and exchange of... Read more
Students’ ‘Life Pod’ project can save up to 100 lives per year
Stellenbosch University April 16, 2024
A group of Stellenbosch University medical students is on a mission to establish a specialised intensive care unit (ICU) for organ donors at Tygerberg Hospital. This dedicated unit, dubbed the “Life Pod”, aims to significantly boost the hospital’s capacity for posthumous organ transplant, potentially saving up to 100 lives... Read more
Speech therapist overcomes mental health challenges after years of struggling
Stellenbosch University January 3, 2024
When Firdous Sulaiman walked across the stage to receive her degree in Speech, Language and Hearing Therapy on Tuesday (12 December), it was a triumphant conclusion to years of struggling. Having had to repeat three years of her studies at Stellenbosch University (SU), a car accident in 2020 became... Read more
By 2040, there will be more than three hundred vacancies for mathematics academics in higher education in South Africa (SA). This is the alarm bell sounded by renowned mathematician, Prof Loyiso Nongxa, of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) at a National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences (NITheCS) colloquium held... Read more
Legal framework needed to protect patients’ mobile phone data
ResearchStellenbosch University July 25, 2023
In remote areas or during an emergency, healthcare professionals can decide much quicker what type of treatment a patient needs if they have immediate access to mobile phone data about the person’s health. While such data can make a world of difference to those requiring care, it is the... Read more
