A secondary school dropout from rural Malawi has brought electricity to his community using what he says is a groundbreaking air-powered generator, bypassing use of fuel, oil or batteries. Experts have questions about how the system works, but Malawi’s government is pledging support. Lameck Masina reports from Dowa District. …

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SAVANNAH, Ga. — A company’s plan to mine minerals near the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp and its federally protected wildlife refuge neared final approval Friday as regulators in the U.S. state of Georgia released draft permits for the project, which opponents say could irreparably harm a natural treasure. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division said it … continue reading -> “Proposed Mine Outside US Wildlife Refuge Nears Approval”

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SAN FRANCISCO — A bounty of 10 African penguin chicks has hatched in just over a year at a San Francisco science museum as part of an effort to conserve the endangered bird. The penguins began hatching in November 2022, ending a four-year period without any new chicks, and continued through January of this year, the … continue reading -> “10 African Penguin Chicks Hatch at San Francisco Museum”

vancouver, british columbia — The Canadian government is delaying access to medically assisted death for people with mental illness. Those suffering from mental illness were supposed to be able to access Medical Assistance in Dying — also known as MAID — starting March 17. The recent announcement by the government of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau … continue reading -> “Canada Postpones Plan to Allow Euthanasia for Mentally Ill”

Two titans of space travel team up to study our planet’s health. Plus, a Russian cosmonaut breaks the record for the most time in space, and sky gazers in North America will get a treat in coming months. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space. …

Brazil is set to launch a public mass vaccination campaign against dengue fever, amid a surge of cases nationwide. According to the country’s Health Ministry, Brazil has seen nearly five times more cases in the first five weeks of this year than in the same period in 2023. From Sao Paulo, Yan Boechat has the … continue reading -> “Brazil Launches Mass Vaccination Campaign Against Dengue Fever”

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SYDNEY — A new study finds that marine heatwaves are changing the base of the marine food chain, disrupting ecosystems and potentially global food supplies. Researchers in the investigation led by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, say their work has global implications. The study monitored the health of microorganisms that lie at the base of the … continue reading -> “Study Finds Ocean Heatwaves Could Affect Global Food Supplies”

Mosocw — Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko on Sunday set a world record for total time spent in space, surpassing his compatriot Gennady Padalka who logged more than 878 days in orbit, Russia’s space corporation said. At 0830 GMT Kononenko broke the record, Roscosmos said. Kononenko is expected to reach a total of 1,000 days in space … continue reading -> “Russian Cosmonaut Sets Record for Total Time in Space”

WASHINGTON — One of the great interspecies love stories of our time has come to an end. Walnut, a white-naped crane and internet celebrity, has died at age 42. She is survived by eight chicks, the loving staff at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and by Chris Crowe, a human zookeeper whom Walnut … continue reading -> “Crane Who Fell for Keeper Dies at 42”

new york — This New York love story begins with a criminal act of sabotage.  Under cover of darkness a year ago Friday, someone breached a waist-high fence and slipped into the Central Park Zoo. Once inside, they cut a hole through a steel mesh cage, freeing a majestic Eurasian eagle-owl named Flaco who had arrived … continue reading -> “Who Freed Flaco? Owl’s Escape From New York Zoo Remains a Mystery”

WASHINGTON — Women are far more likely than men to get autoimmune diseases, when an out-of-whack immune system attacks their own bodies — and new research may finally explain why. It’s all about how the body handles females’ extra X chromosome, Stanford University researchers reported Thursday — a finding that could lead to better ways to … continue reading -> “X Chromosome Linked to Autoimmune Diseases”

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ST. PETERSBURG, Florida — The “cone of uncertainty” produced by the National Hurricane Center to forecast the location and ferocity of a tropical storm is getting an update this year to include predictions for inland areas, where wind and flooding are sometimes more treacherous than damage to the coasts.  The Miami-based hurricane center said Thursday on … continue reading -> “US Hurricane Center’s Forecasts to Expand to Include Inland Areas”

Countries waging wars are more focused on winning battles than mitigating their environmental impact. But researchers — who say the environmental impact of active conflicts is substantial — are trying to measure wars’ effects. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias reports. Carla Babb contributed. …

A great space success story comes to an end. And SpaceX is at it again with a busy week of launches. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space. …

Geneva — New cancer cases are projected to rise by 77% to more than 35 million in 2050 from an estimated 20 million new cases and 9.7 million deaths in 2022, according to new data released Thursday by the World Health Organization’s cancer agency, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The report, which is … continue reading -> “Staggering Rise in New Cancer Cases Projected in 2050  “

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Indigenous African grains such as millet and sorghum are known to be nutritious but are not popular with many, especially the Gen Zers who view the grains as food for the poor. To change this narrative, a Kenyan entrepreneur is using the grains to make snacks and breakfast cereals to promote consumption of indigenous grains … continue reading -> “Kenyan Entrepreneur Makes Snacks from Indigenous Grains”

Nairobi — A polio vaccination campaign that was planned for November but postponed due to heavy rains and floods is finally taking place in three high risk counties in the northeastern part of Kenya. This comes after 13 cases of the so-called circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (CVDPV2) were discovered last year in the area.  This … continue reading -> “Third Round of Polio Vaccination Targets High-Risk Counties in Northeastern Kenya”