usatoday24, Author at usatoday24

do not cross any red lines

July 1, 2026 by usatoday24

Anthropic announced yesterday the release of Claude Sonnet 5a more “normal” and conservative model than what we were used to. It is also cheaper, which makes it interesting to use in those AI agents that consume a lot of tokens. However, the most striking thing about Sonnet 5 is that it is a model that is especially capable in a key section: cybersecurity. Sonnet 5 is designed to behave well. At Anthropic they define it as “the most agentic Sonnet model to date” and highlight its improvements in the use of tools such as browsers or the terminal. But above all they highlight how Sonnet 5 behaves better than Sonnet 4.6 in terms of “unwanted behavior” and is safer to use. The “System Card” of the model also confirms that we are dealing with a model that does not want to cross red lines. Not very useful for finding vulnerabilities. The most striking thing is that Anthropic makes it clear that “it has a much lower capacity than our current Opus models to perform cybersecurity tasks.” That’s no accident: Anthropic has had so many problems with Mythos and Fable 5 who have probably wanted to bring a “risk-free” model to the market, even if that means making it more limited. Benchmarks promise, but do not amaze. Internal tests show how Sonnet 5 represents an important qualitative leap compared to Sonnet 4.6 and is quite close to Opus 4.8 in agentic programming or in the use of the aforementioned tools (terminal, browser), something that undoubtedly makes it very interesting for AI agents that automate many tasks, such as Claude Cowork. Fable 5 returns. The model comes just at a time when Anthropic was waiting for approval from the US government to be able to give access to its most powerful AI models: A compelling model for companies. Sonnet 5 is an interesting model for use in companies. Claude Code is the company’s flagship product and its adoption is enhanced with models that can perform well in agentic tasks that complete objectives autonomously. That requires intensive token consumption, and Sonnet 5, close to the performance of Opus 4.8, has a fundamental advantage over it. cheaper. While Fable 5 costs $10/$50 per million input/output tokens, Opus 4.8 costs $5/$25. That’s where things get interesting, because Sonnet 5 costs 3/15 dollarssignificantly cheaper, although during the first two months the cost will be 2/10 dollars as a promotional offer. An old school model. The launch of Sonnet 5 is striking because Anthropic had left its “modest” models well behind. Haiku has not been updated since version 4.5, in October 2025. The last version of Sonnet was 4.6, in February 2026. Both seemed to have been relegated to the background and Anthropic had focused on Opus and especially on the new models of the Mythos family. That changes now, probably because the move with these latest models has gone wrong: they were so powerful that the US government ended up vetoing them and taking control. In Xataka | Claude Fable 5 is the most powerful public AI model in history. Also the most expensive, exclusive and frustrating

This is how strength training protects your heart, your brain and your life expectancy

July 1, 2026 by usatoday24

We have known for a long time that strength exercise It’s not just for having more muscles. and a more defined body. Today we understand that, to take care of our health, it is important to combine both strength and aerobic exercise. However, it is always good to have more evidence and more reasons to remind us of the importance of lifting weight. That’s why it’s so important a study recently published by scientists at Harvard Universityin which 150,000 people are followed for 30 years. This monitoring has allowed its authors to conclude that, indeed, those who practiced strength exercise regularly were more likely to continue to live older, since this practice protected them from numerous diseases, especially neurological and cardiovascular diseases. The reasons are clear, as is the fact that, in reality, the ideal is to combine this with aerobic exercise. Three studies, 30 years. In reality, this latest study is a review of 3 studies, all of them conducted in the United States. For 30 years, the health status of its participants was followed, while their sports habits were monitored. In those three decades, there were 36,000 participants who died from various causes. It wasn’t always due to not having exercised. After all, there are many factors that influence health. However, it was found that those who did between 90 and 120 minutes of strength exercise per week had a 13% lower risk of dying from any cause than those who did not. The types of diseases most prevented. Although the percentage was calculated with respect to deaths from any cause, neurological and cardiovascular protection stands out in this study. In fact, this practice of strength exercise reduced the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 19% and the risk from neurological disorders, especially dementia, by 27%. For all this, the study concludes that strength exercise has a positive effect on longevity. More is not always better. Another curious fact from this study is that those who did more than 120 minutes of strength exercise per week did not experience extra benefits. Therefore, if there is more time available, you can take advantage of it to do aerobic exercise, since, in reality, the ideal is to combine both types of training. The ideal combination. According to this same study, 150 minutes of weekly aerobic exercise reduces the risk of death from any cause by between 26% and 43%. But if this is also combined with the strength exercise mentioned above, the risk decreases by 45%. The ideal is to combine the two types of exercise to buy all possible longevity tickets. Two hours a week of strength exercise can be divided into two workouts in the gym. Training can be done full body both days, to train all muscle groups twice, but increasing the density of the upper part one day and the lower part another. As for 150 minutes of weekly aerobic exercise, it is very achievable. only with go walking to work or to run errands we would already have a good part accomplished. However, it is advisable to add several sessions of a somewhat more vigorous cardio, such as going for a run, swimming or cycling. Cardio, best distributed in several weekly sessions The causes. This is an observational study. That means a correlation has been seen, but not necessarily a causality. Those who strength exercise live longer, but their blood has not been analyzed, for example, for markers that indicate that quality of life. Even so, the authors of the research have their own hypotheses, also described in The Conversation by University of East London Professor John McNamara. To begin with, the muscle is a kind of sponge that, by order of insulin, absorbs a good part of the glucose that accumulates in the blood after eating. Thus, glucose acts as a source of energy for the muscle and does not increase in spikes or accumulate as fat. With all this, metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes or obesity. Clearly, yes there is more musclethe sponge is larger, which is why strength exercise is so important. Furthermore, with respect to cardiovascular diseases, myokines play an essential role. They are proteins that are released when the muscle contracts and that have a positive effect on the blood, reducing chronic inflammation. It is very beneficial against heart diseases; but also, again, for metabolic diseases and even against some types of cancer. On the other hand, it should be noted that this chemical cascade enhanced by strength exercise helps increase blood flow in organs such as the brain or liver and also reduces blood pressure and increases the flexibility of blood vessels. The key to longevity. A fall may be minor in a young person, but in the elderly it can lead to more broken bones, with a slower or incomplete recovery. The person’s health can greatly deteriorate. Therefore, one of the keys to longevity is to strengthen the bones. The musculoskeletal system is very well combined. Strong muscles also often translate into stronger bones. That’s why people live longer when they do strength exercise. Limitations to take into account. People who exercise, whether strength training or aerobic, often maintain other healthy habits as well. Furthermore, the study participants were health workers, so it is expected that they were clear about the measures to take care of their health. Therefore, it would be ideal to have done another similar study, with a greater variety of participants, and taking into account other habits to see the influence they have on the final result. Even so, everything points to a very beneficial routine for anyone. Image | Magnificent In Xataka | The trap of walking for the sake of walking: “Japanese walks” are much more effective than your daily hour-long walk

This is how strength training protects your heart, your brain and your life expectancy

July 1, 2026 by usatoday24

who distributes IP addresses

July 1, 2026 by usatoday24

There is a part of the internet that we almost never see and, precisely for that reason, we tend to take it for granted. We are not talking about websites, applications or large data centers, but about the numbers that allow some networks to find others without stepping on each other’s ground. This silent administration is one of the reasons why the Internet functions as a common network and not as a sum of incompatible systems. When that layer comes into dispute, what is discussed is quite delicate. The movement. Malaysia has put on the table a legal reform that aims directly at that basic layer of the network. A public consultation has proposed giving MCMC, the country’s communications regulator, legal authority to manage and administer electronic addressing resources, including IP addresses, AS numbers and associated fees. The proposal also opens the door to developing a National Internet Registry for Malaysia. The invisible cloak. As we say, here we are not talking about domains, but about the numbering that supports the routing of the Internet. An IP address identifies a resource within the network; An AS number identifies an autonomous network, for example that of an operator or a large supplier, that exchanges routes with other networks. It is a technical distinction, yes, but with a very concrete consequence: these resources cannot depend on rules that contradict each other. Their value lies precisely in the fact that everyone recognizes them under a common system. This system does not depend, under normal conditions, on each State separately. The current model is supported by five regional Internet registries, known as RIRs, which manage the distribution of IP addresses and AS numbers in different areas of the world. APNIC is the record corresponding to Asia-Pacific, while ARIN covers North America and part of the Caribbean, LACNIC Latin America and the Caribbean, RIPE NCC Europe, the Middle East and part of Central Asia, and AFRINIC Africa. The logic is to prevent a global infrastructure from being divided into incompatible national decisions. The national precedent. There are economies that already have a National Internet Registry, but that does not mean that any country can create one whenever it wants. In the APNIC region there are seven recognized cases, associated with China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. The difference is that those records come from a previous stagewhen some national structures already existed or were being formed before the regional model was consolidated. That is why the Malaysian proposal does not start from scratch, but it does collide with a door that APNIC considers closed for years. APNIC maintains that that door is closed for a specific reason. In 2012 it stopped accepting new applications to create National Internet Registries and, in February 2024, made that moratorium permanent. It also removed the old framework that was used to evaluate new NIRs, so that today there is no current procedure to recognize another national registry in the region. In its correspondence with the MCMC, APNIC insists on this point: it cannot process a Malaysian application under a model that it considers outdated. Malaysian reading. From the regulator’s side, the argument involves updating a standard born in 1998, before the digital economy had its current weight. The consultation proposes giving MCMC clearer authority over the administration of electronic addressing resources and the fees linked to that management. APNIC also states in its correspondence that MCMC has advocated for more local control over assignments, easier access to resources, and a push toward IPv6. The official approach aims to organize and reinforce this administration, although the scope of that control is precisely what opens the dispute. The delicate thing is the precedent. A National Internet Registry with more autonomy than anticipated by APNIC would not only affect Malaysia, it would also send a signal to other governments interested in managing from home resources that until now are coordinated regionally. The Register notes thatif a Malaysian NIR were to take over part of APNIC’s functions, it could reopen the debate on the role of governments in allocating internet resources. The political concern exists, but it should be formulated carefully: the risk is not in what the consultation claims to do, but in the power that could be concentrated if that model is expanded. We are not, therefore, facing a fight over a website, an application or a specific platform. The dispute goes down to a much more basic layer: who manages the numbering that allows the Internet to continue functioning as a shared network. If Malaysia insists on moving towards a National Internet Registry, the clash with APNIC does not have to be loud at first. Images | Xataka with Nano Banana In Xataka | For some reason, people keep throwing messages in a bottle into the sea. And a man has specialized in collecting them

Buying cheap RAM seemed like a matter of waiting. Lenovo just dismantled that hope

July 1, 2026 by usatoday24

Buying memory seemed, until not so long ago, a question of patience. If prices rose, many users and companies could wait a while before expanding a computer, renewing storage or closing a large server purchase. The idea was simple: endure the blow, watch the market and hope that the pressure would go down. But that hope begins to collide with a different reality, because memory no longer only powers our computers: it also supports a growing part of the infrastructure that drives AI. The latest news comes to us from ISC 2026in Hamburg, one of those events where the debate on servers and infrastructure allows us to see where the market is moving rather than in domestic consumption. According to ComputerBaseLenovo showed there a slide titled “Five-step survival guide for RAMageddon” and accompanied the idea with a phrase that summarizes the change in tone well: “It will never be like last yearThe aforementioned media clarifies that this “never” should not be read completely literally, but the warning is still relevant: trusting in a quick return to the levels of 2024 and the beginning of 2025 may be too optimistic. ComputerBase may not be a well-known outlet outside of Germany, but its coverage of ISC 2026 has been replicated by specialized publications like Tom’s Hardware and TweakTown. In the latter’s information, Martin Hiegl, a Lenovo executive linked to Enterprise AI & HPC, is identified as the author of the statements. Before the event, Hiegl announced on LinkedIn that he would participate again in the “Vendor Showdown” session with the theme “RAMageddon”. The problem is not just that the RAM is expensive In its presentation, Lenovo is not just talking about a temporary tension, but about a change in the economics of DRAM and NAND. The company maintains that even when new relevant manufacturing capacity begins to be noticed, something that it places from 2028, a good part of that additional production could be absorbed by AI infrastructure. In other words: more memory being manufactured does not necessarily mean that we will return to the low prices of 2024 and early 2025. The industry is also moving in that direction. Tom’s Hardware points to SK hynix’s plans to triple its memory production capacity by 2034 as a background signal: if manufacturers were expecting a quick return to minimal margins and oversupply, they would hardly accelerate investments of that magnitude. Lenovo’s reading is that the incentive has changed. With sustained demand for AI and increased pressure on DRAM, NAND and HBM, expanding factories may ease the market, but not automatically rebuild the cheap scenario that many buyers remember. Now, the Chinese manufacturer is not alone in this diagnosis. As we pointed out days agoMicron recently told its investors that it expects limited supply until at least 2027, with a gradual improvement starting in 2028. SK hynix has also warned that shortages could last until around 2030 whether the AI infrastructure continues to absorb wafer capacity. These are forecasts that should be read with caution, because they come from companies that benefit from high prices, but they also show that the sector is planning as if the pressure is not going to disappear anytime soon. The consumer also remains within the chain. It is no secret that “RAMageddon”, as Lenovo called it, is reaching PCs, mobile phones, consoles and SSDs, precisely the products where we usually notice first if an increase in components reaches the final price. There are the Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and 5 Pro and more expensive Nintendo Switch 2. Also mobile phones that come at higher prices and computers like Macs being harder to reach. Does that mean we should take Lenovo’s scenario for granted? Not necessarily. No one can predict with certainty how the market will evolve.. His analysis carries weight because it comes from one of the largest computer manufacturers in the world, but even in a sector like this, forecasts can fall short… or not be met. The most reasonable reading is another: if Lenovo is right, memory is no longer that component that we could postpone almost by inertia until we find a better offer. In a market where AI competes for DRAM, NAND and HBM, waiting is still an option, but no longer a guarantee. Images | Xataka with Nano Banana In Xataka | Memory experts see no relief: “Potential price increases are higher than expected due to shortages”

We believed that sleeping with our dog or cat was a comforting and healthy idea. Science shows that it destroys your night’s rest

July 1, 2026 by usatoday24

More than ten years ago it was carried out a survey of 23,000 pet owners. There were curious data: a quarter of them admitted treating their pet as if they were small children and a little less than 75% admitted keeping photos of them. But perhaps the most striking thing is that half admitted sleeping with their pets. There is no memory of a sociological division of this magnitude since the potato omelet. So we’ve been wondering what science said about sleeping with your dog or cat. Do people really sleep with their pets? The truth is that sleep researchers haven’t paid much attention to the topic. We have a lot of pseudo-theories about ‘dominance’ or ‘doggy soul’ that are very successful on reality television, but the research in the ‘human-animal co-sleeping‘was a relatively forgotten area that in recent years has experienced a boom. As we have spoken on other occasions, sleep is a more cultural phenomenon than it seems and changes a lot between regions and times (Blunden, Thompson and Dawson; Worthman and Melby; Munroe, Munroe and Whiting). In the same way that it was relatively recently that Western societies separated resting places by age (children and adults), it was only relatively recently that spaces between humans and animals were completely separated. In fact, there are many cultures in which these coexistence practices are maintained naturally. And the most solid studies (Albert and Bulcroft; Westgarth et al.; Overgaauw) coincide with the survey in that there is a 50% split in co-sleeping with dogs and cats – which are the most common nocturnal companions (Albert and Bulcroft). And it’s curious because Since 2018 we know that dogs are less annoying than cats. In this sense, it cannot be said that the results of the survey are surprising. Research maintains that humans continue to show a strong attachment to their pets and are often considered important members of the family (Archer). As it says Smiththis is not free: animals are a source of support, affection, comfort, security and stability which can have important health benefits. It is true that the size of the pet has a lot to do with it and if we look in more detail (for example, in dogs) we see that 76.85% of Yorkshire Terriers or 62.96% of Chihuahuas sleep with their owners compared to 18.18% of Saint Bernards or 30.27% of Labradors. Even so, the percentage of Saint Bernards is a very high percentage. In addition to what Eckstein already pointed out, other factors that intervene are the number of children in the family (more likely where there are no children – Albert and Bulcroft) or gender (more likely with women). Some problems of sharing a bed with pets Research suggests there are some potential problems with sharing bedding with animals. Health risks. These include some immune responses, allergies, asthma or hypersensitivity pneumonitis; Bites and scratches can also occur through which infectious diseases associated with domestic animals can be contracted (Plaut, Zimmerman and Goldstein). Those most susceptible to these types of problems are young children, pregnant women and immunocompromised patients (Smith). However, the overall health risks are very low; almost insignificant if the animals receive medical care and maintain proper hygiene. Sleep problems. In general, the main problems related to sleep quality involve companions (kicking, snoring, etc.) and children, but pets also play an important role. Without going any further, a study from the Mayo Clinic found that fifty-three percent of pet owners who slept with their pets had problems resulting from it. Nevertheless, it is difficult to know the real impact of these interruptions because they are very short interruptions that by themselves explain little: however, it seems that Yes, there is a difference between sleeping in the bedroom or in the bed.. This is because interruptions can be related to temperature imbalances between humans and pets; as well as differences in sleep and wake cycles (Campbell and Tobler). If they only sleep in the bedroom, everything becomes easier. Behavior problems in animals. Jagoe and Serpell found that dogs that are allowed to sleep with their owners may experience an increase in aggression and separation-related problems. Effect on interpersonal relationships. Finally, animals can be an important source of conflict and stress in relationships. Coming to generate intimacy problems (Jagoe and Serpell) Should we sleep with our pets? Smith and his research team found that sleeping with pets in the bed had a small impact on sleep quality in the time taken to fall asleep or feeling tired when waking up. However, the authors maintain that the continued practice of co-sleeping with pets indicates benefits of social support, social interaction and personal safetydespite the disadvantages. In general, it seems that science agrees with common sense. Sleeping accompanied by animals can have some problems but always related to previous problems at a health and behavioral level. And, on the other hand, if our pet is healthy, has proper hygiene and a ‘good education’, not only are there no problems, but it can have very positive effects. The evidence has been divided in recent yearsbut remains unanimous in this regard Images | Faith Goble, John Liu, Tony Alter, Jon-Eric Melsæter. Xataka | We have been looking at Noah’s syndrome as a minority and controlled problem for years. we were wrong *An earlier version of this article was published in January 2016

Why giant rockets could become a flop

July 1, 2026 by usatoday24

SpaceX, Blue Origin, NASA… There are many companies, public and private, that want to build the largest rocket in history. Currently, the largest is SpaceX’s Starshipwhich together with its propellant, the Super Heavy, is 121 meters high. However, this has not yet passed the testing phases. The highest one in operation is the SLS that NASA has used to advance the Artemis missions, 98 meters high. The goal is to build bigger and bigger rockets. However, a new report warns that there may actually be a limit beyond which larger rockets become too expensive to be profitable. A fuzzy limit. The reportpublished on June 29, was carried out by The Aerospace Corp. It points out that it is true that, in principle, larger and heavier rockets can initially be more economical in the sense that they maximize the payload that can be carried into orbit for the same price. However, starting from a specific size, these savings would be offset by manufacturing and operating costs. We might think that the problem is solved with the use of reusable rockets, like those manufactured by SpaceX, but the operating costs are still there. In the report they do not indicate exactly what that size would be, but they explain that, by exceeding it, it would go from a decreasing launch price per kilogram to an increasing one. An example to understand it better. In the report they cite the case of the Airbus A380, a superjumbo aircraft that at the time was considered a technical success, but a commercial failure due to the high costs of a flight compared to those of smaller planes. When they are necessary. In the future there will be increasingly larger payloads, which will depend on large rockets for their launch. For these cases, the increase in cost would be justified. These would be, for example, satellites for broadband constellations or orbital data centers. The problem is that it is not clear that demand will be high enough to justify so many companies wanting to have their own large rocket. Those who are and those who will come. In this report, large rockets are considered those that are capable of releasing payloads of 50 metric tons into low Earth orbit. Today there are only two rockets in operation that meet these criteria: the Falcon Heavy from SpaceX and NASA’s SLS. There are others that are not yet fully operational, such as SpaceX’s Starship, the New Glenn from Blue Origin or the Long March 9 and 10 from China. Starship would currently be the largest rocket It should be noted that the Falcon Heavy has only made 12 flights since it was inaugurated in 2018. This could justify that, effectively, there is no demand for such large rockets. Although perhaps there will be one in the future. We’ll have to see it. For now, what is clear is that companies should take all factors into account, instead of jumping en masse to see who has the biggest rocket. That doesn’t always turn out well. Images | NASA | SpaceX In Xataka | Blue Origin now has a golden opportunity to overtake SpaceX on trips to the Moon. And he is taking advantage of it

sell more cars than Citroën in Europe

June 30, 2026 by usatoday24

It is no secret that Chinese car brands They are conquering Europe. For a few years now, the streets have been filled with cars from companies such as BYD, Omoda, Jaecoo, Leapmotor, MG and many others. And it makes perfect sense, since they have come with their entire arsenal at truly competitive prices and loaded with technology. You have to go to last review of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) to really see how much they have achieved in a very short time. And in the case of BYD, the firm has registered more cars than Citroën during the month of May in Europe (specifically in the group formed by the European Union, the EFTA countries and the United Kingdom). According to the agency’s data, the Chinese manufacturer registered 32,380 units compared to 31,665 for Citroën. The difference is small, but it has symbolic weight, since it is the first time that a Chinese brand overtakes such a historic name in European motorsport. In detail. He BYD growth It is being truly groundbreaking, especially outside its domestic market. And in May of this year, its registrations shot up by 136.6% compared to the same month in 2025, raising its market share in the EU+EFTA+UK region to 2.8%, compared to 1.2% a year ago. Citroën, on the other hand, closed the month with a decline of 1.6%. Of course, it should be said that the bypass occurs in the EU+EFTA+UK region, because if we look only at the figures for the European Union, Citroën is still ahead, with 29,227 registrations compared to BYD’s 26,017. But the distance has shortened considerably compared to last year. The driving force behind this expansion has been above all in Italy, France and Germany, where BYD has multiplied its sales, while in the first five months of the year the Chinese brand already has 135,307 cars registered in this region, 145.2% more than in 2025. And BYD is not the only one. Chinese brands as a whole reached a market share of 10.7% in Europe in May, their all-time high, according to data from Automotive News. Chery has skyrocketed its registrations by 244.1% and Leapmotor, backed by Stellantis, has multiplied them by more than five, with a growth of 465.1% in the EU+EFTA+UK region. Even Tesla, although it is not Chinese, has benefited from that same push towards electrification, with an increase of 107.9% thanks to the arrival of the new Standard versions of the Model 3 and the Model Y. Although the tariffs that the European Union imposed on Chinese electric companies in 2024, something that has partially stopped this offensive, Chinese brands continue with overwhelming growth. And now what. The context in which this surprise occurs is that of a European market in full transition towards electrification. According to ACEA data, between January and May 2026, battery electric cars already represent 20% of registrations in the European Union, compared to 15.3% a year ago, while hybrids continue to be the most popular option with 37.8% of the market (in the latter it must be taken into account that the microhybridswith more prominence of the gasoline engine than the small battery as a whole). On the other hand, the sum of gasoline and diesel has fallen to 30.1%. And on this board, increasingly favorable to electrified vehicles, BYD and the rest of the Chinese manufacturers have an advantage due to their specialization in these technologies. Cover image | BYD and Citroën In Xataka | On July 1, buying on Shein, Temu or AliExpress will be more expensive: Europe imposes a fixed tariff of three euros for small packages

Volkswagen needs money and getting rid of its Italian jewels is already on the table

June 30, 2026 by usatoday24

Ducati, for sale. Reason, here. Lamborghini, for sale. Reason, here. Those are the posters that could hang on the door of the Volkswagen group headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany. At least that’s what they claim Financial Timeswhere they claim that investment banks are pressuring the automobile conglomerate to get rid of two of its most glittering assets. The company announced a few days ago that plans to lay off 100,000 workers. The notice is the continuation of another threatthis time from December 2024. At that time, the company already claimed to be immersed in a huge restructuring process because, according to its directors, It was “essential to survive”. The result, as we say, was a first threat: 35,000 layoffs. That promotion of incentivized sick leave and layoffs (which later amounted to 50,000 employees) to avoid factory closures is forgotten. At least that’s what I anticipated Manager Magazine just a few days ago. And the fact is that the accounts, they say, do not add up and it will be necessary to raise the level of layoffs to 100,000 employees. In the conversations that revolve around that conversation, another idea has come up: sell. Sell companies that are a flagship of quality and good work within the Volkswagen Group. They explain in Financial Times and collect other German media such as Auto Motor und Sport that investment banks are already putting pressure on Volkswagen’s management to slim down its portfolio. And those indicated are clear: Ducati and Lamborghini. Now that we can To understand why Lamborghini and Ducati would be in the spotlight, the British economic media and the German motor media point to one name: Everllence. Everllence is a company specialized in the production of large engines for very specific sectors such as maritime or energy production. A few days ago the sale of 51% of the company was confirmed in an agreement that was estimated at 7.4 billion euros. A maneuver that, apparently, has been received with very good words by the rest of the Volkswagen Group investors. And the idea, therefore, is to continue. Although they are two of the great jewels of the automobile conglomerate, Ducati and Lamborghini are also attractive in the eyes of a potential buyer. The main incentive for their purchase is that these are companies that obtain enormous economic performance from their products, which establishes part of the future success for whoever is willing to buy the company and, above all, increases the sales value that the German group can obtain. The possible sale of Ducati, in fact, It was already put on the table in 2017 but for now he is still part of the company. In this case, the colleagues explain Motorpassion Motorcycle It would be a sale of the company. In the case of Lamborghini, an IPO would be contemplated. The movement, evidently, would have the intention of raising funds to strengthen the restructuring that the company has advanced. A few weeks ago, the Volkswagen Group already divested itself of Bugatti, a company whose cars require a very high leverage of money since they are vehicles produced by hand in a large part of their process. The company still had a 45% stake in Bugatti through Porsche, after in 2021 it already sold the remaining 55% to the Rimac Group, owners of the car company. super luxury electric cars. In that sale the amount of the operation was not made public but our colleagues from Motorpassion They stated that the figure reached was estimated at around 500 million euros. That investment banks target Ducati and Lamborghini, as we say, is no coincidence. Stellantis, for example, has a problem with Maserati since it is having a very difficult time relaunching the brand but, above all, it is a firm with very little projection in case someone wants to buy it, as explained in the podcast Power Art. And for Volkswagen, getting rid of both companies totally or partially would mean an immediate injection of capital. The question is whether it is a good idea in the long term. In the case of Lamborghini, some models share research and development with Audi such as the Urus and the Q8 or the most recent Audi Nuvolaria spectacular supercar that It exists only because the Lamborghini Temerario already existed. That is to say, Lamborghini is intricate within the rest of the Volkswagen group, it is not like Bugatti which in many cases walked a path parallel to that of the rest of the company. For the Germans, the Italian firm is more than just very high profit margins, it is a test bed and a breath of fresh air for stagnant companies like Audi. Photo | Ducati and Audi In Xataka | You buy a “European car”, you receive Chinese technology: more and more brands from the old continent refit Asian vehicles

Using umbrellas against the sun is the latest fashion in Spain. Science is clear to what extent it really protects us

June 30, 2026 by usatoday24

It is increasingly common to see how people walk down the street with an umbrella in their hands to protect themselves from the sun. This habit was something that was very internalized among the Asian tourists that we saw in our cities, but with the thermometers breaking records and the sun beating down on the streets, the umbrella is increasingly popular to prevent the sun’s rays from hitting our skin. The underlying idea. As we say, it may be quite logical to cover ourselves from the sun with an umbrella to prevent ultraviolet radiation from freely affecting our skin, something that can cause serious skin problems. But the real question we should ask ourselves here is: does using an umbrella to protect ourselves from the sun really work? It has been investigated. This is something that has already been measured by specialist dermatologists through from a study published in 2013 in JAMA Dermatology. And the results were quite good, since after analyzing dozens of standard hand umbrellas, it was found that they were capable of blocking between 77% and 99% of ultraviolet radiation. But the problem is that not all umbrellas are the same, since the study revealed that black or very dark umbrellas They are the most effective, consistently blocking more than 90% of ultraviolet rays. This is critical, especially for marketers who are already assigning numerical protection factors to umbrellas. as if they were creams. The invisible enemy. The problem of starting to use an umbrella on our streets to protect ourselves can generate a general doubt: can we go outside without sunscreen? Here the resounding answer from dermatologists is no. The key point that the scientific evidence emphasizes is that shade is a partial protective measure. And the sun not only burns us by projecting its rays directly onto our heads from the sky, but there is also what is known as diffuse and reflected ultraviolet radiation. A common effect. To explain this, we must understand that UV rays bounce off the surfaces around us, such as asphalt, sidewalks, pool water, beach sand, or glass in buildings. All that bounced radiation enters through the sides and under the umbrella, directly impacting our exposed skin. This is the same principle that we apply when we go to the beach, where many people, despite being constantly under an umbrella, come home and have several burns on their skin. This is where we clearly see that ultraviolet radiation also attacks despite being under an umbrella. It’s proven. Here a study published in 2017 tested the beach umbrella against a high SPF sunscreen, and the results showed that the group that relied solely on the shade of the umbrella suffered from sunburn. That is why it is always recommended to apply sunscreen before exposing yourself to ultraviolet radiation in order to avoid burns and the rest of the unwanted effects that the sun has on the skin. In Xataka | Science warns of the dangerous success of anti-suncream hoaxes on TikTok: “Despite being a minority, this content is influential”

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