Four great examples of our South African scientific heritage

South Africans have a lot to be proud of when it comes to our history of science and mathematics - here are just four examples.

The first controlled use of fire

The first definitive known controlled use of fire was at Swartkrans over a million years ago. Several burnt bones were found at the site, along with tools.

Yellow fever vaccine

South African virologist and doctor Max Theiler introduced the first Yellow Fever vaccine in 1937, and became the first African born Nobel laureate in 1951.

CT Scan

For Allan MacLeod Cormack, x-ray technology was a side interest. His main work was actually in particle physics. That didn't stop him developing the theoretical underpinnings of the CT Scan while working at Groote Schuur hospital. His work would later lead Godfrey Hounsfield to building the first CT scanner in 1971 - and a shared Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

23182 Siyaxuza

While his dreams of going to Jupiter haven't been realised yet, in 2000 Nasa named the newly discovered 23182 Siyaxuza after Siyabulela Xusa. In 2014 the young scientist whose work focuses on nano-enabled solar energy, told an audience to repeat after him "Don't tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon."