Tag Archives: science

Paris, France | AFP |  Cool, high-lying areas of Ethiopia hitherto shielded from heat-loving malaria mosquitoes are increasingly exposed to the disease as the climate warms, researchers said Thursday. Most Ethiopians live in the country’s highlands, and have long enjoyed natural protection against mosquitoes carrying the malaria-causing parasites Plasmodium falciparum …

Dakar, Senegal | AFP |   West African schoolgirls, some not yet teenagers, have taken a starring role at an engineering competition in Senegal, busting stereotypes with robotics expertise and innovative projects for their communities. The Pan-African Robotics competition (PARC) in the Senegalese capital Dakar on Saturday reflects the growing …

KAVERA: The Very Hungry Caterpillar joins fight against plastic pollution Polyethylene Paris, France | AFP |  A moth caterpillar commonly bred to provide fish bait feasts on a notoriously resistant plastic, scientists reported Monday, raising hopes the creature can help manage the global problem of plastic-bag pollution. “This discovery could be …

Canadian ‘giant’ of HIV research drowns Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | Canadian scientist Mark Wainberg — described as a “giant” of HIV science and who had recently been working on finding a cure for the condition — has died at the age of 71, UNAIDS said on Thursday. The internationally renowned …

Washington, United States | AFP | Africa’s Matabele ants, fierce predators of termites, rescue their wounded soldiers and bring them back to the nest where they are “treated,” a new study showed Wednesday. This helping behavior for the injured is the first to be detected in the insect world, according to …

Sarmiento, Argentina | AFP | Stargazers applauded as they were plunged into darkness Sunday when the moon passed in front of the sun in a spectacular “ring of fire” eclipse. Astronomers and enthusiasts in Argentina were among the first to see the so-called annular eclipse as it crossed South America …

Exoplanets 101: Looking for life beyond our Solar System Paris, France | AFP | Researchers announced Wednesday the stunning discovery of seven Earth-like planets orbiting a small star in our galaxy, opening up the most promising hunting ground so far for life beyond the Solar System. All seven roughly match …

Sriharikota, India | AFP | India successfully put a record 104 satellites from a single rocket into orbit on Wednesday in the latest triumph for its famously frugal space agency. Scientists who were at the launch in the southern spaceport of Sriharikota burst into applause as the head of India’s …

Paris, France | AFP |  French pedestrians have the reputation of being a law unto themselves — but an unusual study has provided some scientific backing for the stereotype. Four times out of 10, French pedestrians cross the road when the lights are against them, according to a paper published …

Dubai, United Arab Emirates | AFP |  Dubai has tested a Chinese prototype of a self-driving hover-taxi, its transport authority said on Monday, with the aim of introducing the aerial vehicle in the emirate by July. The test of the one-man electric vehicle comes as the city state in the …