Month: December 2025

Why has the internet gone crazy shouting rhythmic words at the television?

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Table, strawberry, weight, weight, weight, table, strawberry, table. If your brain has just played a little music and you have read it to the beat, you have also fallen into the latest viral challenge of social networks. You will surely have felt this December that the algorithm has been “hacked” by an infinite loop of rhythmic words and a sound in a language that we cannot identify. But it is not a computer error: it is the definitive viral phenomenon that has transformed our Christmas dinners in a makeshift arcade. The phenomenon that conquered the holidays. What started as a niche game has become the absolute protagonist of the family gatherings of 2025. The challenge, known globally as Say the Word on Beat (or its version adapted to Spanish Say the word with the rhythm), has flooded digital platforms. According to analyzed datathe challenge has gone from being a simple filter to a skill competition that has already accumulated more than 1.2 billion views under its main label. The figures that can be seen at a glance under the hashtags #wordonbeat either #wordonbeatchallenge They exceed thousands of videos that, in turn, garner millions of views. This new phenomenon suggests that its rise is due to the extreme ease of participating, thanks to the CapCut automatic templates either on your own websiteand the ease of the game that brings together everyone from children to grandparents. The science of the mental “short circuit.” But what makes such a simple game so addictive? The answer is in our brain. The challenge is a digital and playful version of the famous Stroop effect. This psychological phenomenon measures reaction time when faced with tasks where there is a cognitive conflict. When trying to say the name of an object while the rhythm pushes us to say a rhyme (like cup, soup, clothes, cup), the prefrontal cortex of our brain suffers a small collapse as it tries to inhibit the automatic response. As professor and virality expert Jonah Berger explains in his theories about the “social currency”this type of content succeeds because it allows us to demonstrate a skill to our circle. Achieving the “Impossible” level is not just about winning a game; It is gaining public validation that the brain rewards with dopamine rushes. Furthermore, these “micro challenges” adapt perfectly to the new consumer habits: They are short, intense and highly competitive. An unexpected origin. One of the most curious aspects of the challenge is its soundtrack. That rhythmic, foreign voice that guides the game is not a creation of artificial intelligence. This is a traditional Thai school song known as “Moo Ma Ga Gai“, which translated would be something like “Pig, dog, crow, chicken.” This audio, originally designed for Thai children to practice the diction and tones of their language, was rescued and remixed by content creator @robgongfriendwho added the metronome and the whistle that we all recognize today. It’s a fascinating example of how digital globalization can turn an elementary school lesson in Southeast Asia into the hit of the new viral challenge. A new family “arcade”. Unlike other TikTok dances that are usually individual, the Word on Beat has made a qualitative leap towards the “phygital” (physical and digital) world. YouTube channels like Rhytup or its Spanish version I Know The Game! have detected a massive peak of traffic from Smart TVs. Instead of consuming content on the small mobile screen, users are projecting these videos on their televisions to play as a group. The living room thus becomes an improvised arcade, replacing classic board games with visual reflex challenges. It is, in essence, the “karaoke” of the new generation: a collective activity that encourages laughter through other people’s mistakes. A party at the stroke of beat. Today, as we prepare for the chimes of New Year’s Eve, it is very likely that the ambient sound is not just that of toasts or party music. Before the grapes, you will hear rhythmic shouts: table, dumbbell, strawberry… It’s not that the networks have hacked our brains, it’s that we have found in the simplicity of a Thai rhythm the most human and fun way to connect. So, if tonight you see your entire family yelling at a screen, don’t be surprised. They are simply trying to keep their brain from jamming before the clock strikes twelve. Image | instagram Xataka | The house as a showcase: how interior design has taken over from fashion

In the last three years, Spain has gained 1.2 million singles. In exchange it has added… 105,000 married people

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Spain is (increasingly) a country of singles. Although there are still more married than divorced, separated, widowed or people without an ‘official’ partner, the latest statistics from the INE reveal that the sum of these last categories already exceeds that of those who have said ‘yes I want’. Logical if you take into account that in the last three years the number of married people has grown by 0.5% while the number of single people shot up by 9.2% and the number of divorced people by another 8.8%. These are data that must be handled with some caution, but they show that something is changing. New times, new ways of living. A country of singles. That singleness is gaining strength as a vital plan is nothing new. We have been talking about the ‘great recession’ of romantic love, spin entry of traditional courtship or even how (despite the rise in prices and the difficulty of accessing credit) more and more people You choose to buy your home alone, without sharing expenses with a partner. Despite all of the above, it is still interesting to take a look at the INE statistics on the marital status of the population, especially when (how it just happened) show a newly updated photo. Year Singles Married Widowers Separated 2024 14,532,528 19,058,788 2,909,384 3,228,054 2023 14,357,158 19,017,938 2,911,402 3,141,053 2022 14,058,103 18,877,848 2,912,811 3,049,715 2021 13,304,355 18,953,251 2,899,639 2,966,450 One figure: 14,357,158. The definitive records of the INE show that last year there were 19.06 million married people residing in Spain, 14.53 million single people, 2.91 million widowers and 3.23 million divorced and separated people. If the ‘adult’ population of the country, over 16 years of age, is taken into account, the conclusion is clear: people who have said ‘I do’ continue to represent the largest group. They assume 45.8%compared to 34.9% of singles, 7.8% of divorced people and 7% of widowers. Does the marriage last? Yes. And no. It is true that it is still the largest group if we talk about marital statuses and it is also true that there are more married people in Spain today than in 2021, but the tables from the INE leave another, much less flattering reading: the married population has grown less than the single or divorced population. In 2024 there were in Spain 105,537 marrieds more than three years earlier, representing a growth of 0.55%. If we talk about singles, their number has grown by 1.23 million people during the same period, which translates into a rebound of 9.23%. The group of divorced or separated people has gained 261,604 people in three years, with a growth that is close to 8%. Year Average age of first marriage (men) Women 2023 37 34.9 2018 35.6 33.5 2013 34.4 32.2 Beyond the INE. The INE is not the only indicator that something is changing in Spanish society. Another (also of a statistical nature) is Eurostat, which has been documenting for a long time how we get married later and later. According to your dataIn 2023, on average, Spaniards said ‘I do’ for the first time at the age of 37 and Spanish women at 34.9. It is interesting for several reasons. To begin with, because these data place Spain as the European country in which we later made relations official. If we talk about men (37 years) we are tied with Sweden, but if we focus in women (34.9 years) we are above the Nordic nation, where the average is 34.8. We not only delay our passage through the altar. He has also done it motherhood. In fact, pregnancies among women over 40 years of age have skyrocketed in recent decades to represent close to 10% of the total. The way we face our life horizon has changed so much that there is more and more leisure on offer focused on singles or it is easier, for example, to meet people who decides to buy a home without having a partner. Less ‘I do’. The trend is also reflected in the last yearbook of the Spanish Episcopal Confederation, although in their case the figures reflect religious links. In 2024 the Church registered 31,462 Catholic weddings, below the 33,500 a year before and far from the more than 110,000 in 2007. They are values ​​in line with the latest statistics from the INE, although when handling them it is advisable to keep certain keys in mind: their record only tells us about “civil statuses”, so, remember in 20Minutes Pau Miret, CED researcher, does not include those singles who have decided to change marriage for “non-marital cohabitation.” That is, settled couples who share a home and function in practice as a marriage, but choose not to make it official. Image | Ismail Hamzah (Unsplash) In Xataka | The slow but inexorable “Japanization” of Spain: births have fallen by 50% since the time of the baby boom

We believed that pets were replacing children. One study suggests just the opposite

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The first time I saw a dog in a stroller was in a shopping mall. It passed me like any child’s stroller: wheels, hood, a small package inside. I looked twice because it seemed too small for a baby, and it wasn’t. Inside there was a dog. I remember well that he was a french bulldog and her name was Chanel. Over time, the scene stopped seeming exceptional to me. I started seeing dog strollers in downtown neighborhoods, parks or even on public transportation. An image that has become a symbol of something deeper: the feeling that, in aging societies, pets are occupying a place that children once had. But what if that reading was incomplete, or outright wrong? What if, far from replacing children, pets were playing another role in family life? A new academic study challenges a widely held belief. To begin with, the numbers help to understand why suspicion has established itself in the public debate. In Spain, according to the Spanish Network for the Identification of Pet Animals (REIAC)in 2023 there were more than ten million dogs registered compared to less than two million children between 0 and 4 years old. A difference so wide that it invites, almost automatically, to think about a change within homes. The scenes that come from outside reinforce that impression. South Korea has crossed a symbolic threshold: More strollers are now sold for dogs than for babies. It is not an exaggeration, it is the statistical reflection of a country in demographic emergency. The trend has caught on so much that even faith has adapted. In Japanese temples such as Ichigaya Kamegaoka, the ancient ritual of Shichi-Go-San —previously exclusive for children— has filled with snouts and straps. In the absence of infants, sanctuaries bless pets to prevent their liturgies from being left without protagonists. Against this backdrop, political and moral interpretations have proliferated. In 2022, Pope Francis described as “selfish” to those who prefer to have animals rather than children. In South Korea, then Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo He even stated that young people They “love their dogs” instead of starting families. A resounding diagnosis that, until now, had relied more on cultural symbols and perceptions than on contrasted data. Disassembling the narratio The idea that pets replace children has just received a serious corrective from academic research. The study Cats, Dogs, and Babiesled by researchers Kuan-Ming Chen and Ming-Jen Lin from National Taiwan University, has analyzed for more than a decade the behavior of millions of homes. Research has concluded that people who adopt a dog are up to 33% more likely to have a child later than those who do not. Far from displacing paternity, the animal seems to act as a preliminary step. This is what the authors call the “child of practice effect.” As Chen and Lin explainmany couples use the experience of caring for a dog to evaluate their willingness to take on responsibilities: routines, expenses, and emotional bonds. If the experience is positive, it increases confidence to take the next step towards human parenthood. However, there is no change in sight. Neither the Taiwanese study nor the experts who analyze the demographic winter maintain that the increase in pets will translate, by itself, into a rebound in birth rates. The academic work itself warns that this is a country-specific analysis and that patterns may vary depending on the cultural, economic and social context. The cart as a metaphor The study does not propose pets as response to demographic declinebut as a clue about how care decisions are postponed today in a context of economic and vital uncertainty. This reading fits with what sociologists and demographers point out in Spain. As reflected in the analysis of my colleague in Xatakathe drop in the birth rate responds to widely documented structural factors: job insecurity, rising housing costs, difficulties in conciliation, delay in emancipation and increasingly later motherhood. In this scenario, pets do not displace children; They occupy the space left by a postponed vital project. For this reason, the image of the dog in a stroller summarizes this ambiguity well. As Dr. Jerry Klein explainschief veterinarian of the American Kennel Club, these strollers can have a practical function in certain cases: “They offer elderly dogs, dogs with arthritis or mobility problems a way to enjoy the outdoors without straining themselves.” Veterinary platforms such as Dialvet either ToeGrips They agree that they can help protect paws from hot asphalt or help small dogs who cannot keep up with long walks. However, other experts urge caution. Carlos Carrasco, from DOS Training, warns in La Voz de Galicia that “a dog is not a child with hair” and that carrying a healthy animal in a stroller can be a “humiliation” that denaturalizes it. Along the same lines, ethologist Isabel Jiménez, director of La Manada de Iris, points out in IM Veterinaria that excessive humanization “nullifies the dog as a species and makes it emotionally ill.” a study published in Animals (MDPI) reinforces this idea, warning that anthropomorphism can generate anxiety and stress in the animal by not respecting its basic biological needs, such as smelling and walking. Finally, the rise of pets does not alone explain the demographic winter, but it does reveal how forms of affection and responsibility are reconfigured in societies where having children has become more complex. The Taiwanese study does not offer miracle solutionsbut there is a clear warning: facing pets and children as if they were exclusive options oversimplifies a much more nuanced reality. Perhaps, when we see a dog in a stroller, we are not looking at the symbol of renunciation, but rather at the reflection of a generation that postpones irreversible decisions while looking for possible forms of care. Before blaming the puppies, it might be worth looking at the system surrounding those who are hesitant to become parents. Image | Unsplash Xataka | As Japan runs out of children, it’s starting to adopt some ceremonies for one group on the … Read more

He has fitted winter tires to use it as a snow plow.

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While many drivers in Spain stay stuck on mountain roads Every winter, as a few centimeters of snow fall due to driving cars that are not prepared for those conditions, the CEO of Bugatti wanted to offer a winter driving lesson most unexpected. Mate Rimac, 37-year-old Croatian businessman supercar enthusiast that it manufactures, has recently shared on its social networks a video which shows something completely surprising: he prefers to drive a Bugatti Tourbillon of 4 million euros in heavy snow conditions. This is not an impulsive act, but rather a rigorous testing program that seeks to validate the behavior of the exclusive Bugatti supercar in extreme situations in the real world. The first Bugatti “snowplow” The contrast with what we usually see on Spanish roads with the first snowfalls of the season is disconcerting. While many drivers with front-wheel drive SUVs equipped with summer tires end up trapped for not being able to circulate With a few centimeters of snow, the CEO of Bugatti shows that the problem is not the type of vehicle, but the preparation of the vehicle with the correct equipment to face these adverse weather conditions. In it video posted on your profile From Instagram, Rimac presents two options for driving in snow storms: a properly prepared Jeep Wrangler and a Bugatti Tourbillon. The CEO’s choice of the French supercar, instead of the specifically designed 4×4 vehicle for difficult terrainhighlights a fundamental truth about winter driving. Tap on the image to go to the original content As revealed by the “VP1” callsign on its side, the Bugatti Tourbillon that Rimac drives is the first unit that circulates freely on open roads, with a power of 1,800 HP and a price of 4 million dollars. Rimac explains in his video that the Tourbillon is equipped with winter tires of the correct quality, and this is precisely the determining factor that is missing from the majority of Spanish drivers who get stuck on the roads and mountain passes with the first snowfalls. According to the businessman, the winter tires provide enough grip to control the 1,800 HP delivered by this exclusive asphalt beast, keeping them under control even under snow conditions and with a rolling surface as wide as the one they offer Tourbillon wheels. The irony is that a vehicle so extremely expensive and with such enormous power be more manageable in winter than a conventional SUV poorly equipped. A training program for supercars Rimac and the Tourbillon’s adventure on snowy roads is not simply a display of Bugatti’s automotive bravado. The CEO explained that the objective is thoroughly test the Tourbillon in all possible real-world driving conditions over the next two years. In this way, the Bugatti team aims to obtain data on its behavior and draw conclusions that allow it to improve its configuration with data that goes beyond that obtained in conventional test benches. The CEO assured that “five years of hard work to get the Tourbillon from a blank page to a road test” has led to them now examining the vehicle’s behavior in real scenarios. During these driving tests, Rimac travels accompanied by a technician who monitors the car’s telemetry in real time, collecting valuable data on how the hypercar responds to extreme winter conditions. The CEO noted that “we have been testing it on various tracks and test facilities for two years, but road testing in real conditions is another matter.” The manager has also taken advantage of the opportunity to test the Rimac Refrigeratorthe electric supercar of the brand he foundedunder the same conditions of driving on snow. A luxury convoy that you surely did not expect to find in a mountain pass after a snowfall. In Xataka | If you have four million euros you are very lucky in life, but you will not have the new Bugatti Image | Mate Rimac

installing a socket is now twice as expensive as before

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For years, adding a plug to your home was one of those small jobs that were barely thought twice about: a call to the electrician, a morning of work, and an affordable cost. However, that perception has changed. A video by the electrician and popularizer Ricardo Abellán —known as @dombydomotica— has focused on a reality that many homeowners are beginning to notice in their budgets: installing a plug has gone from around 30 euros to around 50. On the rise. The increase in the cost of new plug points has become widespread in recent years, driven by structural changes in the electricity sector. To understand what is behind this increase, we must look beyond the final budget and pay attention to what is happening within the sector itself. This is how he explains it to Xataka Luis Catalan, business development director Home & Distribution Schneider Electric Iberiawho points to a combination of economic, technical and regulatory factors that have completely transformed this type of facilities. A rise that is not coincidental. The increase in the price of installing a plug is not the result of an improvised rate increase. Behind it there is a sum of factors that have been putting pressure on the sector for years. As Luis Catalán explains, the increase in the cost of raw materials has had a direct impact on electrical materials, to which is added the higher cost of energy and an increasingly specialized workforce. Added to all this are less visible expenses, such as transportation, insurance or the tax burden, which have been growing steadily. The result is a context in which even the smallest interventions are affected by a much more demanding cost structure than a decade ago. More regulations, more technical complexity. However, the economic context does not explain everything. The most relevant change is in the evolution of the regulations and in the level of technical demand applied to any electrical installation. Both the Electrotechnical Regulation for Low Voltage (REBT) like him Technical Building Code (CTE) They have tightened the requirements, forcing the use of certified materials and a more complex execution of the facilities. A transformation aimed at improving security and energy efficiency in the home. What once seemed like a quick job now requires much more attention. Placing a plug involves checking that the ground connection is in good condition, checking the differentials and ensuring that the installation supports the expected consumption. Furthermore, materials are no longer interchangeable: they must be certified and comply with regulations. As Catalán points out, ignoring these controls can translate into greater electricity consumption and, in the worst case, security problems inside the home. Safety, at the center of the installation. This regulatory change has also raised the level of responsibility of the professional. At each new connection point, the electrician must guarantee that the entire installation is safe and complies with current regulations. An approach that matches what Ricardo Abellán explained in his informative videos: Before it was enough for the plug to work; Now it is essential to check that there is no risk of overload and that the electrical system responds correctly. If something fails, the responsibility falls directly on the installer, which adds an additional layer of demand, time and checks to each intervention. The risk of doing it on your own. Given the increase in prices, some users choose to install plugs without professional help or permanently resort to power strips. The sector warns that these decisions may entail significant risks. According to Catalán, an installation carried out without a certified professional can lead to electrical failures, accidents or fires caused by electrical arcs, loose connections or overloads. Furthermore, not complying with current regulations can generate legal problems and security for the owner. In this sense, the power strips are only recommended for occasional use. When consumption is continuous or of greater power, the safest option is still to install a specific plug point. More devices, more plugs. The reality within homes has also changed evidently. Today we live with many more electronic devices than a few years ago, which has multiplied the need for connection points and has forced us to rethink how electrical installations are designed. From home automation systems until electric vehicle chargerspassing through smart air conditioning either small connected deviceseach element requires specific planning. At the same time, the plug itself is no longer a basic element. There are models that incorporate USB ports or that allow control and monitor electrical consumptionan evolution that improves energy efficiency, but also adds complexity to the installation. A future with more demand and fewer professionals. Added to this is a structural problem in the sector: the shortage of qualified electricians. According to Catalán, there is not only a lack of professionals, but also profiles with digital skills and the ability to adapt to technological change, a lack that influences both the prices and the execution times of the work. The plug as a reflection of the change in the home. What was once an almost invisible work has become an indicator of how our homes have changed. The plug, a symbol of something basic, today reflects the rising cost of materials, the evolution of regulations, the professionalization of the sector and a different way of consuming energy. In this new scenario, installing a plug implies safety, regulations, technology and responsibility. And that explains why what was once barely thought twice about has today become a small, but significant, household expense. Image | freepik Xataka | The big problem with putting solar panels on crops is shade. The University of Jaén has found a solution

Five devices with Alexa that are perfect as a Christmas gift

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If you want to give technology in Reyes, a good option is to give an Amazon device with the Alexa voice assistant. This type of gift can be perfect for a music lover or for someone who is starting to set up their own connected home. Below, we offer you a selection with some of the Amazon devices with Alexa that you can consider. Echo Pop The echo speakers They are one of the most popular Alexa devices. Above all, if you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a Christmas gift, but you want to surprise, this Echo Pop It is a good option. He Echo Pop It is the most economical of the company. It has a hemispherical design and very compact measurements, which allows it to be placed in any corner. Integrate Alexa and offer lossless high definition audio. You can get it in four colors: black, white, purple and green. Echo Pop (Latest generation) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Echo Spot If you want to go further, the Echo Spot It is the Amazon speaker that we recommend. Its design reminds us a lot of the previous model that we have shown you, although it stands out for having a screen on the front. Launched in 2024, this Echo Spot It could be defined as a smart alarm clock with a touch screen. Its design is hemispherical and has a 2.83 inch touch screen and you can choose between different spheres. You can buy it in three colors: black, white and blue. Amazon Echo Spot (latest generation) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Echo Show 8 Although if you really want to surprise someone with more than just a speaker, the Echo Show 8 It is one of those devices that is worth buying for Reyes. This is nothing other than a hybrid between speaker and smart display and can become the epicenter of a connected home. This Echo Show 8 (3rd generation) has an 8-inch touch screen with HD resolution. Comes with Alexa integrated and offers Spatial Audiowhich is much more powerful than what simpler Echo speaker models offer. Some of its most interesting features are allowing you to play audiovisual content or audiobooks, as well as control the surveillance cameras in your home. Echo Show 8 (3rd generation, 2023 model) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Fire TV Stick 4K Select If you want to surprise someone who likes watch series and movies at home calmly, the Fire TV Stick 4K Select It is one of those very useful devices. Above all, it is perfect if someone has an old TV and is thinking of converting it into a smart one or simply does not like the operating system on theirs. This Fire TV Stick 4K Select It is the latest model of television dongles that Amazon has launched. It connects, in a simple way, via HDMI and offers 4K resolution. It comes with Alexa integrated as a voice assistant and its remote control has buttons with direct access to the main streaming platforms. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select (latest generation) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Ring Intercom Video The last of the devices with Alexa that we want to recommend to you to have as a gift is the Ring Intercom Video. This new Ring device is very useful, for example, if you usually place a lot of orders on Amazon, since you can give it temporary access to verified delivery driversyou can leave the package inside the building. It allows you to see, from the app and in real time, who is at the door of the building, so you know who is calling the intercom. It is compatible with Alexa and offers two-way audio. Furthermore, his removable design It allows you to easily take it with you, in case you move. Ring Intercom Video (2025 version, latest generation) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Eva Rodríguez de Luis (Xataka) and Amazon In Xataka | Home alone: ​​buying guide for smart devices to take care of your home when you go on vacation In Xataka | Best surveillance cameras: which one to buy and 11 recommended models for indoors, outdoors, babies and pets

In 2020, humanity was confined by covid. And that caused a species of bird to modify its beak to survive

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During the COVID-19 pandemic the world stopped completely. Something that scientists have named ‘anthropause‘: a sudden silence of human activity that left many of us confined at home and that even affected nature. This effect was so extreme that even a species of bird changed its beak as science has now seen. The study. Although in the past we saw some disorders in nature, such as the appearance of wild boars in Barcelona or dolphins in Venetian ports, now a team from UCLA has gone further. a study published in PNAS indicates that a population of urban birds modified his physical anatomy in record time. The objective they had was to survive the absence of humans at that time. But the most surprising thing is that when everything returned to normal and humans began to go outside, the birds returned to their original beak. The dilemma. To understand the discovery, you first have to know the protagonists: the dark eyed juncos. Some small birds that are very common in the field of the University of California in Los Angeles. Before 2020, these birds had short, wide beaks. Something that makes perfect sense, since they were in an environment full of students and, therefore, His diet was based on leftovers. that were left This is why it needed to have a robust beak to handle these ‘artificial’ foods. In contrast, their relatives that live in wild forests have longer, thinner beaks, designed like precision tweezers to search for insects and seeds hidden in vegetation. The pandemic. When UCLA closed its doors in 2020 and the students disappeared, so did the easy food. And this was where the university researchers saw a unique opportunity to study what happens when you eliminate humans from the ecological equation. The results. What was seen in this case is the new generations of reeds that were born precisely in this time of ‘loneliness’ they developed longer and thinner beaks. All this because since there was no human garbage, they had to behave like wild birds again, foraging on the ground and looking for food alternatives. But what was most fascinating happened after the reopening. As soon as students (and their snacks) returned to campus in 2022, the morphology of the peaks quickly reverted to the urban form with a short, thick shape. This is ultimately an extremely rapid evolutionary change that is very rare to see. A change of mind. What makes this study so relevant to the scientific community is the speed of the field. Generally, we think of evolution as a process that takes thousands of years. However, what we observed here suggests that urban species have a much more elastic capacity for adaptation than we believed. Since it’s not just the peak. Previous studies by the same team had already noted behavioral changes: during the pandemic, these birds lost their fear of humans, becoming less aggressive and more curious, although that behavior also readjusted with our return. Its importance. This case is a brutal reminder of our ecological footprint. We don’t just alter the climate or the landscape; our mere presence and our waste acts as an evolutionary force that shapes the biology of the animals around us like these birds. The UCLA rushes have taught us that nature is not static; It is a dynamic system that reacts to our habits almost in real time. The question that remains in the air is: if a couple of years of silence changed the shape of a bird, what other invisible changes are we causing without realizing it? Images | Vincent van Zalinge David Mitran In Xataka | The insects of Antarctica had been living peacefully for thousands of years. Until microplastics arrived

In the 17th century there was a food that was considered deadly for the rich, but did not kill the poorest: the tomato.

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Today it is almost impossible to imagine Mediterranean cuisine without tomatoes, a food highly valued by its nutritional benefits and their antioxidant propertiesanti-cancer and how preventative for aging cellular. However, its integration into the European diet was a slow process full of obstacles, marked by a phenomenon that stigmatized it for centuries, calling it a poisonous food that could lead to cause death, especially if you were rich. Curiously, the poor were immune to its poison. The tomato was deadly for the rich The history of the tomato hides a phenomenon that defied the logic of the time, as it seemed to act as a selective executioner capable of distinguishing the social status of those who ate it. While the peasants and the popular classes They consumed it without suffering harm In some cases, rich aristocrats and wealthy merchants became seriously ill and even died after ingesting it, which consolidated the belief that it was a poisonous and cursed fruit. However, the key to this medical mystery lies not in the biological composition of the tomato, but in the chemistry of the utensils used by rich Europeans when serving and preparing this food. The upper classes of the 18th century had the custom of serving their banquets in pewter tablewarea metallic alloy highly appreciated for its shine and similarity to silver, composed mainly of tin and copper, but with a high lead content. Unlike the rich, the humble classes could not afford these luxuries and ate on simple plates made of wood, clay or coarse ceramics, materials that were chemically inert to food. The problem was that, when the natural acidity of the tomato came into contact with the surface of the pewter plates, their interaction caused a chemical reaction that leached lead from the alloyreleasing this heavy metal directly into the food. As a result, the aristocrats suffered lead poisoning (lead poisoning), whose symptoms were erroneously attributed to the toxicity of the tomatoes and not to the dish in which it was served, granting him tomato the nickname “poison apple” for more than 200 years. Bad botanical companies The rejection of the tomato in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries was not only due to the wealthy victims that this evil fruit claimed, but was supported by the botanical science of the time, which classified it under a family of some plants with a bad reputation: nightshades. Naturalists identify the tomato as a member of the Solanaceae, the same group to which plants belong. famous for their toxicity such as nightshade, henbane or mandrake. This botanical association was enough for doctors and scholars to assume that the new fruit native to the Americas shared the deadly properties of its distant relatives. This botanical classification reinforced the irrational fear of the plant, linking it not only with the poison that was clearly killing the richest, but with spiritual and moral dangers typical of the time. The mandrake, in particular, was strongly associated with witchcraft and rituals dark due to its narcotic effects and the anthropomorphic form of its roots. By placing the tomato in this same biological bag, all the negative connotations and superstitions that surrounded the plants used in the dark arts were transferred to it. As and as they pointed out in National Geographicthe herbalist John Gerard was one of those responsible for fixing this negative image in the collective mind, leaving in writing in his work Herball of 1597 a devastating sentence. Gerard described the plant as producing “corrupt and poisonous fruits”, a statement that, coming from an authority on the subject, cemented the terror of the tomato in Britain and its colonies for centuries. Although in Spain and Italy the tomato began to be accepted earlier due to the influence of customs brought from Americain northern Europe the shadow of suspicion lasted much longer. It was necessary for modern chemistry to explain the pewter reaction and for botany to refine its classifications so that the tomato could finally clear its name and occupy the place it today has on our tables, no matter if you are rich or poor. In Xataka | They are millionaires, but they eat like children. Warren Buffett and Mark Zuckerberg share a passion for junk food Image | Nano Banana, Unsplash (Wanasanan Phonnaun)

More than 40 years later, many still believe that the best advertisement in history was made by Apple

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In a few days there will be an anniversary that may be celebrated in some way by those most veteran or sentimental Apple fans: that of the broadcast of an advertisement so mythical that it has its own name (and what a name): ‘1984’, the first Macintosh advertisement. But not because he gets older does he become forgotten, quite the opposite. To put ourselves a little in context, the kings of consumer computing They were IBM (even with MS-DOS as the operating system), so the launch of a computer designed for easy use and a friendlier graphical interface needed a good presentation. We had to try to break a trend and beat a rival that takes the form of Big Brother in the popular spot, which we will remember now before talking about the curiosities about it. Choosing the moment The Super Bowl is an American sporting event whose millionaire audience has caused the price of a 30-second ad during the broadcast to reach the 3.4 and 4 million euros. It is the grand final of the NFL (the national football league) and also the focus of attention of which brand is the one that has invested a good pinch in starring in those seconds. It is not surprising then that the eighteenth edition of this final (that is, the one in 1984) was the moment chosen by Apple to present an advertisement that broke quite a bit with the usual and that, as we will now see, had notable figures behind the cameras. In fact, as on NPR they remember was repeatedly voted the best ad of all time when it doesn’t even show the product. The cast and the figures In the advertisement we see that the protagonists are, on the one hand, a group of people with similar features and in some way uniformed (the proletarians), and on the other hand, the athlete who ends the broadcast to which they attend (played by Anya Major). And Fred Goldberg, an account executive at the Chiat/Day advertising agency who acted as a liaison between Steve Jobs and the creatives of the ad, spoke about the cast in a book about his experience in advertising. that they remembered on CNN. The executive comments that around 75% of these actors were skinhead and “pretty unpleasant beings,” in Goldberg’s own words. He adds that there were fights and altercations and that the security personnel went with police dogs to control them and that they even harassed the leading actress. There were a total of 200 (uncontrollable) extras. The filming lasted three days (which apparently caused a lot of trouble) and they charged a total of $10,000. The official issue and the previous VIP pass The advertisement was broadcast publicly on January 22, 1984 in the Los Angeles Raiders’ final against the Washington Redskins, in which the former won 38-9 at Tampa Stadium. Although it was not strictly the first time it was broadcast, since Goldberg also says that it was previously shown to evaluate it for the contests. At that time the leaks and leaks They were not as much the order of the day as is the case today with mobile phones, but a lot of care was taken regarding the prior pass condition in petit committee so that there weren’t any. This pass was made at midnight in Twin Falls (Idaho, USA), in the KMVT studios, and the only feedback What he had was that of a television station worker, who called the agency asking what that was. In fact, in Mental Floss They spoke with Tom Frank, the person in charge of making that first showing on December 31, 1983 (after 00:00) of a 60-second version of the spot. Frank explained that he understood the choice of that small station at that time due to the small audience and that he is unaware of the fact that an incorrect date for this screening was revealed to the press, in addition to curious facts such as that they also broadcast the spot “Lemmings” (lesser known) and that he is not personally a user of Apple products. The teachers behind the cameras The announcement had to be somewhat shocking because it was the presentation of the Macintosh, considered the first personal computer with a simple user interface interaction and aimed at a more general (non-specialized) audience. And to create it not only did it have to have a striking theme, it also had to get the best staff. Not in vain was it counted on Ridley Scott for direction, who had directed films like ‘Alien’ and ‘Blade Runner’ a few years before (in 1979 and 1982 respectively). And if you have seen the second one, the advertisement will probably have reminded you of it since it has a futuristic appearance (for the moment) like said production. According to Goldberg, Steve Jobs was very enthusiastic when he was presented with this idea for a spot based on the dystopian novel ‘1984’ by George Orwell. “He (Steve Jobs) was the kind of person who, when you show him something, has a visceral reaction. He was totally into it, he really liked it” Fred Goldberg, Chiat/Day For the executive, that futuristic appearance was very appropriate for the effect they wanted to cause with the advertisement. What we see in it is a group of proletarians with shaved heads who attend to the broadcast of a message by a kind of Big Brother, in which the anniversary of “the Information Purification Directives” is celebrated, until the protagonist enters and destroys everything. The message is the following (we put the original and the translation into Spanish): “Today, we celebrate the first glorious anniversary of the Information Purification Directives. We have created, for the first time in all history, a garden of pure ideology—where each worker may bloom, secure from the pests purveying contradictory truths. Our Unification of Thoughts is more powerful a weapon than any fleet or army on earth. We are one people, … Read more

Space reuse seemed like a SpaceX thing. China is already trying to replicate the formula with LandSpace

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For decades, access to space was conditioned by a simple and very expensive logic: each launch was an almost unrepeatable operation, with rockets designed to be used only once. That model turned cost per kilo into a structural barrier for the entire industry. Reuse broke that inertia and changed the rules of the game, not as an incremental improvement, but as a different way of thinking about launches. Today, that idea has become the bar for who can compete in the new space economy. The trajectory that is currently taken as a model was not born from a comfortable position. In 2008, SpaceX faced a sequence of technical failures with the Falcon 1 that left the company with no financial margin. Elon Musk even admitted that a fourth explosion would have meant the end of the project. The turning point came first with a successful launch to orbit and, almost three months later, with a NASA contract to transport cargo to the International Space Station. That combination gave oxygen to a company that was still far from demonstrating sustained reliability. When launching is no longer the most expensive. The traditional model assumed that launch was the most expensive and risky part of any orbital mission. NASA analyzes place Historical costs in a typical range of between $10,000 and more than $20,000 per kilo in low orbit, with an average cost around $18,500/kg. The drop in prices associated with reuse altered that balance: with Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, the cost per kilo fell into the range of $3,000 to $1,500. By reducing the cost of travel, the door was opened to launch more often and rethink the scale of projects. Why LandSpace is coming into the picture now. In this new scenario of more frequent and scale-oriented launches appears LandSpace. Founded in 2015, a few years after China opened the space sector to private capital, the company has positioned itself as a player focused on building a complete chain from design and manufacturing to launch. Its program aims to recover and reuse the first stage, and in parallel it is committed to liquid oxygen and methane launchers, a combination linked in the industry to cost reduction strategies. This approach fits with China’s need to deploy large satellite constellations in the coming decades. Zhuque-3 from LandSpace With the Zhuque-3LandSpace proposed something unprecedented in China for an orbital-class launcher: attempting to recover the first stage in a real flight. The launch made this vehicle the largest Chinese commercial launcher ever flown and the first by a private company in the country to attempt a vertical landing after completing its primary mission. The profile was carefully planned, with a recovery area built specifically for it in the Gobi Desert. LandSpace has not given figures on the probability of success, and the flight was functioning as a recovery test in real conditions. Zhuque-3 from LandSpace Similar to Falcon 9, with nods to Starship. The comparison with SpaceX is not a rhetorical device, it is in the design itself. Zhuque-3 adopts a very recognizable pattern: nine engines in the first stage, return maneuver, aerodynamic control with grid ends and legs for a vertical landing. At the same time, it is not a carbon copy of the Falcon 9. The rocket is built of stainless steel and uses methane and liquid oxygen as propellants, two features associated with the development of Starship. SpaceX Falcon 9 The December attempt did not end as LandSpace had planned. After takeoff, the Zhuque-3 completed its initial phase of flight, but the first stage failed to execute the final landing maneuver. According to Reutersthe booster had to start its engines about three kilometers from the ground to stop the descent and carry out a controlled landing, something that did not occur. The result was an impact rather than a vertical landing. The design of the test itself assumed that risk: it was a reuse test, not a complete operational mission. Reuse and risk tolerance. The commitment to reusable rockets forces us to review how risk is understood within the Chinese space sector. The aforementioned agency highlights that the local industry has historically been dominated by state companies reluctant to see visible failures. The entry of private companies like LandSpace is introducing another logic, closer to controlled experimentation. The fact that failed attempts are documented and publicly explained suggests that the priority is beginning to shift from immediate success to the accumulation of experience, a necessary condition for reuse to be more than a promise. Images | LandSpace | SpaceX In Xataka | While Silicon Valley dreams of servers in orbit, Russia prepares a nuclear reactor on lunar soil

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