27 January 2026

The transition from adolescence to adulthood is characterised by improvements in higher-order cognitive abilities and corresponding refinements of the structure and function of the brain regions that support them. Importantly, understanding adolescence as a critically important adolescent developmental period not only provides a mechanism for normative adolescent development; it provides a framework for understanding the role of experience and neurobiology in the emergence of psychopathology that occurs during this developmental period. Understanding adolescent neurodevelopment significantly enhances interactions with teenagers by providing insight into their cognitive, emotional and social

Tuesday 27–Thursday 29 January 9.15 am

Eighty years ago the world learned that Hiroshima had been shattered by a weapon of unprecedented destructiveness. Eight days later the Japanese accepted the Allied terms of surrender. Was the news as much of a surprise to the Japanese and the world as it seemed? All sides fighting in the Second World War, including the Japanese, had been racing to develop a nuclear-type bomb. Regardless, it took a second bomb, dropped three days later on Nagasaki, to convince the Japanese to surrender. The world is still adjusting to the aftermath.

Many writing careers have been set off by a love of place, and in some novels, place is as important as character. Finuala Dowling discusses, with illustrations, the role played by the landscape and mood of Muizenberg, Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek and Kommetjie in her novels and poetry.

Siena, established in 1225, was a republic for over four hundred years. The culture of Siena, with its apparently limitless resources of gold and precious pigments, oozed an almost Near Eastern opulence. In this lecture we will explore the intense gilded beauty of these precious objects of veneration that have survived for almost eight hundred years, carrying with them the calm and ethereal, other-worldly spirit of a faith rising to its zenith, expressed in a silent language of reflection and contemplation.

Honey bees are far more than mere pollinators; they are cognitive powerhouses with problem-solving abilities. This lecture explores why such intelligence matters to humans. A special focus will be on the Cape honey bee (Apis mellifera capensis), renowned for its asexual reproduction, social parasitism and remarkable resilience. International researchers are studying its unusual genetics and behaviour, offering insights into evolution, disease resistance and even robotics. From ‘hive minds’ to human survival, this lecture will illustrate how bees are reshaping science, agriculture and our understanding of intelligence itself.

Victorian novels deal with the important things in life: marriage, money, politics – and how to deal with foreigners. Victorian writers created wonderfully memorable characters who quarrel and gossip and fall in love, while we chuckle at their human failings and foibles.

Using scenes from the novels, the presenters bring to life some of the eccentric characters who populate the fictional world of writers like Charles Dickens, George Eliot and Anthony Trollope.

This lecture is part of the Daily Maverick series of lectures.

As public trust in policing wanes, more reliance may be placed on private security to ensure residents’ safety. In mid-2025, private security firearms became a hot topic in South Africa when draft plans, aimed at tightening control of guns in the R50-billion industry, were announced. There are undoubtedly dodgy elements in private security and the police. There are highly publicised accusations about police officers smuggling firearms to criminals. This lecture discusses various cases in South Africa relating to guns – from lapses in oversight, to lawbreaking, and pushback to state proposals.

This lecture covers the evolution of the modern Cape wine industry since the 1970s. In the mid-twentieth century South Africa mainly produced fortified wines such as port and sherry, very little still dry wine, and vast quantities of brandy. Today the country enjoys an enviable reputation as a source of some of the most exciting wines produced anywhere on the planet. We will track the socio-political forces, technological advancements, and key personalities which all helped to shape the process, using historical data, anecdotal information and personal experience.