As the old saying goes: “Practice makes perfect.” But according to evolutionary biologist Rowan Cooper, this may not be the case at all. It is, quite simply, a matter of genetics.
Cooper, author of Superhumans: Life at the Extremes of Mental and Physical Ability, has voiced reservations about the "10,000 Hour Rule", a theory popularised by the journalist Malcolm Gladwell, which states that anyone can become "world-class" in a specific task through dedication – or to be precise, 20 hours of practice a week for 10 years.
Speaking at the Emirates Festival of Literature, however, Cooper said: "You do need to have something innate if you're talking about being the best in the world."
Using the example of the world’s finest opera singers, Cooper explained: “If I ask them, ‘Where do you think your ability comes from?’ they say, ‘It is 99 per cent [down to] the work I’ve put in.’ They think it is all from nurture.
“But if you look at [the findings of] geneticists who have [studied] singers, it turns out that there’s a huge amount of genetics and nature involved […] Let’s say 50 per cent is genetic, is inherited. [You need to find] a balance between nature and nurture. It’s not one or the other, it’s always both things that work together.”
Cooper continued: “It would be lovely if we could all practise ourselves to expertise. I’m talking about the best in the world – you can do 10,000 hours of practice but unless you’ve got that other thing, that genetic thing, you’re not going to become the best in the world.
“Look at the current world top 10 in chess. If the [theory about practice] is correct, you’d expect the top player to have practised more than the others. But it turns out that he’s practised less than all the others, so there’s a natural ability that you can’t fake, you can’t get over it just by practice.”
If that all sounds a bit dispiriting, don’t worry: there might be some benefits to focusing on genetics, rather than lifestyle. Cooper believes that changing your environment – “living incredibly well” – might mean you live into your 80s. But, he explained, "the only way you’re going to get up to 100 is genetics. Many people try to eat healthily and do exercise and all of that but, really, there’s not much you can do.” Since there’s nothing we can do, let’s crack open the sweets and chocolate.
Experiments conducted with people who have lived to over 100 show that, like the rest of us, they do have “nasty genes” for diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.
What sets these people apart, Cooper said, is “not that they have pure genomes. It’s that they have other genes that protect against the effects of the bad ones they have got.
"So now the race is on to find out what they are – and then hopefully make [them] for the rest of us.”
For more information and to buy tickets, visit: www.emirateslitfest.com
BLACKBERRY
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Company%20Profile
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
%E2%80%98FSO%20Safer%E2%80%99%20-%20a%20ticking%20bomb
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
THE%20SPECS
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore'
Rating: 3/5
Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Mads Mikkelson, Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Jude Law
Company%20profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Packages which the US Secret Service said contained possible explosive devices were sent to:
- Former first lady Hillary Clinton
- Former US president Barack Obama
- Philanthropist and businessman George Soros
- Former CIA director John Brennan at CNN's New York bureau
- Former Attorney General Eric Holder (delivered to former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz)
- California Congresswoman Maxine Waters (two devices)
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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The biog
Favourite books: 'Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life' by Jane D. Mathews and ‘The Moment of Lift’ by Melinda Gates
Favourite travel destination: Greece, a blend of ancient history and captivating nature. It always has given me a sense of joy, endless possibilities, positive energy and wonderful people that make you feel at home.
Favourite pastime: travelling and experiencing different cultures across the globe.
Favourite quote: “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders” - Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.
Favourite Movie: Mona Lisa Smile
Favourite Author: Kahlil Gibran
Favourite Artist: Meryl Streep
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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1.
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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7.
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Singapore
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8.
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Australia
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9.
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Saudi Arabia
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10.
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South Korea
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Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets