Decoding hints that Xi Jinping may be under pressure to relinquish some of his power: Political and economic pressures might force Chinese president and overall leader Xi Jinping to delegate some of his powers to his deputies in a highly significant move. This has prompted some observers and media outlets to speculate that Xi’s grip …
Ocean currents can generate electricity – and our study shows Africa’s seas have some of the strongest: The world’s oceans cover more than 70% of Earth’s surface. They’re filled with currents, some much stronger than the fastest flowing large rivers. These currents can be harnessed as clean, marine renewable energy. Marine energy is much more …
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 …
Why some animals defy the odds to thrive in urban areas: KreateStuff/Shutterstock Cities can be deeply unwelcoming places for wildlife. They are noisy, difficult to get around, full of people and heavily reliant on artificial lighting. Yet some species do better in urban areas than in rural ones. Research is showing that animals of the …
Only 6% of gen Z actually favour dictatorship – not half, as some reports would have you believe: Shutterstock/Dedraw Studio America’s constitutional framework was designed specifically to prevent the concentration of power and to impede any president’s authoritarian aspirations. It is certainly being put to the test right now. When US vice-president J.D. Vance recently …
Climate change could make more turtles female – but some are starting to adapt: A loggerhead turtle nesting. Mollie Rickwood, CC BY-NC-ND Rising global temperatures are a particularly acute threat for the world’s sea turtles. That’s because the temperature of a turtle’s nest controls the sex of their offspring. Coming ashore onto a beach (often …
6 in 10 young South Africans have no jobs. Why some still reject offers of work: South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world. The official rate is 32%, rising to 42% when discouraged job seekers are included. Among young people aged 15 to 24, unemployment reaches a staggering 60%. While …
Rape is still rape even if you’re married – report finds some South African men don’t believe it is: Sexual violence, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), includes any sexual act or attempt to obtain sex through coercion, regardless of the relationship between the parties. This encompasses rape, unwanted sexual touching, and non-contact …
Russian mercenaries have a bad reputation but some African regimes still employ them: study explores why: Russian mercenaries, like the Wagner group, have an awful reputation. Multiple western outlets have reported on their military ineffectiveness, their abysmal human rights record, and their exploitative nature. For example, in July 2024, the Wagner Group faced a military …
Kenya’s female freedom fighters were the silent heroes of the anti-colonial movement – here are some of their stories: Each year in Kenya, familiar faces are feted at the national remembrance of the country’s heroes and heroines. Dedan Kimathi is arguably the most commemorated of figures. As one of the most prominent leaders of the …
Field of dreams? How some professional cricketers continue to pay the price for sporting excellence: vectorfusionart/Shutterstock What comes to mind when you think of cricket? Perhaps it’s an idyllic scene of an English village green – people sitting on deckchairs and checkered blankets tucking into a traditional cricket tea while watching mild-mannered players in sparkling …
Some women have become pregnant through anal sex – and other extremely rare methods of conception: Sometimes, pregnancies occur under extremely rare circumstances. fizkes/ Shutterstock Unless you skipped sex ed class, you probably have at least a basic understanding of how babies are made. An egg (ovum) needs to be fertilised by sperm during a …
We finally know why some people got COVID while others didn’t: Throughout the pandemic, one of the key questions on everyone’s mind was why some people avoided getting COVID, while others caught the virus multiple times. Through a collaboration between University College London, the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Imperial College London in the UK, we …
Small but mighty, plankton are some of the most powerful creatures on Earth: Choksawatdikorn/Shutterstock If you go to the beach and dip a bucket in the sea, you might at first think it contains lifeless water. But examine that water under a microscope and you will see your bucket contains a universe of microscopic life, …
Owning a gun in South Africa offers some safety, but risks run high for users and society – expert: South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, eclipsed only by Honduras and a handful of Caribbean island states. Furthermore, South African police crime data shows that South Africans experience above average …
Eye infections might seem like a minor complaint – but in some cases they can cause blindness and even death: New Africa/Shutterstock When you think of eye infections, what comes to mind? Puffy, swollen bruised feeling eyelids that get glued together with gunk overnight? That feeling of having grit in your eye that can’t be …
Some believe the 1889 Russian flu pandemic was actually caused by a coronavirus – here’s why that’s unlikely: COVID-19 was the first coronavirus pandemic. The original Sars virus from 2003 and the Mers virus that created a health emergency in South Korea in 2015 were both coronaviruses, but fortunately failed to turn into pandemics in …
The meat and dairy industry is not ‘climate neutral’, despite some eye-catching claims: Cows and sheep produce lots of the greenhouse gas methane. Christian L Sweden / shutterstock Imagine a house is on fire, and someone is actively pouring gas on the fire. They then pour a little less gas and want credit for doing …