Mobile Tech & Gadgets

One company tested the four-day work week. Now their workers think that the best thing is to work seven days

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Although in Spain Congress overthrew the proposal for the reduction of working hoursthe debate in Europe is more alive than ever and many countries are reconsidering their working day model with alternatives such as four day work week. Lumena small SEO services consultancy based in Cardiff, tested the four-day work week with outstanding results. However, its CEO considered that the idea could still be improved, so he decided to go one step further and test a model even more flexible: work seven days a week. From the four-day week to the 32-hour week. As Aled Nelmes, CEO of Lumen, told on your LinkedIn profilethe company had changed its four-day workday to a 32-hour workday. The difference may be negligible, implicit in this change is the elimination of an important barrier: the company will not impose whether its employees have to do those 32 hours in a certain number of days or at a certain time. It will be the employees themselves who decide when to work. According to its CEO, in 2023, Lumen implemented the four day work week. The results exceeded all expectations: staff turnover fell to zero, productivity increased, and employees felt more rested and engaged. According to Nelmes, “our workers reported being happier, having better health and being more productive.” According to a study published in the magazine Nature Human Behaviorscience agrees with the CEO. But the model could be improved. Seven days to complete your day. “The idea of ​​the 32-hour week is to go further in the flexibility that the four-day week offered us,” explained Nelmes. In the system proposed by Lumen, the only condition is that employees comply with their projects and objectives, managing their time with total autonomy. Nelmes clarified in statements to The Confidential that “what I require is a lot of self-discipline, the ability to concentrate, self-regulation, initiative and independence.” The company looks for workers capable of directing their own time and offering the best of themselves. “I think we micromanage our workers’ daily lives too much, we assume what kind of day they should have to be productive. My argument is that this is not the case, we do not know, and we need to delegate that decision to each individual,” the young manager highlighted to El Confidencial. The exception: meetings and training. According to what was published for him Financial Timesthe only exception to Lumen’s total flexibility is the time the company spends on team meetings in which mandatory projects and training are defined. Overall, the CEO assures that they do not exceed three hours per week. This guarantees team connection and coordination without sacrificing individual autonomy. For everything else, each of the employees distributes their work week with total work flexibility and no check-in or check-out times. Results and surprises. During the three months that this new flexibility model lasted, Nelmes observed that, in reality, employees did not make major changes to their schedules. The majority maintained routines similar to conventional ones, adapting only small details to enjoy personal activities. “People like to have routines and structure, so many… still prefer to move within a standard schedule,” the CEO explained to The Confidential. Flexibility had been limited to adapting their work schedule to certain personal activities (playing sports, medical appointments, etc.) or to coincide with your children’s schedulesand then recover that time at another time of the week. According to Nelmes, the most extreme case is that of one of his employees, who took advantage of this flexibility to adjust her days of rest during the week according to the weather or her personal needs. Then, I worked on Sunday, because that was the time when found greater concentration and fewer interruptions. Flexibility with clear values ​​and limits. As has counted the CEO, this model does not imply total disconnection from the company. Lumen takes great care in selecting its equipment to ensure that everyone shares commitment values and responsibility. “We wouldn’t hire someone who only wanted to work 16 hours in two days,” Nelmes says. In fact, the manager assures that they have had to let go of people who did not adapt to this level of freedom and demand. The goal is to allow employees to have enough flexibility in their workday to fulfill themselves as people and take care of their familieswhich also helps them save on daycare, cleaning or extracurricular activities. According to Nelmes, “if you let your employees be good parents, they will also be good employees.” The company especially seeks to attract fathers and mothers, convinced that flexibility improves both productivity and quality of life. An adaptable model, but not for everyone. Although the manager assures that the results obtained by his staff have been positive, he recognizes that this model is not viable or for all companies nor for all sectors. Consulting companies, banks, law firms or marketing companies can benefit from this approach as they allow the flexibility of teleworking to be combined with organization by objectives. However, it recognizes that it is an option that is difficult to implement in sectors such as the manufacturing industry, construction, hospitality or tourismwhere physical presence and fixed hours are inherent to the nature of the work. In any case, the results were so satisfactory that Lumen adopted this model permanently. A version of this article was published in June 2025 In Xataka | Spain already has its first municipality with a four-day work week. It is not in Madrid or Barcelona, ​​but in a corner of Cádiz In Xataka | Three Spanish companies tell us how they fared after implementing a work utopia: the four-day week Image | Lumen

Greece wanted to put AI to monitor traffic. The problem came when the fines had to be reviewed

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Putting cameras with artificial intelligence to monitor traffic sounds, on paper, like an almost inevitable solution: less paperwork, more speed and an administration capable of detecting violations without depending on an agent being in the right place. The problem appears when that promise comes down to the asphalt and what we have seen in Greece forces us to ask a much more difficult question for any automated system: what happens when the machine flags a possible infraction, but then someone has to check if it really existed. The problem. Ta Nea published a figure which forces us to look at the system from the inside, not only in terms of the fines that reach the driver. According to the Greek media, during the pilot phase the percentage of failures or incorrect registrations would have reached between 90% and 95%. The scale helps to understand the problem: of 5,500 records generated by the system, only 400 were validated as correct after review by the Greek Police. The remaining cases included 1,300 cases attributed to cell phone use and 3,800 due to speeding that were eventually discarded. The key. The Greek system provides for a long chain: cameras record a possible infringement, this information goes through validation by the competent authority and only then can it be broadcast and digitally notified to the citizen. That is why Ta Nea’s data is so relevant. It does not simply point to drivers who resort after receiving a sanction, but to a previous bottleneck: a huge amount of records that the system generates and that the Police have to review before considering them good. New violation management model. Greece has a pilot phase since the end of March the Digital Traffic Violations Certification System, designed to gradually replace handwritten fines with a digital registration and processing process. In this first stage, two main sources intervene: the cameras of the public transport company OSY in the bus lanes, aimed at traffic and parking violations, and the network of “smart” cameras linked to the Ministry of Digital Governance. Then comes another plane. Until May 30, 2026, according to Euronewsthe new mechanism had generated 2,453 digital fines, for which 420 allegations were presented, 17.12% of the total. Of those claims, 52 were accepted, equivalent to 2.11% of all fines issued. Most of the accepted cases were related to technical or procedural issues, such as time differences, difficult-to-read data or exceptions linked to seat belt use. The distinction. One thing is the records that the camera generates and that must then go through police review before becoming a valid sanction. Another thing is the fines that have already passed that filter, have been issued, have been notified to the citizen and can then be the subject of allegations. In other words: the system has a human review before the fine arrives, but that does not prevent some drivers from continuing to appeal sanctions that had already gone through that circuit. Conflict point. As explained by a transportation expert cited by Ta Nea, the failure would not be so much in external violations as in those that occur inside the vehicle. Running a red light or driving over the speed limit can be recorded more faithfully, while detecting whether someone is wearing a seatbelt or using a cell phone depends on much more variable factors. Shadows, colors, camera angles or objects such as a cigarette can alter the reading and turn a questionable image into an alleged infringement. Images | Greek Ministry of Digital Governance In Xataka | A German driver set out to discover how much he could stretch the tank of his old diesel car. And he has done 2,400 kilometers

Today the new film ‘The Lord of the Rings’ arrives on Netflix by surprise, whose genesis is as interesting as its plot

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The first Middle Earth anime, ‘The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim‘, lands on Netflix almost a year and a half after its discreet passage through theaters. The film that Warner swept under the rug a few weeks after its theatrical release is back on streaming, and its commercial journey is as bumpy as the fiction it narrates, set in Tolkien’s immortal creation. The story takes place 183 years before the events narrated in ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’. We will experience the fall of Helm Hammerhand, king of Rohan, against Wulf, a Dunlending lord who seeks to avenge the death of his father. The siege ends at the Tabernacle fortress, the bastion that generations later will be known as Helm’s Deep. In this way, an episode of the story of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ that Tolkien barely left outlined in the appendices is narrated in detail. Behind the camera was Kenji Kamiyama, a Japanese animator who had previously taken the reins of other legendary franchises, as he did in ‘Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex’ and ‘Blade Runner: Black Lotus’. However, the bet did not work at the box office: the film became the worst premiere of the entire franchise, grossing barely about 4.6 million dollars. Its worldwide collection was around 20 million against a budget close to 30. But… what is the reason for the release, somewhat secretly, of this film? Easy: retain rights. The making of ‘The War of the Rohirrim’ was accelerated so that New Line Cinema would keep the film rights to Tolkien’s work active while prepared new projects. The next step in that plan is ‘The Hunt for Gollum’, now with real actors, Andy Serkis directing and returning to play Gollum, produced by Peter Jackson and scheduled for release in 2027. The machinery continues to move forward, but in the meantime we have this wonderful animated appetizer. In Xataka | Today on Netflix: in 2019 no one gave a damn for it, and today it is one of the best adaptations of a video game

features, price and technical sheet

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BYD arrived with a clear premise: lead the electric car in Spain. Three years later, he has had no qualms about changing his strategy. They have proven that the plug-in hybrid is, for them, a perfect market niche for their interests. The best example: the two best-selling plug-in hybrids in Spain are theirs. Now comes a third alternative that also has a best-selling spirit. Plug-in hybridization in a segment forgotten by this technology. A price that no one can match and that part of the 25,200 euros but which, with aid and campaigns, remains at 18,700 euros. Does anyone give more than the BYD Dolphin G DM-i? BYD Dolphin G DM-i technical data sheet byd Dolphin (204 HP with 60.4 kWh battery) BODY TYPE. Compact five-seater SUV MEASUREMENTS AND WEIGHT. 4,160 meters long, 1,770 meters wide, 1,570 meters high and 2,700 meters wheelbase. Weight to be confirmed. TRUNK. 425 liters. MAXIMUM POWER. 156 kW (212 hp) WLTP CONSUMPTION. Active version: 2.6 l/100 km and 40 km of autonomy Boost, Comfort and Sport version: 1.4 l/100 km and 105 km of autonomy ENVIRONMENTAL DISTINCTIVE. Zero emissions DRIVING AIDS (ADAS). Automatic emergency braking, intelligent speed limit information, detection of vehicles in the blind spot, intelligent cruise control, LED lighting, 360º parking camera, rear parking sensors. OTHERS. Own software compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Google services starting with Boost version or higher. 10.1-inch (Active) and 12.8-inch (Boost, Comfort and Sport) screen. Heated seats and steering wheel. ELECTRIC HYBRID. No. Plug-in HYBRID. Yeah. Active version: 175 HP and 40 km of autonomy Boost, Comfort and Sport version: 212 HP and 105 km of autonomy electric No. price and release Now available without aid or discounts: Active: €25,200 Boost: €28,200 Comfort: €29,700 Sport: €30,700 Now available with (advance) aid and discounts: Active: €18,700 Boost: €21,376 Comfort: €22,846 Sport: €23,826 Very clear intentions “The plug-in hybrid for everyone” BYD’s claim in its press release directly points out what this new model in the Chinese company’s range wants to be. Given the success of BYD Seal U DM-i for those looking for a large plug-in hybrid SUV and the success of the BYD Atto 2 DM-i In a more contained size, the BYD Dolphin G DM-i arrives to position itself as the third angle of this triangle. And it is that he BYD Dolphin G DM-i wants to position itself in the market as one of the cheapest plug-in hybrids. And, above all, offer this technology at a price and with a size that no one covers right now. Manufacturers have abandoned the small car when it comes to offering plug-in hybridization because the product became too expensive and with the departure of the Renault Captur, the market was left orphaned. With just 4,160 meters long, this BYD Dolphin G DM-i will fill that gap with a car that starts at 25,200 euros before aid but which, with the discount campaigns and aid from the Auto+ Plan (they are approved but not yet delivered, BYD advances them) remains at just 18,700 euros. It is a price that has no rival. The most expensive option is 30,700 euros without aid or discounts and only 23,826 euros with the corresponding discounts. We address this point first because it is the most striking thing about a car that will have two engines. Both have a 1.5 four-cylinder engine that develops 95 HP and an electric motor with 163 HP and 210 Nm that will drive the car in most situations. The one known as BYD’s Dual Mode is designed to prioritize the use of the combustion engine as a generator, operating the car as a series hybrid. The most affordable option, Activateuses a small 7.42 kWh battery that is approved for 40 kilometers in completely electric mode. Above, the Comfort and Sport versions increase the battery capacity to 18.3 kWh and its range increases to 105 kilometers. In all versions, the combined range between gasoline and electricity aims to exceed 1,000 kilometers. As for charging power, the Active option only uses slow charging and remains at 3.3 kW. It is not a bad option if you are clear that you are only going to charge at night and you want to save by hiring less charging power in the home or garage, but filling it from 15% requires investing about three hours. The options Boost, Comfort and Sportthose with the large battery, support an alternating current charging power of 6.6 kW and fast charging reaches 39 kW. They can go from 10 to 80% electric autonomy in 26 minutes. These latest versions can be ordered with the Boost equipment that adds bidirectional charging. The car also wants to position itself as a vehicle for all types of uses. Its 425 liters available (adding cargo space under the floor) are a lot for such a small car and plug-in hybrid technology that eats up much of the available storage space. And inside it comes standard with front and rear parking sensors and a 10.1-inch screen. The top Boost version adds a 12.8-inch screen, heated front seats and steering wheel, and wireless charging for your mobile phone. And the Comfort versions already have a Google ecosystem integrated into the infotainment system, Head-Up Display and panoramic roof with curtain. Finally, the Sport trim adds some sportier specific details. Therefore, the BYD Dolphin G DM-i has everything to become a bestseller with a knockdown price. Its Comfort finish (the first with a large battery) starts at 29,700 euros but can stay below 23,000 with aid and an exit campaign. For that price, there is nothing like it on the market. Photos | BYD In Xataka | The cheapest plug-in hybrid cars you can buy (2026)

A young planet neighboring Earth was destroyed before it finished forming and now we have found a piece in the Sahara

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According to estimates based on the fireball tracking, is calculated Approximately 17,000 meteorites fall to Earth per year. Only a few of them recover. There are about 80,000 registered worldwide. However, the numbers must be much higher. There will be a multitude of meteorites abandoned in drawers or lost as simple unidentified stones that would make that figure much higher. It’s a shame, because a single meteorite can give us very useful information about our planet and its neighbors. A good example of this is NWA 12774, a fragment found in 2019 in the Sahara. Thanks to it, a team of scientists from the University of Colorado Boulder has managed to extract very interesting data about the dawn of the Solar System. The reconstructed history. The analysis The composition of this meteorite, as well as computer simulations, have allowed us to establish that it must be a fragment of a protoplanet of a size similar to the Moon or Mars, which 4.5 billion years ago decomposed into debris, possibly after colliding with another celestial object while rotating around the Sun. An especially rare angrita. Initial analysis of this meteorite indicated that it is an angrite. This is a very rare type of rock among meteorites. In fact, it is estimated that of the 80,000 that have been registered, only 68 are Angritas. They are rare meteorites because they contain very little silica, a material that is very abundant on rocky planets like Earth. Initially, angritas were thought to be asteroid fragments. However, in this case it is doubly rare, because it also contains clinopyroxene, a very common crystal in the Earth’s crust and mantle. As if that were not enough, said clinopyroxene is rich in CaTs forms, a “version” of this mineral in which one magnesium atom and one silicon atom are replaced by two aluminum atoms. It is a process that requires very high pressure conditions to occur. A large origin. According to the computational reconstructions that have been carried out, to generate such a quantity of CaTs it would be necessary for this object to be subjected to a pressure of 17.5 kilobars. It is something immense. To give us an idea, in the depths of the Mariana Trench barely reaches one kilobar. This pressure could not originate inside an asteroid. According to the calculations made by these scientists, an object of at least 2,000 kilometers in diameter would be needed. Even more. Another relevant fact about this meteorite is that it has sharp edges and chemical patterns that would have been erased if it had originated at a great depth within its parent body. This tells us that said body is immense, since what is relatively shallow compared to its size is actually great depth in terms of pressure. Therefore, the 2,000 kilometers would be short. We would rather be looking at about 3,600 kilometers in diameter, approximately that of the Moon. Some estimates would point to something even larger, like Mars, but in principle they fit the dimensions of the Moon. Very different from Earth. Protoplanets are planets in birth. They must continue colliding and fusing material around them to finish becoming planets. The object that originated this meteorite did not do so. But it should have been part of the dawn of the Solar System. Thanks to him, we know that, at first, the composition of rocky planets would be very different from that of Earth. Something must have changed over time. It would be ideal to analyze more meteorites, since there must be others like NWA 12774. The problem is that we will have to dust off those abandoned drawers to find them. Image | John Kashuba In Xataka | We have been trying to answer the question “where do meteorites come from” for years. And it’s harder than it seems

first communions that look like ‘mini weddings’

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Less (many less), but more expensive (much more expensive). In Spain it is increasingly more difficult meet families who organize first communions, but those who decide to celebrate the Christian ceremony dig deeper into their pockets than they did a few years ago. This is clearly shown by the latest report from the Spanish Consumer Association (BCE), which reveals that today the average cost of first communions exceeds 6,800 euros21% more than in 2025 and well above the 4,000 euros that were paid only three years ago. There are those who already describe them as ‘miniature weddings’. The data: 6,800 euros. There is nothing written about how a first communion should be celebrated. Beyond the requirements of the religious ceremony, the sacrament and catechesis, everything else is usually the family’s free choice: clothing, flowers, banquet, photography, gifts… latest AEC data show that, when considering these ‘extras’, more and more parents are reaching for their checkbook and putting themselves into budgets that easily exceed 6,000 euros. To be more precise, the association calculates that the average cost of the celebrations already exceeds 6,800 euros. Year Budget range Average cost 2023 €1,900-10,000 €4,000 2024 – €5,000 2025 €2,500-13,500 €5,600 2026 €3,200-15,800 €6,800 What is the money used for? The first thing that makes AEC clear There are as many first communions as there are families. Parties may have become more expensive over time, but that does not mean that they have done the same in all cases. According to their study, it is common for celebrations to range between 3,200 euros for the cheapest parties and more than 15,800 euros for the most ostentatious ones, with around 50 guests. The most splendid ones even shoot up the bill to the 22,000 euros. This is a considerable difference, but (as happens in weddings) the catalog of extras for first communions is also extensive. BCE calculate In the case of girls, dresses can cost between 90 and 1,900 euros, an amount to which shoes, gloves, stockings and jewelry must then be added. The hairdresser increases the bill even more, between 20 and 140 euros. If we talk about boys, the suits range between 110 and 820, depending on whether the parents want to dress him as a “sailor or admiral.” like at a wedding. Clothing is just one of the (many) expenses that families make, which can also include photography services, souvenirs, gifts, music… And the biggest of all, food. “First communions are being considered similar to wedding banquets, no longer being more intimate and strictly family celebrations as they were years ago,” explains AEC before specifying that the cover ranges between 50 and 220 euros, although the average price usually hovers around 90. If we invite fifty people, that raises the bill to 4,500. Year # Baptisms Number of first communions number of confirmations number of weddings 2007 325,271 256,587 96,766 113,187 2011 292,143 250,916 109,275 67,313 2015 231,254 240,094 115,764 51,810 2019 175,844 204,618 124,258 36,650 2024 146,370 154,677 103,535 31,462 Getting perspective. The most curious thing about the AEC study is not so much the figures it lists as the trend it draws. The association has been calculating the average cost of first communions in Spain for a few years now and when comparing their analyzes it is observed that the bill has not stopped increasing: in 2023 the average was around 4,000 eurosin 2025 it had already skyrocketed to 5,600 and now exceeds 6,800. In short: an increase of 70% in just three years. “The celebration of this ceremony can mean a significant outlay for families, many of them going through great economic difficulties,” points out AEC. The increase in the bill is not explained solely by the increase in prices (not only have first communions become more expensive, the shopping basket has also become more expensive). Another key is the extra services that have become popular, such as photographic or video reports by professionals. More expensive, less frequent. The most curious thing (or not) is that the only thing that increases is the average ticket for first communions. If we talk about the number of ceremonies, things are quite different. The activity reports published each year by the Spanish Episcopal Conference reflect that priests teach this sacrament less and less frequently. If in 2007 they were held 256,587in 2017 they were already 229,602 and in 2024 they did not reach 154,700. This decline is explained by two factors: cultural changes and a loss of young population, especially in the last decade. Since 2015, the cohort of children between 5 and 9 years old has decreased almost 10%a reality that is especially noticeable in rural areas where catechesis sessions bring together a handful of applicants to the first communion. Do we celebrate less? No. We celebrate differently. Perhaps the celebration of the Christian sacrament is in the doldrums, but in recent years other celebrations that reflect the transformation of Spanish society itself have gained strength. For example, there are families that have changed Christian baptisms for others of a civil nature. In areas such as the Community of Madrid, where the Latin American population has been shot In recent decades, it has become increasingly easier to also encounter parties of quinceañeraan imported custom that has caught on among the natives. Image | Shalone Cason (Unsplash) In Xataka | 40,000 euros to say “yes, I want”: weddings in Spain have become events and their price is skyrocketing

We thought that the problem of insomnia was on the mobile screen. Science points to the harmless five o’clock coffee

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There is a ritual that many of us follow without questioning it. We arrived at five in the afternoon with our brains fried, we ordered a coffee—or a tea, or a Coca-Cola—and we continued. It’s the push we need to get through the rest of the day. What almost no one knows is that that five o’clock coffee may be sabotaging your eleven o’clock sleep. What we usually do when we don’t sleep well is point to our cell phone, stress, late dinner, or looping thoughts. We rarely point to the cup. And yet, for doctor Pablo Ferrero, a specialist in sleep medicine, the answer is there: “Caffeine is the number one enemy of good rest.” The chemistry behind the problem. To understand why caffeine is so disruptive, you have to know adenosine. It is a substance that the brain accumulates during waking hours and that, when it reaches a certain level, gives us that feeling of tiredness, that it is time to stop. It is, in a certain sense, the biological alarm of sleep. What caffeine does is to block adenosine receptors: Silences the alarm without disabling actual fatigue. The body continues to accumulate fatigue, but the brain stops perceiving it. The problem is not just that it is difficult to fall asleep. It’s what happens inside while we sleep. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that a dose of 400 milligrams of caffeine consumed six hours before bedtime significantly reduced sleep efficiency. Other job in Neuropsychopharmacology was more specific: Consuming caffeine before bed reduces the amount of REM sleep, the phase in which the brain consolidates memories and regulates mood. More in depth. The numbers They are concrete and not very reassuring.: That dose can delay sleep onset by up to 45 minutes and reduce deep sleep—NREM phases 3 and 4—by up to 20%. Taken to everyday practice: if you have a coffee at 5:00 p.m. and go to bed at 11:00 p.m., your deep sleep can go from the usual 120 minutes to just 96. That’s 24 minutes less brain and physical repair. Nightly. But there is something even more disturbing: a scientific review published in the magazine Nutrients concluded that caffeine can reduce deep sleep even when the person sleeps eight hours continuously. That is, it is not enough to add hours. Quality does not always coincide with the perception of having a good rest. You can wake up thinking you’ve had a great night’s sleep while your brain hasn’t gone through the cycles it needed. Time matters. One of the most common mistakes is to think that afternoon coffee “no longer works” because you are used to it. Tolerance reduces the perception of the stimulus, but The half-life of caffeine in the body is between 4 and 9 hours: That means that half of what you drank at three in the afternoon is still active at eleven at night. And the problem is not limited to coffee. Caffeine is also present in some soft drinks, energy drinks, teas and chocolates, something that Ferrero expressly points out as a factor that goes unnoticed. It’s not just the breakfast cup: it’s the entire consumption circuit of the day. The broken clock. Caffeine, however, does not act alone. Ferrero points to another factor that can be even more decisive: schedule disorder. The body works through the circadian rhythman internal biological clock that regulates when we feel sleepy and when we are alert. When schedules constantly change—we go to bed at eleven Monday through Thursday and one o’clock on Fridays and Saturdays, and we get up three hours later on Sunday—that system loses synchronization. science back this up with data: Sleeping at irregular hours can cause insomnia, daytime sleepiness and alter hormone production, metabolism and eating habits, increasing the risk of diseases such as diabetes, obesity and depression. The impact don’t stop feeling tired Since while we sleep, the brain eliminates the beta-amyloid protein, accumulated during wakefulness and directly related to Alzheimer’s and other neurological disorders. Poor sleep is not just a tomorrow’s problem: it is a long-term investment—or debt. The motive is not innocent either. But the mechanism is more precise than is usually explained. The blue light emitted by screens suppresses the production of melatonin, the hormone that signals the brain it’s time to sleep. A study by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health warned that this overexposure directly alters the sleep-wake cycle. Just two hours of exposure to bright screens before bed can reduce melatonin levels by 20% or moreand the time to fall asleep can go from 15 minutes to more than an hour. Using a tablet before going to sleep can delay nighttime sleep by up to 96 minutes; that of a smartphone, up to 67. Harvard Medical School noted that “just a few minutes of screen stimulation can delay the release of melatonin by several hours and desynchronize the biological clock.” The problem is that we live in a society with increasingly irregular patterns: high light exposure at night, changing work schedules, screens until the last minute. We are sending our brain signals that it is still daytime when it is no longer daytime. So what works? Ferrero’s answer is not particularly glamorous, but it is supported by evidence. Going to bed and getting up at similar times every day—even on weekends—is the most basic and most ignored advice. Added to this is a dark, quiet and cool bedroom: artificial light and high temperatures send alert signals to the brain that make it difficult to rest. Avoid screens before going to bed—at least 30 minutes—and have a light dinner, without excess fats or spicy food, close to bedtime. For those who do not have insomnia, a short nap may be beneficial; The key is that it does not exceed 25 minutes so as not to disturb your night’s sleep. And in the face of anxiety or thoughts in a loop, Ferrero points out tools with scientific evidence: … Read more

what changes (and what doesn’t) in the new generation of large capsule coffee machines

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The ecosystem of Nespresso capsule coffee machines changed with the arrival of the Vertuo system. His centrifugation technology (Centrifusion) and barcode reading allowed us to finally distance ourselves from the classic short espresso coffee to embrace long, creamy, American-style cups. Now, with the arrival of the new Nespresso Vertuo UP in the catalogue, the brand is once again shaking up its entry-level range. This model arrives with the promise of polishing the small design errors of its predecessors (the popular Vertuo Next and Vertuo Pop) and offering a more compact and stylish experience. If you are thinking about making the jump to this capsule format or want to renew your old coffee maker, we analyze how they change and which one best suits your kitchen. KRUPS Nespresso Vertuo Up The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Nespresso Krups Vertuo Pop coffee machine The price could vary. We earn commission from these links De’Longhi – Nespresso De’Longhi Vertuo Next capsule coffee machine for Nespresso Vertuo capsules. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Technical sheet of both models of Nespresso Vertuo coffee machines characteristics Nespresso Vertuo UP Nespresso Vertuo Pop / Next Extraction technology Centrifusion (bar code reading) Centrifusion (bar code reading) Supported cup sizes Six sizes Up to five-six sizes (depending on model, includes format Carafe in Next) Water tank capacity 1.4 Liters (removable and modular) 0.6 Liters (Pop) / 1.1 Liters (Next) Warm-up time ~3 seconds ~30 seconds Connectivity Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (updates and alerts) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth design Slimmer and narrower (vertical design) More elongated towards the bottom (Next) / Lower and wider (Pop) Construction materials High resistance recycled plastics with matte finishes Recycled plastics (glossy finishes/Pop colors) The differences between the previous and the new generation of Nespresso Vertuo To understand which one to choose, you have to scratch beyond the surface, since both coffee makers share the same motor and the same coffee frothing system, but differ in some features. Dimensions and countertop space management The Vertuo Next suffered from being excessively deep towards the back. For its part, the Vertuo Pop solved this by becoming lower, but at the cost of a ridiculously small water tank (0.6 liters), which required constant refilling. Now, the Vertuo UP finds the perfect balance: It is noticeably narrower and more stylized from the frontgaining height to house a better optimized 1.4 liter tank that does not protrude as much from behind, making it ideal for kitchens with narrow countertops. Head design and closure system It is, without a doubt, the most important evolution. Users of the Vertuo Next and Pop often complained that the manual lever system for closing the coffee maker and piercing the capsule was too hard. In the new Vertuo UP The opening and closing mechanism has been noticeably smoothed. It is still manual, but the path is much more ergonomic and requires less physical force to ensure the seal before pressing the extraction button. Cup height and size versatility The Vertuo Next is the only coffee machine that supports the capsule format Carafe (for 535 ml), although the UP can accommodate cups of up to 550 ml. The Vertuo Pop, on the other hand, being so short, made it necessary to remove the drip tray completely even to fit a standard type cup. As a summary, these are the sizes supported each of the Nespresso Vertuo coffee machines. Vertuo UP: 25ml (Ristretto), 40ml (Espresso), 80ml (Double Espresso), 150ml (Great Lungo), 230ml (Cup) and 550 ml. Vertuo Next: 25ml (Ristretto), 40ml (Espresso), 80ml (Double Espresso), 150ml (Great Lungo), 230ml (Cup) and 535 ml (Carafe). Vertuo Pop: 25ml (Ristretto), 40ml (Espresso), 80ml (Double Espresso), 150ml (Great Lungo), 230ml (Cup). Noise and vibration level Although centrifugal technology makes all Vertuo reach thousands of revolutions per minute (generating a sound similar to that of a small motor), the Vertuo UP has a better interior acoustic insulation. The vibrations on the table are slightly less than on the Vertuo Pop, whose lightweight plastic chassis tended to resonate more than necessary during the first seconds of cream extraction. So… which model to choose The price difference It is the main differentiating factor between the three models. The new Vertuo UP costs 179.90 euros in the official store, while the Next is available for 149.90 euros (in the official Nespresso store) and the Vertuo Pop you can buy it now for 99.90 euros in the same Nespresso store. If after reading this comparison, you still have doubts about whether to choose the new Vertuo or a model from the previous generation, here are the keys to choosing. Choose the new Vertuo UP if: Your budget is higher and you prioritize comfort. It is worth paying that little extra if you have just enough space on the counter, you usually use large bowls for breakfast and you are looking for a model with a more refined design and a soft closure that does not require force. It is the smart long-term purchase. Buy the Nespresso Vertuo Next / Pop if: Your priority is immediate savings. The Vertuo Pop has become the queen of bargains and is often on sale. If you don’t mind that the water tank is smaller or that the lever is a little harder, its quality-price ratio for tight budgets is unbeatable. 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 | Nespresso In Xataka | Smart coffee makers: what you can do (and what you can’t) with connected coffee makers In Xataka | Five ideal accessories to get the most out of your super-automatic coffee machine

the brick once again showed which side it plays

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While young Spaniards increasingly it is more difficult for them to emancipateand the price per square meter keeps breaking recordsthere is another Spain that went well in 2025. Very, very good, in fact. The same year in which buying an apartment in Madrid or Barcelona became harder than ever, Almost 13,100 people added a million dollars in assets to their assets, according to pointed he World Wealth Report 2026 prepared by the consulting firm Capgemini. The stock market and housing did all the work. According to the report, the growth in the number of millionaires that our country gained did not fall from the sky. It has three very specific engines: the stock market, the bank and the brick. The Ibex 35 closed 2025 with an increase of 49%, the highest in 32 years, which took the Spanish stock market capitalization to exceed one trillion euros and reach almost the level of GDP. For those who had money in the stock market, it was a very good year. Banks alone rose almost 96% in the year, and the sector contributed 18.5 billion in net profits, 5.1% more than in 2023. The housing market added another push. Real estate investment exceeded 18,450 million euros in 2025, 31% more than the previous year, the best figure since 2018. The average price per square meter reached historical highs, with double-digit increases in large cities. For whom already had real estate assetseach floor was worth more. For those who wanted to access housing, things were getting complicated. There are richer, richer. As the report reveals, the state of wealth in Spain has improved throughout 2025, but the global context contextualizes it better. On a global scale, the wealth ofThe great assets grew 8.7% during 2025. This represents the greatest advance since 2018, reaching 98.3 trillion dollars in the hands of the richest 1.1% of the population. The figure is a record, and the number of millionaires on the planet became 25.3 million, almost 2 million more than in the 2024 count. The Capgemini data corroborates something that other reports such as the ‘Millionaire Tracker’ report prepared by the British Adam Smith Institute, which pointed to Asia as one of the poles with the greatest potential for growth in terms of wealth. Asia-Pacific led with a 10.5% growth in large fortunes, followed by the US, which added 736,000 new millionaires, more than any other country, and already has 8.7 million. In Spain the number of millionaires is also growing. Within the European framework, Germany grew by 11.1% in its high-net-worth population, while Spain advanced, but was not the fastest, rising to 14th place in the ranking of the top 25 countries by ultra-rich population. However, in Spain that wealth only grew 5.3% (3.4% below the global average) creating 13,100 new millionaires with capital of more than one million dollars available to invest, excluding the value of their residence and consumer items. According to Capgemini estimates, that leaves a total of 259,700 millionaires in Spain who meet that requirement. The financial wealth of this ultra-rich population also increased in Spain in 2025, registering a growth of 6.7%, reaching a total of 672,112 million euros as a whole. Those who earn the most are those who already had more. There is one piece of information that gives an idea of ​​the level of concentration of wealth in a few hands. Only 1% of the high net worth accumulate 34.8% of all the wealth of that group. And the segment that grew the most in 2025 was not the “poorest” millionaires, but the group of millionaires among millionaires: people with more than 30 million in assets. Their number rose by 9.4%, while their wealth rose by 9.7%, above the group as a whole. This phenomenon of concentration is not new, but it is repeated with more intensity. The reason has to do with access to capital. Those who have more available capital can invest in assets that give more returns in private capital, alternative funds, investment structures that the small investor cannot access. The report indicates that 68% of large net worth companies intend to increase their exposure to private capital. Access to this world of large investments is not available to everyone, and that widen the gap even among the richest 1.1% of the population. In Xataka | “I am a millionaire and I don’t know what to do with my life”: a millionaire is looking for ideas because money has not given him happiness Image | Unsplash (Jp Valery)

The Kings League was born in 2023 to put an end to traditional football. Three years later he declared an ERE

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Gerard Piqué built a soccer league for the Twitch generation, and three years later he has cut 50% of his team, closed his leagues in France and Germany with no return date at the moment, and paralyzed the Spanish competition for six months. and the internet numbers and engagement on the internet they were not badbut that wasn’t the problem. The problem is that real football has other places where it reigns without rival. What has happened? Kings League workers published yesterday a statement in which they dismantled the version that the company had leaked to the press two days before starting the ERE negotiations. The company had spoken of a 30% cut in the workforce and the real figure, according to those affected themselves, is 41 layoffs out of 83 workers: almost 50%. At the same time, the French and German leagues are paralyzed with no expected return date, and the Spanish league stops its activity for six months to, in the words of the organization, “prepare the product for the future.” Kings League CEO Djamel Agaoua, incorporated in 2025, admits in the corporate statement that “money has been burned.” The simultaneous expansion to Brazil, Germany, Italy and the MENA region, managed from the offices in Spain, was economically unaffordable. Story of an ambition. The Kings League started on January 1, 2023 with digital audience figures that scared LaLiga. The first day reached an average of 300,000 people watching the matches between the league channel and the streamers on Twitch. They achieved a peak of 800,000 viewers only on the league’s main channel, data similar to the average of all LaLiga matches the previous season. Comparisons were published everywhere: it seemed that Piqué had found the crack in traditional football. Streamer world. Streamers like Ibai Llanos, TheGrefg or Guarnizo were presidents of the teams, and that turned each game into an extension of the entertainment that their communities already consumed. The format had gamified rules, random penalties, special cards. It was soccer 7, but designed for those who have been playing ‘FIFA’ for ten years. The numbers trick. However, Twitch’s numbers don’t exactly measure sustained following. In 2024 the drop compared to the first figures was evident: the decrease was 54% compared to the first months of the competition, with an average of 192,000 spectators at the beginning of that season. That year’s final reached only 258,000 people on average with a peak of 425,000. In the first months of 2023, the same competition had accumulated more than two million viewers at its maximum peak, adding the official channel plus those of each streamer-president. By then, the Kings League had bought into its own narrative, and oversupply compounded the problem. The first split, the second split, the Queens League, the Prince Cup, the Kings Cup, the Queen’s Cup and the Kingdom Cup suffocated the product, and each new tournament diluted attention rather than focused it. One round. In February 2026, with audiences already declining, the Kings League closed an investment round for 53 million euros. The round was led by the American fund Alignment Growth, with the stated objective of expanding the competition globally, with the United States as a goal. With this operation, the Kings League accumulated more than 160 million dollars in total financing since its launch. Four months later the ERE has arrived, and the workers are pointing in that direction: the company has just raised 63 million euros and the savings that justifies dismissing almost half of the workforce is just over two million. A martyrdom The workers’ statement also describes the work culture that prevailed in the company: three years of seven-day weeks, averages of ten hours a day, and overtime systematically above the legal limit of 80 hours per year established by the Workers’ Statute, in most cases without financial compensation or rest. On June 8, the CEO congratulated the entire team on the success of the Queens League final and two days later, the ERE was in the media. Had he left? The question, then, is whether the Kings League has ever had the possibility of competing with football. We have a precedent in American football: in 2001, Vince McMahon and NBC they launched the XFL with the aim of becoming the entertaining alternative to the NFL, with fewer penalties and a format with elements of reality show. The first broadcast achieved 54 million viewers, but by the following week the audience had fallen by 50%, with a continuous decline until the closure after a single season. Apparently, viewers were not interested in a hybrid between sport and wrestling spectacle. Unbeatable football. Spanish football has fans in third regional teams that fill stands with 800 people every weekend. This link does not arise from the product being entertaining, but rather from the fact that it is part of the local identity and, in many cases, family or territorial traditions. A child who grows up watching Rayo Vallecano or Villarreal with his father does not give the same identification value to a streamer. Even though he has a million followers. Football accumulates emotional capital for decades and the Kings League had to build it from scratch. And now? There are some pending issues: the Kings World Cup Clubs in Italy will be held in July 2026, and we will try to move forward with those who are still in the company. Piqué, in turn, publicly tested after the Queens League final the possibility of compressing the entire competition into a format of a few days. That is, a possible solution is to lower the ambition. Maybe it would have been a good exit idea. In Xataka | The Kings League has debuted on traditional television. It has had less audience than a La 2 documentary

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