insert_link Africa Malawi farming experiment shows how simple changes can boost maize yields and improve soil By Alan Dixon, University of Worcester Malawi’s increasingly unpredictable rainfall and higher than usual temperatures are causing problems for smallholder farmers. Soil erosion has increased, causing soil fertility and water availability to decline. Crops often fail. Farmers are already struggling financially. Many farm only one crop: maize. They can’t easily afford chemical fertilisers that would boost the soil’s fertility and sustain yields. Agriculture accounts for just […] todayJune 13, 2024 23
insert_link Health / Medical Are presidents good role models for vaccination uptake? DRC study shows only if they’re trusted, and people get to know about it By Nik Stoop, University of Antwerp; Elie Lunanga, University of Antwerp; Lara Collart, University of Antwerp, and Marijke Verpoorten, University of Antwerp Immunisation is considered one of the most cost-effective public health interventions, saving millions of lives each year, and benefiting the health of the wider community through herd immunity. Yet, there is as much reason to worry as to celebrate. During the COVID-19 […] todayJune 13, 2024 21
insert_link Environment African elephants address one another with name-like calls − similar to humans Elephants have close social bonds, which may have led to the evolution of name-like calls. Michael Pardo By Mickey Pardo, Colorado State University What’s in a name? People use unique names to address each other, but we’re one of only a handful of animal species known to do that, including bottlenose dolphins. Finding more animals with names and investigating how they use them can improve scientists’ understanding […] todayJune 12, 2024 39
insert_link Lifestyle How often do you lie? Deception researchers investigate how the recipient and the medium affect telling the truth Hunter Biden has been found guilty of making a false claim on a federal firearms application. AP Photo/Julio Cortez By Christian B. Miller, Wake Forest University Prominent cases of purported lying continue to dominate the news cycle. President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden was found guilty of lying on a government form while purchasing a handgun. Republican Representative George Santos allegedly lied in many ways, including […] todayJune 12, 2024 25
insert_link Africa Girls usually read better than boys. Why this isn’t the case in some African countries Girls may encounter obstacles that hinder their educational participation and reading development. Hugh Sitton By Pearl S. Kyei, University of Ghana In most parts of the world, girls outperform boys in reading. Girls are more likely to read at or above the expected level of proficiency for their grade compared to boys. There are several reasons for this. Girls have been found to have more […] todayJune 12, 2024 18
insert_link Uncategorized Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership style didn’t impress voters – but seeking consensus may be what South Africa’s unity government needs By Keith Gottschalk, University of the Western Cape South Africa’s 2024 general election, with its devastating loss of a majority for the ruling African National Congress (ANC), is also damaging for President Cyril Ramaphosa (71). To lead your party to such a huge loss of electoral support is an indictment, and the toughest test of your leadership capabilities. The ANC’s poor performance – […] todayJune 12, 2024 48
insert_link Africa Bicycles can change lives, especially in rural Africa – new report looks at their use in Ghana and Malawi Bicycles are particularly valued for carrying loads. peeterv/Getty Images, CC BY By Daniel Frey, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) To many people around the world bicycles are a crucial means of transport, especially for carrying loads in rural areas. While their benefits are huge and many organisations are working on making access to bicycles a reality, a range of barriers still prevent them from being more widely […] todayJune 11, 2024 13
insert_link World EU migration policy is getting tougher: the 3 new tactics used to keep African migrants out By Chris Changwe Nshimbi, University of Pretoria and Inocent Moyo, University of Zululand Nearly a decade has passed since migration to Europe from Africa and the Middle East reached a peak in 2015, referred to as the year of the “migrant crisis”. Over a million people from Africa and the Middle East applied for asylum in the European Union (EU). Since then, numbers have […] todayJune 11, 2024 12
insert_link Africa African countries could unlock billions in local and global trade – what’s working and what’s not By Bedassa Tadesse, University of Minnesota Duluth Africa’s share of global trade remains disproportionately small, hovering around 2%-3%. Countries on the continent trade more with the rest of the world than they do among themselves. Africa needs to improve its share of trade to boost growth and reduce poverty. Aid for Trade is a development initiative that seeks to remove barriers to trade […] todayJune 11, 2024 13