The recent election of Pope Leo XIV has sparked new interest in Catholicism, with Google data showing a spike in searches on “how to become Catholic” shortly after the death of Pope Francis in April.

Across societies and time, people have initiated new members into groups, through ceremonies and rituals designed to foster a feeling of belonging. Yet sometimes those rites or activities cross the ...

Gene transcription is the first step in the expression of the genome. The regulation of transcription underlies organism development and cell differentiation. Transcription of eukaryotic ...

It’s nearly winter in South Africa, which means the opening of winter initiation schools is approaching. These rituals mark a transition to adulthood and are deeply ingrained culturally. But they’re ...

A picture of young boys from the Xhosa tribe attending a traditional initiation school in Libode in the Eastern Cape province. Picture: AFP Now government is looking to tighten its enforcement of the ...