Cyborgs v ‘holdout humans’: what the world might be like if our species survives for a million years: Homo Sapiens may survive. JuliusKielaitis Most species are transitory. They go extinct, branch into new species or change over time due to random mutations and environmental shifts. A typical mammalian species can be expected to exist for …
Paul Biya has been Cameroon’s president for 40 years – and he might win office yet again: France's President Emmanuel Macron (L) poses with Cameroon's President Paul Biya as he arrives for talks at the Presidential Palace in Yaounde, on July 26, 2022. Photo by Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images At 89 years old, one …
?England’s early years educators are underpaid and undervalued – only government investment can improve this: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock Early education and care for children aged from birth to five in England is at a critical point. On one hand, the cost of care and education to parents at a time of high price rises is …
Simon Nkoli’s fight for queer rights in South Africa is finally being celebrated – 24 years after he died: Simon Nkoli (left) with activist and physician Ivan Toms in 1989. Courtesy Julia Nicol Collection/GALA Queer Archive Born in 1957, Simon Tseko Nkoli had just turned 41 when he died, in 1998, of an AIDS-related illness. …
Exquisite new fossils from South Africa offer a glimpse into a thriving ecosystem 266 million years ago: A fossilised insect wing with some of its colouration preserved is just one tiny treasure emerging from the site. Rose Prevec South Africa is famous for its amazingly rich and diverse fossil record. The country’s rocks document more …
Ebola: Uganda’s schools were closed for two years during COVID, now they face more closures — something must change: Extended school closures during the pandemic set Ugandan children far behind their peers. BADRU KATUMBA/AFP via Getty Images Children in Uganda missed out on more school because of the COVID pandemic than their peers anywhere else …
Four more years? Joe Biden and other Democratic hopefuls for the 2024 presidential nomination: If US president Joe Biden was looking for an excuse not to run in 2024, he didn’t get it in the midterms. Democrats not only avoided the dreaded “red wave”, but also managed to retain control of the Senate, held Republicans …
Pokémon’s Ash wins World Championship after 25 years – here’s why the franchise is still capturing fans: Ash Ketchum and Pikachu with the World Championship trophy The Pokémon Company Twenty-five years ago, an animated ten-year-old boy was united with Pikachu, his very first “pocket monster” and set an ambitious goal: to become “the very best, …
Ageing: hormone could help predict men’s long-term health years in advance – new study: Who is likely to develop age-related disease could be predicted years in advance by looking at INSL3. Evgeny Atamanenko/ Shutterstock We all age, but we don’t all age the same way. For some people, ageing means an increased risk of developing …
My work investigating the links between viruses and Alzheimer’s disease was dismissed for years – but now the evidence is building: Shutterstock/Jorm S This article is part of the Insights Uncharted Brain series. There are many competing theories about what causes Alzheimer’s disease. Here, Ruth Itzhaki reflects on a career dedicated to one of the …
Honeybee lifespan could be half what it was 50 years ago – new study: Honeybees are vital pollinators BigBlueStudio/Shutterstock A new paper shows how the lifespan of the adult honeybee appears to have shrunk by nearly 50% in the past 50 years. The European Red List for Bees suggests nearly one in ten species of …
We’ve been studying the same people for 76 years – this is what we’ve found out about Alzheimer’s disease: This article is part of the Insight’s Uncharted Brain series. In March 1946, just months after the end of the second world war, James Douglas began a pioneering and extraordinary study. Based on a representative sample …
1962’s Sino-Indian border war lasted four weeks – internment of India’s Chinese community lasted years: The internment centre at Deoli in Rajasthan where Chinese people were held for up to five years after the month-long border conflict. indiadeoli.wordpress.com As the Cuban missile crisis gripped the world’s attention 60 years ago, a less remembered conflict broke …
COP27: five things to expect from this year’s UN climate summit: rafapress / shutterstock The world’s leaders are gathering for another global climate meeting, this time in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Expect a bustle of promises and pacts from countries and companies. Expect pressure on states to support people who are most and permanently affected by …
Why Tutankhamum’s curse continues to fascinate, 100 years after his discovery: Howard Carter examining the sarcophagus of Tutankhamun. IanDagnall Computing/Alamy The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 was a monumental event for archaeology. It was the first largely intact ancient Egyptian royal tomb to be found and hence provided major insights into the burial practices …
Ethiopia-Tigray war: expert insights into two years of conflict and its devastating consequences: Atlantide Phototravel via GettyImages November 2022 marks the second year of the Ethiopia-Tigray war. What began as a swift armed mission by Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed to bring the rebellious state of Tigray to order soon degenerated into a humanitarian nightmare …
The Horn of Africa has had years of drought, yet groundwater supplies are increasing – why?: Harvepino / shutterstock The Horn of Africa – which includes Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and some surrounding countries – has been hit by increasingly frequent and devastating droughts. Despite this, it seems the region has an increasing amount of groundwater. And …
Pancreatic cancer could be diagnosed up to three years earlier – new study: Magic mine/Shutterstock Every year, more than 10,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately, for most of those people, the disease is diagnosed too late to be cured. Less than 10% of people live five years following a diagnosis. …