World’s oldest termite mounds discovered in South Africa – and they’ve been storing precious carbon for thousands of years

By Michele Francis, Researcher, Department of Soil Science, Stellenbosch University

The landscape along the Buffels River in South Africa’s Namaqualand region is dotted with thousands of sandy mounds that occupy about 20% of the surface area. These heuweltjies, as the locals call them (the word means “little hills” in Afrikaans), are termite mounds, inhabited by an underground network of tunnels and nests of the southern harvester termite, Microhodotermes viator.

I’m part of a group of earth scientists who, in 2021, set out to study…

Read complete article

~	Budapest Pride 2025: A Record Crowd Stands Up for Democracy

~	Report reveals significant rise in civilian casualties and rights violations in Ukraine

~	Who’s the most American? Psychological studies show that many people are biased and think it’s a white English speaker

~	‘Completely unexpected’: Antarctic sea ice may be in terminal decline due to rising Southern Ocean salinity

~	I analyzed more than 100 extremist manifestos: Misogyny was the common thread

~	Row over damage to Iran’s nuclear programme raises questions about intelligence

~	DRC and Rwanda sign a US-brokered peace deal: what are the chances of its success?

~	Jobless young South Africans often lose hope: new study proves the power of mentorship

~	African women are key to fighting climate change – these are the green skills they will need

~	How tennis takes a toll: the leg and foot injuries players need to watch out for