Africa's architectural movement will benefit the world

A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. A new generation of African architects are looking to nature for inspiration to create climate-friendly buildings, and doing so on the cheap. Their innovations are getting noticed abroad, while their influence is spreading.

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Metro

2 days ago

• Metro

Human population nearly went extinct – with just 1,280 people left

Hiyah Zaidi Published June 20, 2025 12:50pm Link is copied Comments Humans have been around for a while, but we haven't always been an abundant species. In fact, ancient humanity was almost wiped out around 900,000 years ago and the global population dwindled to a mere 1,280 reproducing individuals, a study claims. And the researchers also claim that they stayed like this for 117,000 years. So, what is going on? (Picture: Getty) The study, which is published in the journal Science, reveals human ancestors in Africa almost faced extinction, and the research suggests there was a drastic reduction in the population of our ancestors well before our species, Homo sapiens, also known as modern humans, emerged. The information is based on a new computer model developed by a group of scientists based in China, Italy and the United States (Picture: Getty) The researchers used a statistical method and gathered genetic information from 3,154 present-day human genomes. They found that around 98.7% of human ancestors were lost. The researchers say that the population crash matches with a gap in the fossil record. They say this could have led to a new hominin species that was a common ancestor of modern humans, or Homo sapiens, and Neanderthals (Picture: Getty) Senior author Dr Yi-Hsuan Pan, an evolutionary and functional genomicist at East China Normal University, said: 'The novel finding opens a new field in human evolution because it evokes many questions, such as the places where these individuals lived, how they overcame the catastrophic climate changes, and whether natural selection during the bottleneck has accelerated the evolution of the human brain' (Picture: Getty) The exact cause is unknown, but it is thought that the near-extinction has been blamed on Africa's climate getting much colder and drier. Dr Pan said: 'The novel finding opens a new field in human evolution by raising many new questions. 'Where did these individuals live? How did they overcome catastrophic climate change? And did natural selection during the bottleneck affect their evolution? All this remains to be answered' (Picture: Getty) It's fine to say 900,000 years ago, but in what period of human evolution did this happen? The researchers say that the signature of this bottleneck can be seen in the genetics of people with non-African heritage. Therefore, it would have been hundreds of thousands of years before humans migrated outside of Africa. The researchers estimated that there would have been an effective population size of around 1,280 individuals between 930,000 and 813,000 years ago. But, this doesn't mean this was the entire population, only this number successfully bred and passed on their genes to the next generation (Picture: Getty) The bottleneck also coincided with dramatic changes in climate during what's known as the mid-Pleistocene transition. At this time, glacial periods became longer and more intense, leading to a drop in temperature and very dry climatic conditions. However, the researchers also suggested that the control of fire, as well as the climate shifting to be more hospitable for human life, may have led to a later rapid population increase around 813,000 years ago (Picture: Getty)

Economist

11-06-2025

• Economist

Africa's architectural movement will benefit the world

A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. A new generation of African architects are looking to nature for inspiration to create climate-friendly buildings, and doing so on the cheap. Their innovations are getting noticed abroad, while their influence is spreading.

Scottish Sun

02-06-2025

• Scottish Sun

Inside the labs on the frontline in the battle against one of the world's deadliest diseases – as it reaches Europe

A SWARM of blood-sucking mosquitoes encircle me, buzzing around my face. I'm perched on a bed in a tin-roofed shed and the only barrier to the outside world is a mozzie net filled with holes. 7 Sun Health's Isabel Shaw behind a mosquito net at the Ifakara Institute Credit: © Malaria no More UK/Jordi Matas 7 Dr Brian Tarimo carrying out research at the Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania Credit: © Malaria no More UK/Jordi Matas 7 Studies can aid the ever-growing threat posed by mosquitoes across the globe Credit: © Malaria no More UK/Jordi Matas I'm at the Ifakara Health Institute, in rural Tanzania, Africa, nestled among towering palms. Here, British and African scientists work in converted shipping containers on the front line in the battle against deadly malaria. Deaths from the infection have been rising. There were 620,000 victims in 2022, up from 560,000 a decade ago — most of them African children under five, according to the World Health Organisation. After years of progress, with global deaths down from 1.8million in 2004, warmer temperatures, war and Covid-19 pandemic restrictions have fuelled a resurgence of the disease. The WHO says 249 million cases were reported globally in 2022, up from 233 million in 2019. Europe was declared malaria-free by the WHO in 2015, but now its threat is edging closer again. 'Smile hides heartbreak' Malaria-carrying mosquitoes have reached southern Europe, and medical cases of affected holidaymakers coming into Britain are at their highest level in more than 20 years, with 2,106 cases in 2023. Symptoms are flu-like, but severe cases can be fatal. People who haven't been regularly exposed to malaria, like those in Europe, don't have the same immunity as those in Africa Dr Dickson Wilson Lwetoijera, principal research scientist at the institute, tells Sun Health their work could have far-reaching consequences for the whole world. He says: 'With global travel and population movement, there's every chance the disease could spread to new regions — if that happens in Europe, the consequences could be serious. Malaria No More UK's campaign film featuring David Beckham 'People who haven't been regularly exposed to malaria, like those in Europe, don't have the same immunity as those in Africa who have lived with the disease for some time, so the risk of severe illness or death is much higher.' In Tanzania, it's as prevalent as the common cold, but that doesn't erase the devastation this disease has brought to families. In a dusty neighbourhood in Dar es Salaam, a few hours from Ifakara, I meet Jamima Charles Abel. She welcomes me into her home — a tiny space along a narrow, muddy street shared by several families. Her smile hides the heartbreak her family has endured. Her son Eric Daniel Richard, 24, 'loved people', Jamima tells me. He was a hard worker at a local business, supp­orting his family des­pite having moved out. One day last December, he developed flu-like symptoms. Within 24 hours, he was gone. Jamima, 44, is terrified for her other two children. Just last month, her 17-year-old son caught malaria but has since recovered. The infection is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes. 7 Europe was declared malaria-free by the WHO in 2015, but now its threat is edging closer again Credit: Getty 7 Drones are being used to find and dismantle mosquito breeding grounds Credit: © Malaria no More UK/Jordi Matas 7 An insectary at the institute in Tanzania helps researchers fight against the spread of malaria Credit: © Malaria no More UK/Jordi Matas Male mosquitoes don't bite and are therefore harmless. When an infected mosquito bites a person, the parasite enters the bloodstream and infiltrates red blood cells. Genetically engineered mosquitoes The Plasmodium par­asite is adept at evading the immune system. It means a vaccine, which seems like the simplest option, is far from straightforward. So scientists are work­ing on other ­cutting-edge solutions. A team from Imperial College London, in partnership with a team at Ifakara, has genetically engineered mosquitoes resistant to the malaria parasite. It's hoped these mozzies will be released into the wild within eight years, dominating and repopulating areas within a few months. 'This is the first malaria-fighting technology that doesn't rely on human behaviour,' Dr Lwetoijera explains. 'With our current tools, like bed nets and insecticides, the biggest challenge is compliance. 'People have to use them consistently for them to work, which isn't always possible.' Funding is one of the biggest challenges ­scientists face. And a huge blow came earlier this year when Donald Trump made abrupt cuts to foreign aid, and Keir Starmer announced plans to slash the overseas aid budget to its lowest level in a generation. Dr Sarah Moore, who has worked at Ifakara for 20 years, says: 'Every day, the equivalent of four jumbo jets full of children die of malaria in Africa. 'If aid continues to fall as ­predicted, it could rise to five. Because it's Africa, no one cares.' Among other developments, drones are being used to find and dismantle mosquito breeding grounds in Dar es Salaam, such as stagnant water pools, leafy foliage and shaded areas. Taking our foot off the gas could lead to a surge, including in new places not ready to fight back At dusk, when mosquitoes begin to stir, experts knock on the doors of locals to set up traps. Mwanabibi Kharifa Mohamed, a grandmother and mother of four, is one local taking part. As Alex Limwagu, a research scientist, sets mosquito traps in the garden, Mwanabibi tells me her children have caught the disease more times than she can count — the family can't afford nets — but it never quells her panic. 'I rush straight to the hospital because I know in two minutes they could die,' she says. Since the mosquito team arrived this year, Mwanabibi has learned more about protecting her family. 'I used to be ignorant,' she says. 'But Alex taught me how mosquitoes breed and how to protect my children. If malaria disappeared, life would be peaceful.' The WHO wants to reduce global malaria by 90 per cent by 2030. It believes the ambitious target is 'achievable' — but not without the dedicated scientists on the ground and the funds to keep them going. Victoria Fowler, head of UK advocacy at the charity Malaria No More UK, says: 'Taking our foot off the gas could lead to a surge, including in new places not ready to fight back. We need the Government to back the Global Fund to Fight Malaria at the Spending Review this month. 'Standing behind our scientists is crucial to get back on track to beat this killer, saving hundreds of thousands of children's lives and protecting the British public.'