The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is joining Pfizer Inc. and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation as part of its $1 billion dollar effort to make it more accessible for women in poor countries to receive contraceptives. Depo-Provera, the injectable contraceptive has been a favorite among women in Asia and Africa. Getting these shots, however, would require a lengthy journey to a … [Read more...]
Rare Northern White Rhinoceros Dies, Species Almost Extinct
The northern white rhinoceros are on the verge of extinction now that one of the last two breeding males has died. Suni was 34 years old when he died at the 90,000-acre Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya on October 17. An autopsy will reveal the cause of death, but the reserve believes he died because of natural causes. Poachers were certainly not involved in Suni’s death, as the animal was constantly … [Read more...]
World’s First Malaria Vaccine Submitted for EMA by Glaxo
It’s almost here! The world’s first malaria vaccine was submitted for European Medicines Agency (EMA) by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The company applied for regulatory approval of a malaria vaccine that is still experimental. This request is part of a process in which the European Medicines Agency evaluates a product that was made by an EU member state against a disease that the WHO recognizes as a … [Read more...]
Facebook Android App Updated for Emerging Countries after trip to Africa
Facebook this week rolled out an update to its Android app that adds some new options for liking and tagging posts but the social network also provided a sneak peek into how a team trip to Africa helped boost apps speeds for users around the globe. A recent visit to Africa by some Facebook engineers prompted them to tweak their Android app. They experienced what it’s like to use Facebook on low … [Read more...]
‘Fairy Circles’ in Namibia Weren’t Created by Termites
Fairy circles are circular barren patches of dirt, typically found in the grasslands of the western part of Southern Africa. They are most prolific in Namibia, but are also present in Angola and South Africa. The rings, which are found in the arid grasslands of Namibia, can grow as wide as 65 feet and last for more than 75 years. For several decades scientists are making an effort to come up … [Read more...]
