Astronomy
Construction of World’s Largest Radio Observatory Is Finally Under Way
Two giant telescopes—one in Australia, the other in South Africa—will comprise the supersensitive Square Kilometer Array
Stories by Sarah Wild
Black Holes
Major African Radio Telescope Will Help to Image Black Holes
The $25-million facility in Namibia will be the continent’s first millimeter-range astronomical observatory
Epidemiology
How the Omicron Variant Got So Many Scary Mutations So Quickly
The numerous changes in the coronavirus’s spike protein could have arisen in an isolated population or an immunocompromised person—or animals
Public Health
Hidden Toll of COVID in Africa Threatens Global Pandemic Progress
Undercounting or ignoring cases of the disease on the continent could lead to new variants that might derail efforts to end the pandemic
Engineering
New Space Weather Network Extends over Africa
Sensors will monitor solar emissions that threaten GPS and radio signals
Public Health
African Countries Scramble to Ramp up Testing for COVID-19
Nations in the continent, which have had to import testing supplies and bid against richer countries, are trying to develop their own tests
Public Health
Antipoaching Tech Tracks COVID-19 Flare-Ups in South Africa
Coming out of lockdown, the country is relying on thousands of local case trackers and on software, once used to protect rhinoceroses, for disease surveillance
Evolution
Scientists Find Early Evidence of Humans Cooking Starches
More than 100 millennia ago, people were roasting tubers—a practice that fueled their bodies and may have aided migrations
Policy
Supersensitive Telescope Gets Global Governing Body
CERN-like organization will oversee the construction and operation of the powerful Square Kilometer Array
Evolution
Geologists Measure Bullet Damage to Ancient Middle Eastern Settlements
The ultimate goal is to inform efforts to conserve or repair heritage sites
Environment
South Africa’s Invasive Species Guzzle Water and Hurt the Economy
The country’s pioneering first report on its biological invaders paints a dire picture for resources and biodiversity
Policy
South Africa Pushes Science to Improve Daily Life
Sweeping policy changes aim to refocus research efforts on poverty, unemployment, drought and other national problems
Engineering
South Africa Celebrates Completion of Gigantic, Supersensitive Telescope
MeerKAT has drawn astronomers, engineers and data scientists from around the world
Policy
Zimbabwe’s Scientists Hope Political Change Will Revitalize Research
Academics are optimistic that the end of Robert Mugabe’s authoritarian rule could boost science and international collaboration
Space & Physics
Giant Radio Telescope Scaled Back to Contain Costs
Crowding antennas closer together may affect the Square Kilometer Array's ability to observe the early Universe
Space & Physics
Ghana Telescope Heralds First Pan-African Array
By converting a defunct communications dish, astronomers are breaking ground on Earth and beyond
Culture
Dreams of the Stone Age Dated for First Time in Southern Africa
Ancient rock art research could piece together how the peoples who lived in the region some 5,700 years ago interacted
Environment
African Countries Mobilize to Battle Invasive Caterpillars
The fall armyworm has rapidly spread across the continent and is wreaking destruction on staple crops
Space & Physics
In South Africa, Opposition Flares against Giant SKA Radio Telescope
For astronomers, convincing communities to host next-generation observatories is an increasingly hard sell
