insert_link Health / Medical Kush: what is this dangerous new west African drug that supposedly contains human bones? DeanP/Shutterstock Michael Cole, Anglia Ruskin University A new drug called kush is wreaking havoc in west Africa, particularly in Sierra Leone where it is estimated to kill around a dozen people each week and hospitalise thousands. The drug, taken mostly by men aged 18 to 25, causes people to fall asleep while walking, to fall over, to bang their heads against hard surfaces and to walk into moving traffic. Kush […] todayJanuary 17, 2024 18
insert_link Health / Medical Artificial wombs could someday be a reality – here’s how they may change our notions of parenthood Artificial womb technology could eventually make it possible to grow a foetus from conception to “birth” wholly outside the human body. Marko Aliaksandr/ Shutterstock Stephen Wilkinson, Lancaster University; Nicola J. Williams, Lancaster University, and Sara Fovargue, University of Sheffield Our reproductive lives are considerably different from those of our ancestors, thanks in part to health innovations that have taken place over the past few decades. Practices such as IVF, donor […] todayJanuary 17, 2024 9
insert_link Lifestyle Does having children make you happier? Here’s what the research suggests The happiness and fulfilment you feel with the decision will depend on many different factors. CeltStudio/ Shutterstock Trudy Meehan, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences and Jolanta Burke, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences The prevailing belief in many parts of the world is that having children is key to happiness – and that people who don’t have children are unfulfilled in their lives. But is this really […] todayJanuary 17, 2024 18
insert_link Opinion Pieces 3D scanning: we recreated a sacred South African site in a way that captures its spirit A 3D rendering of Ga-Mohana Hill in South Africa, a sacred and important heritage site. Stephen Wessels, CC BY-NC-ND Stephen Wessels, University of Cape Town; Benjamin Schoville, The University of Queensland; Jayne Wilkins, Griffith University, and Sechaba Maape, University of the Witwatersrand These days, if you want to visit remarkable archaeological sites such as Great Zimbabwe or Petra in Jordan you don’t even need to leave your house. 3D scanning […] todayJanuary 17, 2024 13
insert_link Environment An ancient system that could bring water to dry areas By Gaathier Mahed, Nelson Mandela University Some of Africa’s dry areas face serious water shortages due to minimal rainfall. An ancient system of drawing water from aquifers, the “qanat system”, could help. Gaathier Mahed, an environmental scientist and expert on the management of groundwater, has studied the feasibility of these systems. He tells us more. How does the qanat system work? There are bodies of water underground known as […] todayJanuary 17, 2024 13
insert_link Health / Medical Dangerous chemicals found in recycled plastics, making them unsafe for use – experts explain the hazards By Bethanie Carney Almroth, University of Gothenburg and Eric Carmona Martinez, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ Plastic pollution is a menace worldwide. Plastics are now found in every environment on the planet, from the deepest seas to the atmosphere and human bodies. Scientific evidence describing harm to the environment and humans is growing. Hence, the United Nations has resolved to negotiate a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. […] todayJanuary 17, 2024 11
insert_link Opinion Pieces South Africa’s ANC marks its 112th year with an eye on national elections, but its record is patchy and future uncertain By Sandy Africa, University of Pretoria The speech President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered at the 112th birthday celebration of South Africa’s governing party, the African National Congress (ANC), on 13 January can be seen as the party’s opening election gambit: a stadium packed to capacity, the display of a united leadership, and an invocation of three decades of success, delivered by a leader firmly in control of his party. The […] todayJanuary 17, 2024 8
insert_link Africa Uganda’s battle for the youth vote – how Museveni keeps Bobi Wine’s reach in check By Rebecca Tapscott, University of York and Anna Macdonald, University of East Anglia Uganda is one of the youngest countries in the world, with an average age of 15.9 years. Young people aged below 30 make up about 77% of the country’s population of 47 million people. Young people have legitimate and wide-ranging grievances, from unemployment to disenfranchisement. Opportunities remain limited, with two-thirds of Ugandans working for themselves or […] todayJanuary 17, 2024 5
insert_link Lifestyle Gentle parenting can be really hard on parents, new research suggests Gentle parents often feel overwhelmed and alone, researchers found. Jamie Grill/The Image Bank/Getty Images Annie Pezalla, Macalester College Are you a gentle parent? If so, chances are good that, just like your children, you may need a nap. The idea of gentle parenting has been around since the 1930s but received increased attention over the past few years on social media and blogs, as well as in popular books, magazines […] todayJanuary 16, 2024 12
