The Common Pulse

  By   Mutunga Tobbias | The Common Pulse/latest news/Ukraine/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / September 2025 For decades, the plastic crisis has been one of the most pressing environmental challenges facing humanity. From oceans clogged with bottles and bags to microplastics infiltrating food chains and even human bloodstreams, the scale of the problem has grown beyond imagination. Conventional recycling systems have failed to keep up with the avalanche of single-use plastics, and incineration only shifts the issue into greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists, environmentalists, and innovators have been tirelessly searching for alternatives. Recently, one discovery has sparked fresh hope: caterpillars, particularly those of the wax moth species, show remarkable potential in breaking down plastics naturally. This biological approach could redefine how the world tackles the plastic menace. The Global Plastic Crisis Plastic production has skyrocketed since the mid-20th century. Today, o...

  B y  Mutunga Tobbias | The Common Pulse/latest news/Asia/United States/Africa / September 2025 The vaccine debate in the United States has always been a polarizing issue, but in September 2025, the controversy took an unprecedented turn when Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vaccine advisory panel voted to stop recommending that Americans get the Covid-19 shot. Instead, the panel encouraged what it called “individual decision-making,” shifting the narrative away from broad public health mandates and toward personal responsibility. This decision has sparked heated discussions across the country, not only about vaccines but also about the future of health policy, scientific authority, and the role of government in protecting citizens. The Background of RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Panel Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long been one of the most prominent critics of vaccines in American public life. As a presidential candidate who built part of his platform around challenging pharmaceutical power and gove...

By Kirangacha Mwaniki, Latest News /Ethiopia/ Kenya /Africa   On a sunlit morning along the Blue Nile, the sound of rushing water collides with the hum of turbines. On 9th September 2025 , Ethiopia finally inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD): Africa’s largest hydroelectric project. The historic event, attended by heads of state from across the Horn of Africa, marked not only the turning of turbines but the turning of a page in the region’s history. Its vast concrete wall, stretching more than 1.8 kilometers across the Nile’s gorge, stands as both an engineering triumph and a lightning rod of political drama. For Ethiopia, this dam is more than steel and stone. It is a declaration: of independence, of resilience, of rebirth. For Egypt and Sudan downstream, it has been a looming shadow, a threat to waters they have depended on for centuries. “This dam is our pride, our sovereignty, and our future,” said Engineer Mulugeta Bekele, one of the project’s early planners,...

 By Tobbias Mutunga The Common Pulse | September 2025  Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and the Quest VR headsets, is once again under fire, this time for its virtual reality platforms . A group of current and former employees has come forward with serious whistleblower allegations, claiming that the tech giant has suppressed internal research on child safety . Allegations Against Meta The whistleblowers allege that Meta actively discouraged or even blocked internal studies that revealed alarming findings about grooming, harassment, and violent interactions targeting children , some reportedly under the age of 10, within its VR environments like Horizon Worlds . In some cases, whistleblowers claim evidence of these incidents was deleted instead of addressed. Meta’s Response Meta has strongly denied the accusations, emphasizing that since 2022, the company has approved nearly 180 child safety studies . It also pointed to improvements in parental controls, cont...

   By  Purity Karambu| The Common Pulse/latest news/kenya/Abroad/Africa / September 202 Governor Jonathan Lelelit Samburu Governor Jonathan Lelelit has become a key figure in promoting Samburu culture and preserving traditions that define the community. His leadership has highlighted the role of women in safeguarding heritage, particularly through rituals such as the Blood Moon ceremony. Samburu Women Traditions Samburu women traditions hold a sacred place in society. From beadwork to songs, their practices represent the heartbeat of cultural continuity. These traditions not only honor ancestors but also create unity among families and clans. Samburu Women Songs and Prayers During special celestial events, Samburu women gather to perform songs and prayers. These chants are believed to connect the living with the spirit world, inviting blessings, protection, and guidance from ancestral powers. Blood Moon Rituals in Samburu The Blood Moon rituals in Samburu are deep...

 By Tobbias Mutunga The Common Pulse | August 2025 Space is full of surprises, and some of the most intriguing objects are the ones that don’t fit neatly into categories. Scientists have long classified small bodies in our solar system as either asteroids,  rocky, inert remnants of planetary formation, or comets,  icy wanderers that develop spectacular tails when they approach the Sun. But what about the objects that blur these lines? Enter the world of “comet-asteroid hybrids” , sometimes called active asteroids or main-belt comets . These bizarre celestial bodies behave like neither classic asteroids nor comets. They orbit the Sun like asteroids, often residing in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, yet they display comet-like activity, such as outgassing and temporary tails. Why do they behave this way? Some scientists believe they may contain pockets of ice beneath a rocky surface. When this ice heats up or is exposed by collisions, it sublimates, creating a...

By Mutunga Tobbias The Common Pulse | August 2025 Rhinos have roamed Africa’s savannas for millions of years, but in just a few decades, poaching has pushed them to the brink of extinction. Driven by demand for rhino horn in black markets across Asia, criminal syndicates have decimated populations despite decades of conservation efforts. Now, South African scientists are turning to nuclear science for a daring new solution: radioactive rhino horns . The Rhisotope Project Explained At the heart of this experiment is the Rhisotope Project , a collaboration between nuclear scientists and wildlife conservationists. The idea is simple but revolutionary: insert trace amounts of radioactive isotopes into a rhino’s horn. The isotopes are completely harmless to the animal , but powerful enough to be detected by radiation scanners at international borders, airports, and shipping ports. That means smuggled horns would “light up” security systems designed to catch nuclear contraband, instantly...

 By Tobbias Mutunga The Common Pulse | August 2025 For too long, global cancer research has overlooked one key variable: Africa. Despite being home to over a billion people, the continent’s genetic diversity has been vastly underrepresented in genomic studies, leaving gaps in diagnosis, treatment, and drug development. A bold project in Ghana is now changing that story. Yemaachi Biotech and the Vision for an African Cancer Atlas Founded by Ghanaian immunologist Dr. Yaw Bediako , Yemaachi Biotech is building what will become Africa’s largest cancer genomic database . The goal? To collect and analyze genetic information from up to 7,500 cancer patients across the continent . This initiative, backed by global pharmaceutical giant Roche, is more than just a data project. It’s about rewriting the future of cancer care for African populations, and by extension, for the world. Why Genomics Matters in Cancer Care Cancer is not a one-size-fits-all disease. Tumors behave differently dependi...

By Mwaniki Justin The Common Pulse | August 2025  For decades, African scientists have relied on overseas facilities to carry out advanced experiments in fields such as structural biology, energy research, and materials science. But that dependence may soon change. African leaders, researchers, and international partners are advancing plans to build the continent’s first synchrotron light source,  a facility that would mark a turning point in Africa’s scientific independence. What Is a Synchrotron and Why Does It Matter? A synchrotron is a type of particle accelerator that generates ultra-bright beams of X-rays, ultraviolet, and infrared light. These powerful beams allow scientists to peer into the structure of materials at the molecular and atomic level. Applications range from mapping protein structures for new medicines to developing stronger materials, designing clean energy technologies, and even preserving cultural heritage artifacts. At present, Africa is the only conti...

By Tobbias Mutunga The Common Pulse | August 2025  When Elon Musk’s SpaceX unveiled that its next-generation Starship rocket would be powered by 42 Raptor engines , the space community buzzed with speculation. Why such an oddly specific number? The answer is part engineering, part culture, and a big wink at science fiction fans. The Hitchhiker’s Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything In Douglas Adams’ cult classic The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy , a supercomputer named Deep Thought reveals that the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything is simply “42.” The number became an enduring symbol of cosmic humor, geek culture, and the idea that meaning can be found even in absurdity. By choosing 42 engines , Musk and SpaceX aren’t just building rockets, they’re tapping into a shared cultural mythos that resonates with engineers, dreamers, and fans alike. It’s SpaceX’s playful nod to the philosophy that exploration is as much about curiosity and imagination as...

 BY MBULA PENINAH. THE COMMON PULSE. Every year, nearly 30% of all food produced globally is wasted  that’s about 1.3 billion tons. While this is a humanitarian and environmental crisis, it’s also a massive untapped market . Companies, investors, and innovators are now asking: What if food waste isn’t just a problem, but an opportunity? The Scale of the Problem Food waste isn’t just scraps left on a plate. It happens at every stage of the supply chain harvests lost before reaching markets, unsold goods in supermarkets, and leftovers tossed away by consumers. The cost? Roughly $1 trillion every year . Beyond economics, food waste accounts for 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions , making it a climate challenge, too.  Waste as a Resource Forward-thinking businesses are flipping the script. Instead of viewing food waste as landfill material, they treat it as a resource that can be transformed into: Energy : Biogas plants convert waste into renewable power. Animal...

  BY MBULA PENINAH. THE COMMON PULSE . Few scientific breakthroughs have stirred as much excitement and debate as CRISPR. This gene-editing tool, discovered just over a decade ago, has transformed how we think about curing disease, improving agriculture, and even reshaping human evolution. But while CRISPR research is happening worldwide, two cities stand out as global leaders: Boston, USA, and Shenzhen, China . What is CRISPR, and Why Does It Matter? CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) is essentially a pair of “genetic scissors” that can cut, remove, and replace DNA with remarkable precision. Scientists believe it could cure genetic disorders like sickle cell anemia, muscular dystrophy, and even certain forms of cancer. The tool is faster, cheaper, and more accurate than previous gene-editing methods, making it one of the most revolutionary biotechnologies of our time. 🇺🇸 Boston: The Medical Capital of CRISPR Innovation Boston has long been called ...

 By; Mwaniki Justin The Common Pulse | August 2025 SpaceX’s ambitions for its Starship rocket extend well beyond its Texas home base in Boca Chica. Elon Musk’s company has proposed conducting up to 120 Starship launches per year from Cape Canaveral, Florida , a move that would turn the world’s busiest spaceport into a hub for the largest rocket ever built. But while SpaceX sees this as the next step toward routine access to space and interplanetary travel, competitors and regulators are raising red flags. Rivals Cry Foul Companies like United Launch Alliance (ULA) , Blue Origin , and Relativity Space are pushing back, warning that SpaceX’s plan could cripple their launch operations . Their concern? Starship’s sheer size and power would trigger extensive safety lockdowns around launch facilities, delaying or even grounding other rockets. A single Starship launch requires wide safety perimeters and extended closures of airspace and sea lanes. Multiply that by 120 launches a year, ...

By; Tobbias Mutunga The Common Pulse | August 2025  In the shadows of Florida’s Space Coast, SpaceX has once again taken part in one of the most secretive programs in modern aerospace. On August 2025, the company successfully launched the eighth mission of the U.S. Space Force’s X-37B spaceplane from Cape Canaveral , marking another milestone in the growing partnership between private industry and the U.S. military. What Is the X-37B? Originally developed by Boeing, the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) is an unmanned, reusable spaceplane that looks like a scaled-down version of NASA’s retired Space Shuttle. Roughly the size of a small bus, the craft is designed to operate autonomously in orbit for months, or even years, at a time before gliding back to Earth for a runway landing. The program began under NASA in 1999 before being transferred to the U.S. Air Force, and now sits under the control of the U.S. Space Force. Its missions remain highly classified, fueling speculation ab...

By; Tobias Mutunga The Common Pulse | August 2025 After yet another dramatic countdown pause, SpaceX has confirmed that its much-anticipated Starship Flight 10 test will get another chance tonight, Monday, August 25, 2025 . The launch, originally scheduled for Sunday evening, was scrubbed less than 30 minutes before liftoff after engineers detected a liquid oxygen (LOX) leak in the ground support system. Elon Musk quickly acknowledged the issue on X (formerly Twitter), calling it a “ground-side oxygen leak” and assuring followers that SpaceX teams were working around the clock to fix it. Why This Test Matters Flight 10 is not just another test hop. It is expected to validate a host of upgrades to both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage . Key improvements include: Higher thrust from upgraded Raptor engines. Stronger heat shield tiles designed to survive atmospheric reentry. More robust steering flaps to improve controlled descent. These upgrades ar...