Articles tagged with Africa
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Researchers found nearly all Cameroonian aluminum pots contain high levels of lead, exceeding US guidelines for safe consumption. The study highlights a previously unrecognized source of lead exposure in Africa and Asia.
The majority of adults worldwide are falling short of the recommended five servings (400 grams) per day, with a significant shortfall found in people's diets globally. Eating foods rich in phytonutrients may provide health benefits, including promoting eye and bone health.
A new peer-reviewed paper by the Wildlife Conservation Society suggests that all ivory markets must be closed to conserve Africa's elephant populations. The paper argues that corruption and organized crime make legal trade in ivory a major factor contributing to the decline of elephants.
The Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) is a $130 million NIH-funded program that has increased enrollment and broadened curricula in sub-Saharan Africa. MEPI has also improved Internet access, skills labs, and research capacity development, with significant accomplishments reported from institutions across the region.
A new study found that urbanization in rural sub-Saharan Africa is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Living in more urban villages was linked to poorer lifestyle choices, such as physical inactivity and heavy drinking, despite the benefits of access to education, healthcare, and improved sanitation.
A groundbreaking study in Tanzania successfully infects volunteers with malaria in a controlled laboratory setting, paving the way for accelerated development of new treatments. The innovative PfSPZ Challenge method eliminates the need for live mosquitoes, reducing costs and increasing accessibility to malaria research and treatment.
Hundreds of wildfires covered central Africa in mid-July 2014, with multiple hotspots detected across the region. Strong winds exacerbated smoke from the fires, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Archaeologists at the University of Toronto and University of Cape Town have uncovered tens of thousands of Earlier Stone Age artifacts in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The site is estimated to be between 700,000 and one million years old, offering valuable insights into human evolution.
Researchers mapped water trends in African maize-growing areas between 1979 and 2010, finding increases in water availability during the growing season. However, some regions experienced declines due to decreased evaporative demand and changing rainfall patterns.
Researchers have developed a simplified method to purify water using Moringa oleifera seed extracts, significantly reducing harmful bacteria levels. This cost-effective approach holds promise for improving access to safe drinking water in developing countries where millions die from waterborne diseases annually.
A new analysis finds that oil palm plantations in Africa overlap with great ape habitats, posing a significant threat to apes. The study suggests urgent need for guidelines to minimize negative effects on wildlife and promote sustainable land use.
A study published in JAMA found that combining varenicline with nicotine replacement therapy significantly improved smoking cessation rates at 6 months compared to varenicline alone. The combination treatment resulted in higher continuous abstinence and point prevalence abstinence rates, but also more side effects.
A team of researchers, including Smithsonian paleoanthropologist Richard Potts, suggests that human traits evolved separately and at different times rather than all together. This flexibility likely enhanced the ability of human ancestors to adapt to unstable environments and disperse from Africa.
A recent study published in PLOS ONE reveals that urbanisation and westernization are linked to rising obesity rates among Nigerian women, particularly those with higher socio-economic status. The findings highlight the need to address both malnutrition and obesity as major public health concerns in Nigeria.
Scientists from the California Academy of Sciences have discovered a new species of round-eared sengi in southwestern Africa, showcasing the critical role of scientific collections in biodiversity studies. The Etendeka round-eared sengi is the smallest known member of the order Macroscelidea.
The new estimates of neonatal infections highlight the high burden of sepsis, meningitis, and pneumonia in regions. The study's findings support the urgent need for more investment and action to reduce newborn deaths due to severe infection through prevention and treatment with antibiotics.
Leading medical authorities call for global mental health objectives, a UN High Level Meeting on Mental Health, and efforts to end stigma and human rights violations. The experts say action is urgently needed, particularly in Africa, where mental health disorders account for a huge burden of disease and disability.
A special issue of Studies in Family Planning examines the reasons behind unmet need for contraception, highlighting factors such as social pressure, insufficient information, and side effects. The articles provide practical strategies to increase contraceptive knowledge and uptake, ultimately improving family planning programs.
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch have identified a new mutation in the chikungunya virus that could lead to more efficient transmission and infection. The mutation, which emerged in the Indian Ocean Basin, has the potential to spread to temperate regions where the Asian tiger mosquito thrives.
Researchers from GFZ, University of Sydney, and University of London discovered that the centre of a rift migrates laterally during continental break-up, causing asymmetry in continental margins. This process leads to the formation of thin crustal slivers on one side and more pronounced asymmetry due to faster extension velocity.
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) report reveals that programs and policies to reduce tropical deforestation have been successful in 17 countries across four continents. Successful reductions result from various policy options, including forest protected areas, moratoriums, and financial incentives through the REDD+ program.
Experts warn of acute health and environmental concerns due to growing e-waste generation in Latin America, with the region's middle class driving demand for electronic equipment. The UN-backed academy aims to foster multi-stakeholder partnerships to address e-waste management, but regulatory instruments remain limited.
Researchers tracked two consecutive years of zebra migrations between Chobe River in Namibia and Nxai Pan National Park in Botswana, covering a straight-line distance of 250km (500km round-trip). The findings highlight the importance of trans-frontier conservation areas in preserving great terrestrial migrations.
Grand Challenges Canada announces $12 million investments in global health projects aiming to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality. Four Canadian-based projects will share $2.6 million in scale-up grants.
Ape ancestors' diets evolved from hard-shelled fruits and seeds to soft and mixed fruit-eating, with no diet specializing in leaves. The dietary specialization may have ultimately contributed to their extinction when drastic environmental changes occurred.
A new study has precisely dated the Bentiaba fossil locality to 71.5 million years ago, spanning 30 million years of sediments and shedding light on ancient marine life and environments. The analysis allowed for better understanding of the history of the ancient South Atlantic Ocean.
Nizar Ibrahim, a University of Chicago paleontologist, has been selected to National Geographic's Emerging Explorers program. He receives a $10,000 award to aid further research and exploration in the deserts of North Africa, where he discovers fossil footprints and a new species of flying reptile.
Students in Cape Town spend almost 60% of their day in poorly ventilated classrooms, at risk of TB transmission. The researchers recommend increasing natural ventilation to reduce risks and lower CO2 concentrations.
Researchers estimate that mass vaccination campaigns have reduced yellow fever cases and deaths across Africa by 27%. The campaigns have led to a substantial decrease in the disease's burden, with higher reductions in some countries targeted by vaccination efforts.
Climate change impacts vary widely across Africa, with specific regions at high risk due to drought and flooding. The study identifies hotspots in Sudan, Ethiopia, Lake Victoria, and South Africa, requiring adaptive measures to mitigate damage.
The US has seen a disturbing trend of increasing maternal mortality, ranking 60th globally with 796 maternal deaths in 2013. The largest increase occurred among women aged 20-24, and possible explanations include lack of prenatal care access and high caesarian section rates.
Scientists have discovered several new species of Sub-Saharan African Ensign wasps that exhibit transverse fore wing folding, a unique mechanism previously seen only in earwigs, cockroaches, and beetles. This discovery has potential applications in aerospace and bio-inspired technologies.
Since 1990, global maternal and child deaths have declined by nearly half, with significant acceleration after the Millennium Development Goals were set. Improved education, income growth, technological advances, and increased investment in maternal and child health have contributed to this progress.
The Apodanthaceae family comprises 10 species of endo-parasitic plants, specialized to parasitize legumes or willow family species. The study provides a key, distribution map, and color photos of most species, shedding light on their ecology and evolution.
Stanford scientists warn that climate change will strengthen African easterly waves, bringing more intense rainfall to drought-prone areas. The warming atmosphere is also expected to increase dust transport across the Atlantic, affecting air quality and regional weather patterns.
A new program combines NASA's LabNotes and FieldNotes technologies with the mFarms platform to provide relevant satellite data to African farmers and distributors. This collaboration aims to improve crop health, reduce food insecurity, and enhance agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan Africa.
The loss of large wildlife has been directly correlated with a significant increase in rodents and zoonotic diseases dangerous to humans. The study suggests that conservation efforts could help mitigate the problem of rodent-borne diseases.
Research found that pregnant immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Caribbean islands are at higher risk of preeclampsia and eclampsia compared to women from other regions. Obstetricians should consider these pregnancies as high-risk and provide enhanced surveillance and culturally sensitive care.
Researchers found East African honeybees resistant to invasive parasites, but preliminary data suggests habitat loss and drought may be major factors driving colony declines. The study recommends protecting nesting habitats and native flowering plants to maintain healthy bee populations.
A Dartmouth-led study found that air temperature drove the expansion and contraction of glaciers in Africa's Rwenzori Mountains at the height of the last ice age. The research suggests that tropical glaciers are rapidly shrinking due to warming climate, not declining snowfall or other factors.
A new diagnostic tool has been developed to identify children with emotional behavior disorders, including those orphaned by HIV/AIDS. The study found that poverty may wash out any effects of AIDS on the children's mental health, and that community-based organizations need training to respond to their needs.
A new study found that children treated at private clinics in sub-Saharan Africa are less likely to receive life-saving oral rehydration therapy, while poorer and rural children face significant disparities in care. The research estimates that closing the gap in care could save up to 20,000 lives annually.
Two new species of weakly electric fishes, Petrocephalus boboto and Petrocephalus arnegardi, have been discovered in the Congo River basin. The species were named after words meaning peace and fellowship in Lingala language, reflecting the authors' hope for peace in troubled Central Africa.
Global health funding reached an all-time high of $31.3 billion in 2013, driven by increased support for maternal and child health. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) continue to receive relatively little development assistance, despite being a major burden in the developing world.
The study found that rural households in areas with low access to improved water and sanitation are more likely to lack these basic services. Geographical mapping reveals substantial levels of inequality in access to improved drinking-water supplies and sanitation across sub-Saharan Africa.
A study published in Current Biology found that lactase persistence variants were at medium frequencies among the Khoe people, but very low or absent among San hunter-gatherers. The research suggests that pastoralist practices were brought to southern Africa by a small group of migrants from eastern Africa.
Researchers have discovered a magnetic anomaly deep within the Earth's crust that suggests a significant portion of what is now Africa was left behind in the American southeast when Pangea broke up. This finding challenges existing theories on continental rifting and the break-up of supercontinents.
Scientists from Museum für Naturkunde Berlin use genetic data and sound analysis to determine the taxonomic status of two West African treefrog species. They found that two previously considered a single species actually belong to two distinct species, one large and one small, with different call characteristics.
A data-driven approach has been developed to maximize the effectiveness of limited enforcement resources in protecting Africa's threatened wildlife. The method uses spatial planning software to identify weaknesses in current efforts and redirect patrols to increase deterrence, with a potential cost reduction of up to 63%.
A new £1.1 million grant will support research on vulnerability and adaptation in semi-arid regions of East Africa, focusing on the impact of more frequent droughts on livestock and agriculture. The project aims to develop strategies for communities to adapt to climate change by mid-century.
African wildlife faces devastating effects from pesticide use, with a new study uncovering widespread killing of species. The research calls for regional centers to identify hotspots and promote chemical testing, education, and public engagement to combat poisoning.
Scientists have discovered fossils of elapid snakes, including cobras and sea snakes, in Africa dating back to 25 million years ago. The findings suggest that seasonal habitats may have given rise to active hunters earlier than previously reported.
Agroforestry is key to increasing food production in Africa by replenishing soils, improving biodiversity, and conserving natural resources. By adopting sustainable agricultural intensification techniques, farmers can meet the growing population's needs without degrading the environment.
Crop intensification through agroforestry can improve soil fertility, biodiversity, and water quality, increasing food production in Africa. By reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers, farmers can maintain nutrient cycling, organic matter build-up, and ecosystem resilience.
South African and French scientists have dated the nearly complete skeleton of Little Foot to around 3 million years old, refuting previous claims of a younger age. The study analyzed stratigraphy, micro-stratigraphy, and geochemistry to determine the age of the fossil.
A recent study identified genetic factors associated with lactase persistence in African populations, which became more prevalent after cattle domestication in Africa. Individuals retaining high levels of lactase enzyme allow them to digest milk sugars in adulthood.
Researchers found strong evidence of recent positive selection for lactase persistence in African populations, likely due to pastoralism. Three new genetic variants associated with the trait were identified, as well as two previously known SNPs, suggesting a link between cattle domestication and milk consumption.
African smallholder farmers can benefit from agroforestry practices to increase storage of carbon, enhance agricultural productivity, and improve resilience to climate change impacts. Agroforestry is a win-win solution that addresses both mitigation and adaptation needs in food-focused production systems.
Researchers found a clear signal of climate change's impact on malaria, with cases shifting to higher elevations in warmer years and back down in cooler years. Climate warming is expected to increase malaria cases in tropical highland areas, particularly in Africa and South America.
Researchers investigated the break-up of supercontinent Gondwana, finding that a nearly orthogonal West African rift was stopped by an opposing Equatorial Atlantic rift, preventing the formation of a Saharan Atlantic Ocean. This study highlights the importance of rift orientation and extension direction in shaping Africa's margin.