Month: November 2025

weights and bands

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If there is an image that defines a retired population in our country It’s about going for a walk. Globally we have become obsessed with 10,000 steps, with moving and with adding minutes of aerobic activity to enjoy supposed benefits such as lowering cholesteroltension or having diabetes more controlled. But there is something that we are leaving aside to have a much healthier old age. In medical consultations it is quite common for patients to be recommended a change in their lifestyle habits in order to keep their chronic pathologies at bay. But in many cases this is limited to just taking a walk, since it is something easy, accessible and excellent for cardiovascular health. The problem is that it has become the collective imagination, the only solution, especially for those over 60 years of age. And it is something that I have seen how they defend tooth and nail, categorically stating that they do sports as their doctor tells them. The problem is that doing strength exercises is where the real magic is (and we’re not talking about lifting in bench press 100 kg at 70 years old). The recommendation. International health guides have long been betting on a paradigm shift in our conception of sport at certain ages. The WHO itself is blunt in this case: those over 65 need between 150 and 300 minutes a week of aerobic activity (such as brisk walking), but must also include “muscle strengthening activities involving large muscle groups 2 or more days per week.” And it is not an optional addition. It is a pillar with specific benefits that cardio alone cannot provide. What walking is not going to give us. The key difference between walking and doing gentle strength training with weights or elastic bands is progressive loading. It must be understood that our muscles and bones only become stronger when they are forced to resist a load greater than what they are accustomed to. If we leave them static without straining them, what happens is the dreaded atrophy, that is, the loss of muscle mass. Stop sarcopenia. As they point out scientific reviewsstrength training 2-3 times a week is the most effective tool to counteract the loss of muscle mass. And a loss of muscle means greater fragility for patients and therefore a greater risk of falling, which at advanced ages leads to a higher rate of bone fractures and a greater probability of being ‘confined’ to a bed. Stronger bones. Another very important factor in this case is the bone mineralization. A relevant point, especially in women who are menopausal and who have lost the protection that estrogen provides and that leads to osteoporosis. Estrogens are an excellent regulator of bone turnover that, when lost, prioritizes the loss of substance. Better balance. The research is clear in differentiating domains. While aerobic exercise such as walking is superior for cardiorespiratory capacity, strength stands out in dynamic balance and postural control. As a study in PLS ONE details, walking is not a substitute for strength at these critical points to prevent falls. Neuroprotection. And although we focus on the fact that sport is good for our muscles and bones (which is also good), we must not forget about our brain. There are many studies which specifically point out that having good muscle mass is related to a much greater release of myokines. Myokines are nothing more than a group of proteins that have a direct function on the brain to improve cognitive function, neurogenesis and protect the brain from cognitive deterioration, which are very important points in order to reach aging in better conditions and even benefits in terms of slow the progression of diseases such as Alzheimer’s. The consensus. From the WHO, to the CDC, or the British NHS, they point to the same thing: walking is healthy, but it must be complemented. The most successful interventions to maintain autonomy in the elderly, according to reviews of PMCare multimodal programs: those that combine aerobic, strength and balance. The specific recommendations to combat fragility are clear: 2-3 weekly strength sessions (with progressive intensity, from 40% to 80% of the maximum repetition) and balance work. That is why the recipe for having the healthiest possible old age is clear: maintain walks of 150-300 minutes per week, and add 2 or 3 sessions of strength exercises per week for complete work without leaving aside the balance that should have 3 sessions per week. Images | Yishen Ji Center for Aging Better In Xataka | Doing cardio or strength training: for science there is no debate about which is the ideal exercise after 50

spent two months underground

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“I have never buried someone who had been buried before.” Those were the words from the priest who officiated the farewell ceremony Michael Meaney. Irish builder born in 1935, he died in 2003, but as the priest said, he had already been buried before. It was in 1968, when he was 33 years old, and a crowd gathered in the London neighborhood of Kilburn to see what Meaney was like. buried alive. Not by punishment or by accident, but by fashion. The living, to the hole. In a time without TikTok, the fashion was to see how people did strange things in groups and in public spaces. There were dance contests that went on until no one could anymore. People competed to see how many could fit in a telephone booth. And another trend was voluntary burials. A famous name was that of the Texan Bill White, “The Living Corpse”, and it basically consisted of people who isolated themselves in the most extreme way: inside a coffin, with kilos of dirt on top and with food and drink that came to them through a small tube. The idea was to set a record and gain some fame from it, and Michael Meaney sought that fame. “MikeBorn in Tipperary, Ireland, Meaney was a big man. “He had the strength of ten men,” some claimed, and when he emigrated to London looking for opportunities, he took advantage. He became a boxer, but after a work accident, a hand injury prevented him from continuing his career. During recovery, he trained himself not to think about the pain and an idea occurred to him: if he had trained his mind not to be distracted by situations like this, maybe he could last longer than anyone buried underground. More than anyone alive, of course. Logistics. On February 21, 1968, he organized a dinner at The Admiral Lord Nelson pub to which he invited the press and anyone who wanted to attend. They binged as a final ceremony and Meaney was buried alive. There are several red lines here: not only the fact itself, but that he did not tell his wife, who was pregnant and who found out when the news was broadcast on the radio. The coffin measured 1.90 meters long, 76 centimeters wide and 61 centimeters high. It had a hole through which Mick would relieve himself in a container with lime so it wouldn’t smell so much, food could be passed through it and the interior was lined with foam to make it more comfortable. Interview from beyond the grave. It was buried about three meters deep and was intended to last 100 days. Coincidences of life, in Texas Bill White was also doing the same thing at that time (I already said that he made a living like this). What was a test of endurance and a quest for fame had become a competition. Apart from eating, when dawn came he got into the routine of doing some push-ups (as far as space left inside, of course) to stay active, and he also had a light that allowed him to read. He also had his crucifix. Should we remove him by force? On the surface, there were times that were busier than others. There were those who came to chat with Meaney through the telephone line that they deployed, they also told him they went down a camera down the tube so he could take a selfie. But the place wasn’t always guarded (he wasn’t going anywhere either) and on one occasion a passing truck compressed the newly piled earth, threatening Meaney’s integrity. Someone noticed and intervened, but there was some concern about the young man’s condition and the case reached the House of Commons, where it was discussed whether they should take action and remove Meaney against his will. to the surface. In the end, they chose to stay still, but not everyone remained impassive. One of his friends, the one who helped him bury himself, in fact, insisted on removing him when he had been in the hole for 61 days. He had beaten White and he said he wanted to be there for more than 100 days, but they didn’t allow him. After half an hour of digging, the coffin emerged and, to the sound of bagpipes, a procession carried a waving Meany with his dirt-covered hand through the hole to the Admiral Lord Nelson pub. When they opened the cover, a slimmer Mick, wearing sunglasses to avoid glare and with a thick beard, confessed that he felt great and that he had only missed more conversation. Monumental chestnut. The problem is that, if he did all this looking for some immediate fame, it was of no use. No one called the Guinness World Records auditors, so they couldn’t give official recognition. Do you remember that Bill White had reburied himself right at the same time as Mick? Well, if the Irishman left at 61 days, the Texan left at 62 and 22 hours. He also failed to monetize fame. He was promised money for making some appearances, but in July of that year he declared that he didn’t have a penny. Quite an “example”. Still, Mick was considered something of a local hero and having a story to tell won. His “feat”, and that of those who preceded him (with people who they arrived up to 147 days), was a danger to both the physical and mental health of those who undertook the journey, so much so that even the Guinness decided In 1991, they stopped giving importance to these actions with the aim of not promoting competition. Although seeing some challenges on social networksthe thing hasn’t changed much from the fashion in which there were those who buried themselves alive to try to monetize the feat. And if you want to know what it’s like to be buried alive, you always have a simulator. Images | British Pathe In Xataka | Some YouTubers buried a … Read more

Chinese electric car manufacturers opted to develop their own chips. He already plans to sell them to others.

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In 2024, Nio advertisement the world’s first 5nm chip for autonomous driving, being an important step towards technological independence from a Chinese manufacturer of such caliber. A year and a half after its announcement, the company is now beginning the external marketing of that chip, according to they count from Latepost. In this way, Nio is on the eve of transforming one of its most expensive investments into a potential source of income. Just like point The electric vehicle maker has already begun providing technology licenses to an automotive chip company. A multimillion-dollar project that seeks profitability. The development of Shenji NX9031 It has involved an investment of billions of yuan. William Li (Li Bin), CEO of Nio, revealed that the R&D expenditure on this chip was equivalent to the cost of building 1,000 battery exchange stations, which would place the investment above 140 million dollars. The project, started in 2021, has involved more than 600 professionals covering front and back design, verification and testing. What makes this chip special. Made with automotive-grade 5-nanometer technology, the Shenji NX9031 promises approximately four times the computing power of Nvidia’s Orin-X. Zhang Danyu, head of Nio’s chip division, pointed out in May that in some of their specifications they even surpass industry-standard chips and that their mass production began several months before Nvidia’s latest smart driving chip, the Thor-U. It is currently integrated into models such as the ET9, ES6 2025 and EC6. How much does a technology license cost?. According to share From Latepost, the value of these license agreements varies significantly depending on the type of authorization. An individual intellectual property license could be worth several million dollars, while a technical authorization at the system-on-chip (SoC) level could reach hundreds of millions of dollars. A new source of income. That the Nio chip begins to be marketed externally comes at a great time for the company, especially now that the manufacturer faces pressure significant from investors and has promised to become profitable in the fourth quarter. The company has intensified its efforts this year to reduce expenses and explore new sources of income. In March, Li Bin already advertisement publicly at the China EV 100 Forum that Nio chips and operating systems would be open to the industry. “If they want to buy the best chips, they can contact Nio,” he said then. What it means for the future of Nio. According to Li Bin, the chip provides a cost optimization of approximately 10,000 yuan ($1,400) per vehicle in the brand’s own models. Now, with the external license, Nio not only recovers part of its investment, but also positions itself as a technology provider for other manufacturers in the automotive sector. In Xataka | The longest straight road in the world is a mental challenge: 240 km without curves, in the middle of the desert and with truck traffic

How to summarize videos with artificial intelligence to know what they say without having to see them

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Let’s tell you how to summarize videos using AIso that you can know what is said in them without having to see them. Because sometimes you may be looking for a tutorial, a guide, a recipe or just information, but you don’t feel like watching a 40-minute YouTube video. This is something you can do very easily using artificial intelligence. Of course, you will be able to do it with Geminibut ChatGPT does not allow it to be done. The positive part is that you can do it with the free version of Google AI without problems. Summarize online videos First of all, with Gemini you will be able summarize videos that are on online platformssuch as YouTube or Dailymotion. Of course, you will not be able to do it on others like those on social networks like Instagram. But for YouTube and the like it works. The prompt you can use is the following: “I want you to give me a summary of the content of the video in the link. Make the summary schematically using points or bulletpoints. (Link).” In this prompt that we have used, the request to make bulletpoints is optional. However, if you decide to use it in its entirety, you will have a summary that is not so textual, but rather schematic, point by point. This will make the content easier and faster to understand. Summarize videos by uploading files Gemini also allows you to summarize the videos you attach to the prompt with a file. For this, you must add the video filesomething you can do by choosing to upload the file or linking to it from Google Drive. The prompt you can use is the following: “I want you to give me a summary of the content of the video that I attached. Make the summary schematically using points or bulletpoints.” Come on, what you can use the same promptbut with the difference that instead of adding the link to the video, you have to attach it to the message. Thus, Gemini will analyze the content of the video you have sent and give you a point-by-point summary. Ask questions about the video content You can also ask you questions related to the content of the video. Thus, instead of a summary you can ask a specific point or the precise question you have and want to solve. The prompt you can use is the following: “I want you to look for the information in the video I attached, and tell me (question) (link).” In this way, the question you ask will not be answered based on general information on the Internet, but in what is said in the video about it. It is quite useful to extract more precise information. In Xataka Basics | The best prompts to save hours of work and do your tasks with ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot or other artificial intelligence

A Volvo S80 has been parked in the middle of a lake for 13 years. And it has become a tourist attraction

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Google Maps is a tool that can take us on a trip through the most unusual places without leaving the sofa. The great pyramids, the Canadian tundra or even Everest are ‘visitable’. But if we enter the coordinates 41.35474 – 88.79789, there seems to be an error. A car in the middle of a lake? It’s not a normal car, it’s a Volvo. What’s more, it is THE Volvo. On the outskirts of Ottawa, about 130 kilometers from Chicago, there are a tiny artificial island that is just the right size to house a Volvo S80 silver from 2001. And if you are thinking that someone forgot it parked there when the area flooded or any other strange story, you should know that the story has a much simpler explanation. And also much more fun. Volvo Island Year 2012. Scott Mann, local citizen and owner of a couple of car repair shops, owned the land of an old open pit mine which had been abandoned and flooded, forming an artificial lake. As sometimes it seems that advertising has no limitsMann had an idea: place a car in the middle of the lake. We do not know if the result of a “because you don’t have noses” or because it really seemed like a good idea, the businessman conceived this as a marketing strategy to promote his workshops. As? Well, I don’t have the slightest idea, but he must have had it very clear. Their plan was to place the car there in the middle and organize a contest for people to guess how it got there. Actually, placing the Volvo was very simple: since the land is his, he towed the car to the end of a spit of land and, later, removed the segment that connected the peninsula with the rest of the continent. Ready, the Volvo S80 was already in its new home, and there it was abandoned waiting for someone to wonder how it happened. There are a couple of things that are wrong with that plan, and it turned out that someone in the office questioned whether it was really a good decision. Tiffany Warren, office manager, explained to the local media The Times They started doing it with the idea of ​​the contest, but in the end they abandoned the idea because “It was actually quite dangerous.”. The reason is obvious: the ground is not the most stable, there is 12 meters of depth around the car and if someone tried to reach it for whatever reason, misfortune could occur. So, the idea of ​​the contest was abandonedjust like the Volvo and any other genius marketing plan Mann might have in his head. The Internet did what the Internet does best For a few years, Volvo Island remained a local curiosity, but in 2015… it exploded. appeared in Google Maps and Street View and the Internet did its job. The place went viral and, although it can only be seen from afar because it is still private property, hundreds of fans have come to contemplate this work that could be another of the wonders of the modern world. In fact, the most delirious thing is that on Google Maps it appears as a “Tourist Attraction”, and has accumulated 455 reviews at the time of writing this with a score of 4.9 out of five stars. The reviews are for a laugh, but don’t think that people simply write a review and that’s it: they actually go to the place, take photos and upload them to the platform. “Photos simply don’t do this place justice. I feel truly blessed to have seen Volvo Island with my own eyes. I drove to Volvo Island in a Volvo for an incredibly immersive experience. As I drove away in my wife’s Volvo, I was overwhelmed with the emotion of what I had just witnessed: Volvo Island in all its glory,” says someone in the Google system. There are also more serious questions, such as how is it possible that, after so much time, the bodywork is still in that state, without signs of corrosion when it has been outdoors for at least 13 years. And people who claim that the island is the Grand Canyon of the Midwest or the Taj Mahal of Western civilizationa mandatory place if you go to the United States and a recommendation: go early because there is a line. Jokes aside, the truth is that it is most curious that Google Maps shows the icon of a car in the middle of the lake. It’s also a great example of how the Internet becomes a cultural phenomenon? something so unexpected that it has not only inspired digital tourism, but also physical one. And it appears that Mann has no intention of removing the vehicle or modifying the island. It has taken, as we say, measures to prevent people from accessing the islet due to both the depth and the sudden changes in terrain below the surface, but everything indicates that this failed “announcement” will remain there for a long, long time. He should have put up a sign for his workshop, or something. At least… he gets that publicity. In Xataka | All your worst nightmares have been captured by the Google Street View car. Here you have the proof

If the question is how to keep an empire together, the ancient Wari were clear: with psychedelic beer

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Archaeologists have found a key to better understand the Waria pre-Inca civilization that flourished among the 6th and 11th centuries AD and expanded throughout much of what is now Peru and areas of Argentina and Chile. The most curious thing is that the findings do not tell us about its architecture, military practices, social structure or economy, but about something apparently much simpler but crucial for the prosperity of the empire: the love of its bosses for psychedelic beer. Psychedelic beer? Exact. The concept is not new. We know that thousands of years ago The Egyptians already made cocktails with wine and hallucinogens (among other ingredients) and the hobby of the cultures pre-Inca cultures by psychoactive plants or the use of psychotropic substances in pre-Columbian Mesoamerican societies. The curious thing about the Wari is not so much what drugs they used but who did it and (above all) why. Its use would not be limited to priests in rituals, but would be used for political purposes. “We see this type of hallucinogen use as a different context than previous civilizations, which seem to have jealously reserved the use of hallucinogens for a select few, or the late Inca Empire that emphasized mass consumption of beer but did not use psychotropic substances such as vilca,” explains Professor Matthew Biwerwho in 2022 already published with other colleagues a study on the subject based on excavations in Quilcapampa (Peru). What did they consume? A mixture of chicha and vilca. To be more precise, an alcoholic drink made from the berries of the plant. Schinus molle and a psychedelic called Anadenanthera colubrina. Archaeologists are aware for a long time that the consumption of this last substance (vilca) dates back to at least 4,000 years ago, especially through pipes or inhaled such as monkfish. This is suggested by remains located in the Inca Cave, an Argentine site. In the Wari site of Quilcapampa, however, archaeologists have found vilca seeds near remains of chicha made with Schinus mollewhich leads them to think that the Wari not only consumed it with the help of pipes, but that they mixed it with chicha to drink it in psychedelic cocktails. Why is it important? Among other things, these concoctions served Wari leaders to show their power. By offering the mixture to their guests they were not only showing off their hospitality, they were also offering a luxury that was not available to everyone. Archaeologists located remains of vilca in Quilcampampa, but in reality the plant grows at hundreds of kilometers from there, in Ayacucho and Cusco. “The Wari added vilca to chicha to impress guests at their feasts, who could not repeat the experience. This created a relationship of debt between the Wari and their guests, probably from the surrounding region,” pointed out Professor Matthew Biwer years ago, when he published his first research. Was it useful for something else? Yes. And that’s what’s really interesting about a new study Posted by Jacob Keer and Justin Jennings in Magazine of American Archeologywhere they focus on another function of the psychedelic concoction based on chicha and vilca. According to their analysis, the cocktail helped the Wari leaders to consolidate their power. As? Organizing communal celebrations in which drinks were offered, fraternization feasts that were held in almost closed patios. “Except for a small patch of sky, they were isolated from the rest of the world in a high-walled interior space,” they relate researchers in your article. “This was the place where they spent hours together, drinking, eating, talking and praying. The hours that the participants spent together must have represented an unforgettable collective experience that forged strong bonds between those who attended.” What was it for? To strengthen ties. These feasts served Wari leaders to force alliances and consolidate their power. And not only because of the staging. Researchers have studied the effects that the psychedelic concoction may have had on attendees, increasing their empathy, facilitating the creation of long-term bonds and smoothing out rough edges in an expanding empire. “Although archaeologists are paying increasing attention to the role of psychedelics in past societies, they devote little time to their long-term psychological effects. One of these effects is neuroplasticity, which can lead to long-lasting prosocial feelings,” the study points outwhich highlights that the “glow” after consuming vilca (an effect that lasted for days) could help unify communities, “playing a fundamental role in the Wari government.” The combination of vilca and beer would in fact help to partially reduce the psychedelic effects, but prolong them over time. Do you all agree? The researchers suggest that people who consumed the psychedelic cocktail showed “greater openness and empathy”, an advantageous attitude in an empire in which “people who had been strangers or even enemies” coexisted. However, not everyone sees it equally clearly. Live Science recently interviewed to several experts, outside the study, who do not hide their skepticism. Among other reasons because they do not see enough evidence that the Wari mixed vilca and beer. It is true that remains were found nearby and there was no trace of pipes or any other indication that the vilca was consumed in the traditional way, but they are missing overwhelming evidence, such as ceramic fragments that preserve both compounds. Images | Wikipedia In Xataka | The Incas did not need writing to forge an empire. And we are closer to solving the key object in your organization

Germany is trying to stop its electricity dependence on China. The question is whether that is even possible.

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Almost four years ago, Germany learned a painful lesson: your industry cannot depend on the energy of a geopolitical rival. The Russian gas crisis after the invasion of Ukraine forced the Germans to make more than one sacrifice while the country’s energy model was transformed. Now, at the gates of 2026, Friedrich Merz’s government faces a déjà vu disturbing. The same stone twice. Germany may have become independent of Gazprom’s gas pipelines, but its solar panels and grid technology bear, directly or indirectly, China’s stamp. Good: Berlin has just hit the brakes. The collapse of a seemingly innocuous financial operation last week has revealed that Germany is carefully reviewing every watt that enters its system to avoid repeating the historic Russian gas mistake. The trigger. The Italian company Snam SpA intended to acquire a minority stake in Open Grid Europe (OGE), one of the largest gas network operators in Germany. On paper, it was an investment between European partners. In practice, the German Economy Ministry saw the shadow of Beijing. The problem was not Snam, but its shareholders. The state-owned State Grid Corporation of China owns 35% of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, which in turn owns a third of Snam. For the Merz government, that was risk enough. Given Berlin’s refusal to accept the proposed solutions, Snam withdrew its offer last week. A clear message. Berlin does not want companies with Chinese state participation to have access to the country’s energy arteries, even indirectly, which marks a change in doctrine compared to the era of Olaf Scholz, who at the time allowed the Chinese shipping company Cosco to enter the port of Hamburg. The current executive is much more defensive: national security takes precedence over capital. The question is… Too late? If blocking the purchase of a gas network is relatively simple, unraveling technological dependence on China is a logistical and economic nightmare. 95% of the photovoltaic cells installed in Germany come from Chinese manufacturers. And almost the entire wind industry, especially offshore, depends on rare earths controlled by China. The German energy transition is based on Asian hardware. Germany needs Chinese technology to meet its climate goals. And he doesn’t hide it. The German government has already raised this concern in international forums, denouncing the Chinese overcapacity in sectors such as electric mobility and solar energy. Technology that is needed but now considered a “systemic risk.” Is decoupling possible? In 2018, the German government already had to intervene so that the state bank KfW bought a stake in the network operator 50Hertz, preventing it from falling into the hands, again, of the Chinese State Grid. Seven years later, the strategy of “patching” individual acquisitions seems insufficient in the face of structural dependence. If the experience with Russia is any guide, Berlin seems to have decided that, this time, the price of security must be paid in advance, before anyone decides to turn off the tap. But today, the reality of the market is stubborn: replacing Chinese hardware means, almost invariably, paying more and taking longer to deploy renewables. Image | rawpixel In Xataka | If you were expecting cheap electricity this winter, we have bad news: Holland

let them start reading romance books

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At a time when more and more couples need schedule sex As if it were a work meeting, it would seem that romantic spontaneity is on the way to extinction. Routine, stress, children, screens and lack of time have pushed many people to live desire as a reminder on the calendar. And yet, in the midst of this sexual recession, thousands of readers are finding an unexpected spark in a place that years ago would have sounded almost naive: romance novels and, especially, the romanticasythe hybrid between romance and fantasy that dominates sales charts and social networks like BookTok. Reading, the new spark of desire. A growing number of women describe how their sex life was disappearing until they started reading romances. In a report for the New York Timesa reader commented that she and her husband went from having sex “twice a month” to “twice a day.” It wasn’t magic, he explained that reading worked as an emotional and physical trigger that they had not experienced in years. In Women’s Healthanother woman recounted how, after a chain of medical problems and stress, her libido evaporated… Until the novels helped her feel connected again with her eroticism and with her partner. The secret seems to be in the mix of what is written in this type of novel: magical worlds, growing sexual tension, complex female characters and explicit scenes that place their pleasure at the center. It is no coincidence that sexologists and therapists describe this type of readings as a “gym of the imagination” that reactivates reactive desire—that which does not appear alone, but with appropriate stimuli. It does not activate only the body: it first activates the mind, fantasy and emotion. What this boom reveals. Beyond the morbidity, the increase in popularity of these readings speaks of something deeper. According to TIMEromance novels allow you to explore desire from a safe place: without pressure, without expectations, without fear of judgment. They are a mental space where you can allow yourself to fantasize, recover the feeling of being desired and understand what truly excites you. For many women it is the first time they connect with their sexuality out of curiosity and not out of obligation. As detailed in Betchesthese stories work as a psychological warm-up, key in long-term couples where desire usually fades not due to lack of attraction, but due to lack of imagination and novelty. This “reactive desire” needs stimulation—and books offer it without shame. Furthermore, this explosion cannot be understood without the community. BookTok has converted these readings in public conversation: recommendations, rankings of spicetheories, private jokes, covers analyzed to the millimeter. A shared culture that has made talking about sex, desire or fantasies out loud normalized. Love in times of screens. We live in a culture that idealizes sexual spontaneitybut reality does not accompany. Endless schedules, mental loads, attention-sucking social networks and suffocating routines leave very little room for spark. In fact, studies point to a global decline in sexual frequency, especially between young couples. It is not that there is no desire: there is no time for it to appear. For this reason, many couples have started planning sex. Anticipation—flirty messages, relaxed dinners, screen-free space—works better than waiting for the flame to magically appear. In other words, planning does not kill desire, it protects it; and this is where romantic novels fit in: they create anticipation, they build tension, they reintroduce the game. They are, for many people, a way to feel something similar to the beginning of the relationship again. A revolution with nuances. However, several experts—from the NYT until ABC Australia— also warn of risks: idealizing perfect encounters, expecting synchronized orgasms or pressuring the partner to replicate fantasies that may not fit their relationship. Distinguishing between fantasy and real life, therapists remember, is key for this boom to be a help and not a source of frustration. In a world without time for desire, reading reignites it. What these stories demonstrate is not that fiction replaces reality, but that it inspires it. That sexuality does not disappear: it goes dormant. And that, for many people, these books offer something that was missing in their lives: mental time, emotional space, imagination, play, and the feeling of being seen and wanted. In an era of planned sex, exhausted desire, and frenetic routines, romance novels have shown that intimacy doesn’t need spontaneity: needs intention. Perhaps that is why this phenomenon does not stop growing. Not because it promises impossible orgasms, but because it restores—without haste, without judgment—the desire to love and be loved. As one reader confesses interviewed by Women’s Healththe key is not in dragons or vampires, but in something much simpler: “It’s not the books. It’s that they reminded me of who I was.” Image | Unsplash Xataka | Romantasy has become the most read genre in the world. According to its Spanish authors, there is not even

many times the problem is another

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In recent years, the use of the word ‘depression’ the truth is that has been expanding to refer to practically any type of state of being a little sadder than normal. This is precisely what you wanted highlight the psychologist Marian Rojas, who points out that “many people don’t have depression, what they have is an empty life”a phenomenon that deserves a careful approach from medicine to avoid diagnostic confusion and inadequate treatment. In this way, when there is an existential voidyou may even think that what you are suffering from is depression. But the reality is very different, and the treatment may be useless (beyond the placebo effect). What is existential emptiness? It is described as a feeling of lack of meaning, purpose or satisfaction in the life one is having. In this way, it is not a mental disorder per se, but rather a human state that can generate anguish, hopelessness and disconnection with oneself and the environment. According to Viktor Frankl, a pioneer in logotherapy, existential emptiness occurs when the individual does not find reasons that give meaning to their existence, generating deep vital frustration and a feeling of “being empty inside”. existential void. In this way, scientific studies support that existential emptiness is associated with feelings of hopelessness and apathy, and may be a risk factor for develop an anxiety problem or depression if not addressed in time. But it is not that existential emptiness is a synonym for suffering from depression; it is a mental disorder that alters, in a very basic way, the chemistry of our brain. What is certain is that this lack of meaning is also linked to a greater risk of suicide, mainly when the person feels useless or disoriented in their life purpose. What is clinical depression. On the other hand, we have this mental disorder that can be diagnosed by a doctor and is characterized by a persistent combination of symptoms such as deep sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, fatigue, changes in appetite and sleep. This is a condition that requires a combination of psychological therapy along with drugs that can partially reverse this situation. It is important to note that although depression can lead to feelings of emptiness, sadness and hopelessness, existential emptiness can appear without the clinical signs that allow depression to be diagnosed. Therefore, not all discomfort related to life dissatisfaction should automatically be labeled as depression. Key differences. The first thing to understand in this case is that depression manifests itself with persistent symptoms for at least two weeks and that it affects multiple areas of life. But experimental emptiness can be a less intense discomfort that is limited to more temporary situations. Furthermore, depression presents clear physical symptoms such as fatigue or sleep disturbance, something that does not match the existential emptiness that is related to a lack of purpose and meaning in life. But a more important point is that in depression there is a biochemical alteration in the brain related to serotonin and other neurotransmitters. And that is why we give specific drugs to increase the concentration of these molecules that are altered in this mental disorder. But in the existential void this does not happen. Why it is important. Differentiating them is essential to provide the best possible help, because treating a person with depression is not the same as treating a person with an experimental void. As we have said before, clinical depression may require pharmacological treatment, cognitive therapy or even both at the same time. But on the other hand, the experimental void only needs psychotherapeutic interventions aimed at finding meaning and personal values. Because basically giving an antidepressant to someone who does not have depression is like giving them candy, since if there is no alteration in the level of neurotransmitters in the brain, the effect is null. It is the same as giving antidepressants to someone who does not have this disease, since it will not cause any effect or even greater euphoria. Regain control of the narrative. What Marian Rojas puts on the table It is not a denial of depression.a serious and real illness that requires rigorous treatment, but a warning about how we are interpreting our own discomfort. In a hyperconnected but socially atomized world, it is easy to feel that emptiness. The easy solution is to ask for a medical diagnosis that validates our pain. The difficult solution, but often the necessary one according to modern psychology, is to accept that sometimes being unwell does not mean being sick, but rather it is a warning signal from our brain to make structural changes in how we live, what we work at, and who we love. As studies on quality of life and mental health suggest, the cure for the “empty life” is not in the pharmacy, but in the reorientation of values ​​and reconnection with a purpose, something that, unfortunately, no algorithm or prescription can do for us. Images | Sydney Latham Nik Shuliahin In Xataka | We’ve found a clue to depression in an unexpected place: vinegar

Reopening nuclear power plants sounds very spectacular, but Google has a plan B in case it’s not enough: solar energy

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Data centers for are insatiable monsters those who are responsible for them must feed. OpenAI, Meta, Microsoft, xAI, Anthropic and Google are burning money riding colossal data centers for training and management of artificial intelligence. But these installations are not expensive to set up: they are also expensive to maintain. They require a considerable amount of energy to functionand Google has just received a ‘shot’ of renewables. All thanks to a direct connection to the largest system in the United States. Renewables to power AI. Google and TotalEnergies have just signed a agreement of energy purchases for 15 years. The contract stipulates that the energy company will deliver 1.5 TWh of electricity from its Montpelier solar plant, in Ohio, to Google. The plant is still under construction and they estimate that it will have a capacity of 49 MW, but the most important thing is that it will be connected directly to the electricity system. PJM. It is the largest network operator in the United States. It covers 13 states and data centers are representing a relevant portion of the operator’s pie: in its last annual auction, the load of these facilities PJM capacity sale triggered at 7.3 billion dollars, 82% more. Astronomical needs. In the statement from TotalEnergies, the company that this agreement illustrates its ability to meet the growing energy demands of the major technology companies. The problem is that it is not enough. If we focus on Google, the consumption of its data centers was 30.8 million megawatt hours of electricity. The company has been focused on AI for years, but the recent ‘boom’ has made it double what its centers consumed in 2020 (14.4 million MWh). Currently, data centers are estimated to account for 95.8% of Google’s total electricity budget. But it’s not just Google: the International Energy Agency esteem that global data centers consumed 415 TWh last year, representing approximately 1.5% of global electricity consumption. It seems little put in percentage, but Spain consumed in 2024 231,808 GWh, or 231 TWh, in 2024. The data centers of a handful of companies alone consumed twice as much as an entire country. And the estimate is that this data center consumption will double by 2030, reaching 945 TWh. Renewables are not enough. Now, although renewables are a support for the total energy required by data centerssolar and wind power have two limitations: intermittency and variability. Generation depends on weather conditions and time of day, meaning it fluctuates dramatically even throughout the same day. This instability clashes head-on with the high reliability and availability requirements of data centers. These are installations that must operate continuously and cannot assume cuts or Unforeseeable drops in supplysince AI or cloud storage would suffer the consequences. These renewables require backup batteries, but it is complicated and expensive to have such a large number of batteries just to power data centers. Pulling the gas and looking at the nuclear. That’s where other sources come into play. On the one hand, nuclear. In October 2024, Google signed the world’s first corporate agreement to acquire nuclear energy from SMR reactors. The first will come into operation in 230 and it is expected that, together, they will be able to satisfy the technology company with 500 MW of capacity by 2035. On the other hand, natural gas. In October of this year, the Broadwing Energy Center project began, a new natural gas power plant that will have a capacity of 400 MW and is scheduled to come into play at the end of 2029. Decarbonization and pressure. And the big question is… doesn’t the use of gas for AI clash with the technology companies’ objectives of achieving decarbonization percentages for both 2030 and 2050? We have already seen that oil companies have been getting off the renewables bandwagon because they have seen that fossil fuels are still relevant in the technology industry, but in the case of Google, they rely on the fact that projects like the Broadwing Energy Center They will have CCS systems. This means that it will have carbon capture system that will be able to permanently “sequester” 90% of the emissions. It means burying the problem, literally, since the CO₂ will be stored a mile underground. In 2020, before the AI ​​boom, the company established the goal of operating with carbon-free energy 24 hours a day, seven days a week by 2030. It will be interesting to see how they plan to offset these emissions thanks to renewables, but the IAE estimates that the demand for data centers will not stop growing in the short term and that adds another problem: a increased pressure on the electrical grid which is added as another element to manage. Because the big underlying problem is that the demand for energy is growing at a faster rate than the capacity to generate new electricity, and it is something that has an impact on companies’ bills, but also in homes. Images | Unsplash, Google Data Center In Xataka | China does not have a spending problem with AI. What it has is a huge income gap compared to its main rival

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