A unique analysis of district-level data reveals why inequality is so destructive to the household consumption welfare of people living below the poverty line. During negative economic growth, the welfare of the poor should be the main focus area.

A team of international researchers affiliated to the Evolutionary Studies Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University), in South Africa indicates in new research that a group of fossils belong to a single, young adult Paranthropus robustus. The fossil not only demonstrates that the species was, like modern humans, a habitual upright walker, but also confirms it was also extremely small. 

Masimirembwa, a Distinguished Professor at Wits University's Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), received the award at a ceremony in California, USA, on 7 February.

The PMWC Pioneer Award recognises Masimirembwa’s groundbreaking work in pharmacogenomics, shedding light on how genetic differences influence drug responses across diverse populations. 

His contributions have advanced personalised medicine, paving the way for safer, more effective treatments tailored to individual genetic profiles.

Meanwhile, Masimirembwa was named one of the 100 Most Influential Africans by New African Magazine for his foundational work in genomic medicine on the continent. 

African livestock producers have a unique opportunity to improve the production of meat, milk and eggs through modern breeding technologies and innovations being tested in Africa, according to a recent study published in Nature Genetics. With the right support, these advancements can enhance not only productivity but also climate resilience and sustainability.

The paper, titled, Expanding the human gut microbiome atlas of Africa, was published today in Nature, the world’s leading scientific journal.

The gut microbiome has a significant impact on human health, and the lack of knowledge of the diversity of microbiomes in Africa has been a barrier to future health interventions and research. 

The study is a critical development in gut health research globally as much more can now be learned, particularly about diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and obesity, and their relationship to gut microbiota. 

A major new book on the ecology and management of one of the most destructive invasive weeds in Africa, is now available online.

The book, titled The Ecology and Management of Invasive Prosopis Trees in Eastern Africa, is the outcome of a large, decade-long collaborative research project, involving   six universities and eight institutes from Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United States of America (USA).

Human ancestors like Australopithecus – which lived around 3.5 million years ago in southern Africa – ate very little to no meat, according to new research published in the scientific journal Science. This conclusion comes from an analysis of nitrogen isotope isotopes in the fossilized tooth enamel of seven Australopithecus individuals. The data revealed that these early hominins primarily relied on plant-based diets, with little to no evidence of meat consumption.

A landmark new report was launched today by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The Assessment Report on the Interlinkages Among Biodiversity, Water, Food and Health – known as the Nexus Report - offers decision-makers around the world the most ambitious scientific assessment ever undertaken of the complex interconnections between biodiversity, water, food, health and climate change and explores more than 60 specific response options to maximize co-benefits across the five ‘nexus elements’ -- a new science in the making.