Marlin Willis, age 9, of Des Moines, Iowa, for his question:

What is the Dark Continent?

The word "dark" can have a host of meanings, It can mean night or brownhair. Certain colors are called dark. The word dark can also mean lack of information. This last meaning is the one we use when we speak of the Dark Continent.

This nickname was given to Africa some time during the last century. The nations of Europe were very busy analyzing the vast territory and deciding who should take responsibility for this area and that, It became very plain that no one knew much about the interior of the continent. Be‑cause of this lack of information, Africa eras called the Dark Continent.