A fungus toxin in maize and peanuts quietly drives liver cancer in East Africa

nature & planetanalysisGlobal Voices: Food

A fungus toxin in maize and peanuts quietly drives liver cancer in East Africa

the gist

Aflatoxins are poisons made by Aspergillus moulds that grow on stored staples such as maize, groundnuts, cottonseed and tree nuts, especially when it is warm and humid. They are tasteless and odourless, so people usually cannot tell a contaminated crop by looking or smelling it. Long-term exposure damages liver cells and reduces their ability to repair themselves, and the cancer can take 10 to 15 years to appear. Research in Africa has linked at least 40 percent of liver cancers to aflatoxin exposure. Drought and heat stress on crops make contamination more likely, which is why it is rising in East Africa.

how it works

The Aspergillus fungi grow in soil and infect crops in the field, and they spread most when plants are stressed by drought or heat. Once a crop is stored damp or damaged, the fungus keeps producing the toxin. The body breaks the toxin down into a compound that binds to DNA in liver cells, causing damage that builds up over years. Biocontrol products such as Aflasafe work by filling the field with harmless fungal strains that crowd out the toxic ones.

so what

Aflatoxin is one of the clearest examples of a food safety problem that is invisible, slow and deadly, and it hits the regions where people depend most on a few staple crops. Climate change is making the fungus more common, so it links food security with cancer risk. Most of the damage can be prevented with drying, careful harvesting and protecting grain from insects.

Trump and Netanyahu reportedly clash over whether to resume military action against Iran

the gist

Israeli reports also say the cabinet directed the military to prepare for a possible new attack on Iran.

so what

The United States and Israel have been closely aligned on Iran's nuclear programme and regional threats, so open disagreement between their leaders over military strategy is unusual and closely watched. Whether to resume strikes is a decision with consequences for shipping, oil markets and the wider Middle East.

fun fact

Benjamin Netanyahu has served as Prime Minister of Israel for more years in total than any other person.

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Data: GDELT Project

Illustrative photo · Israel Belkind and Fanny Abramovitch (original) “The Provis…, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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supplementary video · Epimetheus on YouTube ↗

world cultures & travelWikivoyageclassic9th–15th century · Siem Reap, Cambodia

Angkor was the largest pre-industrial city on Earth, covering about 3,000 square kilometres

the gist

Angkor, near Siem Reap in northern Cambodia, was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which ruled much of mainland Southeast Asia between roughly the 9th and 15th centuries. At its height the city spread across about 3,000 square kilometres, making it the largest pre-industrial city on Earth by area. Its growth depended on water: huge reservoirs called barays, along with canals and embankments, stored monsoon rain and carried it to rice fields. That system let farmers harvest more than once a year and fed a very large population through the dry season. The temple complex of Angkor Wat, built in the early 12th century, is the best-known monument and still stands at the heart of the park.

how it works

The Khmer kings built enormous rectangular reservoirs that caught monsoon rain during the wet season. Earthen dykes and canals moved that water into rice paddies, so farmers could grow crops across much of the year. The surplus food supported craftsmen, builders and the workforce that raised the temples.

so what

Angkor shows how a society without industrial machinery could build a city on a scale that rivals modern metropolises, using engineering and water management instead. Some historians link its decline to drought, flooding and shifts in its water systems, which makes it a long-running case study in how cities depend on managing water. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important archaeological landscapes in Southeast Asia.

fun fact

The outline of Angkor Wat appears on the national flag of Cambodia.