Local young scientists have been awarded gold and silver medals at the Initiative for Research and Innovation in STEM (IRIS) Global Symposium in India. Four local young scientists have won top honours at the Initiative for Research and Innovation in STEM (IRIS) Global Symposium, held in New Delhi, India from 27 to 31 January. The…
The Japan Prize Foundation announced the winners of the 2026 Japan Prize at 1:00 p.m. on 21 January 2026. Prof. Cynthia Dwork (USA) has been awarded the Japan Prize in the field of Electronics, Information, and Communication. Prof. Shizuo Akira (Japan) and Prof. Zhijian “James” Chen (USA) have been awarded the Japan Prize in the…
The world is now using so much fresh water amid the consequences of climate change that it has entered an era of water bankruptcy, with many regions no longer able to bounce back from frequent water shortages. About 4 billion people – nearly half the global population – live with severe water scarcity for at…
From left: Albertus Willem van Niekerk, Dzunisa Chauke, Ismaail Hassen and Milla Vorster. Four young scientists will showcase their award-winning innovations at the World Innovative Science Project Olympiad in Bali, Indonesia, from 10 to 13 December. The selected young scientists are: Dzunisa Chauke, a grade 12 pupil from Khanyisa Education Centre; Milla Vorster, grade 11…
The saying “Nothing Without Us is for Us” is a powerful reminder that lasting solutions can only emerge when those most affected are included in shaping them. This call for inclusion resonates deeply as Africa prepares to participate in key global policy spaces such as the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO…
A supermassive black hole violently gobbled up an enormous star, producing a cosmic outburst with the light of 10 trillion suns, according to a new study. The black hole flare, as the phenomenon is known, is thought to be the biggest and most distant ever recorded — it was detected from 10 billion light-years away. “This…
Malaria remains one of the world’s most devastating infectious diseases, claiming more than half a million lives each year. In Africa, the illness is mostly caused by a parasite carried by mosquitoes – Plasmodium falciparum. When the parasite invades the human body, it faces a hostile environment: soaring fevers, attacks from the body’s immune system,…
The Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) discourse in Africa has suffered major setbacks over the years due to persistent misinformation about nicotine, which continues to cloud public understanding. At the click of a button or tap of a smartphone screen, unverified health rumours can spread within seconds. Amid polarised policy debates and the absence of scientific…
Mummies are most often associated with Egypt, where the oldest ones are about 4,500 years old. But researchers say they have found mummies that are much older, on the other side of the world. “We found that in southern China and Southeast Asia, there were many archeological sites that contain human burials that are between…
Georgina Rannard Climate and science correspondent Michael Brown Giraffes in Uganda’s Kidepo Valley Giraffes are one of the world’s most distinct and well-loved creatures, always thought to be one species. But now scientists at the International Union for Conservation of Nature say we can welcome three more species of the world’s tallest mammal. It’s not…
