SS Innovation 4.0 Issue 18

SCIENCESTARS Issue 18

INNOVATION 4.0

CONTENTS CONTENTS

FEATURES

1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3

2

Changing the landscape one app at a time

6

Scifest Africa 2018

8

Artificial Intelligence

9 International Supercomputing Conference 3

Cryptocurrency

6

Young scientist wins at Taiwan Science Fair

7

Technovate conference

8

Tech careers that didn't exist 10 years ago

0

Careers of the future

REGULARS

5 6 8 3 3 3 3 3

Foreword

Editor’s note

Cover story

1

Science Centre

2 Bursaries

4

Quiz

5

Puzzles

6

ANSWERS

FOREWORD

the

FOREWORD Innovation 4.0

First Revolution now became electrified, cleaner and more efficient.

Believe it or not but as you read this foreword you will, over your

Industrial Revolution. The network of wires connecting telephones

lifetime, be part of at least two industrial revolutions.

was replaced by fibre optic cables and the world-wide-web. Fixed

As we move into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Innovation 4.0

telephones and computers became portable as computing power

as some call it, we need to briefly look back at how each industrial

got both smaller and more powerful with the miniaturisation of

revolution before us has brought huge socioeconomic benefits to

transistors on circuit boards.

The computer and the internet are at the heart of the Third

countries that have engaged with them.

While many of us have lived through the Third Revolution, all of Steam stood on the centre stage of the First Industrial Revolution

us will be present for the Fourth Industrial Revolution – a new

providing the power to drive new modes of locomotion in the form

phase of taking all previous technological revolutions and blurring

of steam trains and also powering machinery that was now housed

the boundaries between them with a goal of making sustainable

in large factories that we build to cope with the demand of manu-

systems be they biological, physical or digital.

factured goods.

Science is the thread that runs through these revolutions that have The Second Industrial Revolution started with widespread electri-

impacted on all our lives and Science will be the basis for the Fifth

fication and the invention of the telephone. Communication, once

Revolution – whatever it may be.

restricted to (snail) mail now provided an interconnected grid with businesses and homes being in contact with one another via a network of wires and cables in almost real-time. The factories from the

Prof AJ Booth Dean of Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown

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5

ED’S NOTE

team Science Stars

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Editor • Nadine Sims

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is upon us The first major science event of the year is upon us and is opening this year’s science calendar with a bang. Scifest Africa is one the largest National Science Festivals on the continent and in 2017 they welcomed 62 000 visitors.

The theme for this year’s Scifest Africa is ‘Innovation 4.0’ and focuses on everything digital, virtual and new and exciting emerging technologies, like Artificial Intelligence and 3D printing. If you would to find out more about Scifest, you can find that on page 16.

Artificial Intelligence is a topic that over the past few years and months, has seen endless debates and analyses. To learn more about what exactly Artificial Intelligence is and where it is going, you can find that interesting read on page 18.

Sticking with the theme of Scifest, the page 13, we have documented an amazing individual doing amazing work in the Cape Town township of Langa. The story of a self-taught computer programmer, Sihle Tshabalala, was one the most inspiring I have personally read in a while.

Graphic designer • Cinzia-Joey Swartz Contributing designer • Stacey Okkers Contributing writers • Moeketsi Tigeli • Nicole Ludolph Chairman • Madambi Rambuda Ambassador • Prof. Azwindinni Muronga Sales & Marketing Rep • Ntombizanele Thangayi Subscriptions • info@sciencestars.co.za Copyright 2017 Roswika Media. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or any means, electronically or mechanically, without prior permission.

Science Stars is published by Roswika Media.

We have also introduced a new regular feature in Science Stars, where we will visit and feature different science centre’s around South Africa.

There are currently 26 science centres in SA and the team and I are excited to introduce you to a new one in each issue. In this issue we have looked at Nelson Mandela Bay Science Centre, in Port Elizabeth and you can read more about that on page 31.

This year already looks like it will be an eventful one for science and I am excited to be able to have you, our readers, along with us to enjoy this eventful journey.

Nadine Sims Editor

10th Floor, The Pinnacle 2 Burg Street Cape Town, 8000 021 839 2507 info@sciencestars.com www.sciencestars.co.za

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Science Stars Magazine Innovation 4.0 Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

THE CSIR providing opportunities for young and upcoming

RESEARCHERS

L

aser technology benefits various domains of our

of light, describing a research field which aims to

modern existence through various devices such as;

generate, manipulate and detect photons – particles

lighting displays in entertainment, office equipment like

of light. It is an essential component of everyday

laser printers, DVD players at home, barcode scanners

technologies, addressing societal challenges such as

in the shops, surgical technology in hospitals or devices

energy generation, healthcare and security.

for cutting and welding industrial materials in factories.

People like Rendani Nemagovhani, a Laser Technician intern at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) National Laser Centre (NLC) can play a critical role in advancing laser technology knowledge to young people. As an intern, Rendani is responsible for operating and maintaining various laser systems and metallurgical laboratory work such as preparing samples and analysing them.

He holds a National Diploma in industrial physics with major streams in laser technology and material sciences from the Tshwane University of Technology. “Studying physics opens doors to a myriad of careers in many sectors. My interest in physics developed when I was still in high school and that is when I decided I was going to study a physics-related course in tertiary.”

Rendani enrolled for a diploma in industrial physics because he wanted to study something that incorporated photonics and metrology. Photonics is the science

I also saw that there were scarce skills in the field of photonics and laser technology, therefore I took this as an opportunity.”

Rendani would like to be a principal researcher and also further his studies. “The CSIR has given me an opportunity to learn a lot and to grow academically.

I would like to have a PhD degree in Physics before I reach the age of 30, he adds.”

He encourages those who would like to pursue a career in physics to take mathematics and physical science in high school and get good results. “Know your goal and aim towards achieving it by working hard. You need to be curious about how things work and why they work in a specific way,” he says. He also says that you need to be enthusiastic, patient and have a continuous desire to learn more.

COVER STORY

BRIEF BREAK-DOWN OF

BUILDING AN APP Building an app made easy With the dawn of the so-called ‘Fourth Industrial Evolution’

Though, the technology industry can sometimes appear to be

or the technology era upon us, we, now have applications like

quite an intimidating place, especially for a young person that

Facebook, Uber and WhatsApp, which have changed the way

is trying to make a breakthrough, time and time again, we

that we communicate and live our day to day lives.

hear inspiring stories about students in their teens or early 20’s building an amazing application or start up business that

Some have even improved productivity in businesses, which

breaks creative and innovative boundaries.

would ultimately result in more profit, and others allow you to learn a new skill, like coding, mathematics or even a new lan-

That may be because those young people are the ones that

guage. The possibilities are almost infinite.

are the motivated newbies, bringing with them fresh, new and innovative ideas.

If you are one of those cutting edge individuals and you think you have a brilliant idea for an application, below we have broken down how to build an application and get your idea off the ground.

The idea This is a crucial step that should not be overlooked. Looking critically at your idea, you need to think about where the idea came from and how it is that it will someone in their daily lives. If the idea is something like a game, is the game exciting and will it keep the player entertained and keep them coming back? Or how will you achieve this?

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COVER STORY

Ask yourself if the idea has already been done? If it has, how is

courses and tutorials. W3Schools is also a good place to start,

yours different? What about your idea is helpful or exciting?

they have a wide variety of coding languages to learn and

Look at other applications that are similar to yours and weigh

choose from.

up the whether it would be a good idea to spend time developing this idea. Also look at if there is a need for this currently

The other option would be to outsource a computer program-

or a gap in the market.

mer and have that person to the back end coding for your application. This will cost money and if aren’t too familiar with

Coding

the industry you stand the risk of being overcharged. To avoid this, remember do a lot of reading and research. There are also

This may be the difficult part, if you are not a coding or pro-

freelance websites where you may hire someone to do the

gramming boffin, there are a few options you have available

application for you, like Upwork or O-desk.

to you.

There are always applications for you to build an application, The first step is to do a lot of reading and decide which

like Appmarkr, which is fairly easy to use. The downside to with

operating system you want your application to run on, either

this is that monetising and seeing profits from your app is pro-

Android, iPhone or both.

hibited. Although, this may be a good starting point to see how your application fares in the market.

Then the next and probably the best option would be to learn how to code and make the application yourself, from scratch.

This will take time and a lot of effort will be involved in learning how to code, but it is an invaluable skill that will not go to waste and will definitely stand you in good stead for the future.

There are many free resources to use online to learn how to code. There is Codecademy, which has free interactive online

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COVER STORY

Upload for review

Sell your idea

Once completed, you will need to take screenshots of your

If your application starts to really gain traction and becomes

application and submit the app on Play Store or the Apple App

popular enough, there is the potential for you to sell it to an

Store, depending on the platform used to develop it.

interested third party and make money that way.

Their response will not be immediate. A good idea in the

Do remember that when you sell your application, that means

meantime is to test out the application yourself, play with it

that all potential profits from there on out, will no longer be

and see if it’s user friendly and that there are no ‘bugs’.

yours. That way, you may be winning, but if your application becomes really big, you may lose long-term.

Once the application has been approved and is on the App Store and/or Play Store, this is when potential monetising happens. You can start selling ads on your application or even have people pay for your application.

DRIVING UNMATHCED INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS Armscor, the acquisition agency for the South African Department of Defence is renowned for its acquisition expertise in providing turnkey defence solutions to its clients Key to its research and development output is to create an environment which conducive for economic growth whilst driving defence innovation. In the same vein, Innovation in the defence industry has evolved drastically with some technology being used in the commercial and domestic sectors.

Furthermore Armscor boasts capabilities in various fields such as its communication systems, e.g. radar and communication equipment and services which are used to strengthen border controls and security, and in unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as the engineering skills to develop missiles and other technologies to meet the needs of the changing global landscape.

The entity’s forensic laboratory testing provides solutions for the prevention of chemical warfare, automotive vehicle testing and long-range artillery testing, which has aided global clientele for more than two decades.”

Armscor remains committed to provide cost-effective turnkey defence solutions globally whilst placing Africa’s high-quality expertise on the global map to secure and strengthen relations and boost South Africa’s socio-economic development.

To this end Armscor is relentlessly seeking to stimulate and encourage growth of Engineers and Scientists in the country. Career awareness campaigns conducted throughout the country to raise awareness about career opportunities available in the defence industry.

CONTACT US

Feynman

Corporate Communication Private Bag X337, Pretoria, 0001, Republic of South Africa Tel: +27 (0) 12 428 1911 E-mail: Info@armscor.co.za www.armscor.co.za

Follow us on:

TECH START-UPS

CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE ONE APP AT A TIME 3 tech startups taking SA by storm By: Nicole Ludolph

P

overty, pollution, crime and the effects of climate change are some of the social challenges South

Africans have to deal with on a daily basis.

While these challenges can make life difficult, they also tend to spark inventiveness and innovation within our society. Some of

Spazapp

these sparks come to life as tech startups.

Spaza shops are a very common feature in South African neighbourhoods, with small business people spending quite a bit of money getting to, and transporting products from, wholesalers and manufacturers.

Spazapp lowers the cost of transportation by allowing shop owners to order

JumpIn Rides

from manufacturers directly using the

One such startup is a Cape Town based

app. Manufacturers deliver goods directly

company called JumpIn Rides. Launched

Karri

to the spaza shop, and shop owners can

in July 2016, the carpooling service was

A mobile payment app specifically for the

track delivery for free. The app also offers

created as a cheaper alternative for those

use of schools, Karri is a convenient alter-

additional services, like the generating

who need to travel medium to long dis-

native to sending learners to school with

of airtime to sell to customers, and even

tances. Drivers can offer a ride to fill up

physical money. Schools sign up on the

funeral policies!

their spare seats, while potential pas-

website and load their learner data. The

sengers can search the posted rides for

app will generate a unique code for each

There are many, many more tech start-ups

offers that suit their travelling needs. The

learner, which is sent to their parents. Their

in South Africa. With our Information and

service is cheap, good for the environment

parents then download the app, enter the

Technology industry being one of the fast-

and users are verified to ensure that the

code and add their electronic payment

est growing in Africa, it is exciting to see

service is safe.

details. Each time the school has an event,

what other innovations the industry will

parents receive a notification and are able

produce through start-up companies.

to pay immediately on the app. Karri not only provides a safer solution to carrying cash but also reduces the time and admin associated with school events.

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PROFILE

HACKING INTO THE COMMUNITY Sihle Tshabalala teaches Coding in Langa By: Moeketsi Tigeli

My vision is about turning this township into the next Silicon Valley.

For me it’s about how we inspire our people about technology and teach them how to integrate technology into their own lifestyles “We offer training programs for free, for a full one year, to disadvantaged community members between the ages of 16 - 35. We write strictly JavaScript because with that you can learn front-end and back-end.”

According to the World Economic Forum’s

T

2017 report on ‘The Future of Jobs and

he Langa township in Cape Town

constraints, in 2016 Sihle and his company

Skills in Africa’ there is a strong job

faces many social and economic

moved offices to the Love Life Centre in

growth potential in the Information

challenges. With the help of a group

Langa where the coding training started.

Communications and Technology (ICT)

of community members, Sihle Tshabalala

sector. Quirky30 NPC’s main goal is pro-

has brought a different approach to solv-

The first non-profit organisation of its kind

ducing a competitive workforce by teach-

ing some of these problems: a non-profit

to offer skill sets of its kind in South Africa,

ing Information Technology skill sets such

organisation that offers training in tech-

Tshabalala begins by explaining the reason

as JavaScript, that are in-demand and

nology entrepreneurship skills.

behind the name, “Quirky means unusual,

compete across all platforms.

which really defines the work that we do.

Quirky30 NPC, as the budding organisa-

And 30 because we align what we do with

A renowned motivational speaker

tion is known, was founded in 2014. Then

the United Nations framework of sustain-

and self-taught Coder in 4 languages,

known as Brothers For All, the organisa-

able development goals for 2030.”

Tshabalala says the world is moving

tion sort to assist ex-offenders to acquire

towards a digital economy, but he is wary

the necessary skills to integrate them back

Coding languages such as HTML5 and

of what this means for marginalised com-

into their communities. Due to financial

JavaScript are on offer in the curriculum,

munities.

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PROFILE

“Let’s be realistic, people in townships

government subsidised internet connectiv-

list of over 100. The program is open to

need to firstly be enticed about technol-

ity an expense.

everyone, as well as learners from grade

ogy, Langa for instance is a small township,

10 onwards and students don’t need to

a population of 54 000, an unemployment

Tshabalala has since garnered support

have a maths and science background to

rate of 60%, 70% of the people don’t have

from corporates such as the National

join.

matric, and 90% households are without

Lottery Commision and especially Nedbank

computers, what are the prospects of a

which also runs workshops at the organ-

The younger ones start with computer

better life if they are not digital oriented?”

isation’s quarters and have put forward R2

training and move on to digital and social

he explains.

million to build infrastructure.

media marketing.

“Everything is online, job opportunities,

“My vision is about turning this township

applications for learnerships, intern-

into the next Silicon Valley. I’m setting up

ships. Even when it comes to govern-

an Internet cafe and building a 3D ani-

Open every weekday from 9am - 5pm and

ment and broadband connectivity, all the

mation studio. For me it’s about how we

Saturdays from 9:00am to 14:00pm.

WiFi hotspots are in the Central Business

inspire our people about technology and

Districts (CBD), not townships where inter-

teach them how to integrate technology

net is needed the most,” he says.

into their own lifestyles,” he says.

and the team behind it.

For Langa residents, it costs R24 a taxi

As it stands the organisation currently

Visit: www.quirky30.co.za

to and from Cape Town. Making access to

accommodates 33 students with a waiting

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Science Stars Magazine Innovation 4.0 Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

Quirky30 NPC

To find out more about this organisation

IDENTITY IS IN THE

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER “Dare to be different, but at the same time, stay true to yourself.” GUGULETHU MABUZA-HOCQUET These are very appropriate words indeed from the woman who has committed her research to identity protection.

The way Gugu sees it, your identity is all you really have – and the answer to protecting it, lies in iris biometrics.

She is exploring the unique iris properties of the South African population that may just hold the key to a uniquely South African security encryption system.

“Your iris does not only hold information such as your age, gender and race, it also says you are part of a demographic mix that is not found elsewhere in the world. Now imagine a future where those unique features in your eyes will protect the most valuble thing you have – your identity.”

Gugu describes the way she ended up in science as a “beautiful accident”. It’s certainly one to be thankful for.

BRIGHT YOUNG SCIENTISTS BEHIND IDEAS THAT WORK. www.csirideasthatwork.co.za

SCIFEST

Scifest Africa 2018 Innovation 4.0 - The Fourth Industrial Revolution

H

aving been established in 1996, Scifest Africa is an important annual event in the South African science calendar; with its objectives being to promote public awareness,

understanding and appreciate of STEM and innovation.

The national science festive will be taking place on the 7 - 13 March, with the theme for this year being ‘Innovation 4.0’. The theme is in reference to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and includes everything, digital, virtual and innovative.

Guests can expect subjects and topics touching on 3D printing, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, digital, quantum computing and many emerging technological breakthroughs.

With support from the Department of Science and Technology, the festival ensures that they make science available to the public, promote and encourage parents and students to participate and providing a platform for local and international scientists to interact, engage and encourage the youth to embark on careers in science.

Last year, the event hosted more than 62 000 visitors, exhibitors, talks and lectures, events, and contributors, from more than 75 different organisations.

Scifest Africa is held in Grahamstown every year and this year the festival will see it’s 22nd year anniversary. The festival is a project of the Grahamstown Foundation, which is a non-profit public ben-

menting Stephen Hawking’s life. There will also be educational

efit organisation.

theatre, science shows and virtual tours.

This year’s events will include workshops, lectures and fun-filled

The Water World exhibit will be open for visitors to learn and

activities. There will be something to do for everyone, from a

explore the aquatic world and life in the ocean, from tiny organism

Grade R student to an experience scientist, all are welcome.

to large sharks. The centre is a huge information and knowledge

Throughout the programme, daily workshops looking at varying

source for the study of aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems.

topics will take place.

Several lectures, workshops and activities at Scifest are free of There will also be activity zones and a mini film festival, showing

charge, but most come at a cost of between of R25 - R50. To find

informative films, like ‘The Theory of Everything’, the movie docu-

out more, please visit: www.scifest.org.za

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SCIFEST

LECTURES The high-profile lecture programme lends the festival its trademark international flavour, and proudly welcomes esteemed international and South African scientists and researchers to this celebration of science.

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AI

Artificial Intelligence Machines imitating humans By: Moeketsi Tigeli There has been a huge surge in the inter-

strong AI.

est and chatter in the technology commu-

Weak AI is mainly

nity around the introduction of Artificial

based on machines

Intelligence (AI) and its implications and

doing a particular task,

ethics. But what is AI and where did it

like a self-driving car.

originate?

Another example is Apple’s famous voice recognition functionality Siri, a virtual

In 1950, mathematician Alan Turing

assistant at your fingertips, you can ask

developed the “Turing Test”, he wanted to

your iPhone (Siri) questions and get a

service providers with knowing our day-

test whether a computer can think like a

reply or command it to perform a specific

to-day shopping, dependencies, consump-

human.

task.

tion of goods, and general human activi-

The term Artificial Intelligence, however,

Then there’s strong AI, whereby a com-

for companies such as Amazon, Google,

came in 1956 and was presented at a

puter system exhibits human behavioural

Facebook etc.

conference by John McCarthy, an American

functions. Through automatic action, it

computer scientist. AI is the simulation of

can perform complicated tasks at a scale

Experts have warned about the use

human behaviour by a machine and is the

far larger than humans are capable of, at

of strong AI, with theoretical physicist

display of human intelligence through pro-

incredible speeds, as well as find solutions

Stephen Hawking quoted saying, ”It would

cesses such as speech recognition, reason-

to problems via the use of algorithms.

take off on its own, and re-design itself

ties. This is especially true and valuable

ing and self-correction.

at an ever increasing rate. Humans, who Computer scientists are being recruited

are limited by slow biological evolution,

The term itself has broadened since the

by big tech companies and paid huge

couldn’t compete, and would be super-

1950s, from just being about automatic

amounts of money to build computer

seded.”

equipment, to the dawn of robotics. There

systems that can use data to determine

are two types of AI systems, weak AI and

human behaviour patterns. Thus assisting

SUPERCOMPUTING

INTERNATIONAL SUPERCOMPUTING CONFERENCE SA students in the running to bag big prize By: Nicole Ludolph

E

very year, the city of Frankfurt in

case their talent in the final, each country

The students won the opportunity to

Germany hosts the International

hosts a national or continent-specific

represent South Africa at the ISC after

Supercomputing Conference (ISC)

competition to choose the team that will

competing at a national competition that

for individuals the Science, Technology,

be representing them in Frankfurt. In the

took place during the annual Centre for

Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) field.

final, the chosen teams compete against

High Performance Computing (CHPC) con-

The conference also hosts an annual com-

each other over the course of three days.

ference.

petition for university students in STEM,

Team South Africa The competition took place in December

called the Student Cluster Competition

The students who will be representing South Africa are:

2017 in Pretoria, and saw undergradu-

dents have qualified to compete in this year’s competition, which will be held from

• Joshua Bruton

compete. Students were divided into ten

25 to 27 June.

• Kimessha Paupamah

teams of four undergraduate students, and

(SCC). Eight South African university stu-

ates from universities across the country

• Katleho Mokoena

those who best displayed their cluster

How does the SCC work?

• Njabulo Sithole

building and high performance computing

The ISC invites STEM students from all

• Nathan Michlo

skills were crowned the winners.

over the world to submit proposals for

• Sharon Evans

their annual competition. The aim is to

• Zubair Bulbilia

South Africa came in second place in 2015 and in 2017. In 2016 they were crowned

build a supercomputer within ISC guidelines. The team who builds the fastest

All of the students study at Wits

champions. Team South Africa 2018 has

computer within these guidelines wins.

University, except for Njabulo Sithole, who

big boots to fill. Keep an eye out for the

Since only 12 teams are selected to show-

is a student of the University of Limpopo.

final results at the end of June.

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3D PRINTING

TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH 3D PRINTING A brief history of 3D printing By: Nicole Ludolph 3D printing is one of the most exciting

sculpting them from existing blocks of

The technology also spawned a process

and innovative inventions of the last 50

material.

called Bioprinting, which is the use of liv-

years. Created by Charles W Hull in the

ing cells as the material in the 3D print-

What precisely is 3D printing used for?

ing process. Bioprinting is used to create

type production in many industries. In 2014, Hull won the European Inventor

When Hull created 3D printing, he intend-

the experimental phase. It is an exciting

Award, almost 30 years after he patented

ed for it to be a quicker solution to pro-

prospect, however because of the possibil-

the invention. The award was bestowed by

totype production. Traditional subtractive

ity of producing functional replacement

the European Patent Organization (EOP)

methods took long to produce and were

tissue and organs. Waiting lists for kidneys

and according to their write-up, Hull came

often not accurate enough for testing.

and other organs could potentially disap-

early 1980s, it has revolutionised proto-

up with the concept of 3D printing while

skin tissue and even organs, and is still in

pear and countless lives could be saved

he was working for a company that used

Hull initially sold his product to automo-

once the technology moves beyond the

UV light to apply thin sheets of plastic

tive and aviation companies, with great

experimental stage.

over furniture and other objects.

success. The technology affected the automotive industry in particular, chang-

3D printing products have changed mul-

What is 3D printing?

ing the way car companies design and

tiple industries for the better, and with

3D printing is the printing of solid objects

manufacture cars. The technology allows

many trades still only starting their explo-

from a digital file that contains a three

car companies to print out prototype cars

ration of this technology,

dimensional model of that object. The

in a matter of hours. This allows car engi-

the possibilities

printer makes the object by laying down

neers to test their new designs and refine

are endless.

very thin layers of material on top of each

it much more quickly than before.

other until the object is created. This pro-

3D printing also revolutionised the medi-

cess is referred to as an additive process,

cal industry. It allowed for quicker, cheaper

as opposed to the traditional, subtractive

production of medical devices like finger

methods of making objects by shaping or

splints, plaster casts and prosthetic parts.

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CRYPTOCURRENCY

CRYPTOCURRENCY The new form of money By: Moeketsi Tigeli Cryptocurrency referred to as ‘virtual currencies’, or ‘digital money’ is a term that’s been trending for some time now.

All thanks to an anonymous internet user called Satoshi Takamoto, who in 2009 created the new online based currency.

What is it?

At a financial conference in Boston, Microsoft founder and billionaire Bill Gates called the cryptocurrency Bitcoin, “better than currency”.

Cryptocurrency money transactions can be made online

You can anonymously book hotels, buy furniture and Xbox

without a bank or government’s intervention. One to one

games using, for example, Bitcoins. For businesses, they are

transactions protected by cryptography, which is the math-

ideal because they are not tied to any country or subject to

ematics behind the secure network databases. It’s not money

regulation, and they have no credit card fees! Although it

in the bank, but digital money, protected by their own net-

seems users prefer to trade with it, over anything else.

works, and users can choose to be anonymous.

Bitcoin in South Africa There are quite a few networks of the currency, namely

According to BusinessTech, it is almost impossible to track

Ethereum, Ripple and Monero, among many emerging others.

just how many cryptocurrency users there are. It reported

The most famous and the pioneers of cryptocurrencies are

that the popularity has not gone unnoticed however.

Bitcoin and Litecoin, with the latter being called ‘the silver to Bitcoin’s gold’.

The South African Revenue Service released a statement in December 2017 stating that they are in talks with some of the top technology companies in the world that are doing similar work for Canada and the UK and they hope to get the technology needed to track users.

According to a network called eToro, in South Africa the number of Bitcoin traders rose by 671% in 2016. And as of 5 January 2017, in a single day Bitcoin was being traded at a rate of R212,000 through eToro’s network platform.

It remains to be seen just how popular cryptocurrency will get among the masses, but experts have already speculated that the market phenomenon could reach a Trillion dollar mark in 2018.

Science Stars Magazine Innovation 4.0 Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

23

SCIENCE STARS BUILDING LEGENDS

021 839 2507 info@sciencestars.co.za www.sciencestars.co.za /sciencestars.faceb.co.za @ScienceStarsSA

PROFILE

IN CONVERSATION WITH BRITTANY BULL Launching Africa’s first privately owned satellite By: Nadine Sims

R

ecent matric graduate, 18-year old

grade 10.

States, to start her tertiary education at

Brittany Bull is part of a group of software and engineering interns

Morehead State University, in Kentucky.

She says that she has always had a love

This is where she will be studying Space

to send the first privately owned South

for STEM, but sometimes the industry can

Science and Engineering.

African satellite into space. Bull completed

be intimidating, “There is not many females

matric last year and placed second at her

in the industry and I find that there are not

She is also currently running workshops

Cape Town high school, Pelican Park.

many that will make you feel welcome, it’s

at local schools in Cape Town before her

a competitive space.”

departure in August. She teaches students

The satellite, owned by Xinabox, will

about how technology can be applied in

help the agricultural sector, being that it

This is a problem because only 30% of the

is such an important sector in Africa. It

STEM workforce globally is female and the

will be monitoring water and dam levels,

statistics tell a gloomier story in Southern

There will be 8 workshops in Cape Town,

droughts, temperatures and wildfires,

Africa, according to UNESCO’s latest sta-

10 in Gauteng and another 10 in Port

amongst other things.

tistics.

Elizabeth throughout 2018.

The cube satellite will be launched in

She also says that her mentor, Judi

“If you love something, if you have a pas-

October 2018, and will make its way over

Sandrock, is her go-to person when things

sion for it and you want to go for it, there

the African continent twice a day.

become overwhelming, “She understands

is nothing wrong with trying. Without

Bull was earmarked, by her physics teacher,

and knows what it is like to be a female in

failure, you won’t learn, don’t be afraid of

as a pupil with great potential and was

the field.”

mistakes, just give it a try.”

Bull is also set to leave for the United

To find out more, visit: xinabox.cc

the real world, using xChips and coding.

then encouraged to get involved in the Xinabox programme when she was in

Science Stars Magazine Innovation 4.0 Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

25

AWARDS

YOUNG SCIENTIST WINS AT TAIWAN SCIENCE FAIR Zara Nijzink-Laurie snatches second prize

R

epresenting South Africa at the Taiwan International Science Fair, Zara Nijzink-Laurie took home 2nd

prize in the behavioural and social sciences category.

The annual event has learners from 23 countries participating in the competitive science fair and cultural tour of Taipei.

The prestigious event took place from 28th January to 2 February in Taipei and had learners from 23 countries participat-

ing in the competitive science fair and a cultural tour of the city.

The annual event saw grade 8 learner Zara Nijzink-Laurie, from Rustenburg High School in Cape Town, compete and snatch

schoolgirls. She was motivated to look at

presenting at an international fair of this

2nd place in the highly specialised cat-

this issue when she heard estimates that 2

calibre. She is also excited that a topic so

egory.

million young women miss several days of

close to her heart has gained recognition

school each month due to a lack of access

from such prestigious quarters.

Also competing at the fair was Kalsee

to sanitary products.

Nadasen, a fellow South African from

“We are very proud that Zara took home a

Hatfield Christian School in Gauteng. The

“My project investigates the awareness of

silver medal at the Taiwan International

pair were selected to represent South

the menstrual cup and barriers to using

Science Fair. The Eskom Expo is all about

Africa thanks to the outstanding projects

it among schoolgirls. Although menstrual

encouraging and motivating young people

that they presented at the Eskom Expo for

cups are cheaper and more environmental-

to pursue careers in the sciences, and we

Young Scientists International Science Fair

ly-friendly than pads or tampons, they are

really hope this recognition at an inter-

in October last year.

not widely known or used,” she explains.

national level spurs her on to develop her research further.” says Parthy Chetty,

The two were selected from amongst

Nijzink-Laurie’s project involved con-

600 participants, in the country’s largest

ducting research among young women

school-level science fair, for a chance to

in grades 8 and 11 at a local school.

Pieter Pretorius, Chairman of the Board of

take home prizes worth more than R4 mil-

Participants were asked to complete a

Directors, Eskom Expo, says, “Competing at

lion.

questionnaire before and after watching a

an international science fair is always an

video about the menstrual cup.

exciting and challenging experience that

Nijzink-Laurie was selected thanks to

Executive Director of the Eskom Expo.

offers great learning opportunities. We

her impressive research into the barriers

Nijzink-Laurie is delighted with her per-

hope that this is just the beginning of a

to the use of the menstrual cup among

formance in Taiwan and the experience of

long career in the sciences for Zara.”

26

Science Stars Magazine Innovation 4.0 Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

CONFERENCE

Technovate conference

A

Gauteng province is a technology hub

t the beginning of February, the Gauteng Provincial Government hosted their Technovate conference, which brought industry experts and stakeholders, from in the

Information and Communication Technology (ICT), together.

The 2-day conference took place from 1 - 2 February at the Gallagher Conference Centre and aimed to put a spotlight on innovation and technology, in both the public and private sectors, in the Gauteng province.

The conference consisted of an exhibit with more than 50 companies, networking opportunities with more than 300 companies present and 40 speakers, sharing their knowledge and expertise, with the more than 1000 delegates.

The conference was also honoured to have Minister Naledi Pandor, Minister Siyabonga Cwele and Premier of Gauteng David Makhura, in attendance.

Speaking about the previous conference, held in 2015, Mpho Moremi, Business Development at Thorburn said, “I used to think these Summits were a waste of time, until the last two days.

Progressive and awesome!�

The Gauteng province remains the first province in the country to Amongst the topics the conference tackled is the impact of the

take the initiative to introduce tablets in all high schools with the

Fourth Industrial Revolution on the Gauteng provinces’ develop-

aim of taking public schools into the 21st century.

ment potential and how that region can reap the benefits and MEC for Finance in Gauteng, Barbara Creecy, stated that it is a key

become fully integrated.

for the province to creatively look for ways to create economic As one of the leading business and economic hubs on the African

inclusion for start-ups and township start-ups in the process of

continent, the Gauteng government aims to have the province

transformation.

technically and digitally connected.

During her talk, Yolisa Kani, head of Public Policy at Uber SA said One of the key commitments made by the province, was the goal

we must think ahead to what the future of governance and ser-

of 100% broadband connectivity in the Gauteng City Region by

vice delivery will look like with regards to innovation and tech-

2020.

nology.

Science Stars Magazine Innovation 4.0 Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

27

CAREERS

CAREERS THAT DID NOT EXIST 10 YEARS AGO Technology inspired careers

By: Moeketsi Tigeli

The world economic forum recently released a report that esti-

Driverless car engineer

mated 65% of primary school children today will have job titles

The new age mechanic will be fixing engines of cars that drive

that don’t exist yet. In light of this report we put together a

themselves. Although automated

shortlist of technology inspired careers that didn’t exist 10 years

vehicles are set to wipe out the taxi and courier industries, on

ago.

the bright side, new job titles will also emerge.

Content creator

App developers

This field was born in the age of digital media. Content creating

Mobile applications only emerged around 2006 with the creation

is described as the contribution of information to media plat-

of iPhone and Android smartphones. This led to a huge demand

forms, especially digital spaces such as websites, applications

and the iPhone’s ‘App store’ had a recorded estimate of 1.5 mil-

and social media pages. This is in the form of visuals, blog posts,

lion apps on their list in 2015.

surveys etc. for a specific audience in a specific context.

Video blogging/‘Vlogging’

Uber drivers/ Uber App Although it can be argued Uber drivers are glorified taxi drivers.

YouTube opened a pot of gold in terms of this career. Vloggers

The taxi service came about in 2009, and through the use of the

document their lives, share ideas, and entertainment, attracting

Uber application, the driver and the passenger can make a trip

millions of interested viewers in the process. The most famous

happen from wherever they are. In 2015 Uber was the largest

YouTube stars managed to secure marketing contracts, endorse-

and most valuable start-up business at an estimated value of $62

ments and comfortable livelihoods.

million, and the company doesn’t even own the cars.

Drone operators Also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the drone industry created a gap in the market for drone operators. Drones are now used to deliver mail, in rural or difficult to reach regions, among many other uses.

It’s what we build

3112

We all dream of a better future. For ourselves, our families and our country.

SANRAL, as part of the National Development Plan, is improving and expanding vital road infrastructure.

In the process we are creating jobs, transferring skills and developing opportunities for all South Africans.

We are proud to be a part of the National Development Plan, because we know that roads are more than just roads, they pave the way to a better future.

More than just roads

HIGHER EDUCATION

CAREERS OF THE FUTURE Tech-related tertiary qualifications By: Nicole Ludolph

T

he technological advances of the

formally accredited until 2017. For more

medical equipment like MRIs and EKG

last three decades have changed

information, visit their website www.uj.ac.

machines and medical devices like pace-

the world irrevocably. Technology

za

makers and cochlear implants. For more

continues to grow at a rapid pace, and

information, visit the Wits website www.

there seems to be no limit to technologi-

Mechatronic Engineering

cal innovation and ingenuity.

Offered by Stellenbosch University, the

wits.ac.za

Mechatronic Engineering degree combines

There are many more qualifications avail-

These advances have not only caused

elements of mechanical engineering,

able for anyone wanting to go into the

massive changes in most industries, but

electronics and computer systems. It is

tech industry. A big chunk of existing

have also spawned entirely new indus-

essentially a degree for those interested

industries will require people who have

tries, which young (and also not so young)

in creating advanced systems that require

technological qualifications. It is evident

people can pursue careers.

more than one specialisation to build.

that, judging from the rate that today’s

If you are interested in a career in tech-

Robotics is also a subset of mechatronics,

technology continues to grow, even more

nology and innovation, have a look at our

although not all mechatronic systems are

technological specialisations will develop

list of technology-centred qualifications

robotic. You can find more information at

in the future.

below:

www.sun.ac.za

Game Design and Development

Biomedical Engineering

Vega School, a tertiary institution that

Wits University offers a three year

forms part of the Independent Institute

Biomedical Engineering degree that mixes

of Education group, offers a 3-year Game

parts of science, engineering, medicine and

and Development degree. The school has

biology with its biomedical courses. The

branches in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape

degree requires further postgraduate stud-

Town and Pretoria, and graduates of this

ies to make a graduate eligible for working

course will be able to create gaming con-

in the field. Some examples of biomedi-

tent on multiple platforms and perform

cal engineering are the development of

multiple functions within the gaming space. You can find out more on www.vegaschool.com

Computer Science If you are interested in becoming a software developer, you can obtain a Computer Science degree from almost any of the major universities in the country.

The duration of the courses varies from 3 to 4 years, depending on the institution.

In terms of international accreditation, the University of Johannesburg is the only institution to boast affiliation with the British organisation BCS. They were 30

Science Stars Magazine Innovation 4.0 Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

SCIENCE CENTRE

Nelson Mandela Bay Science and Technology centre A beacon of hope By: Moeketsi Tigeli

U

itenhage in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape is a town

for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA), and

that boasts the biggest car factory on the African

corporate bodies such as Vodacom, and Eskom Development

continent. It is no coincidence that the town is also

Foundation towards programs, operations and infrastructure.

home to one of the biggest Science and Technology cen-

Programmes are tailor made for both the science, technolo-

tres in South Africa, the Nelson Mandela Bay Science and

gy and maths enthusiasts, as well as the novice, by showcas-

Technology centre.

ing the daily applications of STEM within their surroundings in a fun and engaging manner.

A brainchild of the Uitenhage Despatch Development Initiative (UDDI), the centre, according to the Nelson

Learners are guaranteed an in-house experience that

Mandela Bay Development agency is a R30 million project

appeals to the senses by touching, hearing, feeling and see-

launched in March 2013.

ing the results of STEM, allowing them to develop a career interest in these fields.

It has been widely regarded as a beacon of hope for local learners. Singa Poswa, the centre’s manager said, “we focus

Activities and offerings are in abundance including wall

on outreach activities where we bring the programmes we

climbing, green screens, game zones, electrical, construction,

do to poorly resourced schools. Our outreach targets the

momentum and sound exhibits among many others.“The

schools around Uitenhage and Despatch.”

centre is mostly utilised by learners and teachers and they are the ones that get the most value from the resource,” said

A proud host of the Department of Science and Technology

Poswa.

(DST) annual initiatives, such as National Science Week (NSW) and SciFest Africa, the centre has been growing from

Although primarily targeting disadvantaged schools, Nelson

strength to strength.

Mandela Bay science and technology centre is open to everyone interested in science and technology at a small

The centre is not affiliated to any institution of higher

fee. For more details call: 041 911 5000 or

learning and enjoys support from the South African Agency

email: singa@iddi.co.za

Science Stars Magazine Innovation 4.0 Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

31

BURSARIES

BURSARIES NMISA Field of study: • Electronics Engineering • Electrical Engineering • Mechatronics Engineering • Mechanical Engineering • Physics • Organic Analysis

KANTEY & TEMPLER

• Bio Analysis

Field of study:

• Material Characterization

• Mechanical Engineering

Apply:

• Electrical Engineering

NMISA bursaries application online can

• Civil Engineering

be done through the company’s Website.

Apply:

Applications can be found under the

Bursary application forms can be found

DELL YOUNG LEADERS

Opportunities Tab by selecting Internships

on their website.Candidates who cannot

Field of study:

& Bursaries. You will also have to com-

download the forms may send a request

• Engineering

plete the questionnaire supplied in full.

for the application to be e-mailed to

• Business

Closing date: 31 July 2018

them, using this e-mail address: info@

• Construction

ct.kanteys.co.za. Alternatively, candidates

• Accounting

David Morrison

can also call their Cape Town offices at

• Medical

Field of study:

021 – 405 9600.

• Technology

• Virology

Closing date: 30 September 2018

• Law

• Fitness Studies

• Education

• Audiology

HAW & INGLIS

• Computer Science

• Toxicology

Field of study:

Apply:

• Microbiology

• Civil Construction – Engineering

100 candidates will be selected to study

• Biomedical Science

• Building Construction

at either the University of Pretoria or Cape

• Biomedical Technology

• Building Science

Town. Young Leaders bursaries applica-

• Health Care

• Quantity Surveying

tions online are made available through

• Health Science

• Sanitation – Engineering

the Dell Foundation offices at the selected

Apply:

• Construction Management

Universities. Candidates interested in

Online applications are not available.

• Architectural Technology

this bursary program may contact the

Candidates may enquire at the University

• Industrial Designing

Dell Foundation offices at the following

of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, cam-

• Town Regional Planning

Universities.

pus career center for an application form.

• Road Construction – Engineering

Completed applications must also be

• Building Surveying

University of Pretoria

returned to this University. Candidates will

Apply:

E-mail: Apply.UP@dellyoungleaders.org

also be able to find out more regarding

Civil engineering bursaries application

Tel: 012 420 4874

these bursaries from the Witwatersrand

online is available for download from

University of Cape Town

University financial center and campus

their website. For more information, candi-

E-Mail: Apply.UCT@dellyoungleaders.org

career center.

dates can visit their website.

Tel: 021 650 4147

No closing date stipulated.

Closing date: 30 September 2018

No closing date stipulated.

32

Science Stars Magazine Innovation 4.0 Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

Mzansi For Science

Scientists, Technologists and Innovators are just like you.

They’re curious.

They ask questions.

They try new things.

The desire to try new things has been inside you from the very beginning.

Facebook.com/MzansiForScience Mzansi4Science

Science Stars Magazine Innovation 4.0 Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

33

QUIZ

TEST YOURSELF

1 2

One inch is equal to? a) 2.05 cm b) 1.05 cm c) 2.54 cm

Fungo can absorb food from the substrate because they have? a) Sporangium b) Spores

7 8

An average adult has a blood volume of many litres? a) 5l b) 6l c) 7l

Which year was the first computer virus launched? a) 1992 b) 1982 c) 1972

c) Rhizoids

3

The gastric glands in the stomach produce which enzyme? a) Ptyalin b) Pepsin c) Insulin

4 5 6

What is the outermost planet in the solar system? a) Neptune b) Pluto c) Uranus

Which is not a renewable energy? a) Solar b) Nuclear c) Geothermal

If the Earth stopped rotating, what would the weight of objects at the equator be? a) The same as before b) Less c) Grater

34

Science Stars Magazine Innovation 4.0 Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

PUZZLES

SUDUKO Fill in the 9×9 grid with digits so that each column, row, and 3×3 section contain the numbers between 1 to 9.

7

9

3

1

8 4

7 6

6

9

8 3 1

7

4 1 3

9

5

1

3 4 7

6

2

4 9 4

5

4 1

CROSSWORD Down

2

1. What is considered the fourth state of matter?

2. Which is the most abundant element in the Earth’s atmosphere?

3

3. The sun is made up of mostly which gas?

4. Pollen is produced in which part of the plant?

1

5. What is the instrument called that measure 2

5

atmospheric pressure?

Across

3

1. This branch of biology deals with the study of 4

functions of different parts of an organism.

4

2. The source of oxygen in photosynthesis is?

3. What is the study of plants called?

4. What is the smallest bone in the body?

5. What is the name of the space exploration 6

company owned by Elon Musk?

6. Pollen is produced in which part of the plant?

Science Stars Magazine Innovation 4.0 Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

35

ANSWERS

TEST RESULTS What was your score for the Science Forum Issue?

SUDUKO

SCIENCESTARS

Issue 17

SCIENCE FORUM

2 3 1

9 5 4

6 7 8

1 8 9

4 2 3

5 6 7

8 1 5

3 4 2

7 9 6

6 5 4

3 8 7

9 1 2

5 7 3

1 6 9

2 4 8

4 3 6

7 9 1

8 2 5

9 8 7

6 1 2

4 5 3

2 4 6

8 7 5

3 9 1

7 2 9

5 6 8

1 3 4

QUIZ

CROSSWORD 1 1

W

C H

A

L

1. C – Chimpanzees

E

2. B – Mauna Loa,Hawaii

E

3. B – Albert Einstein 3

E

N

T 2

A

2

O

N

E

I

C

4. C – Aristotle 5. C – Water

S N

T

A

R

C

H

T

6. A – Nitrous Oxide

A

7. A – Max Planck 8. B – 12

R 4

S

P

I

D

3

C

E

R

S

I

D

E

K

U

L

V

H

E 5

P

R E 6

S T

4

L A V A

36

Science Stars Magazine Innovation 4.0 Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

SCIENCE NEWS

SCIENCE NEWS South Africa scientists awarded South African neuroendocrinologist and nanoscientist have been awarded the African Union Kwame Nkrumah Award for Scientific Excellence (AUKNASE), for their pioneering work in their respective scientific fields. Professor Malik Maaza received the award for his nanotechnology research and Robert Millar was recognised in the category of Earth and Life Sciences for his work in neuroendocrinology Reconstruction of Mesolithic-era woman Scientists have reconstructed the face of a Mesolithic-era woman. Archaeologists found the 9000 year-old bones in the 1990’s, buried in a cave in Greece. Thanks to new technology, face reconstruction can help us see how she looked. Scientists who worked on the reconstruction estimate that she was 18 years old.

SpaceX launch delayed SpaceX has delayed their Falcon Heavy launch. The initial delay was due to strong winds and the second one they said was due to payload fairing concerns. When it launches, the Falcon Heavy will be the world’s most powerful rocket. The next launch date is yet to be confirmed, but keep an eye out and be sure not to miss the launch.

Afrilabs new event location Afrilabs, a Pan-African network of tech hubs, has announced that their annual gathering will be taking place in October, with the location moved to Tanzania. Taking place from the 11 - 13 October, with the theme will be “Innovation in the Data Age”. The 3 days will include feature panel discussions, a pitching event, multiple parallel workshops and a local ecosystem tour.

Ethiopia’s new waste-to-energy site Ethiopia is the first African country on the continent to use their landfill and recycle that trash and turn it into electricity. The rubbish dump has been turned in to a new waste-toenergy site and is estimated to provide citizens with 30% if their household electricity supply. Waste is a huge problem on the continent and this initiative will revolutionise waste management.

Science Stars Magazine Innovation 4.0 Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

37

ROCK PULSE

ROCK PULSE WILL REDUCE MINE FATALITIES Students develop early warning system to help miners

S

outh Africa’s mines remain one

gramme, which has trained 141 students

production,” said Roux, who spent three

of the most hazardous working

since inception in 2014.

years underground during her geology

environments in the country, with

studies.

seismic activity and rock bursts result-

Rock Pulse works by collecting data in

ing in injuries and fatalities (73 in 2016).

real-time underground using a geophone

John Isaacs, research group leader of the

Preventing ongoing fatalities and creating

connected to a roof bolt in a mineshaft.

Embedded Intelligent Systems unit at the

a safer working environment is critical to

Algorithms then interpret the data in order

Meraka Institute (a business unit of the

this multi billion rand sector.

to identify triggers or potentially hazard-

CSIR), says South Africa’s mines are old

ous events, eventually setting off an alarm

and the further down you dig, the more

Early warning and monitoring rock sta-

initiating the evacuation of the affected

dangerous it becomes.

bility in the mines could reduce these

sections of the mine.

“We need very robust technologies to be

accidents significantly, which could help

able to improve working conditions in

sustain an industry that is one of the cor-

Nicolene Roux, Boitumelo Mahlobo and

these mines. The ultimate goal is that the

nerstones of the country’s economy.

Clodita Mandlazi, the students who devel-

system should be able to inform future

oped the dashboard, confirm the technolo-

planning, identify the risks and define the

A group of young data science students

gy has reached a level of confidence, which

shortest exit paths in cases of evacuation,”

could have the answer, with the develop-

assures its validity, but that improvements

says Isaacs.

ment of an early warning and monitoring

are still needed.

system called “Rock Pulse”. The students

He believes the system is a step in the

are part of a group participating in the

“When designing the dashboard, we

right direction. With the country’s gold

Data Science for Impact and Decision

realised that the technology could not

reserves predicted to be depleted by 2030,

Enablement (DSIDE) programme.

differentiate between a man-made and

mining will be more dangerous, and it is

a non-man-made sound. This is where it

systems like Rock Pulse that will create

At least 50 students from across the

needs to improve, because you don’t want

better working conditions in South African

country were recruited in this year’s pro-

a false trigger negatively affecting a mine’s

mines.

38

Science Stars Magazine Innovation 4.0 Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

Cut out and place on your wall for easy reference

DRAFTFCB CAPE TOWN 10003863CT/E