Tiger breeding, exports flourish in S.Africa: charity
South Africa's legal lion breeding has spawned a tiger farming industry for commercial exports, potentially posing a threat to the species already in decline, an animal welfare group warned Tuesday......»»
Peach perfection: Advanced gene networks reveal fruit traits
A study has tapped into the peach genome, creating large-scale gene co-expression networks (GCNs) that predict gene functions and streamline the peach breeding process. This innovative approach addresses the complex task of identifying genes linked t.....»»
Melon flavor decoded: The genetic keys to aromatic diversity
Melon aroma greatly influences consumer preference and fruit quality. Climacteric melons produce more esters, while non-climacteric melons have more aldehydes. Understanding these genetic differences is crucial for breeding better melons. Although ge.....»»
South African communities vs Shell: High court victories show cultural beliefs and practices count in climate cases
When the Shell petroleum company announced in 2021 that it wanted to explore for fossil fuels off South Africa's pristine Wild Coast, Indigenous communities in the area immediately fought back through the country's courts......»»
Mapping malaria in Africa: Climate change study predicts where mosquitoes will breed in future
The relationship between climate and malaria transmission is complex and has been the subject of intense study for some three decades......»»
Exploring extremes in the search for life on Mars
People might assume the search for life on Mars ended when NASA's first rovers sent back images of the planet's barren, inhospitable surface. However, as scientists broaden their understanding of the extreme conditions in which life can flourish here.....»»
Tiger beetles fight off bat attacks with ultrasonic mimicry
Bats, as the main predator of night-flying insects, create a selective pressure that has led many of their prey to evolve an early warning system of sorts: ears uniquely tuned to high-frequency bat echolocation. To date, scientists have found at leas.....»»
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......»»
More than half of Americans give to charity at checkout, survey shows
Fifty-three percent of Americans give impulsively to charities at the checkout, and certain demographics tend to give more, according to a new survey conducted by faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York......»»
Researchers breed tomato plants that contain the complete genetic material of both parent plants
In a new study published in Nature Genetics, led by Charles Underwood from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne, Germany, scientists established a system to generate clonal sex cells in tomato plants and used them to design.....»»
UK research reveals hand car wash sector is awash with exploitation
The risk of slavery in hand car washes across the UK has been exposed by new data from Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and modern slavery charity, The Clewer Initiative. It reveals a prevalence of indicators that make exploitation and slavery more.....»»
Scientists unlock key to breeding "carbon gobbling" plants with a major appetite
The discovery of how a critical enzyme "hidden in nature's blueprint" works sheds new light on how cells control key processes in carbon fixation, a process fundamental for life on Earth......»»
China"s vehicle exports hit record high in April as domestic sales fall
Facing trade threats in Europe, Chinese automakers have been actively exploring South America, Australia and ASEAN markets for exports......»»
Intel’s and Qualcomm’s Huawei export licenses get revoked
Huawei's phone division has moved on, but laptops will suffer without Intel. Enlarge / Huawei's Intel-powered Matebook X Pro has drawn criticism from US China hawks. (credit: Huawei) The US crackdown on exports to Huaw.....»»
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.....»»
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.....»»
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......»»