Latest news with #adaptability
Sustainability Times
6 days ago
- Science
- Sustainability Times
"This Is The Creature That Will Rule Earth" The Animal Destined To Dominate After Human Extinction Will Shock You
IN A NUTSHELL 🦑 Scientists speculate that octopuses could become dominant after human extinction due to their intelligence and adaptability. could become dominant after human extinction due to their intelligence and adaptability. 🌊 Octopuses have the potential to transition from marine to terrestrial environments, enhancing their evolutionary prospects. have the potential to transition from marine to terrestrial environments, enhancing their evolutionary prospects. 🧠 Their advanced problem-solving skills and decentralized nervous system make them suitable for thriving in a post-human world. and decentralized nervous system make them suitable for thriving in a post-human world. 🌍 The rise of octopuses challenges traditional ideas about evolutionary successors and highlights the need for environmental stewardship. Amid growing concerns about the future of humanity, scientists are exploring scenarios in which other species might rise to prominence. Among these unexpected contenders is the octopus, a marine species whose intelligence and adaptability have captured the attention of researchers. With the potential for transitioning from water to land, octopuses present a fascinating case for evolutionary successors in a world without humans. This idea challenges traditional notions that focus primarily on mammals or primates as future rulers of Earth. What is it about octopuses that makes them such intriguing candidates for dominance in a post-human world? Octopuses: A Marine Species Eyeing Land The concept of humanity's potential demise has been a topic of discussion among scientists studying collapsology. This field examines various scenarios that could lead to the downfall of human civilization, including environmental disasters, nuclear conflicts, or other catastrophic events. In such futures, octopuses might emerge as a dominant species. According to a 2024 article in the Oxford Mail, the intelligence of octopuses positions them as strong contenders for this role. Timothy Coulson, a professor of zoology at the University of Oxford, theorizes that octopuses could evolve over time to become terrestrial creatures. These cephalopods already exhibit the ability to breathe outside of water for short durations, indicating a potential evolutionary path towards becoming land dwellers. Their cognitive abilities, evidenced by problem-solving skills and object manipulation, set them apart in the animal kingdom. In a world without humans, the octopus's exceptional adaptability offers a distinct advantage over many other species. 'NASA Says We're on the Brink': Alarming New Report Reveals Imminent Emergency Crash Risk for the Entire Space Station A Future Civilization-Building Species? Timothy Coulson suggests that the octopus's ability to solve complex problems, manipulate objects, and camouflage with precision could enable them to develop into a civilization-building species. Their advanced neural structure and decentralized nervous system make them particularly suited for surviving in an unpredictable world. These traits could allow octopuses to exploit new ecological niches and adapt to a changing planet, especially in the absence of human influence. Coulson posits that genetic mutations may occur as octopuses spend more time outside the water. Over millions of years, these changes could allow them to transition from marine to terrestrial environments permanently. This hypothesis challenges the common assumption that primates or large apes would naturally succeed humans as the dominant species. However, British researchers point out that these mammals, like humans, are highly vulnerable to certain phenomena, especially climate change. There is even a possibility that primates could vanish from Earth before humans. 'The US admits 'we're jealous of France'': Unthinkable wealth beneath their feet as France uncovers $92 billion hydrogen goldmine, the world's largest reserve Challenges and Implications for Evolutionary Successors The idea that octopuses could become the next dominant species is both intriguing and contentious. It raises questions about the criteria used to determine a species' potential for dominance. Traditionally, intellectual capacity and physical prowess have been key factors. However, the octopus's decentralized nervous system and unique problem-solving capabilities suggest that adaptability and innovation might also play crucial roles. As humans continue to impact the environment, the resilience and flexibility of a species become increasingly vital. Octopuses, with their ability to adapt to new challenges, exemplify these qualities. Their potential to transition from marine to terrestrial environments highlights the dynamic nature of evolution. This shift could redefine our understanding of intelligence and adaptability in the animal kingdom. 'I Was Convinced We'd Found Aliens': Scientists Backtrack on K2-18b Breakthrough Before Revealing the Devastating Truth Reevaluating Humanity's Role in the Ecosystem The prospect of octopuses as future rulers of Earth invites reflection on humanity's current role in the ecosystem. Our actions have far-reaching consequences, often disrupting natural habitats and threatening biodiversity. As the dominant species, humans have a responsibility to mitigate these impacts and consider the long-term viability of our planet. This contemplation also underscores the importance of preserving the diversity of life on Earth. By fostering environments where various species can thrive, we contribute to a more balanced and resilient ecosystem. The potential rise of octopuses serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of life and the unforeseen paths evolution may take in response to environmental pressures. The idea of octopuses becoming the next dominant species challenges our understanding of evolution and dominance. It prompts us to consider what qualities truly define a species' potential for success. As we ponder the future, one question remains: How can we, as stewards of the planet, ensure a sustainable and harmonious coexistence with other species in a rapidly changing world? This article is based on verified sources and supported by editorial technologies. Did you like it? 4.5/5 (27)
Arab News
03-08-2025
- Business
- Arab News
The Gulf can build future success by looking to the past
In the Arabian Gulf, there is an understandable fascination with the future: smart cities, AI clusters, and economic zones that promise diversification beyond oil. But amid this forward momentum, we risk forgetting that the Gulf's economy was once thriving not because of central planning or industrial zoning, but because of something far more organic: trust, adaptability, and deeply human connections. Before the modern nation-state drew hard borders across the Arabian Peninsula and southern Iran, the Gulf was part of a far older and more fluid geography. Communities in places such as Qeshm, Dubai, Muscat, and Bandar Abbas did not simply trade — they lived, moved, worked, and married across regions. Their strength lay not in homogeneity or formality, but in intersectionality: the convergence of professions, identities, and roles within and across households and communities. In my research on the history of trade in the Gulf — families with ancestral and economic ties stretching across the region — I found that their livelihoods were anything but linear. One person might be a pearl diver during the season, a scholar the next, and an informal arbitrator within his community when called on. Women, too, played roles beyond the domestic: managing household finances, facilitating trade relationships, and anchoring family ties across shores. These were not exceptions; they were features of a society that understood economic resilience as a communal endeavor, grounded in social versatility and collective trust. There was no formal 'cluster strategy' — but the Gulf functioned like one long before the term existed. People, skills, goods, and ideas came together not through infrastructure, but through relationships: between tribes and towns, merchants and craftsmen, men and women, elders and youth. The economy was informal, yes — but it was remarkably efficient, precisely because it was interconnected. Today, when we talk about economic clusters, we tend to speak in terms of infrastructure. Zones are carved out, incentives are layered in, and success is measured in contributions to the national economy and employment targets. These are all important. But what made the Gulf economy thrive in the past — and what can make it thrive again — is something harder to quantify: intersectional connectedness. In an age of fragmentation, intersectionality is not a soft value but a strategic asset. Maria Hanif Al-Qassim The UAE's recent experience building a national food cluster offers a powerful example. Launched in 2024, the cluster was developed not as an isolated zone, but as a living ecosystem built on values deeply rooted in Gulf tradition. It prioritized trust, adaptability, and collaboration — not just between government and private sector, but across farmers, logistics providers, regulators, entrepreneurs, and researchers. The goal was not just economic output, but a shared sense of purpose and mutual accountability. This approach echoes the pre-oil way of doing things in the UAE: where public and private blurred, where roles overlapped, and where economic activity was embedded in the rhythms of community life. The food cluster did not just revive a sector; it revived a mindset. And that mindset is more relevant now than ever. In an age of fragmentation — where technology often isolates, and sectors compete for attention and resources — intersectionality is not a soft value but a strategic asset. It is what allows ecosystems to adapt, what allows people to participate meaningfully in change, and what anchors innovation in lived experience rather than in abstraction. As we build the next phase of the Gulf's economic transformation, let us not only look outward — to global competitiveness or cross-border trade. Let us look inward, at the web of relationships that have always been our strength. Because long before we had clusters, we had community. And when communities are connected across lines of class, role, geography, and function — that is when real prosperity begins.
Fast Company
30-07-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Building teams that scale: The trust-adaptability connection
Early in my leadership journey, I learned a pivotal lesson the hard way. I'd been brought in to help a company scale when we were hit with a sudden market pivot, and a core revenue driver evaporated almost overnight. In that moment, our ability to realign the business wasn't about having a perfect strategy. It came down to something far more fundamental: whether our leadership team trusted each other enough to have candid conversations, admit mistakes, and move decisively together. That experience crystallized a fundamental truth for me. Adaptability is impossible without trust, because trust gives a team permission to move forward in the face of uncertainty. It allows for proactive flexibility—the ability to assess information quickly, make decisions with imperfect data, and course-correct in real time, all while staying anchored to the company's long-term mission. And without that psychological safety, you get reactive chaos. THE A.T.A. FRAMEWORK: AN OPERATING SYSTEM FOR SCALE To consistently build the kind of trust that enables adaptability, I've learned leaders can't leave it to chance. It requires installing a dedicated operating system for the team: a system of three interconnected pillars I call the A.T.A. Framework. And if one pillar is weak, the whole structure degrades. Alignment (The North Star): This is the shared understanding of what the organization is trying to achieve. It gives the team a 'shared North Star,' an essential guide that clarifies what everyone is solving for so individual efforts become additive, not contradictory. Trust (The Engine): This, to me, is the foundational element that allows for productive friction. At the executive level, where every decision has real financial and organizational consequences, pressure to appear certain can lead to guarded conversations. Trust is what counteracts this, empowering people to challenge ideas, debate outcomes, and surface problems early without fear of repercussion. Without it, alignment simply degrades into compliance, not true ownership. Adaptability (The Steering): This is the team's operational capacity to shift tactics while preserving alignment to the mission, because it allows them to course-correct with both speed and discernment. Together, these pillars form a powerful system on paper. But a framework is useless if it can't survive the realities of hypergrowth, as the very process of scaling is designed to tear this system apart. WHY SCALING IS A NATURAL ENEMY OF TRUST As a company grows, it naturally creates layers, distance, and inevitable gaps in communication. This is when foundational trust begins to erode, especially when people feel disconnected from decisions or believe agendas are hidden. To counteract this decay, leaders must over-communicate context, not just decisions. I personally host monthly town halls where I walk through not just what we're doing, but why, including where I see risks. That transparency allows trust to scale with the business and sets the stage for the practical application of the framework. To translate these principles into a living part of the culture, I rely on three consistently effective mechanisms designed to make transparency the default: Weekly 'Warts And Worries' Forums: We hold these to normalize transparency because when leaders are openly vulnerable, it gives everyone else permission to do the same. Blameless After-Action Reviews: The focus here is on systemic learning, not individual blame, which is vital for accelerating collective improvement. Structured Debate Sessions: These are designed to build the team's muscle for navigating uncertainty and providing a controlled setting for hard, ambiguous issues. I saw the power of this approach firsthand while leading my team at FinQuery through a significant product expansion. The initiative created real tension across our product, sales, and customer success teams. But instead of forcing alignment, I paused to facilitate a series of uncomfortable, yet honest, discussions around assumptions and risks. By creating that space for trust and adaptability, we accelerated our roadmap by nine months and increased customer expansion revenue by 30%. THE LEADING INDICATORS OF A RESILIENT TEAM And while a dramatic turnaround like that is a powerful proof point, leaders can't afford to wait for lagging indicators to gauge their team's health. So, I've learned to watch for the subtle leading signals that show up in the daily rhythm of the business. Here's what I track now: Pace Of Decision-Making: A slowdown is often the first sign that trust is fraying and people are avoiding difficult conversations. Quality Of Escalations: It's not just volume, but what's being surfaced. Too many escalations can signal a lack of peer trust, while too few may mean people fear speaking up. Leadership Stability: High senior-level churn is an unmistakable red light for breakdowns in executive trust. Speed Of Course-Correction: A team that trusts itself admits and learns from mistakes quickly, rather than letting them fester. Tracking these signals provides a real-time dashboard of your team's health and allows you to make adjustments before cracks become fractures. TO SCALE FASTER, YOU MUST FIRST BUILD THE FOUNDATION Ultimately, this all points to the most counterintuitive lesson I've learned about leading through hypergrowth: the temptation is always to sprint nonstop, but enduring speed only comes from slowing down first. You have to pause to build the norms that allow a team to thrive under pressure—a discipline that's more essential than ever as distributed work strains informal trust-building. In my experience, you don't win by simply moving faster; you win by being structurally ready for the journey. And investing the time upfront to build the operating system of alignment, trust, and adaptability is the fundamental design choice a leader can make to ensure growth is not just rapid, but also sustainable and durable.
The Herald
26-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald
Wines inspired by an adventurous cow
SA's indigenous Nguni cattle are known for their adaptability to different, often harsh, environments and their resilience to pests and diseases, as well as being particularly beautiful animals with their distinctive horns and wide variety of coat colours and patterns. What might these cows and wine have in common though? There's the adaptability of grape vines to different wine-growing regions; the fascinating variety of grapes, winemaking styles and blends; and the resilience required of both vines and winemakers to survive in a business subject to the vagaries of weather, pests, red tape and Trump tariffs, and still produce an intriguing, beautiful product. Which makes Survivor a pretty apt name for a wine brand whose story starts with an Nguni cow. The story goes that this particular cow was being transported through the Swartland on the back of a truck when she spotted a chance at freedom and leapt from the truck into a vineyard alongside the road. The unsuspecting cattle farmer discovered her escape only some kilometres later and was in search of the wayward bovine when he encountered the grape farmer who had just found the surprise of an unknown cow happily grazing in his vineyard. The cow, uninjured by her gymnastic feat, was gifted to the grape farmer, who named her Survivor and then offered her name to a winemaking customer looking for a name for a new wine brand, and Survivor Wines was born in 2014. Sadly, Survivor departed her happy existence last year, but she lives on in the names and labels of Survivor wines. Cellarmaster Pierre Wahl, in the Bay recently to share some of the latest releases, sources grapes from a diversity of wine-growing regions — from the arid Swartland to cool-climate Elgin — making some into terroir-specific wines and also using the diverse building blocks in his love of complex and intriguing blends. You could say the Survivor range is as diverse and distinctive as the patterns unique to each Nguni's hide. In the Survivor Terroir range, Swartland Chenin (R160 ex-cellar), half of it wild-fermented and matured in barrels before blending, is juicy and crisp, peachy in flavour with the zing of pineapple for bright acidity and a mineral streak to finish. By contrast, Survivor Reserve Chenin (R350), from old, low-yielding bushvines in a different Swartland site, is 100% barrel fermented and aged for 11 months. Here the characteristic pineapple turns grilled and caramelised, the wine fragrant with lemon grass, citrus zest, delicate nuttiness — a delicious wine of complexity and depth. The Survivor Cellar Master Chardonnay, from Tradouw outside Barrydale, (±R400), is creamy and full-bodied, but fresh with ripe yellow fruit, vanilla notes and a zingy citrus finish and a touch of cool-climate minerality. Partly wooded in untoasted and older barrels, the oak influence just lending structure and texture. Pinotage, with which Wahl put Rijk's in Tulbagh on the map, is a strong feature through the ranges. Survivor Terroir Pinotage, from the cooler Swartland area of Darling (R200), has juicy black cherries with savoury, spicy notes blended with delicate florals; fresh, flavourful easy drinking. The Reserve Pinotage (R465) is a decadent exploration of the grape's darker side — deep, rich and full-bodied, with inky dark fruit, salted liquorice and cigarbox spice, the layers unfold and shift with every sip. The first, and well deserved, Platter's 5* for Survivor. The pinnacle of Wahl's love of pinotage and of blending comes in the Cellar Master Reunion (R515), uniting pinotage with its parent grapes of pinot noir and cinsault in blend that combines vibrant fresh cherries and strawberries with finely woven layers of darker fruits, spice, flintiness and earthy mushroomy umami notes, all integrated into a harmonious whole; a rare and very desirable treat. Just for some more fun- and pun-filled survivalist cow antics, search Google or YouTube for 'cows with guns' and have a laugh at the graphics and lyrics, which play very well with a glass of Survivor Pinotage.
Forbes
22-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The End Of Business As Usual: AI And The Fall Of Slow Companies
In the AI era, speed and adaptability now beat size and structure as individuals and small teams ... More outpace the giants. In a recent story, Shelly Palmer shares the example of a 19-year-old college dropout from Detroit who built a $30,000-a-month SaaS business in just ninety days. He did it solo, in six hours, using Claude, ChatGPT, and no-code platforms. This isn't an exception. It's a signal of what's next Palmer puts it simply: when anyone can execute instantly, the real advantage shifts to how fast you can generate ideas and get to market. Speed, not scale, wins. For more than two decades, I've operated like a street fighter. From launching creative ventures to advising Fortune 500 leaders, the mindset has always been the same. Be quick. Be lean. Be relentless. Generative AI has taken that approach and multiplied its impact. It compresses research into hours, turns prompts into prototypes, and gives individuals the power that used to belong only to large, well-resourced teams. While solo builders are accelerating, traditional enterprises are hitting resistance. The very structures that once helped them scale, such as annual planning, layered approvals, and institutional process, now slow them down. Palmer's warning is clear. Big companies should be nervous. If it takes you months to greenlight a project, you will lose to someone who builds and pivots daily. Harvard Business School found that companies using small, cross-functional teams to explore AI outperformed their peers by 25 percent in revenue growth within eighteen months. This approach works because it grants minimum viable autonomy. When teams can move quickly within smart constraints, they generate momentum faster than those stuck in outdated hierarchies. So, what does it mean to be an AI street fighter today? Start by collapsing the idea-to-execution cycle. Don't wait for permission. Build now. Use GPT-4, Claude, or Gemini to create a landing page, model a pricing strategy, or write a pitch. Run it past customers immediately and adjust. What used to take months now takes days. Rethink how you learn. Street fighters lead with curiosity, not credentials. They ask why not instead of can we. They are quick to unlearn what's obsolete. Slow-moving workflows and top-down project plans are often the first to go when speed becomes the goal. Develop deep expertise in one area, like natural language processing, while building enough knowledge in related fields to collaborate effectively across teams. The most valuable contributors today are AI-literate individuals who can bridge the gap between technology and business. Work is no longer confined to office walls or org charts. The most agile leaders are building hybrid teams with freelancers, independent specialists, and fractional executives. These setups bypass the friction of hiring cycles and give teams the flexibility to scale up or down as needed. The smartest organizations are also treating talent like a community, not a commodity. AI might handle the matching, but it takes people to build connection and trust. Platforms that combine automation with mentorship, training, and human support are creating long-term engagement that goes far beyond a single project. Experimentation has to become a habit, not a special initiative. This means allocating resources for small, fast tests and tracking indicators like cycle time or feedback loops rather than just financial results. Progress today is often measured in learning velocity, not just revenue. The future will favor those who move quickly, stay curious, and embrace change as a constant. If you see yourself as scrappy, resourceful, and unafraid of uncertainty, AI is not your competition. It is your edge. The bell has rung. We are in a new arena. The winners won't be the biggest. They will be the ones who learn the fastest and punch above their weight.
