We already know where many of the microplastics that enter our body end up. We have bad news

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That microplastics had managed to enter our body is something that we already knew in detail, especially considering that we have found them in the lungsin the placenta and even in the testicles. However, there were questions about where they accumulated in greater quantities in our body and what consequences does it have. Something that science has already solved. What they have seen. It has been thanks to a recent study published in the journal Environmental Science and Ecotechnology that it has finally been revealed that not only can cholesterol crystals be found in bile that end up generating stones, but also there are microplastics. And the worst of all is that they have a direct impact on the premature aging of the cells that make up our gallbladder. How do you know? To reach this conclusion, the researchers analyzed 14 samples of human bile: five from healthy patients without gallstones and nine from patients with gallstones. The results were conclusive, since they found microplastics in the samples, mainly highlighting two of them. the most common polymers in our daily lives: polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Here it could be seen that the particles had a size that ranged between 20 and 50 micrometers. A very relevant fact, since from these sizes is when they can cross the biological barriers, cross the intestine-liver axis and end up in the gallbladder of our liver. There is more. In addition to the presence of plastic in the bile, it could be seen that patients who had gallstones showed a higher load of microplastics. Something fundamental, since it is a fact that fits with recent research that suggests that these particles could act as ‘seeds’ around which cholesterol groups to form the dreaded stones in the gallbladder. What do they do? This is the key point of these studies, since we still do not have much idea of ​​the damage that microplastics can do to our body. Here it points out that bile causes mitochondrial dysfunction and promotes the aging of cholangiocytes, which are the cells that line the bile ducts. In previous experiments, it was possible to see that in the liver of laboratory mice exposed to environmental concentrations of microplastics there was alteration in the metabolism of bile acids and liver damage. In the case of humans, which increases oxidative stress. But the important thing is that in both cases the bile duct cell loses its ability to function correctly and ages prematurely, which in the long term could be related to liver and bile duct diseases. Can it be mitigated? Among the bad news, scientific literature suggests that there are ways to avoid it. One of the great protectors that exists is melatonin, suggesting that it can combat oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction generated by these synthetic intruders. In parallel, other recent experiments with human liver organoids have shown that the damage caused by microplastics improves when ursodeoxycholic acid is administered, which is the drug administered to ‘dissolve’ gallstones. The ‘magic’ of this compound is that it increases bile flow, suggesting that promoting a kind of natural “washing” of the bile duct could help reduce toxicity. A problem. The confirmation of bile as a “hidden reservoir” of microplastics highlights an undeniable reality: plastic pollution is no longer just an environmental problem in our oceans, but a systemic public health problem about which we know more and more data. The longer-term consequences, such as the relationship with gallbladder cancer, remain to be seen. Images | FREEPIK In Xataka | An 18-year-old girl has created the definitive weapon against microplastics: a filter that eliminates 96% of them from water

The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro wants to be different in the mid-range. We have tried it on the street and not everything is so simple

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If you are thinking of buying a mid-range mobile phone and are looking for something different, with personality and that design point that sets it apart from the rest, the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro It may have easily slipped onto your list. It is no coincidence: its proposal plays precisely in that field, that of offering something recognizable in an increasingly homogeneous segment. The question, as always, is whether this difference is accompanied by a good day-to-day experience. This is where our usual approach comes in. While Ivan Linares has been in charge of analyze the device in depth, Ana Boria has taken it one step further: it has been taken out of the controlled environment for a real test. The result is the latest video from Xataka’s YouTube channelwhere he tests the terminal in everyday situations and draws conclusions with context. Let’s get to it. When the cell phone takes to the streets: a real test in Lisbon The chosen scenario is not coincidental. Lisbon serves as a perfect test bed for evaluate a mobile phone in real conditions: outdoor photos, intensive use during the day, navigation, content consumption… This is where a device stops being a technical sheet and starts to show what it is made of. And in this case, as usually happens in the mid-range, there are lights and shadows. In the performance section, the approach is clear from the beginning. We are not looking at the latest Qualcomm processor, but that does not imply a bad experience. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 complies with solvency in daily use, something that Ana sums up bluntly: “I have not noticed any type of problem or performance, fluidity or anything.” A statement that points directly to what matters most in this range: stability and consistency. The software is another point that makes the difference. Nothing OS 4.1 is committed to a clean experience, without unnecessary additions, and that is noticeable from the first power on. “You don’t know how much pleasure it gave me to turn on the phone for the first time and not see anything at all. no bloodwarenot a single social media advertising app that I wouldn’t be interested in being there.” In a market where bloated software is still common, this approach carries weight. When we move to the camera, the analysis becomes more nuanced. The main sensor offers solid results, especially in favorable conditions, with “photos with adequate sharpness” and where “in general the white balance is correct.” It is not a revolution, but it is a reliable foundation. Of course, there is also room for improvement in certain scenarios, something that Ana hints at during the video. Beyond the camera, there are two elements that define the experience: battery and screen. They are the ones that accompany the user throughout the day and those that, ultimately, determine whether the mobile phone convinces or not. In the video they are put to real use that allows us to better understand how far the device goes in this area. And, of course, there is the most recognizable element of the phone. The rear with Glyph Matrix is ​​not only an aesthetic issue, it also introduces a customization component that is unusual in this segment. “There are different types of light designs to assign to different applications, but you can even upload images to create custom designs.” It is, in a way, the materialization of that initial idea: to offer something different. The complete analysis of the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro It is now available on the Xataka YouTube channel. If you want to understand how it behaves beyond the technical sheet and keep Ana’s final assessment, it is worth watching it calmly. Remember that you can also leave us your comments both on this article and on the video. Images | Xataka In Xataka | Poco X8 Pro Max, analysis: one of the largest batteries on the market arrives with a SoC that also has a lot to say

Mexico is getting its foot in the door in the semiconductor industry. It will take more than good intentions

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The return of donald trump to the White House it was like an alarm clock for the rest of the countries. It caused the rise of the feeling of European technological sovereigntybut also the awakening of his neighbors. That feeling was captured in the ‘Mexico Plan‘, a strategy for the country to stop depending so much on others and where technology plays a fundamental role. Because Mexico has decided to get into the conversation of the semiconductor industry, and the OECD He just said there is potential. But also some other problems. Intentions. Mexico’s intention is to complete a series of objectives to become the tenth economy in the world and, within that strategy, there are objectives such as reducing poverty and inequality, promoting tourism and promoting vaccines made in Mexico. Also generate 1.5 million jobs and enhance the technological network. Among the various initiatives to achieve this, there are two that stand out: electric cars for urban mobility (the Olinia project of which We expect news this summer) and semiconductors (the Kutsari project). Mexico has experience in both fields because there are powerful companies that manufacture their products in the country, but from being the factory to having all the legs of the chain there is one step. How things are going. However, without making much noise, the institutions are moving. Puebla, Sonora and Jalisco are the three proper names, the three headquarters chosen to develop this plan that allows Mexico to go from being a country that assembles chips for others to one that designs, manufactures and sells them. The three states are reinforcing investment and consolidation of already established infrastructure, as well as the construction of new buildings and agreements to attract and retain talent. In Sonora, for example, it is in the Mexico-US Trade Corridor. In Jalisco there is the Intel Design Center, so there are contacts and experience in integrated circuits. And Puebla will have one of the semiconductor production plants. Strengths. The idea is to start producing chips by 2028 with an eye toward commercialization by 2029. And beyond what Mexico says, it is interesting to see what other organizations have to say. Here the OECD comes in with a optimistic message in which he points out that Mexico already has that experience in the assembly and testing of chips, so it has a base on which to scale. They assure that the country has “a promising future” and a favorable position due to its geographical proximity to the main world market, a large and experienced workforce and an industrial network that, as we say, has already been tested by manufacturing chips for others. They also have data centers and plenty of land for renewable energy to power the industry. Something that the OECD also highlights is the talented labor base because 17% of Mexican graduates are from engineering areas, three points above the average for the OECD as a whole. The least optimistic face. Now, not everything is so optimistic. There is a difference between “potential and concrete execution” and there is critical positions with the country’s ability to meet energy and transportation requirements. security when developing this industry. Regarding education, although the OECD indicates that number of engineering graduates, only 16% of young people between 15 and 19 years old are enrolled in technical programs related to the sector compared to the average 23% of the organization. Water can also be a problem, but if there is one thing clear, it is that the country is more on track with its future as a producer of semiconductors than, for example, as a creator of mass electric cars with its own batteries. Because that’s where lithium comes into play and, although there is plenty of it in Mexico, It’s one thing to have it and another thing to refine it.. Images | mister rfflag of Mexico, Data Center (edited) In Xataka | The avocado “war”: the product that has brutally confronted Mexico and the United States for 80 years

Now their big techs are looking for talent at the institute

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China is quietly redefining who counts as tech talent. Some of its large companies in the sector have begun to skip university and recruit directly from institutes in a movement that indicates that creativity and learning ability are worth more than degrees. What until now seemed anecdotal is beginning to consolidate as a widely accepted deliberate strategy in search of talent. what’s happening. Beyond specific cases such as the signing of Chen Guangyu, a 17-year-old student from the Shenzhen technology hub, as an intern for Moonshot AI and who already signs first-level technical reportsthe trend is better understood with some examples: Huawei Genius Youth. Since 2019, the company has had a recruitment program looking for young geniuses. The Shanghai talent incubator by Zhang Yiming, founder of ByteDance: their goal is to hire 30 reserve researchers between 16 and 18 years old each year to train them in computer science and AI. Geely has an internship program for senior high school students with direct mentoring from their executives. Tencent has been running its Spark Program since 2019, an annual program to select students with high potential for internships in the company. The technology company also has an exclusive summer program for only 10 middle and high school students, such as pick up Sitx Tone. Why is it important. For decades, technological recruitment has operated on two axes: companies signed up for universities and the sector’s imagination celebrated the genius who left them. That companies as large as Tencent, Huawei, ByteDance or Geely skip both steps and go directly to the institutes is no coincidence: it is a sign that the speed of change in AI is making traditional training obsolete. If the talent that companies need is not in higher education when they need it, the market looks for where to find it. And he’s finding it sooner. Context. China has been stepping on the accelerator for decades in training: It is a world pool of engineers and is diversifying towards FP. It is true that behind this reality there are State plans that, without going any further, are currently erasing arts careers in favor of other strategic ones such as those related to AI. The icing on the cake is the perception of Chinese universities and their tendency towards memorization to the detriment of critical thinking and creativity, a criticism that has been documented for decades, as wield this Harvard report. And one layer below, there is need: the Asian giant’s race for technological talent is exacerbated by Western restrictions on the most advanced critical technology. In this scenario, self-sufficiency is an absolute priority, whether technological or human capital. The justification of the sector. Sixth Tone picked up the statements of Li Shufu, president of Geely, at the presentation event of its internship program: “In the era of AI there is a gap between the talent that companies need and what universities currently offer.” It also provides the statements of a human resources person from an artificial intelligence company who speaks directly about creativity. Those younger people who do not yet have fixed mental schemas can imagine different solutions and products, outside the academic canon, which in some contexts can be a competitive advantage. Crossing borders. The questioning of the university degree as a talent filter is a global phenomenon that is beginning to cross borders. One of the most aggressive companies in implementing it is the American Palantir, which last year recruited to 22 people who had recently graduated from high-level secondary school (they were aiming for the top universities) for paid internships with the possibility of direct hiring. It’s your “anti-scholarship”. Sergey Brin too has declared that Google hires a lot of people without a degree and that they are able to get by in a peculiar way. The signals are converging: the recruiting model from Shenzhen to Silicon Valley points to a shift in the most advanced segments, prioritizing ability over titles. In Xataka | China looks at VET: why more and more generation Z students prefer trades over university degrees In Xataka | China has a huge youth unemployment problem. So much so that some people pay to pretend to work Cover | kimmi jun and LYCS Architecture

An app promises to free men from their “addiction” to porn. Behind it is something darker: the NoFap movement

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“Embrace this pause. Reflect before you relapse.” It doesn’t refer to alcohol or drugs, but to porn. With this claim, Quittr is presented, an app for people looking for overcome your porn addiction. Although you can register as a woman, the app is clearly focused on the male audience, So I pretended to be Manuel 28 and made an account. It didn’t take me long to realize that giving up porn is the excuse to sell something else. As soon as you start, the app asks you a questionnaire about your consumption habits, such as how often you watch porn and what negative symptoms you have noticed in your life (it caught my attention that one of them was “Feeling distant from God”, this already gives clues as to where we are headed). As soon as I finished the questionnaire they already had a personalized plan for Manuel and they also promised me that by June 7 he would have stopped porn. The bad part is that it was going to cost me 31.99 euros per year, 20.99 euros if I accepted the offer. Giving up porn has a price. I haven’t paid, but I have been researching the features that Quittr offers. The app tracks your progress, which is represented by “the tree of life,” and the longer you go without porn, the more it grows. It also offers motivational exercises, has a “panic button” in case you are about to relapse, and also allows you to chat with other members of the community. Based on science, but little Both on the website and in the app itself they say several times that Quittr’s method is based on science, but let’s see if this is the case. As soon as you finish the questionnaire, a message appears that claims that pornography is a drug and that “releases a chemical in the brain called dopamine.” According to the WHO definitiona drug is “a natural or synthetic compound that acts on the central nervous system and produces alterations in the processes that regulate thoughts, emotions, perception and behavior.” Watching porn can generate pleasure, but nothing is being introduced into the body, it is a natural response. In this sense, if pornography is a drug because it “releases dopamine”, we should also consider anything that gives us pleasure a drug, from food to keeping the house tidy. What it can do is cause compulsive consumption, which we could describe as addiction, which is very different. The ICD-11 clinical guide includes “compulsive sexual behavior disorder”, but of course, that sells less. In the app’s description they also state that their method is “based on extensive research into the science of addictions,” but there is no link to any study. The NoFap movement Browsing the web, I have found that there are several influencers who promote the app. Well, they are all Christian fitness content creators such as Jeremiah Jones either Caleb Hammett. When I entered the news blog section it was already clear to me what this was about. Some of the news from Quittr’s blog. He NoFap movement It was born as a kind of support group for people who want to stop masturbation, either because they perceive it as an addiction or also for religious reasons. This idea began to become popular a few years ago and its scientific basis is a study conducted in 2003 which linked increased testosterone levels to abstinence from masturbation. The study was refuted, but continues to be cited in these circles. In the beginning, NoFap followers They were looking to increase their testosterone and improve your health, but Nowadays it has become a lifestyle with a strong religious component. In Spain we have the reference of René ZZ, whose content gave a radical turn from tattoos to religion, personal improvement and the abandonment of masturbation. Applications like Quittr or Relay They are sold as the solution to porn addiction, which is something that many people will see as positive, but they do not highlight the religious part that advocates these rigid and moralistic abstinence models. In slate They tell the story of one of these men who entered NoFap looking to quit porn and ended up trapped in a cycle of relapse and extreme shame that ended up seriously affecting his mental health. Quittr’s other secret In addition to the moralistic component that Quittr hides, there is another fact that has recently become known and it is a security problem in its app. They count in 404media that several hackers notified the creators of the app of a serious vulnerability that exposed the data of its users, among whom there are minors. The failure was no small thing. This was a bug in Google Firebase configuration that allowed anyone to authenticate as an administrator and read the database. User data includes age, how often they watch porn, and even messages about their masturbation habits. The problem is no longer that vulnerability exists, it is that Those responsible for Quittr did nothing for at least six months. The first researcher who notified the company even spoke with the founder of the app Alex Slater, who responded that he would solve it in a matter of hours, but months later it was still not solved. Finally, they reacted when 404media insisted for the third time. Image | Franco Alva in Unsplash In Xataka | There is already a European country that requires you to be 18 years old to watch porn on the Internet. And there are already a thousand ways to skip it

TikTok’s new hobby is to enter one of the most guarded buildings in Hollywood by surprise: Scientology

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The Church of Scientology building in Hollywood has been generating curiosity, controversy and mistrust in equal parts for decades. But in recent days, a group of content creators have found a peculiar way to interact with it: run inhold on as long as they can and leave through the emergency door before the staff escorts them there. The creation of traditional hooligan content, but in this case it allows you to take a morbid look inside buildings that jealously guard their secrets. Like Sonic, but faster. in culture gamera speedrun It consists of completing a video game in the shortest time possible, often exploiting unconventional routes and small system glitches to break records. To apply that logic to real life, there are a few kids who have chosen the Hollywood headquarters of the Church of Scientology as their setting, one of the most photographed and least known buildings in the neighborhood. The result: videos where the participants They burst through the front doorthey run through the hallways as much as the staff allows and end up being escorted to the exit. Nobody has gotten very far. Perverting the rules. The curious thing is that Scientology wants you to enter their buildings. Their headquarters are designed to attract curious visitors, with open tours and helpful staff. Of course: the organization prefers to do it on its own terms, guided, monitored and with the rhythm set by its recruitment protocol. What it does not tolerate is someone entering without warning, at full speed and with a camera pointing towards rooms with the door completely open. The staff at the Hollywood building has been identifying creators who routinely troll them for some time, and when they see someone who could be a problem, the doors close. That, inevitably, has added an element of play and challenge to the matter. How many people are there watching it. The most viral video of this trend accumulates more than 35 million views in one week. In reality, there are two or three main videos that are redistributed non-stop on different platforms, so in reality it is not so much a cultural or viral movement, as a couple of content creators who have found a key that interests millions of people. An unexpected debate. What the challenge has generated is a more substantial discussion about whether these videos function as a criticism of Scientology. Journalist Yashar Ali, known for his critical coverage of the organization for years, said in X that this type of content “fits perfectly with Scientology’s internal indoctrination, which teaches its members that the outside world is a violent place that wants to sabotage the spread of its teachings.” The speedruns They reinforce the idea that outside critics are hostile and disrespectful, which plays into the narrative that members need to protect themselves from the outside. Content magnet. The Scientology building in Hollywood is not an unknown building for critical content creators. TikTok accumulates years of videos about Scientology: testimonies from former members such as Leah Remini or the former manager Mike Rinderanalysis of their practicesrecordings on public roads of his recruitment methodsmany of them on platforms like TikTok itself. This informative content now coexists with the format speedrunalthough the depth and impact of both, evidently, are very different. Header | mikepmiller

“Japanese walks” are much more effective than your daily hour-long walk

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For years we have heard the mantra of 10,000 steps a day as the magic number to stay in shape and keep chronic diseases at bay. However, science has been pointing elsewhere for some time now, such as the need to do strength training, and when it comes to walking, it no longer takes into account how many steps are taken, but rather how are they made. And this is where the “Japanese walk” comes into play. A new system. For friends, ‘Japanese walk’ and for the more technical, known as ‘Interval Walking Training’. A walking system that has been developed by different Japanese researchers and is based on intervals and also on how positive it can be to integrate with the environment that surrounds us. How to do it. The formula to test it is quite simple, since you simply have to alternate 3 minutes of fast walking at 70% of our maximum aerobic capacity with 3 minutes of slow walking at 40% capacity. Although three minutes seems very little, the point here is that we are going to repeat this same thing a total of ten times, until we reach at least 30 total minutes of exercise, changing as we go. And the recommended frequency to obtain results is 4 days per week. There is science behind it. Although it is a technique that is gaining quite a bit of strength in recent months, the reality is that science has been analyzing the impact it has on our health for many years. In this way, in 2024, a study concluded that this method improves glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes through greater glucose effectiveness, and not only due to insulin sensitivity. In 2025, a review also noted that this type of interval exercise prolongs healthy life, preventing chronic diseases, dementia and bone loss, which is especially beneficial in people with low initial levels of bone mineral density. His secret. For us to really see these benefits, the most important thing behind it is adherence. Here technology plays a fundamental role, such as mobile applications that make it easier for the population to follow this routine without depending on in-person supervision by third parties. Something that is ideal especially for older people. Images | pressfoto In Xataka | We have been debating for years whether it is better to go to the gym in the morning or in the afternoon. Physiology finally has the answer

There are two Madrid startups that want to solve the logistical labyrinth of space

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If receiving an order from Madrid to Castilleja de la Cuesta (Seville) can cause you some headaches in the form of a delivery person who never arrives, imagine sending a package from Madrid to the moon. Space logistics is one of the last major bottlenecks in the commercial aerospace industry. For decades, sending cargo to space has been reserved almost exclusively to government agencieswith astronomical budgets and opaque processes. Today the industry is more open than ever, the demand for space shipments is growing, but the logistics infrastructure that supports them remains artisanal and fragmented. Two Madrid startups, Usyncro and Eye4Skythey are trying to change it. A packet destined for space. Send a kilogram of cargo into space costs approximately 20,000 euros and that is just the beginning. That package in question has to go through customs in several countries, go through the hands of multiple carriers and comply with export regulations for sensitive material. ESA and NASA satellite components are subject to dual-use regulations that vary between jurisdictions and require specific licenses for each international transfer (e.g. export control regulations and laws such as NASA’s ITAR). And when you arrive at your destination there is no one to sign a receipt. There is also no warehouse or workers. Just a satellite in orbit waiting for a critical component on which a scientific mission depends. The presentations. Usyncro is a SaaS platform founded in Madrid in 2018 that digitizes international trade logistics through blockchain and artificial intelligence, connecting all the actors of a shipment in a single panel: carriers, customs and operators. Eye4Sky is a spin-off of the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA). It was founded in 2022 by researchers with more than twenty years of experience in space optics. Manufactures polarization modulators based on liquid crystalsoptical devices the size of a spectacle lens and barely 200 grams that analyze light to obtain information about the solar magnetic field or the composition of the atmosphere of other planets, something that a conventional camera cannot do, at a lower cost than traditional instruments and equivalent performance. It operates from the Madrid Science Park, within the ESA BIC incubation program. Why is it important. What Usyncro and Eye4Sky are building goes beyond their own businesses because it points to a structural problem: managing the supply chain of a space mission has always been the territory of large contractors and government agencies. A traceable and standardized digital corridor could lower that barrier to entry. On the other hand, INTA is not a university, it is an organization attached to the Ministry of Defense with a long research tradition but little history of serving as a seed for commercial companies. That Eye4Sky is its first spin-off after decades of applied research represents a paradigm shift: institutions that have historically operated in public and military logic are beginning to open up to civilian commercialization. As for projects on the table, Eye4Sky modulators are already present on the solar observation satellite jointly developed by the European Space Agency and NASA Solar Orbiter, are confirmed in VigilESA’s first space weather mission and in the quest Talisman of Satlantis to detect methane in the Earth’s atmosphere. Usyncro, for its part, already certified via blockchain the launch of Hydra Space satellites and executed the first digital air cargo corridor between Europe and Latin America. The joint project would be the definitive leap: applying that same logic to the most complex logistics chain that exists. Context. Usyncro was a conventional logistics company specialized in coordinating land, air and sea transportation chains. Its value proposition was clear: digitize and centralize the management of complex logistics operations with multiple actors, eliminating the dispersion of information and manual processes. It worked well on land, but the sky is the limit. The turning point came when joining the Retech Digital Entrepreneurship Network of the Community of Madrid, whose aerospace node is located in Tres Cantos. There they met Eye4Skya company that manufactured components for ESA and NASA missions, but had no way to reliably and traceably manage its logistics chain to the satellite. Just what Usyncro knew how to do: manage complex logistics chains with multiple actors. Of course, this time the final destination is in orbit. How they do it. Usyncro is developing a digital logistics corridor, a system that centralizes the entire journey of merchandise in a single control panel, from when it leaves the factory until it reaches its orbital destination. Each party involved in the chain is recorded, each transaction generates a documentary record and at each node along the route images are captured that certify the status and position of the shipment. Blockchain technology guarantees the integrity of the data and reduces time in each phase of the process. The final delivery is certified automatically, without the need for a physical recipient. In essence, it is applying to space logistics the same logic that has transformed land logistics in the last decade: total visibility, real-time data and end-to-end traceability. Yes, but. The project is still in the testing phase. Usyncro and Eye4Sky are shipping material to different countries via multiple routes to validate that the system works under real conditions before scaling up to space missions. Digitizing terrestrial logistics is already a complex problem, but doing it for space cargo adds extra difficulty in issues such as legislation or handling conditions. The margins of error are practically zero. It remains to be seen whether the platform can withstand the operational, regulatory and technical pressure of a real mission before the first big test next year. As Delia Rodríguez, CEO of Eye4Sky, tells: “Our devices are the eye of missions that protect the Earth and that starting in 2027 will monitor from space the invisible shield that protects our planet.” In Xataka | Spanish technology in the return to the Moon: the system designed in Madrid that NASA will use in Artemis II In Xataka | We have been deceived by the distances of the Solar System: the … Read more

We have been banishing the humble traditional salt shaker from the table for years. Now we have realized that it is a mistake

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For decades, problems such as goiter, hypothyroidism, and childhood cognitive deficits linked to a lack of iodine in the body seemed to be a thing of the past in developed countries. All this was a success of the advances that were seen in public health from the 20th century onwards by targeting the need to add iodine to salt of table that we all consume. But now in many countries there is a significant deficiency in iodine that can lead to the appearance of serious diseases. The culprits. Ironically, new health and wellness trends, as we are seeing a huge boom in non-iodized “gourmet” salts that seem very cool, but they do not have the iodine that is supplemented to classic salt and that we need in our diet. The map of a deficit. According to data from the WHO itself in Europe and the Iodine Global Network, mild iodine deficiency persists and is spreading in countries where it was believed to be an eradicated problem. To give us an idea, in the UK Recent data suggest that women of childbearing age have gone from having sufficient levels to being classified as having mild deficiency. If we continue investigating, in Australia the problem has been reappearing for years despite fortification attempts, while in the United States, recent reviews published indicate that the deficit is growing again despite the historical iodization of salt, linked to new dietary patterns. The ‘gourmet’ culprit. Historically, common table salt has been our primary vehicle for consuming dietary iodine. But in recent years we have seen a trend appear for this product, such as Himalayan pink saltflaked sea salt or kosher salt. The problem with these options, in addition to being much more expensive, is that they are perceived as very healthy alternatives. The problem is that they are almost never iodized, and that is why their increasing consumption in order to improve health is ultimately causing the opposite. There is more. In addition to the salt problem, it must also be kept in mind that in many countries cow’s milk has traditionally been the main source of iodine in the diet due to livestock supplementation and milking disinfectants. But its consumption is falling radically. This is in addition to a general transition towards vegan or flexitarian diets that has increased the consumption of vegetable drinks that, although they are reinforced with calcium or vitamin B12, are not fortified with this iodine. Its consequences. That there is an iodine deficiency is not nonsense, since iodine is the fundamental fuel of the thyroid gland and is vital for neurological development, and that is why the European Food Safety Authority establishes that an adult needs 150 micrograms of iodine per day, a figure that rises to 200 µg in pregnant women. If we focus on pregnant women, having a deficit can have fatal consequences with problems in fetal cognitive development or even drops in IQ. The cases. An analysis published in 2019 estimates that there are currently 81.4 million cases of deficiency in women of reproductive age and, although since 1990 the global prevalence has decreased enormously thanks to universal iodization, the problem now presents a dichotomy: it affects regions with a low human development index such as sub-Saharan Africa due to lack of resources, and rich countries due to modern dietary decisions. The solution. Here the WHO demands that prevention policies be reinforced through specific legislation, promoting universal iodization of all salts, both those for direct consumption and those used in processed foods and bakery. In addition, the need to require or encourage vegetable drinks to be systematically fortified with iodine is pointed out, matching the nutritional profile of cow’s milk. In this way, we return to the original idea of ​​introducing iodine into common table salt, so now it is time to supplement the new foods that appear on the market. Images | Jonathan Cooper Melissa DiRocco In Xataka | If you fall asleep in less than five minutes, you don’t have a “superpower”: it’s a warning signal from your brain

with seven Dutch companies together

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These American companies control 60% of the global cloud infrastructure market: Microsoft and its Azure, Google Cloud and Amazon AWS, a providential sector in the globalized and permanently connected world in which we live. And very lucrative: in 2025 revenues exceeded $400 billion, according to Synergy Researchthis is nine times more than in 2017. There are no corporations capable of overshadowing these three, so seven Dutch cloud services companies they have made a decision: unite to be a real alternative to American big tech. The movement is more important than it seems: it is an organized response to such dependency that it is already considered a strategic risk. The project: Open Cloud Alliance. The answer is Open Cloud Alliantie, a conglomerate formed by Centric, KPN, Info Support, Intermax, Nebul, Previder and Uniserver, with a joint turnover of 2.5 billion euros annually. In their manifesto they explain that they are creating jobs in the Netherlands and that both companies and those who work in them pay taxes there. As explains Ludo BaauwCEO of the Intermax Group to NRC, separately they are competitive and their reason for being is not to set prices, but to bid for public contracts: “I would prefer a competitor from the Netherlands to win rather than a large American technology company.” There was a trigger to join: the possible sale of Solvinity, provider of cloud services for the Dutch government’s Digid digital identity system, to the American company Kyndryl. The agreement is pending approval by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, but it has already had consequences. A strategic vulnerability. The first consequence was to put on the table a vulnerability of the Dutch system that can be extrapolated to all the states of the old continent. According to an analysis carried out by NOS, 67% of the domains of Dutch public organizations, hospitals and schools depend on at least one American cloud service. Why is it important. The project has three compelling reasons for existing: Be real competition from North American big tech. The CEO of the Dutch competition body (ACM) has made it clear: “Overall, alliances like this can boost market forces by creating new players that are better positioned to compete with large American suppliers.” Boost to the national economy. The companies are clear in their manifesto: jobs and taxes for the Netherlands. In a phrase: “it is not an expense, it is an investment.” Data sovereignty. That such critical state services as health, education or digital identity depend on foreign companies subject to foreign legislation and corporate decisions outside of European control. Context. This movement arises within the European debate on digital sovereignty and reducing technological dependence on the United States. The trend is not new, but Trump’s policies have accelerated that conversation. Europe has the legal framework in the form of GDPRthe Digital Markets Lawthe Digital Services Law wave Chips Actwhich make up a solid regulatory arsenal aimed at reducing foreign technological dependence. The problem is that having the laws is not equivalent to having the industry. Local European suppliers are individually solvent, but they do not have the capacity to absorb complex projects or compete with the scale of the big three that dominate the market. Not even GAIA-Xthe large Franco-German sovereign cloud project, has been able to so far. Europe regulates well but scales poorly and that is the void that the Open Cloud Alliantie is going to try to fill. How are they going to work?. He operating model It will be based on three pillars: Common technical standards, which will allow data to be moved between providers without friction by adopting the same technical specifications. Collaboration yes, cartel no. They will share standard infrastructure and may bid together for large contracts, but they are still competing with each other when it comes to winning customers. Sovereignty clause. If one of the seven is acquired by a non-European company, the others automatically absorb its role. The data always remains in Dutch hands, regardless of what happens in the mergers and acquisitions market. Towards technological sovereignty of the cloud. The Open Cloud Alliantie is a relevant experiment on which other member states and corporations will set their sights as long as it is perfectly replicable. Medium-sized companies that otherwise could not compete with large companies in the United States, but that, grouped under common standards and clear collaboration rules, can offer a credible alternative to the public sector. The question is whether other European countries will take note before the dependency becomes too deep to reverse. In Xataka | Europe is looking for a place to put its AI gigafactory. Spain and Portugal are showing all their renewable plumage In Xataka | Europe has proposed to become technologically independent from the US: And it has started with the most difficult thing: chips Cover | İsmail Enes Ayhan and François Genon

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