Month: February 2026

five alternatives to connect without using your router

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Let’s tell you five alternatives for when you run out of Internet at homeeither due to a network outage or because the router has stopped working. Because whether it’s because you work at home or because you’re watching a series or movie and you don’t want to stop, it’s a good idea to take these alternatives into account. In this list, in addition to describing each of the available alternatives We will also tell you some points for and against for each one. This way, you will be able to make more informed decisions. Share Internet from your mobile If you have a decent amount of mobile data contracted, the best alternative is share Internet from your mobile. To the share your mobile datayou will create a WiFi network to which you can connect other devices, and you can even give it a personalized name and password. It’s a great solution, because you can actually give it the same name and password as your home WiFi so that all devices connect. Here, the only thing you have to keep in mind is that you will use a lot of battery on your mobile, and depending on what you are going to do you can spend a lot of data on your mobile rate, that is, it controls the downloads. Have a MiFi router at home MiFi routers are portable routers that work with SIM card. They have their own battery, and are used to create their own WiFi network, something that will also serve as an alternative to using the home mobile rate by connecting your SIM to this device. It is a more professional solution to avoid wasting your phone’s battery, but you will need to have purchased the device and have a SIM with data ready to use. Additionally, not all of these devices have 5G speeds, most tend to only have 4G. Use a router with SIM An alternative is desktop routers with 4G or 5G data, which use a SIM card. These They have better stability and WiFi coverage than MiFiso in large houses or greater needs you can get a solvent alternative network. The negative part here is that these routers do not have a battery and need to be plugged in, so They won’t work if you don’t have electricity. at home. You will also need to have a SIM with data to put it in. Dual WAM Routers This is a lesser known type of router called routers with failover either double WAN (Dual WAN). They are routers that They work with two types of connection at the same timeyour main fiber and a second fiber, a SIM or even a USB stick with 4G/5G. Thus, when the main network goes down or has problems, you automatically jump to the second until the main network returns to normal. If the problem is that the power goes out: UPS/SUPS If the problem why your router is not working is because the power has gone out, have a UPS on hand It is usually a good alternative. UPS/SUPS can be large or small, and are like advanced portable batteries that can give you a great deal of extra autonomy. Cover image | piqsels.com In Xataka Basics | Turning off WiFi at night: what advantages it has and what things you don’t have to worry about

AEMET prepares for “the highest hydrometeorological impacts in the world”

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As said Kevin Killeen“February is the worst month of the year, but it is an honest month.” And February 2026 is no exception in its honesty: the models gave historic rainfall throughout the Atlantic coast and the south of the peninsula and the rainfall is already here. The jet stream is going to pass over us so “constant and uniform” throughout the week. But it is not just the “concatenation of storms generated” by this, it is that “they are going to be fed with high moisture content” that comes directly from the Gulf of Mexico. What would have been excellent news three years ago has become a huge problem: this succession of storms arrives at a time when the soil cannot absorb even one more drop. A truly exceptional accumulation. To land the data, the latest models accumulated dan for this week of more than 100-150mm and up to 300 in areas of Galicia, Extremadura and Andalusia. In the case of Andalusia, in fact, the situation will be very complicated due to the extension of the Guadalquivir valley and the composition of its soil. More than 200mm are expected at the head of the river and a homogeneous average of 100mm in the basin. That, added to the fact that “The soil is clay and its use is agricultural.“, the filtration is very scarce. This has turned the flooding of the rivers and streams in the Guadalquivir basin and adjacent areas (such as the Guadalete or the Mediterranean basins of Granada) into a ticking bomb. “The highest hydrometeorological impacts in the world”. As Martín León explainedis not a figure of speech, it is an enormous risk: the highest impacts in the world are expected. In fact, as the hours pass, the predictions they seem to get worse and floods, overflows and landslides seem inevitable. The first symptoms of flooding, in fact, have already been detected in Andalusia via satellite. How normal is this? To emphasize that we are not facing a normal situation, it is enough to take a look at the ECMWF EFIthe index that measures how extreme the atmospheric phenomena are: the entire south-southwest of the peninsula is in red, the highest level. Rain on wet. But, as I say, that is not the main problem. The main problem is that, after these days of heavy rain, the soil is extremely saturatedthe reservoirs are being forced to drain and the system’s retention capacity is at minimum levels. In mountain areas, water it’s starting to flow directly from the ground. To this we can add that the Pyrenees and the rest of the northern mountains they have a historic snow pack. We are, as all models show, in the middle of a perfect storm. This means that the Hydrographic Confederations will have a lot of work and the problems have only just begun. Special attention will have to be paid to rivers, streams and areas at risk of land displacement. Complicated hours are approaching and any precaution will be insufficient. Image | WXCharts In Xataka | Spain is preparing for a “festival” of storms in February: with more rain than normal and hardly any cold

The brain asks for ultra-processed foods when it has nothing to do and science thinks it knows why

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There is a fairly classic scene in the lives of many people: not being hungry but wandering around the kitchen, opening the refrigerator, looking and closing it. Minutes later, this operation is repeated. The final result? End up eating something we probably didn’t needwhich is what can be popularly known as ‘gluttony’, but nutrition science has a more precise term: emotional eating. Investigation. Reference researchers in Spain such as Dolores Corella and Jordi Salas-Salvadó from CIBERobn, have focused on how factors more than calorieslike emotions or genetics, determine our weight. And the conclusion is quite clear: boredom is as real a metabolic risk factor as sugar. The boring brain. When we get boredthe brain detects a stimulation deficit that it tries to compensate with the fastest route to pleasure. And this is where the ultra-processed darlings come in. In this case, science indicates that these foods not only nourish us poorly, but activates dopaminergic reward circuitsin a very similar way to how certain addictive substances do. In this case, we have, first of all, a stimulus that is boredom that causes our mood to drop. Here the brain looks for a quick peak of dopamine and an apple is usually not enough, but rather it looks for fats and refined sugars, since their consumption causes a peak of pleasure followed by a sudden drop. Something that promotes excessive consumption and therefore favors gaining weight. The danger of getting bored. Not having things to do during the day or even at night, the truth is that it can be the ideal seed for consuming more calories than necessary. And above all, boredom tends to attack more strongly at the end of the day, when obligations end and this is where “boredom eating” collides head-on with chrononutrition. Researcher Marta Garaulet has shown that the moment in which we eat is critical, since snacking out of boredom after 9:00 p.m. is metabolically disastrous, especially in Spain. Why Spain. We Spaniards have a much worse time eating for boredom beyond 9 at night due to a genetic load in half of the population related to the MTNR1B gene. In this case, whoever has this gene and eats late, the consequences are quite clear: the body secretes less insulin and tolerates the glucose that we are introducing less well. The result here is that what is eaten due to nocturnal boredom it makes you fatter and more inflammatory than if you eat during the day, due to the desynchronization of circadian rhythms and the enzymes necessary to process food. How to counter it. If boredom is the trigger for this situation and ultra-processed foods are the gasoline, the solution to break this vicious circle is in PREDIMED studies. In this case, they pointed out that increasing fiber intake through fruits, vegetables and legumes improves glucose regulation. Something that enhances the reduction of glucose drops that can encourage the brain to eat some sugar urgently. In addition to this, the PREDIMED study confirms that the Mediterranean diet Supplemented with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or nuts, it reduces anxiety about eating. Unlike ultra-processed foods, which leave you wanting more, a handful of nuts activates long-lasting satiety mechanisms that prevent us from falling into eating a muffin or chocolate ice cream during the night. Routine vs. chaos. Since intermittent fasting lacks solid long-term evidence, experts like Salas-Salvadó suggest focusing on marked routines: bringing forward dinner to extend your overnight fast naturally. Having a fixed schedule reduces moments of “down time” where hunger attacks due to boredom. With all this, what has been achieved is that the brain does not adapt to situations with high levels of dopamine, such as a time of large, very copious late-night dinners. That is why the strategy is not about prohibiting, but about understanding that when you open the refrigerator at eleven at night without hunger, it is not the stomach that speaks but the brain looking for the entertainment it needs. Images | Toby Towfiqu barbhuiya In Xataka | Scientists have found the key to obesity in a protein: mice that do not gain weight even if they consume a fatty diet

Dates and when the 2026 Income Tax return is made

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Let’s tell you what they are the dates of the 2025 income tax returnthe campaign that will take place during 2026. We say that it is Income 2025 even if it is done this year because what we will do in it is regularize and account for the last fiscal year. In this article we are going to tell you what they are the most important dates of this next Income campaign. For example, we will tell you when you can start checking your tax details or request your reference number, and also when declarations can be made. There are still a couple of dates that have not been revealed, such as the consultation of tax data or the request for your reference number. But when they are announced we will update it so that you have all the data. Income tax return dates 2025 These are the main dates of the Income Tax 2025 What you should keep in mind so that you don’t miss deadlines. It is important that you remember that the income campaign this year ends a day early than last year, because it will also start a day earlier. Tax data consultation: Unannounced, but possibly mid-March. Reference number request: Unannounced, but possibly mid-March. Income tax return online: You can do it from April 8 to June 30, 2026. Income tax return by phone: You can do it from May 6 to June 30, 2026. In-person income tax return: You can do it from June 1 to June 30, 2025. And now, we are going to tell you How can you request an appointment? for telephone and in-person income. Appointment for telephone statement: You can request an appointment to make your declaration by phone, calling the numbers 91 535 73 26 / 901 12 12 24 or 91 553 00 71 / 901 22 33 44. You can do so from May 6 to June 30, 2026. Appointment for in-person declaration: You can request an appointment to make your declaration in person, by calling the numbers 91 535 73 26 / 901 12 12 24 or 91 553 00 71 / 901 22 33 44. You can request the necessary appointment from May 29 to June 29, In Xataka Basics | IRPF withholding calculator 2025: how to use it online to know your minimum withholding recommended by the Treasury

This is the new AliExpress promo for Valentine’s Day

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We start a new month with a very marked date on the calendar: Valentine’s Day. This February we usually see promotions and offers very oriented towards giving a gift for this important date, but also some that are perfect for renewing that device that we already have obsolete. In fact, right now we have a promotion on AliExpress that is ideal for this: it is called Operation Crush and, as usual, it also has several discount coupons. Of course, the stock of several of them comes and goes, so you may not reach all of them. Discount minimum purchase coupon 1 2 euros 15 euros ESCD02 3 euros 29 euros ESCD04 7 euros 49 euros ESCD07 9 euros 69 euros ESCD09 13 euros 99 euros ESCD13 20 euros 159 euros ESCD20 25 euros 209 euros ESCD25 40 euros 329 euros ESCD40 55 euros 459 euros ESCD55 The promo, available until next February 7 at 11:59 p.m.comes as usual with very interesting discounts on technology of all kinds, including mobile phones or consoles that have not been available for long. There is a lot to choose from, but we leave you below a selection of five offers that we find very interesting with the best coupon that is available for them as of writing these lines: Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro+ by 306.49 euros with the coupon ESCD04, a device from this same 2026 that promises to be a bestseller. nintendo switch 2 by 436.09 euros with the coupon ESCD04, in its pack with ‘Mario Kart World’. Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2 Pro by 184.09 euros with the coupon ESCD04, a very interesting quality-price tablet. Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd generation) by 46.78 euros with the coupon ESCD04, ideal to give more possibilities to a TV with several years behind it. Apple AirPods 4 by 92.79 euros with the coupon ESCD04, a good price for the cheapest version of these headphones. Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro+ As a first option we bring you a mobile phone that has been available for very little: the Redmi Note 15 Pro+. Its predecessor was a best-seller last year and this one has what it takes to repeat its same success. What stands out most about it is undoubtedly its battery: a huge 6,500 mAh battery which is also compatible with fast charging of up to 100 W via cable. In addition, it has a good 6.83-inch AMOLED screen compatible with Dolby Vision and HDR10+. It is available for 306.49 euros with the coupon ESCD04 in its version with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro+ The price could vary. We earn commission from these links nintendo switch 2 All AliExpress promos open a very interesting window to get a nintendo switch 2. The Japanese company’s console already has enough power to reach 4K resolution when used with its dock, although all without giving up, as the first Switch had already done, its hybrid possibilities. This pack is the one that includes ‘Mario Kart World‘, a game that is ideal for new console. comes out for 436.09 euros with the coupon ESCD04. Nintendo Switch 2 + ‘Mario Kart World’ The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2 Pro If we are looking for a tablet with good quality-price, look out for this one Redmi Pad 2 Pro from Xiaomi. This device, with the AliExpress promo, remains in 184.09 euros with the coupon ESCD04. In exchange, we will have a tablet with a large 12.1-inch screen (and 2.5 K resolution), more than enough performance for daily tasks or watching movies and a 12,000 mAh battery that will give us autonomy for the entire day without problem. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd generation) The Xiaomi TV Box S 3rd generation is a device that is ideal for older televisions that we want to give a boost in terms of functions. It connects through an HDMI port and in return offers great performance thanks to Google TV and compatibility with Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision and HDR 10+. In addition, it also offers the possibility of sending content from your mobile phone. It is available for 46.78 euros with the coupon ESCD04. Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd generation) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Apple AirPods 4 We close this selection of offers with the Apple Airpods 4in this case the most economical version of them (that is, it comes without active noise cancellation). These headphones arrived in stores for around 150 euros, although this AliExpress promo allows us to purchase them for 92.79 euros with the coupon ESCD04. As usual, they are headphones with very good sound and comfort, as well as an autonomy that reaches up to 30 hours adding the case. It is true that the version with noise cancellation is better, but as a cheaper option these are also very interesting. 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 | Ivan LinaresXiaomi, Nintendo, Apple In Xataka | The best mobile phones, we have tested them and here are their analyzes In Xataka | The best quality-price mobiles. Their analyzes and videos are here

There are no penguin colonies in Ukraine.

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The Vernadsky Research Base It is a Ukrainian scientific station in whose surroundings penguin colonies have been sighted. It happens that it is in Antarctica, not in Ukraine, an enclave where these creatures that live almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere and, in any case, rarely and naturally in the northern hemisphere do not exist. However, in Ukraine they do not stop being sighted. Penguins on the battlefield. Yes, on the Ukrainian front one of the most disconcerting images of this very technological war: Russian soldiers advancing alone through snowy fields covered in white thermal ponchos that, seen at first glance, make them look clearly giant penguins. The logic behind this tactic is simple and desperate at the same time, since these ponchos (can be found by about 75 dollars), made with fabrics capable of retaining almost all body heat, seek to erase the thermal silhouette of the soldier in front of drones equipped with infrared cameras. The “but”. In theory, the human body should blend in with the cold of the environment, disappearing for thermal sensors. In practice and how they have been managed to advertise Ukrainian forces, camouflage only works under very specific conditions and during the night, and their repeated use in broad daylight has turned these “penguins” into targets that are easily identifiable by optical drones, which detect them without difficulty before attacking them. Camouflage as a mistake. The broadcast videos by Ukrainian operators show that the problem is not so much the garment as its tactical use. Ponchos can hide the heat of the torso, but they leave exposed parts like feet or create silhouettes artificially cold images that stand out against slightly warmer backgrounds, making target acquisition easier. Furthermore, the lack of training exacerbates the problem, since many soldiers seem to be unaware how and when use this type of camouflage. The result is paradoxical: what was supposed to reduce visibility ends up generating black and perfectly delimited figures on the thermal screens of the drones, making the carriers even more detectable. Even so, Russian units insist in repeating the tacticagain and again sending isolated men to cross open terrain, with almost always lethal results against explosive-laden FPVs. The battle of deception and decoys. It we have counted before. This extreme resource is not an isolated case, but part of a war of deception every time more sophisticated on both sides. While some soldiers literally try to disguise themselves to survive aerial surveillance, Ukraine has perfected the use of large-scale decoys, like inflatable F-16 fighters deployed at airfields. These life-size models have reached attract loitering munitions guided by satellite, forcing the adversary to expend expensive and technically advanced drones against targets of no military value. Even from the Russian side it has been implicitly recognized that some of their supposed big blows have ended up destroying simple models, an assumed cost that, however, reveals the limits of intelligence and target identification in an environment saturated with sensors. A drone war. If you like, all this costume exchange, thermal ponchos and plastic airplanes underlines a deeper and more repeated reality: the battlefield has been transformed into a permanent duel between detection and concealmentin which drones are responsible for the majority of casualties and set the pace of operations. Improvised human camouflage tactics and elaborate lures Industrial companies are part of the same phenomenon, a war in which deceiving the sensor is almost as important as destroying the enemy. In that context, the somewhat surreal image of a “penguin” advancing through the snow is not so much an anecdote, but the extreme symptom of a conflict in which survival increasingly depends on outwitting a camera that never blinks. Image | Telegram In Xataka | Three Russians surrender on camera: what was previously a “normal” scene in the war in Ukraine is science fiction In Xataka | “They are under our feet”: Ukraine has entered an inexplicable phase, that of its drones attacking Russians at absurd distances

The problem remains that any hotel will photocopy it for you.

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The National Police has announced in a post on X (Twitter) that a new Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) has been implemented of the DNI with new encryption algorithms. Thus, the new system goes from being an RSA 2048 to the so-called Elliptic Curve 384 system. The change is interesting on the one hand. The RSA system is already a classic for data encryption, but it has some disadvantages: it uses large public keys, operations are slower (especially when signing) and it consumes more CPU and bandwidth. With Elliptic Curve 384 bits (ECCusually P-384) allows you to provide a lot of security in small keys. Signatures are much faster, for example, and consume much less CPU and battery, in addition to providing a very high level of security. It is a system with much more future projectionand seems a suitable alternative for the “ID 4.0“of which the National Police speaks. What does this cryptography protect our DNI? These private keys inside the DNIe chip never leave it, and various types of operations are carried out with them: Authentication: prove that you are you, and that it allows you, for example, to connect to the Tax Agency Electronic signature: when we present official procedures or electronic contracts, the DNI “signs” as if it were our physical signature Key exchange: reinforces, for example, the TLS security of secure protocols when browsing if we need that additional layer This new cryptographic system mitigates impersonation even if passwords are stolen in certain scenarios (such as trying to use it for official procedures) because the attacker would need not only “a photo” of the DNI, but the physical DNI, the PIN, and break the ECC 384 encryption, which is practically impossible today. So, the measure is positive, but that is not the problem. The problem is how the DNI is used in Spain. The weakest link These measures are aimed at protecting the data on our ID, but the problem is how this document has become inherently vulnerable because of the way it handles itself in the real world. In fact, the DNI has become a document that we transfer with extraordinary ease. Hotels have been asking for and photocopying our ID for years when checking in.. They cannot and should not do so. The AEPD published a note in June 2025 in which it discussed this issue and concluded that “a copy of the identity document should not be requested.” This document is also usually photocopied or scanned in procedures before a notaryFor example. In this case, the arguments are usually put forward that they have to provide reliable documentation because the money laundering law. The AEPD in fact sanctioned the General Council of Notaries (CGN) for this type of requests last summer of 2025. However and how explained in X cybersecurity expert Román Ramírez, it is another question of “they do not want to commit themselves by attesting that the document you show is the real one. It is a way of “washing your hands,” he explains, because if something happens it is no longer your word against theirs. In fact, we have long recommended that if you have to send a photo of your DNI for any online procedure, it should be done with a watermark. Tools like SafeLayer They facilitate this task but in some cases the entities or companies that request this document object to the shipment with a watermark or do not accept it at all. The curious thing is that the legislation theoretically prevents this type of mass registration of DNIs in cases such as administrative procedures. He Royal Decree 522/2006 of April 28eliminates the obligation to present photocopies of the DNI in the administrative procedures of the General Administration of the State and its dependent organizations. This rule obliges administrations to verify identity data internally, prohibiting requiring physical copies unless expressly opposed by the citizen or specific regulations. This rule does not apply directly to the examples of hotels or notaries, but there the AEPD has also made it clear that the exhibition is enough of the document. No matter what they tell you, do not send your ID as is We should never simply send photos of the ID. Neither by email, nor by WhatsApp, nor through dubious forms, even if the message seems to come from a real company. In fact, if a company asks for your DNI after a theoretical data leak or theft, the best thing we can do is verify it on our own, informing us on its website or calling a legitimate customer service number to find out what is really happening and if this procedure is necessary. The DNI It’s “gold” for scammersbecause it allows: Open fraudulent accounts Request credits or microloans Validate identities in online services Reinforce scams with messages such as “we have your ID, we are from this company or bank.” In fact, this document is a treasure if other data such as contact or telephone number is added to it, because thanks to this information it is possible to carry out much more effective identity theft attacks that can lead to truly dangerous scams and frauds. The DNI has another peculiar problem: it is used as a kind of “universal identifier” in Spain. If it leaks once—if someone steals it or a photo of it ends up in the wrong hands— You can no longer change it like someone changes a password.. You can only renew it, but even then the “old” one is still extremely useful for those phishing attacks. That is why it is important to limit as much as possible where we upload the ID, who has it, and in what format: we should never upload the complete photo unless it is absolutely essential. In Xataka | How to share your ID online safely to avoid dangers

Only once did he bet on a scientist and help us understand it better

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If today we think of an astronaut, we usually imagine someone with advanced scientific training, prepared to live for weeks or months in a challenging environment, master complex systems, robotics and even several languages. But in the sixties, when the space race was a race of speed and prestige, the mold was different: NASA was looking for operational profilespeople capable of making decisions under pressure and flying machines that no one had flown before. That was the pattern that marked almost the entire Apollo program.. And yet, there was one exception that broke the norm: for the first and only time, one of those who set foot on the Moon was specifically selected as a scientist, and that influenced what we learned about it. The protagonist of this exception was Harrison H. “Jack” Schmittand his case is unique within the lunar program. On Apollo there were astronauts with doctorates or advanced technical training, yes, but that does not automatically make them “scientist-astronauts.” The difference is in the selection criteria. Buzz Aldrinfor example, had a doctorate in astronautics, but entered the astronaut corps through the usual route of the military pilot (Group 3), like so many others. In June 1965, according to NASA, a specific group was selected to incorporate scientists, Group 4, and Schmitt was the only member of those members who ended up assigned to a moon landing mission, Apollo 17. The astronaut who came to be a scientist Before becoming an astronaut, Schmitt was already working, literally, with the Moon in mind. According to the USGSin 1964 he joined the Astrogeology team at the Flagstaff Science Center as a geologist after receiving his doctorate from Harvard. participated in lunar geological mapping and led the Lunar Field Geological Methods project, focused on how to do field geology applied to satellite exploration. That experience put him in a unique position within the program: He was not a newcomer to lunar science. After joining NASA, his contribution went beyond flight. The Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition highlights who organized the lunar scientific training of the Apollo astronauts, represented the crews during the development of hardware and procedures for exploring on the surface, supervised the final preparation of the descent stage of the Apollo 11 lunar module, in addition to serving as a mission scientist. Apollo 17 was not just another mission within the program. NASA defined it as the last of the three J-type missions, a series characterized by greater hardware capacity, more scientific load and the use of the Lunar Roving Vehiclethe electric rover that expanded the real exploration radius. That explains why the exploration of the Taurus-Littrow valley was not chosen at random. The objective was ambitious: to work in an area where rocks older and younger than those recovered in previous missions could be found. Added to this scientific ambition was an operational design with room to deploy and activate surface experiments, perform sampling, and complete photographic and experimental tasks both in lunar orbit and upon return to Earth. In an interview with the Japanese space agency (JAXA)Schmitt explains that a specialist comes with years of accumulated experience, and that allows him to decide much more quickly what is important and what is not. Schmitt recalls that NASA trained its pilot astronauts to observe well and understand the problems they were working on, but insists that there is no substitute for experiencewhether in geology, medicine or any other discipline. That is the practical logic that sustains their presence in Apollo 17: when the objective is no longer just to arrive, but to interpret an environment and choose samples judiciously, having someone on the ground who has done field geology for years changes the quality of the decisions. And there appears one of the most memorable episodes of Apollo 17. In the middle of the field work in Taurus-Littrow, Schmitt and Eugene Cernan identified the so-called “orange soil”a finding that generated great expectation in the scientific community. Within the framework of the mission, this material has been described as volcanic glass or pyroclastic material, and is interpreted as especially clear evidence of ancient explosive volcanism on the Moon. It wasn’t just a color oddity. It was a clue about the thermal and geological history of the satellite, and a perfect example of why the mission had looked for a place where different materials could appear, older and also younger than those brought by other expeditions. If Schmitt’s story seems strange it is because, within the same group of scientist-astronauts, he was the only one with a lunar destiny. The USGS notes that, From more than 1,000 applicants, six were selectedand that three of them, Joe Kerwin, Owen Garriott and Edward Gibson, would end up flying in Skylab in 1973 and 1974. That is, science, yes, but far from the moon landing. NASA wanted to reinforce the scientific component of manned flight, but the priority of the lunar program remained different and the space for “specialists” was limited. In this context, Schmitt stands out not only for stepping on the Moon, but for what it implies: even within a group created to add science, the moon landing remained almost exclusive territory of the operational profile. Schmitt’s story has value precisely because it is not just a biographical oddity, it is a mirror. In Apollo, the ideal astronaut was an operator, and only once, in the last moon landing, that mold was opened to integrate someone selected for their scientific profile. As we have seen, currently, astronaut training is designed for long and complex missions, with different requirements. And right now, when the moon race looms again, that question makes sense. Since Apollo 17, in 1972, humans have not returned to the surface, but NASA proposes a way back with Artemis, with Artemis II as a manned flyby and Artemis III as the planned moon landing if plans are fulfilled. With China also targeting the satellite, the return is no longer read only in a historical key. Returning … Read more

a revealing map that anticipates several demographic challenges

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The old continent is older than ever, literally. Because Their average age is already around 50 years old. and the birth rate shows that except in Monaco, our sons and daughters they are not enough replacement (the “magic” number is 2.1). So much so that it can be said that Europe is shrinking, something that It hasn’t happened since the black plague. Old Europe vs young Nigeria. The latest Eurostat update gives an average birth rate of 1.38 babies per woman in the EU and 3.6 million births in 2023 for a population that around 450 million. If we set a “Eurovision” and expand the borders, including states like the United Kingdom or Russia, the figure rises to 6.3 million. It is still little, especially if we take into account that only in Nigeria 7.5 million were born in that same year, has a birth rate of 4.5 babies per woman and that the middle ages around 18 years old. A huge lake is in the making. Note: in Nigeria there are 222 million inhabitants. A picture is worth a thousand words. In Brilliant Maps have synthesized this data into a very simple map with this devastating fact that shows the rapid population growth of Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically Nigeria, which has one of the youngest populations in the world. A single country, with a much smaller area, surpasses an entire continent in births. Brilliant Maps map with data from Our World in Data In perspective. Taking United Nations data for Europe and Nigeria from 1900 to 2100 (until 2023 the data is accurate, from then on the UN predictions are used) the evolution and trend leaves no room for doubt about the change produced in the last century in figures: In 1950, 12 million people were born in Europe and 1.7 million in Nigeria, which had a population of 548 and 37 million people respectively. In 2000, 7.3 and 5.5 million were born in Europe and Nigeria, which had a population of 728 and 126 million people. By 2100, less than 5 million births in Europe compared to 6.6 million in Nigeria and 592 million inhabitants for the old continent compared to 476 million in the African country. The turnaround is such that on reddit there is a graph which, although more qualitative than quantitative, sums it up well: The population difference between Europe and Africa. reddit Why is it important. Beyond statistical curiosity, we are facing a paradigm shift that will define the 21st century. If “demography is destiny”, how they attribute to Auguste Comte, Europe aims for change (renew or die, never better said). Of course, Nigeria’s population explosion is not la vie en rose either. In Europe. Europe’s demographic winter is raising alarm bells for its welfare state simply because the population pyramid is inverting, thus threatening its intergenerational social model: first, delaying the retirement age. On the horizon, the cut of benefits even though there are many people who “the cannon life” is not sticking. On the other hand, the market has found a vein in the “silver” economy in the form of care for the elderly: without going any further, those related professions are already applying for rise like foam in the coming years. In Nigeria. Having 7.5 million new people in a territory is quite a challenge. On paper, it is a fantastic opportunity to train and employ a mass population that can drive massive economic growth (as has China in recent decades). The problem is not doing it and finding yourself with unemployed and frustrated youth. On the other hand and regardless of this difficulty, such a high population increase translates into high pressure on its current infrastructure, for example there will be an urgent need to build schools or hospitals. The communicating vessels. Given the previous perspective, the migratory flow is as inevitable as it is necessary. From old Europe, in search of labor to fill vacancies and thus manage its decline without losing its standard of living. From young Nigeria, to alleviate internal population and infrastructure pressure. A symbiosis not exempt from cultural frictions, culminating identity tensions in the rise of the extreme right and the flight of talents in the African country. In Xataka | If you were born today you would be born at 17.5% in India: the map that shows the distribution of world birth rates In Xataka | Where the world’s next 1,000 babies will be born, in a surprising map Cover | Brilliant Maps

Why more and more Gen Z students prefer trades over college degrees

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Forty years ago China decided to invest in training millions of engineers who have turned out Be your ace in the hole in the AI ​​race. In fact, it is the country with the highest number of STEM graduates in the world and while ups its ante on doctoratesboth the government of the Asian giant and generation Z have begun to pay attention to vocational training. The graduate bubble. The Chinese Ministry of Education counted in November 2024 that in 2025 there would be a historic number of graduates: 12.22 million, how to collect the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. With this panorama, the competition is fierce, also taking into account that The United States has made visas more difficult for those who decide to migrate. The Chinese Ministry of Education is offering different measures and support systems in the form of recruitment events in key regions and industries to alleviate unemployment among university students. It doesn’t seem enough. Labor demand changes. On the other hand, companies are changing their needs: official data show that the demand for people with a university degree fell from 20.3% to 17.4% last year. However, the number of those who had completed vocational training rose from 8.5 to 11%. The FP is so sought after that this segment was the one that had the highest rate of job offers in 2024. It is already a matter of state. Not only is it a labor market issue, but it is also a guideline that points towards a “Strong Educational Nation.” That is the objective of new state plan in education (2024 – 2035): China makes vocational training a state priority, committing to concrete measures such as more funding, improvements in facilities and the development of a modern skills system. In short, vocational training has the same importance as academic training to sustain technological self-sufficiency. As already happened in Europein China they are also stopping stigmatizing VET as an alternative for students with fewer resources or worse grades. The return on investment is no longer profitable. Sixth Tone picks up the testimonies of several young people and their experiences such as that of Ke Chenxi, who scored high enough on the gaokao (something like the PAU) to go to university, but he chose to enroll in a vocational school. Yes, economic and family circumstances were partly to blame, but also because the Wuhan Vocational Institute program offered shorter early childhood education courses, intensive internships, and faster incorporation into the labor market. Associate Professor of Shanghai Fudan University Gao Shanchuan speaks directly from the “income effect”, that is, from the belief that by going to university you will have a higher salary: “What is changing is that young people are beginning to evaluate education in a more pragmatic way. If vocational training leads to stable jobs and a reasonable income, their social prestige will improve over time.” Zhuo Ping is a teacher at Ke School and is clear that although VET is not going to replace universities, it does encourage students to choose according to their aptitudes and not just prestige: “We went from focusing solely on credentials to more substantially recognizing ability.” Wuhan is the epicenter of change. The Chinese city is a true higher education cluster, with more than 80 universities and a strong weight of technical careers. But also where VET is emerging: those who obtain their degree in trades already find work as quickly as their university counterparts, with a successful access rate to the labor market of over 98% in some institutions. And they do so by accessing the labor market faster and with more experience. That VET centers in Wuhan work closely with local companies to design training according to the needs of the industry and not according to rigid and theoretical itineraries will surely help. In fact, in Sixth Tone they pick up the statements of a human resources supervisor, who experiments with live reality, highlighting their good performance, adaptation and skill, although they have pending issues such as teamwork. In Xataka | China promised them very happy with day 996. Until they realized that it was a shot in the foot In Xataka | China has a huge youth unemployment problem. So much so that some people pay to pretend to work Cover | Green Liu and TruckRun

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