Mobile Tech & Gadgets

There’s a reason why the Japanese don’t need to dust as much as we do. And you can apply it easily

by

When I was little and living in Switzerland, there was an unspoken rule that we all knew: the shoes They didn’t go beyond the doormat. It was common to see small shelves outside the doors, on the landing, where footwear that had walked on the street was abandoned. For us it was the norm, but when we crossed borders, that custom faded. Today, however, the situation seems to be changing globally. What we previously saw as a cultural curiosity of Japan or a Nordic eccentricity is beginning to make sense in the rest of the world. The contrast is fascinating. While in many Western homes cleaning is understood as a reaction (cleaning what has become dirty), in other cultures it is a preventive lifestyle design. In Japan the secret is not to clean for hours, but to prevent dirt from getting cross the threshold: “Cleaning is not a reaction, but a life design based on prevention.” This philosophy even extends to the air they breathe; Japanese residential ventilation technical documents highlight the critical importance of creating “air passages” by opening opposite windows to expel suspended particles, an obsession with environmental hygiene that invariably begins at the front door. And it’s not just a matter of visual perception. A study from Macquarie University in Sydney, puts it in perspective: until 60% of the dust and the dirt that accumulates inside a house comes from outside, and enters precisely through our feet. The architecture of custom Why is the world divided between those who barefoot and those who don’t? The answer lies in a mix of climate, architecture and philosophy. In Japan, the border is physical. According to the digital media Nipponthe houses have the genkana specific area at the entrance with a step called agari kamachi. This step marks the sacred boundary between the “outer world” (dirty) and the “inner world” (clean). Furthermore, traditional Japanese architecture uses floors tatami (straw mats), a delicate material that would be destroyed by rigid street shoes. In the Anglo-Saxon world, resistance it’s cultural. Journalist Jeff Yang tells in The Guardian a revealing anecdote about his Taiwanese aunt, who told him a lapidary phrase when she saw him enter wearing shoes: “When you enter my house with shoes, you are walking on my heart.” This clash illustrates the division: for some it is respect; for others, as indicated Real Simplewhere only 31% of Americans always barefoot, is an uncomfortable imposition. In Spain, the story is different and has its own peculiarities. There is no deep-rooted tradition to take off your shoes when entering. Historically, doing it in someone else’s house could even be interpreted as a lack of education or excessive trust (“taking too much confidence”). Unlike Nordic or Asian countries, Spain relies on reactive cleaning, something that users on discussion forums such as reddit rsummarize with humor and irony: “We can afford that custom because we invented the mop.” However, the trend is changing after the pandemic. More and more hosts are imposing the “zero shoe” rule for hygiene. It is the case of the influencer of lifestyle Patricia Fernández who, cited in Readingsassures that “removing your shoes at the entrance is your number 1 rule”, always offering comfortable options or baskets with slippers for your guests. Beyond the visible dirt, taking off your shoes has a profound psychological and symbolic impact. It’s not just hygiene, it’s a transition ritual. Dr. Manuel Viso explained that taking off your shoes sends a powerful signal to our brain: “Let’s change the environment, relax, we’re home, we’ve left work behind.” It is a physical switch for mental disconnection, how to change clothes. From an energy perspective, Feng Shui expert Gloria Ramos details in Interior Magazine that the main door is “the mouth of Qi“(vital energy). Leaving your shoes lying around or entering with them blocks that energy and the well-being of the home. Even the way you do it matters, in Japan etiquette requires not only taking off your shoes, but turn them so that they point towards the door (ready for departure) and do so without turning your back on the host, a gesture that denotes respect and consideration towards the community that inhabits that house. Science tips the balance decisively This is where the cultural debate collides with microscopic reality. If you thought your shoes were clean because you didn’t step in mud, experts have bad news. “99% of the shoes analyzed test positive for fecal matter,” pharmacist Álvaro Fernández flatly states. in The Aragon Newspaper. This is because we walk through streets where there are invisible remains of animal excrement and dirt from public toilets. Microbiologist Jonathan Sexton, from the University of Arizona, confirm in Very interesting that almost all soles harbor bacteria such as E.coli (present in 96% of cases) and Clostridium difficilea bacteria that causes serious intestinal problems. But it’s not just bacteria. According to The Conversation, Shoes carry pesticides from gardens, lead from urban dust, and carcinogenic asphalt sealants that end up in the air in our living rooms. It is important not to fall into alarmism. Although shoes are centers of dirt, they are not the only culprits. A published study in Scientific Reports warns that mobile phones are also “dangerous microbial platforms“that harbor a wide spectrum of organisms, often resistant to antibiotics, and that we constantly carry on our faces. It is another reminder that objects such as cell phones or kitchen sponges can have as much or more bacterial load than footwear. Still, experts like Kevin Garey they clarify thatalthough for a healthy adult the risk of infection from the floor is low (since we do not live at ground level), the recommendation is strict if there are crawling children or immunosuppressed people at home. The trend is clear: the frontier of the doormat is hardening in the West, but with our own style. we don’t have genkanbut we have learned to adapt our halls. More and more homes are incorporating benches, wicker baskets or narrow shoe racks … Read more

RAM is in an “unprecedented” crisis. So much so that even Tesla is considering opening its own memory factory

by

Neither technological advances nor a revolution in devices: crises are what is defining the last years of the sector. He veto Huaweithe semiconductor crisis of 2020 and now, the RAM memory crisis. The difference between this crisis and the previous one is that, although the 2020 crisis was caused by a perfect storm, the RAM memory crisis is being caused by excessive interest in data centers and AI. And it is taking all sectors ahead. That there is no RAM memory for consumers is a symptom, but it implies something much bigger: although the main producers are investing millions to increase your RAM productionit is not memory for consumption, but for GPUs and data center systems. Only a few companies dominate the production of these chips, and if they cannot produce them, they do not produce the memory chips for SSDs –raising the price-. They dedicate all production to meeting the demands of AI. And, as we read in FortuneElon Musk, one of the owners of some of the largest data centers on the planethas shown that there are two ways to face this crisis: hitting the wall or taking action. And the translation is that Tesla is considering building its own RAM factory. The problem is that it is easier said than done. Tesla and Intel interested in biting the RAM biggies In recent weeks, some of the world’s leading companies have presented results and RAM has been the central topic. PlayStation, for example, has assured that they are very aware of their ability to continue manufacturing PS5 with the goal of not going upagain, the price. And NVIDIA has been stating for days that it needs TSMC – its main chip supplier – and Samsung – who provides them with new generation HBM4 memory – get the batteries. Meanwhile, the outlook is not good. own NVIDIA aims for seven or eight years of construction no brake on data centers. Intel assures that The crisis will extend beyond 2028 and Micron, one of the big three in DRAM memory, has cataloged the market bottleneck as “unprecedented.” In this technological tsunami, and during Tesla’s results presentation at the end of January, Elon Musk pointed out that the company could need to build your own memory manufacturing plant. The objective is the one that all companies have: ensure supply. Going from scratch to manufacturing RAM memory is easier said than done, however, here Tesla has an advantage: they are not new to chip manufacturing. Although they abandoned the project for a few months, at the beginning of this year Musk himself stated that They came back with their own chip for your data centers. Additionally, there is the fact that they are a company with enough muscle to create a clean chip manufacturing room next to some of its existing plants. Intel is another one looking to become one of the important voices in the RAM conversation. Together with the Japanese giant SoftBank, they are developing an evolution of stacked DRAM memory that have been baptized as ‘ZAM’ and that seeks to break the HBM memory monopoly of Samsung, Micron and SK Hynix. Now, things in the palace are going slowly, and if Intel (which is already in it) It will take between three and four years to have commercial productsTesla’s ambition may go into the next decade. Let’s hope we don’t continue in this crisis by then, but if more “players” are interested in producing RAM, it would mean that, in the event of subsequent crises, there will not be a few that dominate the sector, producing a bottleneck like the one we are experiencing. Domino effect of the AMR crisis and China taking action Because this is not just about RAM being more expensive for users: it goes much further. If companies do not have the capacity to satisfy the demand for AI, they pour all their manufacturing muscle into a single task, neglecting the others. This explains the rise in the price of SSDs, but also of other products that should not have a leading role in this conversation: hard drives or HDDs. It is a brutal domino effect because, as we say, it goes beyond the modules being more expensive: RAM is more expensive for companies and that implies mobile phones or more expensive or with less RAMconsoles that increase in price (like what is happening posing for nintendo switch 2), machines that are late and they will be more expensive (like the Steam Machine), car problems and even impacting the routers. And in this scenario, in which companies like Intel or Tesla are considering taking a bite out of the RAM sector, we have some Chinese companies that had no role in the conversation. positioning itself as an option to alleviate demand. We told it a few days ago: there were reports indicating that PC brands such as Asus, Dell or HP were considering purchasing memory from Chinese manufacturers such as CXMT. Their modules are not as advanced as those of Samsung, for example, and they do not have the production capacity of South Korean companies, but… they produce. And in lean times, that’s better than selling laptops without RAM. Anyway, as we have said on occasion, there are still more companies joining the production of RAM when the crisis has already had a full impact, but the goal is not to create more RAM for ourselvesbut for your data centers. It’s time to entrust ourselves to the most sacred thing: that our PC doesn’t break and we need to update. Images | Gage Skidmore, Intel In Xataka | The US has a problem with its AI data centers: more and more states are opposed to building them

That’s why a 10,000-ton electric megaship has just debuted

by

When we talk about megaprojects, we know very well that Chinese companies are very committed to surprising us in terms of dimensions and capabilities. In this case the protagonist is the Ning Yuan Dian Kuna 10,000-ton all-electric container ship that the shipyard presents as the largest vessel of its type in the world. The ship set sail on February 1 from Jiangxi province and has been conducting trials in waters near Shanghai until a few days ago. Below these lines we tell you what is special about it. An electrical giant in figures. The ship measures 127.8 meters in length, 21.6 meters in width and 10.5 meters in depth. It has the capacity to transport 740 TEU containers (units about six meters long) and can reach a maximum speed of 11.5 knots. According to details Marine Insight, the project has been built by Jiangxi Jiangxin Shipbuilding and is designed to operate with zero emissions both during navigation and during loading maneuvers in port. The technology that drives it. The propulsion system is based on ten battery containers with a total capacity of up to 19,000 kWh, which power two permanent magnet motors of 875 kW each. From The Maritime Executive they explain that the batteries can be recharged through high-voltage connections on shore or quickly exchanged for already charged units, a cutting-edge replacement system that reduces waiting times in port. In addition, the ship incorporates photovoltaic panels to generate additional energy during its operations. Autonomous navigation on board. According to the media, the Ning Yuan Dian Kun integrates autonomous navigation systems that allow route planning, automatic collision avoidance, and unmanned operation in open waters. From Electrive share that the ship has “real-time monitoring of the environment, visual perception in any weather condition and unmanned operation functions.” These systems allow the boat to alternate between different navigation modes according to needs. What’s special about it. China seeks to establish a replicable model for zero-carbon short sea shipping. The Ning Yuan Dian Kun project was included in the national list of Advanced Green and Low Carbon Technology Demonstration Projects in 2025, with the aim of developing a scalable solution for coastal transportation. This is not the first attempt in China, since in 2024, the country had already launched the Greenwater 01 on the Yangtze River, a 120-meter-long electric container ship with batteries of up to 80,000 kWh. Between the lines. The tests have been used to evaluate the performance of the propulsion system in different conditions, the real autonomy of the batteries and the reliability of the autonomous systems. If the trials are a success, everything indicates that the ship will enter commercial service for the company, Ningbo Ocean Shipping Co., covering feeding routes linked to the port of Ningbo-Zhoushan, one of the busiest in the world. On the other hand, it should be noted that there is already a second confirmed sister ship, the Ning Yuan Dian Peng, and that it will follow in the footsteps of this first one. Decarbonization underway. If it ends up being demonstrated with this type of projects that electrification is viable on a commercial scale in maritime cargo transport, that the model ends up working economically and can be replicated on other routes, could mark a turning point in an industry responsible for around 2% of global CO₂ emissions, according to data from Statista. Maritime transport has historically been one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize, so it could end up being an important step towards this goal. Images | PeopleDaily In Xataka | Africa has more than 30,000 kilometers of coastline and one country has managed to control them without anyone noticing: China

In Ireland they fear that artists will go without food because of AI. So he’s going to give them a basic income.

by

The AI ​​is putting into serious doubt the continuity of different sectors as varied as the programmersthe music producerscinema and even illustrators. Creating a painting, a song, a video clip or an app used to involve having talent and the necessary knowledge. Now it is enough to choose the right AI model. A few days ago, the United Kingdom government was considering the possibility of implement a universal basic income to alleviate the effects of AI. The Irish government has gone ahead of them and has already launched an initiative in which it provides a basic monthly income to 2,000 artists. According to an official report of the impact of the measure, each public euro contributed to this basic income generates 1.39 euros of return. A test that is consolidated. In 2022, Ireland launched a pilot project of universal basic income for artists with which it sought to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on the cultural industry. The test turned out to be an unexpected success, so the Irish Administration has chosen to consolidate it by turning the Basic Income for the Arts into a tool against the precariousness of artists, and prevent them from abandoning their creative work. for economic reasons. According what was published by EFEthe Irish executive has provided the project with a budget item of 18.27 million euros so that 2,000 artists benefit from a payment of 325 euros per week. “This is an important milestone for the arts in Ireland and how we support them,” said Patrick O’Donovan, Ireland’s Minister for Arts and Culture. “Ireland is a world leader in supporting artists thanks to the BIA (Basic Income for the Arts),” he added in the official statement of the measure. A test that was a success. The pilot program started in November 2022 after the pandemic, selecting 2,000 artists from 9,025 applications through a lottery to avoid bias. Each one received 325 euros net per week for 36 months, equivalent to 16,900 euros per year, tax-free and without working conditions. The composition reflected the diversity of the sector: 707 in visual arts such as painters and sculptors, 584 musicians and composers, 204 filmmakers and audiovisuals, 170 writers and poets, 160 in theater and dance, plus 175 in mixed areas such as design or performance. This randomized design allowed us to measure real effects without bias for successful profiles. The pilot test was subjected to a study constant from independent entities, which were able to measure the benefits of the measure. The pilot demonstrated with data that 325 euros per week was enough to cover part of the basic expenses, freeing up to 25 extra hours per week so that the artists could dedicate time to creating. That is, it was low enough to allow artists to dedicate time to their artistic production, but not so low as to make them dependent on it. It is a basic income, but with conditions. The measure allows maintaining the same economic conditions as the 2022 program, but incorporates a series of conditions that avoid dependency by assigning it to alternative three-year periods. That is, the beneficiaries of the income in the 2026-2029 cycle cannot opt ​​for the 2029-2032 cycle, but they are eligible again for the 2032-2035 cycle. In addition, at the end of each cycle, there is a gradual three-month decrease in income, where the payment drops by 25% per month to facilitate the transition until they stop receiving it. More art, less precariousness. The more consolidated results of the pilot test published in September 2025, indicated that the initial investment in the project was 105 million euros, of which only 72 million were executed. However, that was enough to obtain a return of around 80 million euros. The artists who participated in the test increased their monthly income by an average of 500 euros, while their income from non-artistic activities was reduced by an average of 280 euros. That is, the basic income allowed artists to concentrate on their creations and make them profitable, allowing them live from his art and not from precarious or part-time jobs. “The economic return on this investment in Ireland’s artists and creative arts workers is having an immediate positive impact for the sector and the economy in general,” said the Irish culture minister. In Xataka | Barcelona tested a basic income of 1,297 euros per month and the job search was reduced by 22%: the test was a success Image | Unsplash (Dillon Wanner)

not carrying a puncture repair kit

by

Every day more people make a decision when they get a puncture on the road: call for assistance. We’re not saying it, it’s the data from RACE, who point to tire problems as the second most common reason why they come to the rescue of drivers. And, despite everything, the DGT has a message if you want to forget your belongings to repair a puncture: XX euros fine. Let others do it. We can fix fewer and fewer things in our cars. And when we have the opportunity, we don’t do it either. We counted for a long time that assistance companies and driving school teachers have detected a clear trend in drivers: less knowledge of mechanics and less intention to get down to work to carry out a repair. We are facing a direct consequence of greater complexity in our vehicles, with Star&Stop systems that make it difficult to change a simple battery or LED headlights irreplaceable at the moment, as was the case when we had a set of light bulbs in the trunk of the car. But, furthermore, when we can we don’t want to either. I’m not going to change the wheel. According to RACE data, the first cause of roadside assistance is changing the battery. The second is replacing the wheel due to a tire problem. Specifically, 12% of the calls they receive in the RACE They suggest that the driver needs someone to change a tire or repair a puncture. The trend has long been reflected in the vehicles themselves. The inexcusable spare tire gave way to “cookie” wheelssmaller and that can travel at a maximum of 80 km/h and have limited kilometers. Over the years they have become popular puncture repair kits. Solutions that have been reducing costs for the manufacturer while gaining space in the trunk. And, everything indicates, customers and manufacturers seem to be happy. Car brands because they do not have to make that financial effort and customers because they do not seem to want the physical effort of changing the wheel that, for years, accounts for most of the roadside calls for help. And why count on it? At this point, the driver being aware that he is not going to change the wheel, some may have wondered why not do without that replacement tire or the puncture repair kit. Gaps that, without a doubt, can be used to gain more trunk space. The DGT, however, requires us to have them, regardless of whether we are going to use them or not. In it article 1. c) of Annex XII of the General Vehicle Regulations It is specified that “all passenger cars” must have the following equipment: c) A complete spare wheel or a wheel for temporary use, with the necessary tools to change the wheels, or an alternative system to change them that offers sufficient guarantees for the mobility of the vehicle. In these cases, circulation will be carried out respecting the limitations of each alternative. The fine. As we say, even if a driver has no intention of changing a tire, the truth is that he has the obligation to have the necessary spare parts to carry out that intervention. We have contacted the DGT and they have confirmed that the fine in this case would be 80 euros, understanding that This is a minor infraction for not having the appropriate elements to carry out the replacement. This should not be confused with the serious infraction that penalizes driving “a vehicle that fails to comply with the technical conditions established by regulation”, which is punishable by 200 euros. Photo | Jamie Street and David Villarreal Fernandez In Xataka | What to do in the event of an accident and if your car is declared a total loss: all the steps to follow

Magnus Carlsen is the master of FreeStyle chess. It’s increasingly clear that that’s not enough for him.

by

It was a miracle, but he did it. Magnus Carlsen was crowned this weekend as world champion of the World Freestyle Chess Championship that has been organized by FIDE. He achieved it after surviving and winning a game that he had practically lost, and although the competition was full of emotion, it is not clear that freestyle chess is the revolution that the chess world was asking for. Not even being blessed by Carlsen. what has happened. These days the world championship of this discipline was being held in Weissenhaus (Germany), and eight of the best players in the world met there, including Magnus Carlsen, considered by many to be the best player in historyor Fabiano Caruana, current world champion in classical chess. Champion by the skin of his teeth. That was the first officially freestyle chess tournament blessed by FIDEalthough there were similar competitions in 2019 and 2022. Carlsen played the final against Fabiano Caruana and beat him by 2.5 to 1.5, and after two draws in the first two games, in the third Caruana had an advantage that seemed secure. However, Carlsen managed to recover and, thanks to Caruana’s subsequent time crunch, take advantage of your mistakes to turn the game around. A boring champion. Carlsen, as many will know, gave up his title as world champion of classical chess in July 2022, bored with this modality. Although he continues to play some tournaments of this version, he prefers to focus on rapid and blitz chess, in addition to now being the main promoter of freestyle chess (also known as 960 or Fischer random chess). This new title as world champion is the 21st of his career (five in classic, six in rapid, nine in lightning, one in freestyle). This is more like boxing. As happens in the world of boxing, in the world of chess there is beginning to be a problem with world titles, and although Caruana is the world champion of classical chess, there is always the question of whether he (or any other current player) could really surpass Carlsen in a world championship that pitted the two of them against each other. In this situation another curious solution now appears. Welcome to the chess ‘triathlon’. For a few months now, the world number one has been supporting a kind of chess ‘triathlon’ that mixes the following modalities: “Fast Classic”: 45 minutes for the first movement, 30 second increment per movement Quick chess: 15 minutes on the first move, 10 seconds increment after each move Lightning chess: three minutes on the first move, 2 seconds increment after each move We will see how it works. As Leontxo García explained in El PaísAlthough the proposal formally comes from the organizers of the Norway Chess tournament, the support of Carlsen and now FIDE has led to the birth of the Total Chess World Championship, which will be held for the first time in pilot format in mid-October 2026. What will become of freestyle chess? The idea of ​​freestyle chess is fantastic, especially to give more excitement from the first move to games between the best players in the world. In classical chess, the deep knowledge of openings that these players have means that the first 20 moves are often made almost by heart. The modality promoted by Carlsen is a breath of fresh air for these players and even for the spectators, but according to Leontxo García, medium or low level fans “hate 960 because it is very difficult and because they feel intellectually naked.” Fast chess for the age of impatience. That, together with the long duration of the games, meant that their interest in today’s world where immediacy is rewarded was very limited. This way of playing offers a more dynamic and entertaining format, but its adoption is still limited. On the Chess.com platform, for example, anyone can play one of these games, but the popularity of conventional chess is massive, although quick games tend to be especially attractive on said platform. It is these formats that attract the most attention, and this chess ‘triathlon’ may be a good compromise solution. Long live chess. Which does not mean that many continue (we continue) thinking that there is only one real chess world championship. The classic chess of a lifetime. With its long games, their scandals, his punches on the table and its scenes. That said, what matters in the end is that chess still more alive than ever. Image | Frans Peeters In Xataka | Beth, from ‘The Queen’s Gambit’, is a mix of Bobby Fischer and Judit Polgár, whose stories are impressive… and real

less than you think

by

We’ve seen them in movies, novels, documentaries, and museums, but there’s one detail about Roman slaves that’s often overlooked: their demographics. How many lived in the empire? What “weight” did they have? How many were men and how many were women? What was your life expectancy? How the hell did they end up under the orders of the patricians? A Spanish historian has asked himself these questions applied to Hispania and their conclusions They help debunk myths and recalibrate previous estimates. For example, calculate that at least during the High Empireslaves represented 9% of the Hispanic population. It is just one of his many conclusions. What has happened? That Fernando Blanco Robles has opened an interesting debate with an article published in the january number from the magazine Lucentum. In it he touches on a topic that is often overlooked when talking about the slaves of Rome: their demographics. To be more precise, Blanco draws a population x-ray of slavery in Roman Hispania. It’s an interesting approach because, although we’ve spent decades clarifying how they lived, what did they eat or where the serfs whose lives depended directly and literally on their masters came from, there is an equally interesting question much less explored: How many slaves lived in the Empire? And in the Iberian Peninsula? Why is it important? The researcher himself clarifies it in your article. “It is necessary to deepen the study of demography in Antiquity and particularly as it relates to the Roman era, but it seems equally necessary to include slaves in order to try to demystify demographic assumptions that have been raised.” His is not (far from it) the first work that addresses this issue (complex and thorny), but it does help to clarify certain ideas. After all, not all authors have reached the same conclusions. If you review the bibliography, you will find authors from the 19th century who calculated that 30% of the population of Roman Italy lived in slavery to others, more modern, who believe that it is more correct to speak of between 15 and 25% of the inhabitants of the Italian peninsula. It is still a very high figure (hundreds of thousands of people), but with a notable difference. That last fork (10-20%) is the same as estimated by some authors for the entire Empire. What was happening in Hispania? In your article Blanco focuses the focus on a very specific part of the Roman domains: the Iberian Peninsula. What ‘mark’ did slaves and freedmen have in Hispania? What was its demographic weight? To answer that question (and many others that he addresses throughout his research) the expert relied on data from the Empire and epigraphic sources, ancient inscriptions. Specifically, it identified in the three Hispanic provinces (Baetica, Lusitania and Citerior) 653 private service with 466 registrations. A relevant part of them (230) contained valuable data, such as ages. With all this information, Blanco has drawn some conclusions. “A population of between 3.5 and 4 million has been calculated for Hispania as a plausible figure. Given the territorial extension of its provinces and the intense economic activity of Baetica and western Citerior, we can assume that in total Hispania reached a percentage of slaves similar to that of Egypt,” details the researcherbefore providing the key figure: in total, in the whole of Hispania the ‘dependent’ population (slaves and freedmen) would represent close to 9%. Where does that percentage come from? The study takes as reference “the most plausible calculations” drawn up for Italy, Egypt and the rest of the Empire, in addition to a crucial question: the resources necessary for “supply and support.” With all this data, Blanco proposes a simple calculation. “That would give a slave population of between 200,000 and 400,000, about 300,000-350,000 on average, to which, if we add the number of freedmen which, based on the general provincial average of the Empire, can be calculated at 105,000, it would give us a total of 405,000 dependent population in Hispania.” That is, freedmen and slaves would represent approximately 9% of the population of Hispania. It is a high figure, but it is far from previous estimates that raised the range above 30%. The article He warns in any case that this is only a “hypothetical calculation” for the high imperial era. Are there more conclusions? Yes. And although they must also be handled with caution, they are fascinating. For example, the study of Hispanic epigraphy reveals a “clear disproportion” As far as sexes are concerned: if we base ourselves on that source of information, there were many (many) more male slaves than female slaves. They represented 64%. They, only 36%. These are data in line with those achieved in other parts of the Empire, such as Augusta Livia. And how long did they live? Another very interesting conclusion is the one that tells us about their ages. “The mortality of the group is concentrated in the first three decades of life,” the study points out before qualifying a relevant idea: perhaps the data will shock us in 2026, but they are not far from the general pattern of the Empire. “The average life expectancy can be established at around 30 years of age. These figures coincide with the same ones that have been studied for the free population (…). In conclusion, nothing indicates to us that their life expectancy and average years of life were lower than the rest of the population. Despite their inferior and dependent legal status, the group manifests the same problems in relation to mortality, fertility rate, children per couple and age of marriage.” How was he enslaved? Having clarified how many there were and how long they lived, another question remains: How the hell did someone become a slave? Why did he lose his freedom to see himself subjugated and dependent on another person? There were different scenarios. A person could end up in shackles for being a prisoner of war, through piracy and foreign markets, for being a foundling, … Read more

China’s nuclear renaissance is now visible from space

by

Since China detonated its first atomic bomb In the midst of the Cold War, its relationship with nuclear matters has been marked by secrecy, declared prudence and a deep distrust of the great powers. For decades it chose to stay in the background, building capabilities away from the spotlight and speaking little about them. This historical silence is key to understanding why, each time that something moves In that area, the world pays attention. A silent resurgence in the mountains. The story was brought in a special the new york times this weekend through satellite images. In the humid and rugged valleys of Sichuan, far from prying eyes, China is reactivating and expanding a nuclear infrastructure conceived for another era but adapted to a rivalry between superpowers that is intensifying again after the end of the historic pact between Moscow and Washington that we counted recently. Images from space show new bunkers, ramps and industrial complexes with ventilation and thermal dissipation systems that aim to high risk activitiesintegrated into a framework that no longer seems defensive or residual, but rather coherent with an accelerated and planned expansion that has been gaining pace since the end of the last decade. The inheritance of the “Third Line” and its update. These enclaves are not born from nothing, but sink their roots in what was called lto “Third Line”promoted by Mao Zedong to protect the nuclear heart of the country from American or Soviet attacks. For decades, that internal nuclear empire remained in the backgroundreduced and fragmented when global tensions eased. Today, those same facilities seem regain prominencenot as relics, but as modernized nodes that recover their central function in a China that has left behind the doctrine of minimum containment. Zitong in 2022 (top) and 2026 (bottom) Zitong and Pingtong: key pieces. They explained in the Times that the work detected in Zitong suggests advanced testing of high-precision explosives, essential to perfect the implosion that initiates a nuclear reaction, while the Pingtong complex, with its large ventilation chimney and its characteristic architecture, points to the manufacture of metal cores of the warheads, probably plutonium. The structural similarity with foreign facilities specialized in this process, like Los Alamos National Laboratory, reinforces the idea that China is closing the full cycle of design, testing and production of modern nuclear weapons. Intelligence, data and the value of what is not seen. Beyond the visible, the real leap is in the integration of intelligence, geospatial analysis and advanced simulation capabilities. The great laser ignition laboratory in Mianyang allows the behavior of nuclear warheads to be studied without the need for actual detonations, an approach that reduces political and environmental risks while accelerating technical refinement. In this way, each work detected is only a fragment, but together they form a mosaic that reveals a strategy based on accumulating knowledge, validating designs and gaining operational confidence without openly crossing international red lines. A direct challenge to gun control. There has been a lot of talk about these in recent weeks with the end of the New Start treaty. This Chinese acceleration would complicate any attempt to revive global nuclear control agreements after the expiration of that last treaty between the United States and Russia. Washington insists that China must form part of any new framework, but Beijing avoids commitments that limit growth that it considers necessary for its status as a global power. The American accusations of covert tests, rejected by China, add a layer of mistrust that pushes both sides to plan based on worst-case scenarios. Taiwan and the logic of enhanced deterrence. The backdrop to this effort is China’s perception of vulnerability to nuclear coercion American, especially in a plausible crisis over Taiwan. As? A largest arsenaldiverse and technologically tuned offers Beijing the feeling of sufficient immunity to maneuver more freely in a conventional conflictraising calculation risks for all parties. In that sense, what is happening under the mountains of Sichuan is not only an industrial modernization, but rather points more to a strategic bet that redefines the balance and forces the rest of the world to interpret, and the “intimate enemies” to react, if They are not doing it anymore. Image | Planet Labs, Google Earth, Airbus In Xataka | The United States is convinced that China is conducting nuclear tests. The problem is that you can’t prove it. In Xataka | China is building something that looks like an oil well. It is actually a nuclear bunker with a command center

The northern section of L11 is now final

by

The Community of Madrid has definitively approved the informative study of the northern section of Metro Line 11, so there is now the green light to continue with one of the most ambitious expansions of the network. The idea is that the new route will have six stations that connect Mar de Cristal with Valdebebas Norte, passing through points such as the Ifema fairgrounds, the Isabel Zendal Nursing Hospital and terminal 4 of the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport. We’ll tell you how everything turns out. Why it is important. Line 11 is the least used of the entire Metro network, so the Administration decided to give it a chance by taking advantage of it to expand it to more areas. The intention with this line is to turn it into a main artery that crosses Madrid from southwest to northeast, connecting areas with high demand for public transport and facilitating access to key venues and infrastructure such as the airport. The project figures. According to account Europa Press, the base tender budget amounts to 599.3 million euros, not including VAT, and with a favorable environmental impact report. The intention is for work to begin in 2027 and continue for about three years and three months continuously. The section will include an 8.2 kilometer tunnel and connecting branches with Line 8 in Mar de Cristal, as well as with the future Barajas depots. The six stops. Of the four alternatives that have been studied, the Community has selected the option which includes the following stations: Mar de Cristal, with connection to lines 4 and 8 under Arequipa Street. Ifema-Cárcavas, next to the expansion of the fairgrounds and close to the future Formula 1 circuit. Valdebebas/Ciudad de la Justicia Interchange, which will function as an intermodal node between Cercanías, buses and Metro. Isabel Zendal Nurse Hospital, 150 meters from the health center. Terminal 4 of the airport, with connection to Line 8 and close to the future High Speed ​​station. Valdebebas Norte, located next to the planned Valdebebas Shopping shopping center. Room to grow. The design maintains the possibility of build two additional stations in the future: one in the Cristalia area and another in Valdebebas, intended to serve the northeastern area of ​​the neighborhood. The idea is to give the possibility of expanding the line as these areas develop at an urban level little by little. How it will be excavated. Most of the tunnel It will be built using a tunnel boring machinedividing the work into two main sections. The first will advance from an attack well on Fernando Higueras Street towards Mar de Cristal, while the second will start from Secundino Zuazo Avenue. But not everything will go to a tunnel boring machine, since in some areas there will be no choice but to continue with pick and shovel to touch some urban elements as little as possible and reduce noise pollution during the construction phase. Why the Line 11. Currently, it is the least used line on the network, with only seven stations that run through part of Carabanchel and Leganés. According to data of Metro de Madrid, its demand represents only 1.08% of the total network, well below Line 6, which is close to 25%. This extension is part of a broader plan that aims to transform L11 into a large diagonal of 33.5 kilometers that connects Cuatro Vientos with Valdebebas. Status of the other sections. While this project progresses, the central section between Plaza Elíptica and Conde de Casal already exceeds 50% executionwith five stations planned and an investment close to 500 million euros. It is the opposite of the section between Conde de Casal and Hortaleza, with up to 14 stations planned, and which remains paralyzed waiting for the subsections of the line to be finally defined. Additionally, in the south, the 2.2 kilometer connection between La Fortuna and Cuatro Vientos is pending. Neighborhood inequality. Like any work carried out in Madrid, there are contrasts and all kinds of opinions. According to collect elDiario, the distribution of the stations has generated some debate. While Valdebebas, with around 30,000 inhabitants, will receive several stops and is even contemplating expanding its coverage, neighborhoods like Las Águilas, with around 50,000 residents, have been left out of the southern route, causing neighborhood protests over inequality in access to public transport. And now what. With the final approval of the informative study, the next step will be the bidding for the works, scheduled for the coming months. If the established deadlines are met, work would start in 2027 and the new connection could be operational around 2030. Cover image | Community of Madrid In Xataka | The great dream of Tres Cantos and Colmenar Viejo literally passes over El Pardo: “close” the M-50

China has managed to create an AI that has made Hollywood tremble. Disney has not been amused at all

by

The phenomenon of the month in AI is Seedance 2.0. To date, the most amazing text-to-video creation model and theard a dart at the same industry from Hollywood. So much so that Disney itself has legally warned Bytedance, the Chinese giant behind this model. The notice. Sources of Reuters They claim that Disney has sent a cease and desist letter to Bytedance, accusing the Chinese company of having used company characters to train its Seedance 2.0 model. According to statements, Bytedance would have created a package of copyrighted characters to feed this artificial intelligence, the main reason why it is so accurate at recreating them. Bytedance’s response. The Chinese company has not acknowledged having used copyrighted characters to train its model, but it has reacted to Disney’s notice. “We are taking steps to strengthen current safeguards as we work to prevent unauthorized use of intellectual property and likeness by users.” Beyond the statement, the company has not detailed what measures it is taking to prevent users from distributing copyrighted content, such as the one we have been seeing flooding the network for two weeks. They are not the first. Disney has already taken similar measures against Character.AIan AI specialized in creating animated characters capable of perfectly emulating Disney characters. The company It only has an alliance with OpenAIwith whom he signed an agreement so that Sora could generate more than 200 characters thanks to a three-year license. The operation included a $1 billion investment by Disney in OpenAI. Doors to the countryside. “Creative prompt engineering” and code modifications to make AI bypass the very limitations for which it is programmed are inevitable, in addition to all the derived Open-Source models that can be trained outside the jurisdiction. The key here is not in the dispute between Disney and Bytedance, it is that China has created the first model that directly threatens the creation of cinematographic content. Join the enemy. For some time now, the film industry has been clear that the coming years they will be cuts and embrace of AI. CEOs like Sony have already spoken out and positioned themselves as “very focused on AI”, making it clear that the current problem for movies is expense. Models like Seedance now allow us to generate in minutes what previously required entire teams and million-dollar budgets. In the coming years, video generation models will force the industry to rethink its cost structure. In Xataka | We are entering a new era of robotics driven by AI and Disney is its perfect showcase

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.