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Africa


الحرب في السودان تُهدد الآن تقاليد الطهي في البلاد
رغم أن الخبز(محليا يسمى "العيش") تقليديا هو المصدر الرئيسي للكربوهيدرات في السودان، إلا أن البطاطا الحلوة (تسمى محليا بالبامبي) أصبحت بديلا غير مرغوب فيه بسبب الحرب الأهلية السودانية التي تهدد سلة خبز الأمة.

The Xylom
Jun 48 min read


Perspective: Learning Math From an Ancient African Board Game
Owari is an ancient African game designed to teach the mathematical concept of fractals, a game that is enjoyed by children and adults in its modern form to this day.

Likam Kyanzaire
May 225 min read


Six Decades Later, Zambians Ask, “Were Chinese Mining Infrastructure Investments Worth It?”
My parents are from Taiwan, but I was born and raised in the U.S. and am an American passport holder. Not that it mattered. In these situations, there is nothing one can do to reshape rooted perceptions.

Kang-Chun Cheng
Apr 3011 min read


River Nile Blues: Famished Sudanese Turn to the Humble Sweet Potato
Bread has traditionally been Sudan’s primary food source, but sweet potatoes have replaced it due to disruptions around the Sudan civil war.

The Xylom
Apr 99 min read


Nigerian Crackdown on Chinese Illegal Mining Too Little, Too Late
“Whenever I hear a sudden noise from the blast, the shock won't leave until 40 minutes after I rest and wake up.”

Abdulwaheed Sofiullahi
Mar 225 min read


Aging Japanese EVs Are Giving Zimbabwe Fits
“This is deepening the pollution hazard, and making a mockery of local green-transition efforts.”
Ray Mwareya and Tsitsi Bhobo
Mar 45 min read


UAE Oil Barons “Conserve” Tanzania’s Rich Lands by Pushing Out Indigenous Communities
Thousands of Maasai were violently evicted in Tanzania as part of governmental deals with foreign companies under the guise of conservation.

Kang-Chun Cheng
Feb 2610 min read


Fragile, Flooded South Sudan Asks: What About Those With Disabilities?
The idea that the world is becoming a better place, and there are less and less needs in terms of humanitarian aid, is over.”

Kang-Chun Cheng
Feb 208 min read


Can The Ilemi Triangle’s Forgotten Pastoralists Trade Arms for Peace?
In these desiccated plains, anything can become fodder for conflict.
“But this is all we know.”

Kang-Chun Cheng
Feb 1311 min read


Here Are Some of the Most Memorable Photos We Took in 2024
The Xylom went to 15 countries this year to report on the intersection of science and society with a distinctly Asian American sensibility.

The Xylom
Dec 31, 20242 min read
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