Speed dating a scientist
Have you ever dated a scientist or researcher? If not, Scifest Africa 2018 is the place to go.
Learners at this year's national science festival met scientists from all walks of life and with all sorts of interests.
The "speed date" sees each scientist bombarded with questions from learners sitting around a table. The shyness that is part of most dates is definitely there, but as soon as scientists start speaking about their work, the learners' faces light up.
One of the scientists, Siphumzi, a postgraduate student in Microbiology at Rhodes University, told his "dates" that he was working on making electricity from bacteria while purifying water.
"I make devices that clean the water and at the same time produce electricity. It is all natural," he said.
He explained that naturally occurring bacteria could be harmful to people, but did not produce harmful greenhouse gas. He had barely finished speaking when the bell rang and he moved off to the next "speed date".
