New fossil rove beetle is a first in Africa
In the heart of Botswana, a discovery at the Orapa Diamond Mine has unveiled a fossil that sheds light on the evolutionary history of beetles......»»
Fossil captures starfish splitting itself in two—showing this has been happening for 155 million years
One of the wildest wonders of nature is the ability of some animals to reproduce by splitting in half. There is still so much we don't know about this process. So the discovery of a 155-million-year-old starfish fossil frozen partway through this pro.....»»
Fossil found in Germany shows starfish relative engaged in clonal fragmentation 150 million years ago
A team of paleontologists from Germany and Austria reports that a brittle star fossil found in Germany shows evidence of clonal fragmentation 150 million years ago. Their paper is published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biologica.....»»
Discovery of the first ancestors of scorpions, spiders and horseshoe crabs
Who were the earliest ancestors of scorpions, spiders and horseshoe crabs? A Ph.D. student from the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), with the support of a CNRS researcher, has identified a fossil that fills the gap between modern species and tho.....»»
Christianity is changing in South Africa as Pentecostal and indigenous churches grow—what"s behind the trend?
Studies show that South Africa is one of only three countries in the world where religious participation has increased in recent years. The other two countries are Italy and the US......»»
Getting dirty to clean up the chemical industry"s environmental impact
The global chemical industry is a major fossil fuel consumer and climate change contributor; however, new Curtin University research has identified how the sector could clean up its green credentials by getting dirty......»»
Walking in African cities can be a miserable experience: Study shows planners ignore needs of pedestrians
African cities aren't welcoming places for pedestrians. Yet walking is free and, given the shortage of decent public transport, it's often the only way for people to move around. More than 70% of Africa's urban population of about 609 million walk da.....»»
Discovery of ancient Glaswegian shrimp fossil reveals new species
A short but robust little shrimp may have died out over 330 million years ago during the Carboniferous period, but the rare Scottish shellfish has been revitalized as a new species to science and as a Glaswegian......»»
US restorationist solves 60-million-year-old dinosaur fossil "puzzles"
Before a T. rex can tower over museum visitors or a Triceratops can show off its huge horns, dinosaur fossils must first be painstakingly reconstructed—cleaned, fit together and even painted......»»
Business-focused anti-poverty initiatives can have unintended consequences
A new study of entrepreneurial small businesses created to address poverty in rural Africa found that the introduction of the entrepreneurial model led to unexpected social shifts that made the small business operators a source of friction and social.....»»
In South Africa, tiny primates could struggle to adapt to climate change
In the "sky islands" of the Soutpansberg Mountains of South Africa, two closely related species of primate jostle for space. One is the thick-tailed greater galago (Otolemur crassicaudatus), also known as a bushbaby, which is about the size of a larg.....»»
Study identifies early warning signals for the end of the African humid period
The transition from the African humid period (AHP) to dry conditions in North Africa is the clearest example of climate tipping points in recent geological history. They occur when small perturbations trigger a large, non-linear response in the syste.....»»
Team describes MXene-supported PtCo bimetallic catalyst for hydrogen evolution in acidic conditions
Hydrogen energy is considered a promising solution with high energy density and zero pollution emissions. Currently, hydrogen is mainly derived from fossil fuels, which increases energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, hindering efforts to a.....»»
Hadeda ibises" "sixth sense" works best in wet soil: New research is a wake-up call for survival of wading birds
Hadeda ibises (Bostrychia hagedash) are one of the most familiar species of birds across sub-Saharan Africa. They are large, long-legged birds with long, thin beaks for probing invertebrates out of soil, and though they appear dull brown at a glance,.....»»
Wildfires in wet African forests have doubled in recent decades, large-scale analysis finds
A new study presents the first large-scale analysis of fire patterns in West and Central Africa's wet, tropical forests. The number of active fires there typically doubled over 18 years, particularly in the Congo Basin. The increases are primarily du.....»»
Kenya, Tanzania brace for cyclone as heavy rains persist
Kenya and Tanzania were bracing Thursday for a cyclone on the heels of torrential rains that have devastated East Africa, killing more than 350 people and forcing tens of thousands from their homes......»»
Great white sharks off South Africa"s coast are protected by law, but not in practice—this needs to change
In less than eight years, white sharks in South Africa have all but disappeared from their historical hotspots in False Bay and Gansbaai, on the Western Cape coast. These areas were once known as the "white shark capital of the world" and were home t.....»»
Business and management graduates can become sustainability champions—lessons from Uganda and Tanzania
There is no doubt about it: the world is in the grips of a climate crisis. The headlines are full of reports about extreme weather events and the negative effects of the fossil fuel industry......»»
Study explores biology, impact, management and potential distribution of destructive longhorn beetle
A new study published in the Journal of Pest Science explores the biology, impact, management and potential distribution of the invasive, red-necked longhorn beetle (Aromia bungii) which has recently invaded Japan, Germany, and Italy......»»
A rare and little-known group of monkeys could help save Africa"s tropical forests
Conservationists and scientists from almost 20 institutions in the United States, Europe, and Africa, have concluded that immediate conservation efforts to protect red colobus monkey species could have cascading net positive impacts on African tropic.....»»
Evidence suggests saber-toothed cats held onto their baby teeth to stabilize their sabers
California's state fossil—are familiar to anyone who has ever visited Los Angeles' La Brea Tar Pits, a sticky trap from which more than 2,000 saber-toothed cat skulls have been excavated over more than a century......»»