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Apple CEO Tim Cook is stepping down
John Ternus, Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering, will be taking the helm as chief executive.
16 Clemson students and alumni recognized by National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
The foundation recognized seven Clemson Fellows and eight alumni for outstanding potential in science and engineering, as well as an Honorable Mention.
Okaloosa Students Shine at State Science and Engineering Fair
The Okaloosa County School District proudly recognizes its middle school students' achievements at ...
Los Alamos Public Schools Students Compete At 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair
Students from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Mountain Elementary, Los Alamos Middle School, and Los Alamos High School at the 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair at New Mexico Tech. Pho…
Multifunctional ligand engineering for pure-blue halide perovskite nanocrystal LEDs
Light: Science & Applications - Passivation with a bifunctional fluorinated ligand stabilizes mixed-halide perovskite nanocrystals, enabling high-color-purity deep-blue emission...
El Paso Science Festival returns to Downtown
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) - Saturday and Sunday, several organizations including La Nube will host the El Paso Science Fest at the El Paso Convention Center, from 10:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. According to organizers, attendees can expect over 100 interactive exhibits for visitors to get hands-on experience with launching a spaceship, coding robots, engineering,
PCC Notes: Engineering and Physical Science Club presents at symposium
WINTERVILLE — Eight members of the Pitt Community College Engineering and Physical Science Club presented an academic research poster during the 2026 NC Space Symposium this month in Raleigh.
McKinley Park News - Students Strut Science at McKinley Park High’s STEM Night
McKinley Park High at its new Bridgeport campus presented 9th to 12th grade students demonstrating principles of science, technology, engineering and math at its STEM Night event on April 8, 2026, including comment from Principal Seat Vedziovski about the growth and development of the school.
Months-old start-up Recursive Superintelligence raises $500mn for self-teaching AI
Group founded by former engineers at DeepMind and OpenAI secures $4bn valuation in deal with Google’s venture arm and Nvidia
Testing Begins for Katalyst-NASA Swift Boost Mission
On April 14, engineers from Katalyst Space Technologies arrived at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, to begin environmental tests of the company’s LINK robotic servicing spacecraft.
Hoboken zoning overhaul targets business growth
The Hoboken Business Alliance and city launch a zoning code modernization effort to streamline permitting and expand commercial uses.
PCC Notes: Engineering and Physical Science Club students present poster at symposium
WINTERVILLE — Eight members of the Pitt Community College Engineering and Physical Science Club presented an academic research poster during the 2026 NC Space Symposium this month in Raleigh.
McClure Health Science High School student awarded scholarship from Amazon
McClure Health Science High School senior Jasmine Osorio is headed to college with the help of a major scholarship from Amazon.McClure Health Science High School senior Jasmine Osorio is headed to college with the help of a major scholarship from Amazon.
McClure Health Science High School student awarded scholarship from Amazon
McClure Health Science High School senior Jasmine Osorio is headed to college with the help of a major scholarship from Amazon.McClure Health Science High School senior Jasmine Osorio is headed to college with the help of a major scholarship from Amazon.
Unlock New Rewards in the Rivals and Rockets
Complete cross-game Quests and Challenges in Rocket League and Fortnite to unlock rewards in both games.
NSWCPD Applies AI and Machine Learning to Predictive Machinery Health
In a soundproof chamber at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD), a steel-gray air compressor hums as engineers test an experimental machine learning model designed to detect early signs of failure through vibration analysis. The effort, part of NSWCPD’s growing portfolio of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) projects, shows early promise for potential future Navy use.
Engineering, game design faculty turn nuclear science into interactive learning experience
At Kennesaw State University, learning about nuclear energy isn’t limited to textbooks and lectures. Researchers are developing a video game that helps users understand how reactors operate through hands-on experience. At the center of the project titled “Simulating the AP1000: An Educational Game to Promote Understanding of Nuclear Energy Safety and Sustainability” is a collaboration between engineering and game design faculty. The initiative focuses on turning complex nuclear concepts into an interactive learning experience.
Two inducted into Thomas Green Clemson Academy of Engineers and Scientists
Gary Mercer and Jim Kaplan receive college's highest honor, and Jie Huang, Thomas Kuckhoff and Toni Bloodworth Pence are honored as Outstanding Young Alumni.
Amazing America 250: Talladega Superspeedway Buzz Brings Business from Around the Nation
TALLADEGA, Ala. — The thunder of engines at Talladega Superspeedway is famous nationwide, but just beyond the track, another kind of momentum is building—one po
Roman Space Telescope Science Platform Will Open New Frontiers in Space Science
Preparations for NASA's soon-to-launch Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope have already introduced historic changes to the field of astronomy. Starting in 2027, Roman will deliver an unprecedented volume of complex survey data that will be impractical to download to individual computers for analysis. Astronomers and engineers at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), working in close collaboration with the mission’s partners at NASA and Caltech/IPAC, have met these new developments head
LTRI hosts annual Region 1 Science and Engineering Fair
The Louisiana Tech Research Institute (LTRI) recently partnered with Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) to host the 2026 Louisiana Region 1 Science Fair, marking the second consecutive year the e
Metro 2039 Is Coming To Xbox This Winter, Gorgeous In-Engine Gameplay Revealed
Welcome to the new world
Station Orbits Higher as Crew Runs New Science Experiments
The International Space Station is orbiting higher today after the Progress 93 resupply ship, docked to the Zvezda service module, fired its engines for just over five minutes Wednesday night. The orbital reboost places the space station at the correct altitude for the upcoming Progress 95 cargo mission scheduled to resupply the Expedition 74 crew at the end of April.
Startup Sioux Falls highlights growing momentum on Founders Day
“These founders are building economic engines for our community. Our ecosystem needs to support them.”
How Dangerous Is Anthropic’s New AI Model? Its Chief Science Officer Explains.
Just how fast is the future coming at us, and how worried should we be? Last week, Anthropic announced Claude Mythos, the latest in what has become the leading family of AI models. In a very short time, AI models from Anthropic and other companies have become shockingly powerful at coding. But Mythos stands out because it is not just able to write code that can hack into critical systems, like those that run financial companies, but also to analyze systems and find and string together vulnerabilities in them, allowing Mythos to evade even sophisticated defenses. Anthropic chose to release Mythos to only about 40 leading corporations, so they could analyze the model’s capabilities and prepare countermeasures, in an effort it calls Project Glasswing. The release of Mythos—and the prospect of similarly powerful AIs to follow—has caused tremors at the top levels of Washington and corporate America. Jared Kaplan, co-founder and chief science officer at Anthropic, is at the center of this breakthrough. We sat down with Kaplan so he could walk us through just how powerful Mythos is, what the implications are for issues like our personal privacy, and what comes next. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Sean Fischer: For the layman, how is Claude Mythos different—more powerful, more dangerous—from previous models released by Anthropic? Jared Kaplan: I think most people have experienced the fact that our computers get faster and faster over time and over many decades. There’s this very smooth trend where every 18 months, maybe, computer processing power doubles. I think AI is on a trend in which it’s improving maybe 10 times faster than that. A lot of the earliest work that I did in AI was around identifying this scaling trend in AI. Claude Mythos is the latest model from Anthropic, but it’s not different because it’s qualitatively different. It’s really just kind of the culmination of the trend of AI models getting smarter and smarter at all kinds of general capabilities, from reasoning to software engineering to scientific research to knowledge work. For us, it was the first model to demonstrate very elite-level cybersecurity capabilities. It wasn’t because we trained Claude Mythos to focus on cybersecurity, but it was because, as a byproduct of its general intelligence and its general ability with software, it’s particularly good at identifying vulnerabilities in software and how to exploit them.
Thinking Machines Lab loses another founding member to Meta
Meta has hired another founding engineer from Thinking Machines Lab as the AI talent wars intensify. The startup is still rapidly expanding.
Thinking Machines Lab loses another founding member to Meta
Meta has hired another founding engineer from Thinking Machines Lab as the AI talent wars intensify. The startup is still rapidly expanding.
Siri Engineers Sent to AI Coding Bootcamp as Apple Prepares to Deliver Siri Overhaul
Apple is sending a large portion of its Siri engineers to a multi-week bootcamp to learn to code using AI, reports The Information. Apple's decision to teach its programmers to better use AI for coding comes just two months before Apple is expected to unveil a smarter, more capable version of Siri at WWDC. While employees attend the coding bootcamp, around 60 members of the Siri development team will stick around to work on Siri, and an additional 60 will evaluate how Siri is performing.
Pleasanton Innovation Fair Brings Robots, Drones, Electric Buses and More This Weekend
The one-day free event at the Alameda County Fairgrounds is the largest celebration of science, technology, engineering, art and innovation in the area, according to organizers.
AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship welcomes 2026 fellows | American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Fifteen early career scientists — spanning research areas from medical artificial intelligence to exoplanets to bug science — will join newsrooms around the country and in Puerto Rico this summer to contribute their skills towards increased public understanding of science and technology.
95% of people carry this virus and scientists may have just found how to stop it
Scientists have taken a major step toward stopping Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), an extremely common infection linked to cancer and chronic disease. By using mice engineered with human antibody genes, researchers created powerful human-like antibodies that block the virus from attaching to and entering immune cells. One of these antibodies completely prevented infection in lab models with human immune systems, marking a breakthrough after years of difficulty tackling EBV’s ability to invade nearly all B cells.
Explore Purdue’s integrated business and engineering major
Nicole Welsh knows that progress is possible when business-minded and engineering-minded people work together.
Simon Cherry Receives ESMI Award for Significant, Long-Term Contributions to Imaging Science
The Distinguished Research Professor of biomedical engineering has received the 2026 ESMI Award from the European Society for Molecular Imaging. Among the most prestigious honors in imaging science, the award celebrates a researcher for their outstanding contributions to the interdisciplinary field.
UW STEM-ology Provides Energy and Natural Resources Activities for All
STEM-ology, a monthly series of themed science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) events for all ages, concludes this month at the University of Wyoming, with events including Toddler Tue
Angelo State names new dean for Science and Engineering College
Angelo State University has appointed Dr. Chih-Chien "Linus" Yu as the new dean of its College of Science and Engineering, effective April 1.
Open-air driving pleasure in the new Porsche 911 GT3 S/C
Lightweight cabriolet with a high-revving naturally aspirated engine and manual transmission.
21 Long Island students win first place at science competition
The winners are eligible to compete at the International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix.
Two Yale student scientists named Goldwater Scholars
Two Yale juniors have received the prestigious Goldwater scholarship, which supports students interested in research careers in the fields of natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics.
Scholarships support rising stars of science
Two UVA students – a neuroscience major and a materials engineering major – received Goldwater Scholarships.
Engineering and Computer Science Awards for 2025-26 Presented at Convo
The College of Engineering and Computer Science at Arkansas State University presented graduating student awards during a Convocation of Scholars awards ceremony.
Two Pitt Materials Science Students Receive Ellwood Scholarships
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering students Margo Levenson and Koh Bauman have received Ellwood Metallurgy Scholarships, which include a paid summer internship. Ellwood, a family-owned metals manufacturer, offers the scholarship to high-caliber, third-year college students studying metallurgy.Levenson, a Pittsburgh native who...
Student view: Celebrating learning as much as winning
Navya Bhardwaj will graduate on May 3 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering and minors in data science, and computational mathematics, science and engineering. She is president of MSU Women in Computing and served as co-director of SpartaHack.
Ann Brach Appointed Executive Director of Transportation Research Board at National Academies
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced today that Ann Brach has been named the executive director of the Transportation Research Board (TRB).
The ‘bar has raised’ for UF computer science and engineering students
AI is changing expectations of CSE students entering the workforce
Sand, science and strategy: Strengthening the shores of Presque Isle
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, has just released a very interesting video named ‘Sand, science and strategy: Strengthening the Shores of Presque Isle’. This video shows how the Buffalo District – using modern technology and hands-on expertise – fights erosion and protects the coastline of Presque Isle for the future: This content […]
Entertainment Is Now the Engine of Brand Growth, Small World Reports
Little Black Book, Produced with Tracksuit, the 'Entertain or Die 3.0' report reveals that entertainment-first brands are driving stronger revenue growth and consumer preference in 2025
Ska Brewing sale breathes new life into 30-year-old business
Ska Brewing Co. in Durango has survived more than 30 years of shifting economic landscapes, a pandemic, a multiyear decline for craft breweries on the whole and a recent change of ownership after deca...
2026 NJBIZ Health Care Power List: A – E
2026 NJBIZ Health Care Power List: Meet the professionals leading the industry that keeps New Jerseyans strong, active and full of life.
2026 NJBIZ Health Care Power List: F – J
2026 NJBIZ Health Care Power List: Meet the professionals leading the industry that keeps New Jerseyans strong, active and full of life.
2026 NJBIZ Health Care Power List: Q – Z
2026 NJBIZ Health Care Power List: Meet the professionals leading the industry that keeps New Jerseyans strong, active and full of life.
Oldsmobile Almost Became Muscle Car Tyrants With A 32-Valve 455 V8
Oldsmobile almost stood above every other muscle car brand with a 32-valve 455 V8, which could have been the most powerful muscle car engine of the early 1970s.
New clinic brings at-home health care to La Plata, San Juan counties
HERMOSA – The practice of a doctor traveling to a patient’s home to deliver care – as opposed to the patient traveling to a medical campus or visiting a doctor in an office – is largely bygone. Accord...
Hidden weak spots in HIV and Ebola revealed with breakthrough nanodisc technology
A new nanodisc-based platform lets scientists study viral proteins in a form that closely mimics real viruses, revealing how antibodies truly recognize them. This approach uncovered hidden interactions in viruses like HIV and Ebola that traditional methods missed. By recreating the virus’s membrane environment, researchers can better understand how immune defenses work. The technique could speed up the development of more effective vaccines.
Aerospace engineer who worked on Artemis II thanks middle school science teachers
A little more than a decade ago, Nate Eller was an standout student at Twin Hills Middle School in Sebastopol. Today, he’s an aerospace engineer at NASA who played a role in the Artemis II mission.
TikTok as an engine of entertainment consumption and conversion
New research conducted by TikTok in collaboration with Ipsos explores how social and video platforms drive real-world conversion and long-term IP value.
Photos: Makeup tests, shoulder cuff health and student presentations
Darryna Guy-Williams, a bioengineering and bio chemistry major, sprays Jenna King, class TA and postdoctorate candidate in chemistry and chemical biology, with a facial hydrating mist in Leila Deravi’s cosmetic chemistry class.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (K-12)
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math—often called STEM—help students understand how the world works and how to shape what comes next.
Neuroscientist To Lead Engineering-Driven Brain Health Research
Dr. Matthew Walker joined UT Dallas in January to build the future of sleep science. His research spans fundamental neuroscience and the development of innovative engineering tools to improve the quality of life. Dr. Matthew Walker is helping to transform sleep research from an observational field into one in which engineered solutions can measure and […]
Neuroscientist To Lead Engineering-Driven Brain Health Research
Dr. Matthew Walker joined UT Dallas in January to build the future of sleep science. His research spans fundamental neuroscience and the development of innovative engineering tools to improve the quality of life. Dr. Matthew Walker is helping to transform sleep research from an observational field into one in which engineered solutions can measure and […]
Science fiction becomes reality at USF's Engineering Expo
At the University of South Florida’s Engineering Expo, visitors can control a robotic catapult using nothing but their thoughts. It's one of dozens of hands-on exhibits drawing thousands of students and families to campus.
How Airlines Turned First-Class Seats From Freebies to a Profit Engine
Airlines used to give away most of their nicest seats, but they have increasingly found ways to persuade people to pay a lot for them.
When and why political leaders polarise rhetoric: Evidence from Twitter/X
Standard theories of electoral competition predict that politicians should converge toward the centre as elections approach. This column challenges this prediction, using 3.4 million tweets from 367 political leaders across 21 Western democracies. Rhetorical polarisation between populist and non-populist leaders rises sharply in the two quarters before an election and reverts to average levels once it is over. Both groups adopt a more emotionally direct communication style as elections near, but they increasingly talk about different topics. The findings suggest that social media turns electoral campaigns into an engine of political polarisation.
O’Keefe named chair of Engineering Sciences
Dr. Jen O'Keefe was appointed chair of Morehead State University's Engineering Sciences, emphasizing research excellence and student mentorship in diverse programs.
Health Physicists: The Quiet Experts Keeping Radiation Risks in Check
When radioactive materials are involved, whether at a former nuclear weapons site, a decommissioned reactor, or a legacy industrial facility, the goal is simple: protect workers, safeguard communities and reduce potential radiation risks to levels that are demonstrably safe. At the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), health physicists are the professionals responsible for making that happen. Their work is often behind the scenes but always with consequences that matter deeply to the public.
Ex-Apple engineers create an AI button – but can't explain why
I said a couple of years ago that AI hardware devices were like trying to invent the iPod after the...
Breaking: NVIDIA N1 laptop motherboard has been pictured, features 128GB LPDDR5X memory
NVIDIA N1 engineering board leak shows 128 GB LPDDR5X memory with SK hynix chips NVIDIA entry into the laptop market seemingly confirmed. An
Middle schoolers bring big science to Louisiana's state science and engineering fair at LSU
See the full list of winners.
Middle schoolers bring big science to Louisiana's state science and engineering fair at LSU
See the full list of winners.
This AI Wearable From Ex-Apple Engineers Looks Like an iPod Shuffle
Two former Apple Vision Pro developers made an AI wearable that only listens when you tap it. They hope to win where other AI gadgets have fumbled: privacy.
Max Verstappen's Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase set to join McLaren in 2028 in shock move having turned down Aston Martin
Max Verstappens engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is set to leave Red Bull and join McLaren in a shock move; Sky Sports News understands Lambiase will become head of race engineering at McLaren, having previously turned down an offer from Aston Martin
Jennifer Shepherd Named Dean of Gonzaga School of Engineering and Applied Science
Gonzaga University has named Jennifer Shepherd dean of its School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), following a competitive national search. Shepherd brings to the role a long-standing commitment to the University and a leadership style shaped by nearly three decades of service, scholarship, and mission-centered collaboration.
NVIDIA’s Upcoming N1 SoC For AI PC Laptops Spotted On Engineering Motherboard: 128 GB Memory, User Claims Launch Expected This Year
An engineering sample motherboard featuring NVIDIA's upcoming N1 SoC, which will power its AI PC laptops, has been spotted online.
Your DNA has a secret “second code” that decides which genes get silenced
Not all parts of our genetic code are equal, even when they appear to say the same thing. Scientists have discovered that cells can detect less efficient genetic instructions and selectively silence them. A protein called DHX29 plays a key role in this process by identifying and suppressing weaker messages. This finding reveals a hidden layer of control in how genes are used.
XAI reorganizes its engineering team ahead of SpaceX IPO
A SpaceX executive said xAI is "clearly behind" competition, in a memo sent to staff.
Sparks and barks: College of Engineering and Science unveils robot dog
The Louisiana Tech University College of Engineering and Science (COES) has officially introduced its newest and most innovative ambassador: CHIP, a robotic dog enhanced and programmed by COES student
'Tokenmaxxing' is the new Silicon Valley AI debate
Some engineers are "tokenmaxxing," or spending as many AI tokens as possible. But are leaderboards tracking token use the answer?
2026 Texas Science and Engineering Fair Results
Posts Details/Default Board Post Page - Plano Independent School District
Alarm in health service over Palantir staff being given NHS email accounts
Exclusive: Sources believe AI tech company’s engineers have been granted access to directory of up to 1.5m staff
McLeod Health Teams Honored at Harbor Freight Summit
In March, seven McLeod Health Engineering/Facilities Management team members were recognized with awards at the 2026 Harbor Freight Skilled Trades Youth Summit for
The East Baton Rouge Parish Library: Where entrepreneurs go to grow
Sponsored by East Baton Rouge Parish Library When it comes to powering local entrepreneurship, the East Baton Rouge Parish Library and The Alliance are building one of the region’s most dynamic engines for small business growth. Their collaborative Small Business Engine Series has evolved into a practical, boots-on-the-ground resource for aspiring and established business owners alike, blending […]
MedTech Entrepreneurs Secure a Leg Up with PLASMA Health at Aggie Square
There’s a new educational arm to PLASMA, the flagship entrepreneurship program of the Student Startup Center. The 12-week accelerator, which helps undergraduates launch a startup business, now features a track for students interested in medtech.
Computer Science Students Compete in Software Hackathon - University of the Ozarks
A group of University of the Ozarks computer science students took part this past weekend in HogHacks, a 24-hour collegiate hackathon held at the University of Arkansas. Hosted by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) at the U of A, the event is an overnight software engineering competition among area college students that takes place […]
Josef Launches ‘Rapid Ingestion Engine,’ Using AI To Turn Messy Business Inputs Into Structured Legal Workflows
Josef, the Australia-based legal automation platform, has launched a new capability it is calling the Rapid Ingestion Engine, which uses AI to convert unstructured business inputs — such as email thre...
Graduate programs in health sciences and engineering rose in U.S. News & World Report rankings
Seven health sciences specialty programs cracked the top 10, including a No. 1 ranking for occupational therapy, and the Swanson School of Engineering ranks No. 24 for public universities.
4 NYU faculty honored for STEM research by American Association for the Advancement of Science
Four NYU faculty members were recognized for their research in areas of biology, neuroscience and chemical and biomolecular engineering as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The AAAS — which aims to shape science policy and build a community for STEM researchers — elected 449 researchers across the United States for...
Report: Apple's foldable iPhone may be delayed due to engineering snags
Apple has reportedly run into "more issues than expected" with its foldable iPhone that may delay its release.
MIT graduate engineering and business programs ranked highly by U.S. News for 2026-27
U.S. News and World Report ranked MIT’s graduate engineering program No. 1 in the country for 2026-27. The MIT Sloan School of Management is ranked as the nation’s No. 6 business school.
Apple's foldable iPhone encounters engineering snags, faces potential shipment delays, Nikkei Asia reports
Apple has been encountering setbacks in the engineering test phase of its first foldable iPhone, which could lead to delays in its mass production and product shipment schedule, Nikkei Asia reported on Monday, citing sources.
Foldable iPhone hits engineering snags, shipment delays possible: sources
April-May 'extremely critical' period for Apple to resolve issues in time
Zhou earns CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation
Through the early-career grant, Peipei Zhou will advance the scalable, verifiable co-design of heterogeneous reconfigurable computing systems, enabling domain experts to efficiently build next-generation customized AI and data-intensive applications, such as autonomous physical systems, adaptive intelligent agents, and advanced healthcare technologies.
2026 Distinguished Lecture Series in Materials Science and Engineering
The Distinguished Lecture Series in Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State will be held in April and will include two Richard E. Tressler Award Lectures in Materials and the David Ford McFarland Award Lecture for Achievement in Metallurgy.
ACPS students shine at State Science and Engineering Fair
Multiple students earn recognition at three-day event.
How the Voyager missions rewrote planetary science, tested the limits of 1970s engineering, and became humanity's longest-running experiment in institutional patience
In November 2026, Voyager 1 will become the first human-made object to reach one light-day from Earth. Nearly 49 years after launch, the twin Voyager missions remain the most productive space exploration program ever flown, and a case study in what happens when engineering resilience meets institutional patience.
Meta salaries revealed: How much engineers, researchers made in 2025
See how much Meta paid in 2025, with software engineers earning as much as $450,000. Salary data shows pay ranges across over 5,000 roles.
Tongcang Li receives Bement Award for innovative quantum research
Tongcang Li has been chosen to receive the 2025 Arden L. Bement Jr. Award. The award recognizes Purdue University faculty for recent outstanding contributions in pure and applied science and engineering.
Isle of Man children inspired by insight into STEM career choices
An event to showcase Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths careers was recently held.
On plant health and embracing new plant-breeding techniques in South Africa
The major challenge currently confronting South Africa’s agriculture is the spread of foot-and-mouth disease. For many farmers across the country, the most urgent tasks are both securing sufficient vaccines and rolling them out quickly in the coming months, particularly as the beef and dairy industries continue to suffer big losses. There is also pressure on sheep, goats, and other livestock to prevent the disease from spreading. As efforts to get the country through this monumental challenge continue, I believe it is important to sharpen our focus on the broader task at hand: strengthening biosecurity. This covers both animal and plant health. In recent years, we haven’t focused much on plant health, except a few times, such as when we had a goss’s wilt scare in the maize industry, a few cases of citrus black spot, or cases of sclerotinia in sunflower seeds. But the fact that South Africa managed to control the outbreaks of these particular diseases when they occurred a few years ago was due to organized agricultural and government scientific capabilities, and, most importantly, the availability of crop protection or agrochemicals necessary to address some of them. Therefore, as the animal health division in the Department of Agriculture focuses on the pressing challenge of the day, the foot-and-mouth disease, there is an opportunity for the plant health division to assess if they have all the requirements to tackle any outbreak that may occur on fruits, vegetables or crops in future. The challenge with crop diseases is that they can spread quickly and cause much more rapid damage in the field than we typically see with livestock. Therefore, speed is everything in ensuring the appropriate controls are available. I raise this as an important area, particularly given the drastic climate variation we observe across the country. The production conditions in some areas have changed noticeably over time, which may introduce new risks. The other essential part is ensuring that South Africa has access to the best crop protection technology available in the market. Many technology developers worldwide have operations in South Africa. Therefore, the Department of Agriculture, along with the Agricultural Research Council, must continuously interact with technology developers to assess the various crop protection technologies they are releasing globally and determine their suitability and need in South Africa. This will require a proactive approach from the government, unlike the current approach, in which technology developers typically approach regulators with new technologies. The government, recognising the food security risks, must take a proactive approach to ensure that South African farmers have access to the latest crop protection technologies, thereby safeguarding the country’s food security. Beyond crop protection, we must never forget that South Africa’s agriculture is key to ensuring that the country is the most food-secure country at the national level in sub-Saharan Africa. South Africa is also the only African country in the top-40 global agricultural exporters, having more than doubled since 1994 on the back of the adoption of high-yielding seed cultivars. South Africa has been the only African country to adopt a bold approach to embracing science and adopting genetically engineered seeds for grains and oilseeds in the early 2000s. Since then, we have seen crop yields improve noticeably, contributing to the gains we mentioned above. But ensuring that South Africa improves further is not a given. The key lies in South African regulators’ attitudes towards new technologies. We have to maintain a progressive approach and not give in to the politics of non-food and non-scientific voices that shout on the sidelines. Food security is national security, and the government must ensure we progress, leaning on science. Therefore, the registration of high-yielding new genomic techniques is required. South Africa cannot afford to fall behind the EU, the USA, South America, and many of its competitors in global agriculture. The Department of Agriculture’s crop science division must adopt a progress-and-science-embracing approach for the good of the country. Thanks for reading AgriView! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe Share
The university is trading its liberal arts identity for science
The university is betraying its artistic reputation and making a move toward science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
WHO calls for action: “Together for health. Stand with science.” to mark World Health Day
The World Health Organization (WHO) today calls on people everywhere to renew their commitment to working together and supporting science as the twin engines driving better health, under the World Health Day 2026 theme: “Together for health. Stand with science.” The campaign marks the anniversary of WHO’s founding on 7 April 1948, launching a year-long public health campaign.