Scientists in Nigeria say they’re studying the Usutu virus, originally found in South Africa, to better understand how viruses carried by migratory birds might one day affect humans in a world of changing climate impacts. “There hasn’t been much study done of Usutu, so we’re trying to cover the gap,”…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
The African continent is home to 30% of the planet’s cobalt, lithium, manganese and other critical resources needed for the clean energy transition, with Dr. Richard Muneng of the United Nations Environment Program detailing why the minerals are key to Africa’s future and its leadership in the climate transition. Muneng…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
Machine learning and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) are opening new doors of opportunity, but as a new study points out, that’s only true if you speak English, French, or one of the other common languages used in products like ChatGPT. Now, there’s a new effort to ensure that…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
A genetic change that occurs only in people of African descent may offer clues that lead to improved HIV treatment, according to a new study published in the journal Nature. The authors say the study also underscores the importance of research specific to Africans. “Although there have been large studies…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
How will artificial intelligence impact the future, and what benefits and risks does AI hold for democracy, conflict, and development? With ChatGPT now reaching 100 million users in just two months, African representatives participated this week in a United Nations Security Council session meant to encourage an informed response to…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
Sara Sabry of Egypt, the first African woman in space, is calling for more Africans to participate in space exploration and take advantage of related technologies and economic opportunities. “I don’t think space should be such an exclusive club. To be the first at something is to kick down the…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
When cases of pediatric hydrocephalus soared in East Africa, with an estimated 4,000 annual cases in Uganda alone, doctors didn’t know why. Neither did mothers, who said their babies were born normally but a severe infection in the first weeks of life led to cerebrospinal fluid building up in their…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
Senegal is experiencing Internet and social media service interruptions as protests over the sentencing of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko continue. Users of Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Telegram and other services found their access restricted beginning Thursday, according to digital rights monitor NetBlocks. Data for mobile provider Orange (Sonatel) as…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
Melvyn Lubega is the founder of the online education business Go1, South Africa’s first unicorn tech company valued at over $1 billion, and a Partner at venture capital firm Breega. He shares his thoughts on the future growth of Africa’s tech ecosystem. Breega has invested in early-stage tech companies across…
South Africa is moving forward with plans to produce mRNA vaccines at a facility in Cape Town, where leaders including Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization were on hand for a ribbon-cutting at the technology hub facility launched by biotech firm Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines. Afrigen has…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
The Africa Fintech Summit will be held Wednesday in Washington D.C., with speakers from top African startups like Flutterwave and a keynote address from Ethiopian investor and summit co-founder Zekarias Amsalu. The event, the latest of the Africa Fintech Summit series launched in 2018, will place partnership with U.S. officials…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
French President Emmanuel Macron continues his African tour through Sunday, completing stops in Angola and Congo Brazzaville on Friday as he seeks to reassure leaders of France’s commitment to Africa while acknowledging that the vestiges of the colonial era are forever in the past. Macron met with his Angolan counterpart,…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
An observatory station in South Africa is one of the last two to be installed in a now-completed network that allows scientists across the world to monitor the night sky around the clock. The Burst Observer and Optical Transient Exploring System (BOOTES) system relies on automated robotic stations to detect…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
South Africa is facing a shortage of more than 23 million houses, and Dr. Blade Nzimande, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, says 3-D printed houses—built entirely in just eight hours— may be the solution to help meet demand. “It is a quick way to build good quality…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
Along the border between Botswana and Zimbabwe, researchers are using computer model simulations to understand the impacts of human-wildlife conflict and how to reduce its costs to both the community and the surrounding ecosystem. Still a pilot program funded by the European Union, the approach is used in the Hwange-Kazuma-Chobe…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times