August 11, 2025
Africa: South Africa and China Set Up a Quantum Communication Link - How We Did It and Why It's Historic
A major breakthrough in quantum technology was achieved in October 2024: the first-ever quantum satellite communication link between China and South Africa. The connection spanned… Read more »
Africa: Ozempic and Other Weight-Loss Drugs Linked to Rare but Serious Eye Conditions
Drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro (known as semaglutide and tirzepatide) have changed the way clinicians manage diabetes and obesity around the world. Read more »
August 10, 2025
Africa: Are African Countries Aware of Their Own Mineral Wealth? Ghana and Rwanda Offer Two Very Different Answers
Imagine running a business for over a century without knowing what's in your warehouse. That's essentially what many African countries are doing with their mineral wealth.… Read more »
South Sudan: South Sudan's New Chief Justice Has a Chance to Reform the Judiciary - If He's Allowed to Do His Job
South Sudan's chief justice, Chan Reec Madut, was sacked in late May 2025 after more than 13 years on the bench. Madut leaves behind a legacy of inefficiency and accusations of… Read more »
August 09, 2025
South Africa: South Africa's Earliest Newspapers Made Money From Slavery - Book Offers New Evidence
In a recently published book, Reconsidering the History of South African Journalism: The Ghost of the Slave Press (2025 Routledge), author and journalism professor Gawie Botma… Read more »
August 07, 2025
Africa: Sexual Health Is an Extra Struggle for Women With Disabilities - Findings From 10 African Countries
Even after more than three decades of global efforts to promote inclusive sexual and reproductive health policies, many women with disabilities in Africa still face serious… Read more »
August 06, 2025
Namibia: Namibia's Forgotten Genocide - How Bushmen Were Hunted and Killed Under German Colonial Rule
The genocide of Namibia's Ovaherero and Nama people by German colonial forces (1904-1907) is widely documented. But much less is made of what came next - the genocide of the… Read more »
Somalia: Somalia's Education Crisis - Why So Few Children Attend School and What Could Be Done to Change That
Around 98 million children and youth in sub-Saharan Africa are out of school, accounting for nearly 40% of the global out-of-school population. This is disproportionately high,… Read more »
Africa: Nature's Underground Engineers - How Plant Roots Could Save Harvests From Drought
Ever wondered how a delicate plant root can push its way through hard ground? It's a feat of engineering happening beneath our feet. Read more »
Africa: Five Things I Wish Everyone Knew About Weight Loss - By an Expert in Nutrition
Weight loss continues to dominate public discourse - often framed as a matter of personal responsibility. But after nearly 15 years working in and around health and nutrition… Read more »
August 05, 2025
Africa: From Arthritis to Nausea - Five Ways Ginger Could Benefit Your Health
From warming winter teas to zesty stir-fries, ginger (Zingiber officinale) has long been a kitchen staple. But beyond its culinary charm, this spicy root has a rich history in… Read more »
Africa: Teens Are Increasingly Turning to AI Companions, and It Could Be Harming Them
Teenagers are increasingly turning to AI companions for friendship, support, and even romance. But these apps could be changing how young people connect to others, both online and… Read more »
Sudan: Sudan's Rebel Force Has Declared a Parallel Government - What This Means for the War
Sudan's south-western city of Nyala in Darfur recently became the centre of a significant political development. Read more »
Africa: Do Elephants Make Deliberate Gestures to Ask for Things? Our Study Says Yes
Elephants are known for their intelligence, strong social bonds, and good memories. But do they communicate to show real intention? A new study suggests they do. The research… Read more »
South Africa: South African Study Finds 4 Low-Income Communities Can't Cope With Global Warming - What Needs to Change
Climate change is not new: temperatures have been rising for decades as a result of global warming. In South Africa's city of Pietermaritzburg, four low-income urban communities… Read more »
August 04, 2025
Africa: Vaccine Hesitancy - How Social and Technological Issues Converged to Spawn Mistrust
The rise in vaccine-preventable diseases around the world is threatening decades of progress in public health and putting millions of people at risk. Read more »
South Sudan: Climate Projects in South Sudan Can Turn Deadly - How to Avoid This
South Sudan, which has been torn apart by a civil war, is vulnerable to extreme weather events, frequent floods and drought, to which it must adapt. But any adaptation projects for… Read more »
Africa: The Global Health System Can Build Back Better After U.S. Aid Cuts - Here's How
Steep cuts in US government funding have thrown much of the field of global health into a state of fear and uncertainty. Once a crown jewel of US foreign policy, valued at some… Read more »
South Africa: South African Learners Struggle With Reading Comprehension - Study Reveals a Gap Between Policy and Classroom Practice
South African learners consistently struggle with reading comprehension, performing poorly in both international and local assessments. A significant issue is that 81% of grade 4… Read more »
August 03, 2025
Africa: Your Phone Is Covered in Germs - a Tech Expert Explains How to Clean It Without Doing Damage
We wash our hands, sanitise shopping trolleys and wipe down cafe tables. But what about our phones? We touch these devices dozens of times a day, and take them everywhere from the… Read more »
Africa: Drones, Disinformation and Guns-for-Hire Are Reshaping Conflict in Africa - New Book Tracks the Trends
Alessandro Arduino has researched Africa's security affairs with a particular focus on the use of private military companies and other guns-for-hire across the continent. In his… Read more »
South Africa: Ubuntu Matters - Rural South Africans Believe Community Care Should Go Hand-in-Hand With Development
The failure of many development initiatives has led some scholars, especially those associated with the post-development and decolonial schools of thought, to call for alternatives… Read more »
South Africa: Communities Near South Africa's Kruger National Park Prefer Wildlife-Friendly Ways to Earn a Living Over Killing Animals
Kruger National Park is a flagship South African conservation area home to lions, elephants, rhinos, and leopards. Tourists from all over the world flock to the park to see… Read more »
August 01, 2025
Nigeria: A University Bookshop in Ibadan Tells the Story of Nigeria's Rich Publishing Culture
Driven by a desire to explore Nigeria's literary and cultural history beyond the metropolis of Lagos, I took a road trip to Ibadan, once the most important university town in the… Read more »
July 31, 2025
Nigeria: The African Activists Who Challenged Colonial-Era Slavery in Lagos and the Gold Coast
When historians and the public think about the end of domestic slavery in west Africa, they often imagine colonial governors issuing decrees and missionaries working to end local… Read more »
