From painkillers to antibiotics: five medicines that could harm your hearing: DC Studio/Shutterstock When we think about the side effects of medicines, we might think of nausea, fatigue or dizziness. But there’s another, lesser-known risk that can have lasting – and sometimes permanent – consequences: hearing loss. A wide range of prescription and over-the-counter drugs …
The US Environmental Protection Agency’s retreat from science endangers the health of people and the planet: Andromeda stock/Shutterstock Pollution causes more illness and early death than any other environmental threat, accounting for one in six deaths worldwide. For decades, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) has driven many of …
Babies born with DNA from three people hailed as breakthrough – but questions remain: Ten years after the UK became the first country to legalise mitochondrial donation, the first results from the use of these high-profile reproductive technologies – designed to prevent passing on genetic disorders – have finally been published. So far, eight children …
From robotic trucks to smart bins: how technology is helping cities sort their waste problem: Since early January 2025, residents of Birmingham in the UK have been caught in the dispute between the city council and the Unite union over pay, terms and conditions for waste and recycling collectors. The latest attempt at talks broke …
New clues from 2 million-year-old tooth enamel tell us more about an ancient relative of humans: For nearly a century, scientists have been puzzling over fossils from a strange and robust-looking distant relative of early humans: Paranthropus robustus. It walked upright, and was built for heavy chewing with relatively massive jaws, and huge teeth with …
Trump breaks from western allies at G7 summit as US weighs joining Iran strikes: Working alongside western democratic allies has not been a natural fit for Donald Trump. The US president left the recently concluded G7 summit in Canada early, with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron assuming this was to work on addressing the most …
Living on Mars: are there lessons from the terrible conditions of prisons?: I have been researching the possibility of living on Mars for several years. But it took an invitation to give a talk about space at HMP Erlestoke in England – a category C men’s prison – to make me realise that there are …
The anatomy of a smile: how to spot a fake from the real thing: Axel Bueckert / Alamy Stock Photo You’ve probably heard the claim that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile. It’s usually framed as a feel-good reason to turn your frown upside down – less effort, more joy. But anatomically, …
South Africa’s honeybush sector must transform from its unjust past: what needs to change: The biodiversity economy is made up of businesses and economic activities that use living species and ecosystems to make profits without damaging the environment. But in South Africa, it is haunted by economic racism, with Indigenous people still not in control …
Southern Africa’s rangelands do many jobs, from feeding cattle to storing carbon: a review of 60 years of research: South Africa’s rangelands have always had great value for the country. These areas offer more than just grazing for livestock. They provide services like purifying water, storing carbon and conserving biodiversity. The grassland biome (28%), along …
From M&S to Duolingo: banter between brands on social media gets people buying – but there’s a catch: The owl that came back from the dead. daily_creativity/Shutterstock The line between entertainment and advertising is increasingly blurred thanks to social media. People no longer just consume content, they experience it – laughing, sharing and commenting. And …
Palestinian literature: a rich literary heritage from a nation in exile: Palestinian literature is unique. It stands apart for its ability to capture a nation’s identity in exile – shaped not by borders, but by memory, resistance and longing. The settings of modern Palestinian literature include Israel, the occupied territories, countries more broadly in the …
South Africa’s shift from coal to renewables: how it’s going: Just over 74% of South Africa’s electricity still comes from burning coal. In 2021, the country negotiated the Just Energy Transition Partnership with Germany, the UK, France, the US and the European Union. They committed to providing South Africa with US$ 8.5 billion (R157 billion) …
Rwanda’s genocide: why remembering needs to be free of politics – lessons from survivors: Memory and politics are inherently intertwined and can never be fully separated in post-atrocity and post-genocidal contexts. They are also dynamic and ever-changing. The interplay between memory and politics is, therefore, prone to manipulation, exaggeration or misuse by clever actors to …
Sexual predators at school: why South African law is failing to protect children from teachers: Schools should be a safe environment, a place of learning where children can develop their potential. In South Africa, many public schools aren’t like this. Instead they are hothouses for teachers’ poor performance, financial mismanagement, assault and sexual misconduct. When …
Trump takes a line from ‘world’s coolest dictator’: What a difference a dictator makes. Some world leaders get a rough ride in their Oval Office meetings with Donald Trump – most famously, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who the US president and his entourage publicly disparaged in their now-notorious meeting at the end of February. …
Africa’s superfood heroes – from teff to insects – deserve more attention: Africa is home to a rich variety of incredible indigenous crops and foods – from nutrient-dense grains and legumes to unique fruits and leafy greens. Despite their value, many of these foods are often overlooked, under-celebrated, and under-consumed in favour of imported or …
23% of South Africa’s children suffer from severe hunger: we tested some solutions – experts: A 2024 Unicef report found that 23% of South African children experience severe food poverty, eating less than two of the recommended five food groups per day. Unemployment, food insecurity, limited access to basic services and a lack of knowledge …