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 26
insert_link Africa Farming with a mixture of crops, animals and trees is better for the environment and for people – evidence from Ghana and Malawi Moving away from intensive farming practices comes with many benefits. Nikada By Laura Vang Rasmussen, University of Copenhagen; Hanson Nyantakyi-Frimpong, University of Denver; Ingo Grass, University of Hohenheim; Marney Isaac, University of Toronto, and Rachel Bezner Kerr, Cornell University Farming just one kind of crop in a field at a time, and using a lot of chemicals, poses a risk to both people and nature. This simplified […] todayJune 10, 2024 22
insert_link Environment Flooding and landslides kill three in Vietnam’s north Flooding and landslides in northern Vietnam have killed three people, state media said Monday, after days of heavy rain that partially submerged thousands of homes. Images on state media showed water gushing down the steep roads of mountainous Ha Giang province, a popular spot for motorcycle tours, with vehicles overturned and abandoned in the floodwater. Residents in Ha Giang city stood on rooftops waiting for rescue. Around […] todayJune 10, 2024 36
insert_link Africa Hunter-gatherer diets weren’t always heavy on meat: Morocco study reveals a plant-based diet By Zineb Moubtahij, Leiden University About 11,000 years ago, humans made a major shift from hunting and gathering to farming. This change, known as the Neolithic Revolution, dramatically altered our diets. For decades, scientists have thought that pre-agricultural human groups ate a lot of animal protein. But analysis has always been hampered by a scarcity of well-preserved human remains from Pleistocene sites. So, in fact, […] todayJune 10, 2024 15
insert_link Environment Hydropower damages river systems in Africa: how more solar and wind power can solve this problem By Angelo Carlino, Carnegie Science; Andrea Castelletti, Polytechnic University of Milan, and Rafael Schmitt, Stanford University Across the African continent, more than 300 new hydropower projects are planned to meet the growing demand for electricity. Some of these will require big dams, which can have major negative environmental impacts. Another looming problem with hydropower is that the water cycle is affected by climate change. Water […] todayJune 7, 2024 24
insert_link Environment Baobab trees all come from Madagascar – new study reveals that their seeds and seedlings floated to mainland Africa and all the way to Australia By Andrew R. Leitch, Queen Mary University of London There are eight species of baobab in the world, and they have a surprising distribution. Six are found in Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean; one is found on the continent of Africa; and the last is far away in Australia. The origin of this group of plants has fascinated people for a long time. […] todayJune 7, 2024 15
insert_link Business / Economics By not mining vital minerals, NZ is ‘offshoring its own environmental footprint’ – is that fair? Getty Images By Martin Brook, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau When Resources Minister Shane Jones recently unveiled his draft strategy for mineral mining, it was quickly criticised by the Labour opposition as “taking New Zealand backwards”. One environmental group even called it a “love letter to mining companies”. But the government’s ambition to double the sector’s export value to NZ$2 billion by 2035, with flow-on effects […] todayJune 5, 2024 13
insert_link Environment Climate Change threatens Namibia’s Agricultural Sector The agricultural sector is vital for sustaining livelihoods in Namibia but faces significant climate change challenges. Namibian farmers frequently experience adverse rainfall seasons, leading to floods, droughts, and pest and disease outbreaks. Droughts, occurring every other year with varying severity, have particularly harmed crop and livestock farmers, reducing productivity and income due to poor yields, livestock performance, and market prices. Technical Advisor of Livestock and Rangeland from […] todayJune 4, 2024 15
insert_link Africa Nearly 25% of land in Africa has been damaged – what’s to blame, and what can be done By Mlungele M. Nsikani, South African National Biodiversity Institute Land degradation is a huge issue across the continent of Africa. One of its biggest drivers is biological invasions. This is when invasive species (species that aren’t naturally found in the area) arrive and produce large numbers of offspring which spread over long distances. Mlungele Nsikani, a land restoration specialist and environmental scientist, explains how […] todayJune 4, 2024 17
