insert_link Opinion Pieces After the euphoria of Nelson Mandela’s election, what happened next? Podcast By Gemma Ware, The Conversation and Thabo Leshilo, The Conversation It was a moment many South Africans never believed they’d live to see. On 10 May 1994, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as president of a democratic South Africa, ending the deadly and brutal white minority apartheid regime. To mark 30 years since South Africa’s post-apartheid transition began, The Conversation Weekly podcast is running a special three-part podcast […] todayApril 11, 2024 19
insert_link Africa Analysis of largest elephant surveys ever shows stable population, but disturbing trends By Jim Tan via Mongabay New research comparing data from the two largest-ever elephant surveys reveals the overall population in the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area is stable, but also uncovers some concerning local trends. Elephant numbers in Botswana, home to more elephants than any other country, are stable overall, but declining numbers in areas where hunting is permitted, and increasing numbers in protected areas, suggest underlying […] todayApril 11, 2024 20
insert_link Opinion Pieces What happened to Nelson Mandela’s South Africa? A new podcast series marks 30 years of post-apartheid democracy By Thabo Leshilo, The Conversation When Nelson Mandela stood in front of the Union Buildings in Pretoria in May 1994 as South Africa’s first democratically elected president, my country was brimming with optimism for its post-apartheid future. I was there and relieved at the prospect of an end to bloodshed. I had seen far too much violence and death in my five-year career as a journalist, covering the […] todayApril 11, 2024 20
Opinion Pieces South Africa is short of academic statisticians: why and what can be done Statisticians are able to assess and analyse data, crucial skills in today’s world. Solstock Inger Fabris-Rotelli, University of Pretoria; Ansie Smit, University of Pretoria; Danielle Jade Roberts, University of KwaZulu-Natal; Daniel Maposa, University of Limpopo; Fabio Mathias Correa, University of the Free State; Michael Johan von Maltitz, University of the Free State, and Sonali Das, University of Pretoria Our world is awash with data. A 2019 article published by the […] todayApril 11, 2024 15
insert_link Africa African wild dogs will soon have their own sperm bank – how artificial breeding will help them survive By Damien Boyd Bertrand Paul Paris, James Cook University Scientists from the Institute for Breeding Rare and Endangered African Mammals have been working in southern Africa for over 15 years to protect endangered African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus). They’ve now decided to freeze sperm from as many genetically diverse male African wild dogs as possible and use this to artificially inseminate female African wild dogs for the […] todayApril 11, 2024 4
insert_link World Gazans mark ‘saddest’ Eid with little to celebrate or eat Gazans did their best to celebrate the end of Ramadan in the driving rain on Wednesday, as the war raged on with 14 killed, including children, in a strike on their home, the Hamas-run territory's health ministry said. The Israeli military said it struck several targets on the first day of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, with a jet hitting a rocket launch site and troops killing a "terrorist […] todayApril 10, 2024 14
insert_link Health / Medical ASICS global study shows link between regular exercise in teenage years and positive mental wellbeing in adulthood Today, ASICS is announcing the results of its second Global State of Mind Study, which reaffirms a positive link between physical exercise and mental wellbeing and uncovers a link between being physically active in teenage years and positive mental wellbeing in adulthood. The study of over 26,000 respondents across 22 countries found that the more people exercise, the higher their State of Mind scores1. Across the globe, respondents who are regularly […] todayApril 10, 2024 11
insert_link Lifestyle In a future with more ‘mind reading,’ thanks to neurotech, we may need to rethink freedom of thought Our minds are buffeted by all kinds of influences, though some seem more menacing than others. wenjin chen/DigitalVision Vectoria via Getty Images Parker Crutchfield, Western Michigan University Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher, never wrote things down. He warned that writing undermines memory – that it is nothing but a reminder of some previous thought. Compared to people who discuss and debate, readers “will be hearers of many things and will […] todayApril 10, 2024 17
insert_link Environment Effective climate activism requires honest conversations about its challenges By Mike DiGirolamo Climate activist Clover Hogan says environmental activists face growing challenges not just from outside their movements, but also from within. She shares how the prevalence of unpaid labor can make young activists’ lives even more difficult in the present while they advocate for a more livable future. Add to that criticism for perceived imperfections over lifestyle choices and infighting between colleagues that can lead some to choose […] todayApril 10, 2024 25