Polynesian Island yields ‘treasure trove’ of fungal biodiversity
The islands of the South Pacific are a hot spot for biodiversity, but their jagged peaks, hot and humid conditions, and remote locations have limited scientists’ ability to document the many fantastic forms of life in the region. In a new study published this week in the Journal of Biogeography, researchers from the University of […]
9 Million Children To Be Vaccinated Against Polio In Africa
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — A drive to vaccinate more than 9 million children against polio has been launched this week in four countries in southern and eastern Africa after an outbreak was confirmed in Malawi. The urgent vaccination campaign has started in Malawi where drops of the inoculation are being placed in the […]
New model may improve San Francisco Bay Area, U.S., seismic hazard maps
The Santa Cruz Mountains define the geography of the Bay Area south of San Francisco, protecting the peninsula from the Pacific Ocean’s cold marine layer and forming the region’s notorious microclimates. The range also represents the perils of living in Silicon Valley: earthquakes along the San Andreas fault. In bursts that last seconds to minutes, […]
Omicron Was In Netherlands Before It Was Alerted By South Africa
BRUSSELS (AP) — The omicron variant was already in the Netherlands when South Africa alerted the World Health Organization about it last week, Dutch health authorities said Tuesday, adding to fear and confusion over the new version of the coronavirus in a weary world hoping it had left the worst of the pandemic behind. The […]
South Africa Braces For COVID-19 Wave Propelled By Omicron
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Worried scientists in South Africa are scrambling to combat the lightning spread across the country of the new and highly transmissible omicron COVID-19 variant as the world grapples with its emergence. In the space of two weeks, the omicron variant has sent South Africa from a period of low transmission to rapid […]
Will Flight Restrictions Help Prevent New COVID-19 Variant Spread?
A new coronavirus variant identified in South Africa is leading to a new round of travel restrictions just as many had finally begun to ease. The risks of the variant, called omicron, are largely unknown. But the World Health Organization has called it a “variant of concern” and governments around the world are not waiting […]
South Africa Finds New Variant Of COVID-19 With ‘Constellation Of Mutations’
A new variant of the coronavirus has been found in South Africa, troubling scientists who say the strain has a high number of mutations and is likely already sparking a jump in new cases around Johannesburg. The variant, which is being referred to as the B1.1.529 variant until the World Health Organization decides to assign […]
Africa’s ‘Green Wall’ also makes economic sense
The Sahel extends south of the Sahara from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east of Africa. Vast areas of the formerly fertile region are now virtually uncultivated. Reasons are droughts, poor agricultural cultivation methods as well as overuse due to the growing demand for food and firewood. The “Great Green Wall” initiative […]