Each year South African Tourism hosts INDABA, a travel trade show that takes place at the Durban ICC in early May. It is one of the most important tourism marketing events in Africa.

Education is one of the key strategies at Maropeng, the official visitor centre for the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site that welcomes more than 250 000 learners every year.

Paul Myburgh, photographer and author, spent seven years “physically and spiritually immersed” with the San and the /Gwikwe Bushmen in the Kalahari Desert. His book, The Bushman Winter Has Come, “imagines a continuing journey towards a place where we may, once again, know who we are in the context of our life on this Earth”.

Brendon Billings will be taking the Bone Detectives tour to a different level this year, exploring the brain and behaviour. On May 18 he will host a discussion on “Why big brains?”

A new species of dinosaur discovered in China in 2006 has been named by a senior researcher at the Wits Evolutionary Studies Institute in Johannesburg.

Dr Jonah Choiniere and a team of international researchers named the species Aorun zhaoi, after one of the characters in the Chinese epic Journey to the West. The study about the find appeared in this month’s Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.

Maropeng, the official visitor centre for the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, has launched its new-look website at www.maropeng.co.za. The new site hosts a wealth of information pertaining to Maropeng and its sister site, the Sterkfontein Caves.

The history of life on Earth has been rocked by five major extinctions. The last great extinction was 65-million years ago, when the dinosaurs were wiped out, probably after a giant meteor slammed into the Earth off the coast of Mexico and set off volcanic eruptions all over the world, changing the global climate. Dinosaur fossils continue to fascinate scientists and the public alike – here are a few of the most impressive fossils on display today.

South African Ceara McEvoy beat thousands of people from around the world to become one of 10 finalists in the Biggest, Baddest Bucket List competition.

Robere Brockman has been appointed as the maintenance manager for Maropeng, effective 4 March 2013. Robere brings years of colourful experience to the Maropeng team, including working on an island in Mozambique, game lodges in Mpumalanga, Cathedral Peak Hotel, Royal Malewane and Sodwana Bay Lodge.

To get you in a stellar mood for the next stargazing evening at Maropeng on 4 May, we’ve compiled a photo essay of some wondrous nebulas, starbursts and galaxies that decorate the far reaches of space.