Water levels in Africa’s largest lake have risen over a meter since last fall and continue to increase as land use changes and heavy rains enhance the flow.
Africa
Hackathon Participants Solve Global Problems—from Home
More than 200 participants from 38 countries joined the virtual INSPIRE Hackathon to solve problems in food security, transportation, and more.
Monitoring African Elephants with Raspberry Shake & Boom
A team of researchers has used low-cost devices to record footsteps and vocalizations from African elephants in the field.
Geology and Chemistry Drive Animal Migration in the Serengeti
Fieldwork in Tanzania suggests that soil chemistry—influenced by local volcanism and tectonic activity—might help dictate the record-setting migration of over a million wildebeests.
Are We Seeing a New Ocean Starting to Form in Africa?
Although shallow magma storage at Erta Ale volcano hints at a rift-to-ridge transition, the tectonic future of the Afar region is far from certain.
Tropical Forests Are Losing Their Ability to Soak Up Carbon
The forests could switch from a carbon sink to a carbon source by the mid-2030s.
Minireservoirs Could Save Farmers with Sandy Soils
A recently revived subsurface water retention technology could conserve water and drastically increase crop yields in arid landscapes with sandy soils like sub-Saharan Africa.
The Eternal Nile Is Even More Ancient Than We Thought
Deep-mantle flow helps maintain the river’s steady course.
Dire and Drier Future for Lake Victoria
In the past, Lake Victoria dried out swiftly and often when rainfall was limited. Climate change might bring about those conditions again within a century.
El Niño May Be a Culprit Behind the Cholera Epidemic in Yemen
Increased rainfall in East Africa and subsequent wind may have brought infected bugs to Yemen, causing the worst cholera outbreak of our time.
