At first glance, a livestreamed scientific exploration of a murky underwater trench off the coast of Argentina might not be everyone’s idea of riveting viewing. With no music or editing, nor any CGI or plot twists, the 20-day expedition by a group of Argentine and American researchers to investigate the South Atlantic’s Mar del Plata Canyon seems a world away from Hollywood blockbusters or made-to-binge TV series.
However, appearances can be deceiving. To the scientists’ surprise, the images they captured more than 3,500 metres below the ocean’s surface soon attracted daily YouTube views of about 1.6 million as Argentines were joined by other viewers across the world. An estimated 80,000 people were tuned in at any one time, sometimes for hours, to catch glimpses of mysterious deep-sea life and learn more about a remote ecosystem that humanity is only beginning to understand.
In the same way that millions watch space launches or come together to take in the majesty of a solar eclipse or meteor shower, it is inspiring to see that people are still captivated by scientists' attempts to unlock the mysteries of the natural world. It is also a relief to see such public enthusiasm for science at a time when it is arguably under threat from different quarters.
In the US, scientists are bracing themselves for the effects of potential budget cuts. Since returning to office in January, President Donald Trump and his team have proposed changes to funding that would include a 56 per cent reduction in the National Science Foundation’s $9 billion budget. Nasa, one of the most recognisable institutions of American science, could face a 24 per cent budget cut.
Some politicians continue to mischaracterise scientists as wasteful, out-of-touch elites with hidden agendas
Medical science in the US has also found itself in the firing line, with the Association of American Universities saying a proposed decrease of nearly 40 per cent in base funding for the National Institutes of Health “would set us back for decades in the fight against cancer and other diseases as well as in developing the other medical advances and cures that NIH catalyses”. Such concerns have cut little ice with administration figures such as Health and Human Services Secretary – and vaccine sceptic – Robert Kennedy Jr, who recently announced plans to cancel $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccines.
In Argentina itself, where a small team of offshore researchers captivated a nation with their marine discoveries, members of Conicet – the country’s main scientific body – marched through Buenos Aires in May dressed as characters from Netflix sci-fi show The Eternaut to protest against shrinking state investment in science under President Javier Milei’s populist government.
Although many other countries continue to recognise the value of investing in cutting-edge science – in July, the European Commission proposed doubling the 27-nation bloc’s research and innovation framework programme budget to €175 billion ($203.36 billion) – some politicians continue to mischaracterise scientists as wasteful, out-of-touch elites with hidden agendas.
Research published in the Journal of Social Sciences earlier this year concluded that “political leaders have affected beliefs in science-related conspiracy theories by publicly propagating them to loyal audiences. Should this trend continue, we expect further harms to come from such belief”.
But the fact is, despite the noise created by online conspiracies and amplified by some prominent political operators, many people remain supportive of scientific funding. In April, nationwide polling in the US commissioned by the Science Coalition – a body made up of 50 leading public and private research universities – found that three quarters of American voters “support the federal government using taxpayer funds to invest in scientific research, with strong bipartisan support”.
A month later, YouGov polling found that 43 per cent of US adults believed federal funding for scientific research should be increased, with just 14 per cent supporting cuts. Similarly, polling carried out during last year’s general election in the UK found that almost half of respondents believed funding research generally should be a top or high priority for all political parties.
As a policy, brutal cuts to scientific R&D and education budgets could hardly be more damaging. As funding shrinks, talented and experienced scientists may look for opportunities overseas, contributing to a brain drain in research labs and university campuses. Longitudinal studies that depend upon consistent financial commitments to deliver useful results come to an abrupt end, contributing to another negative outcome – the waste of prior investment.
The wider economy is at risk too; a study released in May by economists at the American University in Washington found that “budget cuts to public R&D would significantly hurt the economy in the long run”. A 25 per cent cut, the researchers added, “would reduce GDP by an amount comparable to the decline in GDP during the Great Recession”.
One doesn’t have to be a science geek to appreciate the danger posed by hamstringing valuable research that could help humanity meet the many challenges it faces. Although the eye-catching marine mission off the coast of Argentina has now ended, hopefully the millions around the world who were captivated by that voyage of discovery will lend their support to those experts and researchers who are making the case that science matters now more than ever.
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
Zombieland: Double Tap
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Stars: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone
Four out of five stars
If%20you%20go
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SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Wimbledon order of play on Tuesday, July 11
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Centre Court
Adrian Mannarino v Novak Djokovic (2)
Venus Williams (10) v Jelena Ostapenko (13)
Johanna Konta (6) v Simona Halep (2)
Court 1
Garbine Muguruza (14) v
Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Magdalena Rybarikova v Coco Vandeweghe (24)
More coverage from the Future Forum
Walls
Louis Tomlinson
3 out of 5 stars
(Syco Music/Arista Records)
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Results
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes (PA) Group 3 Dh175,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Aatebat Al Khalediah, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Dubai Avenue, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: My Catch, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile (TB) Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
Emirates exiles
Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.
Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.
Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.
Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.
'I Want You Back'
Director:Jason Orley
Stars:Jenny Slate, Charlie Day
Rating:4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Moonfall
Director: Rolan Emmerich
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry
Rating: 3/5
ARSENAL IN 1977
Feb 05 Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland
Feb 12 Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal
Feb 15 Middlesbrough 3-0 Arsenal
Feb 19 Arsenal 2-3 West Ham
Feb 26 Middlesbrough 4-1 Arsenal (FA Cup)
Mar 01 Everton 2-1 Arsenal
Mar 05 Arsenal 1-4 ipswich
March 08 Arsenal 1-2 West Brom
Mar 12 QPR 2-1 Arsenal
Mar 23 Stoke 1-1 Arsenal
Apr 02 Arsenal 3-0 Leicester
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Formula One top 10 drivers' standings after Japan
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 306
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 234
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 192
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 148
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 111
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 82
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 65
9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 48
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 34
Company profile
Company name: Dharma
Date started: 2018
Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: TravelTech
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs
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The specs: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT
Price, base / as tested: Dh259,000
Engine: 6.4-litre V8
Power: 475hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 640Nm @ 4,300rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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'The Lost Daughter'
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
Rating: 4/5
