October 17, 2023
Africa: How Animal Traits Have Shaped the Journey of Species Across the Globe
The devastating tsunami that hit Japan in March 2011 set off a series of events which have long fascinated scientists like me. It was so powerful that it caused 5 million tonnes of… Read more »
October 15, 2023
Africa: Elephant Teeth - How They Evolved to Cope With Climate Change-Driven Dietary Shifts
Seeing elephants in the wild is a timelessly awe-inspiring experience. There are only three living species today: the African savannah elephant, African forest elephant, and Asian… Read more »
October 11, 2023
Africa: New Treaty to Protect the World's Oceans May Hurt Vulnerable African Fisheries
Following two decades of fierce negotiations, over 60 countries recently signed a UN Ocean Treaty to conserve biodiversity on the high seas. Read more »
October 09, 2023
Africa: Climate Hazards Aren't Restricted By Borders - African Countries Have Taken a Big Step to Address This
Climate risks can be complex to deal with because they don't respect country borders. Hazards in one region can have negative repercussions in another. These are known as… Read more »
October 08, 2023
Africa: The Atlantic Ocean's Major Current System Is Slowing Down - but a 21st Century Collapse Is Unlikely
Whether the water at your local beach is being roiled by nasty weather or is a perfectly calm expanse of blue, there's always a great deal going on under the surface. The ocean is… Read more »
October 05, 2023
South Africa: Fossil Snake Traces - Another World-First Find On South Africa's Cape South Coast
Snakes are familiar, distinctive - and often feared - reptiles. And they've been around for a long time: body fossils found in the UK, Portugal and the US stretch all the way back… Read more »
South Africa: Johannesburg's Water Crisis - New Plan Not Enough
Johannesburg and its surrounds, at the centre of the industrial heartland of South Africa, have been hit by severe water cuts. Water interruptions have been happening for years,… Read more »
October 04, 2023
South Africa: Lion Protection Fee Paid By Tourists Could Help Stop Trophy Hunting - South African Study
Trophy hunting is contentious. It typically involves paying for and pursuing a specific wild animal, often a large or iconic species, with the goal of killing it to obtain a… Read more »
October 02, 2023
Zimbabwe: New Species of Cobra-Like Snake Discovered - but It May Already Be Extinct
Around the world, natural history museums hold a treasure trove of knowledge about Earth's animals. But much of the precious information is sealed off to genetic scientists because… Read more »
September 26, 2023
Africa: Awareness of Climate Refugees Is Growing. Full Recognition Is Needed
As our planet warms, we're experiencing more frequent and severe weather events, rising sea levels, prolonged droughts and altered ecosystems. These environmental shifts directly… Read more »
Zambia: World's Biggest Bat Colony Gathers in Zambia Every Year
Everybody who visits Kasanka National Park in Zambia during "bat season" agrees that the evening emergence of African straw-coloured fruit bats from their roost site is one of the… Read more »
September 21, 2023
North Africa: Was the Freak 'Medicane' Storm That Devastated Libya a Glimpse of North Africa's Future?
Storm Daniel landed on the Libyan coastal town of Toukrah in the early hours of September 10 and started moving east. Soon the wind was rising and heavy rain falling, forcing… Read more »
September 22, 2023
Africa: Farmed Rhinos Will Soon 'Rewild' the African Savanna
With all the terrible news on climate change, it's easy to lose track of what's happening with particular species. So, in case you missed it, a new report has bad news for Earth's… Read more »
September 21, 2023
Africa: Invasive Alien Species Are a Serious Threat to the Planet - 4 Key Messages for Africa
Climate change has negatively - and irreversibly, in some cases - affected ecosystems around the globe. Sadly, though, it is not the only phenomenon that's altering our natural… Read more »
September 19, 2023
Africa: Why Invasive Ants Are a Silent Threat to Our Ecosystems
Invertebrates are often described by experts as the "little things that run the world", and ants are certainly one of the top contenders for this role. Ants help ecosystems to… Read more »
Africa: Renewables Are Cheaper Than Ever Yet Fossil Fuel Use Is Still Growing - Here's Why
Wind and solar are the world's fastest growing energy sources and together generated 12% of global electricity in 2023. The amount of energy produced by wind and solar is expected… Read more »
South Africa: South Africa's Destructive Storm Surges - Geoscientist Reveals the 3 Factors That Drove Them
A series of powerful tidal surges battered coastal areas in South Africa's Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces over the weekend of 16 September. One person died;… Read more »
September 15, 2023
Africa: We Are Poised to Pass 1.5°C of Global Warming - Four Ways to Manage This Dangerous Time
For three decades, the goal of international climate negotiations has been to avoid "dangerous" warming above 1.5°C. With warming to date standing at around 1.2°C, we… Read more »
September 18, 2023
Uganda: Wild Animals Leave DNA On Plants, Making Them Easier to Track
The world is losing animals at an alarming rate due to habitat degradation, climate change and illegal human activities in the wildlife protected areas. In fact, it is estimated… Read more »
September 14, 2023
Africa: Pollen in Pee - Fossilised Urine From a Small African Mammal Helps Us Understand Past Environments
If you are allergic to pollen, you are likely to curse the existence of these microscopic particles. You're not alone: up to 30% of the world's population suffers from hay fever,… Read more »
September 13, 2023
Ethiopia: Addis Ababa Faces Growing Climate Change Risks Like Heat, Drought and Floods, Study Warns
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital city, will likely face increased heatwaves, droughts and severe flooding over the next 67 years. These changes will pose risks to public health and… Read more »
September 11, 2023
Morocco: Morocco's Earthquake Wasn't Unexpected - Building Codes Must Plan for Them
More than 2,000 people died when a powerful magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Morocco on 8 September. The epicentre was in the High Atlas Mountains, 71km (44 miles) south-west of… Read more »
Morocco: What Caused Morocco's Earthquake? a Geologist Studying the Atlas Mountains Explains
The epicentre of Morocco's devastating earthquake on 8 September was in the High Atlas Mountains, about 71km south-west of Marrakesh. Moina Spooner, from The Conversation Africa,… Read more »
September 07, 2023
Africa: Why Mothers and Babies Will Suffer More As Africa Grows Hotter
As Africa gets hotter, mothers and babies are most at risk. Why is this and what can be done about it? Matthew Chersich, a specialist in climate change and maternal health,… Read more »
South Africa: Great White Sharks Are Migrating
South Africa is renowned for having one of the world's biggest populations of great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias). Substantial declines have been observed, however, in… Read more »