fry them with taxes so they pay for maintenance

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we have been counting over the last year: Japan has broken all its visitor arrival records while visibly suffering from the saturation effects tour. The nation’s response has begun in Kyoto in an emblematic way: if they cannot prevent the hordes, the government has thought that they will at least help the social, physical and management costs that their massive presence is generating. A boom that doesn’t fit. Foreign arrivals exceed 30 million in the first nine months of 2025, with a monthly record each month of the year and 3.26 million tourists in September, driving sustained pressure on fragile cities like Kyoto and iconic enclaves like mount fujiwhere “human density” produces mountain traffic jams, waste and safety risks. The demand overwhelms infrastructure and forces us to postpone usual activities (from schools that avoid tripseven the restriction of streets in neighborhoods like Gion) because tourist use is displacing basic civic uses and altering the balance between residents and visitors. The highest tax. The solution? The government has authorized Kyoto to charge from March 2026 to 10,000 yen per person per night in luxury hotels (well above the previous cap of 1,000 yen) within a tiered system that preserves low rates for budget travelers and shifts the burden to higher-income segments. The measure will double municipal income from accommodation from 5.2 to 12.6 billion yen and it is expressly presented as the obligation for tourists to “bear part of the cost of the countermeasures” instead of financing the adjustment only with local taxes. For the luxury traveler, the extra cost is marginal compared to the price of the trip, but for the city it constitutes a stable flow that turns tourist pressure into resource to govern it. From deterrence to sustainability engineering. The funds are intended for reinforce breaking points of the urban system: expanding fleets and transportation corridors to redistribute flows, fund multilingual services, etiquette and behavior control campaigns, and nurture a broader effort to preserve the cultural landscape that makes Kyoto attractive. The city, in fact, already applies disciplinary measures (street fines private Gion, selective closures, explicit signs that it is not “a theme park”) but needs to finance the long-term resilience of that coexistence. The logic is not so much to punish demand but to convert it into an investment in what should not be broken. The Asian laboratory. In reality, what is happening in Kyoto is not a local oddity but a preview of what the communities already face (or will face). global tourism capitals when the growth stop creating well-being net and begins to destroy it: congestion that degrades urban life, social resentment, residential displacementdeterioration of in situ assets and fiscal governance overwhelmed by a phenomenon whose elasticity of demand is much greater than its elasticity of burden. Japan, when encoding a explicit fiscal response (not to expel tourists but to force financial co-responsibility) is setting a regulatory precedent for other cities trapped in the same paradox: tourism cannot continue to be financed by those who suffer from it, it must be financed by those who cause it, or it will end up eroding the asset that justifies its own existence. The paradox of success. In short, the tourism boom persists (21.5 million visitors in the first half of 2025 and 56 million visitors to Kyoto in 2024) with signs that demand will not subside on its own. Hence, the tax does not seek to discourage but rather correct imbalances. A shift that recognizes a structural point: in mature destinations, tourism stops being a kind of “net gift” and becomes an activity that must pay for the maintenance of the urban ecosystem it consumes so as not to destroy it. Image | Pexels In Xataka | Japan has found the three most serious problems with the massive arrival of tourists. And none of it has to do with tourists. In Xataka | In Japan, tourism has become a problem. So they had an idea: give flights to foreigners

falsify expense notes and make money with them

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Artificial intelligence is becoming a real headache for the accounting departments of many companies, and not precisely because of the automation of tasks that it requires. can leave you without work. Now, the big threat comes from an unexpected source: the ease with which fake expense receipts can be generated thanks to the skills of generate images hyperrealistic with AI. AI at the service of fraud. Until recently, expense fraud was concentrated in already known areas: small traps in subsistence, transportation or purchase receipts that employees presented for reimbursement. However, as highlighted by a published article in it Financial Timesthe number of refund requests based on falsified receipts has increased dramatically in recent months. As detailed in the analysis From AppZen, since OpenAI launched ChatGPT and Google launched its Gemini with image generative AI, expense receipt fraud has increased by 14%. The problem is not that they have increased since then, but that they have improved their quality so much that each time it is more difficult to detect them. “These receipts have gotten so good that we tell our customers, ‘don’t trust your eyes,’” Chris Juneau, senior vice president and director of product marketing at SAP Concur, told Financial Times. Indistinguishable receipts. As they practically showed on the podcast The Accounting Podcastgenerating receipts for fraudulent expenses that can pass as authentic, is within anyone’s reach. It’s not even necessary be a paying user from ChatGPT or Gemini. With just a handful of commands entered with a natural language In ChatGPT, the ticket obtained would fit perfectly as one of the thousands of receipts for food or transportation expenses that companies process daily. AI to detect AI. It may seem that the problem of counterfeit tickets is a minor problem because they involve relatively small amounts. However, the average economic loss from false receipt fraud in the US is $133,000 on average, according to a survey prepared by Medius in 2024 to senior financial executives. The expansion of this type of financial fraud has reached the ears of OpenAI, one of the main generators of these receipts, has taken letters in the subject including metadata in your images to identify that it is AI-generated content. This has allowed fintech companies like Ramp to develop AI-based tools that analyze the metadata of this type of receipts to stop fraud. The fintech claimed that with this software it had detected false receipts worth one million dollars in just 90 days. The law is made, the trap is made. Faced with this movement to detect fraudulent receipts through metadata, “cheating” employees have also chosen to refine their techniques using more ingenuity: take a photo of the receipt generated by AI and attach it as a receipt, just as you would do as a real receipt. That way, the image no longer includes the AI ​​agent’s metadata, returning to square one. “It will be a continuous arms race. We just have to stay ahead,” he said. in statements to Bloomberg Karim Atiyeh, co-founder and CTO of Ramp. Spending patterns. In response to this new strategy, AI uses what it does best: analyze patterns. These expense receipt “verifier” agents take into account the context in which these receipts could have been generated if they were authentic (travel schedules, date coincidences, repetition of names, etc.). Based on this data, the system determines whether the receipt is false or not, without needing to verify the metadata. “Technology can analyze everything in such detail, so much so that humans, after a while, miss things; they are human,” he assured the Financial Times Calvin Lee, Senior Director of Product Management at Ramp In Xataka | 81% of interviewers suspected AI cheating in interviews: 31% confirmed it without a doubt and put a stop to it Image | Gemini

Last hours to vote for your favorites in the Xataka NordVPN 2025 Awards

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Last hours to vote for your favorite products in the Xataka NordVPN Awards 2025! You still have time to cast your votes in as many categories as you want, but remember that voting will close today, October 27, at 11:59 p.m.. Below we leave you the links so that you can quickly access all the forms, but not before reminding you that You can now get your ticket for the gala. The winners will be revealed on November 20 at the Capitol Cinemas in Madrid, so if you want to experience the gala first-hand you can get your ticket filling out this form (We will close registration when capacity is reached, so hurry!). Vote in the Xataka NordVPN 2025 Awards Best mobiles – All forms to vote, here Best tablet and smartwatch – All forms to vote, here Best computers and accessories – All forms to vote, here Best TVs and sound devices – All forms to vote, here Best connected devices in the home – All forms to vote, here Best electric car and technological hybrid car – All forms to vote, here Best video game and series/movie – All forms to vote, here and here Best generative artificial intelligence tool – All forms to vote, here For the voting system we use Google Forms, so in order to send your vote you need to be logged in to your Gmail (or Google) account in the browser, whether desktop or mobile, so that each reader can cast their vote. Thank you. NordVPN offers you a fast and stable connection thanks to your more than 6,300 servers in more than 110 countries. Enjoy advanced cybersecurity tools with Threat Protection Pro™, securely access your streaming platforms favorites wherever you are and enjoy the best offers on flights and hotels. Advice offered by the brand How voting works The mechanics of the Xataka NordVPN Awards 2025 are the same as in previous editions. It is divided into three phases: Public vote: Over the next few days we will be publishing articles with our categories and the candidates selected by the Xataka team so that you, our xatakeros, can vote for your favorites. Jury vote: With the finalists that the public has chosen, the Xataka jury and other technology experts will vote for those who are, in their view, the best devices. Choice of winners: The jury’s votes will be combined with those of the public to choose the winners, who will be announced on November 19. The selected candidates are devices that They have gone on sale in 2025 or will do so with a confirmed date before the end of the year. We also include those that were left out last year when they were announced after the Awards. We believe it is the best solution: Unfortunately we cannot celebrate the gala on December 31 and our idea is that the Awards can serve as support in the purchasing decision for this last part of the year. Thank you very much for participating!

The Xiaomi 15T stars in a new offer of the day. You can now buy it cheaper or with a gift watch

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He Xiaomi 15T It is one of the most interesting high-end phones, especially if what we are looking for is a good price that is as tight as possible and without sacrificing certain specifications. After a few months since its launch, it can now be purchased at a discount or with a promotion: Xiaomi 15T (256GB) by 489 euros on Powerplanet. Xiaomi 15T (512GB) + Xiaomi Watch S4 (41mm) by 649.99 euros in the official store. Xiaomi 15T (512GB) + Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro + Xiaomi Smart Band 10 for 649.99 euros in the official store. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A high-end that has a good price He Xiaomi 15T It is one of the latest high-end mobile phones launched by the brand that stands out, just as its previous generation did, for its excellent quality-price ratio. It is a big mobile (8.3 inches) which is accompanied by a panel with 1.5K resolution which is compatible with Dolby Vision and HDR10+. As if that were not enough, internally we find the processor MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra along with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal storage. It also comes with a generous battery that supports 67W fast charging and its operating system is HyperOS. But without a doubt, the icing on the cake is found in its photographic section: once again, this generation comes with cameras signed by Leica. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the Xiaomi 15T has a rear camera module that consists of a 50 MP main sensor, a 50 MP telephoto sensor and a 12 MP wide-angle sensor. You may also be interested Fitudoos for Xiaomi 15T/15T Pro Tempered Glass Screen Protector (2 Pieces) + Camera Lens Protector (2 Pieces), (9H Hardness) (Scratch Resistant). The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Xiaomi Redmi Buds 6 Pro – Wireless headphones, noise cancellation, lightweight, up to 36 hours of autonomy, Bluetooth 5.3, Black (ES version) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Xiaomi In Xataka | The best mobile phones (2025), we have tested them and here are their analyzes In Xataka | The best Xiaomi mobile in quality price: purchasing and comparison guide

In Castilla y León, a baby of an eagle that became extinct in the 19th century has been born. What is not clear is that it is good news

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The skies of Castilla y León have left a historical imagesomething that had not been seen for a long time in our country: a native baby eagle flying over the territory. The specimen of this bird of prey was born on Spanish soil a few months ago, early mayand has already taken flight, as has just been said reveal The Confidential. Something like this hadn’t happened in a long time. That a species that was supposed to be extinct in the Iberian Peninsula since the 19th century manages to recover ground is usually positive news, but in the case of the eagle it comes clouded by something else: controversy. There are those who believe that its reintroduction in Spain is a “historical milestone”. And who thinks it is a blunder. First of all, what is the eagle? A bird of prey that stands out for its enormous size. With its wings extended it can reach 2.4m wingspan and usually measures between 80 and 90 cm long. His name appeared in a list published years ago by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO) with extinct species susceptible to be reintroduced. After all, there are those who consider that the eagle, which continues to live in Scandinavian countries, it disappeared from the peninsula among the 19th and 20th centuries due to the degradation of their environment. How did you return to Spain? Thanks to Proyecto Pigargo, a plan released in 2021 with the approval of the Principality of Asturias, the Cantabrian Government and above all the support of MITECO, which invested more than 300,000 euros in the recovery of the species. In August of that same year was announced the arrival of almost a dozen young specimens born in Norway that were introduced in Pimiango, in the municipality of Ribadedeva (Asturias). As time went by, more birds were released until add 25. Of them survived about 17almost all (12) paired. And have they bred yet? Yes. The news I advanced it on September 18 GREFA, the group that has promoted the reintroduction of the species on the peninsula. In a statement The group explains that the calf was born in May in the north of Castilla y León, in an area that had been identified as “optimal for the species”, although GREFA has not specified the exact location “to avoid any disturbance.” “The birth of the first European eagle chick in Spain represents a historic moment for nature conservation in our country,” celebrate the association before highlighting the collaboration of the Junta de Castilla y León and the “technical support” of both MITECO and agents of the autonomous community. Perfect, right? It depends on who you ask. If we listen GREFA is “a historic milestone for biodiversity in Spain and Europe”, the result of a well-studied plan, which accumulates hours of work and has achieved the support of IUCNthe International Union for Conservation of Nature. The group insists that it is the first breeding after “the extinction” of the species in Spain and highlights “the success” of having achieved a chick in a few years with 25 specimens released. “An exciting and motivating result that allows us to hope for more views next season,” celebrate. Don’t everyone think that way? No. The launch of the Pigargo Project may have generated expectations at the time, but it certainly did not achieve something equally or even more important: scientific consensus. Already in 2021 there were voices that warned that releasing copies in Spain meant “a bad idea”. In fact, that was the key message of an article published in The Conversation by three experts from the University of Oviedo in which they pointed out the weak points of the program and questioned whether the eagle is really a native and extinct species. The controversy escalated to such a point that the central government and the autonomies that had initially endorsed the project they decided to back out after just two years. What arguments do they use? GREFA recalls that the releases of eagles that began four years ago in Asturias had the endorsement of the IUCN and the species was included in the list of extinct fauna prepared with the endorsement of the committee of scientists that advises the ministry. Not only that. The group defends that the birth of the first baby in the wild in Castilla y León a few months ago proves the adaptation to the environment of a bird of prey that, argues“contributes to keeping under control” other species that can damage ecosystems, such as carp. “Thanks to its scavenging habits, the European sea eagle plays an important role as a ‘health police’, helping to control the spread of diseases by effectively removing animal corpses from the environment,” they point out from the entity. In fact, GREFA trusts that the birth of the first chick marks a turning point in the program and will allow it to recover the institutional support that it has been losing in recent years. “We hope that this historic event encourages strengthening or resuming support for the project, especially in the case of the Principality of Asturias and the Government of Cantabria, whose initial collaboration was fundamental although they later withdrew it,” Ernesto Álvarez slidesits president. And what do the critics say? They go to the root of the approach and question its most basic premise: that it has really been proven that the eagle is a species native to the peninsula. “To consider a species as extinct, the evidence must be irrefutable. In the case of the eagle that does not happen. The documentation that has been used for its classification as an extinct species is reduced to some reports on archaeological remains, several citations of solitary specimens and dubious signs of breeding,” he points out. the article published in The Conversation. One of them, Germán Orizaola, Ramón y Cajal researcher in Zoology, warned in 2023 in statements to The Country of the risk that the initiative may pose … Read more

What it is, what dangers it has and what to do to try to minimize them

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Let’s explain to you what is the practice of sharentingso that if you come across this term you know exactly what they mean. It has to do with things that parents do today, and is related to sharing their children’s content on social networks. And after explaining this concept to you, which you will see is something very easy to understand, we are going to tell you what are the privacy risks of sharenting in an uncontrolled way, and how you can avoid many of them. What is sharenting The term sharenting is a combination of the words share and parenting. It would literally be something like co-parenting, but taking it to a technological environment. What we mean by the term sharenting is when Parents share information about their children on social networkssuch as photographs, videos or other types of personal information. Parents usually do this in a well-intentioned way, simply so that their family and friends can see how their children are growing and the things they do together. However, when these practices are carried out without adequate precautions can put privacy at risk of the child both in the short and long term. What dangers can it have for children? Uncontrolled shareparenting without safety guidelines can have dangers for your son or daughter. It is important to think that everything you share publicly is available to everyoneso any stranger may have data or images of the minor. This, in extreme cases, can lead to misuse of these images or videos you share. The photos can be shared by whoever has access to them, and they can be used or manipulated for inappropriate contexts, and they can even end up on dangerous sites. It also means a security risk of the minors. Their routines, locations, and names may be exposed, leading to them being used for online harassment or phishing practices. And in the best case scenario, you will be creating a digital footprint too early without the minor’s permission, which can affect their future personal or professional life. Or maybe as they grow up they feel embarrassed or upset by the exposure that their parents made when they were little. How to avoid some of these dangers The first thing you have to do is be aware that what you share on social networks is public by default for everyone. If the minor is already old enough, the first thing is that you ask him or her for permission, so that they learn to be able to decide about their own image and privacy. Beyond that, it is important review the privacy settings of your social networks. On Facebook you can make the content not public, but visible only to your friends, and on Instagram you have settings such as best friends so that when you share something for them, only the people you have previously chosen can see this. It is also important do not show the minor’s face It is always something that will maximize privacy, especially when you want to share something publicly. For example, you can use safe photos, such as just your hands, and you can use use angles that do not reveal identity of the minor in the photographs. Furthermore, you must avoid giving personal datasuch as full names, addresses, locations where you usually move or school names. This data could be used for harassment or identity theft. It is imperative and important not to share compromising photossuch as with uniforms, swimsuits or in somewhat more intimate situations. These photos could be attractive to people you don’t want to be able to access them. And finally always think long term. Before publishing, think about how you would feel or how your son or daughter might feel when this photograph will still be public and online in several years. In Xataka Basics | 47 free and open source alternative Android applications that respect your privacy as much as possible

the secrets of Germany’s economy

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The imposed obligation by Beijing to German companies to provide sensitive information to continue importing rare earths is not a mere administrative procedure, but a full-scale transfer of industrial intelligence, one in a context in which Germany faces the risk that this data will be used for a wide variety of formulas. Asymmetric dependency. The new ones chinese controls require forms with a level of unusual detail (from product photos showing where the rare earths are housed, to manufacturing diagrams, customer lists, three years of production data and future projections). Why does it matter? Because they will allow Beijing to rebuild with precision which companies depend from a single supplier, who operates without an inventory buffer, where a delay in licensing would stop an entire sector and how that dependence branches out into subsequent value chains. Plus: the German industry accepts because there is no room for maneuver: with the 95% of supply coming from China, refusing is equivalent to stopping, and the rotating nature of the six-month licenses turns material dependence into periodic renewal of obedience. Germany provides information. Bloomberg counted that, while Beijing accumulates data that allows it to control the deep level of European industry, the German government does not have of that same visibility on their own industrial champions: the official questionnaires were not answered, the meetings did not yield information and any attempt to impose mandatory nature would clash with a political climate saturated by the promise of reducing bureaucratic burdens. This produces a strategic paradox: that China knows more about the German industrial anatomy than Germany itself, and the information asymmetry increases just when the country becomes more dependent on external supplies and more vulnerable to selective interruptions. From commercial tool to pressure instrument. He licensing mechanism is inserted in a dynamic that transcends trade: if Washington used China’s dependence on American technology as a weapon, Beijing responds using its supremacy in critical materials to force European concessions. The “white list” of the German embassy (designed to prioritize licenses for large groups) revealedFurthermore, unintentionally, what are the nerves industries that Berlin cannot afford to lose, providing China with a guide to apply surgical coercion. The data allows not only to interrupt civil production but also to infer the structure of the European defense industrial base in the midst of a rearmament cycle precipitated by Ukraine. Coercion and fragmentation. Bloomberg explained that China already suggests implicit barter (lower limits if Europe loosens technological restrictions) exploiting low German internal cohesion: companies demand public compensation To diversify, the government responds that ensuring supplies is a private duty and both postpone decisions because diversifying costs capital, time and reputational risk. At the same time, Beijing prefers negotiate bilaterally with Berlin before the EU to maximize leverage, and Merz arrives at that table without any real ability to threaten replacement because any swap chain makes the final product more expensive and erodes competitiveness, making it more expensive to leave than to remain trapped. Second China Shock. Plus: there are many analyzes that agree that Germany is the most exposed European country to the so-called “Second China Shock”: China’s turn from key customer to competitor with overcapacity in automotive, batteries and solar, supported by a post-pandemic trade surplus that has reached historical levels and fuels an export wave that is difficult for German industry to absorb. The result is downward pressure on prices and margins, a drop in orders for machinery and cars, labor conflicts and retrenchment or relocation plans while the Chinese market brings fewer benefits and more rivalry. Minerals add fuel. This vulnerability is aggravated by the new regulatory coercion of Beijing on critical minerals that we had (which extracts intelligence from supply chains and can interrupt inputs), so that the same Germany that led the European export model now suffers a clamp: subsidized competition from Chinese “surpluses” in key sectors and dependence on essential materials controlled by China. In fact, think tanks and organizations they document it: from that diagnosis from the “China shock 2.0” focused on automobiles and machinery, to the rebound in the Chinese surplus and the expansion of quotas in cars, to the reports on overcapacity and distortions in EVs and photovoltaics, and the deterioration of German manufacturing performance with China going from demand engine to systemic rival. Strategic lesson. If you like, if we broaden the focus, the framework should not surprise Beijing much: years of warnings about its intention to dominate bottlenecks are now being revealed. materialize in rules that turn industrial dependence into political leverage. Controlling rare earths not only ensures tapensures the complete map of the rival’s pipes and valves. Under this architecture, China does not need to cut off flows: it is enough to condition its renewal and demand intelligence in exchange for Europe to pay, again and againhe privilege to continue depending. The underlying warning is crystal clear: those who delay diversification do not freeze the risk, they capitalize on it in favor of the supplier. Image | Uwe Aranas, Ra Boe/Wikipedia In Xataka | China opted for rare earths as the key to its global influence. A country has bypassed that lock In Xataka | China knows that land is its ace to prevail over the US in the trade war. A country wants to thwart your plans

hormone disruptors that trick your body

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The gesture is automatic for millions of people who get up in the morning: take a coffee capsule, put it in the coffee maker and press the button to have hot coffee in a few seconds. However, this convenience can have a hidden cost to our health. This is something to what Nicolás Olea concludesprofessor emeritus at the University of Granada, who has issued an alert about the high exposure we face in endocrine disruptors. What are disruptors? After all, they are chemical substances that are actually present in a large number of products that we consume on a daily basis. As their name indicates, they have a direct relationship with the endocrine system. by altering its functioning. Specifically, its objective is hormones, those substances that They act as messengers within the body to give messages between cells, and that with these disruptors you can end up giving signals that are not true. They are present in many products. food products, bottles and plastic cups, tea bagsmicrowave popcorn, the containers or even the sun creams They have this type of substances that are the order of the day right now and that directly attack our body. The consequences. For the professor, the effects are clear: they alter the thyroid, promote obesity, diet or even infertility. All this documented with different essays in which it is directly pointed out that the lack of fertility in Europe It could be due precisely to this poor quality of semen or ovarian reserve as a result of the high combination of different endocrine disruptors that we have in our body. And precisely women can be more affected due to the great variability of hormones that they have in their body throughout their lives, since the hormonal cycle in a teenager is not the same as in a pregnancy. The coffee problem. Once we have all this clear, we return to the classic coffee capsule that we use every morning. In this case we prepare it with high pressure and high temperature to obtain a good result. The problem is that with this high temperature the plastic from which the capsule is made can melt and end up with a coffee riddled with microplastics that contribute to exposure to endocrine disruptors. A plastic that is usually polystyrene and epoxy resin that acts as glue. But it is not something that is limited to the consumption of coffee capsules, it can also happen with plastic cups if a very hot liquid is poured or in plastic bottles that are reused. Why are they allowed? If it is so bad to consume this type of product, the question is obligatory. In this case, the professor points out that right now there is no clear regulation on endocrine disruptors. Where much emphasis is placed is whether a particular chemical compound is categorized as carcinogenic, where a quick ban is applied. But if we talk about disruptors, the truth is that there are more legal loopholes, unless it is decreed as toxic for reproduction where you can choose to limit it in the market. The cocktail effect. Although the industry argues that the quantities released by a single capsule are minimal and within the law, experts like Olea warn of two key problems: accumulation and the “cocktail effect.” And the effects of these substances are seen above all in the long term in the body and with chronic exposure. That is why it points out that current legislation does not take into account this combined effect of all sources of exposure to apply regulation. Because not only is it a coffee capsule in isolation, but the pesticides that a food may have, the chemicals in the cosmetics that we put on our faces or even the plastic of the container where we heat up the macaroni to eat. Other dangerous situations. Because indeed, the coffee capsule is not the most striking thing that the expert has commented on in this case, since the interior of a brand new car is also dangerous for our body. Although many people love the smell that remains in the cabin when it is new, the reality is that it is loaded with different chemicals such as phthalates, phosphorus or bisphenols. Very volatile substances that appear especially when the car has been in the sun for a long time and that can end up in our body. Images | Jisu Han Robina Weermeijer In Xataka | It’s not gluttony: there are foods that literally hijack your brain

A single man wrote a quarter of the entire Encyclopedia

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Write It requires, above all, patience and perseverance. Facing a blank page or screen is, on many occasions, a fight against physical and mental fatigueand many give up before their time. So when it comes to writing “a lot,” in large amounts and lengths of time, the list shrinks. There are notable cases, like Dickensone of the most prolific authors of the 19th century, or Asimovwith more than 500 books and thousands of letters. However, none like the story of the man who wrote much of the encyclopedia alone. Louis de Jaucourt. Born in Paris in 1704 into a Protestant noble family, from a young age, Jaucourt demonstrated a deep inclination for knowledgewhich led him to study theology in Geneva, physics and mathematics in Cambridge, and medicine in Leyden. In addition to mastering five modern languages, he also had advanced knowledge of Latin, Greek and numerous disciplines, from literature to the exact sciences, a reflection of the encyclopedic spirit of the Enlightenment in which he lived. However, if he will be remembered for something in history, it is for his contribution to knowledge with a titanic work that was beginning to take shape among the French elites: the Encyclopédie. First came the Enlightenment. We are talking about one of the most ambitious intellectual projects of the 18th century, one created at a very special moment of cultural and philosophical effervescence in Europe, known as the Enlightenment. At that time, the aim was to free knowledge from the restrictions imposed by religion and absolutist monarchy, promoting the use of reason as a way to understand the world and improve society. In France, particularly, this intellectual impulse gained great strength, facing the authoritarianism of the monarchy of Louis XV and the influence of the clergy, who saw enlightened ideas as a threat to their power. In this context, intellectuals such as Voltaire, Rousseau and Montesquieu challenged traditional beliefs and promoted critical thinking what was going to lead to the foundations of the Encyclopédie. Creation and development. Also known as Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers, the megaproject began in 1751 under the direction of Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d’Alembert, always with the aim of compiling all human knowledge in an accessible work. Inspired by the Cyclopaedia of Ephraim Chambersthe Encyclopédie was initially planned as a simple translation, but it soon evolved into an original and much more ambitious project. Throughout its 35 volumes, The work compiled more than 70,000 articles and 3,000 illustrationsranging from natural sciences and arts to philosophy and artisanal techniques (a novelty at its time). The work of Diderot and d’Alembert was supported by 146 collaborators, including prominent Enlightenment thinkers, who worked on the compilation and review of articles in various disciplines. And above all, a man: Jaucourt. A quarter. Louis de Jaucourtfervent contributor to the Encyclopédie, contributed no less than 17,200 articlesaround a quarter of the Encyclopedia’s total, and he did so, very importantly, writing up to eight a day without receiving any financial compensation. With extensive training and full of resources, the man dedicated much of his life to the project, even selling properties to finance it. In addition, he wrote about everything, covering topics such as democracy, freedom, equality and science. Jaucourt’s dedication was such that Diderot affectionately dubbed him the “slave of the Encyclopédie,” given his commitment to the work, in which he invested decades and much of his assets. A single man, in short, who helped expand the scope of the work and guarantee its success. Extra ball. A fact to place the titanic work of man in context. Before the Encyclopedia, he dedicated 20 years of his life to writing a gigantic work, the medical treatisein six volumes (and in Latin). After two decades of work, he traveled to Amsterdam to escape French censorship for printing. Bad luck meant that the ship sank with the complete work, the only copy it had. A tragic event that seems to have left him wanting more. The legacy. The Encyclopédie was a revolutionary work that, in addition to disseminating knowledge, promoted equal and accessible education. His most notable contribution was the inclusive approach to knowledge, encompassing both academic topics and practical knowledge, and reflecting the spirit of the Enlightenment by erasing the barriers between elitist knowledge and applied or “useful” knowledge. This approach inspired future encyclopedic works and left a deep mark on modern philosophy and education. The Encyclopédie also encouraged the questioning of absolute power and intellectual emancipation, and is considered one of the fundamental pillars of Enlightenment thought, influencing later movements. like the french revolution. In short, an entire political and social manifesto that challenged the structures of power and religion of that time, and that had in a single man the ability to bring together a quarter of the knowledge of humanity. That on top of that he did it by living modestly and selling part of his assets makes it even more extraordinary. Image | PXHere In Xataka | A library in Ireland kept a 134-year-old treasure: Bram Stoker’s lost tale before Dracula In Xataka | We have discovered the most important medieval songbook of the century. It was lost in the archive of the Barcelona Cathedral

How to transcribe WhatsApp or Telegram audios with Gemini

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Let’s explain to you how to transcribe audios from WhatsApp or Telegram with Geminithe artificial intelligence from Google. WhatsApp and other applications have their own tools for transcribing voice messages, but they are not always accurate, and in fact WhatsApp can leave several words untranscribed due to its limited capacity. Here we are going to go with Google’s AI, since ChatGPT seems to have some problems and not always accept the audio file well. This is a free feature that you will be able to use whenever you want. He prompt It is very easy to use, and so is the process. Transcribe WhatsApp audios in Gemini The first thing you have to do is download voice message in your mobile memory. To do that, select it and choose the share option, and when you do you can choose to do it externally, choose your files application and save it there. You can also save it in the cloudsuch as Google Drive, a service that you can use in Gemini to add files. Now you have to go to Gemini, and attach the audio file that you have downloaded. Here, depending on your mobile or the linked services, when you click on the add elements button you can do it directly from the files or hard drive, or from apps like Google Drive. Once you have added the audio file, you will see that it remains uploaded and attached in the writing field. Now simply write a prompt like “Transcribe this audio”or something similar with which to tell the AI ​​that what you want is the transcription of the message. And that’s it. Only with this you will see that Gemini analyzes the content of the audio file that you have uploaded, and will proceed to transcribe what is said in it. Here, remember that Gemini’s limits for transcribing audio are around 20 MB. In Xataka Basics | Gemini on your old Android: what you need and how to get the most out of it

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