By Anita Nel, Chief Director Innovation and Commercialisation
(0 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9)² = 2025.
Furthermore, it also represents the sum of the cubes of all the digits of the decimal numbering system.
(0³ + 1³ + 2³ + 3³ + 4³ + 5³ + 6³ + 7³ + 8³ + 9³) = 2025.
The most recent "perfect square years" were 1849, 1600 and 1225; the next one after 2025 will be in 2116.
The Times of India Newspaper expects unprecedented evolution in these fields in 2025:
Medicine: Advancements in longevity, human birth, and behavioural understanding
Space Exploration: Breakthroughs in alien communication and the search for extraterrestrial life
Defence: Development of next-generation weapons and defence mechanisms
Technology: Innovations in AI, human-computer interfaces, and robotics may blur the lines between humans and machines
My expectations and wishes for 2025 differ slightly from those of the Times of India Newspapers. I look forward to opening the biotechnology laboratory for our spinout companies at the LaunchLab and to all the inventions our researchers will make this year. I look forward to rolling out our residents' communication tool to more residences, to hearing yet again how much the students like the Neelsie and Matie Shop, to ensuring that all students can enjoy nutritious and delicious meals every day, to seeing conservation thrive in our Botanical Garden, to excellent and safer transport services, to ensure that more people can upskill themselves through SU short courses, to efficient copy, print and courier services on our campus and to exciting events across our campus. I am incredibly positive about this year and hope that all your squares and cubes will fit comfortably within your expectations and plans for the year and that it will be an awesome one for all of us in the Innovation and Commercialisation division and SU.
