Helium: South Africa strikes new "gold"
In a grassy plain in South Africa, once the world's largest gold producer, prospectors have stumbled upon a new treasure: helium......»»
Social media as a teaching tool: South African teachers talk about the new reality
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a shift towards the use of social media platforms in teaching. The South African Department of Basic Education, for one, instructed all schools to adopt online teaching and learning to save the 2020 school year, disr.....»»
Scientists discover one of the Earth"s earliest animals in Australian outback
In the shadow of South Australia's largest mountain range beneath the outback soil lies a fossil record that reveals a rich history of life on Earth. Fossils found at Nilpena Ediacara National Park preserve a pivotal moment in the history of evolutio.....»»
"Killer electrons": Lightning storms play cosmic pinball with space weather
When lightning strikes, the electrons come pouring down. In a new study, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, led by an undergraduate student, have discovered a novel connection between weather on Earth and space weather. The team utili.....»»
What"s behind the northern lights that dazzled the sky farther south than normal
Another in a series of unusually strong solar storms hitting Earth produced stunning skies full of pinks, purples, greens and blues farther south than normal, including into parts of Germany, the United Kingdom, New England and New York City......»»
Apple opens massive research lab in China amid stiff iPhone competition
Apple has opened a huge new research lab in Shenzhen, China. The lab was first announced back in March, but the South China Morning Post reports that it became operational this week. Here’s what Apple has planned for the facility, and how it relate.....»»
Evacuating in disasters like Hurricane Milton—there are reasons people stay, and it"s not just stubbornness
As Hurricane Milton roared ashore near Sarasota, Florida, tens of thousands of people were in evacuation shelters. Hundreds of thousands more had fled coastal regions ahead of the storm, crowding highways headed north and south as their counties issu.....»»
Threatened pink sea fan coral breeds in UK aquarium for first time
A threatened species of UK coral has been bred for the first time in a UK aquarium, at the Horniman Museum and Gardens in south London......»»
Asteroid mining: A potential trillion-dollar industry
Earth's newest celestial neighbor has finally arrived. Astronomers using a powerful telescope in Sutherland, South Africa, first detected the 33-foot-long asteroid in August, reporting their discovery in Research Notes of the American Astronomical So.....»»
New discoveries: Three tiny species added to South Africa"s spectacular marine life
South Africa's marine realm is globally unique because of the two major ocean currents that meet here. The cold, slow-moving Benguela and the warm, fast-flowing Agulhas currents create a special environment that supports high levels of biodiversity......»»
Direction of the Alpine Fault"s last big quake will help NZ prepare for the inevitable next rupture
One of the world's most anticipated earthquakes is the next major surface rupture of the Alpine Fault in the South Island of New Zealand......»»
US forecasts severe solar storm starting Thursday
A massive ball of plasma and accompanying magnetic field ejected from the sun is expected to strike Earth on Thursday morning, potentially triggering auroras as far south as Alabama, according to US forecasters......»»
Study shows early human species benefited from food diversity in steep mountainous terrain
A study published in the journal Science Advances by researchers at the IBS Center for Climate Physics (ICCP) at Pusan National University in South Korea shows that the patchwork of different ecosystems found in mountainous regions played a key role.....»»
Study: Rise in English learner students in "new destination" states helps academic outcomes for existing students
English learner (EL) students represent the fastest growing student group in the United States over the past two decades, with numbers of EL students in public schools soaring in "new destination" states across the South and Midwest. Some commentator.....»»
Team discovers three new magnetic and helium-enriched hot subdwarf stars
An international team of astronomers reports the discovery of three new helium-enriched hot subdwarf stars with strong magnetic fields. The finding, made with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), is detailed in a research paper published Oct......»»
Paying out disaster relief before climate catastrophe strikes
Beyond the complex byways of international finance, a simple solution is gaining ground to protect populations caught in the path of destructive extreme weather: transfer a little money via their mobile phones before disaster strikes......»»
Africa"s Great Green Wall will only combat desertification and poverty by harnessing local solutions, say researchers
In the rural village of Téssékéré, the increasing number and intensity of droughts linked to climate change is making the lives and livelihoods of the local Fulani communities increasingly vulnerable. Here, in the northern Sahel desert region of.....»»
Georgia Mercedes dealership sues commercial vehicle customizer for nearly $5 million
A Georgia dealership sued a South Carolina company for nearly $5 million for failing to pay for 83 Mercedes-Benz vehicles it bought in 2023, according to a federal court suit......»»
During visit to South LA, EPA head vows to address environmental injustices in Watts
The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has pledged to work alongside Watts residents to address a host of environmental issues in the South Los Angeles community......»»
Field notes: Life in the Eldorado National Forest after wildfire strikes
Charred trees punctuated the Eldorado National Forest like blackened skeletons of their former selves, victims of the Mosquito Fire. Two years earlier, in 2022, the Mosquito Fire started in Tahoe National Forest, moved north to the Eldorado and torch.....»»
Sentinel-2 data reveal significant seasonal variations in intertidal seagrass
With data from the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission, researchers have revealed seasonal variations in intertidal seagrass across Western Europe and North Africa. As a key indicator of biodiversity, these new findings offer valuable insights for the cons.....»»