South Africa
Construction of World’s Largest Radio Telescope Begins
Scientists will use its instruments to study the early universe
These Artificial Nests Are Helping African Penguins Beat the Heat
Ceramic nests deployed on penguin colonies in South Africa could shield the endangered seabirds from rising temperatures
Video Footage Captures Orcas Killing Great White Sharks
The predation could explain why the sharks have been locally declining in recent years
How Animals Survive in a Savanna Full of Predators
Ecologists have documented a hierarchy of fear in the South African grassland, and the king of beasts is at the top
Why a New Plaque Next to Oxford's Cecil Rhodes Statue Is So Controversial
The sign identifies the 19th-century statesman as a "committed British colonialist"
Endangered Wild Dogs Rely on Diverse Habitat to Survive Around Lions
A new study shows that bramble and brush help the canines avoid attacks by the big cats, and may offer clues about where to reintroduce the dogs
Researchers Uncover the Watermelon's Origins
A Sudanese plant called the Kordofan melon is the watermelon's closest wild relative, according to a new study
South Africa Announces Plan to End Captive Lion Breeding
The captive lion industry encompasses everything from cub-petting attractions to the sale of lion bones
Trove of African Modernist Masterpieces Spent Decades Hidden in Rural Scotland
A two-year research project identified 12 overlooked paintings, drawings and prints by pioneering 20th-century artists
Why the Cape Town Fire Is a Devastating Loss for South African Cultural Heritage
The inferno destroyed much of the University of Cape Town's special collections, including rare books, films, photographs and records
Contagious Yawning May Keep Lion Prides in Sync
A study finds after yawning together, lions were 11 times more likely to copy the actions of the individual that yawned first
Crystals Found in Kalahari Desert Challenge Assumptions About Where in Africa Human Culture Arose
The 105,000-year-old items may have held religious meaning
Twelve Ancient and Enduring Places Around the World
From Smithsonian Books, towering temples, dramatic works of art and early settlements that have stood the test of time
Newly Unearthed Skull Reveals How Ancient Hominids Evolved to Survive a Changing Climate
"Paranthropus robustus" evolved sturdier skulls to be able to eat new, tough vegetation
Study Suggests At-Risk African Heritage Sites Are Often Overlooked
Researchers cite a "total lack of quantifiable data on the impacts of climate change on heritage in sub-Saharan Africa"
An Army of Hungry Ducks Keeps This Historic South African Vineyard Pest-Free
The vineyard deploys a daily bird-based battalion to pluck snails and insects off their plants
How the Heroes of Africa Triumphed Against All Odds
At the African Art Museum the inspiring stories of 50 individuals from the continent are honored in classical and contemporary works of art
After 30 Years, a South African Dinosaur Is Identified as a New Species
The fossil, held for decades at the University of Witwatersrand, was previously thought to belong to the most common dinosaur species in South Africa
108 Neglected Lions Found on South African Breeding Farm
The animals’ plight highlights existing concerns about a controversial wildlife industry
This Petite Cat Is the World's Deadliest. Mini-Series 'Super Cats' Shows You Why
The African black-footed cat weighs roughly 200 times less than the average lion, but it has a predation success rate of 60 percent
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