Featured stories about Science
Stories about Science
The Kano COVID-19 deaths: Forced relocations and disinformation creates widespread confusion (Part II)
Forced relocations of children contributed to the possible spread of COVID-19 and online disinformation along ethnoreligious lines added to the general confusion surrounding mass deaths in Kano State, Nigeria.
Part I: Health care information access for women during COVID-19 in East Africa
In Kenya, pregnant women struggle to get uninterrupted access to sexual and reproductive health-related information and education during the pandemic — on and offline.
Information warfare: COVID-19’s other battleground in the Middle East
As leaders vie to frame narratives and control public opinion on COVID-19, social media is a battlefield where influencers, trolls, bots, and commenter armies fight for influence and power.
COVID-19, locusts and floods: East Africa's triple dilemma
East Africa's "triple threat" — the coronavirus, locusts, and floods — are not mutually exclusive. In fact, each is inextricably linked.
Zanzibar relies on strong communities of care to confront COVID-19
Zanzibar thrives on unity. A wave of community-based health initiatives has ramped up their presence on the islands to raise awareness and educate islanders about the highly contagious coronavirus.
Malaria vaccine may offer respite from Africa’s greatest health scourge
After three decades of research, the RTS,S malaria vaccine backed by the WHO is getting piloted at a health centre in Kenya for the first time.
COVID-19 revives grim history of medical experimentation in Africa
Africa 'is not a testing lab' for a COVID-19 vaccine. The debate over human testing in clinical trials speaks to a grim history of medical experimentation and exploitation in Africa.
Impact of COVID-19 containment measures on human rights and civil liberties in the Middle East
COVID-19 measures in the MENA region have especially targeted some of the most vulnerable groups such as detained human rights defenders, migrant workers and independent media.
A king’s belief in herbal remedies to cure COVID-19 butts up against science in Nigeria
This Nigerian king believes that natural herbs can cure COVID-19. But making unverified claims via Twitter to thousands of followers can be misleading — and dangerous — to the public.
Kenyan star runner Eliud Kipchoge says 2020 Olympics postponement is ‘shocking but noble’
Olympic superstar Eliud Kipchoge was looking forward to competing at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. But the postponement makes sense to him. "We live in a world of uncertainties," he...
Musicians in East Africa rush to produce ‘corona’ songs — even as the industry falters
As COVID-19 sweeps through Africa, musicians have taken a hit with canceled concerts, festivals, tours and interrupted studio time. Yet, they have risen to the challenge by composing catchy tunes.
‘Linguistics is in everything’ from astronomy to everyday life, says this linguist from Trinidad & Tobago
"Trinbagonians are connected through a shared linguocultural history and present — we don’t have to constantly define or explain or substitute our words in our conversations."
A cancer treating yew tree is critically endangered in Nepal
The Taxus mairei plant is regarded as critically endangered in Nepal. Nepal needs concrete steps to conserve these trees and to introduce a sustainable system for collecting the leaves.
France24 headline about COVID-19 in Africa irks netizens as racist
Having just a few COVID-19 cases in Africa has puzzled some experts, according to France24. Many netizens felt this news framing relied on stereotypical images of Africa as disease-prone.
Battered by criticism, Abe government scrambles to save Japan from COVID-19
"Just cancel it!" (#中止だ中止), a line from the 1988 animated film Akira about the cancellation of the fictional Olympics, accompanied by a screenshot of the movie, trended on Japan Twitter.
Argentine NGO documenting human rights violations nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
"Every recovered bone and identified remain is a triumph of truth and justice that is essential to nourish the memories people carry with them throughout the rest of their lives."
Peruvian engineer awarded international prize with cookies that fight anemia
Consisting of three basic ingredients, cookies created by Peruvian engineer Julio Garay fight anemia, a health condition affecting almost half of Peruvian children.
For the first time, clouded leopards have been found high up in Nepal's Himalayas. But can they survive climate change?
Clouded leopards, one of the most elusive cats, were found for the first time at an altitude of 3498 meters (11476 feet) above sea level in the Langtang National Park...
Malawi opens the first drone academy in Africa
The African Drone and Data Academy officially opened this month in Malawi — the first of its kind in Africa.
Smoke from Australia's fires reached South America
The smoke of Australia's megafires traveled 12,000 kilometers across the Pacific Ocean.
