News

Nothing beats smelling good, or smelling something good, it is undoubtedly one of life’s simple sensory pleasures. This is the substantive base that a multi-billion dollar industry is founded on. Perfume, or artificial fragrances permeate almost every product imaginable – from the product in its purest form as a perfume or eau de parfume and eau de toilette, to deodorants, body lotions, shampoos and conditioners, face creams, body washes, soaps, fabric softeners and washing powders, candles, diffusers, air and car fresheners, pads and even toilet paper. Fragrances are used for and in everything – they make us smell attractive, they evoke certain feelings in us or remind us of something familiar, comforting, or […]

In May 2019, National Geographic Magazine wrote an expansive article exposing the very dark and often unseen side of wildlife tourism across the world. Posing with a big cat like a tiger, playing with lion cubs, riding an elephant or having a monkey sit on your shoulder for a photo are just a few examples of wildlife tourism and have become increasingly popular, especially in the pursuit of social-media worthy content and a sizeable ‘like’ count. However, the pictures that make it onto social media of tourists with these animals, paint a picture of a vastly different reality of what goes on behind the scenes for these […]

The Stonewell Inn is a name that has become synonymous with the inception of Pride and Pride Parades. The catalyst occurred at 1:20am on the 28^th of June 1969 when New York City’s ‘finest’ raided the Stonewall Inn in Manhattan. The raid in itself was not unheard of, as the Stonewall Inn was operating without a valid liquor license. However, the New York State Liquor Authority was largely discriminatory in its issuing of liquor licences in the state, and refused to issue licences to establishments known to serve or cater to gay patrons. The events of June 28^th 1969 set in motion what would come to be known as […]

As of the 28^th of May 2019, burn-out has officially been included in the 11^th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and has been defined as an “occupational phenomenon”; it is not however considered or classified as a ‘medical condition’. According to the World Health Organisation and the ICD-11, burn-out can be defined as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” It can be further characterised by three ‘dimensions’ including depleted energy levels and feelings of exhaustion;  “increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy.”

So, what […]

The world is currently facing the largest possible extinction across species to date. According to a new United Nations report on ecosystems and biodiversity, the rate at which these species are likely to become extinct is ‘unprecedented’ and is accelerating rapidly. The latest extinction statistics were recently released in a “landmark” new report compiled by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The report contains extensive research and data and was a collaborative compilation done by 145 expert authors from fifty countries with further input from another 310 contributing authors across the world. The Report, which was compiled over the past three years, examines and assesses the […]

Cannabis, once one of the most “cultivated, trafficked and widely abused illicit drug[s]” (WHO) in the world, is now no longer viewed as just that, but rather as a potentially lucrative and high-yielding agricultural industry on its own. The expected worldwide trajectory of legal marijuana and cannabis growth could be worth approximately $194 billion in seven years according to 2018’s BMO report. The projected industry worth is largely dependent on the legalisation of marijuana in both the United States as well as all 28 countries in the European Union – and would have to include the legalisation of both the medical and recreational use of the drug (Financial Post, 2018).

So how does […]

The use of animals in service based industries such as the military, the navy, police forces, airport security and many more is a relatively common practice. However the animals employed in the militia are a far cry from the furry compatriots we associate with the police force or airport security – both of which predominantly use dogs.  The military in particular has an interesting history of animal use and employment for a multitude of services – most of which predated the introduction of modern technology and machinery. Over the course of history, these have included dogs, cats, pigeons, pigs, horses, elephants, bears, bats, dolphins, whales and sea lions. Horses are often the first animal […]

Sharks and cancer are not two words that would generally ever be associated with one another, or thought to have any significant links. Recently however, scientists have done just that and have taken their exploration of the ‘big C’ (aka cancer to you and me) to new levels, or should we say new depths rather. The chosen shark for the study was the great white shark, a species that is common in South African waters. Scientists have now successfully mapped the great white shark genome, which according to the Oxford Dictionary is “the complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism” and have identified an astounding […]

Easter Sunday takes place on the 21^st of April this year. Depending on the hemisphere, Easter either occurs towards the beginning of spring in the Northern hemisphere, or the beginning of autumn for those who reside in the Southern hemisphere. Easter, as most know it, is a Christian holiday which celebrates the ‘belief’ that Jesus Christ was resurrected on that day. If the New Testament of the Bible is followed, Easter Sunday has become a day of celebration as it is seen as the day that Jesus Christ ‘rose from the dead’ three days after he was crucified. Easter like Valentine’s Day, has also become synonymous with chocolate, […]

‘Load shedding’ has become a term that sends shivers down most South African’s spines as it inevitably entails hours of darkness, unproductivity – economic and other, unprecedented traffic and an endless domino effect of more far reaching and negative repercussions for us all.  Load shedding is a term that is continuously thrown around by the media – for good reason, however what does it actually mean and why are we experiencing it now, and so frequently?

Eskom, is South Africa’s state owned primary ‘electricity supplier’ which means that they are principally responsible for producing and distributing electricity countrywide. Most of this electricity is distributed to the relevant municipalities who then […]