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Scientists all over the world are working on developing safe and effective antivenoms to treat snakebites. One team of researchers thought their four years of work on a therapeutic antibody for the pit viper’s venom had finally succeeded – until one last experiment proved them wrong. They explain why their failure is actually good news for antivenom research.
A lot of people around the world love a bit of chocolate every once in a while. Well, the price of your favourite chocolate bar or beverage could go up as major processors of cocoa beans, especially in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, struggle to find beans for processing. Researcher Michael Odijie unpacks what’s behind the cocoa bean shortage.
Tuberculosis (TB) kills 1.5 million people each year, making it the world’s deadliest infectious disease. Over 25% of these deaths occur in African countries. Ahead of World TB day tomorrow, infectious disease specialist Tom Nyirenda explains why TB remains a disease of poverty.
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Natasha Joseph
Commissioning Editor
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Christoffer Vinther Sørensen, Technical University of Denmark; Andreas Hougaard Laustsen, Technical University of Denmark; Bruno Lomonte, Universidad de Costa Rica; Julián Fernández, Universidad de Costa Rica
By reporting this new way that future antivenoms can fail, the research has highlighted a problem with current antivenom testing recommendations.
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Michael E Odijie, UCL
Major African cocoa plants in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana have stopped or cut processing because they cannot afford to buy beans.
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Tom Nyirenda, Stellenbosch University
Seven African countries have managed to reduce TB deaths by a third.
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Science + Technology
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Nicholas R. Longrich, University of Bath
Oceanic dispersal of dinosaurs between Europe and Africa shows how low-probability, high-impact events drive evolution.
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Jess Auerbach Jahajeeah, University of Cape Town
Fibre optic cables now literally encircle Africa, though some parts of the continent are far better connected than others.
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Luke Mangaliso Duncan, University of Warwick
Zoo-based research can teach us about the needs of animals in our care.
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Environment + Energy
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Olajumoke Morenikeji, University of Ibadan
Pangolins are among the most trafficked and poached mammals in the world.
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Christiane Zarfl, University of Tübingen; Rebecca Peters, University of Tübingen
If Africa built only all the renewable power plants it has already planned, this would be enough to generate 76% of all electricity needed on the continent by 2040.
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Tajudeen Amusa, University of Ilorin
Nigeria’s forest resources have dwindled and are in danger of disappearing in a few decades if nothing is done to save them.
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Politics
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Olayinka Ajala, Leeds Beckett University
Niger is cutting military ties with the US. This has implications for security in the Sahel region.
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Manu Lekunze, University of Aberdeen
Cameroon’s rebels don’t have the unity, funding or logistics to achieve their aims.
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Helga Dickow, University of Freiburg
It is feared that the current violence against political opposition in Chad could signal the beginning of another long term dictatorship.
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Dirk Kotze, University of South Africa
The Independent Electoral Commission cannot afford to put a foot wrong in the country’s most important election since democracy in 1994, on 29 May.
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Health + Medicine
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Anastasia Ugwuanyi, University of the Witwatersrand
About 60% of the human body is made up of water. Excessive water loss can be fatal.
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Business + Economy
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Simon Roberts, University of Johannesburg; Namhla Landani, University of Johannesburg
Approximately 22% of Malawians are food insecure, partly because of the poor maize harvest in 2023.
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Stephen Onyeiwu, Allegheny College
Nigeria’s sudden and total removal of fuel subsidies was not the best strategy to use.
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9 April 2024
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Johannesburg
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13 April - 10 May 2024
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Cape Town
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17 April 2024
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Cape Town
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19 April 2024
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Cape Town
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