We know that humankind originated in Africa, and that the Cradle of Humankind near Johannesburg in South Africa is a hub for understanding more about our origins. But we didn't know how old the caves in the Cradle are, and couldn't provide conclusive dates for the many fossils found in them. Now that's changed. Robyn Pickering explains how she and others calculated the caves' ages.
The spreading of false information, a phenomenon known as “fake news”, has an unsavoury history. Until now, it’s been studied mostly in the US and Europe, with very little attention in Africa. A new study by Herman Wasserman and Dani Madrid-Morales shows that the sharing of false information – through disinformation and misinformation – is so widespread in Africa that it has eroded trust in the media.
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Beautifully preserved flowstone and sediment layers from the Cradle of Humankind.
Dr Robyn Pickering
Robyn Pickering, University of Cape Town
South Africa's fossils can step out of the shadows of being undated and undateable.
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Nigerians have the lowest trust in the country’s media, thanks to widespread misinformation.
EPA/Ahmed Jallanzo
Herman Wasserman, University of Cape Town; Dani Madrid-Morales, University of Houston
Disinformation in Africa often takes the form of extreme speech inciting violence and spreading racist, misogynous, xenophobic messages.
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Education
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Charlotte Baker, Lancaster University
The needs of children with albinism aren't met in the classroom and this often leads to them dropping out of school.
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Environment + Energy
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Marieke Norton, University of Cape Town
Breaking the cycle of illegal abalone poaching in South Africa is going to be tough, but not impossible.
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From our international editions
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Evie Browne, University of Sussex
Changes that protect or increase human rights should always be welcomed – but we should check motives, too.
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Margarita Mulero Pazmany, Liverpool John Moores University
Drones can be the best way to study animals but only if used responsibly.
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