Unlocking the potential of Chitwan as next capital region

Kathmandu has long served as Nepal’s political, economic, and cultural epicenter, anchoring the nation’s governance and commerce. However, the capital faces mounting challenges due to rapid urbanization, severe congestion, environmental degradation, and significant natural disaster risks, particularly earthquakes. These pressures have fueled discussions about the feasibility of establishing a new or expanded National Capital Region (NCR) to alleviate the strain on Kathmandu and promote balanced national development. Among the potential candidates, Chitwan District, located in Bagmati Province, emerges as a compelling choice due to its strategic location, robust infrastructure, and growing economic vitality. 

Why Chitwan?

Chitwan district stands out as a prime candidate for hosting a National Capital Region due to its unique combination of geographic, economic, and infrastructural advantages. The district’s central position in Nepal positions it as a critical link between the country’s eastern and western regions, facilitating efficient logistics and connectivity. Major highways, including the East-West Highway and Prithvi Highway, traverse Chitwan, seamlessly connecting it to key cities across Nepal. This robust road network supports the movement of goods, services, and people, making Chitwan a natural hub for commerce and administration. Additionally, Bharatpur Airport, which currently operates flights to Kathmandu and Pokhara, holds significant potential for expansion. With targeted investments, the airport could accommodate regional and even international air traffic, further enhancing Chitwan’s accessibility and economic reach.

Economically, Chitwan is a powerhouse within Nepal. Bharatpur, the district’s largest city, ranks as the country’s fourth-largest urban center and is experiencing rapid growth in population and infrastructure. The city is home to a diverse array of industries, including agriculture, trade, and education, with prominent institutions such as agricultural research centers and medical colleges driving economic activity. By positioning Bharatpur as a commercial and administrative hub, Nepal could diversify its urban landscape, reducing the overwhelming dependence on Kathmandu. This shift would not only alleviate congestion in the capital but also stimulate economic growth in Chitwan, creating new opportunities for employment and investment.

Beyond its logistical and economic strengths, Chitwan offers a more resilient environment for urban development compared to Kathmandu. Unlike the capital, which sits in a seismically vulnerable valley, Chitwan rests on relatively stable land, reducing the risks posed by earthquakes. The district also provides ample space for planned urban expansion, allowing for the development of modern infrastructure tailored to the needs of a growing population. While certain areas of Chitwan face flood risks, these challenges can be addressed through careful urban planning and investment in flood mitigation measures. By leveraging its geographic and environmental advantages, Chitwan could serve as a sustainable foundation for a new national capital region.

Expanding the national capital region: Neighboring territories

To maximize the sustainability and impact of a National Capital Region centered in Chitwan, incorporating neighboring districts into the plan is essential. This expansion would foster greater economic and administrative coordination, creating a regional framework that balances growth across multiple areas. Nawalpur, also known as Nawalparasi East, lies to the west of the Narayani River and offers significant industrial potential. Its strategic location makes it a vital link between Chitwan and Lumbini Province, facilitating trade and logistics across southern Nepal. Nawalpur’s flat terrain and access to resources position it as an ideal location for developing major industrial zones and business hubs, which could complement Chitwan’s economic activities and drive regional prosperity.

Makwanpur district, located to the north of Chitwan, is another strong candidate for inclusion in the NCR. Hetauda, the capital of Bagmati Province, is a well-established industrial and trade center with a strategic position at the crossroads of Chitwan, Kathmandu, and eastern Nepal. Expanding Hetauda’s infrastructure could support industrial growth and urban development, creating a secondary hub within the NCR that complements Bharatpur’s administrative and commercial functions. Hetauda’s existing industrial base, coupled with its proximity to major highways, makes it a natural fit for the regional framework, enabling seamless coordination across the NCR.

Eastern Tanahun and western Bara also present compelling opportunities for inclusion. Tanahun, located to the northwest of Chitwan, is home to emerging urban centers that could contribute to the NCR’s growth. Its proximity to Chitwan ensures easy integration into the regional network, allowing for coordinated development of infrastructure and services. Bara, to the south, is a key industrial hub, particularly in the area of Simara, which hosts significant industrial activity and an airport. This airport could serve as a secondary transit hub for the NCR, supporting Bharatpur Airport and enhancing the region’s connectivity. By incorporating these districts, the NCR would create a robust network of urban and industrial centers, fostering economic synergy and balanced development across central Nepal.

Challenges and considerations

While the prospect of establishing a National Capital Region in Chitwan and its surrounding districts holds immense promise, several challenges must be addressed to ensure its success. Political and administrative resistance poses a significant hurdle, as relocating or expanding the capital region would require broad consensus among stakeholders. Local interests, regional power dynamics, and bureaucratic inertia could complicate the decision-making process, necessitating careful long-term planning and transparent communication to build support. Engaging local communities and addressing their concerns will be critical to overcoming resistance and ensuring the project’s viability.

Environmental sustainability is another key consideration. Chitwan is home to the renowned Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a critical ecological asset. Urban expansion in the region must be carefully managed to avoid disrupting the park’s delicate ecosystem and biodiversity. Sustainable urban planning practices, such as green infrastructure and eco-friendly construction, will be essential to preserving Chitwan’s natural resources while accommodating growth. Additionally, flood risks in certain areas of the district must be mitigated through advanced engineering solutions, such as improved drainage systems and river management strategies, to ensure the safety and resilience of new developments.

The development of a National Capital Region will also require substantial financial investment in infrastructure. Expanding highways, upgrading Bharatpur Airport, and developing utilities such as water, electricity, and telecommunications will demand significant resources and coordination between government agencies, private investors, and international partners. Securing funding for these projects while maintaining fiscal responsibility will be a complex but necessary task. Public-private partnerships and international development assistance could play a pivotal role in financing the NCR’s infrastructure, ensuring that the region is equipped to support its growing population and economic activity.

Designating Chitwan District as the core of a new National Capital Region, with the inclusion of neighboring districts such as Nawalpur, Makwanpur, Tanahun, and Bara, offers a transformative opportunity for Nepal. This strategic move would decentralize governance, reduce the strain on Kathmandu, and promote balanced economic development across the country. By leveraging Chitwan’s central location, robust infrastructure, and economic potential, Nepal could create a modern, resilient, and sustainable administrative hub. The inclusion of neighboring districts would enhance the NCR’s economic and logistical capabilities, fostering regional synergy and long-term growth.

However, realizing this vision will require overcoming significant challenges, including political resistance, environmental concerns, and the need for substantial infrastructure investment. Through strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and a commitment to sustainability, these obstacles can be addressed effectively. A well-executed National Capital Region centered in Chitwan could not only alleviate Kathmandu’s congestion but also establish a dynamic new center for governance, commerce, and innovation. This bold initiative has the potential to reshape Nepal’s urban landscape, driving economic progress and improving the quality of life for its citizens for generations to come.

 

Five essential foods that boost metabolism

Before we analyze the foods that boost metabolism, let’s first understand what metabolism signifies and how it functions in our bodies. Simply put, the chemical chain reaction in your body cells, which converts the food you eat into energy, is called metabolism. Also, metabolism is your body’s internal process, enabling you to expend energy and burn calories.

Your body requires this energy to perform every action in daily life, whether walking, sitting, playing, or even putting on your thinking cap. A score of proteins in your body regulate the chemical reactions of metabolism for the body to function and survive. It’s fascinating to know that your metabolism, tirelessly expending energy and burning calories, operates day and night, even while resting or sleeping. This continuous process is a reassuring testament to your body’s natural efficiency, providing comfort and confidence in your body’s capabilities.

Your body’s metabolism can be affected by various factors, including stress, lack of exercise, gender, age, genetics, prescribed drugs, sleep disorders, and hormonal imbalances, which can slow your metabolism. Still, you can enhance it by retaining a regular exercise regimen and eating foods that boost your metabolism. Workout, particularly strength training, can increase muscle mass, promoting metabolism. If you keep your body healthy, your metabolism works better. Regular physical activity, such as walking, running, cycling, or other cardio or resistance training, also plays a pivotal role in maintaining optimal metabolic health.

Understanding the crucial role of a balanced diet, regular exercise, plenty of sleep, and a well-hydrated body in promoting full-scale metabolism can empower you to make informed food choices and keep your energy levels up day and night. It's all about taking control of your health and instilling a sense of empowerment and control in your health voyage.

A myriad of foods loaded with nutrients help bolster metabolic health and the rate at which your body burns calories. The higher your metabolic rate, the more calories you burn, allowing you to shed unwanted excess weight. In turn, these foods may help you keep obesity at bay and reduce the risks of related health issues.

Apart from food, maintaining ideal metabolic health, drinking enough water, getting adequate sleep, and engaging in regular workouts (such as walking, running, cycling, or other cardio or resistance training) play a dominant role.

According to the experts, a miscellany of foods and nutrients helps maintain and elevate metabolic robustness. Let’s zero in on the five best foods that help bolster your metabolism. All you have to do is incorporate such foods into your balanced meal plan.

Protein-rich food

Understanding that protein serves as the building block of our body and retains a key position in stimulating metabolism can empower you to make confident dietary decisions. Protein-packed foods include:

  • Fish, such as salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, or other fatty fish. They are rich in protein and Omega-3 fatty acids. Protein intake burns more calories, day and night, even during sleep.
  • Other protein-dense foods include chicken, lean meat like pork tenderloin, seafood, eggs, dairy products, nuts, and seeds. High protein also helps to enhance your muscle mass and aids in cutting down on body fat. Besides, these protein-rich foods contain Vitamin B, influencing energy levels, brain function, and cell metabolism.

Legumes and beans

Learning that legumes, such as kidney beans, peanuts, lima beans, green peas, and garbanzo beans, are protein-rich, nutrient-dense foods that can beef up your metabolic health can reassure you and boost your confidence in your food choices.

Another benefit of a high protein intake is that it helps curb your sweet tooth, keeping you fuller for extended periods and preventing unnecessary snacking or overeating.

Spinach

It’s an open secret that besides cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, or cabbage, fresh leafy greens pack a lot of nutrients to maintain an overall healthy life. Loaded with multiple minerals, Spinach also provides an abundant serving of iron.

Spinach is a source of nonheme, non-animal iron protein. Nonheme iron is found in plant-based foods and is not as easily absorbed by the body as heme iron derived from animal products. However, a regular diet of Spinach can still provide a significant amount of iron, which is essential for muscle function and metabolism.

Chili peppers/spices

You must understand that no single food can hike up your metabolic rate. Research suggests that the intake of chili peppers may foster your metabolism when paired with a healthy, balanced diet. An active phytonutrient called capsaicin in chili peppers, such as Aji Amarillo, Jalapeno peppers, serrano peppers, cayenne pepper, and habanero, among others, hikes up the thermogenesis level in the body.

Thermogenesis is the process of heat production in the body, which pushes the internal body cells and tissues to generate heat that speeds up lipid metabolism and burns body fat more efficiently—the gateway to losing body weight. In simpler terms, eating chili peppers can make your body produce more heat, which in turn burns more calories and fat. This process is critical in understanding how certain foods can increase calorie burning and facilitate metabolism.

Research studies suggest that a dose of capsaicin as low as six to ten mg daily, equivalent to one jalapeno pepper, is enough to burn body fat substantially. However, the said dose might not work for those used to eating highly spicy food.

Green tea

Good news for green tea lovers! Our body is constantly burning calories. Scientific studies suggest that drinking green tea regularly may reduce the risk of several diseases, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, due to its health-promoting compounds, such as catechins and EGCG, which work as potential metabolism boosters.

These compounds, found in high concentrations in green tea, are antioxidants that may reinforce metabolism and help burn fat. A regular intake of green tea (approximately three to five cups a day) may be a fat-burning tool to support your metabolism.

Furthermore, green tea contains caffeine. This natural chemical stimulant can increase alertness, enhance exercise performance, and also aid in revving up your metabolism.

Summary

Aside from the five recommended foods mentioned above, numerous other food items purportedly boost your metabolism, making the list quite extensive. This variety can make your journey to a healthier metabolism exciting and full of discoveries, sparking curiosity and engagement in your health voyage.

Some of these items include certain fruits, vegetables, and spices. However, I’d like to emphasize that, in addition to food, regular exercise, a balanced diet paired with metabolism-enhancing food, keeping yourself well-hydrated, and getting ample sleep are all crucial to retaining a healthy, functional metabolism.

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the above text are solely research-based, not medical advice; the author solicits readers to exercise their discretion and cross-reference. Each individual’s dietary needs are unique, so it’s essential to consult your healthcare provider for personalized advice.

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AI today and in the future

Artificial intelligence (AI)—encompassing machine learning, neural networks, generative models, and advanced algorithms—is a defining technology of the 21st century, reshaping economies, societies, and global systems. Its capacity to address pressing challenges is unparalleled: AI-driven climate models enhance disaster preparedness, medical diagnostics accelerate drug discovery, and predictive tools boost economic efficiency. Yet, these advancements carry significant risks, including deepening wealth inequalities through corporate monopolies, enabling digital authoritarianism via surveillance systems, and threatening individual freedoms through unchecked data exploitation. The dual nature of AI—its potential for progress and peril—raises a critical question: How can society harness its benefits while mitigating its dangers?

This article does not address the Nepal-specific context, as that could be a comprehensive topic for a separate write-up. Instead, it examines the trajectory of state-of-the-art AI through a multifaceted lens: historical lessons, information networks, practical applications, health and media innovations, corporate accountability, global competition, and ethical realities. We argue that deliberate, equitable governance, ethical system design, and robust global cooperation can maximize AI’s societal benefits while preventing division, surveillance states, or corporate-driven harm. Without proactive measures, AI risks eroding democratic liberties and exacerbating global inequities. With foresight and collective action, however, it can foster an inclusive future prioritizing shared prosperity, human dignity, and sustainable progress.

Historical lessons and corporate power: governing technology for equity

History shows that transformative technologies drive progress but often concentrate wealth and power unless governed equitably. For centuries, global productivity growth stagnated, with innovations like the iron plow benefiting feudal elites while most lived in subsistence. The Industrial Revolution marked a shift, with steam engines and mechanized production boosting annual growth from 0.1 percent to 1.9 percent by the late 19th century, and averaging 2.8 percent through the 20th century. Yet, mechanization displaced workers, sparking unrest until labor movements and policies like the Factory Acts secured protections such as fair wages and working hours. This pattern underscores a key lesson: technological advancements require governance to ensure broad societal benefits.

AI’s evolution mirrors this dynamic. From IBM’s Deep Blue defeating chess champion Garry Kasparov in 1997 to transformer-based models enabling nuanced language processing, AI has advanced from narrow applications to systems with widespread impact. However, a “productivity paradox” persists: global labor productivity growth slowed to 1.8 percent annually between 2005 and 2015, down from 2.5 percent in the 1990s, due to uneven adoption, skill gaps, and corporate prioritization of shareholder value over societal good.

AI offers a path to reverse this trend, streamlining manufacturing and increasing agricultural yields through precision farming tools, such as AI-powered irrigation systems in sub-Saharan Africa that enhance food security. Yet, without equitable deployment, AI risks replicating historical inequities. Tech giants and state-backed firms could monopolize benefits, marginalizing workers and smaller economies. Corporate monopolies control vast data and computational resources, stifling competition and limiting access, particularly in developing economies. Corporate negligence, such as failing to moderate harmful content, has fueled social unrest and public health crises, while partnerships with authoritarian regimes for surveillance tools highlight complicity in undermining freedoms. To counter these risks, antitrust enforcement, public investment in research, and upskilling programs are essential. Policies like universal basic income, piloted in Scandinavia, support workers displaced by automation, enabling retraining for an AI-driven economy. Transparent accountability mechanisms and global standards, despite resistance from corporate lobbying, are critical to ensure AI fosters inclusive growth rather than concentrated power.

AI as an information network: Connectivity and risks

AI extends humanity’s information networks, building on the legacy of the printing press, telegraph, and internet, which enabled unprecedented cooperation but also amplified risks like misinformation and propaganda. AI embodies this duality. It enhances global connectivity and efficiency, with climate models improving flood predictions in vulnerable regions and predictive algorithms optimizing retail supply chains to reduce waste and costs. These advancements demonstrate AI’s potential to strengthen global systems and foster collaboration.

However, AI networks pose significant dangers. Fabricated content, such as deepfake videos, erodes trust in democratic processes, as seen in election-related misinformation campaigns. Authoritarian regimes leverage AI for behavioral surveillance, tracking citizens through data-driven systems. Corporate negligence exacerbates these risks, with social media platforms often failing to curb harmful content due to profit-driven priorities. Solutions include algorithmic transparency, strict content moderation, and decentralized data governance. Some democracies mandate audits of AI systems to prevent bias and misinformation, but global enforcement remains fragmented due to corporate resistance and varying legal standards. Robust accountability mechanisms are essential to ensure AI serves as a tool for cooperation rather than division.

Practical applications and health innovations: Promise and pitfalls

AI’s practical applications span diverse sectors, driving productivity when designed collaboratively and ethically. In education, AI-powered tutoring systems address teacher shortages, improving outcomes in underserved areas. In energy, AI-optimized grids enhance reliability, reducing outages in unstable infrastructures. In logistics, predictive models streamline delivery networks, cutting costs and emissions, as seen in AI-driven route optimization in shipping that reduces fuel consumption. Long-term, AI holds promise for climate solutions like advanced carbon capture and renewable energy forecasting, critical for global net-zero targets.

In healthcare, AI is revolutionizing synthetic biology and diagnostics. AI-driven protein modeling accelerates drug discovery for diseases like cancer, while diagnostic tools enhance accuracy in resource-constrained settings, improving tuberculosis detection in low-income regions. AI-engineered microbes show promise in reducing environmental waste, aligning health innovation with sustainability.

However, pitfalls persist. Biased algorithms, trained on skewed datasets, perpetuate inequities, as seen in early AI hiring tools that favored certain demographics. Flawed datasets in healthcare can lead to misdiagnoses, while underrepresentation of diverse populations reduces efficacy and exacerbates health inequities. Biosecurity risks, such as AI designing harmful pathogens, demand urgent attention. Misinformation on AI-driven platforms has eroded public trust, fueling vaccine hesitancy during health crises.

To address these challenges, bias audits, mandatory kill switches, and human-in-the-loop frameworks ensure oversight. Transparent, inclusive datasets and international oversight through global health AI guidelines are vital, as are robust bioethics protocols. Regulatory delays hinder progress, with some regions struggling to implement biosecurity measures. Collaborative innovation—pairing public, private, and academic efforts with ethical scrutiny—will ensure AI drives progress without deepening divides or enabling unchecked power.

AI, media, and democratic governance: Strengthening civic engagement

AI is reshaping political discourse, amplifying populist narratives while offering tools to strengthen democratic engagement. Social media algorithms fuel sensationalism, polarizing societies and undermining trust in institutions. Micro-targeting exploits psychological data to sway voters, and privacy-invasive systems threaten autonomy, with large-scale voter data systems raising concerns about surveillance and democratic erosion. Yet, AI also empowers civic participation. Digital platforms facilitate transparent budget audits, uncovering fraud and enhancing governance, while AI-driven apps boost voter turnout by simplifying access to information and fostering community engagement.

To counter manipulation, algorithmic transparency and independent content moderation are critical. Some governments require platforms to disclose content prioritization methods, reducing harmful narratives. Balancing free speech with global standards remains challenging, particularly on platforms where echo chambers entrench division. Public literacy programs, teaching citizens to evaluate AI-driven content critically, are vital. Inclusive governance, such as participatory platforms engaging diverse voices, can protect democracy. By leveraging AI’s potential for transparency and engagement while addressing its risks, societies can strengthen democratic institutions in an era of rapid technological change.

Global competition and ethical realities: Navigating geopolitics and technical limits

The US-China AI race is reshaping global geopolitics, with both nations vying for technological supremacy. The US leverages advanced chip production and private-sector innovation, while China counters with state investment and domestically developed models. Developing nations, caught in this rivalry, face risks of surveillance and economic dependency, as seen in the adoption of certain 5G infrastructures. Sanctions and competing economic systems deepen divides, with hardware access restrictions prompting alternative supply chains and technological fragmentation.

AI excels in specific tasks but falls short of general intelligence, revealing technical and ethical limitations. Adversarial attacks, where systems misinterpret inputs, and biased outputs from skewed datasets highlight the alignment problem: AI often fails to reflect human values. Errors in welfare systems have excluded vulnerable populations, while biased algorithms perpetuate inequities in justice and hiring. Regulatory frameworks, like risk assessments and transparency mandates, aim to address these issues, but rapid advances outpace governance. Interdisciplinary research, including AI ethics boards, reduces bias through iterative testing, though encoding diverse values, particularly from underrepresented regions, remains challenging.

Cooperative frameworks, such as international AI safety protocols, aim to curb escalation, but geopolitical tensions and corporate interests undermine progress. Developing nations are building local AI capacity through public-private partnerships and research hubs tailored to local needs. AI-driven military systems and surveillance programs threaten privacy and freedom, with global powers deploying data collection at unprecedented scales. Global ethical standards, transparent governance, and international treaties can balance security and liberty, but superpower rivalries complicate cooperation. Balancing competition with collaboration is essential to ensure AI drives global progress rather than conflict or exclusion.

Conclusion: A human-centric vision for AI’s future

AI’s potential to tackle humanity’s greatest challenges—healthcare, productivity, climate change—is matched by its risks to equity, freedom, and trust. Historical lessons, from the Industrial Revolution to modern generative models, underscore the need for deliberate, inclusive policies. Collaborative innovation, corporate accountability, and global cooperation provide a roadmap for a sustainable AI future. Antitrust measures, workforce upskilling, and public investment counter wealth concentration, while transparent information networks and ethical frameworks mitigate misinformation and biases. Global treaties prevent technological fragmentation, and public literacy empowers democratic oversight.

AI raises profound questions about truth, agency, and global power, challenging traditional notions of knowledge and autonomy. By prioritizing human dignity, fairness, and freedom through ethical design and governance, we can ensure AI’s benefits outweigh its harms. Interdisciplinary collaboration—spanning governments, academia, and civil society—can overcome corporate lobbying and technical complexity, steering AI toward collective human progress. This human-centric vision fosters an inclusive future where technology amplifies shared potential, driving equitable, sustainable progress for all.

Note: The author acknowledges using large language models, such as Grok and ChatGPT, to edit this article

 

Bringing back the mammoth: Should we do it?

Alright, buckle up because out of all the wild science headlines this decade, nothing’s got people buzzing like this. Scientists are genuinely trying to bring back the woolly mammoth. Not in a “run for your life, T. rex on the loose” kind of way, but as a legit plan to tackle climate change. Sounds like science fiction, right? But gene-editing nerds are already in the lab, mixing DNA like it’s a high-stakes cocktail party. Which begs the question: Just because we can play Dr Frankenstein with extinct creatures, does that mean we actually should?

How are they pulling this off? Here’s the deal. Nobody’s pulling a frozen mammoth out of the ice and zapping it back to life. Instead, the plan is to grab some DNA from those long-dead shaggy beasts and mash it together with Asian elephant DNA, the mammoth’s closest living cousin. What do you get? Basically a cold-resistant elephant-mammoth mix that’s supposed to be right at home in Siberia’s freezing tundra.

A startup with the Hollywood-ready name Colossal Biosciences is leading the charge, and Harvard’s George Church is the ringmaster. Their pitch is simple. Let these mammoth-like creatures loose in the tundra, and they’ll stomp around, restore grasslands, trap carbon, and maybe slow down global warming. It’s not just a nostalgia trip for Ice Age fans. It’s eco-engineering on steroids.

Sounds epic, but let’s pump the brakes. Playing God with extinct animals comes with a truckload of headaches. What if the mammoth-elephant hybrids end up suffering in ways we can’t predict? Or what if they break out of their “controlled” parks and start trashing today’s ecosystems? And here’s a big question. Should we really be tossing millions at resurrecting the dead when actual endangered animals like rhinos and tigers are disappearing right now?

Some folks say we’re just making pricey sideshows for rich people’s zoos. Others believe science could help us save animals teetering on the edge today. Depends on who you ask.

Alright, so Nepal’s not exactly in the running for best habitat for mammoths. But don’t tune out yet. This gene-editing tech could totally shake up conservation in the Himalayas too. Imagine using it to bring back lost mountain plants or even strengthen snow leopards so they don’t get wiped out by new diseases.

Dr Neelam Thakur at Bir Hospital says Nepal should keep a close eye on all this. “We might not be leading the charge in de-extinction, but these techniques could help our own species hang on,” she says. The catch is Nepal has almost no rules for this stuff. If we just jump in, it’s basically an ethical free-for-all.

De-extinction shouldn’t be a free-for-all where anyone with a gene gun can play mad scientist. If we’re going to do this, we need real rules, ecological studies, and public debate, not just billionaires chasing headlines and viral videos.

For Nepal, the takeaway is simple. Put money into genetic research that helps the wildlife we have now. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves dreaming about reviving the ghosts of the past.

Woolly mammoth comebacks aren’t science fiction anymore. They’re in the works. The big question isn’t “Can we pull it off?” It’s “Will this actually make the world better, or is it just a weird flex?” If we play it smart, de-extinction could be one more tool to heal broken ecosystems. But saving what’s still alive should be the priority, for Nepal and everywhere else. Because once species are gone, bringing them back is a lot harder than protecting them in the first place.

Prakash Khadka

Kathmandu Model College, Bagbazar