Episode 16 Season 6: March 8 2015
Plant Vaccines: The green heroes in the fight against disease
The world of viruses and bacteria is out-of-sight yet still very much a part of our everyday lives. Nasty diseases like Rabies, Cervical cancer or even Ebola are caused by these microscopic organisms. In order to fight them, scientists have to wage war on a microscopic scale. Scientists right here in South Africa are doing a brilliant job in this regard and are leading the pack worldwide – using rather unexpected weapons – plants! We set our cameras to their highest magnification, and take a peek into this fascinating science to find out why these plants are the leafy heroes on this microscopic battlefield.
Virtual tourism: Heading out on safari – from the comfort of your armchair
Going on safari in one of South Africa’s wild places usually requires quite a lot of planning, time and of travel cost. Even for South African bush enthusiasts, it is not always possible to head out into the wilderness at a moment’s notice to enjoy all that our country’s game reserves have to offer… until now! Join us as we explore the concept of a ‘virtual safari’, where all the excitement of a real-life game drive is streamed directly to any mobile device, and whether you are in New York or Timbuktu, wildest Africa awaits, at the touch of a button.
Wildlife Wonders: Jellyfish
For most beach-goers, the presence of Jellyfish in the water usually means a hasty departure from the waves, or a few nasty red stings that are inevitably treated with all manner of home remedies by concerned bystanders. On closer inspection however, there is far more to these ancient ocean wanderers than initially meets the eye, and in this week’s instalment of Wildlife Wonders, we bring you a slightly different view of an underwater wonderland, where the unexpected beauty of these gentle floating creatures will quite simply take your breath away.
Veld Focus:
In Veld Focus this week, we see a forlorn monkey that cannot seem to keep its hair on, and a baby elephant that sticks out like… well a pink elephant. A cobra interrupts a beach party, and a rhino tries to give a helping horn.
