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The Conversation
A slightly dry area is photographed from above - bushes and dozens of tall baobab trees are dotted throughout the landscape.

Madagascar’s ancient baobab forests are being restored by communities – with a little help from AI

Seheno Andriantsaralaza, Université d’Antananarivo

Back view of girls in veils.

Female genital mutilation is on the rise in Africa: disturbing new trends are driving up the numbers

Tamsin Bradley, University of Portsmouth

Malawi’s school kids are using tablets to improve their reading and maths skills

Nicola Pitchford, University of Nottingham

A group of children, most in blue school uniforms and yellow headphones, work on red computer tablets
What’s the job of a company chair? South Africa’s rules aren’t clear and need fixing

Rehana Cassim, University of South Africa

A person silhouetted against a window in an office environment
African sci-fi: body hopping, artificial wombs and angry ghosts in a future Botswana

Nedine Moonsamy, University of Johannesburg

An illustration of an African woman in profile, a futurist glass dome covering her forehead and eyes attached to the body with metal. Inside the dome, a foetus.
Kenya floods: as the costs add up pressure mounts on a country in economic crisis

Timothy Njagi Njeru, Egerton University

Kenya floods: as the costs add up pressure mounts on a country in economic crisis

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Cement is a big carbon emitter and quality is costly: a civil engineer explains

Elsabe Kearsley, University of Pretoria

Wheelbarrow of cement and bricks in the background; person wearing work overalls and gloves walking past
South Africans are abandoning smallholder farming – history and policy can help explain why

Klara Fischer, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Cows moving along a dirt road.
Science journalism in South Africa: social media is helping connect with new readers

Sisanda Nkoala, University of the Western Cape

An illustration showing a digitally rendered world map with a row of children walking along the centre, lines linking them to various places.
Becoming a dad can be scary. Here’s how to be the best father for your kids

Tawanda Makusha, Human Sciences Research Council

Two smiling adult men with a grinning boy, their arms around each other
A camera bag lies on beach sand alongside several circles created by plant fronds, which are also pictured

Fossilised circles in the sand on South Africa’s coast may be artwork by our early ancestors

Charles Helm, Nelson Mandela University and Jan Carlo De Vynck, University of the Witwatersrand

Hadeda ibis carrying captured earthworm in beak

Hadeda ibises’ ‘sixth sense’ works best in wet soil: new research is a wake-up call for survival of wading birds with this superpower

Carla Jacquelyn du Toit, University of Cambridge

Caesarean births: South Africa’s rates are too high – they can be dangerous for mothers and babies

Priya Soma-Pillay, University of Pretoria and Andre Van Niekerk, University of Pretoria

A sleeping baby
South Africa’s plan to move away from coal: 8 steps to make it succeed

Ricardo Amansure, Stellenbosch University

Landscape showing a large solar panel on the surface of a rural dam
Academic literacy is more than language, it’s about critical thinking and analysis: universities should do more to teach these skills

Pineteh Angu, University of Pretoria

A diverse group of university students working together while sitting around a table between classes
South Africa elections: Zuma’s MK Party has hit the campaign trail with provocative rhetoric and few clear policies

Mashupye Herbert Maserumule, Tshwane University of Technology

A man wearing a tie and specs looks ahead, listening to a speech.

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In the news

Floods create health risks: what to look out for and how to avoid them

Juno Thomas, National Institute for Communicable Diseases and Linda Erasmus, National Institute for Communicable Diseases

people standing around a water taker
Justice Yvonne Mokgoro: South Africa’s trailblazing defender of justice, human dignity and the constitution

Omphemetse Sibanda, University of Limpopo

A seated woman raising her hands to her chest to emphasise a point.
Why mothers and babies will suffer more as Africa grows hotter

Matthew Cherisch, University of the Witwatersrand

Baby in mother's arms
Kenya’s devastating floods expose decades of poor urban planning and bad land management

Sean Avery, King's College London

A man wading in the middle of a pool of muddy water and pointing at something, while several other people are seen standing off to the side.

South Africa: 30 years of democracy

A man in a yellow short smiles and raises a hand in greeting outside a house, with other people standing next to and behind him

South African elections: research explores how disillusioned ANC supporters might use their vote

Michael Braun, University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa’s public service is dysfunctional – the 5 main reasons why

Marcel Nagar, University of Johannesburg

A woman pushes a wheelbarrow carrying containers of water.
How the Mandela myth helped win the battle for democracy in South Africa

Jonny Steinberg, Yale University

A black and white photo of an African couple, smiling, the woman raising a fist in the air and the man waving as he holds on to a railing.
Persisting inequality has made many young South Africans question the choices made by Nelson Mandela – podcast

Gemma Ware, The Conversation and Thabo Leshilo, The Conversation

Two young men wearing graduation gowns lead protesters carrying placards saying 'We are young and capable'.
South Africa’s constitution was set up as the bedrock of its democracy: it’s been challenged over last 30 years, but has held firm

Richard Calland, University of Cape Town

Lady Justice figurine superimposed over the South African flag.
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Research highlights

A field of failed crops

Climate change: alarming Africa-wide report predicts 30% drop in crop revenue, 50 million without water

Philip Kofi Adom, University of the Witwatersrand

Drug-resistant TB: a new study offers new hope

Andrew Nunn, UCL and I.D. Rusen, University of Toronto

Drug-resistant TB: a new study offers new hope
Migrating animals face collapsing numbers – major new UN report

Joseph Ogutu, University of Hohenheim

A fisherman stands on a commercial boat operating a machine that is hauling in a giant net of fish
Africa now emits as much carbon as it stores: landmark new study

Yolandi Ernst, University of the Witwatersrand and Sally Archibald, University of the Witwatersrand

An aerial view of cows crowded together in a cattle pen. Some are brown, some are black and white
Microplastics in Nigeria’s Osun River: new study flags alarmingly high levels

Gideon Idowu, Federal University of Technology, Akure

A flowing river surrounded by trees
Read more...

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From Hemingway to Blixen: why Africa still attracts hunters

From Hemingway to Blixen: why Africa still attracts hunters

Peet Van Der Merwe, North-West University

How we recreated a lost African city with laser technology

Karim Sadr, University of the Witwatersrand

How we recreated a lost African city with laser technology
East Africa’s ‘soda lakes’ are rising, threatening their iconic flamingos

Aidan Byrne, King's College London

Flamingos flying above a shallow lake
Bollywood is playing a large supporting role in India’s elections

Preminda Jacob, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

A silhouette of a man walking past three identical posters showing a gray-haired man, dressed in a long saffron-color shirt, with the flag of India in the background.
What our ancestors’ third eye reveals about the evolution of mammals to warm blood

Julien Benoit, University of the Witwatersrand

What our ancestors’ third eye reveals about the evolution of mammals to warm blood
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Most read this week

1.
South Africans are abandoning smallholder farming – history and policy can help explain why

Klara Fischer, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

South Africans are abandoning smallholder farming – history and policy can help explain why
2.
South Africa’s national student financial aid scheme has helped millions but is in trouble: here’s why

Thandi Lewin, University of Johannesburg

South Africa’s national student financial aid scheme has helped millions but is in trouble: here’s why
3.
Academic literacy is more than language, it’s about critical thinking and analysis: universities should do more to teach these skills

Pineteh Angu, University of Pretoria

Academic literacy is more than language, it’s about critical thinking and analysis: universities should do more to teach these skills
4.
African countries can’t resolve their debt crisis under a system rigged against them

Carlos Lopes, University of Cape Town

African countries can’t resolve their debt crisis under a system rigged against them
5.
Walking in African cities can be a miserable experience: Accra study shows planners ignore needs of pedestrians

Seth Asare Okyere, University of Arizona; Daniel Oviedo, UCL; Louis Kusi Frimpong, University of Environment and Sustainable Development ; Matthew Abunyewah, Charles Darwin University, and Stephen Leonard Mensah, University of Memphis

Walking in African cities can be a miserable experience: Accra study shows planners ignore needs of pedestrians
6.
Kenya’s devastating floods expose decades of poor urban planning and bad land management

Sean Avery, King's College London

Kenya’s devastating floods expose decades of poor urban planning and bad land management

TC Afrique

Tchad : Mahamat Idriss Déby et Succès Masra, les deux ennemis d'hier devenus des partenaires

Bourdjolbo Tchoudiba, Université Paris-Est Créteil Val de Marne (UPEC)

Tchad : Mahamat Idriss Déby et Succès Masra, les deux ennemis d'hier devenus des partenaires
Gnous d'Afrique : ceux qui ne peuvent pas migrer s'affaiblissent génétiquement, selon une nouvelle étude

Joseph Ogutu, University of Hohenheim

Gnous d'Afrique : ceux qui ne peuvent pas migrer s'affaiblissent génétiquement, selon une nouvelle étude
Tunisie : El Kef, l'identité singulière d'une ville riche de son brassage culturel

Majdi Faleh, Nottingham Trent University; Asma Gharbi, Université de Carthage, and Nourchen Ben Fatma, Université de Carthage

Tunisie : El Kef, l'identité singulière d'une ville riche de son brassage culturel
Franc CFA : les conditions sont réunies pour remplacer la monnaie héritée du colonialisme

Kai Koddenbrock, Bard College Berlin

Franc CFA : les conditions sont réunies pour remplacer la monnaie héritée du colonialisme
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