Month: October 2025

so far there has only been failure

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The Free Software Foundation LibrePhone just launchedwhich is perhaps its most ambitious project in four decades: achieving a smartphone completely free of proprietary software. It is a goal that has been pursued for years and along the way we have found promising ideas, although without resounding success. The FSF openly recognizes that the work will be long, but believes that it is time to take on the challenge. The underlying problem. On practically any computer it is perfectly possible to run completely free operating systemsfrom the kernel to the applications. However, on mobile phones this is still impossible, despite well-known projects such as GrapheneOS, Replicant either PureOS. The reason has a name: binary blobs. These are small fragments of proprietary and closed code that control basic hardware functions: the modem connection, graphic acceleration, GPS or the camera. Without these components, the phone simply does not work. And chip manufacturers like Qualcomm or Broadcom do not share the necessary technical documentation so that external programmers can create free alternatives. This is what GrapheneOS looks like. Image: Ricardo Aguilar Why previous attempts have failed. The most representative case is Replicanta project that in 2010 tried to create a completely free Android version. He managed to remove the Google components, but hit a wall on the hardware side. And without documentation from the manufacturers, it was impossible to recreate the necessary drivers. Today Replicant still exists, but it only works on old phones like the Galaxy S3and not even with all its operational functions. Other projects such as GrapheneOS or LineageOS have opted for a more pragmatic approach by removing Google software, but maintaining proprietary blobs to ensure that the device works correctly. It is a compromise that improves privacy, but does not meet the strict definition of free software that defend the FSF. LibrePhone’s strategy. The project, led by veteran developer Rob Savoye, does not aim to create another mobile operating system or make phones. Its objective is more specific: to reverse engineer the proprietary components left in projects like LineageOS to create completely free alternatives. The FSF is funding the first phase of the work with a donation from John Gilmore, a member of its board of directors, who has been using LineageOS for years precisely to eliminate what he calls ‘Google spyware.’ The idea It is to first identify a phone model that has the fewest possible privacy problems and that these are solvable, exhaustively document how its proprietary components work and, from there, create free code substitutes that any programmer can audit and modify. A legal and technical obstacle. The difficulty is not only technical. Chipmakers protect their technology with strict confidentiality agreements that prevent developers from accessing documentation. As the media points out ZDNetworking without those technical manuals is like trying to ‘sew with boxing gloves’. Furthermore, reverse engineering in this context is a slow, expensive process with uncertain results. Savoye admits It will not be fast or cheap, but the project is based on the previous work of other developers who have done a good part of the journey. Other open fronts. Interestingly, GrapheneOS, one of the most respected systems in mobile privacy, just announced that works with a large Android manufacturer to bring its system to other devices beyond Google’s Pixel. Until now, only the Pixels met the security standards and updates that GrapheneOS requires. The announcement suggests that at least one manufacturer is starting to take these requirements seriously, although GrapheneOS still includes proprietary blobs in its system. It is not the completely free phone that the FSF is looking for, but it is a sign that the industry could be starting to move. What are we left with? LibrePhone represents the most serious commitment to date to achieve a truly free smartphone. The FSF knows that a long game has begun and that it will need help. In fact, they are looking for volunteers for documentation, testing and dissemination, as well as donations. Success is not guaranteed, especially in this sector, where all previous projects have failed to offer a smartphone with 100% free software. But the FSF also argues that if no one tries, the goal will never be achieved. Cover image | He Junhui In Xataka | For years I have had a “vacation mode” on my phone: this is how I configure it so that I am not disturbed

If you don’t know what to visit when you go through Zamora, Palencia or Ciudad Real, this map is the solution to your problems

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More than half a century after mass tourism began in Spain, the country is among the most visited of the world. Around of 80 million people They arrive in Spain annually, a figure only surpassed by France (+89,000,000). The number is impressive, especially if we compare the scale of its two immediate pursuers, the United States and China. And the reason is simple: 8,000 kilometers of coastline, a wonderful climate and years and years of tourist tradition behind it, with all that this implies in terms of infrastructure. The international nature of the average tourist has caused numerous breakdowns of heads to the authorities during the last years. Spain has tried to attract as many European, Asian or American travelers as possible in a context of tourism recession. During the pandemic parenthesis this was a complicated mission. It was then time to raise the flag of “national tourism”, one that has been flying for two consecutive summers. But what to see in Spain beyond the beaches once crowded by Germans or English? The question has crossed the minds of millions of Spaniards in recent seasons. To answer it, Musement has elaborated this map in which it analyzes the number and quality of scores received by more than 4,500 “points of interest“, that is, attractions and monuments, spread throughout the country. And from this data they have chosen one for each province. An advantage and a problem of this approach: it is useful to know what image the average Spaniard produces when he thinks of places like Palencia or Jaén; but at the same time it summarizes the many positive attributes of each province in a popularity contest. The attractions or monuments numbered here are not necessarily the most interesting, satisfying or beautiful in each place. They are the most famous. It is a personal matter to assess its degree of recommendability. (Musement) If we look at the palette of colors and categories, the north stands out for its large volume of “cathedrals, churches and basilicas.” From the ubiquitous Sagrada Familia of Barcelona to the Santiago de Compostela Cathedralvisiting other highlights of the Camino, be it the Cathedral of León, the Sanctuary of Covadonga, the Cathedral of Burgos, the Co-Cathedral of Santa María de la Redonda or the Basilica del Pilar. Other unique architectural elements sneak in through there, such as Gaudí’s Capricho (Comillas), the Royal Palace of Olite or the Seu Vella. There are also outstanding landscapes: from the La Florida Park in Vitoria to the imposing Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park, surrounding the Sil Canyons, the Sanabria Lake or the Palentina Mountain Natural Park in between (some of them in the center of what has come to be called Empty Spain). The natural or national parks are the protagonists of Andalusia, starting with Doñana, continuing through Sierra Nevada and ending with Sierra de Cazorla (in Jaén). Otherwise, a little of everything. From urban monuments of very historical rank (the main squares of Salamanca, Trujillo, Seville or Teruel, although in this case “del Torico”; the Hanging Houses of Cuenca) to heritages of civilizations that thousands of years ago forged the present character of Spain (the Roman theater of Mérida, the wall of Ávila, the Aqueduct of Segovia, the New Bridge of Ronda). Also, not surprisingly, there are a lot of fortresses and palaces fortified: from the Peñarroya Castle in Ciudad Real to the famous Alhambra in Granada, passing through the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs, a surprising winner in the province of Córdoba, also home to the mosque. There is even room for modernity: whether in the form of the City of Arts and Sciences, Dalí’s Theatre-Museum, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Portaventura or of Loro Parque in Tenerife. A little bit of everything. Not always the most notable thing about each province, but a good way to discover corners of the geography that are still hidden for the Spaniards themselves. In Xataka | The most beautiful towns in each province of Spain, gathered in this revealing map *An earlier version of this article was published in September 2021

A factory in Ireland made a fortune selling baby formula to China. Until the Chinese stopped having children

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If China’s demographic crisis is not reversed, if the world’s factories shrink and nothing stops the bleeding, its decline will drag and have effects throughout the world: from cost increases in consumer goods (telephones, footwear, electric vehicles) to inflationary pressures due to lower manufacturing efficiency. As an example, a “button”: thousands of kilometers from China, an entire population is already suffering from the lack of babies in Beijing. In Ireland, no one imagined a situation like this. Industrial mirage. For years, the small Irish town of Askeatonin County Limerick, found his redemption in a factory that produced gold dust. It wasn’t a metaphor. Infant milk was produced on Nestlé production lines for the chinese marketa product so profitable that some workers nicknamed it “the white cocaine” of the town. Overnight, that business transformed a town forgotten by modernization into a prosperous enclave, where credit flowed easily and employment was synonymous with stability. But when the Swiss managers arrived two years ago with the closure announcementdisbelief took over everyone. Nobody could conceive that such a modern plant, the result of a million-dollar investment, would simply be closed. Rely on China. Nestlé attributed the decision to a macroeconomic reason: he birth rate crash in China. The number of births had fallen from 18 million in 2016 to just nine million in 2023, and demand for foreign infant formula was sinking. However, The New York Times said that among the 1,100 inhabitants of Askeaton the official version did not convince. There were those who suspected that the multinational was simply responding to a Chinese demand: to move production to Asian territory itself. The argument made sense. For years, Nestlé had closed markets in Europe and the Middle East to concentrate exclusively in China. “We put all our eggs in one basket.” remember the diary Oliver Scanlon, one of the veterans of the place. And although the business experienced its golden age with that turn, everyone understood too late what it meant: China was not only buying the product, it was also learning how to manufacture it. Silent learning. The workers recount how every year Chinese auditors arrived, curious to the extreme, writing down every technical detail of the industrial process. Sometimes they even visited neighboring farms, taking an interest in dairy production methods. “They came to learn,” counted rancher Tim Hanley. “They can produce everything, and their goal is self-sufficiency.” Ultimately, what happened at Askeaton was the consequence of a repeated pattern: the initial enthusiasm for the Chinese market ended with the transfer of knowledge and the relocation of production. In November 2023, just a month after announcing the Irish closure, Nestlé obtained authorization to open a twin plant in Suzhoueast of China. While justifying the closure due to the drop in birth rates, the company proclaimed that the Chinese market “continued to be the largest in the world by absolute number of newborns.” Jobless. The Times remembered that the closure of the plant has left a visible scar. The machines stopped last month and, unless someone purchases the facilities for the 22 million euros at which Nestlé has valued them, the doors will close permanently in March. Layoffs, severance packages and outplacement programs have not compensated for the sense of loss. The factory was the invisible engine that made local businesses run, from Seán Moran’s hardware store to the credit union, which for years granted loans with only a payroll as collateral. “It was a good salary and the town prospered,” admits Patrick Ranahan, head of the entity. “But we knew it could disappear from one day to the next.” From globalization to dependency. He Askeaton’s case It is an example of the vulnerability of local economies in the era of globalization. The sudden success, sustained by Chinese demand, masked the fragility of a model based on a single customer and a single market. What began as a story of international cooperation ended up being technology transfer disguised as prosperity. In the process, China not only bought the product, but also the knowledge, and when it was ready to replicate it, it simply cut the tie. For Askeaton, the “crown jewel” has become a symbol of a bitter lesson: in global commerce, the shine of success can fade as quickly as the foam on the powdered milk that fed them for half a century. Image | Nestle In Xataka | The great paradox of China’s demographic crisis: its origin is due to a policy that worked too well In Xataka | China knows that its population is going to collapse but it already has a long-term plan to solve it. Of course, thanks to AI

We have been talking about microplastics for years without being very clear about how they affect us. Science is close to solving it

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Plastic no longer only wraps our food or makes up the clothes we wear, but it has silently colonized our body. And microplastics have been found almost everywhere in the body: placenta, blood, lungs, testiclesbreast milk, brain human… But when faced with the big question of What effect does it have on the body?we are already having answers. The measurements. Studies already suggest that we could hold up to five grams of this material in our own brain. The image is shocking: the equivalent of a plastic teaspoon lodged in the deepest part of our being. Microplastics are particles, in this case they are very tiny, that come off from packaging, synthetic clothing, tires, cosmetics and countless everyday objects such as lettuce. But some are so small that they are able to cross the barriers of our lungs and intestines, travel through the bloodstream and deposit in our internal organs. What happens once there is the great unknown that scientists strive to clear up. The studies. Dr. Christian Pacher-Deutsch, from the University of Graz (Austria), recently presented a study in which he exposed human intestinal bacteria to five types of common microplastics. The result was quite clear: bacterial populations were altered, producing chemical changes, in some cases reflecting patterns observed in patients with depression and colorectal cancer. Although the researcher himself was cautious in pointing out that “although it is early to make definitive statements, reducing exposure to microplastics is a sensible precaution.” But the effects don’t stop in the intestine. Dr. Jaime Ross, a neuroscientist at the University of Rhode Island, conducted a revealing experiment: gave a group of mice water contaminated with microplastics to drink. Soon, the mice began behaving strangely, anxiously venturing into open spaces, an atypical behavior that is associated with aging and neurological diseases. Analyzing their brains, Ross found plastic in all organs and a reduction in GFAP, a key protein for brain health. This same pattern of exhaustion is seen in humans with depression and dementia. Caution. In this case, microplastics have been detected in arterial plaques, and an analysis concluded that people whose plaques were loaded with plastic were almost five times more likely to suffer a heart attack, stroke or die within three years. The practice. Faced with this avalanche of data, The Guardian wanted to move from theory to practice. The British journalist herself decided to undergo a test from the company Plastictox which, for £144, promises to reveal the amount of microplastics circulating in the blood. The test result indicated a concentration of forty microplastics per milliliters of blood. And although this figure placed her in the 25% of people with the least exposure, the laboratory gave her the total result: about 200,000 plastic particles in the bloodstream. However, other experts urge caution. Professor Stephanie Wright, a researcher at Imperial College London, calls this evidence “very premature.” He points out that although an analysis shows that there are 40 particles per ml, it is unknown if this is good or bad or if it will depend on the type of plastic it is or its origin. We live in real uncertainty. The advice. Although it is impossible to avoid exposure completely, there are a number of tips to avoid consuming this type of microplastics. For example, you can choose not to use plastic kitchen utensils or drink hot liquids from plastic cups. Even with the tap water either bottled we can have the same problem. Outside of food, the material composition of bedding or pajamas should also be reviewed, as they can release these types of particles, making cotton the best. Images | FlyD Chad Montano In Xataka | When Tap Water Tastes Like Hell: The Invisible Chemistry of Drinking Water That Explains Why It Tastes How It Tastes (And Why It’s One of the World’s Greatest Inventions)

One conspiracy theory says that all the instruments in the world are poorly tuned. And of course it includes the Nazis

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You may not know it, but there are people convinced that you have been hearing ‘wrong’ the music. Not just you. Everyone. And not because of a matter of taste or a problem with the bands, but of how we tune the instruments. In his opinion, we have been using the wrong reference (in hertz) for decades as a result of a Machiavellian Nazi plan to distort consciences. Everything is limited to a dilemma: 432Hz or 440Hz? Of hertz, Nazis and conspiracies. At this point in the film, anyone would say that it is difficult to be amazed by conspiracy theories. And rightly so. The conspiracy theorists have years decades defending all kinds of conjectures that talk about end of the world or diabolical population control plans. If the Magufo universe has something, however, it is an infinite capacity to surprise, as demonstrated by a theory that has sounded with force in the last few years. Its premise is certainly surprising: we have been tuning our musical instruments poorly for decades and we do it this way for a Nazi plan. a little history. Before getting into conspiratorial arenas, it is necessary to remember some history. Today perhaps we are accustomed to (almost) all musicians and orchestras are tuned the same, which basically means that all the “a” notes (do, re, mi… or any other) sound the same; but it has not always been like this. James Felton of IFL Science remember that centuries ago players were in fact accustomed to local variations in tuning. What’s more, a composer could lean towards an “a” at 423 hertz and another at 422. It is not a minor nuance because the hertz indicates the speed of vibration, which in practice affects how high or low the sound that reaches us is. “If we take Germany before 1600 as an example, organ pitch is believed to have varied between a maximum of A=567 Hz for the early simple pipe organs of the Middle Ages and a minimum of 377 for the early modern German organs of around 1511,” explains Lynn Cavanagh in a paper about the matter. What if we set a standard? That is the idea that was making its way among music professionals. Why not set a single standard that guarantees that an “la” is tuned the same (in hertz) in one country as in another, meaning that the same song will sound the same no matter who or where it is performed? This effort to unify can go back at least to late 19th centurywhen the Music Commission of the Government of Italy bet for all orchestras to use a 440 Hz tuning fork. The debate was not settled, however, and it would be decades before musicians reached a consensus. Without going any further, France and Austria advocated 435 and some composer did it for 432. In 1917 the American Federation of Musicians support the italian position, in 1939 A world conference organized by the British Standards Institute made a similar recommendation and already in the 1950s an international agreement was reached so that the “A” note on pianos would be tuned to 440 Hz. The objective: that the same key would sound exactly the same whether it was pressed in Spain or in Canada, India or the United States. The decision was endorsed decades later, in the 70s. Matter settled? Not at all. And not only because there are musicians who choose to other tunings or even certain orchestras bet on solutions alternatives, such as A-436 hz. Some conspiracy lovers have found in this global commitment to 440 hertz material to feed a theory that combines the Nazis, the effect of music on our health and a delirious experiment for the mind control. There are those who even put into the equation to the Rockefellerthe Great Pyramid of Egypt, Stonehenge, the Sun and the Moon or the Sri Yantra. Curling (even more) the curl. To better understand the phenomenon, it is good to take a look at an article published in 2021 by Reuters Fact Check. In it the news agency echoes the hoax and dismantles it point by point speaking with academics. Before, he cites verbatim one of the network publications that defend the theory, a unique opportunity to learn about his argument: “Did you know that Jimi Hendrix, along with John Lennon, Bob Marley and Prince, tuned their music to a specific frequency of 432 hertz? It is known as the ‘heartbeat of the Earth’, it has important healing benefits and ancient Egyptian and Greek instruments have been found tuned to 432. However, since 1953 all music has been tuned to 440. This frequency has no scientific relationship with our universe and, in fact, causes turmoil. “The Nazis used it in World War II against their enemies to make them feel and think a certain way.” Is it an isolated theory? No. In fact, a quick Google search can find a good number of articles that they collect the theory of one way or anotherwith variations. After all, if there is one thing about conspiracy theories, it is that they are not usually standardized, just like musical tuning was centuries ago. They read statements such as that the Rockefeller Foundation promoted the 440 Hz standard as part of a supposed “war against conscience”that one of the great supporters The change was the Nazi minister Joseph Goebbels, who saw in 440 Hz a way to distort consciousness, or that tuning at 432 hertz is much better for humans because “reflects the proportions” of the Sun, the Earth and the Moon, among other things. As a test They show the patterns of water when it is vibrated with a 432 Hz sound. “They have no empirical basis”. Although there are strong supporters of those ideas and that we would all be much better off if we listened to our music tuned to 432 Hz, his statements raise the eyebrows of experts. And that at least. “There is no … Read more

the great off-price market

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In an episode of Friends, Monica Geller along with Rachel and Phoebe go to a discount wedding dress store. Between pushes, screams and whistles, they manage to come out with the perfect dress in the middle of the chaos. The scene, as iconic as it is exaggerated, reflects something very real: the magnetism exerted by sales, that moment when desire and opportunity are found at half price. For years, that image has also been part of the European landscape. Every January or July, shop windows are filled with red posters and shopping centers become a battlefield for bargain hunters. But what if sales weren’t a seasonal event? What if there was a place where discounts were the norm, not the exception? The American model in Europe. The Polish chain Halfprice has brought this modelknown as off-price: permanent stores where premium brand products – clothing, footwear, accessories or cosmetics – are offered with discounts that can exceed 50%. Their model is based on acquiring surplus inventory, products from past seasons or factory balances, all new and in their original packaging. The format is reminiscent of popular American outlets Ross, Marshalls either TJ Maxxsomething that does not go unnoticed by customers. In Google reviews collected for 20 minutesbuyers define it as “a store similar to Ross or Marshall in the US” or even “a large brand name clothing market.” Others highlight its spaciousness: “A very large store where everything is well organized by sizes and its constant variety”, one of the keys to the model off-price: New products arrive every day. A model that fits the new consumer. The success of HalfPrice is not explained only by its discounts, but by the economic and cultural moment that Europe is experiencing. Traditional luxury has become more expensive —prices have risen 25% since 2019— and has left out many aspirational consumers who could previously afford a brand-name treat. That gap is being filled by different market responses. On the one hand, phenomena such as the so-called “hallway luxury” —exemplified by Mercadona and its Deliplus cosmetics, which imitate products from companies like MAC or Benefit for less than six euros— or the culture of dupein which Generation Z celebrates affordable knockoffs of luxury items. According to Vogue Businessfind a dupe and showing it on networks has become a gesture of pride and creativity. HalfPrice represents the other side of that trend. There are no imitations here, but rather original products from recognized brands, from surplus or past collections. Your proposal is different: democratize access to real luxury, offering quality and authenticity at lower prices. In a scenario where the consumer seeks value without giving up the desire for a brand, HalfPrice occupies an intermediate space between inaccessible luxury and fast fashion: a place where authenticity can also be affordable. A expansion at full speed. In just one year, HalfPrice has just opened its first store Spanish in Zaragoza last year to have eight establishments in different cities: Madrid, Almería, Bilbao, Cartagena, Lorca, Ponferrada and Cádiz. On a continental scale, the expansion is even more ambitious. Founded in 2021 in Polkowice (Poland), HalfPrice is already present in 13 European countries, with more than 150 stores and is part of the fashion conglomerate CCC SA. A new battle in retail. The rise of HalfPrice comes in parallel with strategic movements by other giants in the sector. This is the case of Sheinsymbol of fast fashion online, which has decided to make the leap to the physical world with its first permanent store in Europe, in the BHV Marais in Paris. While Shein experiments with the physical store, HalfPrice represents the opposite path: from the traditional establishment to the digital ecosystem. Both trends point in the same direction: the convergence between online consumption and the store experience. In turn, the model off-price reflects a response to consumer fatigue in the face of excess supply and inflated prices. These types of stores “redefine perceived value,” mixing the aspirational with the everyday, luxury with the bargain. A possible luxury? In times of inflation and skyrocketing prices, HalfPrice has become a symbol of what we could call “possible luxury”: global brands within the reach of a wide audience. But its success also raises a question: what happens when exclusivity is no longer exclusive? In the aisles of these superstores, where a Moschino bag shares a shelf with a toaster or a toy, a new map of European consumption is drawn. A map where luxury is sought, compared and, if lucky, found with a discounted label. Image | FreePik Xataka | Women’s pockets are so useless that they became a meme. The serious thing is that they have been that way for centuries.

allow retirees to continue working

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In September 2023, Europe turned in unison to Germany. What was normally one of the most solid economies in the euro zone was sounding the alarm: adding greater life expectancy to a demographic scenario of an inverted pyramid and an inflationary context left a very unpromising outlook for who are going to retire soon. In fact, the system was bringing retirees back to look for work to supplement pensions. Two years later things have not improved, so the government has normalized them. A structural turn. The Government of Friedrich Merz has put a clear and pragmatic proposal on the table: allowing retirees who decide to continue working receive up to 2,000 euros per month tax-free, a measure (the so-called “active pension plan”) designed to tackle the growing labor shortage that grips Europe’s largest economy. The initiative is part of the package of reforms that the Executive has sold as his “autumn of reforms” and, according to the legislative draft in hands of the Financial Timeswill come into force on January 1. The coalition with the Social Democrats is preparing to approve it with the argument of retaining experience and knowledge in companies and increasing the employment rate in a country that faces one of the most severe demographic transitions on the continent. What is offered and what is maintained. The measure exempts taxes up to 2,000 euros per month of additional labor income for retired people, but it does not eliminate contributions: employees and employers will continue to pay social contributions on those salaries, which (according to the Executive) will help strengthen healthcare and pension finances while improving the liquidity of companies with senior experience. The already existing advantages for those who opt for early retirement (the legal age It’s still 67 years oldwith incentives to retire at 63). The change is intended, rather, to offer a tax incentive so that those who can and want to prolong their working life do so. Public cost and projections. The Government itself estimates that the renunciation of collecting taxes for this incentive will cost around 890 million euros per year since its entry into force, a figure that some institutes consider optimistic: the IW Institute calculates a higher annual cost close to 1.4 billion and places the potential universe of beneficiaries at around 340,000 people. Economists such as Holger Schmieding warn, however, that the net impact could turn positive in two or three years if the increase in economic activity and contributions compensates for the initial tax loss, in addition to the possible “psychological effect” of socially valuing the contribution of the elderly. International lessons. The Government looks, among other examplesto Greece: when Athens allowed retirees keep their pension full and were additionally taxed at a reduced rate (10%) for their labor income, retired workers went from 35,000 in 2023 to more than 250,000 in September of the following year, a jump that illustrates the power of tax incentives to mobilize labor supply in older groups. That experience is used in Berlin as a sign that politics can workalthough the scale, work structures and employment cultures differ. Consequences in the labor market. The gesture aims to attack several structural symptoms: Germany today records some of the average working hours shortest in the OECD and marked growth from part-time work (which now reaches 30% of the workforce, more than double what it was at the beginning of the nineties). The policy aims to both increase effective hours and retain human capital that would otherwise escape companies. Keep staff on staff senior can help reduce bottlenecks in sectors with a shortage of qualifications and facilitate the transfer of know-how, but it also poses the challenge of adapting positions, ergonomics and internal policies to an older workforce. Political and economic risks. The main risk it’s double: On the one hand, the measure may penalize young people and employees in early career stages if companies choose to retain positions with cheaper payrolls and more experienced workers. On the other hand, the Executive’s fiscal estimate could fall short if membership is high, putting pressure on public accounts at a time when the cost of social systems is already putting pressure on the budget. Besides, recalled the Times that there is a dimension of equity and public narrative: promoting people to work longer is politically sensitive when there are sectors with precarious employment or stagnant wages. Pragmatism with doubts. Ultimately, the plan to allow 2,000 euros tax free to working retirees is, in essence, a pragmatic and technocratic response to a demographic shock and the lack of skilled labor: seeks to monetize experience, sustain contributions and gain economic muscle without resorting solely to mass immigration or abrupt increases in working hours. Yet, your success will depend the magnitude of the accession, how it is combined with other labor policies (training, conciliation, redistribution of part-time employment) and the honesty of the fiscal projections: if the reception is high, the cost could approach the most pessimistic figures, and if it is moderate, the initiative can become a respectable exercise in institutional adjustment that contributes to lengthening the active life of many and partially mitigating the bill of aging. An unknown scenario that Japan also considers. Image | Pexels, Public Domain In Xataka | A disturbing idea has begun to gain strength in France and Germany: the welfare state is no longer sustainable In Xataka | It is not that Germany is promoting the four-day work day, it is that it is the country that works the fewest hours per year

Spain has an antidote to mental and emotional exhaustion: the nap

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In Spain, the tradition of the siesta has long been a cultural habit. However, today science claims it as a valuable resource to combat mental and emotional exhaustion. Different studies show that a well-planned nap not only helps you regain energy, but also improves cognitive functions and mood, something especially useful in times when stress and fatigue are the order of the day. Therefore, napping is an effective strategy to maintain active and balanced mind throughout the day. A mental reset called a nap The importance of the nap lies in its ability to refresh the brain and body, allowing people to face their daily tasks with better spirits and concentration, as highlighted a study from the University of Coruña. A quality nap increases energy, alertness and relaxation after rest. Improves concentration, memory and logical reasoning, promoting better performance in activities that require attention and mental speed. Besides, helps stabilize moodreduces impulsivity and makes it easier to calmly handle the frustrating tasks that often appear during the day. The scientific evidence indicate that even very short naps of just six minutes can be effective in improving sleep. processing of ideaswhile longer naps help consolidate long-term memories. For the nap to be effective, its ideal duration this between 15 and 30 minutesenough time for the brain to recover its capacity, but without entering phases of deep sleep that could cause drowsiness when waking up. Likewise, the best time to take a nap is between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., a time that coincides with a natural drop in energy during the day. If the nap lasts too long or takes place after three in the afternoon, it can negatively affect nighttime sleep, generating insomnia or a phenomenon known as “sleep inertia“, which consists of a feeling of drowsiness and difficulty reactivating after rest. Additionally, if naps become frequent and long without any noticeable improvement in performance when you wake up, it could be indicative of a sleep disorder underlying that should be evaluated by a professional. The nap is a break, not a substitute It is essential to clarify that the nap should in no case replace the need to sleep between seven and nine hours a nightsince this night rest is essential to maintain good general health and ensure efficient recovery, something that is only achieved when the brain reaches certain phases of sleep. “Sleeping well is much more than the time you spend in bed. The first is the number of hours you sleep. The second is the quality of sleep: having restful, uninterrupted sleep. The last is a regular sleep schedule,” assures Dr. Marishka Brown, sleep expert at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Not all people experience the same benefits of nap; The effects may vary depending on individual factors such as lifestyle and health. When you rely too much on long naps to compensate for fatigue, could be a symptom of health problems that require medical attention. In fact, some studies indicate that prolonged naps they associate in certain cases with metabolic problems such as obesity, although a direct causality has not been confirmed, but rather other factors related to lifestyle intervene. In Xataka | Sleeping in 90-minute cycles seemed like a magical solution to wake up like a rose: science doesn’t think the same Image | Pexels (Kaboompics.com)

almost a million employees for a colossal project

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BYD surpassed 968,900 employees by the end of 2024, more than Tesla, Toyota, Ford, BMW and Renault combined. It is a figure that would be absurd for any traditional automaker, but it has a simple explanation: BYD is not just an automaker. Methodological note: This figure includes the entire BYD Group, not just BYD Auto. Unlike manufacturers that clearly separate their divisions, BYD operates as an integrated ecosystem where the majority of employees are directly or indirectly linked to the automotive business. The company does not publish a breakdown by division. Why is it important. The Chinese company has built the largest vertical integration ecosystem in the automotive industry worldwide. Tesla, for example, buys batteries from Panasonic and chips from third parties, but BYD manufactures absolutely everything in-house. Its business model covers four complete industrial sectors: The automobile division is only the most visible, but also manufactures electronics for Apple. And it produces batteries as the second largest manufacturer in the world. It also develops components from semiconductors to heat pumps. More than 110,000 of its employees work exclusively for Apple’s supply chain, assembling 30% of its iPhones and iPads. The BYD figure, as we said at the beginning, is for the entire BYD group, not just BYD Auto. Other manufacturers have their own nuances: Volkswagen’s 656,134 employees only include the automotive group (Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Skoda, etc.), and not large divisions such as finance. However, it does include small divisions of components, such as engines or transmissions. The 389,144 employees of Toyota are only from Toyota Motor Corporation, it does not include Industries (components, textiles, forklifts, etc.), Aisin (transmissions, brakes), Denso (electronic components) or Boshoku (interiors). The complete Toyota ecosystem would be about 800,000 employees. The context. BYD applies a long vertical integration: They internally produce batteries, semiconductors, software, heat pumps, electric motors, control systems, fast charging and structural elements. This strategy allows them total quality control, cost reduction and speed of innovation superior to rivals that depend on external suppliers. Its eight factories in China have tens of thousands of workers. Each one. The Zhengzhou plant has 60,000 employees and plans to hire 20,000 more. Furthermore, they have created authentic “industrial cities“with housing, services, commercial establishments and sports facilities for workers. In figures. The numbers justify the strategy: Employee growth: 37.73% in 2024 (265,400 new workers). R&D personnel: 110,000 engineers, the largest in the automotive world. Cars sold: 4.27 million units in 2024. Go deeper. The contrast with its competitors is striking: Tesla laid off 15,000 employees in 2024. Ford plans to eliminate 4,000 jobs in Europe. Renault is considering laying off 3,000. BYD continues to increase its workforce. However, direct comparisons are complex due to the different business structures mentioned above. They have hired almost 50,000 recent college graduates in two years in China. In the rest of the world they are also advancing: they are building factories in Hungary (2,000 jobs), Mexico (10,000 planned jobs), Brazil, Thailand and Indonesia. Its expansion model, as we have already seen in Spaingoes through the total localization of the production chain. The question is whether this model is sustainable in the face of increasing automation. In fact, Tesla has clearly shown its approach to robotization, but BYD seems to prioritize the human factor for the moment. At least for its model of total control of the productive ecosystem. Featured image | Tiago Ferreira In Xataka | If the question is “would I pay 100,000 euros for a BYD” the answer is “recharges in five minutes.” And we will see them next year

the oldest experiment in the world

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It was 1832 and John Bennet Lawes I was just 17 years old, had a huge estate in the heart of Hertfordshire and lots of free time. He had just been kicked out of Oxford and had returned to the mansion he inherited from his father a decade earlier. Now he just had to see what he did with his life. He didn’t know it, but he was about to launch the oldest running experiment in history: the Broadbalk Experiment. What if we plant four herbs? This is how Lawes began, growing medicinal plants on the farm and testing the effects of various fertilizers in a handful of pots. Things went well and, a couple of years later, the experiments expanded to field crops. Young John Bennet’s intention was simple: to make farmers no longer have to rely on animals to produce fertilizers. He got it. Wow he did it. In 1842, he patented a phosphate-based fertilizer that revolutionized the world of agriculture and ushered in the era of industrial fertilizers. It was made of gold, of course. But that is not what interests us today. What interests us is that from the autumn of 1843 and to study the long-term effects of different fertilizers and manures on the yield of winter wheat and soil fertility, he began planting wheat in Rothamsted. What does it consist of? The first harvest was in 1844 and, since then, strips of wheat have been grown with different fertilizer treatments throughout the field. That means some strips have received the same amount of fertilizer for more than 160 years. That doesn’t mean there haven’t been changes, of course. The Broadbalk experiment is a living thing and has changed over time to address new scientific problems (such as the introduction of different varieties of wheat or the application of new breeding approaches). It has been a great success, too. Not only did it allow (and allows) fine-tune with unprecedented accuracy the amount, frequency or type of fertilizer we should use; Broadback has generated a large amount of data and samples (of grain, straw and soil) that are used by scientists around the world for long-term studies on environmental impact and agricultural sustainability. It is not something trivial. The argument about not knowing what the long-term impact of things will be is not only reasonable, it’s a good one. This experiment has allowed us to dispel all the doubts we had regarding one of the most important technologies in the world: which has allowed that we are more than eight billion people in the world. Image | James Baltz In Xataka | “Carnivorous sponges” and bugs that “generate light”: the Mexican woman who wants to save the seabed from mining

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