Climate Change Drove Great Ape Species to Extinction, Study Finds
washington — An ancient species of great ape was likely driven to extinction when climate change put their favorite fruits out of reach during dry seasons, scientists reported Wednesday. The species Gigantopithecus blacki, which once lived in southern China, represents the largest great ape known to…
Ancient Human DNA Hints At Why Multiple Sclerosis Affects So Many Northern Europeans Now
Washington — Ancient DNA helps explain why northern Europeans have a higher risk of multiple sclerosis than other ancestries: It’s a genetic legacy of horseback-riding cattle herders who swept into the region about 5,000 years ago. The findings come from a huge project to compare modern…
UN Health Agency: Holiday Gatherings, New Variant Have Driven Up COVID Cases Globally
Geneva — The head of the U.N. health agency said Wednesday holiday gatherings and the spread of the most prominent variant globally led to increased transmission of COVID-19 last month. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said nearly 10,000 deaths were reported in December, while hospital admissions during the…
Taliban Minister Boasts Afghan Anti-Polio Gains While Addressing Global Health Huddle
Islamabad — A senior representative of Afghanistan’s Taliban government told a Pakistan-hosted international health conference Wednesday that his country had recorded an increase in mosquito-borne malaria and dengue fever cases, but infections caused by highly contagious poliovirus declined significantly. Only 12 children around the world were…
AI-Powered Misinformation Is World’s Biggest Short-Term Threat, Davos Report Says
London — False and misleading information supercharged with cutting-edge artificial intelligence that threatens to erode democracy and polarize society is the top immediate risk to the global economy, the World Economic Forum said in a report Wednesday. In its latest Global Risks Report, the organization also…
Cyber ‘Kidnapping’ Scams Target Chinese Students Around the World
WASHINGTON — A recent cyber kidnapping incident involving a Chinese exchange student in Utah appears to be part of an international pattern in which unknown perpetrators, often masquerading as Chinese police or government officials, target Chinese students around the world and extort their families for upwards…
US Delays Planned Return of Astronauts to Moon Until 2026
washington — The United States is pushing back its planned return of astronauts to the surface of the Moon from 2025 to 2026, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said Tuesday. Artemis, named after the sister of Apollo in Greek mythology, was officially announced in 2017 as part…
Fuel Leak Forces US Company to Abandon Moon Landing Attempt
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A crippling fuel leak forced a U.S. company on Tuesday to give up on landing a spacecraft on the moon. Astrobotic Technology's lander began losing fuel soon after Monday's launch. The spacecraft also encountered problems keeping its solar panel pointed towards the…
Meta Toughens Content Curbs for Teens on Instagram, Facebook
Washington — Meta on Tuesday said it was tightening up content restrictions for teens on Instagram and Facebook as it faces increased scrutiny that its platforms are harmful for young people. The changes come months after dozens of U.S. states accused Meta of damaging the mental…
2023 Hottest Recorded Year as Earth Nears Key Limit
PARIS — The year 2023 was the hottest on record, with the increase in Earth's surface temperature nearly crossing the critical threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius, EU climate monitors said Tuesday. Climate change intensified heatwaves, droughts and wildfires across the planet and pushed the global thermometer…
Taiwan Unleashes Robots on Dengue-Carrying Mosquitoes
Researchers in Taiwan are using a special robot to hunt mosquitoes that carry the virus that causes dengue fever. From the southern city of Kaohsiung, Shelley Schlender has our story. ...
Climate Change Ruining Farms on El Salvador’s Coast
The impact of climate change is increasingly evident along El Salvador’s coastlines where saltwater is slowly claiming what once was farmland. Veronica Villafañe narrates this report from Claudia Zaldaña ...
First US Lunar Lander In More Than 50 Years Rockets Toward Moon With Commercial Deliveries
Cape Canaveral, Florida — The first U.S. lunar lander in more than 50 years rocketed toward the moon Monday, launching private companies on a space race to make deliveries for NASA and other customers. Astrobotic Technology's lander caught a ride on a brand new rocket, United…
Private Industry Leads America’s First Moon Landing Since Apollo
Cape Canaveral, Florida — The first American spacecraft to attempt to land on the Moon in more than half a century is poised to blast off early Monday — but this time, private industry is leading the charge. A brand-new rocket, United Launch Alliance's Vulcan…
India’s First Solar Observatory Reaches Destination
New Delhi — India has achieved another milestone in space exploration by successfully placing a spacecraft in an orbit from which it will study the sun for five years. India joined a select group of nations already studying the sun four months after it became the…
US Coal Miners Unearth Mammoth Tusk Buried for Thousands of Years
BISMARCK, ND — The first person to spot it was a shovel operator working the overnight shift, eyeing a glint of white as he scooped up a giant mound of dirt and dropped it into a dump truck. Later, after the truck driver dumped the load,…
Police Investigate UK Post Office after IT Problem Leads to Wrongful Theft Accusations
LONDON — U.K. police have opened a fraud investigation into Britain's Post Office over a miscarriage of justice that saw hundreds of postmasters wrongfully accused of stealing money when a faulty computer system was to blame. The Metropolitan Police force said late Friday that it is…
Largest Male Specimen of the World’s Most Venomous Spider Found in Australia
sydney — With fangs that could pierce a human fingernail, the largest male specimen of the world's most venomous arachnid has found a new home at the Australian Reptile Park where it will help save lives after a member of the public discovered it by chance.…
US Flu, COVID Infections Worsen Over Holidays
NEW YORK — The flu season in the U.S. is getting worse but it's too soon to tell how much holiday gatherings contributed to a likely spike in illnesses. New government data posted Friday for last week — the holiday week between Christmas and New Year's…
CES 2024: Consumer Electronics Show Highlighting Tech, Artificial Intelligence
The Consumer Electronics Show, better known as CES, is back in Las Vegas [January 9 – 12] with more than 3,500 companies from around the globe showcasing the latest developments in artificial intelligence, health care, transportation and much more. VOA’s Julie Taboh gives us a preview. Video…
How Media Help Change Conversation on Mental Health
WASHINGTON — At a time when growing numbers of young Americans are diagnosed with mental health conditions, media are looking at ways to cover the issue more responsibly. Data shows a rise in young adults being diagnosed with conditions such as depression or anxiety. But media…
Busy Week for SpaceX; Wild Buffaloes Get a Tech Upgrade
A busy week for SpaceX launches. NASA eyes an upcoming moon mission. And Australian buffaloes get a high-tech upgrade. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space. ...