Life 16 September 2020 By Christa Lesté-Lasserre A reconstruction of a female ostracod’s reproductive organ filled with sperm, suggesting it was inseminated shortly before being trapped in resinR. Matzke-Karasz Dozens of perfectly preserved sperm coiled up inside the reproductive tract of a 100-million-year-old female microcrustacean have been identified as the oldest animal sperm ever found.…
Fredie Blom died on Saturday morning in Tygerberg Hospital Delft resident Fredie Blom died on Saturday morning in Tygerberg HospitalBlom was thought to be the oldest man in the world, although he had not been officially recognised.He has been described as family orientated, respectful and hard working – even in his retirement years.South Africa’s oldest…
By Michael Marshall Hollow tubes attached to fossils of ancient animals are signs of the earliest known parasitesZhifei Zhang (Northwest University) Hundreds of fossilised animals seemingly covered in worm-like creatures are the oldest hard evidence of parasitism, dating from 512 million years ago when complex animals were still new. “We’re documenting the oldest case of…
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…