Ocean mud locks up much of the planet’s carbon – we’re digging deep to map these ancient stores: Damsea/Shutterstock Mud is messy. For some, it’s a plaything. To many, it can mean real hardship. Mud, though, is often overlooked, particularly when it lies out of sight. Deep down at the bottom of the sea, it …
The incredible journey of two princes from Mozambique whose lives were upended by the slave trade: A new book called The Two Princes of Mpfumo tells the fascinating story of a pair of royals from Mozambique in southern Africa whose lives were thrown into chaos by the transatlantic slave trade. We asked historian Lindsay O’Neill …
Senegal’s elections were a triumph for democracy – what went right: Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye unexpectedly called a snap legislative election which was held on 17 November. Faye was sworn in as president in April after a tumultuous period, triggered when former president Macky Sall postponed a scheduled presidential election. Mass protests followed, exposing …
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 …
How we’re using ‘chaos engineering’ to make cloud computing less vulnerable to cyber attacks: Armadillo Photograp Cloud computing has emerged as a crucial element in today’s technology, serving as the backbone for global connectivity. It empowers businesses, governments, and individuals to employ and construct cloud-based services and forms the foundation for a huge range of …
From jellyfish to basking shark, we’re developing 100 new signs to deepen deaf people’s connection with the ocean: New British sign language terms will cover marine creatures like this jellyfish. JDScuba/Shutterstock For deaf people including schoolchildren, teachers and scientists, talking about marine species like the shortfin mako shark, loggerhead turtle and tiny phytoplankton usually means …
Election 2024 polls were wide of the mark on Labour’s margin of victory – this is what may have happened: The 2024 UK election campaign was dominated by discussion of the polls, from start to finish. This was partially because of the sheer volume of polls being published. We had more MRP (multi-level regression post-stratification) …
Nature conservation works, and we’re getting better at it – new study: To work in nature conservation is to battle a headwind of bad news. When the overwhelming picture indicates the natural world is in decline, is there any room for optimism? Well, our new global study has some good news: we provide the strongest …
We’re working out how to solve crimes in space – the final frontier of forensic science: Nasa’s Artemis program is scheduled to return astronauts to the Moon and establish a permanent orbiting laboratory by the end of the decade. Meanwhile, private companies are making significant steps in taking paying customers further into space. As humanity’s …
History’s crisis detectives: how we’re using maths and data to reveal why societies collapse – and clues about the future: The Death of Julius Caesar, an 1806 painting by Vincenzo Camuccini. Wikipedia American humorist and writer Mark Twain is believed to have once said, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” I’ve been working …
Dark energy is one of the biggest puzzles in science and we’re now a step closer to understanding it: Over ten years ago, the Dark Energy Survey (DES) began mapping the universe to find evidence that could help us understand the nature of the mysterious phenomenon known as dark energy. I’m one of more than …
Bullies in South African schools were often bullied themselves – insights from an expert: Bullying is far more complex than current interventions acknowledge. Georgia Court/Getty Images “Pupil stabbed to death at Gauteng school had suffered history of bullying”. “Grade 6 learner commits suicide after bullying”. “Grade 11 learner takes her own life after taunts over …
Apple, Tesla and Nvidia were among 2023’s ‘magnificent seven’ stocks – here’s what to expect from them all in 2024: In the 1960 western The Magnificent Seven, a group of seven gunfighters protect a village from bandits. Only three survive to ride out of town at the end of the movie. The odds look much …
We’re finally starting to understand the active role women play in organised crime groups: I met Caroline, a shy and pretty teenager who should be full of life and yet is not, in the course of my research. She explains to me how, as a 14-year-old, she became trapped in a cycle of violence when …
Humiliation and violence in Kenya’s colonial days – when old men were called ‘boy’ and Africans were publicly beaten: When King Charles visited Kenya in November 2023, many Kenyans renewed their demands for an official apology for atrocities committed by the British government during the colonial era. The widespread human rights abuses during the Mau …
Seti: how we’re searching for alien life at previously unexplored frequencies: Nasa Is there life beyond Earth? The question has turned out to be one of the hardest to answer in science. Despite the seemingly boundless expanse of the universe, which implies there’s potential for abundant life, the vast distances between stars render the search …
We rarely hear about the disasters that were avoided – but there’s a lot we can learn from them: When a huge cyclone slammed into East Pakistan (present day Bangladesh) in November 1970 it caused water in the Ganges Delta to rise by 10 metres. Entire towns were submerged. At least 300,000 people died – …
Price inflation is slowing, but here’s why it still feels like we’re in a cost of living crisis: Daisy Daisy/Shutterstock The latest UK consumer price index (CPI) data has been hailed as a win for prime minister Rishi Sunak’s aim to half inflation, announced earlier this year. Prices rose by 4.6% in October 2023, bringing …