This week’s claim by scientists in the US to have successfully “de-extincted” a species of wolf not seen for 12,000 years has rightly generated much excitement. According to Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences, ancient DNA taken from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull was manipulated with cloning and gene-editing technology to create three pups of the Aenocyon dirus species – the dire wolves of Game of Thrones fame.
Except, did they? By using the genes of a grey wolf – the dire wolf’s closest living relative – the two males and one female pup are essentially a grey wolf-dire wolf hybrid, similar in appearance to the larger, extinct species. Nevertheless, while scientists tussle over whether this is a true resurrection or not, one thing the pups’ arrival has certainly revived are the kind of questions about conservation, ethics and genetic research first raised following the 1996 birth of Dolly the sheep, the world’s first cloned mammal.
Supporters of such research have many strong points to make. Reviving key species can increase biodiversity, restore ecological balance and, by studying living specimens’ physiology and behaviour, even allow us to discover why they went extinct in the first place. The knowledge gleaned while scrutinising and manipulating such animals’ DNA could produce cures for genetic diseases and generally advance our understanding of evolutionary biology.
That so many people have been understandably captivated by the wolf pups reveals another benefit of this kind of research – the ability to inspire more public interest in conservation, providing a timely reminder of the need to protect all species as human activity threatens more wildlife and habitats than ever before. But has the human impact on the planet already undermined the effectiveness of such “de-extinction” programmes?
Many long-gone species died out because of habitat change; if their original habitats are gone or significantly altered, what consequences will this have for revenant animals’ well-being? In addition, the small number of revived animals almost guarantees a lack of genetic diversity that could lead to health problems. “De-extinction”, as with other forms of advanced cloning, is an expensive process that could have unpredictable consequences for 21st-century ecosystems.
What is clear is that recreating lost species is no magic wand for arresting the alarming rate of environmental damage that is taking place right now
Even the headline-grabbing excitement of reviving long-lost animals has its downside, threatening to distract from the hard work of many NGOs and individuals to conserve the species and habitats that exist today.
What is clear is that recreating lost species is no magic wand for arresting the alarming rate of environmental damage that is taking place right now. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 47,000 species are threatened with extinction today – that is 28 per cent of all assessed species. Is niche genetic science the best way to arrest such decline? And given the absence of a comprehensive set of international regulations to govern animal cloning, what rules are in place to guide this powerful technology?
This is an important debate, one that has many profound moral and practical implications. It is a conversation that must remain informed and rational in the years ahead, long after the publicity surrounding the births of Romulus, Remus and their sister Khaleesi has faded.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Zayed Sustainability Prize
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The five pillars of Islam
The five pillars of Islam
KLOPP%20AT%20LIVERPOOL
%3Cp%3EYears%3A%20October%202015%20-%20June%202024%3Cbr%3ETotal%20games%3A%20491%3Cbr%3EWin%20percentage%3A%2060.9%25%3Cbr%3EMajor%20trophies%3A%206%20(Premier%20League%20x%201%2C%20Champions%20League%20x%201%2C%20FA%20Cup%20x%201%2C%20League%20Cup%20x%202%2C%20Fifa%20Club%20World%20Cup%20x1)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
MATCH INFO
Maratha Arabians 107-8 (10 ovs)
Lyth 21, Lynn 20, McClenaghan 20 no
Qalandars 60-4 (10 ovs)
Malan 32 no, McClenaghan 2-9
Maratha Arabians win by 47 runs
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The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh12 million
Engine 8.0-litre quad-turbo, W16
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch auto
Power 1479 @ 6,700rpm
Torque 1600Nm @ 2,000rpm 0-100kph: 2.6 seconds 0-200kph: 6.1 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
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Profile
Company name: Marefa Digital
Based: Dubai Multi Commodities Centre
Number of employees: seven
Sector: e-learning
Funding stage: Pre-seed funding of Dh1.5m in 2017 and an initial seed round of Dh2m in 2019
Investors: Friends and family
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
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