We’re all back from a few days’ break following the end of Ramadan. Some have stayed put, others have travelled to a resort, to another country, camping, meeting families or friends.
What have you packed? Well, that would have depended on the purpose of the trip, its duration, destination and a range of other factors. But, in any event, you planned with purpose because the direction was clear.
While we have visibility, clarity and influence over our own direction of travel, can the same be said about our collective direction of travel and future?
Whether or not we feel there is collective purpose, I have a litmus test that can help in the decision-making process about the technologies of the future.
This has come as a result of a conversation with our son who heard about new ways of producing food – cultured meat to be precise. He rightly suggested that such technology would be enormously useful in space: shipping and keeping chickens and cows in a planet-faring rocket would be impractical and the freeze-dried version would probably be uninspiring on a journey of several months.
So, we wondered whether ChatGPT might be useful in space.
We agreed that advanced tools that would emerge from AI and ChatGPT would indeed be – for companionship or for interacting with machines, much like TARS, in Christopher Nolan’s Sci-Fi extravaganza Interstellar. TARS is a functional, engaging and humourous robot all rolled into one, as is evident from the following conversation it has with the protagonist Joseph Cooper.
TARS, after the rocket lifts off into space: “Everybody good? Plenty of slaves for my robot colony … ”
Cooper: “A giant sarcastic robot … what a great idea … what’s your humour setting, TARS?”
TARS: “It’s 100 per cent.”
Cooper: “Let’s bring it down to 75 … ”
If I was in space – traveling, stranded or just needing to survive – I might reach for a 3D printer or eat a piece of protein that I had grown right there, before reaching for that NFT.
So here is the litmus test: is a future technology useful in space?
It’s not to say that our future will be about being a wholly space-faring civilisation, though there will be an element of that. It’s more about deciding where to prioritise our brainpower, funds and time – essentially giving it an element of purpose beyond the mere or immediate generation of wealth.
Or put another way, providing a purpose and direction of travel. And more broadly, if it’s useful in space – a harsh, unforgiving environment with scarce resources (for our species, that is) – it may well also be useful to our societies on planet Earth as resources are diminishing and the need for their better use becomes imperative.
A recent example is 3D printing. I had written about this technology before in the context of Dubai’s 3D printing strategy and the building the Dubai Future Foundation has constructed. The latest iteration of 3D printing is the Chinese space programme, which is planning the construction of shelter on the Moon, ready to welcome astronauts. The Chang'e 8 lunar mission in 2028 will carry 3D printing equipment to test material found on the lunar surface to place the first bricks for the Chinese lunar station for 2030.
Similarly, the ability to grow food under limited resources is a critical skill and technology.
Back in 2020, we reported on research that examined the use of “grey” waters – water from a shower or sink drain – to feed growing plants. What makes this work by researchers at the Wroclaw University of Science and Technology even more unusual, but useful, is that it is “aeroponic”: plants are suspended in moisture-filled air.
And another technology that is deployed on Earth with potential uses in space are bio-reactors: tanks to grow desired cells, or complex materials using specially designed microbes or algae. Such algae can be important food sources or additives as we become increasingly able to manipulate the genetic code of plants and micro-organisms and produce targeted products. In space this would be an obviously useful method for producing organic products – including, perhaps, a veggie burger.
Much research has been going into haptics, a kind of technology that simulates the sense of touch, motion and resistance in a digital environment. This proves useful in a situation where distance manipulation of, say, a robotic arm requires the operator to gauge the strength needed for an action. You don’t want to destroy a delicate object by over-exerting pressure with a mechanical arm. Useful in space, but also on Earth as we’re increasingly operating remote equipment, but also, eventually for amputees who might gain sensory feedback from prosthetics with such technology.
Finally, readers of my column will know that I have been somewhat lacklustre about NFTs, a thing of the not-too-distant past.
Not surprisingly, an NFT was sent to the International Space Station’s server in 2021 and stayed in orbit for a couple of hours. Mostly, though, NFTs have been sent into space in a gimmicky way to make money or raise funds for space-related charities. If I was in space – travelling, stranded or just needing to survive – I might reach for a 3D printer or eat a piece of protein that I had grown right there, before reaching for that NFT.
Would the same apply on Earth? Probably yes. And if that’s the case, then our collective direction of travel is clear, and we should be better at rewarding some of the folks engaged in solving the deep science challenges that promote our survival, wherever we go.
The five pillars of Islam
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
In%20the%20Land%20of%20Saints%20and%20Sinners
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERobert%20Lorenz%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Liam%20Neeson%2C%20Kerry%20Condon%2C%20Jack%20Gleeson%2C%20Ciaran%20Hinds%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
The specs
Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder
Transmission: 7-speed auto
0-100kmh 2.3 seconds
0-200kmh 5.5 seconds
0-300kmh 11.6 seconds
Power: 1500hp
Torque: 1600Nm
Price: Dh13,400,000
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
Volunteers offer workers a lifeline
Community volunteers have swung into action delivering food packages and toiletries to the men.
When provisions are distributed, the men line up in long queues for packets of rice, flour, sugar, salt, pulses, milk, biscuits, shaving kits, soap and telecom cards.
Volunteers from St Mary’s Catholic Church said some workers came to the church to pray for their families and ask for assistance.
Boxes packed with essential food items were distributed to workers in the Dubai Investments Park and Ras Al Khaimah camps last week. Workers at the Sonapur camp asked for Dh1,600 towards their gas bill.
“Especially in this year of tolerance we consider ourselves privileged to be able to lend a helping hand to our needy brothers in the Actco camp," Father Lennie Connully, parish priest of St Mary’s.
Workers spoke of their helplessness, seeing children’s marriages cancelled because of lack of money going home. Others told of their misery of being unable to return home when a parent died.
“More than daily food, they are worried about not sending money home for their family,” said Kusum Dutta, a volunteer who works with the Indian consulate.
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Brief scores:
Toss: Sindhis, elected to field first
Kerala Knights 103-7 (10 ov)
Parnell 59 not out; Tambe 5-15
Sindhis 104-1 (7.4 ov)
Watson 50 not out, Devcich 49
RESULT
Bournemouth 0 Southampton 3 (Djenepo (37', Redmond 45' 1, 59')
Man of the match Nathan Redmond (Southampton)
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
2019 ASIAN CUP FINAL
Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
Gifts exchanged
- King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
- Queen Camilla - Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
- Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
- Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206-cylinder%203-litre%2C%20with%20petrol%20and%20diesel%20variants%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20automatic%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20286hp%20(petrol)%2C%20249hp%20(diesel)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E450Nm%20(petrol)%2C%20550Nm%20(diesel)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EStarting%20at%20%2469%2C800%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
