The British science magazine Nature reported in August 2021 that "There’s no original isiZulu word for dinosaur. Germs are called amagciwane, but there are no separate words for viruses or bacteria. A quark is ikhwakhi (pronounced kwa-ki); there is no term for red shift. And researchers and science communicators using the language, which is spoken by more than 14 million people in southern Africa, struggle to agree on words for evolution."

African languages have long been shut out of the scientific world, creating questions about who this knowledge and work is for both among speakers of these languages and those working to spread scientific education on the continent. Kathleen is one of many scientists dedicated to increasing the accessibility of science and technology among populations speaking the more than 2,000 languages found in Africa. Here she shoots on the significance of language as a medium and how organizations can bridge the gap.

Intro/outro music by Batata K1ng
https://www.batatak1ng.com/home

Graphic design by Kirk Whayman

Part of the Ungagged podcast network
http://leftungagged.org/