Month: October 2025

the cities are no longer yellow

by

Astronauts who have been lucky enough to travel to space more than once in the last decade are privileged witnesses of a chromatic change on a planetary scale. From their vantage point 400 kilometers high, they have been able to see that the cities, previously faint spots of amber, now shine with an intense white light. It’s not a metaphor. It is the visible trace of one of the most rapid and widespread infrastructure transformations in recent history: the great replacement of public lighting. We have retired the old sodium vapor streetlights and massively embraced LED. This change, driven by regulation in favor of energy efficiency, has redrawn the night map of the Earth, a phenomenon that can be seen more clearly from space. The invention that earned a Nobel Prize in Physics. Old sodium vapor lamps, especially low-pressure ones, were monochromatic in nature. They emitted light in a very narrow band of the spectrum, resulting in that characteristic and ubiquitous yellow-orange hue that tinted our streets and skies. LED lights work in a completely different way. His breakthrough, which earned Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physicswas the invention of the high-efficiency blue LED. By combining this blue LED with a phosphor coating, it was finally possible to generate a bright and affordable white light. This diode is not only more efficient (exceeding 300 lumens per watt, compared to 16 for an incandescent bulb), but it offers a much broader spectrum. Southern Europe in 2025 from the International Space Station. Image: Don Pettit The cities changed color. To the eyes of a night observer in space, cities have gone from being yellow to glowing bluish white. Milan is the paradigmatic case: it completed its transition to LED in 2015, and appears in an ESA comparison with before and after photos taken by astronauts André Kuipers and Samantha Cristoforetti. But it is by no means the only case. Los Angeles was a pioneering city: it ordered the replacement of 140,000 streetlights in 2009. Buenos Aires modernized its lighting with smart LED streetlights between 2013 and 2016. New York finished replacing 500,000 bulbs in 2023. Barcelona plans total remote management of public lighting by 2028. But India is the country that carries out the largest replacement in the world, with more than 13 million LED streetlights already installed. The b side of this transformation. Like any revolution, the LED has a dark side. Light is cheaper, so cities are not only replacing old streetlights, but also increasing the number of light points or their intensity. The result is that we are leaving a brighter planet, where it is most difficult to escape of light pollution. The statistics indicated otherwise, but it must be taken into account that light pollution is measured by satellites, and satellites are partially blind to blue light. This means that the actual increase in light pollution, especially that perceived by human beingsis much higher than official figures indicate. To make matters worse, blue light is the one that interferes the most with our biological clock, and can affect the quality of sleep, in the same way that disorients migratory birds and the moths. The future is adjustable. The solution is not to go back to sodium. The efficiency of the LED is indisputable. The key, as with any technology, is in its application. The next phase of this transition is not about changing light bulbs, but about installing smart streetlights. It is estimated that almost one in four streetlights will be smart by 2030. When connected, they can regulate their intensity depending on the time or traffic, detect faults in real time and collect environmental data. This remote management will allow one of the new lighting maxims to be applied: using only the necessary light, when and where it is needed. In parallel, other solutions have emerged to protect biodiversity, such as red light streetlights being tested in Nordic cities so as not to disturb the bats. and the idea of ​​bioluminescence as an organic way of generating light without any electrical consumption and with minimal environmental impact. Image | The Iberian Peninsula in 2012, by astronaut Don Pettit In Xataka | Why sunlight doesn’t illuminate space: solving the question a child sent to the ISS

For decades a silent boom has been taking hold in many regions of China: Christianity

by

The recent history of Christianity in China is anything but simple. First for the Cultural Revolution and more recently, with Xi Jinping at the helm of the Communist Party, for repression against the unofficial churches. However, despite this troubled chronicle, experts tend to agree on something: in recent decades the Christian faith has expanded with force for the country. So much so that it already clearly dominates certain regions and there is who considers that in no time China will be “the largest Christian nation in the world.” How many Christians are there in China? The question is quite simple. Answer it, not so much. The China General Social Survey shows that between 2010 and 2018 the percentage of Chinese adults who identify as Christians (Catholic and Protestant) it was around 2%a percentage that can be found in essays about the matter. However, there is a quick search to find authors which differ significantly from that estimate, placing it at 3%, 7% or even 9% of the total population, which also includes children. In 2020 The Economist pointed that only Protestants make up 3% of the country’s population, although there are studies that suggest the real figure could be much higher if unregistered clandestine churches are taken into account. The reality is that it is not easy to have a precise figure. The reasons are multiple: the control of information by Beijing, the diversity of sources and methods in making calculations or even the “linguistic and conceptual differences between religion in East Asia and other regions”, such as warns Pew Research. How many believers are we talking about? The answer is again the same: it depends on the source. Although given the large size of China (1.4 billion inhabitants) even the most conservative calculations would leave a census of tens of millions. How many? Years ago, a Peking University study spoke of 40 millionWorld Population Review raises the estimate to 49.2 million and Visual Capitalist has even gone further, placing the figure close to 72 million. Is there more data? Yes. Other sources speak of some 20 million of adults, 60 million if the global population is taken into account, or even 100 million. Although its considerable disparitythe data lends itself to two clear readings. The first is the enormous weight of Protestants in the Chinese Christian community (some studies claim that represent 90% thanks to your great expansion). The second is that it is not necessary to resort to the most optimistic calculations to verify that China already surpasses (by far) the number of Christians in countries like Germany, France or Spain and would even be a handful of millions of believers in Italy if both Catholic and Protestant Christians are taken into account. How are they distributed throughout the country? A few years ago Reuters produced a map based on the studies of Professor Fenggang Yang, from Purdue University, which shows the dominant confession in the different regions of China. The plan reflects that Buddhism prevails in most of the southern and southwestern regions while other areas such as Xinjiang or Gansu are Muslim. Catholicism and especially Protestantism shine on the eastern flank. Even in Zhejiang areadespite the challenges that believers have encountered there. And what is the evolution? A quick Google search shows there are experts convinced that Christianity will continue to expand strongly in China and even place it among the countries in which the religion is experiencing greater growth, especially if we talk about Protestantism. In 2016 Professor Yang predicted that in 2030 the Asian giant will be “the largest Christian country in the world” despite its enormous Buddhist and Muslim population, among other confessions. “If we use an average annual growth rate of 7%, there will be more than 224 million Protestants in China by 2030,” the expert reflectedwho specifies that they would represent 16% of the population. “If we add Catholics, it would take even less time for China to become the largest Christian nation.” Does everyone have the same opinion? No, not everyone is so optimistic. In 2023 Pew Research published a study which suggests that, although Christianity expanded during the 80s and 90s (between 1982 and 1997 its faithful base went from six to 14 million), in recent years it has shown signs of “stabilizing.” As proof, they are based on official data that reflect that the percentage of Christian adults has barely changed between 2010 and 2018, without the pandemic having altered that picture. Still, Pew Research recognize that, in general, “survey-based estimates of China’s Christian population could be conservative,” as there are believers who choose not to reveal their faith “for fear of negative social or economic consequences,” especially if they belong to an unregistered church. Images | Gary Todd (Flickr) and Visual Capitalist (Pallavi Rao) In Xataka | China faces a bigger problem than the birth rate crisis: its young people are too busy to form couples

The Indies Fleet sank in 1715 loaded with treasures from the ‘New World’. We just recovered a million dollar one

by

On July 24, 1715, from the port of Havana, the Indies Fleet He left for Spain. The holds of the ships kept treasures of incalculable value that the Spanish had collected in the ‘New World‘, but everything was cut short a few days later. On the 31st, a hurricane sank eleven of the twelve ships, and that treasure of hundreds or billions of euros was lost. But not forever, since we just found a part. And the big question is the same as always: now… what. In search of treasure. It is estimated that 1,500 sailors lost their lives, but it was also one of the events that triggered one of the golden ages of piracy in America. Among the riches there were chests with coins and silver ingots, silver chests, others loaded with jewels and precious stones, as well as pearls, emeralds, porcelain and ingots of both gold and silver. It is estimated that the burden would be equivalent to more than 400 million current dollars. Taking all this into account, it is no longer so strange to think that the Indies Fleet of 1715 was the objective of the treasure hunter of the time. The Spanish tried it first, who claimed to have found 80% of the treasure. The problem is that it is not clear that the amount was that and the news spread like wildfire, causing the pirates and privateers will carry out attacks trying get hold of the loot recovered. Coins on the beach. Some were successful, but much of the treasure was still somewhere in the waters of the Caribbean. A couple of centuries later, a retiree named Kip Wagner began finding Spanish coins near his home on the beaches of Florida. None were dated after 1715, so he began to wonder. His suspicions were confirmed when he found an 18th-century map detailing the sinking. He founded the Real Eight Company to search for the treasure, and eight NASA and Air Force divers recovered a couple thousand pieces in a single day. It was clear: the treasure of the Indies Fleet It was there. As usually happens in these cases, treasure hunting companies began to become interested, and the protagonist of this story is 1715 Fleet Queens Jewels. We have found it. They have exclusive “salvage” rights, so they are the only ones who can carry out inspections to recover the treasures and, in the summer of 2025, an expedition carried out the great advertisement: More than 1,000 silver reales and five gold coins minted in the Spanish colonies of Mexico, Peru and Bolivia had been recovered. Some are completely eroded, but many others preserve mint marks -inscription indicating where it was manufactured- and the date, so they have directly become a valuable historical testimony. It is estimated that they all come from the same chest of the dozens that sank that day and it is a unique discovery, since finding a handful of coins is common, but a thousand at once is something much more unique. A good loot. The value of what was found has been estimated at one million dollars, but beyond the coins, a royal lead seal with the impression of the king Philip II. There is still much more at the bottom of the ocean. Despite 70 years of systematic searching, it is estimated that there are at least three ships from the fleet that are still missing, being the next targets of 1715 Fleet. Who keeps it? Sal Guttuso is the company’s director of operations and comments that what was found is “a tangible link with the people who lived, worked and sailed during the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire”, but beyond the romanticism, the big question is who gets the treasure. As they have been found in Florida state waters, its legislation establishes that any treasure considered “abandoned” belongs to the state. However, if you do not want to take charge of the search efforts, Florida grants permits to qualified organizations for exploration and recovery. Thus, it establishes that “salvers” can retain 80% of the recovered artifacts, while the remaining 20% ​​are cleaned, documented and preserved in educational collections and public exhibitions. According to 1715 Treasure Fleet, after cataloging them, some pieces will be exhibited in local museums in Florida. The next thing is to see what happens with future expeditions… and if the Flota de Indias treasure ends up causing a international earthquake like that of the San José galleon. Images | 1715 Fleet (2) In Xataka | The Spanish galleon San José sank carrying 20 billion dollars. Mexico and Colombia are going to bring that treasure to light

We have discovered the “button” that activates our hunger. And it is the next revolution in weight loss medications

by

In the molecular complexity that reigns in our body with the aim of controlling all its processes, Weight and appetite are undoubtedly one of the most complicated to keep under control.. Now, an international team of scientists has shed light about a molecular mechanism that acts as a master modulator, changing the way our brain processes hunger and satiety signals. Something that can give rise to new medications such as the famous Ozempic. The study. Published in the journal Nature, this research focuses on a key player in our metabolism: the melanocortin-4 receptor or MCR4. In this way, you can think that MCR4 is the “guardian of appetite” because it is nothing more than a protein present in our neurons that, when activated, tells us that we are satiated and that it is time to burn energy and reduce food intake. However, the operation is not as simple as the switch that turns the light on or off in our house. This is where its lesser-known, but crucial, partner comes into play: the MRAP2 accessory protein. The big change. Until now, it was known that the MRAP2 protein interacts with MC4R, but the consequences of this relationship were not fully understood. The new research reveals that MRAP2 has a drastic effect on the behavior of the appetite guardian and this is where the role it may have as a therapeutic target comes into play. What was known until now is that MC4R receptors tend to clump together on the surface of cells, forming “oligomers” or, to simplify, working in pairs or groups. Now the study shows that when MRAP2 enters the scene, it breaks these bonds and forces the MC4R receptors to act as “monomers”, that is, alone. A priori, the fact of going from being paired to acting alone may be insignificant, but the consequences it has are enormous and completely modify the recipient’s response to stimuli. Boosts the main signal. This is one of the effects caused by the MRAP2 interaction in this equation. Specifically, it has been seen that when it is in a monomeric state, MC4R becomes much more efficient in activating signaling pathways mediated by the G protein. This means that, with the same amount of stimulus (the α-MSH hormonewhich makes us feel satiated), the cell’s response is considerably stronger. Cancels stop signal. Normally, after activation, the receptors recruit a protein called β-arrestin2, which acts as a brake: it stops signaling and causes the receptor to be internalized, removing it from the cell surface to “reset” the system. Surprisingly, MRAP2 impairs this process. It hinders the recruitment of β-arrestin2, which in turn reduces the internalization of the receptor, so its ligands can bind to it in a much simpler way. The receiver on the front line. By preventing the receptor from entering the cell, MRAP2 allows MC4R to remain on the cell surface longer, ready to continue receiving signals. It’s like keeping a soldier on the front lines of battle instead of sending him to rest. In summary, MRAP2 acts as a “tuner” that modifies the MC4R receptor, biasing its function toward more potent and sustained G protein-mediated effects, while disabling its own braking system. The importance. Once this process has been understood, we move on to its importance in the clinic. The first thing that has been seen is that mutations in the MRAP2 gene are associated with cases of severe obesity in humans. This study provides for the first time the detailed molecular mechanism that explains why. Bottom line, if MRAP2 isn’t working properly, the MC4R “appetite keeper” doesn’t get that extra boost, becoming less efficient and contributing to an energy imbalance. These findings open a new avenue for drug development. Instead of looking for molecules that simply activate or deactivate MC4R, one could now think of therapies that modulate the interaction between MC4R and MRAP2. We could design treatments that mimic the effect of MRAP2 to enhance the satiety signal in people with obesity, offering a much more sophisticated approach tailored to the biology of our body. More drugs. Right now on the market we have different treatments that are focused on those people who have the most problems losing weight. We talk especially about GLP-1 agonists such as Ozempic or Mounjaro, which have given good results. But on the horizon we can see that they will not be alone and many others will arrive. Images | i yunmai Drew Hays In Xataka | Solving one of the great myths of losing weight: if “walking quickly” works by itself to lose weight

the history of the first radar in Spain

by

Do you know how many people died in 2024 in traffic accidents? 1,154. An “unaffordable” figure, in the words of Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Minister of the Interior who gave the press conference in which the data was made public. In total, 14 more people died than in 2023 and the number has been growing slowly since 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic significantly reduced displacement. In the last decade, Spain moves on the border of the 1,000 deaths but it cannot continue to lower this figure. Now imagine multiplying that number by four. And more or less we will have the number of deaths recorded in 1964. That year, in Spain there were 3,803 deaths recorded on the road. But in addition, 82,953 people were injured of varying severity. In total, 79,494 accidents were recorded. Of these, it is estimated that 31.63% of drivers were traveling at a “dangerous speed,” according to the Accident Statistical Yearbook. The time had come to take action. And those measures brought the first traffic radar seen in Spain. This was the first radar It is no coincidence that the DGT speaks of 1964 as the key year that ended up opening the door to the radars in Spain. That year, they point out on their websitethe magazine Black and White explained what a “cinemometer” was, about which they said that “this new device records the number of vehicles that pass a certain place on a road and at the same time indicates the speed they are traveling at.” However, it would not be until 1968 when the Traffic Group of the Civil Guard saw a device that they must have felt had come from the sky. Until then, agents used a system… let’s call it precarious. Before radars existed, Civil Guard cars had a speedometer in the right headlight. The driver would then approach the offending car and keep pace. From the passenger side, a photograph was taken showing the speed at which the vehicle was traveling and the offending car. It was in 1968, however, when radars made an appearance. After the first tests, the agents began to mount the equipment in the cars. The ones chosen were the Renault 10 and the Seat 124 that the Civil Guard used daily but they had to carry a luggage rack to be able to transport the enormous devices. These consisted of a radio system that, using microwaves, was capable of estimating the speed at which a vehicle was moving. This acted together with another device, known as photocontrolwho was in charge of taking the photograph so that there was evidence of the offending vehicle. At the end of the day, the film rolls from the camera had to be sent to the Traffic Headquarters to be developed and, later, printed. The time of taking, the date and the speed at which the vehicle was being driven at that time were recorded in the photograph. The system was not very different from the current one therefore. The devices also had other problems. They could only be used on completely flat ground. If this was not the case, the calibration began to make errors. In addition, they were heavy to transport and, obviously, could only be used when stationary. It was something like having to install a fixed radar every day. That made the management of fines was especially cumbersome. Every day, the agents who had to perform these functions had to travel to the indicated place. Once there, all the data related to the control had to be entered by hand. With each change of road, the agent covered himself with a black curtain to prevent any photos from being obscured by their change. Six hours after keeping the radar in operation, the agent had to spend another two hours writing reports about what happened. They explain on the DGT website that since the number of these devices was minimal and there was very little knowledge about them, the Civil Guard had to send its agents to France or Germany to recycle their knowledge. Those first radars began to spread from Madrid and Barcelona and little by little, already in the 70stheir number was expanding. The margin for committing an infraction was low since the radars could not detect vehicles traveling above 150 km/h. In those days, only a handful of cars could exceed this speed. What was said in those moments? Little thing. Things from a country that was experiencing a dictatorship in those days, so the dissenting voices tended to zero… at least in the media. In fact, the arrival of these devices was praised, pointing out The Vanguard that, now, drivers had to circulate “as it should be”. Photo | DGT In Xataka | 74,000 fines and counting: the most voracious radar in all of Spain is located in a specific point in Madrid

In rural Salamanca someone has had an idea to revitalize the towns: give you the bar

by

Spain is full of ghost towns that are sold for a few hundred thousand euros. There are also such small towns where, unfortunately, silence is your most precious asset. And I say “unfortunately” because they are isolated areas, towns with barely a hundred inhabitants that are seeking to have a new life and that are launching initiatives to, if not maintain, stop losing population. The idea of ​​a Salamanca town is “give a present“the bar to whoever wants it. They only have one condition: Open on weekends. Rent for one euro a year. Alba Coca It is a small town in Salamanca that had its population peak in the 60s with… 273 inhabitants. Since then, free fall to 95 registered in 2024. It is another of those towns with centuries of history behind it, and another of those that have a shortage of resources due to the gradual abandonment of a population that has been migrating to the cities. To try to breathe life into the town, the City Council has had an idea: rent the municipal bar for a symbolic price: one euro a year. A few years ago, and after renovating it thanks to the help of the Salamanca Provincial Council, an Argentine family registered in the town and took over the business. He gave it life, but after returning to his country, the local, fully equipped and 200 square meters, it was abandoned again. “The bar is everything”. Dori Vicente Ciudad is the mayor of Coca de Alba and points out the importance of the place as it is not only… well, a bar, but also a center for leisure, meeting, coexistence and entertainment as it can be used as a civic center. The rent, as we say, is symbolic, but the condition is that “it must open, at least, on weekends.” In addition, the mayor comments that she asks the successful bidders to register in the town and attract people to energize it. Because the bar will not be the leisure center of Coca de Alba: it will also be the center of people from other nearby towns who could be attracted to the activities held there. A carte blanche, in short. That importance for the figure of the bar is something that anyone who lives in or visits such small towns knows well. Pedro Astudillo is the mayor of Border Zoritaanother town in Salamanca with about 150 inhabitants that also rents the bar for about 180 euros per month and is thinking of installing solar panels to alleviate expenses. “The bar is everything, the meeting place where we all get together, it is a social good,” assures the councilor, who shares the opinion with Juan Carlos Martín, mayor of Cantaracillo -190 inhabitants after reaching 825 in the 50s-. “The bar is a meeting point, you see more people on the street, it creates activity, it is a very important benefit and is essential in the municipalities,” says Juan Carlos. Cantaracillo rents his bar for 50 euros a month, and it already has license plates. Alba Coca Institutional support. This giving life to the bars of emptied Spain is not an isolated measure and, in fact, the Salamanca Provincial Council itself detailed at the end of 2023 that there was a plan to allocate some 300,000 euros so that towns that do not have active hospitality establishments can open one. Thus, each city council that requested it would have up to 30,000 euros to undertake the renovation. At the time, it was estimated that there were at least 80 towns that could benefit from subsidies and it was ensured that anyone who met the requirements would not be left without help. The conditions were similar to those of Coca de Alba: commitment to opening throughout the year with an activity of at least two days a week. It is not an isolated case. It is no longer just the symbolic price (and not so symbolic in other cases), but the commitment of the people installing solar panels or running the bar’s expenses so that the meager profits from the establishment go to whoever settles in the town to run it. Although we mention cases of Salamanca, other towns have recently launched contests to find someone to run the municipal bar. Bermellar is also in Salamanca and, apart from offer the bar for one euro, also includes housing. Towns of Burgos like Santa Cecilia have similar offers and, apart from institutional initiatives, there are also some private ones. For example, BarLab Rural is a project promoted by Mahou-San Miguel and AlmaNatura to reopen bars in towns with less than 5,000 inhabitants. There is no clear guide to attract population or, as we said, encourage what is there not to be lost. AND examples of initiatives there are lots, like promote research, create parties, give it all done or directly pay for you to move. Images | Google Maps, Tamorlan In Xataka | Spain’s industry is moving from traditional cities to Emptied Spain. The reason: renewables

How to create a pocket TV antenna using an old Chromecast to watch DTT on any TV

by

Let’s explain to you how to turn a Chromecast into an antenna for DTTso you can watch it on any television. So, if you have one of these devices around the house, you can use it for this purpose and always take it with you for your trips, especially if you go to places where there are slightly older TVs. The Chromecast is no longer sold, Google killed it in 2024, but you may still have one at home. We won’t really turn it into an antenna, what we are going to do is install the necessary applications so you can use it to connect to a television and watch DTT. Therefore, the only requirement is that it be a Chromecast with Android TV or Google TV to be able to install applications. Your Chromecast converted into a DTT player The first thing you have to do is install an application where you can load and play a list IPTV on your Chromecast. Some of the most important and recommended are kodi either VLCand other more specific ones such as wiseplay. There are also other specialized ones such as DTT Channelsalthough Wiseplay’s should be sufficient and easy to use. Once you have the application installed, you will have to add an IPTV list. These lists are a delicate issue, because without being strictly illegal, some are persecuted for broadcasting paid content. However, you can use free IPTV lists that are limited to offering you DTT channels. Some of the main IPTV lists that you can download are, as explained on Xataka Android: IPTV.org, available on the project’s GitHub and Free TV, which you can also get on your GitHub. These are lists where the addresses are stored with which you can access the broadcasts of IPTV channels using remote IP addresses. The format they usually have to reproduce is m3u, in addition to others such as m3u8 or w3u, and hence they are also known as “m3u Lists”. Image by Eva R. de Luis What you have to do is enter the application you have chosen, such as Wiseplay, and go to the section to add a new list. This will take you to a screen where you have to type the URL to this list. Here, you have to paste address from list that you have chosen or the m3u or w3u file, and then it will be added to the application. From now on, using this application you will be able to watch any DTT channel on this list through your Chromecast. You will need to have access to the Internetalthough you can do this by sharing your mobile data network. And that’s it. With these steps you have converted your Chromecast into a device to watch DTT. Now you can always take it with you, and this way if you go to a place with a television where you want to watch a local channel, even regional, you will be able to do so. In Xataka Basics | Free football on DTT: all the channels that offer the First Division of LaLiga EA Sports this season

is that they are the largest in Andalusia

by

The speleology It is a fascinating activity. This discipline mixes sports exploration with scientific study and constantly reminds us that we can continue discovering things from our past. Recently, we have found treasuresfurther cave paintings and clues about the arrival of man to Mallorca. The latest has been a brutal underground connection in Malaga. And officially they are the largest caves in Andalusia. Historical connection. It was last September 26 of this year when the Underground Explorations Group of the Malaga Hiking Society confirmed what had been suspected for years: Sima Nevero and the Sima Aire They were physically connected. These are two cavities that are about 340 meters apart in a straight line, but of course, that distance is if we create an artificial tunnel. Nature is somewhat more complex. Let the numbers speak. This confirmation has given rise to the birth of the Nevero-Aire Complex, an underground system that, right now, is about 26,445 meters with a drop of 955 meters. These impressive figures make it one of the most extensive underground systems in Spain and the largest caves in Andalusia. Having discovered this cconnection between the chasms It is an achievement, but it is really not that strange if we take into account that the Sierra de las Nievesto which they belong, is an enormous karst system that extends for more than 12,000 hectares. Three decades of exploration. The carbonate terrain is very sensitive to erosion by rainwater, which favors the creation of underground networks formed by galleries and wells. And it has not been found by chance: in recent years, explorers have dedicated themselves to surveying and studying the cavities, looking for that connection between the chasms, something that was suspected. for more than 30 years. It was in the 80s when curiosity about these galleries began. At that time, the Sima del Nevero was a cavity barely 15 meters deep, but its study confirmed that it reached 755 meters. That of the Aire, for its part, sank to a depth of 724 meters and the clues that the speleologists followed pointed to that physical connection between the two. path ahead. As we say, although it is now that the connection to obtain those 26,445 meters of galleries has been confirmed, it is estimated that there is much more that we still do not know. So much so that researchers hope that it will be integrated with the Cueva del Agua and other systems, reaching a total of more than 50 kilometers of galleries. If so, the Sierra de las Nieves would go from being the largest cave system in Andalusia to being one of the largest underground systems in all of Europe, rubbing shoulders on the list with the Muotathal swiss or Alto del Tejuelo in Cantabria, both surrounding 213 kilometers of interconnected caves. All far, yes, from the more than 590 underground kilometers of the ‘Colossal Cave’ in Kentucky. Heritage. Aside from the records, it is interesting that we continue to discover new developments in both underwater and terrestrial exploration due to the valuable information on the geological, hydrological and climatic processes that they can provide. In this context, this information dates back millions of years and is another “medal” for a system that is already a National Park and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It is evident that this is a great addition to the underground geological heritage of Andalusia, and now it only remains to be seen how many more connections speleologists will be able to add in future expeditions and research. In fact, the intention is to continue exploring. Rogelio Ferrer is a member of the GES and has commented that the discovery has been like “opening the pandora’s box“, but the next step is to raise more money, since expeditions like this “require a significant investment that is beyond our reach.” For the moment, and as they point out researchers and the Commonwealth of Municipalities of the area, is that the Sierra de las Nieves “is not only beauty on the surface: also in depth, geological history and an example of commitment to science.” Images | David Garcia Rodriguez, Sierra de las Nieves (Miguel Benitez) In Xataka | The largest vertical well in Spain is in Cantabria: so deep that it takes 12 seconds for a stone to hit the bottom

Miquel Ballester, co-founder of Fairphone, talks to us about how they compete with giants

by

I meet again Miquel Ballester twelve years later. I interviewed him in 2013: I started my career in Xataka, and he did the same in Fairphonea company he officially co-founded a few months earlier with a singular goal: “to create the world’s first fully fair smartphone.” Many things have changed since then. We both already have gray hair, and we have both experienced from our side of the industry how smartphones have conquered the world and then become a standard and everyday product that has one difficulty: that of being truly differentiating. A different mobile in everything. Including your materials But at Fairphone they have managed to do precisely that: differentiate themselves. Your focus is totally different to that of the rest of the manufacturers, and although that part of the original mission has not changed, it has also expanded. According to Ballester, “it has always been a tool,” because Fairphone’s intention was to “change the industry from within.” Fairphone (Gen. 6). In fact, he explains, “we could have made our way by remaining an NGO or getting into the industry in another way, perhaps inspiring other companies and convincing them that there was a market for fair electronics.” Instead they decided to apply the old “if you want something well done you have to do it yourself”, and got to work. This is how the original Fairphone was born and how the others have emerged. Thus, the Fairphone commitment to conflict-free minerals remains one of the hallmarks of its devices. Miquel Ballester confirms that the situation has improved, in part, thanks to legislative changes such as those that have emerged in Europe. “Monitoring and reporting that reveals where certain materials come from, but conflict-free minerals are only one part” of the equation, he points out. The company has scaled its commitment from the initial 4 supply chains to 23 monitored chains, with the goal of half of its materials coming from fair or recycled sources. The new Fairphone (Gen. 6) is the demonstration of that work: more than 50% of the weight of its materials corresponds to fair or recycled materials (that percentage was 42% in the Fairphone 5). This direct management of the chain is vital, especially when deal with rare earthswhose shortage global affects the entire industry. Ballester clarifies that, although they notice the impact on the price, the one directly affected by the volume and wait challenges is the company that manufactures the component, not always the final assembler. Long live modularity and repairability If there is one thing that defines Fairphone, it is its radical approach to repairability and modularitysomething they have successfully extended beyond phones, as evidenced by their repairable headphones, the amazing Fairbuds. Miquel Ballester, Head of Product at Fairphone. That philosophy raises an inevitable question: “Does being repairable and modular involve too many sacrifices?” According to Ballester, “In Generation 6 we are very proud of the balance we have achieved between performance, modularity and sustainability. We have had to say no to many things, but they have all been good strategic decisions that went in one direction: getting a balanced phone for the type of consumer and the type of market we are in.” It is in these decisions that it has been decided, for example, whether to opt for one or another cutting-edge components. We have an example in the ultra-wide-angle sensor, which has lowered its resolution which “has nothing to do with modularity”, but rather to seek a balance and a good balance of specifications. But of course, that philosophy imposes certain criteria. Thus, this engineer and entrepreneur explains to us, “modularity imposes design and size restrictions“. For example, to ensure a large and serviceable battery, the device had to be “a few millimeters thicker” (9.6 mm in the case of the Fairphone (Gen. 6)). Despite this, Ballester emphasizes that this modularity cannot compromise the design too much. In the end, the mobile phone needs to “work and be attractive. It is super important that when a person goes to a store – we are in 20 operators throughout Europe – they see a terminal with a good design.” All that history and experience has allowed them to polish once again a design that remains remarkable but that at the same time includes a battery of decent capacity (4,415 mAh) that is also interchangeable/repairable. The result for him and his team is remarkable: “I’m very proud of the design we’ve achieved with the Fairphone (Gen. 6). It feels good in hand, is light, maintains balance and has a larger screen than the Fairphone 5, which was one of the key goals we had.” In fact, we asked Ballester about past mistakes that they learned from, and he precisely alluded to the predecessor of this mobile. “The Fairphone 5 is a very good device, but it is also I tried to do many things. With the Fairphone (Gen. 6) we were able to make stricter decisions about what should be included and what not, and thanks to that we were able to launch it at a more affordable price.” The Fairphone (Gen. 6), like its predecessors, allows you to enjoy an interchangeable battery, a feature that was previously common and is no longer so. Long live repairable cell phones. It’s true: the Fairphone 5 was launched at 699 euros, while the Fairphone (Gen. 6) has a retail price of 599 euros, a notable difference especially considering that it is normal for everything to go up in price, not go down. For him, in fact, what happened with the Fairphone 5 led to a very important learning experience. “The 5 responded to a certain moment in the company, there was uncertainty, we did not want to close doors. With Gen. 6 we have taken another path even knowing that perhaps we were leaving things behind. You can’t try to please everyone because in the end you don’t make anyone happy.“. Fairphone in Spain and how to compete with giants At Fairphone … Read more

A Norwegian man wanted a Lamborghini Aventado but he was not a millionaire. So one was made with Ikea parts

by

Steinar Thyhold, a 57-year-old Norwegian, he is not a millionaire. However, that has not prevented fulfill your dream of having a “Lamborghini” in his garage. The most striking thing is that he has not achieved it with your life savings. It has achieved this in a much more impressive way: it has built your own Lamborghini Aventador at home and from scratch, recycling some parts from other cars and buying others in places as unexpected as Ikea. There’s nothing like a homemade Lamborghini According to published the Norwegian middle NRKThyhold took seven years to build his homemade supercar and put in more than 7,000 hours of work to create this fully functional replica of the Lamborghini Aventador that he has even driven on the open road. Far from the 400,000 euros that a original aventador At the dealership, the Norwegian “only” spent almost a million Norwegian crowns, which is equivalent to about 97,357 euros at the exchange rate. The whole process began in the garage of his home in Malvik (Norway), where he first manufactured a wooden chassis as a base and then built a tubular steel one. For the engine he chose a BMW block M73, a 5.4-liter, 326-horsepower V12, which he took from a third-generation BMW 750i E38. Choosing this engine was no coincidence. Thyhold wanted to maintain the spirit of the Aventador, which carries a V12 engineand that is why he opted for this second-hand German engine. The search for parts for his supercar forced Thyhold to travel halfway around the world. He bought the engine in Germany, but he also had to look for parts in Bulgaria, Thailand, the US and even Mexico. A “Frankenstein” on wheels As a good home project, the Aventador replica It is built by joining and adapting parts from different manufacturers. The Tiptronic sequential gearbox was taken from a Audi A8the window regulator is from a Volvo V70 and the different moldings of various Volkswagen models. In reality, from Lamborghini, it only has two original parts: the headlights and the windshield. According to published Business Insiderthese were the most expensive pieces of the project. The most curious thing of all is that to build the exhaust system for his homemade Aventador, the ingenious Norwegian turned to an unexpected supplier: Ikea. “The exhaust system was a challenge and, among other things, the pipes had to be covered. To achieve this, I bought a sink at Ikea and another at a second-hand store in Stjørdal. I screwed them together and installed them over all the pipes,” Thyholdt told NRK. Tap on the photo to go to the original message The dimensions of the car almost perfectly replicate those of the original model: it measures 4.8 meters long, 2.36 meters wide and 1.13 meters high. Although it has not revealed the final power, it is known that its BMW engine delivers more than 326 horsepower, since it included an ECU (Engine Control Unit) to improve performance. Despite being a completely homemade replica and artisanalThyhold’s Lamborghini can legally ride on the roads of the country since it complies with Norwegian regulations for amateur built vehicles and has been approved and registered. The authorities of the Public Highway Administration have visited his garage on several occasions to check the work, granting official approval to his project. Thyhold has shared its creation step by step through your Instagram profileto which he has added the description “Do it yourself”. For obvious legal reasons, Thyhold’s supercar couldn’t sport the Fighting Bull badge, so the Norwegian baptized his replica “Stethy”, a name he even silk-screened on the BMW engine. Steinar Thyhold’s work has been so methodical and precise that it has generated admiration among others Lamborghini enthusiasts. Harald Skjøldt, president of Lamborghini Klubb Norge in Norway, and owner of several supercars from Sant’Agata Bolognesepraised Thyhold’s retort. “I am very impressed with the work he has done. The Lamborghini is a very advanced supercar, so it is not an easy task.” The president of the Norwegian club expressed deep respect for Thyhold and his initiative and invited him to participate in the events organized by his club to roll with them as if it were one morealthough in reality he is the only one who can boast of having built his own Lamborghini. In Xataka | Lamborghini will only manufacture 29 units of its latest supercar but don’t be in a hurry: they were already sold before being presented Image | Wikimedia Commons (via.tt.se) Lamborghini

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.