Mobile Tech & Gadgets

His trick is to follow the philosophy of Jony Ive

by

If you work in a more or less large company, you will surely have already suffered one of its endemic evils: meetings. Or rather, have many meetings. Steve Jobs I was clear that they were a huge problem and Larry Page had a hard time solving it because yes, excessive meetings are not something new by any means, although with teleworking they will skyrocket for obvious reasons. And for Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, they are the symptom of a much worse problem within the company. The key to having fewer meetings: manage tasks, not people In fact, the co-founder of Airbnb is clear that this abundance of meetings is not an evil but a sign of aspects to improve within the corporation. To begin with, its size: “It is not because there are no Wednesday meetings. It is because there are too many people“, counted in a talk for Khosla Ventures. The manager’s proposal involves employing a small, high-level workforce: “We want a small, agile, elite and highly qualified team, not a team of mid-range people. And the reason is that each person implies a communication tax.” And he points out another problem that points directly to human resources: mediocre hiring. Basically, in Chesky’s ideology, when someone is not capable of doing a job, they hire people who do not know how to do it either and they also hire more people to carry it out in a kind of empire of incompetence. Each person pulls in a direction, so of course they have to meet to share their progress. And more bureaucracy. Also, lead by example: account which completely removed the layers of management so that only people truly specialized in a given task lead it: “You can only manage the function if you are an expert. You don’t manage people. You manage people through the work.” In a nutshell: you manage tasks, not people. His inspiration: the legendary Jony Ive, now working closely with Sam Altman in building a device with AI. Ive’s philosophy It involves focusing on work and forming a team that designs together. In Xataka | Bill Gates has been a famous “workaholic” but he knew who to hire to solve problems: the lazy ones In Xataka | The quality that Warren Buffet advises to always look for in job candidates Cover | Airbnb and Marcus Dawes via Wikimedia

It’s about something much more important.

by

In 1999, there seemed to be a certain platonic interest in the concept of virtual/manipulated reality: that year ‘Matrix‘, ‘eXistenZ‘ and ‘Level 13‘, and a few months before he had done the same ‘dark city‘, all of them united by plots that revolved around very similar premises. Just one Of these four films he achieved the (re)cognition of the general public: ‘Matrix‘, the film of cyberpunk aesthetic and groundbreaking special effects starring Keanu Reeves and directed by the Wachowski sisters. That first installment of The Matrix, originally conceived as a solo film, was soon rewarded with two sequels (‘Matrix Reloaded’ and ‘Matrix Revolutions’both in 2003) are certainly irregular, which remain very far from the originality of the first and which, to make matters worse, taint it with numerous plot twists (if not mere amendments, or even inconsistencies). And both defects are perceived even more strongly with what would become the fourth film in the saga, the compilation of shorts ‘Animatrix’, an animated experiment with a manga aesthetic lacking internal cohesion or excessive plot consistency with the live-action trilogy. NO, The Matrix is ​​not a movie about AI But the attention of this article focuses on the status of this saga as the gateway for an entire generation to the concept of ‘artificial intelligence’. And this is certainly ironic, because at its core ‘The Matrix’ is not about this technology (or any other). First of all, let’s make a stop to bring up one of the multiple criteria for classifying science fiction works: the division between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ sci-fi: Hard: Those works that give special relevance to the scientific-technical details of the narrative. Soft: More speculative works, in which the plausibility and consistency of technological descriptions lose weight compared to philosophical reflections. It must be made clear that ‘Matrix’ clearly belongs to this latter current: rather than reflecting on the functioning of artificial intelligence (we see nothing about neural networks, deep learning or some sad ‘laws of robotics‘) what worries the Wachowskis are religious symbolism. Yes, religious people, think about it: the first film has a villain called Cifra – Cypher in English, which rhymes with Lucifer – who betrays Trinity – the Trinity – and the messiah she loves… It’s not very hidden either.. At the same time, these religious symbolisms are at the service of a confusing? subtle? philosophical-political reflection on the relationship between choice and causality, and on the influence of said relationship with sociopolitical domination. Finally, evil tongues will also add that, in a fourth and deeper layer of analysis, the reflection on domination is in turn subordinated to the brilliance of the protagonists in those dazzling action scenes with bullet time in full force. How did machines create the Matrix? The story of The Matrix starts from a very similar premise like Terminator: Once they acquire self-awareness, the machines rebel against their creator, declare war on us… and win. The difference is that, in the world of the Matrix, the war is not resolved in a single day, so the UN has the opportunity to launch an apparently brilliant attack: since the machines’ greatest source of energy was the Sun itself, humans decide to cover the sky and plunge the planet into darkness. The problem is that, from that moment on, the machines stop seeking the extermination of humans and start collecting us like batteries: from then on, they will raise us in capsules to take advantage of our heat and electrical energy (you don’t have to go to the future to see something similar). But to keep us alive as long as possible, they can’t just keep us in a coma, they have to keep our minds active somehow. And that’s where an AI enters which, years later, Neo would know under the name of The Architect. He creates the simulated reality known as the Matrix and connects all humans to it, who from now on will know nothing about the outside world, nor about the war against the machines. Being a machine the designer of this new reality, it is perfect, an inhumanly perfect utopia… and, as the Architect himself explains: “A success only comparable to his monumental… failure. His ineluctable failure now seems to me to be a consequence of the imperfection inherent in all humans.” Perfection causes human minds to rebel, and virtual reality itself falls apart. It’s time to install Matrix 2.0 and restart the server: the new system takes the opposite path and inserts humans into a dystopian reality of war and violence. The result is identical. The Architect, created primarily to design the perfect electrical grid, is unable to understand how its batteries work. “Then I understood that the answer eluded me because it required a mind (…) not so limited by the parameters of perfection. The one who found the answer in a fortuitous way was another intuitive program that I had created, in principle, to investigate certain aspects of the human psyche.” This program, later converted into ally of humanity under the name of The Oraclediscovers that the human mind can be dominated as long as it retains, even if unconsciously, a sliver of choice. The blue pill, which Neo will take years later (4 versions of the Matrix later, actually) will be the way to peek through that crack and leave the simulated reality. But the interesting thing about these two programs is that they show the way in which programs relate to chaotic humans: calculating all their possible decisions. Or perhaps, if the technology of the ‘Matrix’ machines descends from AlphaZero’sjust have to calculate the most probable decisions based on previous experience. Let’s remember the scene of the multiple screens with different reactions of Neo in the Architect’s office: they are not alternative worlds, but options that are offered to the human player and, when he chooses, the camera zooms in on said screen and the action continues from there. The Oracle is so efficient at this task of calculating the … Read more

NASA has already used it to plan routes for the Perseverance rover on Mars

by

Over the last few years, artificial intelligence has crept into our routines as a practical tool: generate images, summarize, analyze, program. But in recent times it is crossing a more demanding frontier, that of systems that make decisions with physical consequences in the real world. And that also includes space. NASA JPL just announced that the Perseverance rover has completed the first drives on another world whose route was planned by AI. In terms of planetary exploration, we are not talking about a great leap in distance, but about something more delicate: proving that a technology designed to interpret information and propose actions can begin to be integrated, with supervision, into the way in which other worlds are explored. What exactly did the AI ​​do. The test materialized in two drives carried out on December 8 and 10, 2025, both inside the crater Jezero. In those two days, the team incorporated AI models with visual capacity for a very specific task: proposing waypointsthat is, the intermediate locations on which the driving plan is then built and sent to the rover. This type of planning is normally done manually by specialists who analyze images and data of the terrain. On this occasion, AI generated these waypoints so that Perseverance could safely navigate a complex area, under the leadership of the rover’s own operations center at JPL and in collaboration with Anthropic. A basic limitation. Mars is far away, and you can’t drive a rover like a remote-controlled car. JPL itself remembers that the red planet is, on average, about 225 million kilometers from Earth, a distance that generates delays in communication and makes real-time control unfeasible. For this reason, the missions operate with a different logic: the terrain is analyzed, routes are drawn in sections and instructions are sent through the Deep Space Network. The rover executes them and the result is confirmed with a delay. It is a well-proven workflow, but it is also slow, especially when the goal is to advance through complex areas without putting the vehicle at risk. The milestone figures. JPL details that, in the first demonstration on December 8, 2025, Perseverance advanced about 210 meters. In the second, on December 10, he traveled around 246 meters. In total, just over four hundred meters in two days. It is not an epic feat nor does it pretend to be. What is relevant is that these routes were based on a different scheme than usual: the planning was built from the aforementioned waypoints and the rover then executed the plan on terrain that requires precision because it does not forgive mistakes. A demonstration that AI continues to gain ground. “This demonstration shows how far our capabilities have advanced and expands how we will explore other worlds,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. And he finished with an idea that serves as an editorial guide for the entire experiment: “Autonomous technologies like this can help missions operate more efficiently, respond to challenging terrain, and increase scientific performance as distance from Earth increases.” For now, the demo is limited, but it’s hard not to read it as a warning. Autonomy is no longer discussed only in laboratories, it is also being tested on Mars. In context. We are not talking about any AI. Claude, Anthropic models, have been gaining ground as a tool for programming tasks for some time, becoming a reference option, even threatening ChatGPT. And that reputation has not stayed in the developer community: according to Mark Gurman (Bloomberg), Apple would be beginning to integrate it in a structured way into its AI strategy for Xcode; and, according to Insider, Meta has incorporated Claude into “Devmate”, an internal debugging-oriented tool. Images | NASA | Anthropic In Xataka | Anthropic has rewritten his 25,000-word “Constitution” for Claude. It is the manual for how AI should behave

Sprout has been designed with another goal in mind

by

Humanoid robotics has been feeding the same promise for years: the more a robot resembles a person, the more useful and more natural it will be at our side. That is why we have learned to associate humanoids with increasingly stylized bodies, increasingly realistic movements, and an aesthetic that seeks to erase the border between machine and assistant. However, this race towards similarity is not the only possible direction. In this context, proposals have begun to appear with a different objective: to design robots that do not try to impress with their strength or agility, but rather with their ability to be safe and approachable. the robot. Fauna Robotics has introduced Sprouta humanoid robot with a different approach than the one that usually dominates the conversation. Instead of promising a “person robot,” the company insists on something more concrete: building a humanoid capable of being close to people and functioning safely in human spaces. His idea is that the future of robotics is not only played in the factory, but in homes, schools, offices and places of passage, where interaction matters as much as mechanical capacity. And there, they maintain, the resemblance to a human being is not everything: to earn a place in that environment, Sprout needs to move with control, avoid dangerous situations and communicate in an understandable way, with gestures and signals that invite you to approach, not to move away. Soft, human-scale design. Sprout measures 107cm and weighs 22.7kg, compact enough for one person to move and handle. That scale is not accidental. Fauna Robotics describes it as a lightweight, quiet and soft-touch robot, with a padded exterior that prioritizes safe contact. The company ensures that the design avoids pinch points and sharp edges, two important details when a robot shares space with humans. And he finishes the idea with an unusual decision in this category: an expressive face, with articulated eyebrows and a facial LED matrix that is not there to decorate, but to communicate intention. In detail. The automaton has 29 degrees of freedom, that is, a high number of possible joints and movements to walk and manipulate objects. He also builds a computer based on NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin with 64 GB of memory and a 1 TB SSD, designed to execute perception and control on board. In sensors, it includes stereoscopic vision, several depth sensors to measure distances and an inertial sensor in the torso for orientation and balance. In locomotion we talk about legs with 5 degrees of freedom and low-impact feet. The battery is interchangeable, with between 3 and 3.5 hours of autonomy. Instead of delivering a body and letting the buyer figure out the rest, the company says its humanoid already integrates ready-made movement, control, and social behaviors, as well as perception, navigation, and mapping to operate in the physical world. To this he adds conversation guided by interaction and dynamic expressions, which are the basis of his “social” approach. It is a way to lower the entry bar: if the robot already moves, orients itself and reacts, the developer’s job becomes the interesting one, creating applications, testing voice interfaces or exploring new forms of human-robot interaction. Designed for others to build on top of. Fauna Robotics’ strategy with Sprout is, for now, less “home robot” and more “tool for creating robots.” The company first offers it as a platform for developers, researchers and universities, a type of buyer who often ends up stuck in the same bottleneck: having a good idea, but not the budget or time to build a complete humanoid. Sprout seeks to resolve that starting point. Fauna presents it as a modular canvas on which to develop manipulation, task planning and interaction, with an almost community approach: someone solves a problem, shares it, and the next team can focus on the next step. A new category? If we look at the most well-known humanoids, it is quick to see that shape is only part of the story. Atlas, from Boston Dynamics, stands out for its electric version aimed at industrial uses. Optimusfrom Tesla, moves in the field of general purpose, with the idea of ​​taking on repetitive or unsafe tasks. Figure 02from Figure AI, also targets industry and commercial workforce, with tests at a BMW plant. In China, Unitree pushes democratization with the G1, a low-priced humanoid aimed at education and research, while Walker S2, from UBTECH, It is already being tested on the border with Vietnam. In Europe, Neo (Beta), from 1Xrepresents the ambition of a safer home robot. Sprout falls close to that last idea. Price and availability. Sprout does not present itself as a consumer robot, and that also shows in how it is offered. Fauna Robotics frames it within an edition aimed at creators and developers (Creator Edition). As for the price, it is offered for $50,000. From there, it is advisable not to fill in the gaps: the company does not detail a public calendar for mass deliveries nor does it propose, for now, a deployment for homes in the style of an appliance. Images | Wildlife Robotics In Xataka | Google had a practically unsolvable dilemma with AI and its search engine. So you have chosen to create a subscription

This is South Korea’s bet to enter the Western market

by

There are military contracts that are won based on specifications. And there are others that play in the field of story. South Korea is betting on the latter in its offensive to place attack submarines in Canada: it not only talks about platforms, capabilities or industry, but about how to live within them. In the center of the speech appears a phrase that seeks to stay in the head of the reader and, above all, of the political decision-maker: building submarines as “five-star hotels.” Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, said this: in a message posted on Facebookintroducing Seoul’s diplomatic and industrial campaign. Industrial size offer. The proposal that South Korea is moving in Canada points to a program of around 12 diesel attack submarines whose investment is estimated at 10 billion euros. It is not only a military issue, it is also a candidacy with a strong industrial component, with a front that brings together the Government and large private actors. Names such as Hanwha, HD Hyundai and Hyundai Motor Group appear in that package, which are vying for a contract and, at the same time, a letter of introduction to Western buyers. Strategic agreement. South Korea’s interest in this contract is not explained only by the size of the project. In The Korea PostKang frames the objective as a big entry into the Western market and as a step to move towards the NATO environment, always in its formulation. That same ambition is presented as an attempt to consolidate defense partnerships with Western countries. It should be noted that South Korean and Canadian companies have already signed six cooperation agreements ranging from steel to artificial intelligence, rare earths, satellites and sensors. The recipient of that speech is not coincidental.. Canada has been suffering the wear and tear of an aging submarine fleet for years, and its replacement program is based on a specific fact: replacing some vessels that, as IE points out, were acquired in the 1990s. Therefore, what is at stake is not a simple replacement of material, but a decision that will condition the Royal Canadian Navy for decades, with enormous industrial, operational and budgetary implications. In this context, any candidate who wants to compete cannot limit himself to offering a platform, he also has to present a framework of reliability and long-term continuity. Germany also wants that contract. South Korea does not compete alone. In the race for the Canadian program the German Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) appearswhich is one of the world’s leading providers of integrated solutions in maritime defense technology. The bidding, therefore, is not reduced to choosing a submarine model, but to deciding which industrial partner best fits a long-term program. In this context, each candidate tries to gain ground not only with benefits, but also with the type of relationship it promises to build with the purchasing country and the ecosystem it trails behind. The battle for the Canadian program leaves a clear idea. The Western defense market is in full competition, and South Korea wants to play on the front line. Your proposal has been presented as more than just a product. On the other side appears a European rival with experience and a name of its own. For now, the only certainty is that there is an intense political and industrial effort to position itself. What is missing, precisely, is what decides these processes: the fine print, the guarantees and Ottawa’s final decision. Images | Royal Canadian Navy | Kang Hoon-sik In Xataka | Germany was a sleeping military giant: now it has been awakened and it is already surpassing the US in bullets produced per year

An Asturian is setting up a garage with dream supercars in Monaco: Fernando Alonso

by

That a Formula 1 driver like Fernando Alonso buys a sports car is not something that should attract attention. However, when these purchases occur over time and refer to some of the most iconic classic cars or the most spectacular hypercars on the market, the result is one of the best collections of cars. Alonso has surprised everyone with his latest acquisition: a Lamborghini Sián FKP 37the Italian brand’s most extreme hybrid supercar, of which only 63 units have been manufactured in the world. This car, which costs more than 4 million euros in the current market, has the license plate number 14, a personal nod from the Asturian driver to the number he wears on his helmet. The Lamborghini supercar joins the two-time world champion’s spectacular car collection in Monaco, where he lives and can be seen behind the wheel of these jewels. Lamborghini Sian FKP 37: the newcomer Alonso has been seen on the streets of Monaco at the wheel of one of the most technological bulls that have come out of Sant’Agata Bolognese: the Lamborghini Sián FKP 37. Lamborghini’s limited edition hypercar combines a 6.5-liter, 785 HP naturally aspirated V12 engine with an electrical system based on supercapacitors that raises total power to 819 HP. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds and exceeds 355 km/h maximum speed. There are only 63 coupes of this model, a number that is not coincidental since it pays tribute to the year 1963, when Lamborghini began manufacturing sports cars. This model began production in 2019 and its selling price was 3.3 million euros. However, its exclusivity and appeal to collectors have caused its price to skyrocket to well over 4 million euros. Tap on the image to go to the original message The Instagram account @monaco_luxurystyle captured the moment in which the Asturian pilot he got off of the exclusive Lamborghini with the 14 on its license plate on the streets of Monaco. Classic vintage Ferraris In recent months, Alonso has expanded his garage with classic cars such as the Ferrari 512 TR as the one Michael Jordan drove in the 90s, which represents his taste for the Italian classics of the firm Il Cavallino. The 512 TR was the evolution of the Ferrari Testarrosa powered by a V12 engine that delivered 428 HP of pure fun. Shortly after, was seen driving another legend through the streets of Monaco: a Ferrari F40 with its license plate F014, a beast from the 80s known for the brutality of its V8 biturbo engine that delivered 478 HP with just over 1100 kg of weight, and for being the last one that had the approval of Enzo Ferrari. There are not only Ferraris: also exclusive Mercedes-Benz and Fords The two-time champion’s garage is not only nourished by the Italian automobile industry. Among its latest additions we also find a Mercedes-Benz CLK GTRone of the most extreme and exclusive cars of the German firm, of which only 26 units exist. Again, the spotters were witnesses of Alonso’s rides behind the wheel of his supercars through Monaco. Mercedes manufactured these units with the sole objective of complying with the regulations for the FIA ​​GT Championship, which is the natural habitat of this hypercar from the late 90s. That is, contrary to what usually happens, the competition unit was first designed to participate in Le Mans, and was later adapted to circulate. The CLK GTR has a 6.9-liter naturally aspirated V12 engine that delivers 600 HP with a six-speed sequential gearbox. In their day, these limited units cost between 1.5 and 2 million euros. Currently, this gem is valued at about 10 million euros. Ford GT Holman Moody Edition He Ford GT Holman Moody Edition It was another of the Asturian pilot’s whims. This limited edition is a tribute to the 1966 Le Mans-winning Ford GT40 Mk II, a version that was developed from an exclusive prototype that was auctioned a few days ago. Aston Martin: playing at home In addition to the great racing classics and classic sports cars, Alonso does not neglect the interests of his team, and it is common to see him at the controls of an Aston Martin model. The most spectacular is the Valkyrie that sports the colors of Aston Martin Racing and its distinctive 014S license plate that identifies it as the property of the driver. The Valkyrie is a brutal hypercar for the track, but which is allowed to circulate on the road, not without drawbacks. Recently the brand gave him an imposing Aston Martin DBX S in black, a powerful SUV with more than 700 HP to get around in your daily life. However, the car with which Alonso feels more comfortable It is an Aston Martin Valiant, with a 745 HP biturbo V12 engine, manual transmission and configuration customized by Alonso among the 38 units that will be manufactured of this model. In Xataka | In Dubai they don’t know what to do with so many abandoned luxury supercars: the less shiny side of getting rich Image | Aston Martin, Ferrari

Science now believes that our biological expiration date is more hereditary than we thought.

by

For years, the scientific consensus and popular culture have repeated a reassuring mantra: genes they only determine 20 or 25% of life expectancy. The rest of this fell on our shoulders directly with the lifestyle, diet or even the environment we surround ourselves with. But this figure, which corresponded to old studieshas changed radically. The study. A study published this week in Science has come to shake the foundations of biogerontology. Led by molecular biologist Uri Alon of the Weizmann Institute in Israel, the research suggests that We have been massively underestimating the role of DNA. Something that they have been able to know after cleaning the data from the statistical “noise” with a very resounding conclusion behind it: the heritability of human life expectancy is around 55%. What we knew. The percentage of participation of current genetics was based on research carried out in the 90s and whose key was the definition of “dying.” The oldest studies analyzed cohorts of Danish-Swedish twins taking mortality as a whole. In this way, if one twin died of cancer at 90 and the other from a car accident at 30, the statistics interpreted that genetics had very little influence. The present. But now, Alon’s team has applied a new mathematical model to separate two concepts that used to be mixed up. One of these was extrinsic mortality, that is, deaths caused by external and random factors such as accidents, pandemics or wars. On the other hand, we have intrinsic mortality, which is true biological aging and is not due to an accident, but to the ‘wear and tear’ of the organism over time. In this way, by removing the noise of extrinsic mortality from historical data, the weight of genetics begins to skyrocket. The results. The new study, published at the end of January, is not just based on a simulation but has analyzed decades of records. On the one hand, data from twins born between 1870 and 1900 have been reanalyzed, which are the original studies where the extrinsic factor was included. By removing it, the genetic correlation again became much stronger. The team crossed their models with sibling data for 444 American centenarians confirming that extreme longevity clusters in families much more than chance or shared environment could explain. In this way, the study corrects what experts call prior estimation biases. That is, the 20-25% figures were not wrong. per sebut they included too much “bad luck.” Lifestyle matters. That the weight of genetics is much greater than we think, does not mean that we should abandon the gym and a balanced diet. And although genetics determine 55% of aging, the other almost half continues to depend on the environment and lifestyle. And this must continue to be maintained. On the other hand, this has enormous implications for personalized medicine. If the “expiration date” of our tissues is more programmed than we thought, anti-aging therapies will have to focus much more on editing or modulating that genetic load, and not just on telling us to eat more vegetables (which too). Images | LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR In Xataka | In Spain there are already 148 people over 64 years of age for every 100 young people. And that is a ticking time bomb for the economy.

collagen supplements are not delivering what they promise

by

For years, we have been sold collagen as some kind of shortcut to youth. It seemed that it was enough to cast a tablespoon of coffee powder, take one capsule a day either join the latest fashion routine on networks to, supposedly, stop the clock. Creams, supplements and drinks have ended up making this protein the main protagonist of current anti-aging discourse. However, that narrative is beginning to crack. More and more scientific evidence, supported by dermatologists, agrees that collagen supplements do not work as we think. In many cases, there is not even clear evidence that they do anything. The gap between what marketing promises us and what science really says is today greater than ever. Collagen, under scientific review. The notice does not come from just any blog or from a passing criticism; It comes straight from academic dermatology. According to ScienceDailyspecialists insist that there is no conclusive evidence to support the use of these supplements to effectively combat skin aging. Dr. Farah Moustafa, dermatologist and professor at Tufts University, she is very clear about it: “Oral collagen supplements are not currently recommended to treat skin aging, although they may be considered alongside other more effective and better-studied interventions.” A good melon has opened. The debate does not center on whether or not there are favorable studies, but rather on what type of studies support these claims. As Moustafa explainsafter reviewing 23 clinical trials, a pattern that gives food for thought was detected: Studies with positive results were usually of low quality or paid for by the brands themselves. The most rigorous, independently funded studies found no real benefits from taking collagen. In other words, when the level of scientific demand is raised, the promised effect is diluted. Everything is born from a misunderstanding. Much of the success of collagen is based on an idea that seems logical but is false: “If I lose collagen, I eat it and get it back.” But the body is not a reservoir that is refilled like this. It is true that collagen is key since It represents 30% of our protein and supports skin, bones and tendons, and it is also true that over the years we make less, which brings wrinkles and sagging. The mistake is in believing that ingesting it means sending it directly to the face. At Tufts Universityremember that the digestive system It breaks everything down into small pieces (amino acids) before absorbing it. Once inside, the body distributes these pieces according to its biological priorities (such as organs or muscles), which do not always coincide with our desire to look better. There is no way to guarantee that this “material” end up in the dermis. Reformulation of the message. Seeing this biological obstacle, the message has been mutating. They no longer just sell plain collagen; Now they talk about hydrolyzed collagen, peptides, marine or even vegetable. The idea is to sell you that, if the body does not absorb the entire protein, perhaps it will make better use of these loose pieces. Even so, the data continues to be taken with a grain of salt. Although some studies find modest improvements in the hydration or elasticity of the skin, most of these works are small in size, analyze supplements that contain other added ingredients (vitamins, minerals) and do not allow the real effect of collagen to be isolated. Furthermore, even in the best case scenario, there is no control over where that newly synthesized collagen will be used. But there is an added problem. Beyond effectiveness, dermatologists warn about another less visible aspect: the safety and control of supplements. According to Dr. Moustafacollagen supplements, especially those of marine origin, can be contaminated with methylmercury. Added to this is a structural problem, supplements do not go through the same controls as medications. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, cited by ScienceDailymany of the supplements available do not have third-party verification, do not clearly detail their ingredients, and have not been previously evaluated for safety or effectiveness. However, this regulatory gap is not exclusive to collagen; we can also observe it in stem cell supplements in a strategy known as scienceploitation. So what do dermatologists really recommend? Experts do not say that you should stop taking care of yourself, but rather that you should go back to what has been proven. According to dermatologists consulted by ScienceDailythe best tricks are the usual ones: Use sunscreen daily to prevent UV damage. Regular application of topical retinoids at night. Balanced diet, rich in protein and vitamin C. Avoid tobacco and reduce sun exposure. Collagen as a cultural phenomenon. The rise of collagen cannot be understood from biology alone. This boom also responds to a increasing aesthetic pressureamplified by social networks, filters and discourses of constant self-optimization. The obsession with “staying young” does not affect everyone equally. The anti-aging industry disproportionately targets women, reinforcing the idea that aging is a flaw that must be corrected. In this context, collagen becomes not only a supplement, but a symbol of a social demand. While science advances cautiously, the market accelerates. The global skin care industry moves hundreds of billions of dollars, and constantly needs new ingredients, promises and narratives to sustain its growth. The end of a myth (or at least, an exaggerated promise). The current medical consensus does not state that collagen is useless, but rather that it is not the miracle it has been sold. It does not rejuvenate the skin on its own, it does not directly reach where it promises and, in many cases, it offers benefits that are difficult to distinguish from a good general diet. In the end, real health is less glamorous than a bottle of shiny powder: it’s about perseverance, good habits, and understanding that aging is not a mistake that can be solved with capsules. Perhaps the problem is not collagen itself, but our need to believe that youth can be bought and bottled. Image | Unsplash and freepik Xataka | The … Read more

Toyota and Subaru have another opinion

by

Electrification in the automobile sector is taking with it one of the elements that has been with us practically all our lives: the manual transmission. For many people it is not a very serious problem, since an automatic car is actually more comfortable to drive. But for those who long for the sensations of a manual transmission, it marks the end of an era. Or not? Maybe is not completely lost. There are manufacturers that have been exploring the idea of ​​developing for some time. transmissions with a virtual manual shift in electric vehicles. Some of the manufacturers that have contributed the most in this direction have been firms like Toyota or Subaruwho seem unwilling to give up one of the driving experiences most valued by motoring enthusiasts (and by many other ordinary people who have driven all their lives). Is the virtual now the authentic? A few days ago, the people at CarBuzz echoed that Subaru had registered a patent in the United States for a fully simulated manual transmission system in electric cars. The design includes both an H-pattern shifter and a clutch pedal, although neither would be mechanically connected to anything. Instead, they use sensors that detect the position of each element and transmit that information to the vehicle’s computer, which adjusts the engine torque according to the selected “gear” and the pressure on the accelerator and clutch. Why is it relevant? Electric cars do without traditional transmissions because their engines deliver 100% of the torque from zero revolutions. This makes the gearboxes unnecessary from a technical point of view, but it also eliminates this element that has been with us forever and that endures as a sign of much more active control of the car. Manufacturers like Toyota and Subaru are convinced that there is a niche market willing to pay to recover that feeling, even if it is artificial. Toyota already has a working prototype. The idea is not new for the group. Toyota has been working on this concept for years and already has an operational prototype based on an electric Lexus UX 300e. According to InsideEVs, which could test it in 2023the experience ends up being surprisingly realistic. At the time, the vehicle featured simulated six-speed shifts, artificial engine sounds, and even replicated the characteristic jerk when shifting gears. In fact, from the middle they counted that the system allowed the car to “stall” if you did not press the clutch correctly and also simulated engine braking when downshifting. Best of all, the prototype allowed these types of functions to be activated and deactivated with a single switch, allowing the driver to choose between manual mode or conventional electric operation. What Subaru has come up with. Subaru’s patent goes a step further in this regard, as it incorporates a “hard start suppression device” that replicates the safety system of traditional manual cars, causing the vehicle to only start if the clutch pedal is fully depressed. Interestingly, the system is designed to activate manual mode by default every time the car is started, regardless of which mode it was left in previously. According to describe CarBuzz, this decision seems to seek to prevent the driver from forgetting which mode they left the vehicle in, although it is striking that manual mode is the default option. The connection between both brands. That Subaru patents a system practically identical to the prototype that Toyota already has running makes perfect sense, since Subaru is part of the Toyota group and collaborates closely with the brand in the development of electric vehicles, as demonstrated by the Subaru Solterra and its sister models. It is possible that the idea of ​​both manufacturers is to develop a sports model that has this type of virtual manual transmission systems. It does not mean that we see this system in all their vehicles, but in those with a more performance focus. More options on the way. Just like account CarBuzz, Hyundai and Kia have also taken the first step with eight-speed simulated transmission systems in models like the Ioniq 5N and the EV6 GT, although without a clutch pedal. On the other hand, Honda also offers eight fake “gears” in the new Prelude. However, none of those mentioned comes close to the level that Toyota or Subaru aspire to achieve with their systems. We will see if commercial models with this system finally arrive and if there is demand for them. Cover image | CHUTTERSNAP In Xataka | You can now bid on the most exclusive Ford GT prototype in history. The only handicap is that you won’t be able to drive it.

The largest clinical trial confirms that it detects more and reduces the radiologist’s burden

by

With the arrival of artificial intelligence, one of the applications was undoubtedly medicinewhich could mark a authentic revolution. Although definitive proof was missing to tell us that it really had real use. And this one just arrived thanks to an article published in The Lancent which has pointed out how AI can help us detect more breast cancers and even reduces those that are much more dangerous. The screening. Unfortunately, in Spain we have in mind, because of how recent it was, the problems with screening programs in Andalusia. And despite this great controversy, this type of screening is very useful and significantly reduces the number of women who end up dying from breast cancer that was not detected in time. But now we want to go a little further with the integration of technology so that fewer tumors escape that to the human eye can escape due to their small size. Interval cancers. Without a doubt, it is the great enemy in radiodiagnosis when we refer to screening mammograms. This term refers to those tumors that are detected between one check-up and the next, and that have different reasons for their appearance. The first reason is that it is a tumor that grows very quickly (and that can be much more malignant) or that was missed in the previous control mammogram due to its small size. And this is a serious problem, since the basis of screening is to detect cancers in the earliest stages where they can respond better to more conservative treatments. The study. The MASAI trial (Mammography Screening with Artificial Intelligence) has shown that the use of AI reduces these cases drastically. And the figures are quite promising, since there was a 12% reduction in cancer rate interval in the two years after the woman was screened. In figures, it went from 1.76 cases per 1,000 women to 1.55 cases. A difference that may be very small in our eyes, but in public health and oncology it is a real success, since reducing by 12% the tumors that usually “escape” is a major clinical advance. Less work. Until now the standard method to analyze these tests focused on a double reading. This means that two radiologists reviewed each mammogram independently to ensure nothing was missed. A security method that is ideal, but that consumes an immense amount of human resources in health systems. That is why with this method a paradigm shift is proposed that is based on intelligent triage and that can be summarized in three different points: The AI ​​initially analyzes the mammogram image and assigns it a risk score from 1 to 10. In the event that it is categorized as low risk, the image is reviewed by a single radiologist to see if it agrees that the image is clean and closes the case. If the risk is high in the mammography, the image does pass the double reading system with AI marking the most suspicious areas where there may be injury. The result. With this new algorithm, the study has aimed at a 44% reduction in the reading letter for professionals, in order to make doctors now focus on the images that are much more doubtful. And no, working less did not mean working worse. On the contrary: the AI ​​arm of the study detected 29% more clinically relevant cancers without increasing the rate of false positives (the great fear of over-diagnosing healthy patients). Complement and not replace. This is something important that the study itself highlights, since they point out that AI has not arrived to fire radiologists. The MASAI method is only a “decision support”, since the AI ​​prioritizes, orders and signals, but the final clinical decision is always that of the doctor and therefore in human hands. With the publication of these final results in The Lancet, The validation cycle of one of the most important tests is closed of the decade in radiology. The next step is no longer asking whether AI works in breast cancer screening, but how long it will take for public health systems to implement it to give radiologists one more tool that allows them to be more precise and methodical. Images | National Cancer Institute In Xataka | A Spanish milestone against pancreatic cancer: we are one step closer to eradicating it but there is still a long way to go

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.