Climate change made 2024 the hottest year on record. The heat was deadly
Over and over, the numbers tell the same story: 2024 was Earth’s hottest year on record, knocking the previous record holder — 2023 — out of the top spot (SN: 12/6/23). But temperatures alone can’t describe the human cost: humidity that challenges the body’s ability to cool itself; nighttime temps that rob people of sleep; power outages; wildfire […]
Food security in Africa: Managing water will be vital in a rapidly growing region
Sub-Saharan Africa’s population is growing at 2.7 per cent per year and is expected to reach two billion by the year 2050. The region’s urban population is growing even faster: It was at 533 million in 2023, a 3.85 per cent increase from 2022. The need to feed this population will put pressure on land and water […]
This young engineer built an affordable electronic braille reader
Yash Mehta, 14, got the idea for his first science fair project on a trip to Old Delhi, India. There, he visited a school for blind students. Yash noticed that none of these students used electronic braille readers. They were just too costly. So once he got home, he built a more affordable one. Read […]
New ‘wastewater’ jet fuel could cut airplane emissions by 70%
Scientists have discovered how to convert wastewater into biofuel to cut plane emissions by 70% — creating a new sustainable version of aviation fuel using biomass and agricultural waste. A new technology can convert wastewater into biofuel to cut plane emissions by 70% versus conventional jet fuel, scientists say. Read more
James Webb telescope finds 1st possible ‘failed stars’ beyond the Milky Way — and they could reveal new secrets of the early universe
The James Webb Space Telescope may have found dozens of elusive brown dwarfs — strange objects larger than planets but smaller than stars — beyond the Milky Way for the first time ever. Read more
Toothbrushes and Showerheads Swarm With Unknown Viruses – And That’s Good News
In a groundbreaking study led by Northwestern University, microbiologists discovered that showerheads and toothbrushes are teeming with an incredibly diverse collection of viruses — most of which have never been seen before. Read more
Ancient DNA from South Africa rock shelter reveals the same human population stayed there for 9,000 years
Oakhurst rock shelter is an archaeological site near the town of George on the southern coast of South Africa. It is set into a sandstone cliff above a stream in a valley forested by towering old yellowwood trees. Read more
Vaccines for mpox are finally reaching Africa. But questions about the virus remain
On September 13, the World Health Organization authorized a smallpox vaccine called Jynneos, made by Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic, for use to tackle growing mpox outbreaks — an administrative move meant to speed distribution. Read more
Raisethorpe Secondary pupils shine at science fair
From fire retardant paint to asset-tracking software, Raisethorpe Secondary School’s matric pupils showcased their innovations at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists, KwaZulu-Natal Central Regional Science Fair.
Why mpox is a global health emergency — again
The disease has spread rapidly in Africa, now affecting people in at least 13 countries, the Africa CDC says. Congo, which has had a steady rise in cases over the past decade, has seen big increases last year and this year. Across Africa this year alone, there have been more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths from mpox, including deaths of young children and people whose immune systems were weakened by HIV.
