sickle cell disease.”My parents were devastated. My mum cried the whole day and night after the diagnosis.Originally from Sierra Leone, West Africa, they had only heard and seen nightmare tales of the sufferings and sudden deaths of people with sickle cell anemia (SCA). Based on what they knew then, my life expectancy was set at…
By Michael Marshall Some trilobites had eyes similar to modern crustaceans like this brine shrimpBrigitte Schoenemann An animal that lived 429 million years ago had compound eyes almost identical to those of modern insects like bees and dragonflies. The finding implies that the compound eye evolved very early in the history of animals. “I am…
Share on PinterestThere is little evidence to suggest that living at high altitudes protects against COVID-19.A recent analysis found that, compared with lowland areas, there is a lower incidence of severe COVID-19 in Tibet and parts of Bolivia and Ecuador that are more than 2,500 meters above sea level.Lead study author Christian Arias-Reyes — from…
When COVID-19 began ravaging large U.S. cities like New York and Los Angeles in March 2020, I was living in Orlando, Florida. And while the people living and working in the city were upended, my life remained relatively unchanged. I watched as my friends from around the country were ordered to stay inside. Meanwhile. I…
A health worker takes samples from a man to test him for Covid-19 coronavirus. Africa's first data on how Covid-19 affects people living with HIV and TB was announced by the Western Cape.People living with HIV and TB do face a higher risk of dying of Covid-19, but it's lower than previously expected.There wasn't a…
Kataza the baboon. Facebook / Baboon Matters The City of Cape Town has asked the public not to feed a baboon that has relocated to Tokai. The baboon, known as Kataza or SK11, is slowly being integrated into the Tokai troop. Video footage, however, shows humans feeding Kataza. The City of Cape Town has requested that Kataza…
As SA Rugby moves to determine which franchises will go to Europe in future, Rassie Erasmus has noted several potential benefits for the local game should that route be followed.The national director of rugby believes the high world rankings of Wales, Ireland and Scotland mean PRO Rugby is competitive and that fans will eventually identify…
(John Finney Photography/Moment/Getty Images) An abnormally bad season of weather may have had a significant impact on the death toll from both World War I and the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, according to new research, with many more lives being lost due to torrential rain and plummeting temperatures. Through a detailed analysis of an ice…