Author: Joe Paul Koola
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Biopiracy 2.0: Synthetic Biology, Pharmaceuticals, and the Geopolitics of Life
The use of piracy as a word for copyright infringement or unauthorised copying of resources (which will end up in profit) started in the 17th century. Over two centuries later, the founder of the ETC Group coined the word “biopiracy” to describe the corporate theft of physical biological resources and traditional knowledge from the Global…
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Biopiracy 2.0: The Digital Dematerialisation of Nature & The Future of Food
As foundational scholars like Vandana Shiva have extensively documented for decades, the global business of biology relied on a straightforward model of physical extraction. Traditional biopiracy was simple: corporations and researchers from wealthy, Western nations travelled to the developing world to harvest physical biological resources like seeds, plants, and soil alongside the indigenous knowledge that…
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The LEO Land Grab: Space Debris, Mega-Constellations, and the Dual-Use Dilemma
Hidden beyond the clouds remains one of the most valuable real estates in the solar system: Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Market valuations reflect this urgency, with the LEO satellite sector projected to grow from $7.11 billion to $8.14 billion in 2026, on a trajectory toward $13.49 billion by 2030. This economic surge is governed by…
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The Macaque Monopoly: The Quiet Geopolitical War Over Biomedical Research
A macaque is any of more than 20 species of Old World monkeys. All but one species, the Barbary macaque of North Africa, are Asian. Macaques are robust primates with dog-like muzzles and fur that is generally brown or black. Depending on the species, their tail may be long, short, or absent. This article details…
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The Deep-Sea Cold War: Submarine Cables and Data Sovereignty
As per Science Direct, the Submarine Cable is defined as such: “A ‘Submarine Cable’ refers to a type of cable that is laid on the seabed and plays a vital role in our everyday life, ensuring data security at national levels. These cables are vulnerable and difficult to repair, making them relatively unknown to the…
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“Peak Phosphorus” and the Geopolitics of Food
The National Institute of Health introduces the element phosphorus as such: “Phosphorus, an essential mineral, is naturally present in many foods and available as a dietary supplement. Phosphorus is a component of bones, teeth, DNA, and RNA. In the form of phospholipids, phosphorus is also a component of cell membrane structure and of the body’s…
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Why the Biologics Patent Cliff Is Failing to Cut Drug Costs?
Between 2025 and 2029, there is going to be a profound impact on the Pharmaceutical industry, catalysed by the Loss of Exclusivity. The loss of exclusivity signifies the expiration of the patents of biologics, causing a systemwide erosion of the market exclusivity held by several major pharmaceutical companies, resulting in a revenue contraction for these…
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Hidden Costs of AI-Assisted Coding & Global Best Practices Response
Artificial intelligence has fundamentally altered the economics of software development. Large Language Models embedded into coding environments now generate working code at a pace that would have been inconceivable just a few years ago. For firms facing competitive pressure, talent shortages, and compressed delivery timelines, AI-assisted coding appears to offer an almost frictionless productivity upgrade.…
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Volatile Beauty: Riding the Highs and Lows of the Silver
A metal that is now present everywhere, from solar panels to circuits, from water purifiers to medical devices, from investments to jewellery. An element of elegance is oftentimes outshone by its sibling, the element of luxury. The lunar caustic, whose value was stripped down after its demonetization in 1873, is making a comeback, and it…