Mobile Tech & Gadgets

In full birth crisis, Japan faces an extra challenge in 2026: a superstition

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Japan is a country with several calendars. The Western, or Gregorian, is common in the Asian country, which also has its own calendar, based on the “Eras”, the reign periods of its emperors. But in the culture of the country there is still the embers of another calendar, the one based on the traditional Chinese calendar. In 2026 we can verify to what extent this embers is still alive in the Japanese archipelago. To understand why we have to go a complete cycle behind, the year 1966. That year Japan experienced A significant phenomenon: a Fall marked in birthan abrupt contrast with the historical series. If in 1965 around 1.82 million children were born, in 1966 the figure was 1.36 million, 25% less, according to Explain Japan Times. The births were immediately recovered: in 1967 they rolled 1.94 million. The collapse in birth can also be seen in the Japanese health ministry data. As explained by the international agency, the fertility rate went from 2.14 in 1965 to 1.58 in 1966, to “bounce” up to 2.23 the following year. The data was not the result of a statistical anomaly or a disaster, neither natural nor created by the human being. We can see this reflected in an increase in induced abortions in the country, which was recorded A study Posted in 1974 in the magazine Annals of Human Biology. It was the fault of a superstition. The year 1966 corresponded (approximately) to the year of the horse of fire in the cycle on which the traditional Chinese calendar is based. The calendar based on the sexagesimal cycle used in some Asian countries relates each of the 60 years of its cycle with one of Twelve animals (which includes the rat, the tiger, the dragon and also the horse), and one of five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water). And what is special for the year Hinoeuma? According to Japanese superstition, women born during the Fire horse year They will kill their husbands or, according to translations, will be at least the cause of the death of their spouses. This would have taken many couples of childbearing age to avoid pregnancy (or even interrupt), at a time when, as Emi Suzuki and Haruna Kashiwase explain in An article For him Data Blog of the World Bank, there was no possibility of a selective abortion depending on sex. Another important detail mentioned in its article is that the phenomenon occurred more marked in rural Japan and not so much in the urban context, which reflects the greatest follow -up that this type of superstitions used to have in the rural world. 60 years of change 60 years is a long time and Japanese society is no longer the one. Will something be repeated again similar in 2026? There are two reasons why it can be suspected that, if the fall in birth rate occurs, this will be of a minor magnitude of experienced in 66. The first reason is in the slightest weight that today has the superstitious in society. Japan lived an abrupt transition series between the end of the EDO era and the present. One of the most vertiginous progress is the one that led a country ravaged by war to become a worldwide technological innovation pole. 1966 It can be seen as a year of transition in this context, 2026 not so much. In any case, the peculiar relationship between Japanese tradition and modernity is often difficult to understand from the western point of view, so it is not convenient to venture into this direction. However, there is another fact that takes us away from that year 1966: 1.15. We said at the beginning that between 1965 and 1966 the Japanese fertility rate went from 2.1 to 1.6. The fall associated with the year Hinoeuma It was punctual and was reversed the following year, but if we looked at the set of the Historical data we see that it is a small detour in a curve with A marked trend: Japan He runs out of birth progressively. According to data from the Japanese Ministry of Health cited by Suzuki and Kashiwasethe Japanese fertility rate was descending throughout the second half of the twentieth century, first quickly and then slower. In 1989 the birth rate would be located again in 1.58 and has not been recovered or expected to do so. It was known as he “shock of 1.57 “ When the rate fell below the year Hinoeuma. Today the rate It is already 1.15. A few years before, in 1987, Japan celebrated a kind of “Fiesta de Quintos”, a celebration in honor of the generation that had turned 20 in the previous months, those born in Hinoeuma. The newspaper The New York Times It echoed of that celebration and superstition that had diminished the generation held that year. Then it seemed clear that the “fifths” of 86 would be the smallest promotion in history, but they would only be for a short time. In Xataka | While the population of Japan sinks irremediably, Tokyo grows. There is an explanation: Ikkyoku Shūchū Image | Evgeny Tchebotarev

A ghost fleet has mapped the entire submarine structure of the EU. The question is what Moscow will do with that information

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In January 2025 United Kingdom He raised his voice At the international level. The British Secretary of Defense, John Healy, explained that a nuclear submarine and two ships from Royal Navy had sighted a spy ship in the waters of the nation, and that it was the second time in just three months. The message did not stay there. The United Kingdom gave a name and a nation behind the incursion: Yantar and Russia. Now it has been discovered that the ship has been doing much more than that. The resurgence of a war. In recent months, NATO’s attention has moved to a less visible but increasingly critical front: the European seabed. The protagonist of this new concern is, again, The Yantara Russian spy ship that, disguised as a civil ship, toured during almost 100 days The waters of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean with an accurate objective: map and monitor the submarine cables on Europe and North America for their digital communications, their financial transactions, their energy and even their most sensitive military systems. We know all this Thanks to the Financial Timesthat after an investigation based on interviews with NATO naval officers and former members of the Russian north fleet, as well as in radar images of the European Space Agency, he has confirmed that the Yantar came to be located on critical cables in the sea of ​​Ireland and in front of Norway, on the strategic route to Svalbard. The role of Gugi. The Yantar operates under the orbit of the GLAVNOYE UPRAVLENIE GLUBOKOVODNIKH ISSLEDOVII (GUGI), the director of Deep Water Research created in the Cold War and known in the West as Military Unit 40056. Based on Olenya Guba, in the Kola Peninsula, this force is located on the border between the Russian Navy and military intelligence (Gru), dedicated less to science than to espionage. Gugi has about 50 platforms (From minisubmarines capable of reaching 6,000 meters deep to nodriza ships such as Yantar), designed to place sensors, manipulate or sabotage cables and, if necessary, destroy strategic infrastructure in a conflict scenario. Despite the blows suffered (such as the submarine fire Losharik in 2019 or the death of its historic boss by Covid), the organization has continued to receive resources Even in full war of Ukraine, which has allowed to commission new spy units. The Yantar The threat in the gray zone. The reactivation of Yantar’s missions Since the end of 2023 Indicates that Moscow has abandoned the initial caution he showed after invading Ukraine. Analysts like Sidharth Kaoushal (Rusi) They point that Russia has measured NATO’s red lines and is now more willing to take risks. The plans detected in the sea of ​​Ireland, where several cables converge that connect the United Kingdom and Ireland, fit into the Russian logic to act in The so -called “Gray Zone”: Operations of covert sabotage that do not equals an open military attack but can destabilize entire societies. In fact, Western Officers They warn That Moscow could, the case, cut energy or communications to force governments to the negotiation, or even alter the temporal signals that travel through the cables, with devastating effects in sectors such as high frequency financial trade. European vulnerability. The United Kingdom obtains the 99% of its communications Digital of submarine cables and three quarters of its gas through underwater pipelines. Ireland, which does not belong to NATO, is a particularly exposed point: cutting its connections would be to isolate it from the continent without directly attacking an allied member. He parliamentary report British of September 19 warned that the country “could not guarantee an attack or recover in an acceptable period,” also criticizing the fragmentation of responsibilities between ministries. In Denmark, the case of explosions of Nord Stream in 2022 evidenced the same bureaucratic dispersion. Although London has assigned the Royal Navy the mission of Protect these infrastructureexperts point out that the lack of anti -submarine frigates and patrol dependence limit the real response capacity. The Atlantic Bastion project. To close that gap, NATO and especially the United Kingdom they consider the creation of “Atlantic Bastion”: A defensive ring of sensors, submarine drones and acoustic stations in the seabed that reinforces the control of the Greenland-Islandia-Rio-Reinian corridor. Although the plan still lacks concrete financing, its need is increasingly evident. In parallel, surveillance ships such as The British proteus They rehearse with autonomous vehicles capable of documenting the activities of the Yantar and other GGI units, with the idea of ​​exhibiting public evidence and generating deterrence. Admiral Gwyn Jenkins, head of the Royal Navy, He warned This month that Gugi, after a period of relative stillness, “is returning.” Silent war. The activity From Yantar It is not an isolated case: between autumn of 2023 and November 2024, eleven Russian ships (military and supposedly civil) held a almost constant presence in British and Irish waters. Allied intelligence services suspect that Moscow already prepares sabotage scenarios against cables as a pressure measure on the countries that arm Ukraine. While until now these operations have been maintained under the threshold of the open confrontation, the possibility of Russia “turning off” the United Kingdom or Aisle Ireland is not a crazy hypothesis. As summarized Excapitan David Fields, former British naval aggregate in Moscow: “Russian military doctrine consists of hitting first, strong and where it hurts most, to prevent the enemy from even getting rid of war.” On that silent board, the Yantar has become the key piece of a underwater chess that threatens to redefine the limits of European security. Image | Defense ImageryAndrey Luzik In Xataka | A British nuclear submarine has discovered a Russian ship in front of its submarine cables. The second time in three months In Xataka | Research on submarine cables cut in the Baltic has taken a turn: it was not Russia, it was inexperience

The man who crossed Africa from coast to coast for the first time in a 4×4

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In 1884, The diverse African continent It was distributed among the European powers as if it were a cake. The Berlin Conference regulated the colonization of Africa and established which country stayed with each portion. Germany stayed with a good piece of the continent and, although it lost everything after the World War Ithere is something that no one can snatch them: having been the first to demonstrate the reliability of the first cars “4×4”. The feat? Simple: Crossing Africa from coast to coast on a trip of about 10,000 kilometers through unknown territories for the car. The adventure begins. The protagonist of this story is called Paul Graetz. He was a German officer who, between 1902 and 1904, served as a lieutenant in German Eastern Africa. After a brief return to his homeland, 1907 returned to Africa with a goal: to find a route between what was German and Africa Africa of the Southwest German (which is currently Tanzania and Namibia) to establish a motorized connection. A direct route between the two territories (each in a different coast) would allow a better economic development and, therefore, a benefit for those German regions. Thus, he got to work to devise a route that was from Dar-Es-Salam (Tanzania) to Swakopmund (Namibia). It would not be easy, since it would be necessary to cross mountains, deserts, jungles, savannas and rivers in an unexplored territory for the car. All this, obviously, without having roads or roads. Basically, he would make his way. The problem was, evidently, the car itself. The car. It was the first challenge of the trip because, if it would be something complicated for the best 4×4 current, for a great -grandfather of 1907, imagine. That is why he did not use a conventional car, but one made “custom”. Graetz began to contact several companies and-heard air-it was the Süddeutsche Automobil-Fabrik Gaggenau who accepted the challenge. They only existed from 1905 to 1910 and subsequently became part of Benz & Cie (which, in turn, became Daimler-Benz Agbetter known as Mercedes-Benz), and what they did was to modify one of their numerous models for the conditions it would find in Africa. Chassis made to measure with an elevation of 35 centimeters on the standard of the time to circulate through complicated territories. The elevation was achieved with wooden blocks. A four -cylinder engine and a power of 35 hp. Two gas tanks for long marches: one 250 liters in the rear and another forward with another 125/145 liters. “Mortital” and reinforced body to transport heavy loads. Wooden wheels, eye, with a diameter of 1,120 mm and a width of 120 mm. The wood for certain components may seem a barrabasada, but it was the technology of the time. It had a large storage capacity due to size, the interior could be transformed into a bedroom (with mosquito net and everything) and had oil lamps to drive in the dark. Issues. We cannot say that Süddeutsche Automobil-Fabrik Gaggenau did not give Gracez a good ‘car’, but the problems would soon appear. The expedition (basically, Graetz) departed on August 10, 1907. The tests for the car had been done in Germany, so both the driver and the vehicle would enter ‘Terra Incognita’. The rain was a problem and forced to improvise a metal reinforcement (the first wheels with chain), remained stuck in dunes, gasoline evaporated and even had to wear the car by boat during a section of Lake Tanganika. The worst was mechanics. The one of Graetz the only one in colonial Germany and a rare Avis in thousands of kilometers around the engine so, when the engine had a breakdown, he was forced to wait three months for the spare parts to arrive. In addition, there were no mechanics, so they learned on the march to repair it. It is believed that it has a C15 “Gut Gemacht, Graetz”As it may be, about 630 days later and With about 10,000 kilometers on the counterthe German explorer and his car managed to reach Swakopmund. It was on May 1, 1909 and Kaisewr Guillermo II himself congratulated him with a telegram that was not too effusive. “Gut Gemacht, Graetz”, which becomes a “good job, Graetz.” In that congratulation I should have included the hundreds of collaborators that the explorer had during his journey, but we already know how these things are going. History. The feat was followed by the press and was seen as an example of the industrial and power advances of the new engines and vehicles against nature. Currently, that first 4×4, that deeply modified vehicle that allowed an adventurer to cross Africa from coast to coast more than a century ago, is a piece of a museum and a reminder that, perhaps, was the first Road Trip of history. The bug of exploration was still within Graetz and only one year later, in 1911, he launched A second expedition with the aim of traveling the Bangweulusee river from Mozambique to the Atlantic in a motor boat of more than eight meters. On this occasion, he took a filmmaker with him that he captured some images, but after an attack of a buffalo, the filmmaker died and Graetz was seriously injured. The images were considered ‘Lost Media’ for almost a century, but in 2007 they were found in the basement of the Gracez’s own house, and part are the ones you can see just about this paragraph. It is clear that explorer is born, it is not done, and since everything has to be capitalized, There are tours to emulate the route of the German explorer. Images | Mercedes-Benz, Paul Graetz In Xatala | The US needed to confuse the Nazis in World War II. So it deployed airplanes and lie tanks

While the world desperately seeks rare earth, China has an overwhelming advantage: it’s called Wem

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It seems clear that it has begun A race On the planet: the search for Rare earths and the essential critical minerals for many of the sectors that mark the geopolitical agenda. The problem for 99.9% of nations is the same: when they seem to have reached a deposit there are already A Chinese flag. What is not usually explained so much is how Beijing does. The miliar origin. Deep in the mountains of center of China extends A monumental installation that transforms both the landscape and the global competition for strategic resources. It is a gigantic antenna of 500 kilowatts, with lines that are deployed over 80 and 120 kilometers, originally conceived to maintain communication with underwater underwater. This electromagnetic colossus, whose extension exceeds in five times the New York surfacehas been converted into a decisive instrument for the exploration of critical minerals, projecting signals capable of penetrating kilometers in the earth’s crust and revealing deposits that previously remained out of human reach. What began as a military project has become a Scientific and Technological Weapon which gives Beijing a remarkable advantage in the race for the resources that will define the future of energy and industry. Electromagnetic exploration. A study of the China Geological Survey (CGS), published in the Geophysical & Geochemical Exploration magazine, has detailed how the country has managed to monopolize Electromagnetic systems of ultra-high power. All platforms that exceed 100 kW are in Chinese territory, while the most powerful tool in the United States barely reaches 30 kW. The difference is not trivial: this technological leap has allowed Chinese geologists to discover in recent years sites of historical magnitude, such as the Greater gold deposit of the world, reserves Lithium ultra-extends and uranium veins in depths Never achieved. The research led by Chen Hui and his team affirms That these innovations consolidate China’s world position in electromagnetic exploration theory and technology, placing it far ahead of any western competitor. The challenge. As the superficial deposits of copper, lithium, cobalt and rare earths are exhausted, the exploration has moved to what geologists call The “Second Mineral Space”: An underground strip that extends between 500 and 2,000 meters deep. In this environment, the signs issued by mineral bodies are extremely weak and are usually buried under the cultural noise generated by electricity lines, urban infrastructure and extractive operations. The Chinese response has been to redefine the scale of prospecting: multiply the transmission power by above 100 kWflooding the subsoil with signs capable of crossing interference and reaching depths of up to 3,000 meters with unprecedented clarity. Advances in the subsoil cartography. The jump is not limited to power. While conventional techniques relied on two -dimensional models not suitable for complex structures, Chinese systems use Sensors distributed networks and multidirectional field sources that allow a real three -dimensional image of the subsoil. In the Jiama copper mine, in the Tibet, a controlled audio-magnetothelúrica tensorial study (CSAMT) reached unpublished resolutions at more than 3,000 meters, subsequently confirmed with drilling nuclei. These results They far exceeded to the Magnetotheluric of Natural Source, usually ineffective in saturated noise environments. The methods. One of the most prominent advances is the Electromagnetic method wide field, developed by Professor He Jishan, which allows you to obtain reliable data even in the so -called “nearby field zone”, where the records were not very useful. At the same time, the time-frequency electromagnetic systems are expanding the available information by measuring not only the resistance of the materials, but also its polarization and permeabilityessential parameters to distinguish between different types of deposits. The Wem project. And so we reach the clearest symbol of this ambition: The Wem project (Wireless Electromagnetic Method), whose colossal structure crosses China’s heart with two antenna lines arranged almost at right angles. This system, which began as a naval communication tool, has become the First electromagnetic transmitter of continental scale used in the prospecting of resources. In a national test carried out in 2023its signs were detected from Tibet to Interior Mongolia and Guangdong, more than 2,000 kilometers away. In the area of ​​Xiong’an there were magnetic fields up to seven times higher than the natural background noise, an unequivocal demonstration of the system’s capacity to impose itself on the most complex interference. Strategic advantage. In other words, with these Beijing technologies It is placed at the head of the struggle for the essential mineral resources for the energy transition and the green technologies: lithium for batteries, cobalt for high resistance alloys and rare earths essential in modern electronics. In contrast, most Western countries lack comparable systems and, except Russia, almost none use ultra-high power instruments in terrestrial prospecting. Even the most powerful teams manufactured in the West have been designed at China, which underlines the existing technological dependence. A new geopolitical board. China’s ability to identify deep deposits quickly Not only is it a scientific advantage, but also strategic. Control over technology and data places Beijing in a position to mark the rhythm of the discovery of resources in the coming decades. If you want, in a context where the energy transition redefines the global value chains, who controls access to lithium, cobalt and rare earth will control much of the industrial future. With the deployment of Giant antennas and electromagnetic systems Of unpublished power, China is making it clear that it does not intend to participate in the race: its goal is to win it. Image | Ilo Asia-Pacific, Herry Lawford, Terence Wright In Xataka | The great covered in the War of Critical Minerals is Tungsten. The US needs it and 83% have it China In Xataka | In 1978 Chinese engineers visited two key US companies. On his return an empire began: the rare earths

Its technology is that of the botijo

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Three of the ten hottest days of the last 75 years in Spain We suffer this summer. August was Extremely warm and The Mediterranean is a “pressure pot”. These conditions They involve greater use of air conditioningbut it is not a restricted phenomenon to Spain: the number of heat days also increases in other countries. Urgent changes in the materials with which we buildand a couple of Swedish designers have taken a brick capable of lowering the temperature around them. It is called Bloc, and the best of all is that it uses the same technology as a botijo. 3D printed terracotta. Luc Schweizer and Andrin Stocker are members of the Higher School of the Arts of Zurich –ZHDK– They had an idea: convert certain points of the cities into “cold” places. Do in public space is complex because depending on the air-conditioning It is not a very viable option, and trees cannot do all the work either. They occurred to them something better: combine in a terracotta brick both a wind tunnel and a water tank. The promise is that the temperature of the space can lower around it by about nine degrees, and the most amazing thing is that it can achieve it with a combination of solar energy and Evaporation cooling. Botijo ​​technology. All this botijo ​​looks like a joke, But it is not. This clay gadget It has a very simple operation To keep the water fresh inside: it is filtered through the pores of the walls of the botijo ​​and, by contrast to the exterior, evaporates. Evaporate water takes part in the thermal energy of water, so the remaining liquid is maintained at a fresher temperature. As They affirm Those responsible, “is a low technology modular cooling system that uses evaporation cooling to reduce air temperature.” The operation is identical to that of the botijo, thanks to the fact that porous ceramic bricks absorb the water and it evaporates abroad, but with a nuance: they have added a fan. This fan drives the air through the wind tunnel that form the bricks and the cooler air goes abroad, cooling the most immediate space to the structure. To make it more sustainable, structures have Solar panels which are the ones that feed the fan. Modular. Within each brick there is a small water tank, which the equipment estimates that it would have to be filled with both rainwater collection naturally by the ‘device’ design and with water from municipal services. It would be the largest stumbling block, because otherwise, they claim that it is totally modular and the structures can grow freely both in height and in width. Apart from A kind of umbrellas With banks around them, they can be used to create refrigerated marques or cooler bus stops. Next steps. Before launching the bells on the fly, as is usually the case in these cases, it is a mere project. Both are already creating a 1: 1 scale prototype to test it in a real urban environment and evaluate long -term performance, but see applications like this in the streets around the world will not be immediate. They also comment that, apart from their outdoor use, other applications can be explored, such as integrate them into the facade of a building to cool large interior spaces such as exhibition rooms. Is not so unique. As a curiosity, in India they are already testing something very similar: clay flutes with this same technology They are able to lower the temperature of exterior and interior spaces between six and fifteen degrees, but that have the same problem: or have water … or do not work. Bloc, specifically, needs about 50 liters of water in hot days. Apart from whether or not these innovations end up applying, it is interesting to see How millenary technology is the touchstone for current problems. And how we keep looking again and again at the materials and to the bricks of the past. Images | ZHDK In Xataka | We have centuries using terracotta bricks. Now this company has reinvented them to achieve more efficient houses

The “best mechanic in Spain” says that Low Cost gasoline is of worse quality than the premium. Reality is much more complex

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In the long term, fuel Low Cost “It can cause breakdowns.” We do not say it, says Carlos Pérez, recognized as “best mechanic in Spain” in an interview with Canal Moveo de The avant -garde. And we don’t give it because, simply, there is no reasons to say it. In fact, Carlos Pérez himself emphasizes that “all gasoline ultimately come from the same wholesale suppliers.” So what happens? Who. As we say, one of the spaces that The avant -garde He dedicates to the mobility sector has interviewed Carlos Pérez, known on the Internet as “the best mechanic in Spain.” The title is no invention, among the different awards he has obtained we find the one delivered by The workshop community who are focused on communication within the post -sales market. Since then, Pérez has granted various interviews to different media in which he has been explained about What are the most reliable brandswhat are they the car models that recommend Or, simply, which is the best gasoline to use. Yes, but. And here comes the controversy. In his statements about gasoline to use, Carlos Pérez assured the following to The avant -garde: “Although all gasoline ultimately come from the same wholesale suppliers, the differences are in the additives that each company incorporates. These additives are those that help to keep the feeding system clean and prevent the accumulation of waste in the engine, which can affect the performance and durability of the vehicle. The price can be tempting, but in the long term, the use of fuel That supposes in repairs “ That is, a Yes, but in full rule. According to Pérez, there should be no reason to distrust the cheapest fuels but in the long run “it can cause breakdowns and greater engine wear.” Obviously, the price would not compensate for the expense and headaches of the breakdowns. Same origin. The truth is that in Spain there should be no differences between refuel Low Cost or supposed fuel Premium. Because deep down, the fuel is exactly the same. And this is not much less. In Xataka We already played this topic in 2015. Then we explained that the origin of both fuels is the same: CLH or hydrocarbon logistics company that In 2021 he changed his name to exolum. This receives the fuel from the refineries that are distributed by Spain in the hands of BP, Cepsa Moeve or repsol. This fuel already arrives with quality standards that guarantee a good product. This fuel is maintained in the exolum facilities until it is distributed by the service stations. It is here where the difference between products occurs: additives yes or additives no. The additives. To begin with, the exolum itself already has His own additives (HQ300) For part of the fuel it stores. It is the responsibility of the Marketing in charge of fuel with additives or without them. Obviously, this second is cheaper. What is an additive thinking? In theoryto improve long -term engine and vehicle care. Companies Premium Do you sell that their formulas manage to leave less remains in the engines or allow more kilometers with the same amount of fuel. And is there scientific evidence? Really, none. At least that is what Carles Fité, Professor of Chemical Engineering, and Rodrigo Soto, chemical engineering reader, who asked about this same matter, pointed out that “all are equal. I see no difference at this level of analysis.” According to their samples, “they basically contain the same compounds and in the same proportions. Everything comes out very very the same”, in words collected by The confidential. Nor have they found substantial differences in the OCU. In fact, they point out that we are talking more about blind confidence in the effects of additives than on realistic checks: “The effects of additives on engines and gasoline consumption do not seem very verifiable. (…) Prove that an additive lengthens engine life is very difficult, because there is no way to determine how much that same engine would have lasted if that gasoline had not used.” And the secret? The secret is called the economy of scale. Simply, there are two types of business when we talk about service stations. The gas stations Low Cost They can save the customer money because they themselves They already save money on operational costs Of their businesses: they do not usually have employees, they do not invest in R&D to improve those fuels and do not invest in advertising, trusting in the mouth-oreja. On the contrary, gasoline stations Premium They base their business on those additives that generate confidence in the client. But also In formulas to catch you in the following purchase such as loyalty cards or stores that orbit around the suppliers. Also in their Agreements with other companies as insurance companies or large supermarkets. Scams and maintenance. In summary, the quality of the repossed product has much more to do with the maintenance of the service station (which is renewed regularly and does not spend too much time in deposits, for example) and, above all, with complying with the minimum quality standards. The latter should be an endorsement when we repost in Spanish gas stations, however, in recent months the SERVICE STATION SHOWS They have used worse quality fuel and took advantage of great sales at very low prices to subsequently scam the State in the presentation of the VAT tax. This has generated a worse image to the product Low Cost. Photo | BALLENOIL AND BP In Xataka | Diesel or gasoline: what are the differences and which one is better to buy according to your use

Ryanair has put the Spanish province airports in check. Fortunately for them, there is a thing called “capitalism”

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Spanish airports are living a tremendous snake in recent months, and the absolute protagonist is Ryanair. The Irish airline has been using smaller airports for months, such as negotiating weapon in battle against airport ratesthreatening to leave them lying if their conditions were not met. Threatened … and fulfilled, being Valladolid’s one of the most affected airports. But there Where Ryanair closedother companies have seen a chance. And, as the Minister of Transportation says: “To dead king, king on.” What’s happening. AENA is the public company that is responsible for the management of airports in Spain. A few months ago he announced that, as of March 2026, it would increase airport rates by 6.5%. This implies that the maximum entrance per traveler will go from 10.35 euros to 11.03 euros, a rise of 68 cents. The reaction Ryanair was … sound, so to speak. Through several very public profiles, including that of its controversial CEO, Michael O’LearyThe company described the increase as unjustified, stating that regional airports would be less competitive against other European destinations. In general, the defense of Ryanair is based on affirming that Aena acts as a monopoly when the benefits of travelers and regional connectivity are put. Affected. The manager justifies the climb to the need to face a Investment Plan of about 13,000 million euros with the aim of modernizing the network in the coming years before an expected increase in demand. All this led to the president of AENA and the Ministry of Transportation accused Ryanair of being blackmailing the country. Also accuses To the company to use that increase in rates as an excuse to stop operating in regional airports, moving to the “airports in which they can set higher prices in their tickets to earn more money”. In fact, a pulse can be allowed like this. Ryanair’s response? Trim a Million places Facing the Christmas campaign of this 2025 through the cessation of operations in those regional airports in which the airline was the main mode of connection with other airports. The most affectedin addition to Valladolid, Son Vigo or Santiago de Compostela, but also Tenerife Norte, Asturias, Santander, Zaragoza, Jerez or Vitoria. airport Capacity cuts for winter 2025 & 2026 Santiago Base closure (two less aircraft, 80% less capacity) sherry Closing Valladolid Closing Tenerife Norte Closing Vigo Closing Santander -38% Saragossa Closing Asturias -16% Vitoria -2% Canary Islands -10% Dead king, king. The truth is that Ryanair is one of the most powerful companies at European level, especially in these smaller airports, since its model is the one that allows connections between cities that other companies do not cover. However, his withdrawal of some Spanish airports is not something that worries one of the protagonists of this story: the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility. Óscar Puente defended A few days ago, Ryanair’s march would be compensated with the arrival of other companies. The minister argued that “no company will condition airport policy with threats, underlining That “to dead king, king placed”, and it seems that those new ‘kings’ are already appearing their heads. To attack. It was the bridge itself who announced that airlines as Vueling would “immediately” cover the routes abandoned by Ryanair for this winter, ensuring that he has worked in negotiations with both vs. with other companies to fill that void left by the Irish company. Vueling will reinforce its presence in Santiago and Tenerife Norte, but it is not the only company that has seen an opportunity in this situation. Iberia Express or Wizz Air They also work to cover part of the routes operated by Ryanair. Specifically, from Independent comment which turning will increase its capacity by 15% in Santiago (reaching 578,000 seats) and 11% in Tenerife Norte (900,000 seats). Wizz Air, meanwhile, will open 40 additional routes until March 2026. Another of those who I could enter the game It is volotea, an airline that is focused on connecting small and medium cities that has already collected the Guante of Ryanair’s abandonment of French airports. Because this struggle of Ryanair against rates are also having it in parallel in France. And the train? Of course, Ryanair has put the increase in rates in the center of the debate, but there is something that has been forged in recent years: the expansion of high speed. A few weeks ago we already commented that that of Santiago and Vigo, airports in which the Irish has closed operations, are two cities to which The arrival of high speed is especially affecting. In Asturias There are still complicationsbut new sections are planned that will allow the train to fight the plane soon. And in Zaragoza not only Renfe operates: Ouigo and Iro They joined not so much. Now, where the train is not an option is in the Canary Islands, where Ryanair will reduce 400,000 places in winter, canceling 36 connections. There will be companies such as Vueling, Iberia Express or Binter who will have to demonstrate whether they can operate without travelers missing Ryanair. This next winter will be the fire test. In the end, Ryanair has been able to blackmail Aena (and other European organizations) to some extent, since if he leaves his routes, due to competition, there are other companies that are looking forward to occupying their place. Images | Ryanair, Robot8a In Xataka | In its extreme obsession with hand luggage, Ryanair has created a new and explicit product: “Backpacks to travel with Ryanair”

Two mobile lines, football and fiber for 45 euros per month

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Since LaLiga’s new season has begun, it is not surprising that many want to see all the games. For them, Movistar He has launched (again) one of his most aggressive campaigns. Now offers football, fiber and two mobile lines for alone 45 euros per month. With this promotion, you can access the following services From Movistar: Two 5g+ mobile lines: The first with unlimited calls and 60 GB of data. High school with 5 GB and calls to 0 cents/minute, paying the call establishment. Optical fiber: 600 Mbps and with Router Smart Wifi 6 included. All football: Includes LaLiga EA Sports, Liga Hypermotion, UEFA Champions League and all competitions available in Movistar Plus+. Television: More than 80 Movistar Plus+channels. Cinema and series: With the “total fiction” package you will have subscriptions to Apple TV+, Max and Skyshowtime. Of course, this promotion It is not available for everyone. Basically, it has been launched to capture customers from other operators. You can check on your website if you can host this offer. You may also interest you to hire Movistar Plus+ Solo On the other hand, if you do not want to hire the entire package, Movistar also has its streaming platform Movistar Plus+. Specifically, you have two plans available: monthly, for 9.99 euros per month or annual, paying 99.90 euros In a single quota, saving you two months. Subscription to Movistar Plus+ The price could vary. We obtain commission for these links Subscription to Movistar Plus+ The price could vary. We obtain commission for these links But what can you see in Movistar Plus+? This is the content that the platform offers: Series: ‘Poquita Fe’, ‘La Hunta’ or ‘Outlander’ are some of the available titles. Cinema: You will have some titles available as ‘Conconclave’, ‘La Infiltrada’, ‘Jury Nº2’, ‘Sirrat’ or ‘The casePlón’. Sports: Soccer, basketball, rugby, tennis and more are available. Infant: You will have access to channels such as Clan, Dreamworks, Nickelodeon, Disney Jr. or Babytv. Documentaries: Biographies of great characters, environment, history and more. 10 new titles are released every month. Some of the links of this article are affiliated and can report a benefit to Xataka. In case of non -availability, offers may vary. Images | Movistar Plus+ In Xataka | Where to see LaLiga EA Sports 25/26, the First Division in this next season In Xataka | Disney+ comparative, Netflix, HBO, Prime Video, Movistar+ Lite, Filmin, Apple TV and Rakute TV: Catalog, Functions and Prices

stop desertification in China

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China has found an ingenious way to give a second life to the giants who once dominated their energy landscape. The pales of the wind turbines, who begin to retire after 20 or 25 years of service, are becoming more than a difficult product to recycle: they now serve to stop an enemy that advances silently, desertification. A barrier against the sand. Researchers at Research Station of Gobi Desert Ecology and Environment, Under the Chinese Academy of SciencesThey have found a way to transform the old blades of wind turbines into porous barriers against the sand. It is a solution that takes advantage of the geographical coincidence: many of the wind farms of western China are installed in arid or semi -desert regions, just where the control of the desert progress is most lacking. A quite simple process. The turbines are cut, pierce and process until they are made into porous structures. The wind can cross them, but in a controlled way: enough to catch the sand and alter its flow. In laboratory tests They showed that these barriers They are 14 times more resistant than composite wooden boards and that support ultraviolet radiation, extreme heat and constant abrasion of the sand. After that, the experiments in wind tunnels and computer simulations They confirmed that they reduce Significantly the transport of sand at ground level. Unlike traditional methods – like straw or cane barriers, which decompose quickly – new structures are designed to resist for years in extreme conditions. A double benefit. The value of this innovation goes far beyond engineering. The new barriers offer entire communities a more stable protection in front of sand storms that destroy oasis and crops. The clearest example is Dunhuang, in the province of Gansu, which located on the edge of the Kumtag desert, just 4.5% of its surface is covered by Oasis, and its famous cultural treasures – like Mogao’s caves— They have been threatened by the sand for decades. For its part, the project responds to a more urgent need: the massive recycling of wind blades. According to China Dailyduring the 14th five-year plan (2021-2025) is expected to withdraw more than 1.2 million kilowatts of wind capacity and in the following plan (2026-2030), the figure could reach 10 million kW per year. This volume of waste poses an environmental problem, but also an opportunity to transform them into useful resources there where they occur. Looking for solutions before the residue. The challenge now is to climb the technology. Field trials They continue to adapt it To different climates and deserts, and the potential is enormous: convert an awkward residue into a key environmental management tool. China, that already leads the world renewable capacityshows with projects like this how its strategy goes beyond installing panels and mills: it is about closing the circle, taking advantage of waste and, incidentally, protecting fragile territories against desertification. The energy transition not only produces electricity: it can also rewrite the landscape. Image | Pexels Xataka | He was deported to China after co -founding NASA’s JPL. Now China has made one of his ideas come true: flying wind turbines

When in 1907 a doctor tried to demonstrate the existence of the soul using a scale

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When We are going to bedthe brain Beast begins to work. It is when we review the day, We can think of great ideas that we do not point and ask ourselves questions of all kinds that We do not usually remember the next morning. Duncan Macdougall did remember what may be asked just before sleeping: How much does the human soul weigh? The concept of soul It is complicated, since there are those who see it as an intrinsic element to the body, but also something that fades “when we die. Macdougall, a doctor from Haverhill, Massachusetts, had to say “science is not done alone” and got to work to test a hypothesis. What hypothesis? That, if the soul exists and is inside the body, it must have a weight. His theory was that, if at the time of death the soul escapes our body, it could measure its weight. And he got to the work of the most handmade work possible. Also of the least scientific. Science is not done alone, you have to do it He is romantic, almost tender, now think about his reasoning. But he had all the logic of the world to respond to something so complex: at the time of death, there should be a detectable loss of weight because the soul abandons the body. As if the soul were the “pilot” who jumps from the plane before crashing. To test his theory, Macdougall built a fairly special scale: a bed mounted on a weight capable of detecting differences of up to five grams. His plan was not very ethical, but all for the sake of science and to try something so important: place dying patients on top of the scale and monitor weight changes just before and after death. It took his thing. Between 1901 and 1907, Macdougall conducted this experiment with six terminal patients. Four of them had tuberculous, one was diabetic and the other had no specified causes. They were chosen conscientiously and should be people who had conditions that depleted them mentally. They had to move as little as possible when they died so that the measurement was more precise. Macdougall was pending at all times of those final moments of the patients and, when he detected that one was about to die, he placed the bed on the scale and made the measurements. And the results soon arrived. According to the doctor, the first patient lost, exactly, 21,26 grams just after exhalation. It is the most famous case and the one that gave name to the experiment. The second patient also lost weight, but the amount was not recorded correctly. And with the other four … Things were even more complicated: the technical problems when registering the weight appeared for two other records, another showed a gradual loss (he died with his mouth open and Macdougall said it could be air) and another showed no changes. For any scientific eye, the success of the experiment would have been very questionable, but the doctor clung to those 21 grams of the first death to affirm that this was what weighed the soul. In fact, he did not stay at Anecdote: he published a study in the magazine American Medicine with the title “Hypothesis Concering Soul Substance Together With Experimental Evidence of the Existence of Such Substance”, although before it had already appeared in the New York Times. With animals, MacDougall went from thread Although MacDougall ‘chained’ that data, in his internal jurisdiction he should know that he needed another control group. If it had taken six years to weigh six dying, I could not “waste” more time, so he tried to try his theory with animals. There was some red flag in all this. The New York Times article published before the scientific article To begin with, Macdougall was convinced that humans had a soul, something that animals lacked. He had already observed “problems” when measuring the weight of the human soul, so everything that was a scale without measurement changes in the case of animals, he would take it as confirmation that, indeed, animals had no soul. The experiment was already conditioned and Macdougall ended up measuring the weight of a fortnight of dogs. The researcher wanted to use sick or dying dogs to prove his thesis, but did not find enough and There are those who point that, directly, poisoned healthy dogs. Scientific community with the lifted eyebrow The doctor’s results were not long in causing a stir and there was another doctor who considered the experiment a hoax. Augustus P. Clarke argument That everything was easily refatible from the medical point of view: when we are in that situation, the lungs stop cooling the blood, the body temperature increases and the skin sweats. And in the case of animals, as they do not have sweat glands, because they do not lose weight after death. Macdougall did not convince and starred in a ‘Beef’ in medical magazines for a few months. Over time, other scientists joined the MacDougall Experiment Discrediting process, being a clear case of rejection by the scientific community both for the methods and for the “fraud” when obtaining the results. Apart from randomness, One of the criticism is that six cases do not represent a reliable sample. In fact, in A subsequent investigation With sheep, lambs and rams, it was observed that, indeed, the weight varied after death, but they did not lose it: they won it. Specifically, from 18 to 780 grams that they won at the time of death, but that over time lost to recover the initial weight. However, it is undeniable that Duncan went down in history. Not for what I would have liked, be that person who showed that the human soul had a weightbut as an example of Selective informationhow to use a vague fact to affirm a preconceived idea. Also by that scientific spirit that, although poorly applied, tried to use evidence to measure something as … Read more

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