MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

South African scientists brace for Covid wave driven by Omicron variant

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa in the news:

  1. South African scientists brace for Covid wave driven by Omicron variant: Scientists in South Africa are scrambling to combat the lightning spread of the highly transmissible new Omicron variant of Covid-19 that was first detected in the country. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  2. World Races To Contain New ‘Omicron’ COVID-19 Variant: Early evidence suggests it carries an increased risk of reinfection compared with other highly transmissible variants, the World Health Organization said. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews

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Have you tried: Visiting Port Elizabeth?

Did you know this about Johannesburg? In 1964 the Johannesburg Botanical Garden was established in the suburb of Emmarentia. The Emmarentia Dam forms part of the Garden. The Garden is best known for its roses.

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The Cradle of Humankind and Ancient Roots

While the modern city is only about 140 years old, the ground beneath it holds the secrets of humanity’s earliest ancestors. Located just 50 kilometers northwest of the city center is the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This area contains a complex system of limestone caves, including the famous Sterkfontein Caves, where nearly 40% of all the world’s human ancestor fossils have been discovered.

Significant finds like “Mrs. Ples” (Australopithecus africanus) and the near-complete skeleton of “Little Foot” have provided scientists with crucial evidence about how early hominids walked upright and transitioned into the Homo genus. More recently, in 2013, the discovery of Homo naledi in the Rising Star cave system stunned the scientific community, suggesting that ancient human relatives may have practiced ritualized burial much earlier than previously thought. This proximity to the “birthplace of humanity” gives Johannesburg a unique cultural depth; while it is a city of skyscrapers and high finance, it is also a place where you can stand on the very ground where our species took its first steps.