A geologist explains why natural disasters continue to surprise us

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How can an eruption on the other side of the planet cause a “year without a summer”? Why does an apparently small earthquake devastate a city while a larger one goes almost unnoticed? The answer is not always in magnitude of the phenomenon, but in the place where it occurs, in the number of people exposed and in how the risk is managed. Understanding it is not just a scientific question: it is a way of looking at the planet with different eyes. ‘Science and aside’ It is the space where we talk about science with experts. It is part of our YouTube channel and is also available as a podcast on Spotify and iVoox. In her fourth episode, Ángela Blanco interviews Rosa María Mateosgeologist and director of the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (IGME-CSIC), a reference voice in the study of natural disasters. With decades of experience and a doctorate focused on this field, his vision helps us understand what is happening on Earth. When science faces the fury of the planet The conversation starts with a seemingly simple question: what is the most damaging natural disaster? The interviewee responds calmly: “It depends where you are and where you live.“In his explanation there are no hierarchies between volcanoes, earthquakes or tsunamis, but nuances. “Living in the Canary Islands, which has a high probability of a volcanic eruption, is not the same as living in Madrid, where the probability is zero.” The danger changes with the map, and understanding it requires looking at the geology of each place before its history. “Among the great episodes that marked the history of the Earth, Rosa cites one that was on the verge of erasing our species from the map. “We are talking about 74,000 years ago, which probably was on the verge of ending the Homo sapienswith our species.” It refers to the eruption of the Toba volcano, a megaeruption in Indonesia. Rosa explains that not all earthquakes are measured the same and that their magnitude can be misleading if you do not understand how it is calculated. “The magnitude of the earthquakes It is measured on a logarithmic scaleto. This means that an earthquake of magnitude four is not twice as strong as one of magnitude two.” The difference, he clarifies, is exponential: each point on the scale multiplies the energy released, and that is enough to turn an earthquake into a colossal force. Some historical episodes demonstrate this better than any graph. Rosa remembers the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 not only for its magnitude, but for what it represented for science. “The waves reached the coasts of Finland.” The phrase summarizes the scope of a phenomenon that destroyed the Portuguese capital and left traces throughout the Atlantic. From that disaster a different way of thinking was born. To understand why some catastrophes are devastating and others are barely mentioned, the expert introduces an essential distinction. “We geologists talk about two very different concepts that we often confuse. One is the danger… and another thing is the risk.“In the video he explains what each one consists of, their scope and also the consequences of confusing the terms. The conversation with Rosa María Mateos shows that natural phenomena cannot be avoided, but their effects can be reduced. In this episode of Science and apartthe geologist explains how observation and knowledge help to anticipate risks and live better with them. A talk that leaves open the door to continue learning about the planet we inhabit. Images | Xataka In Xataka | The Nobel Prize in Medicine illustrates the importance of the “story” to win it: a story that Spain has been losing for years

a million-dollar luxury yacht sank just 200 meters from the dock

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What should have been a day to celebrate ended in disaster off the Turkish coast. A luxury yacht, valued at approximately one million dollars, sank for only 15 minutes after its launch in the Black Sea. The boat disappeared underwater just a few meters from the shore, while the owner and his crew managed to swim to land without major problems and without suffering any damage. The boat simply floated…but just a little. An ephemeral joy The ship called Dolce Ventowas going to be a nautical jewel, but a video that has gone viral due to the paradoxical nature of what happened shows that even the most expensive and luxurious projects can fail unexpectedly.

records every excess, sleeplessness and stress in the cells for 20 years

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As we age, not only do we accumulate experiences and begin to observe the marks of the passage of time such as wrinkles, but something more silent happens in your body: an inflammation that does not hurt, but never completely goes away. Scientists call it inflammationand it is one of the keys to understanding why we age and how we could do it better. Your body remembers what happened 20 years ago. Researcher Juan Pablo de Rivero Vaccari, from the University of Miami so he warns. For years, the modern lifestyle—calorie diets, constant stress, lack of sleep and a sedentary lifestyle—has kept the immune system on a kind of permanent “red alert.” Normally, inflammation is a useful response: it helps repair tissues and defend us from infection. But when that response is not extinguished, it becomes a slow fire that gradually deteriorates the body’s systems. From Mayo Clinic they describe it like an internal civil war: innate immune cells, which should act only when faced with a threat, begin to chronically release inflammatory substances. Meanwhile, adaptive defenses—those that “learn” from viruses—are weakened. The result is felt in practice: a simple flu that takes weeks to pass, wounds that heal more slowly or constant fatigue. Immunologist Jessica Lancaster sums it up in a simple way: “With age, the immune system ages and this constant inflammation can deplete defenses and damage healthy tissues.” An internal fire? The inflammation of aging appears to arise from a combination of cellular stress, metabolism, and lifestyle. According to researcher Alan Cohen of Columbia University, stressed cells release proteins that indicate that “something is wrong,” even in the absence of disease. However, we do not all age the same. a study, published in Nature Aging by Cohen himself and colleagues from several universitiescompared people from Italy and Singapore to indigenous communities from Bolivia (the Tsimane) and Malaysia (the Orang Asli). The finding was surprising: only populations in industrialized countries showed the classic pattern of increasing inflammation with age. The hypothesis is clear: the inflammation It could be, more than an inevitable consequence of the passage of time, a side effect of modern life. Assembling the puzzle. Because science has already found the pieces. AT Yale University, Vishwa Dixit’s team analyzed plasma from adults who reduced their caloric intake by 14% over two years. They found that this moderate calorie restriction markedly reduced levels of a key inflammatory protein, complement C3a, linked to immune activation. In other words, they found that inhibiting C3a reduces age-related inflammation and improves metabolic health. Furthermore, in mice, pharmacological blockade of the same component of the complement system increased longevity and improved metabolic function. In parallel, another team, led by Marissa Schaferidentified a new marker of cellular aging: the interleukin-23 receptor (IL-23R). This biomarker increases with age in both humans and mice and is associated with inflammation in organs such as the kidney or liver. However, there is hope: certain senolytic drugs—such as fisetin (present in strawberries) or venetoclax, used against cancer—managed to reduce these inflammatory levels in old animals. The idea is simple but powerful: eliminate poorly aging cells to relieve inflammation from within. Any plan to avoid it? While science searches for treatments, experts agree: lifestyle remains our best medicine. From Mayo Clinic they explain it simply: sleeping well, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising and eating fewer ultra-processed foods are the most effective keys to strengthening the immune system. In fact, As Dr. Lancaster points out: “Sleep is probably the most critical factor for immunity, more so than diet or exercise.” During sleep, the body releases proteins that fight infections and eliminate brain toxins. For its part, in a report for the Washington Post They add that controlling blood pressure, visceral fat and blood sugar is essential to reduce inflammation. And Yale researcher Vishwa Dixit sums it up with ancient wisdom: “The same thing your grandmother and mine said: do things in moderation, don’t eat too much, and move more.” Towards aging without fire. Scientist Alan Cohen uses a perfect metaphor: “Inflammation is like a fire alarm. It’s not always pleasant, but it indicates that something is wrong. The important thing is not to turn it off, but to prevent it from ringing all the time.” For this reason, experts recommend not becoming obsessed with micromanaging each biological marker or pursuing eternal youth through supplements. Image | FreePik Xataka | The birth rate in Poland is a disaster and some hotels have had an idea: money for those who conceive during a stay

In the rural US there are more and more towns mobilized against its construction

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The race they are in disputing Big Tech Mastering artificial intelligence is driving massive investment in data center infrastructure around the world, especially in the United States. But there are already localities that are complaining of it. In fact, some are even going so far as to ban the construction of data centers altogether. And there are several reasons for this, especially because its monstrous water consumptionelectricity and noise. An unprecedented case. Saline Township, a small rural municipality in Michigan, rejected the construction of a 100-acre data center on agricultural land. Just like account Washington Post, the developer Related Digital responded with a lawsuit, accompanied by neighbors who wanted to sell their land for the project. The city ended up giving in to the threat of a lengthy legal process, achieving only a few concessions such as limits on water use and millions of dollars for the fire department. “They were between a rock and a hard place,” explained Fred Lucas, the municipality’s attorney. Why protests are multiplying. For decades, data centers have been discrete infrastructures necessary to keep the Internet running. But the AI ​​boom has accelerated its construction at a dizzying pace, and local communities have begun to perceive its drawbacks. Ben Green, professor at the University of Michigan, points out that “there has been a real change in the last six months in terms of the public becoming more aware of what data centers are and becoming more skeptical.” What they offer and what they do not offer to cities. The promoters usually promise fiscal investment, municipal income and jobs. Related Digital, for example, offered 3.5 million dollars for affordable housing in Cheyenne, Wyoming. However, construction work is temporary and once operational, these centers require very few employees. Meanwhile, your energy consumption It drives up neighbors’ electric bills and some use large amounts of water to cool their systems. Just like account Midway, in Memphis, residents protested an xAI data center for polluting natural gas turbines. The cities that are standing up. St. Charles, Missouri, went beyond rejection, as approved unanimously a one-year moratorium prohibiting any construction of data centers. The decision came after developer CRG proposed a 178-hectare facility near drinking water wells, without disclosing expected water consumption or noise levels. “It almost looks like they were trying to force it down people’s throats,” assured a 78-year-old neighbor in the middle. CRG withdrew its application before the vote. Even with million-dollar investment, fear persists. Lordstown, Ohio, welcomed with enthusiasm part of the stargate projecta $500 billion investment led by OpenAI and SoftBank, to repurpose a former General Motors factory closed in 2019. The idea was to manufacture data center components on site, with a small demonstration facility. But when OpenAI’s announcements raised fears of a large-scale data center being set up, the city council introduced a permanent ban on new data centres, with the only exception being the already agreed installation. “People panicked,” explained in the middle Mayor Jackie Woodward. Virginia, epicenter of political debate. The data center problem has also become an election issue in Virginiaone of the states most affected by this expansion. In Prince William County, near Washington DC, Republican and Democratic candidates compete to see who can promise tougher measures against these infrastructures. “I think we should ban all future data centers,” Republican candidate Patrick Harders declared in a debate, while his Democratic rival George Stewart agreed that “the crushing weight of data centers” was a crisis, with large companies “making us, as residents, pay for their energy.” The immediate future. With a billion dollars in recent investments and the energy demand of AI growing without brakes, everything indicates that this conflict has only just begun. Technology companies need these infrastructures to promote their technology based on generative artificial intelligence, but localities in the United States are increasingly reluctant to build them. Cover image | İsmail Enes Ayhan In Xataka | ChatGPT and AI have done for hard drives what no one expected: brought them back to life

A man had access to the Government’s nuclear secrets. Until he uploaded thousands of porn photos to his work computer

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Using your work computer for personal things is a delicate area that can be reason for dismissal. This worker from the US Department of Energy has discovered it by force after uploading hundreds of thousands of pornographic images on his company computer. What has happened? They tell it in 404Medium. In March 2023, the employee wanted to back up his photo collection. He thought he was uploading the images to his personal hard drive, but it was connected to his work computer and he ended up making the copy where it wasn’t. The problem is that it was not a normal collection of photos, but more than 187,000 pornographic images that he had been collecting over several decades. Although he did not lose his job, his mistake has had consequences and the main one is that he has lost his security clearance. To train AI. The employee defended himself by arguing that this happened during a depressive episode in which he felt “extremely isolated and alone.” One of his distractions at this stage was creating images with AI, specifically “robotic porn.” At first he used his cell phone, but tired of using such a small screen, he thought it was a good idea to upload all his pornographic images to the computer to train the AI. The problem is that he did not upload them to his hard drive, but rather they ended up on the network of a government company. Goodbye accreditation. The employee did not realize his mistake until six months later. It was the time it took his bosses to investigate the origin of that enormous amount of porn photos flooding their servers. The result was that his security clearance was withdrawn. The Department of Energy is the in charge of supervising the US nuclear arsenalso we are talking about access to very sensitive information. The worker appealed to get it back, but after an exhaustive investigation, they decided not to return it. If he had not appealed, the story would not have been made public. My boss spies on me. It is one of the reasons that the man presented in his appeal, which compared the investigation to “the Spanish Inquisition.” What does the law say about this? According to expertsAlthough they let us use it for personal things, we should not expect to have privacy on a company-owned computer. Some companies even pre-install software to measure the time employees work. Control programs. Can they force you to install one of these programs? A few years ago we talked about installing software to control the work of remote employees and Joaquín Muñoz, an expert lawyer in digital law, resolved our doubt: the company cannot force us to install a program of this type if the computer we use to work is ours, but if it belongs to the company they can do so. Of course, they are obliged to report in detail about all the functions of said software. Image | Gemini In Xataka | “These are things that a university student would get in trouble for”: Deloitte scammed Australia with a report made with AI

science has solved the mystery of plasma rain

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Although it may seem incredible, it rains in the Sun. But it is not a rain of water like the one we know on Earth. It’s a rain of incandescent plasmaa phenomenon that for decades has baffled scientists by not understanding it. Now, a team from the University of Hawaii has solved the mysteryand the answer is completely changing our way of understanding the atmosphere of our ‘reference’ star. The discovery. Published in the prestigious magazine The Astrophysical Journal, not only explains why these spectacular plasma condensationsbut also gives us new tools to predict space weather that affects our technology here on Earth. The mystery. The “solar storm“, or more technically coronal rain, occurs in the corona, the outermost and hottest layer of the Sun. There, masses of denser and relatively “cold” plasma condense and fall back towards the solar surface, creating bright arcs and loops. And although we talk about ‘cold’, the reality is that we are talking about tens of thousands of degreescompared to the millions of degrees in the surrounding plasma. Although for us it would be something unthinkable. The big enigma was speed. Solar models predicted that this cooling and condensation process should take hours, or even days. However, observations showed that rain formed within minutes during solar flares. Something didn’t add up. Now the problem has been located in the models that were used. And they assumed that the chemical composition of the corona was static and uniform, a simplification that has undoubtedly resulted in us calculating the phenomena that occur in our star much worse. The key. The key breakthrough came when the researchers, led by graduate student Luke Fushimi Benavitz, decided to abandon that old assumption. They introduced into their simulations a factor that until now had been overlooked: the abundance of chemical elements varies in space and time without being static. And this is where physics gets very interesting. The mechanism. The first thing that happens in this case is a solar flare that heats the chromosphere (the layer below the corona). This impulsive heating causes a large amount of plasma in the chromosphere to “evaporate” and rise at high speed towards the coronal loops. This ‘new’ plasma will have a composition similar to that of the photosphere, which is the surface we see of the Sun. Once the plasma was already in the coronal loop, rich in materials such as iron or silicon, it is pushed and concentrated at the highest point of the arc, creating a ‘peak’ with these elements. One property of these elements is that they can radiate a lot of energy quickly and this causes the plasma to cool. And this sudden concentration at the apex of the loop acts as an ultra-powerful radiator, causing localized and very rapid cooling. Finally, this sudden cooling causes a pressure drop. As a result, more plasma from the surrounding area is sucked into that area, increasing the density. The most interesting thing is that the higher the density, the cooling becomes even more efficient and a ‘thermal runaway’ occurs. As its name indicates, the temperature will plummet and the plasma will condense, forming rain. The importance. For the first time, this model has done something that had not been achieved before: simulate the formation of rain on the Sun. And understanding it goes far beyond solving an old riddle, but it affects us completely. Most importantly for us, it improves our ability to predict space weather. solar flares They can launch enormous amounts of energy and particles into space which, upon reaching Earth, can damage satellites, disrupt communications and overload electrical networks. More precise models of the Sun’s behavior allow us to better anticipate these events that until now gave us very little preparation time. Rewriting. This discovery forces us to rewrite a fundamental part of solar physics. The idea that the composition of the solar atmosphere is dynamic and not static opens a large field of research ahead to understand exactly how energy moves through the star. Images | Javier Miranda In Xataka | As if nothing were going on, the Sun has just caused a radio blackout with its most powerful eruption of 2025

Watching the next two Real Madrid games on Movistar Plus+ costs 9.99 euros per month. Without permanence and whatever operator you are

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Of all the reasons there are to get a streaming platform, its catalog will always be one of the most relevant. They all have movies, series and documentaries, with sport perhaps being one of the most differentiating things right now. Few offer us football and even less, games as important as the next two that Real Madrid is going to play. You can see both on Movistar Plus+: a platform that costs 9.99 euros per month. Monthly subscription to Movistar Plus+ The price could vary. We earn commission from these links The next Real Madrid matches on Movistar Plus+ If we were thinking about giving Movistar Plus+ a chance, now is a great time to do it. Its price is quite attractive, but we must keep in mind that we can hire it, regardless of which operator we are. Besides, It does not have any type of permanenceso we can subscribe, watch these two games and their catalog for a month and, if we are not convinced, unsubscribe. Let’s talk about Real Madrid games. These days we will be able to see two of the matches of Xabi Alonso’s team: one from LaLiga and another from the Champions. The first of them will face Getafe de Bordalás, today at 9:00 p.m. The other one that we can see is a classic in Europe: it is against Juventus at the Bernabéu on October 22, also at 9:00 p.m. Do you want more Madrid games? You will also have the one against Liverpool on November 4 on Movistar Plus+. As we have already anticipated a little above, Movistar Plus+ also has its own catalog of very interesting films and series. We have one of the best examples of this with ‘The Center‘, a series that the platform premiered very recently and which revolves around the National Intelligence Center (or CNI). Of course, we also have other notable releases this month such as ‘Brilliant Minds’ or ‘Mix Tape’, which will arrive on October 25. Beyond sport and its catalog, there are also other things about Movistar Plus+ that we should add. It is a platform that pWe can share with whoever we wantregardless of whether we are not in the same house. In addition, it supports downloading content to view it offline, ideal if we plan to travel. 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 | Movistar Plus+ In Xataka | Movistar Plus+ for non-Movistar customers: what it is, how much it costs, channels, additional services and how to contract it In Xataka | Best televisions in quality price: which one to buy and seven recommended 4K smart TVs

He was “condemned” at 40 and is still alive at 76

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When Doug Whitney turned 50, his wife and children began to discreetly monitor the first signs of an illness that seemed inevitable. Her mother, her older brother, and nine of her thirteen siblings had died young, devoured by a genetic mutation that condemned its carriers to develop early Alzheimer’s. Yet today, at age 76, Doug is still here. Cheating death. I remembered Whitney’s story a few days ago the new york times in a report. The man continues to live a normal life, lucid, driving and remembering names. Of course, from time to time he goes to Washington University, where since fourteen years ago Scientists are trying to figure out how the hell he managed to escape his biological destiny. His case (that of a man who should have gotten sick twenty-five years ago and did not) is a unprecedented rarity in medical history: an open window towards what could be the key to stopping, treating or even curing one of the diseases most devastating of the world. A lineage marked by loss. Apparently, the Whitney family carries a mutation in the gene Presenilin 2one of three known to cause early-onset hereditary Alzheimer’s. Its origins go back to German settlers settled along the Volga River in the 18th century and, in recent generations, to the Oklahoma countryside. Symptoms usually appear between the ages of 44 and 53, followed by rapid deterioration. When Doug passed that age without signs of the disease, he didn’t even believed it possible. By participating in a genetic studydiscovered that he was a carrier of the mutation, but his brain remained unscathed. Since then, scientists consider it an “Alzheimer’s escapee”: a subject that defies the laws of genetics and offers a unique opportunity to understand what mechanisms can stop the progression of the disease. Contradicting science. The analyzes have revealed a disconcerting find. Whitney’s brain is saturated with plaques of amyloid, the protein that accumulates decades before symptoms, but hardly shows traces of tauthe protein that causes cognitive decline. In other words: your brain shows the trace of the disease, but not its effects. Something (perhaps a combination of genes, molecules or environmental factors) has broken the chain between both phases. Among the possible causes, researchers they point out a less inflammatory immune system than their affected relatives and an unusually high concentration high protein thermal shock, responsible for preventing other proteins from folding incorrectly. Paradoxically, his past in the Navyworking for years in engine rooms at more than 40 degrees, could have stimulated that protective biological response. New sentinels of mystery. The family enigma continues in the next generation. His son Brian, 53, inherited the mutationbut for now he is still healthy. Participate in clinical trials on anti-amyloid drugs and undergoes regular tests to measure his cognition. No one knows if his protection comes from genetics or medicine, but his case suggests that the combination Both pathways (her father’s natural factors and experimental therapies) could offer a roadmap toward prevention. His teenage daughter, aware of the family history, has already expressed her willingness to undergo testing genetics upon reaching the age of majority. The Whitney family, which for generations suffered in silence, has thus become an essential piece of the global scientific puzzle. Beyond chance. Be that as it may, the case of Doug Whitney has revived a profound debate about the limits of the genetic determinism. Until now, Alzheimer’s seemed an unavoidable destiny for those who inherited mutations like theirs. However, his resistance (and that of two other cases documented in Colombia) demonstrates that there are natural mechanisms capable of stopping the disease even when biological markers are present. Grasp how it is produced This dissociation could open the door to therapies that act not by eliminating amyloid, but by preventing it from triggering the destructive tau cascade. As summarized in the Times neurologist Randall Bateman, leader of the study, “we have not yet found the needle in the haystack, but we know that it is there, and that its value is incalculable.” Doug Whitney, the man who should have forgotten his name decades ago, has unwittingly become the living memory of a scientific hope. Image | Pexels, Jason Drees/ASU In Xataka | The new strategy against Alzheimer’s is not to attack, but to ‘reprogram’ the brain to clean itself In Xataka | The relationship between sleep and Alzheimer’s, in a “simple” action: our brain also has to clean

the only autonomous community that continues to be a leader in its region thanks to jotas, folklore and walks in the countryside

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It is a unique phenomenon among regional television stations: together with TV3but with much more modest programming (and budget), it is the only channel of its type that is the most seen in its autonomy above the national generalist television networks. Neither Telemadrid, nor Canal Sur, nor TVG can boast of such a feat: what Aragonese people like to see most is television that talks about Aragon. A special case. Aragon TV It began its official broadcasts on April 21, 2006 after a long and complex political and technical process that lasted more than two decades, from the first legislative attempts in the 1980s to the final implementation. The first attempts to create autonomous television ran into multiple obstacles, both political and legal. This extensive process made the late birth of Aragón TV a unique case in the field of Spanish regional television. Grow without stopping. A few days ago we saw this amazing tweet from @hugo_cnm which visually made the situation very clear in terms of audience: Basically, Aragón TV has experienced a sustained growth in audience, reaching a historical record in 2024 with 11.6% annual screen share, an outstanding figure for regional television. In the recent months of 2025, it continued to grow with shares greater than 12%, leading key schedules such as after-dinner hours and surpassing other regional channels (except TV3 in Catalonia, which is the most watched with shares closer to 13-14%). In addition, its news programs reach peaks of up to 30% or more in share, being the most viewed in Aragon and with a quality recognized nationally. Aragon against Catalonia. As we sayTV3 has a more notable general audience, but there are days like last October 11, to which the aforementioned tweet refers, in which Aragón TV soars, reaching 27.1% on recent key days (now we will see why), and with very strong audiences in slots such as after-meal (18.9%). ETB2 and Canal Sur Andalucía complete the podium in the most viewed regional list. What Aragón TV does stand out above all its competitors is that it is the autonomous one with greater penetration and loyaltyfar exceeding the average of the autonomous communities in Spain.​ But… what does Aragón TV broadcast? The network stands out for entertainment programs with a strong local component such as ‘Oregon TV‘, one of its historic and longest-running formats (almost 20 seasons), which makes humor with native content, in the style of its clear reference, ‘Polónia’. Another successful program is ‘Jotalent‘, a talent show focused on the Aragonese jota, which scored an 18.7% share in its last season with 200,000 viewers between DTT and internet. Or ‘Giving it my all’, also focused on regional dance and songs. But beyond humor and information, Aragón TV offers a varied range of cultural, social and leisure programs, often focused on rural life: ‘Here and now’ (morning show with more than 36% of share), ‘Pasados ​​por agua’, ‘Aragón Connection’, ‘The countryside is ours’, and programs on gastronomy, routes, history, environment and Aragonese heritage. It is a programming that contrasts with the usual general programming, and where the demand for rural life plays an important role. Without getting wet. Aragón TV also responds to an avowed editorial strategy that avoids delving into territorial or political controversies (something, without a doubt, much easier to carry out than on TV3), focusing on inform and entertain from close proximity and the representation of the average Aragonese. Its programming is oriented towards the proximity and plurality of the territory, with strong dishes that burst the audiometerssuch as the retransmission of the Pilar Festival: during the ten days of the festivities, Aragón TV averaged a 20% screen share. On October 12, Pillar Daythe broadcast of the Offering of Flowers reached 29.9% of sharethe network’s third best historical record, with 692,000 unique viewers. In the first section of the Offering, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the audience reached an impressive 44.5%, and in the second section, 30.8% with peaks of up to 60.5% share. The news program Aragón Noticias 1 achieved a season record with a 43.8% share on that day. To all this we must add more than 500,000 views on its digital platforms. In Xataka | In the midst of the housing crisis, in Zaragoza they have had an idea: build a building in pieces like a giant LEGO

does everything the other way around in Spain, is losing a fortune… and plans to open more stores

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Costco has announced that it will continue opening warehouses in Spain despite accumulating 150 million euros in losses since its arrival in 2014, according to reports Digital Economy. The Spanish subsidiary recorded another 7.5 million losses in 2024, although its sales shot up to 607 million. The company already operates five centers (Seville, Getafe, Las Rozas, Sestao and Zaragoza) and is looking for new land. Its latest establishment in Zaragoza started with 15,000 members on the day of its inauguration. Why is it important. Costco represents the complete opposite of the model that dominates Spain: Mercadona triumphs with medium storesa reduced assortment and no membership. He doesn’t even have his own card. Costco is committed to large stores of more than 15,000 square meters, buying in bulk and charging a membership fee. It is the clash between two philosophies: the Spanish one that lives in your neighborhood and offers small, domestic formats, versus the American one of “pay 36 euros a year and get 24 rolls of toilet paper.” The strategy. Costco is playing the game Amazon played for two decades: lose money in a controlled way while it grows and build market share. Its 750,000 members (15% more than in 2023) and constant sales growth suggest that the model is finding its place. The company earned 11.5 million just from membership fees in 2024. Each new center comes with a gas station and Kirkland’s own brand products. Its average salary of 24,044 euros is above the sector. The contrast. Where Mercadona has immediate success, Costco has sustained losses. Where Mercadona optimizes margins (3.88% net profitin an upward trend), Costco optimizes volume and loyalty. Where Mercadona dominates with a 28% national share, Costco is building small niches. Yes, but. The bet has obvious risks. Costco needs critical mass for its model to work, and Spain is not the United States. Spanish purchasing habits favor proximity over volume, and competition in large stores – dominated by the French – is fierce. In fact, the hypermarket is going down in favor of the supermarket. We no longer make shopping a three-hour ritual on Saturday, but instead take advantage of empty spaces to make small purchases any day. And now what. Costco maintains that 2025 will bring more investment and land prospecting. The key will be if it manages to replicate in Spain what it achieved in other markets: convert initial losses into long-term leadership. It took Amazon twenty years to become profitable. Costco has been in our country for ten years and continues to invest. In Xataka | Spain has become a country addicted to something that a few years ago enjoyed little prestige: white label. Featured image | Marcus Reubenstein

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