Dr Tebogo Makhubela is a newly awarded NatGeo Wayfinder! One of only 15 in the world for this year. Congratulations to Tebogo for this well deserved achievement. He’s the current lead geologist at the Rising Star Cave system where Homo naledi was discovered working hand in hand with Prof Lee Berger, Dr Keneiloe Molopyane and other impressive geologists and palaeontologist colleagues.

Tebogo grew up in Soweto and is the first in his family to go to university. He turned down a job with the gold mines to pursue an interest in human evlolution.

I just love the picture of him putting together his science project like many you see at a science expo. From there to muddy explorations and the lab, from university graduation to masters and PhD. So many scientists can link their interest back to that first science expo or first experience when they were given a real chance to do and explore science. Here’s to more!

Our animation short film is done and making the rounds at film festivals. It debuted at the Cape Town International Animation Festival and we just learned that it will be going to Burkina Faso later this year as part of the Goethe Institute’s Science Film Festival.

Here’s another snippet with some behind the scenes. The bottom is the animatic, a rough version of the animation after the even rougher storyboards. Adrean Sigogo is the magician behind this and as you can see from the final animation, the storyboard really sets the tone and look.

We’re hoping to find a distributor for the film and get it onto a broadcaster or out to community screenings.

In the meantime we’re developing the series. We have two scripts written and hope to start the character art soon.

Congratulations to Prof Penny Moore from Wits University and Prof Kelly Chibale from UCT! They were both elected to the National Academy of Sciences in the USA last month. The NAS is a very select group of scientists and to be a member from outside of the USA or in South Africa is rare and prestigious. They join Profs Himla Soodyall, William Bond, and Richard Cowling as the five South Africans in this unique academy.

Penny’s lab focuses on how antibodies and viruses are in a race to outsmart each other. Read more about it and why we call her The Neutralizer here. Penny is also one of the 7 amazing scientists that are featured in our museum exhibit. It’s coming to a new location soon and we can’t wait for kids to learn all about them.

On Jane Goodall’s birthday, download the colouring page of this ground breaking scientist and environmental champion.

Learn more about why she is a hero to so many and her ongoing work and legacy through the Jane Goodall Institute.

On World Wildlife Day and Wangari Maathai Day, a colouring page honouring this amazing person. The first African woman to receive a Nobel Peace Prize, Prof Maathai was a force of nature and trailblazer. She was also the first woman in Central and East Africa to obtain a PhD (in veterinary anatomy) and the first woman to head a University Department at the University of Kenya. Through the Greenbelt Movement, that she founded and was awarded the Nobel for, she helped tens of thousands of rural people, particularly women, through tree planting programmes and and environmental protection campaigns. In the face of all kinds of political pressure she stood up for what she believed in and championed people that would otherwise not be heard.

When we ask our SuperScientists to name their heroes, many of them have said Wangai Maathai, it’s no wonder. Learn more about why she is such a special person and download this colouring page here then share your amazing colouring with us!

We had a fantastic day at the KZN Regional Eskom Science Expo and gave out hundreds of SuperScientists cards. We tried to limit them to three each to make them stretch but it was tough. We met so many passionate learners who had made all sorts of different projects - from measuring the effect on plant growth with different coloured lights to building a wave harnessing electricity generator. It was such a great day and so nice to see all of the interest in what we are doing from learners and teachers alike.

Our latest SuperScientist is Dr Lufuno Netshitavhadulu, a wildlife veterinarian at the Kruger National Park. Lufuno’s character joined other SuperScientists we’ve created at the gala evening celebrating the Khetha Story Project, a programme to develop wildlife conservation journalism. Lufuno’s character and profile were funded by the Khetha Project. Thanks to their funding we will also be sending 100 posters of Lufuno and other conservation champions to schools surrounding the Kruger park.

We’ve set up a digital store so that you can download our comic, colouring pages, and, soon, more. You can download them for free or contribute a bit and help us make the next thing and reach more young people.