September 19
Namibia: Female Elephants Rumble to Say 'Let's Go!' - New Study
In elephant family groups made up of related females and their young, it is clear that the animals produce vocal sounds to coordinate action. This happens when it's time to leave a… Read more »
South Africa: Mysterious South African Cave Painting May Have Been Inspired By Fossils
A mysterious animal painted on a cave wall in South Africa's Free State Province has long baffled scientists. Is it a walrus? It looks like one, but there are no such animals in… Read more »
September 18
South Africa: South Africa's Gauteng Province Launches Water Data Hub - Residents Can Now Keep Track of Shortages and Repair Issues
South Africa is a water scarce country. In other words it has an excess of demand over available supply. It also has low water security - the ability to ensure sustainable access… Read more »
Zimbabwe: Lithium Mining in Zimbabwe - a Story of Loss for One Community
Lithium is an essential component of electric vehicle batteries, which are becoming more important as the world moves to a low-carbon energy future. Large deposits of lithium exist… Read more »
September 17
Sierra Leone: Sierra Leone Is Working to Transform Its Food System, but It Faces Mounting Challenges
One of the most pressing issues facing humanity is the need to transform food systems to become more equitable, environmentally sustainable, able to deliver healthy diets for all,… Read more »
Africa: Four Ways Africa Is Already Seeing the Effects of Climate Change
Africa is already being heavily affected by climate change. Between 1991 and 2023, the African continent warmed at a rate of 0.3°C per decade, a rate slightly faster than the… Read more »
September 12
Nigeria: Nigeria Is the World's Second Biggest Plastic Polluter - Expert Insights Into the Crisis
Plastic pollution is a major problem in Nigeria. Read more »
September 10
South Sudan: South Sudan Floods - the First Example of a Mass Population Permanently Displaced By Climate Change?
Enormous floods have once again engulfed much of South Sudan, as record water-levels in Lake Victoria flow downstream through the Nile. More than 700,000 people have been affected.… Read more »
September 11
South Africa: South Africa's Green Hydrogen Hub - EU Grants Not Nearly Enough to Get Industry Going
South Africa is poised to become a major player in the global energy transition, thanks to its vast renewable energy resources (sun and wind) and its plans for green hydrogen… Read more »
Nigeria: Nigerian Farmers Lack Insurance - Payouts Triggered By Weather Data Offer a Solution
Agriculture is hugely important to Nigeria. It makes up about a quarter of the country's economy, and almost half of the population are smallholder farmers. Most farm on less than… Read more »
August 22
Lesotho: We Discovered a New Way Mountains Are Formed - From 'Mantle Waves' Inside the Earth
In 2005, I was navigating winding roads through the Drakensberg Mountains, in Lesotho, Southern Africa. Towering cliff-like features known as escarpments interrupt the landscape,… Read more »
September 01
Africa: Aluminium Foil That Can Clean Water - We've Developed a Coating Which Attracts and Traps Dangerous Microbes
More than 2 billion people around the world do not have access to safe, uncontaminated drinking water. Around 418 million of them live in African countries. Read more »
August 30
Africa: Climate Change Has Deep Historical Roots - Amitav Ghosh Explores How Capitalism and Colonialism Fit in
Amitav Ghosh is an internationally celebrated author of 20 historical fiction and non-fiction books. The Indian thinker and writer has written extensively on the legacies of… Read more »
August 26
Africa: 85 Percent of the Matter in the Universe Is Missing. but We're Getting Closer to Finding It
Most of the matter in the universe is missing. Scientists believe around 85% of the matter in the cosmos is made of invisible dark matter, which has only been detected indirectly… Read more »
August 21
Africa: Squid Have Tiny Teeth in Their Suckers - Scientists Could Use Their Unique Properties to Make Self-Healing Materials
When you think of a fearsome, sharp-toothed predator, a squid probably isn't the first animal that comes to mind. But these complex creatures have sophisticated eyesight, a strong… Read more »
Africa: Avalanches Can Grow 100 Times Larger Under the Sea Than On Land - Here's Why They're a Risk to the Internet
Underwater avalanches are powerful natural events that happen all the time under the surface of the ocean. They are impossible to see and extremely difficult to measure, which… Read more »
August 26
Africa: Ancient Viral Genomes Preserved in Glaciers Reveal the History of Earth's Climate - and How Viruses Adapt to Climate Change
As humans alter the planet's climate and ecosystems, scientists are looking to Earth's history to help predict what may unfold from climate change. To this end, massive ice… Read more »
August 25
Africa: Baobabs - Africa's Unique Trees Defy Climate Challenges, Continue to Flourish
Baobabs reach extraordinarily old ages. Some have been found to be thousands of years old. During these life spans, elder baobabs have survived erratic climate conditions. Read more »
August 22
Kenya: Bird Species Are Disappearing At an Alarming Rate in Kenya - New Study
Sub-Saharan Africa has a vast amount of uncultivated, arable land - about 2 million km², accounting for about 50% of the global total. This land is a critical habitat for many… Read more »
South Africa: South Africa's Scarce Water Needs Careful Management - Study Finds Smaller, Local Systems Offer More Benefits
South Africa is a water-scarce country, the 30th driest in the world. Using water wisely will become more and more important as the population grows and droughts related to climate… Read more »
August 21
Africa: How Does a Disease Spread From Animals to Humans? A Lot Has to Do With People's Behaviour
COVID stunned the world with an unanticipated pandemic. Now mpox, a disease which originated in animals, has been declared a global public health emergency. Read more »
Southern Africa: Drought Is Devastating Southern Africa's Crops - Why It's Happening and What Can Be Learned
Southern Africa's worst drought in years has destroyed crops of the staple food, maize, across the region. Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia… Read more »
August 16
South Africa: Climate Change Is a Challenge for Small-Scale Farmers
New research into rural small-scale farms in South Africa's North West province has found that climate-smart farming techniques lead to a better maize yield, a more regular supply… Read more »
August 05
Africa: Love for Cats Lures Students Into This Course, Which Uses Feline Research to Teach Science
Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. Read more »
August 14
South Africa: Air Pollution in South Africa - Affordable New Devices Use AI to Monitor Hotspots in Real Time
Air quality has become one of the most important public health issues in Africa. Poor air quality kills more people globally every year than HIV, TB and malaria combined. And… Read more »