A news-ready bio of Indonesia’s 11th-largest island
Researchers analyzing Sulawesi skeletons show that chewing psychoactive betel nuts dates back 25,000 years, suggesting early drug use among foragers. The study in Science Advances links distinctive dental wear to nut-sucking, offering the oldest evidence of psychoactive consumption and challenging ideas about when drug use began.
Wildfires across Kalimantan, Sumatra and Borneo have intensified amid El Niño-driven drought. Firefighting efforts face delays, with residents and wildlife suffering as haze drifts to neighboring countries. Legal actions pursue accountability and regional cooperation intensifies.
A fuel shortage on Bali has stretched queues at gas stations into hours, with disruptions blamed on tanker discharge delays. Authorities have ordered civil servants to work from home for three days while schools move online, as deliveries resume and stations extend hours to alleviate shortages.