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Alanna Rebelo

Postdoctoral researcher, Stellenbosch University
Alanna Rebelo studied Zoology and Ecology at the University of Cape Town where she became passionate about rivers and wetlands. She received the class medal for Inland Water Systems in 2008. She went on to do her Masters Research on wetlands in the Kromme River System, where she investigated the hydrological benefits of restoration. She recently completed her MSc cum laude in the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology at Stellenbosch University.

In 2011 she was awarded a prestigious Green Talent Award by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Through this award she was able to spend a fully-funded 3-month research stay at the German Aerospace Agency (DLR) in Munich in 2012. In April 2012 she was invited to attend the Stockholm +40 Conference in Sweden to help prepare for the Rio +20 Conference. She was also selected to attend the Young Researchers School in Sustainable Development in Indonesia in 2012 -an initiative of the United Nations University. She was awarded an Erasmus Mundus scholarship to study abroad in 2014, and chose to do her doctorate at Antwerp University (Belgium) on palmiet wetlands and the ecosystem services they provide mankind. She was based at the research group ECOBE (ecosystem management). In November 2017 she graduated with a joint degree at Stellenbosch and Antwerp Universities.

Alanna is now a postdoctoral researcher at Stellenbosch University.

Lost fynbos seeds from underground ‘time capsules’ in South Africa can grow again – new study

Mar 18, 2025 15:14 pm UTC| Insights & Views Business Economy

Underground seed banks in South Africa that date back over 130 years have been found to contain fynbos seeds that are alive. These seed banks are natural storage areas in the soil where certain plants preserve their seeds....

Financial incentives could spur cities and land owners to protect wetlands

Jun 07, 2019 16:04 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

New York City processes about 1 billion gallons of water every day. To do so, it doesnt rely on water filtration plants alone. It also depends on the natural filtration capacity of the upstream Catskill Catchment. The...

Economy

IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production

Chinas planned implementation of stricter rare earth export controls could place up to $6.5 trillion in downstream production outside the country at risk, according to the International Energy Agencys (IEA) latest Global...

U.S. Imposes 25% Tariff on Select Brazilian Imports After Section 301 Trade Investigation

The United States announced on Wednesday that it will impose a 25% tariff on certain imports from Brazil after concluding a year-long Section 301 trade investigation that found several Brazilian policies unfairly...

Gold Prices Slip as Oil Rally Fuels Inflation Fears, Strengthens Dollar

Gold prices declined early Thursday as rising oil prices reignited concerns that inflation could remain persistent, reinforcing expectations that the Federal Reserve may keep interest rates elevated for longer. The...

Asian Stocks Slide as Chip Selloff Deepens Ahead of TSMC Earnings

Asian stock markets declined sharply on Thursday, led by heavy losses in South Korea, as a broad semiconductor selloff and renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East weighed on investor sentiment. Market participants...

Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar

Asian currencies traded in tight ranges on Thursday as a weaker U.S. dollar was balanced by growing investor caution over the escalating Middle East conflict, limiting demand for risk-sensitive regional assets. Market...

Politics

DOJ Refuses to Release Unredacted Jeffrey Epstein Files to New Mexico Investigation

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said Wednesday it cannot legally release unredacted Jeffrey Epstein files requested by New Mexico officials, deepening a dispute over the states renewed investigation into the late...

US Restricts Commercial Flights From Congo Amid Ebola Outbreak

The United States has introduced new travel restrictions tied to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), preventing U.S. citizens and nationals who have been in the country within the previous...

NY Times Challenges Trump Administration Subpoenas Over Air Force One Report

The New York Times has asked a federal court to block grand jury subpoenas issued to three of its journalists following their reporting on President Donald Trumps new Qatari-donated Air Force One, escalating a legal battle...

Trump Orders ICE to Resume Traffic Stops After Deadly Immigration Enforcement Incidents

U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to resume using traffic stops during immigration enforcement operations, reversing a temporary suspension announced just a day...

Russian Missile Strike Sparks Fires in Kyiv After Early Morning Air Alert

Russian missiles struck at least two districts in Ukraines capital, Kyiv, early Thursday, igniting fires and prompting authorities to issue an air raid alert before declaring the immediate danger over. Kyiv Mayor Vitali...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Apple Intelligence China Approval Lifts Alibaba and Baidu Shares

Alibaba and Baidu shares rallied on Thursday after Apple secured regulatory approval to introduce its Apple Intelligence platform in China, a major step toward expanding its artificial intelligence services in one of the...

Nvidia Partners With Fanuc and Yaskawa to Accelerate AI Robotics in Japan

Nvidia is strengthening its presence in Japan through new partnerships with leading industrial automation companies, including Fanuc and Yaskawa Electric, as the chip giant pushes to accelerate the adoption of artificial...

Hyundai Takes Full Control of Boston Dynamics to Accelerate Humanoid Robot and AI Strategy

Hyundai Motor has announced plans to acquire SoftBank Groups remaining stake in Boston Dynamics, giving the South Korean automaker full ownership of the robotics company as it expands its artificial intelligence and...

Jamie Dimon Warns Anthropic's Mythos AI Poses National Security Risks

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has warned that Anthropics advanced Mythos artificial intelligence model presents significant national security risks, highlighting growing concerns over the potential misuse of powerful AI...

SpaceX Stock Falls Below IPO Price as Investors Weigh Losses and Lockup Expiry

SpaceX shares fell below their initial public offering (IPO) price for the first time on Wednesday, highlighting growing investor caution as the companys early post-listing momentum continues to fade. The stock dropped...