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Thousands of years after her death, Cleopatra continues to make headlines. The queen of Egypt is the subject of a new series that starts streaming on Netflix today and has reignited the heated debate about her ethnicity. As leading Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson explains, ancient Egyptians couldn’t have cared less about skin colour – but they certainly cared about Cleopatra’s diplomatic skills and political savvy, factors that help explain the world’s enduring fascination with her.
More than 100 bodies – including those of children – have been exhumed by Kenyan police near the coastal town of Kilifi. It’s believed that most of the deceased were followers of pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, who is accused of ordering them to starve to death 'to meet Jesus'. Their deaths have widened the focus in Kenya from Islamic extremism to other forms of religious extremism. Fathima Azmiya Badurdeen explains why this scrutiny is a good thing.
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Toby Wilkinson, University of Cambridge
The ethnicity outcry says more about today’s preoccupations with race than ancient Egypt’s.
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Fathima Azmiya Badurdeen, Technical University of Mombasa
Both cults and violent extremist movements have similar push and pull factors at the individual level.
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Gabriel Okello, University of Cambridge; Meelan Thondoo, University of Cambridge
Air pollution accounts for many deaths in Africa yearly. However, this may change if people learn to protect themselves and hold their leaders accountable.
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Oludayo Tade, University of Ibadan
A lot is said about kidnapping for ransom in Nigeria but little is known about how families mobilise resources and deliver ransom to kidnappers.
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Padmashree Gehl Sampath, Harvard University
L'Afrique a stimulé le moral des entreprises locales et étrangères autour des investissements dans la production locale, dans l'ère post-COVID. Mais il faut aller plus loin.
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From our international editions
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Ömer F. Bodur, University of Wollongong; Nicolas Flament, University of Wollongong
The volcanic eruptions that bring diamonds to Earth’s surface are driven by ‘pillars of heat’ stretching deep inside the planet.
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Beth Meisinger, University of Memphis; Roger J. Kreuz, University of Memphis
Called your ‘inner voice,’ it develops along with your reading skills.
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John MacCormick, Dickinson College
One researcher’s experience from a quarter-century ago shows why bias in AI remains a problem – and why the solution isn’t a simple technical fix.
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Ken Nosaka, Edith Cowan University
Working one arm or leg could help strengthen the corresponding injured or immobilised limb and also stop it wasting away from lack of use.
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