Beshara: Pushing the boundaries of human abilities
Plus, a rescue mission for unsung heroes, a new era for glacier research and the medtech inventions aiming to save lives
A very pregnant fencer. A surfer walking on air. A no-frills sharpshooter. The gravity-defying twists and turns of a comeback queen. Already this Olympics has displayed one iconic moment after another.
It’s enthralling to see, not only for the display of jaw-dropping skill born of tremendous passion and effort but because they put in their all to make their fellow countrymen and countrywomen proud.
It’s not lost on me - or on many others, I assume - that while their flags represent land borders, these athletes are focused only on pushing the boundaries of human abilities and after doing so they congratulate their opponents with equanimity.
I could easily dedicate this entire edition to these sporting heroes, but we have a new newsletter series and podcast for that, plus you can see all the latest in our live reporting blog.
And of course, you’re here for the Beshara beyond Paris too. Below you’ll find stories on other single-minded pursuits – from a recovery mission up a treacherous mountain to a
fact-finding expedition in the depths of Antarctica.
Best wishes always,
Nicola
Do you have beshara to share? Email [email protected]
A rescue mission for unsung heroes
“By undertaking this mission, not only did I want to help the family, but also highlight that we have amazing, strong high-altitude workers in Pakistan… These porters are heroes, they make other climbers’ dreams come true, because they guide us, but they don't get glory.”
Mountain climber Naila Kiani may be a seasoned expert who has scaled 11 out of 14 of the world’s highest peaks above 8km, but she knew this particular climb would carry risks - and responsibility - like no other.
The family of a climber who died on K2 in July 2023 asked Ms Kiani to retrieve his body and help them find closure.
Muhammad Hassan Shigri, a 25-year-old Pakistani mountain porter, had reportedly fallen from a path in a narrow area known as the Bottleneck when accompanying an international team.
This week, Ms Kiani, a Pakistani who lives in Dubai, led a team of five other Pakistani climbers to safely bring back his body.
“K2 is notorious for rock fall and 8,200 metres is very high to bring a dead body down because the body is frozen…
“I was very careful about using the word congratulations. But they [Mr Shigri's family] said it to me, so I was very happy that maybe the family had the closure that they wanted,” said Ms Kiani.
Please do read more here as Ms Kiani explains the perils facing local climbers who risk their lives to support others on their climbs - and sends a strong message about what can be done about it.
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'The rollercoaster of pregnancy is tough on its own, but having to fight to keep the balance of life and sports was nothing short of strenuous, however worth it. I’m writing this post to say that pride fills my being'
– Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez took headlines and social media feeds by storm after she revealed she was seven months pregnant when picked up her first victory at an Olympics - read more here
‘A whole new view’
Another life lesson from the Olympics is the act of trying again and again, learning from mishaps - and then of course having to wait years for the next opportunity.
This week we learnt about a team of scientists who understand this predicament all too well, but their goal is far grander than a gold medal.
An international group of researchers have been using an unmanned submarine to explore underneath thick ice in Antarctica, but earlier this year the remote-controlled vehicle called Ran disappeared on one of its missions.
Despite the loss, the mystery and the years-long wait to fund and develop a new craft of its kind, the team still had enough data to “form a whole new view on glacier melting” on the continent.
“By navigating the submersible into the cavity, we were able to get high-resolution maps of the ice underside. It's a bit like seeing the back of the Moon,” says lead author Anna W?hlin, Professor of Oceanography at the University of Gothenburg.
Read Tim Stickings’ report here to learn what the “mind-blowing” findings could mean for climate change research.
Don’t forget to scroll down to the highlights at the bottom too - this week you’ll learn about medtech inventions that are saving lives, how tulip trees could be a carbon-busting help in the fight against climate change, and discover the efforts of Aliph, a heritage protection group spending tens of millions on efforts to protect cultural sites from conflict and extreme climate events.
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Retired at Insurance Sector
7 个月This weekBeshara was interesting to read.Coverage of unsung heroes,and athlete on Olympic games was nice.Have a nice were end to all readers.
Freelance editor, writer and journalist
7 个月Beautifully done Nicola Leech!
Marine Professional. Former Director of Operation.
7 个月The boundaries of humanity are?the ideas that trace out the very limits of what we call human, together with the attendant values, duties, and categories. To understand these better, we first need to scrutinise the two underlying concepts: the notion of boundary and the notion of a human being.