Month: December 2025

what is repeated the most is nothing like Google searches

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During these three years of living with ChatGPTthere has been a certain feeling that the usual search engine is no longer essential. The chatbot responds in natural language, allows for questioning and, in many cases, saves time compared to a list of links. But that comfort does not necessarily imply that it is doing the same job as Google. Searching is not always about getting a closed answer: it is also about exploring sources, comparing and deciding for yourself what information to give credit to. To understand what is really changing, it is worth looking at how each tool is used and not just how they are talked about. Before moving on to the study, we can ask a specific question: when we open ChatGPT, are we searching for information in the classic sense or are we doing something else? The nuance matters because “searching,” as we have said, mixes very different actions. What studies say about the true relationship between ChatGPT and Google A paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research prepared with data provided by OpenAI is the starting point to land on this topic. It is built from messages sent to ChatGPT automatically classified to detect patterns without anyone reading the content. The objective is not to evaluate the quality of the responses, but to measure why we use the chat in practice and how that use changes over time. The first photo offered by the paper is clear and should be given with temporal precision. In June 2025, 73% of messages were considered non-work related, compared to 27% linked to work tasks. This distribution also changes with respect to previous stages that the study itself compares, and suggests that personal use is gaining weight over time. The data matters because it questions a widespread idea: that chat is above all a professional tool. When the analysis goes down to detail, the activity is concentrated in three large categories. Practical guidance: when we want to understand something, clarify concepts or see options more clearly. Information search: investigate specific facts, topics or questions (this is the section that is closest to the traditional web search pattern). Writing: includes everything from writing to structuring ideas and planning tasks. This translates to very recognizable gestures that do not depend on a list of results. We sometimes use ChatGPT to clarify ideas or ask for guidance. Other times we delegate work, from polishing an email to organizing a document or preparing a plan. And, to a lesser extent, it is also used as a space to think out loud and organize concerns. In all of those cases, the value is not in reaching a page, but in receiving a response tailored to the immediate context and in the form of usable output. That’s where the comparison with Google becomes more accurate. The search engine is designed to show a map of linksallowing us to explore sources and decide which ones to enter, with the cost of reading, comparing and synthesizing information scattered on the web. ChatGPT, on the other hand, concentrates some of that work on an answer and adjusts it to what we have asked, which shifts the effort from navigation to interpretation. This coexistence fits well with what describes Nielsen Norman Group in one of his studios. Their main conclusion is that search habits are surprisingly persistent and that we tend to start with what is familiar, even when we have already incorporated AI tools into other daily tasks. We often use it as a mental and practical shortcut to reach destinations we already know. Instead of typing “youtube.com” directly, we type “YouTube” into Google and from there we access the site. Under this scheme, the search engine continues to operate as a great gateway to the web ecosystem, rather than as a pure discovery engine. The result is neither a clean replacement nor an immediate replacement, but rather a more fragmented and functionally distributed ecosystem. We alternate between traditional search engines and chatbots depending on the moment and the taskand that redistributes the effort between finding information, understanding it, making decisions and producing content. Even so, it is advisable to handle these data with caution. The ecosystem is still moving and habits are still adjusting, so we should not read these results as definitive. On the other hand, Google has been incorporating layers of generative AI, since the summaries with AI until the so-called AI Mode. However, for now the link-based model continues to set the pace of the experience. And the service continues to be, furthermore, a dominant source of traffic for the webalthough its own AI integration is already starting to reduce the need to click in many cases. Images | Berke Citak | Firmbee.com | sarah b In Xataka | Microsoft has reduced its ambition with AI. It has been realized that almost no one uses Copilot, they say in The Information

Gemini 3 has left all its competitors behind. It’s Google’s definitive punch to the table: Crossover 1×32

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Three years ago, panic on Google. The launch of ChatGPT made Google will declare a “code red” before an AI model that proposed a clear revolution and a clear threat to the search business. Sundar Pichai began to make moves, but the truth is that the first movements with Bard They were disastrous. There were more problems and blundersbut since then Google’s trajectory has been spectacular, and its AI models have not stopped achieving success. We saw it with Gemini 2.5 Pro and with Nano Bananabut now they have proven it again with Gemini 3which has managed to become the model with the best features in most areas, at least according to the benchmarks offered by the company. It is somewhat surprising, especially considering that OpenAI seemed to have controlled the market with a ChatGPT that continues to be more popular but is little by little being cornered by the competition. In fact Google seems to be doing everything right lately in this area. DeepMind is the great reference for “serious AI”and Google’s enormous resources—which has its own cloud, its own chips, and its own model—point to a bright future for this company. We talk about all of this precisely in this episode Crossover 1×32 in which we review those hesitant beginnings of Google and how the company has managed to get rid of its fears to bet everything on AI. That in itself is surprising, because that bet is also risky for them. Exciting times! On YouTube | Crossover

Not all of them serve the same purpose, and choosing well matters more than ever.

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Buy a smart watch It may not be as easy as it seems. We begin to review the options on the market and the eternal question arises: which one is the most suitable for us? Which device will be worth the investment? And, precisely, it is at this point where we will try to help you. In a new video from the Xataka YouTube ChannelAna Boria brings the 7 best smart watches of the year. This is a selection that derives directly from the finalists of the Xataka NordVPN 2025 Awards. Our partner gives us key data about each model to help us choose the best option. The seven best smartwatches of 2025 Google Pixel Watch 4. Google watches have evolved significantly in recent years, offering an increasingly solid bet. This generation arrives in identical versions in 45 and 41 mm cases. They also boast a screen AMOLED LTPO between 1 and 60 Hz. And it reaches 3,000 nits of peak brightness. “In terms of measurements, the latest generations of Pixel Watch have improved a lot and in fact it is capable of measuring everything with an acceptable precision for general use and fitness,” says Ana, but in the video published on YouTube she does not hesitate to mention some manufacturers that have more successful products. Xiaomi Watch S4. From the American brand we move on to the Chinese march. Yes, it has a huge product catalog, and that catalog includes smart watches. “The Xiaomi Watch S4, a big 47mm smartwatch and with aluminum frames,” says our colleague, and highlights its interchangeable bezel. Of course, not all are advantages. Like the Pixel, Xiaomi’s proposal also has its negative points. Ana reminds us which ones, which will allow us to continue with the purchase if it is not a priority for us or look for an alternative if not. Of course, the price is a highlight: 160 euros. Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro. Among the finalists of the Xataka Awards was this proposal, which is available in two sizes (44 and 48 mm). At the display level, an AMOED screen reigns supreme with a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. “ANDIt’s a very sports-oriented watch since you can take it anywhere without anything happening to it,” says Ana. We are looking at a watch focused on sports, offering options not only for health monitoring but also for training performance. In the video that we have just published you will find some features that stand out if you are a user who values ​​sports and are thinking about buying this smart watch. Samsung Galaxy Watch 8. “For this generation, Samsung has released Wear OS 6 with One UI 8 for Watch and has included integration with Google Gemini, which allows us to use voice commands to request information and/or do things on the fly”, details our colleague. Do you want to have AI on your wrist? This may be your option. Garmin Fenix ​​8. Garmin’s journey in smart watches has been very interesting, developing a product as polished as the one we find in this selection. The Garmin Fénix 8 comes in three sizes (43, 47 and 51 mm), incorporates an AMOLED screen and if we must mention a strong point, it is resistance. Of course, Ana says: “The Garmin Fénix 8 is an expensive smartwatch.” And it is, with a recommended retail price of 950 eurosit is a choice that may be outside of some budgets. However, in the video you will find more details so you can evaluate if this watch is really worth the investment for you. Apple Watch Series 11. Among the finalists of this year’s Xataka Awards is Apple’s proposal in second position. It is a watch that has many benefits, many followers, but it is certainly not for everyone. It is available in 42 and 46 mm versions, and there is an option to purchase it with 5G. You may be wondering how it is different from the Apple Watch Series 10. Ana helps us find some differences. In addition, he mentions the important role that the health section occupies: “They place it as one of the best in terms of accuracy on the list“This proposal starts at 449 euros. Huawei Watch GT 6 Pro. At the end of the article, but at the top of the podium is the Huawei Watch GT 6 Pro, winner of the Xataka NordVPN 2025 Awards in the Best smartwatch category. Ana reminds us that, in addition, this product won the community award, the one you chose. “It is a large watch, 46mm, with an AMOLED screen that reaches 3,000 nits of maximum brightness and protected with sapphire crystal“explains Ana, who highlights its benefits in the sections of sport, health and autonomy. She does not miss the price, which starts at 379 euros, but can be obtained with discounts. Images | Xataka In Xataka | Apple Watch SE 3: a fantastic renewal that was worth waiting three years for

“The challenge has been not to be a ‘copy paste’ of the competition”

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When you think of Motorola, what comes to mind? It is easy for pieces to appear that marked an era, from the StarTAC until the Razr V3or even that attempt to recover the premium experience with the 2019 foldable Razr. That legacy lives on, although it has not always been accompanied by a perception aligned with the brands that dominate the highest range. In recent years, Motorola has worked to translate that heritage into a contemporary premium identity, supported by design, materials and its own style. This duality between what Motorola represents today and what it aspires to be opens a natural question: how does the company interpret this moment? To answer it we spoke with Fabio Capocchivice president and general manager of Motorola for Europe, the Middle East and Africa within the Mobile Business Group, the unit that concentrates the brand’s smartphone strategy in the region. He assumed office in 2022 with the aim of accelerating its growth in an increasingly competitive market. He lives in Spain and has an extensive career in the technology sector, with stints at EPSON, ASUS and the Lenovo group. The Motorola Razr V3, the icon that defined the brand’s most premium era Before entering into its vision, it is worth stopping for a moment at the point where Motorola is beyond what we have expressed in the first lines of this text. The company reaches this stage with real growth, a more defined identity and a catalog that expresses better than ever who it wants to be. It is not the gigantic Motorola of the 2000s, but nor is it a brand that has lost focus. In 2024, the company’s shipments grew 24% year-on-year, according to Counterpoint Researchreaching its highest historical figure in smartphones. Even so, remains far from the global podiumdominated by Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi, and moves in single digit installments. The contrast with his past is evident. In the mid-2000s, in the era of the Razr, Motorola became the second largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world., with shares greater than 20% and only behind Nokia. Since 2014 it has been part of Lenovo, who bought it from Google for 2.91 billion dollars. Today it is no longer that giant, but a firm in the reinvention phase: smaller in share, but with sustained growth, a strong commitment to narrative lifestyle tech. Motorola is transforming, and the Edge 70 plays a key role in that process At the beginning of the interview, Fabio reviews the moment in which Motorola redefined its approach for Europe and for other territories where the brand wanted to advance. He explains that they detected that “something was missing” in the market: a proposal with its own identity, with recognizable values ​​and a defined DNA. From there, the intention was not to add to the usual dynamics of the sector, but to strengthen a clearer brand personality. That idea is condensed in a phrase that stands out in the conversation: “The challenge has been not to be a ‘copy paste’ of the competitionnot making a race on the technical specification.” From there, he explains that the priority has been “to try to talk about the end user, with a unique, very striking DNA”, with devices that are not defined only by numbers, but by the feeling of using something with its own character. The new Motorola Edge 70 | Photo: Xataka For Fabio, design is not an accessory element, but rather an aspect that has guided Motorola’s recent evolution. It speaks of a commitment to materials that generate different sensations, such as vegan leather, and of a chromatic work that they develop together with Pantone to identify colors that connect better with users. This effort seeks to express a more defined and coherent identity with what the brand wants to project today. “We have created a premium product and to be premium you have to have a premium aesthetic, it has to be in some way a little disruptive. In this sense we have created an incredibly light, thin product without any compromise. So with this product we want to put within a single product, and we want to see that every time we create a product, all our experience and all our DNA that we developed over the years, which is why it can be clearly identified as a Motorola DNA product, with an absolutely incredible technical sheet.” Fabio gives us to understand that the Motorola Edge 70 It should function as the meeting point between design and functionality. He explains that the brand was looking for a very light and very thin device that, even so, offered more battery than other reference models. The Edge 70, that we have been able to analyze in Xatakaintegrates a 4,800 mAh battery, one of the highlights of this ultra-thin mobile. That balance, he assures, is what allows the product to faithfully represent the direction that Motorola wants to consolidate at the top of its catalog. Fabio Capocchi, general director of Motorola for EMEA, with the new Edge 70 | Photo: Motorola Throughout the interview, Fabio insists that this launch is not born from an isolated decision, but from an accumulated process of design, engineering and brand vision. Describes the Edge 70 as the synthesis of those years of work and the involvement of the team. And when we ask him for a definition in a few words, he answers: “I believe that the Edge 70 for us represents our maximum effort to summarize within a product the last three years of development, which range from the design part, the technological part, but also the part of people’s passion (…) for such a fine design, but with a product that is cool to see (…) we have done miracles to change the design of the motherboard and, finally, which for me is the most important thing, is the passion that people are putting.” The Edge 70 represents Motorola’s most premium bet to date | Photo: Motorola Spain appears … Read more

James Cameron has always played heads or tails with his films. Cinema has returned him a fortune of 1.1 billion

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Imagine shooting movies that cost hundreds of millions, dive into the impossible and play it all on one card: that the public likes them. James Cameron has done it for four decades and that bet on heads or tails in each film has helped him enter a select club: that of the billionaires list Forbes. At 71 years old, the director of titles such as Titanic and Avatar has achieved an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion, thanks to a balance between box office revenue, profit-sharing agreements and the exploitation of licenses for his most profitable franchises. Some hard beginnings. Cameron’s path was neither immediate nor easy. Before becoming a successful name in Hollywood, he worked as a truck driver and production assistant with modest salaries. His first feature film as a director, ‘Piranha II: The Vampires of the Sea’ in 1982. A creative setback that hardly brought him any income, but it helped him gain a foothold behind the cameras. The real turning point in his career came with ‘Terminator‘ in 1984. The filmmaker claimed that he had dreamed the apocalyptic story during a feverish night and, to ensure creative control, he sold his script for one dollar, a bet that resulted in a “low-budget” film ($6.4 million), but which represented a return of $78 million at the box office and the definitive boost for his career as a director. There is no easy movie: everything is heads or tails. Camerón risked his salary to carry out the project the way he wanted, and he came out of that adventure very well. That triumph led him to continue risking immediate benefits in exchange for control and participation in future income. In ‘Risky lies’the director went overboard with the production budget, becoming the first film to exceed $100 million. To avoid ceding creative control, Cameron renegotiated his agreement with FOX, allowing the studio to recoup its investment by ceding part of its profits to him. Finally, it was not necessary since the film grossed $378 million worldwide. Another example of this dynamic was ‘Titanic. When the budget exceeded $200 million, Cameron voluntarily gave up his salary as director and producer. The studio, resigned to rising costs, prepared for a financial debacle. However, the result was a success that grossed more than $1.8 billion at the box office and more than $800 million in VHS sales, making Cameron one of the highest-paid filmmakers of his generation after receiving a percentage of the profits. Avatar and his great gold mine. However, despite having a track record full of titles that are already part of the history of cinema, its real gold mine It’s the saga ‘Avatar‘. The first film, released in 2009, grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide and generated more than $350 million directly for Cameron from its box office rights, physical sales and licensing fees. Your producer, Lightstorm Entertainmenthas contributed to his fortune with parallel income derived from the saga through theme parks, merchandising and technological agreements. The sequel’Avatar: The Sense of Water’ It totaled more than 2.3 billion at the box office, with Cameron obtaining around 250 million dollars for its box office and production rights. Just a few days before the premiere of the third installment with ‘Avatar: Fire and Ashes’Forbes already takes its box office success for granted and estimates that Cameron could add at least $200 million more to his pre-tax assets if the film meets commercial expectations, as it did. the second installment of the saga. A legacy that goes beyond money. Throughout his career, Cameron has been known for both his perfectionism and his willingness to give up short-term benefits in order to maintain creative control or improve the end result. That approach has led him to technological and business projects outside of cinema: from immersion in digital effects with ‘Terminator’, to underwater exploration after ‘Titanic’ and the environmental activism at the end of the first installment of ‘Avatar’. Cameron doesn’t usually talk about wealth. In a recent interview with Puck, the director said that “I wish I were a billionaire.” According to Forbes, his salaries as a director, participation in the profits of his productions, income from theme park and toy licenses and the value of his production company, raise James Cameron’s fortune to over $1.1 billion. At least until the premiere of his new installment of ‘Avatar’. In Xataka | The “100 billion dollar club” has added a new member: for the first time, the new member is a woman Image | The Walt Disney Company, Flickr (SMPTE)

A dog was lost in 2021 in the United States. Five years later it has appeared 3,700 kilometers from his home

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In recent years we have seen how the algorithm has taken over Christmasand Netflix to the head of the film industry competes to offer the most emotional miracle of the year, stories designed to reconcile us with chance, hope and those impossible endings. But this time, the story that best fits that mold does not come from a script or a streaming platform, but from real life, far from the screens and without special effects. The loss. The story has been collected by US media this weekend. Apparently, during almost five yearsPatricia Orozco lived with an unanswered question. Since Choco, the dachshund mix dog that he had adopted in 2016, disappeared in May 2021, his memory remained present in our daily lives. The uncertainty was constant: if he was still alive, if someone cared for him, if he had suffered. After months of posters, calls to shelters and no clues, the disappearance turned into mourning and a silent renunciation of having a dog again, as if accepting another company meant admitting that Choco would not return. The impossible message. Everything changed with an unexpected message from a microchip company. Choco had appeared, but not near Sacramento, where Orozco lived, but rather more than 3,700 kilometersin Lincoln, Michigan. At first, the woman thought it was Lincoln, California, just half an hour from her home. Surprise turned to disbelief when he realized that his dog had crossed practically the entire United States without anyone knowing how or when. Choco had been found tied to a fence in front of to a shelterand the photos confirmed what seemed like a mistake: it was him. The problem of bringing him back. The initial joy gave way to logistical anguish. With two small children, one of them barely four months old, Orozco saw no way to travel to pick him up. A message on social networks It activated an unexpected chain of solidarity. Volunteers, protectors and anonymous people began to look for solutions, from affordable flights to km donations (miles in USA). The possibility of someone traveling in his place took shape when Penny Scotta volunteer accustomed to complicated rescues, offered to make the trip. Orozco with his dog Choco, almost five years after he disappeared from his home in May 2021 A silent journey. The Washington Post told that Choco’s return was a small aerial odyssey. Scott flew from California to Detroit with stops and delays, picked up the dog thanks to the help of local volunteers and crossed the country again with the. A missed connection forced him to spend almost fourteen hours at the Chicago airport, where Choco, calm and docile, walked on his leash among travelers without a single complaint. For those who accompanied him, that behavior seemed to confirm that, despite everything, he was still the same calm and affectionate dog. The mystery of time. In the background of this most “Christmas” story, the great question: Nobody knows how the hell Choco ended up in Michigan or who he lived with during that time. The only thing that is clear is that he traveled through an entire country, far from the sunny climate that he had always known and that, according to its ownerI hated to leave. Now, at eleven years old, the dog had aged, but he had not lost his curious and affectionate character, the same one that led him to run away every time he found an open door. Return home. Finally, on December 3rd Choco came back to Sacramento. The reunion was immediate and left no doubt: when he got out of the car, he walked directly towards Patricia, as if he had never left. The same home from which he escaped years ago became his refuge again, yes, now withwith more precautions: a double door and the determination not to repeat history. For Orozco, the moment was unreal, a mixture of disbelief and relief that he still finds difficult to assimilate. A network and an idea. Beyond the happy ending, the story left a clear lesson. The microchip was the key piece that allowed us to close a circle that seemed broken forever, but so was the network of people who, without knowing each other, decided to act. Rescuers, donors and volunteers demonstrated that even after years and thousands of kilometers, a loss can be transformed into a reunion. For Patricia Orozco, there are not enough words to describe it: what happened, insistcan only be called “Christmas miracle”. A story with a happy ending that could be perpetuated on the big screen. The story of Choco and Orozco has all the ingredients to make the next Christmas list… in the home of the algorithms. Image | PexelsHelping Paws and Claws In Xataka | In 2019, Iberia lost a dog before flying. Now the European Justice says that it is worth the same as a suitcase In Xataka | The science behind your dog being able to find you 12 years after being lost

In 1969, humans set foot on the Moon for the first time. He did it thanks to a computer less powerful than your cell phone

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The arrival to the Moon It was one of the scientific and technological milestones most notable of the 20th century and something that remained in those who lived and in those who did not thanks to the images and audios. Something that happened more than 40 years ago, when there were still many technological revolutions to come, such as personal computers or mobile phones. What technologies made it possible for humans to reach the Moon? Something that is already fascinating in itself, but it is even more so if you know the details of the computers, cameras and other devices that were used in the mission, taking into account their characteristics. What technology made it possible for three human beings they reached the moonWould they walk around and tell us in the meantime? We travel in time and space to review. like matryoshkas The Apollo 11 mission was the eleventh of a NASA program that had a total of 22 missions (19 of them being successful), in the 1960s until 1972. Until mission 7 the launches were unmanned and mission 8 was the first to orbit the Moon, but for all of them a Saturn rocket launcher was used. The one for Apollo 11 was the Saturn V, a rocket 110.64 meters high and weighing 2,700 tons with a tank full of fuel (the largest NASA has ever built). Depending on the stage (there were three, S-IC, S-II and S-IVB) the number of engines varied and so did the fuel, which were mixtures of oxygen, kerosene or liquid hydrogen. But the Saturn V was not the one that reached the Moon, but rather the one that went out into space and directed the modules towards it. These modules were the command and service (CM) and the lunar (LEM); The CM contained the engine of the propulsion system that was responsible for entering and leaving lunar orbit and had space for three astronauts, and the LEM was the first ship designed to be able to fly in a vacuum, without aerodynamic capacity. (POT) The LEM separated from the CM as it entered the orbit of the Moon and descended to its surface. It was designed to land only on the Moon since the legs were so weak that they would not support the weight of the LEM in Earth’s gravity (9.8 m/s² versus 1.6 m/s² on the Moon). There was room here for only two astronauts. The speeds that were reached (increasing upon entering the gravitational field of the Moon) were 3,700 kilometers per hour and up to 9,000 km/h due to lunar gravity. And here comes a question: how is it possible to brake at those speeds? To enter lunar orbit, hypergolic braking was used (using hydrazine, dimethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide, hypergolic compounds – which explode without a heat source) and engine shutdown. The computers of the Apollo 11 mission To review the computing involved in the Apollo 11 mission, we must take into account the emission and reception, that is, what was on the ground and what the aircraft carried. And it is also worth remembering that at the time a computer was far from being something domestic or common, or from fitting on a desk. On Earth, in the Goddard Space Flight Center and the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, worked with the IBM System/360 75 mainfream, which (along with the 44, 91, 95 and 195) was implemented with hardwired logic instead of microcode like all other IBM S/360 models. For the curious techieshere a configuration diagram and explanation of the team. In the ships, however, the Apollo Guiding Computer (AGC), manufactured by Raytheon and designed by the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory. This team stood out for being one of the first to use integrated circuits. There was one in the LEM and another in the CM. The specifications of these teams are surprising not because the numbers are smaller compared to the current ones, but because even making the effort to place our minds in the 1960s, it is impressive to see that teams like this managed to carry out something as complex as a round trip to the Moon. The AGC had storage of 36,864 14-bit words and RAM of 2,048 words. (POT) Comparing it with later equipment, more or less between the two AGCs they have approximately the same memory as what a Commodore-64 (from 1982) had, but it was about eight times less powerful than an IBM XT (from 1981, which was 4.77 MHz compared to 0.043 MHz for the AGC). In fact, a computer with half a GB of RAM has 100,000 times more memory than AGC. But computers do not live on hardware alone, and software here has considerable weight. 300 people participated in its creation over seven years, at an approximate cost of 46 million dollars (at the time). Among them was Allan Klumpp, a mechanical engineer at MIT whose proposal for landing on the Moon reflects all calculations as well as diagrams and drawings of the situation on the dashboard. The program was called LUMINARY and was written in MAC programming language (MIT Algebraic Compiler), but no terminal or compilation programs, this was done with some punched cards which were prepared with a kind of typewriter (and if a hole was made wrong, a new one had to be made). On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the famous achievement, it was transcribed the code of both modules (transcribing it), where we read that Klumpp said that this was never exempt from bugs. What is notable here is the multitaskgiven that the fact that the software allowed it was already an achievement and that it was not easy for him to carry it out. In fact, there was some alarm due to the high demand on the computers as at the time of the moon landing, which resulted in a slow response and not with all the calculations, so there was one minute of the eleven that lasted the … Read more

and the gap is 787 euros

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In the middle of the debate on the pension revaluation Looking ahead to 2026, the data show a much starker reality: there is a significant (and growing) gap between the pensions charged in the most industrialized communities and those that are less. With an aging population increasingly dependent on pensions, this gap between territories has become one of the great axes of economic inequality in Spain, to the point that between Vizcaya and Orense there is already almost 800 euros of difference in the average retirement pension. The two Spains in retirement. The Social Security data of November 2025 show that the provinces with higher salaries and a denser industrial fabric also concentrate the highest pensions, while the areas with lower salaries and older people are left behind. Social Security places the average retirement pension in Vizcaya at 1,872 euros per month, while in Orense it remains at 1,085 euros, which represents a gap of 787 euros per month between the province that pays its retirees the best and the one that does the worst. In 14 payments, this difference is equivalent to more than 11,000 euros per year between a pensioner from Biscay and one from Ourense. An upward trend. If we compare these same data with those of the same month As of 2020, the distance between the highest and lowest retirement pensions by province was around 615 euros per month, so in just five years this gap has increased by just over 170 euros per month according to the series from the National Social Security Institute. The data for November 2025 confirm that the Basque Country remains at the top of the retirement pension ranking, accompanied by Navarra, Madrid, Asturias, Aragon, Cantabria, Catalonia and Ceuta, which are above the national average. For their part, Galicia and Extremadura remain in the pension queue, well below the national average. Average Pension by autonomous communities. November 2025. Source: Social Security The weight of salary and the industry. This pension gap It is nothing more than a reflection of the salary situation of each of these communities. The Annual Salary Structure Survey from the INE for 2023 indicates that the average annual salary in the Basque Country was 33,504.92 euros, while in Extremadura it was 23,684.22 euros; The difference is around 41% and indicates that the Basque Country is clearly the community with the highest salaries and Extremadura is the one with the lowest salaries. These territorial differences are not the result of chance, but of type of jobs and salaries that each community has had for decades. The Social Security distribution system itself rewards long careers with high contributions, so that provinces with more industry and high salaries transform that advantage into more generous pensions. They are the same positions that they occupy in the ranking of communities with the highest and lowest pensions given the close relationship between the salaries received by workers, your Social Security contributions and the amount of their pensions. Therefore, those from more industrialized communities that have traditionally paid higher salaries are the ones that now have the highest pensions. An increasingly decisive pension. Given the aging of the population, pensions have already become the main stable income of a growing part of Spanish households, especially in the territories of emptied Spain, with the highest average age. In provinces like Orense or Zamorathe number of pensioners is approaching that of busywhich reflects the extent to which the local economy depends on the money that arrives each month from Social Security. This reality is aggravated in communities with less industrial fabric and worse salarieswhich have average pensions clearly below the national average and negative balances between contributions and benefit income, as occurs in Andalusia, Extremadura or Galicia. In Xataka | Being your own boss has a price: an average retirement pension 657 euros lower than that of employees Image | Unsplash (Val Vesa)

The tunnel between Spain and Morocco seemed like a chimera. Now a tunnel boring machine manufacturer says it is viable

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The idea of ​​connecting Europe and Africa directly is something that takes century and a half fluttering the mind of leaders and engineers. The simplest way would be to connect Spain and Morocco through the Strait of Gibraltar, and what for decades was considered a chimera due to its complexity, today is a little closer. And the company that would make the tunnel boring machine He defends that “it is viable.” In short. I told it Populi Voice a few days ago. Óscar Puente -Minister of Transport- and Karim Zidane -Delegate Minister of Investments, Convergence and Evaluation of Public Policies of Morocco- they met in Moncloa to discuss the infrastructure expansion plan of the North African country. Puente conveyed to the Moroccan minister the interest of the Spanish business sector in participating in an ambitious project that plans to expand its high speed network up to 1,300 km by 2040. The meeting discussed infrastructure such as ports and airports, but the strategic backdrop is the vaunted tunnel that links Spain and Morocco. Centennial project. The union of Europe and Africa through a direct connection between Spain and Morocco is something that comes from afar. The same thing happens with the ‘Peace’ project that aims to unite the United States and Russiabut as in the case of the tunnel with Morocco, it has not yet materialized. In 1869, the Public Works Council already tested the possibility of connecting both continents through Gibraltar. The proposal ended up in the drawer, but over the yearsdifferent technicians and rulers have rescued it with a “we could do this.” There is a clear commercial interest both in mobility of people (the “passage operations” add many vehicles crossing by ferry) as commercial (improvement in relations between the United Kingdom and Morocco, the country from which they buy fruit). “Viable“However, although with some plan in between, nothing was finalized. Something has changed: a German company called Herrenknech affirms that the tunnel is viable. They are not just any company: it is one of those that leads in the manufacturing of tunnel boring machines -or boring machines- and, after a feasibility study commissioned by the Spanish company SECEGSAhave stated that the project is “technologically viable” after the reactivation and promotion of a few years ago and socioeconomic analysis published in 2024. It really isn’t that much distance that would have to be covered. In other parts of the world, such as northern europe or in China, we see similar underwater railway tunnel projects of considerable length. The particularity of the Strait of Gibraltar tunnel is not so much the length (it would have to cover about 40 kilometers underground and underwater), but rather the characteristics of the territory. Characteristics: the tunnel profile would be the following: Distance between terminal stations: 42 kilometers. Total length of the tunnel: 38.5 kilometers. Length of the underwater tunnel: 27.7 kilometers. Minimum range at the lowest point: 175 meters. Maximum depth: 475 meters. Slope: 3%. Complex. The geology of the strait is very complicated because it has numerous areas of unstable clay, but also very strong marine currents and the presence of earthquakes. Any slight mistake when carrying out calculations or using unsuitable materials would cause a catastrophe. This is where Herrenknech comes into play as one of the few companies with the capacity to design specific machines that can operate in these conditions. Apparently, they themselves confess that it would be a challenge, but that a route through the Camarinan Threshold (which is longer than a straight line, but also shallower) could be done with current engineering. and expensive. Viable, yes, cheap… no. According to the information of Populi Voicethe base bidding budget corresponding to the Spanish part would exceed 8.5 billion euros. HE wait that part will be paid for with community funds thanks to concessions similar to those of the Channel Tunnel. And the international implications would be tremendous, linking Rabat and Madrid, directly, by train. It’s going to be long. For a time it was expected that the 2030 World Cup that Spain, Portugal and Morocco will co-organize was the catalyst for this project, but the times simply do not allow it. It would be extremely complicated for the tunnel to be operational by 2030 when we only have a “it is possible” from the company that manufactures tunnel boring machines and, in fact, the estimated deadlines speak of a tunnel within a decade or more. Now, what was considered a chimera for decades is now have a realistic performance goal between 2035 and 2040 is an important step forward. But there is a lack of work, money and crucial international coordination to achieve the objective of this tunnel between Spain and Morocco. The next step? Carry out new studies shared between countries on seismic activity, possible tsunamis and the behavior of the maritime corridor, as well as a technical planning which must be done before August of next year. What is clear is that it seems more viable than the dam-bridge that someone proposed a few years ago. Images | SECEGSA (2), Moncloa In Xataka | Modern tunnel boring machines are real monsters compared to those of 1950. The paradox is that they are just as slow

Taking a train to go to work in Barcelona or Girona has become an impossible mission

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Finding an AVANT train ticket to move around Catalonia has become quite a risky mission. Thousands of people who travel daily from Girona and Lleida to Barcelona face the impossibility of finding this type of ticket less than two weeks in advance. The high demand has overwhelmed the supply of places on high-speed services, forcing users to plan their trips weeks in advance or risk being left without transportation. The problem in figures. Demand for AVANT services has skyrocketed in recent years. According to Renfe data that share elDiario, in 2024 the Figueres-Barcelona line transported 1.52 million passengers, 43% more than in 2022. From Lleida, the increase was even more pronounced: 488,000 travelers in 2024, 65% more than two years before. This exponential growth has exceeded the capacity of the current infrastructure, creating a bottleneck that especially affects peak demand times. Why are AVANTs collapsed? The phenomenon has several causes. The main one is 50% bonus in the price of the passes implemented in 2022, which has turned these trains into an accessible alternative to the private vehicle. Added to this is the deterioration of the Rodalies and Media Distancia service, plagued by incidents and delayswhich has pushed many users towards high speed. Travel times are also a more attractive factor: 40 minutes from Girona to Barcelona compared to an hour and a half by conventional train, or an hour and a quarter from Lleida compared to more than three hours by Rodalies. The odyssey of getting a ticket. Daniel Blay, who usually takes the Girona-Barcelona train, account to elDiario that “on Monday of each week I try to reserve all the tickets for the following week, because if not you will run out.” For some critical schedules, such as the 7:25 train from Girona, there are no places available “within ten days or two weeks.” From Lleida, the situation is similar. Kevin Bruque, spokesperson for the Avant Catalunya Users platform, explained to the media that “you only find 15 days in advance to get a ticket if you are lucky.” Delays exacerbate chaos. In addition to the shortage of places, users report a significant increase in delays. More than 550 users have a Telegram group for the Girona line, coordinated by Blay, in which they already They have documented 292 delays longer than four minutes only in November 2025. Many of these delays occur on return journeys in the afternoon, when trains accumulate delays from long-distance services from Seville, Valencia or Madrid, according to the media. To solve this problem, many travelers demand shuttle trains that do not depend on connections with other routes, they assured from elDiario. The official response is insufficient. Renfe recognizes that the offer has grown from 1.4 million seats annually in 2022 to 2.4 million in 2024, but users maintain that frequencies have not been added during peak hours, where they are most needed. The operator attributes the delays to the improvement works on the Catalan railway network, especially in the future Sagrera station. However, passengers consider that these explanations do not solve the underlying problem: the need for more trains and more seats. More solutions. Among the urgent measures proposed by several of the traveler platforms, the 50% bonus should be maintained beyond 2025, since its disappearance would make the cost unaffordable for many workers and students. On the other hand, they demand an increase in frequencies and available seats. CCOO has proposed reusing Avlo service trains that are out of use to double the capacity of AVANT, an initiative that the Generalitat has included in its railway strategy under the name Catav, according to share the ARA Newspaper. In the case of Lleida, users also claim to be able to access the empty seats on the Madrid-Barcelona AVE trains that stop in their city, something that is currently only possible on four frequencies. What happens now? The Minister of Territory, Silvia Paneque, advertisement last week that the Government is working with the Ministry of Transport to improve AVANT services in Girona and Lleida. CCOO confirms that the ministry has agreed to study the proposal to reuse Avlo trains. It remains to be seen if the proposals end up reaching a solution that clarifies all this chaos. Cover image | Zarateman (Wikipedia) In Xataka | Renfe has three AVRIL trains lost and an even more serious problem: it still does not know when it will receive them

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