Editor's note

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.

Natasha Joseph

Science & Technology Editor

Top Stories

Beautifully preserved flowstone and sediment layers from the Cradle of Humankind. Dr Robyn Pickering

How we calculated the age of caves in the Cradle of Humankind – and why it matters

Robyn Pickering, University of Cape Town

South Africa's fossils can step out of the shadows of being undated and undateable.

Nigerians have the lowest trust in the country’s media, thanks to widespread misinformation. EPA/Ahmed Jallanzo

Study sheds light on scourge of “fake” news in Africa

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.

Education

Environment + Energy

From our international editions

 
 
 
 

Would you like to republish any of these articles?

It’s free to republish, here are the guidelines. Contact us on africa-republish@theconversation.com in case you need assistance.