Scientists have identified a type of bacteria that could be used to attack the parasite that causes malaria, according to the Science and Development Network. The research was published in the <i>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</i> online.
Earlier research into slowing global warming from fossil-fuel pollution suggested that soil could be a good place to store excess carbon. But the latest research warns otherwise, says a report on the Science and Development Network website. Increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide may turn soil into a carbon source.
Iraqi assassins are being asked to take aim at hundreds of intellectuals whose names appear on a hit list circulating in the country by an unknown group, according to media reports. The list’s existence suggests that the ongoing assassination of Iraqi academics is more organised and systematic than previously thought.
A gathering of Africa’s top media owners this week called on the continent’s leaders to give priority to development of a professional and ethical media, and boost the role of the media in support of development. The meeting called on African governments to view a vibrant and plural media as a vital cog in the development of Africa.
Researchers are developing two prototype tests to detect fake anti-malarial tablets in just five seconds. A team of researchers from Asia, Africa and Europe has found that up to half of the anti-malarial pills in South-East Asia could contain no active ingredient at all, with some made of starch or chalk.
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/ 14 December 2005
Africa’s fabled grasslands could vanish due to climate change, causing huge changes to both the economy and the ecology of much of the continent, say researchers on the Science and Development Network website, <i>SciDev.Net</i>. Savannahs are both economically important and ecologically unique.
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/ 26 October 2005
A drug designed to protect people with HIV/Aids from dangerous bacterial infections could also protect them against malaria, according to a report on the <i>Science and Development Network</i> website. Combining treatments in this way could be a major advantage in Africa, where many people have little or no access to malaria drugs.
Millions of people along the coast of North Africa may be forced to migrate as climate change makes their livelihoods untenable, warns an Egyptian report. "There are signs that changes will be significant and possibly severe," says Mohamed El-Raey, professor of environmental physics at the University of Alexandria.