Beshara: Another seminal moment in medical history?

Plus: Striking archaeological finds and hopes for snow leopards

Did we mark another radical moment in medical history this week?

Only time will tell but Elon Musk’s Neuralink update certainly cast a spotlight again on the rapidly advancing field of human-computer interfaces and its potential for treating neurological disease.

Of course the science, and in particular how it is tested, is not without controversy or ethical conundrums but as some of our very qualified readers told us, this “groundbreaking piece of technology holds the potential to dramatically empower disabled individuals” and is paving “the way for improved treatments, increased quality of life, and, ultimately, the possibility of preventing these disorders altogether”.

These advances in medicine and human ingenuity give us reason to celebrate and believe in the potential of people to bring about life-changing improvements.

But if you feel that we are hurtling far too fast into the future with brain-chip implants, artificial intelligence or indeed technology in general, Nick March has some reassuring words in his column, while Nick Webster has been exploring solutions to tech addiction and I (yes, another Nic) can take you in the other direction entirely with some fascinating archaeological finds across the Middle East and North Africa. Read on.

Best wishes always,

Nicola Leech

Do you have beshara to share? Email [email protected]

Striking archaeological finds

Ancient human footprints, which were found in Morocco and date back 90,000 years, are the oldest known footprints left by modern man in the region, archaeologists said.

The scientists said the discovery underscored the importance of North Africa in providing evidence of the first appearance of Homo sapiens and the development of the human species. Read more here.

Meanwhile, archaeologists unearthed another series of striking finds in the UAE, including Roman gold coins dating to the first century AD and what is thought to be a pre-Islamic shrine and open-air altar.

The findings point to a rich religious diversity in the area as well as an economic trade route that extended across the Gulf and beyond into Central Asia and India. John Dennehy has more on this.

QUOTED

'There’s enough money in the world to deal with these problems, it’s a question of how you get it to the right places'

– The United Nations' top climate scientist, Jim Skea, offered up a promising but pragmatic perspective on the climate fight in an interview with The National this week, saying victory is still possible - read it here

Hopes for snow leopards

The first-ever study to assess the number of snow leopards in India has raised hopes of a stable population in the country.

The wildcats are classified as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List as their survival is threatened by poaching, climate change and the depletion of their natural habitat.

The research, which is part of a larger global initiative, showed there were over 700 of them across the Himalayan regions and has prompted calls for ongoing work to monitor and protect the species.

Read more from Taniya Dutta here.

SNAPSHOT

These intricately carved soaring spires are the subject of much attention and anticipation in the UAE at the moment.

They are part of the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, set to officially open this month.

For the country’s Hindus, the pink sandstone and white marble structure is not only a revered and beautiful place of worship, "it is a spiritual oasis for global harmony” that also signifies close ties between the UAE and India, the head of the organisation that built the temple told us. Learn more here.

See the most captivating photos of the week

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