21st

Spain became accustomed to losing in the 20th century. In the 21st century, Spain FC is the best team in the world

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Spain is the best team in the World of the 21st century. I know it’s difficult to assimilate. For a country that has built its history on the story of Tassotti elbowof the Cardeñosa rulingfrom those sung by Arched and Zubizarreta or of Gamal Al-Ghandour heistbeing the best is something that almost catches one off guard. But turning the story around, becoming the best is not a matter of luck. Spain is not the best by chance. The best. When we closed our eyes, Spain had in its record an almost forgotten Euro Cup won in 1964 with a goal from Marcelino in the final minutes. When we open them and close the blink, Spain has become one of the most important teams in history: two World Cups, four European Championships and only one lost final between both tournaments since 1964. In the 18 years that separate the 2008 Euro Cup and the 2026 World Cup, barely a blink in the history of football, our country has won two World Cups and four European Championships. That is, he has risen to the top of the podium in five of these 10 events. He has also been champion of a UEFA Nations League and runner-up on two other occasions. Beyond selection. Dominance in Euro Cups and World Cups goes far beyond national team competitions. In the last 25 years, Spain has added 11 Champions League and three runner-up finishes (Valencia’s in 2001 and Atlético de Madrid’s two against Real Madrid). When a Spanish team has reached the final so far in the 21st century, it has always won, except in the case of Valencia. In the Europa LeagueSpain has won 12 titles and two runners-up (Espanyol and Athletic Club de Bilbao played against Sevilla and Atlético de Madrid in those years). Again, if a Spanish team reaches the final, the Spanish team wins. In the Conference LeagueOf the five editions played, Spanish teams have added two runners-up finishes (Real Betis and Rayo Vallecano). In the European Super Cups (winner of the Champions League against the winner of the Europa League), Spain has 14 titles and nine runners-up (only Sevilla on three occasions and Villareal on one occasion have lost against foreign teams). There have been five finals between Spanish teams, three of them in consecutive years. Because? Analyzing Pedro Porro’s goal against France in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup, the team’s second, Tierry Henry, former French soccer player for Arsenal and FC Barcelona, argued that this was the result of a way of playing that Spain has instilled in its players since they were children. A way of playing that has been installed in the DNA of most of the youth teams in our country. Spain has been dominating the European youth categories for years. The under-19 team has achieved 10 Europeans so far in the 21st century and two runners-up finishes. The European under-21 (it is played every two years unlike the previous one) has brought us three championships and two runners-up. At the Olympic Games, Spain was a finalist in 2020 (played in 2021) and won the 2024 ones. Of that last team, four players won the absolute World Cup yesterday and another five were present in the silver medal in Tokyo in 2021. Fermín López (champion in Paris in 2024) would surely have been added to them, not on the list due to an injury in the final stretch of the season. With an average of 26.7 years, Spain is the sixth youngest team in the World Cup. The goal. On October 13, 2007, Spain began to write its recent legendto. That day against Denmark, Sergio Ramos (then right back) completed a play built for more than a minute by chaining 28 passes. Many consider that this was the germ of the new Spanish football philosophy. Until then, Spain had built his story about “the Fury” and testosterone. Luis Aragonés found a new formula. He built a team around the ball with players who could not compete physically but surpassed their rivals in technique, positioning and knowledge of the game. The first Spain was structured around the backbone of FC Barcelona, ​​which already played the best association football in the world. In 2009 and 2011 he won the Champions League. Xavi, Iniesta, Pujol, Piqué and, later, Villa, consolidated a backbone that won Euro-Champions-World Cup-Champions-Euro Cup in five years. The association. Luis Aragonés’ greatest merit was believing in the idea and surrounding these players with similar associative profiles but who contributed their own style. To Silva, Jesús Navas, Fernando Torres, Spain became favorite 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 and he complied. But the merit was supporting the idea among the youngest players and getting the idea of ​​the game to penetrate the teams and their quarries. This has allowed Spain to win its last championship with its biggest star, Lamine Yamal, playing a discreet role and without large clearly differentiating individuals in world football. The secret is that Spain has managed to make its team play like a football club. It has maintained a base that it has been able to adapt (such as the commitment to wingers in the 2024 Euro Cup) to the circumstances of each moment in the last two years but that has taken flight throughout this championship, returning to its roots, managing itself around the ball. Fresh air. Spain’s victory also brings fresh air to a world football that has turned to physicality and individualism. Few teams have known how to play like a football club and only in the most conservative approaches have teams really worked on the same concept. However, all the favorites have given ground to individualities in the World Cup with the most names in history. Faced with an event where the four French attackers, Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, have shone, Spain has been able to build a block without big names of its own and without huge World stars but … Read more

North Korea’s new frigate looked like a 21st century ship. Until you look at the sides and discover their solution against drones

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In October 2000, the US destroyer USS Cole suffered an attack with a small boat loaded with explosives while refueling in Yemen. The attack led the United States Navy to reinforce the use of machine guns heavy weapons to protect their ships against short-range threats, a decision that is once again gaining prominence today for a very different reason: drones. A frigate with great aspirations. The new Kang Kon It represents North Korea’s biggest leap in surface ships. Although Pyongyang classifies it as a destroyer, its displacement about 5,000 tons places it closer to a frigate by international standards. On paper, the ship brings together almost everything you would expect from a modern design: dozens of vertical launch cells for missiles, a main gun, point defense systems, electronic warfare and cruise missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The most striking detail. However, the broadcast images After the latest tests of the ship they have diverted attention to a much more unexpected element. At least a dozen heavy machine guns can be seen along one of its sides. 14.5 millimeter KPVdistributed between remote-controlled double mounts and other positions integrated into the superstructure. The scene turns out almost disconcerting: a frigate that seems designed for the 21st century, at the same time uses a solution reminiscent of the great naval combats of the past. The Kang Kon was seen firing its machine guns during a demonstration last week The war in Ukraine explains it. Although at first glance it may seem like an extravagance, the logic behind this configuration responds to a very current threat. The drone proliferation aerial and unmanned vessels has forced many navies to reinforce the short-range defense of their ships with additional small-caliber weapons. Russia has been incorporating additional machine guns, remote weapons stations and even improvised protection structures for years to try to stop drone attacks, an experience that North Korea has been able to observe very closely thanks to their growing cooperation military with Moscow. A weapon with more than half a century of history. Plus: KPVs are not exactly a modern system either. Designed by the Soviet Union At the end of World War II, these machine guns continue to be used in many countries due to their power and range against light targets. Your ammunition 14.5 millimeters It can destroy drones, speedboats or lightly armored vehicles, which explains why a weapon conceived decades ago is once again gaining prominence in a scenario dominated by much more recent threats. Survival remains the great unknown. The abundant Kang Kon weaponry It does not clear up doubts about their ability to survive in a high-intensity conflict. The TWZ analysts They consider that a ship of these characteristics would be one of the first objectives of any adversary and that North Korea will hardly be able to build enough units to give depth to its fleet. The reason? Even if it incorporates technologies of Russian origin, converting a missile-laden platform into a truly resilient ship requires much more complex sensors, training, coordination and operational doctrine than adding new weapons on deck. A ship that reflects how naval warfare is changing. The Kang Kon It leaves a striking image because it summarizes one of the great paradoxes of current conflicts. Long-range missiles, radars and electronic warfare represent the most advanced naval technology, but defense against drones has brought back the spotlight to surprisingly simple solutions. that one of the most modern frigates North Korea’s proud display of a heavy machine gun battery speaks volumes about how the war in Ukraine is redefining design priorities in even the newest warships. Image | North Korea State Media In Xataka | A small river lost between Russia and North Korea is testing something much bigger: China’s patience with both. In Xataka | South Korea has just entered the most exclusive club on the planet. And China and North Korea are not exactly calm

China is responsible for 3 of the 4 worst space debris episodes of the 21st century and a latest event shows that it is not getting better

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On June 9, the Chinese Zhuque-2E rocket released two satellites into low Earth orbit without any incident. With this, the upper stage of the rocket had already completed its mission. China does not reuse rockets, how SpaceX doesFor example. However, like any other space company, whether private or public, it has the obligation to try to ensure that its discarded rockets do not pose a risk to its space neighborhood or to the Earth itself. Unfortunately, the Asian country is not very efficient at preventing this from happening. Therefore, it is not entirely surprising that the upper stage of Zhuque-2E ended up exploding, violently ejecting more than 100 pieces at a dangerous distance from the International Space Station and much of Starlink satellites. By the hair. A United States Space Force dedicated to inspecting space for possible dangerous activities was the one that raised the alarm about this event. Not many details were given, other than that the person responsible for the explosion had been the Zhuque-2E rocket, with an upper stage 8 meters long and 3.35 meters in diameter. However, Darren McKnight, senior technical researcher at the orbital intelligence company LeoLabs, did venture to calculate in statements to Ars Technica that the explosion would have possibly released between 100 and 150 debris into low Earth orbit. The highest part of the orbit in which everything happened intersects the orbit of the International Space Station. However, the residual atmospheric resistance would be pushing the debris beneath it, so it would not pose a danger to it. The same cannot be said for the Starlink satellites, many of which are still quite close to some of the fragments from the explosion. Fortunately, also because of the residual atmospheric resistance, this debris will continue to fall, so that in a few months it should re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and burn up into much smaller fragments that would no longer pose a risk. Many fear China. The experts They have been warning for years on China’s role in generating space debris. Currently, Russia and the former Soviet Union lead the list of launch-related debris into long-duration orbits. They are followed by China and the United States. However, while Russia and the United States are decreasing these numbers more and more, the number of this type of fragments associated with the Chinese space race has increased by 150% in the last 5 years. 3 of 4 dangerous events. A good example of the risk China poses in this regard is that it is responsible for 3 of the 4 largest explosive debris release events in low Earth orbit during the 21st century. The first of them took place in 2007, with Fengyun-1C. This was an anti-satellite test, so a kinetic destruction vehicle was used to deliberately hit a Chinese weather observation satellite. 3,500 pieces of debris were released. On the other hand, in 2022 and 2024 there were explosions in the upper stage of a Long March 6A rocket. It was something similar to what has happened now, although more fragments were formed. 500 in 2022 and between 700 and 900 in 2024. The only case that is not Chinese. The fourth of these dangerous events was another anti-satellite test, but this time carried out by Russia. This is how the Cosmos 1408 satellite was destroyedwith the subsequent release of 1,800 fragments. Space debris is an increasingly serious problem The solutions. All companies releasing inactive vehicles into low-Earth orbit or geostationary orbit should do everything possible to prevent them from becoming dangerous fragments. On the one hand, you can try to make a controlled deorbitation so that the objects return to Earth, without losing control over them. Passivation can also be carried out, in which the tanks are emptied of fuel to prevent explosions from occurring due to pressurization. Possibly, what has happened in China is due to the fact that some residual fuel has remained. Rockets or satellites can also be sent from geostationary orbit to a graveyard orbit. This is a higher orbit, far from any operational orbit where there are satellites, spacecraft or facilities of any kind that are operational and could be impacted. Finally, if the object in question is in a very low orbit, it can be monitored until it deorbits naturally. China could do all this, but it does not seem to be investing enough in optimizing results. Beware of the domino effect. These types of events could be dangerous if they occur something known as Kessler syndrome. It is a phenomenon that begins when a fragment of space debris collides with another or with an active object, such as a satellite, breaking it and generating more fragments that in turn continue to collide. It would be a kind of domino effect that could cause serious damage to the entire space infrastructure that we have been deploying little by little. For all this, what happened with this latest Chinese rocket is a wake-up call to what could happen in the future. It is not a serious case, compared to others, but it still happens. If this country does not take action, the consequences will be increasingly dangerous. Image | 中国新闻社 | POT In Xataka | Orbital cleanup is no longer science fiction: the first regular space debris collection service will arrive in 2027

We have turned probiotics into the miracle pill of the 21st century. Science has something to say about it

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They are in pharmacies, along with vitamins C and multivitamin complexes. They are on the shelves of organic supermarkets, between adaptogens and turmeric shots. They occupy the reels of TikTok with the same enthusiasm with which before detox juices populated. Probiotics – supplements with live microorganisms that supposedly strengthen the intestinal flora – have become the health amulet of the 21st century. The promise is simple and seductive: take these “good” bacteria in a capsule and your gut, your brain, your immune system, and your skin will function better. The business accompanies the promise. According to different estimates from the sectorthe global probiotics market was valued at around $114 billion in 2025 and is projected to continue growing at a sustained rate over the next decade. However, there is a problem that science has been contemplating for years: taken massively and indiscriminately, probiotic supplements not only do not improve the microbiome in the majority of healthy people. In some cases, they can actively block it. A forgotten organ that regulates almost everything. The human intestine is home to trillions of microorganisms—bacteria, fungi, viruses—that form an ecosystem as complex and personal as a fingerprint. According to gastroenterologist Chris Dammanfrom the University of Washington, who has been studying the microbiome for 20 years, this ecosystem acts as “the gateway to the body’s overall health.” Diets with more fiber, fruit and vegetables are those that generate the greatest variety and richness of bacteria in the intestine, and healthy bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids that support the health of the intestinal lining, according to the clinical documents of the Whole Health from the US Veterans Administration. The microbiota is not just digestion. A review published in the journal Nutrients by researchers at the University of Cassino in Italy, details how the gut microbiota modulates neurochemical pathways involving serotonin, dopamine, GABA and glutamate, as well as the immune and endocrine axes. Microbial imbalance—what scientists call dysbiosis—contributes to low-grade systemic inflammation, impaired neuroplasticity, and altered stress responses, all of which are linked to mood disorders and cognitive decline. However, the most striking fact is that Approximately 95% of the body’s serotonin is synthesized in the intestinenot in the brain. Whether the intestine is good or bad is no small matter. Take care of the microbiota is key to healthbut to make good use of probiotics it is important to first understand their real mechanism. And that’s where things get complicated. Years of warning. The problem with probiotics is not that they never work. The thing is that we have turned them into a general use resource, something that is taken preventively and continuously, without diagnosis, without medical indication and without understanding what is really happening in each person’s intestine. A product with real and very specific benefits that social networks have turned into a universal solution. Dammam explains it clearly: Probiotic supplements purchased without a prescription are not sufficiently regulated. You don’t really know what you’re taking. Products vary greatly in labeling accuracy, presence of adulterants, and legitimacy of their claims, according to VA Program documents. Prescribing probiotics is difficult even for doctors: there are thousands of products on the market, each claiming superiority over the other. Many have “special recipes,” proprietary strains or combinations of multiple organisms that the VA wryly describes as “a microbiological shotgun approach.” The problem, ultimately, is not just the lack of regulation. It’s that we start from a wrong premise. The science behind. Dr. De la Puerta, an expert in microbiota, sums it up with a phrase that does not leave much room for interpretation: “If you want a healthy microbiota, you probably don’t need to live taking probiotics.” He said it in podcast by Dr. José Abellán in one of the most shared analyzes of intestinal health in recent weeks. Her central argument is not that probiotics are useless—in fact, she herself admits that she uses and prescribes them frequently—but that they are becoming a permanent habit when they are designed to be a one-time tool. “You have to take them to get you out of a place,” he explains. And he gives his own case as an example: “My microbiota is fairly good, but I have a lot of stress. So I take probiotics from time to time.” The key is in those two words: seasons. Deeper investigations. The latest science backs up exactly this nuance. A review published in Trends in Microbiology concludes that the composition of the microbiome varies greatly depending on geography, age and lifestyle, which directly calls into question the efficacy of universal probiotic treatments and requires that the design of any effective probiotic takes into account microbial diversity and specific adaptation to the context of each host. The Probiota 2025 conference, held in Copenhagen, confirmed this same idea: Geographic and demographic variations reveal microbiome profiles so different among healthy populations that it is impossible to define a universal standard of a “healthy microbiome.” There is another equally serious problem, which Dr. De la Puerta points out precisely: not all probiotics are the same, even if we sell them as if they were. “Take a probiotic, stabilizer, immunomodulator, neuroactive, high load, low load, monostrain, multistrain…”, he lists. Some have more to do with the immune system, others with digestive health, others with mood. The most successful interventions are those informed by a microbial profile prior to treatment, which allows predicting therapeutic efficacy. “That’s why it doesn’t make much sense to buy them at random simply because someone has recommended them on social networks,” the expert details. The garden already planted. There is a conceptual error that lies at the bottom of this entire debate. We take probiotics as if the intestine were empty land waiting to be repopulated. But in the vast majority of healthy adults, the intestinal ecosystem is already established and has its own defenses. According to the VA Programcontinuing to take them once a healthy intestinal ecosystem is formed would be like planting an already planted garden. The real problem, … Read more

The gold of the 21st century is not in Venezuela. China and Russia know it, and that is why the US wants Greenland no matter what.

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As if it were a Deja Vú2026 has exactly begun same as 2025: with Trump’s insistence on take over Greenland. It happens that it no longer seems like an isolated whim or a rhetorical eccentricity, but rather the convergence of a personal drive, a strategic opportunity perceived as easy, and a high-impact geopolitical calculation. Venezuela It has served to light the fuse. Greenland as an obsession. After the capture of MaduroTrump confirmed once again that the use of force abroad lacks the legal and judicial brakes that do constrain his domestic action, and that, in the face of clearly outmatched adversaries or allies, the reality is imposed on international law without too many immediate consequences. Greenland then appears (again) as the perfect prize: a huge, sparsely populated territory, defended by an ally incapable of military resistance and located in an area where Washington can dress territorial ambition in the language of “national security”. The reiteration of the message, the appointment of a specific envoy and the public statements that normalize even the military option indicate that this is not a joke or simple diplomatic pressure, but rather an obsession that grows as Trump’s internal political margin narrows. The founding paradox of NATO. The central problem is that Greenland belongs to the Kingdom of Denmarka full member of NATO, and any US action against it would place the Alliance before a paradox for which it was not designed. He Article 5, designed to deter external enemies, does not see clearly What happens when the aggressor is the hegemonic member. As has warned Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, in that scenario “everything would stop”: NATO could continue to exist formally, but its credibility would be destroyed. No one would come to the defense of Greenland against the United States, not only due to a lack of political will, but also due to the absolute material asymmetry between Washington and the rest of the allies. The implicit message is thunder for Europe: security guarantees are no longer automatic, and force is once again in place above the treatyan outcome that directly benefits Russia at the moment of greatest tension since the end of the Cold War. Critical minerals. The economic and technological argument is supported in mineral wealth that lies under the Greenland ice, the result of an ancient geology that concentrates rare earths and other essential critical minerals for the energy transition. From the 19th century to today, different actors have tried exploit that potential, from Ivittuut cryolite during World War II to contemporary rare earth projects. However, the enthusiasm collides with a stubborn reality: extracting these resources is extraordinarily expensive, slow and risky. The almost total lack of infrastructure, the dependence on maritime or air transport, the complexity of processing (with minerals often associated with uranium) and restrictive environmental legislation mean that only a minimal fraction of exploration projects become operational mines, usually after more than a decade of investment. Extra ball. Furthermore, the memory of the environmental damage caused by past exploitations, whose effects are still detectable half a century later in extremely fragile ecosystems, explains why Greenlandic society only contemplates mining. like an opportunity if you actively participate in decision-making and project ownership. The loot exists, but it is neither immediate nor easy, and it certainly does not seem to be able to justify the American strategic urgency on its own. Hybrid war. The backdrop is a northern Europe increasingly militarizedwhere incidents against submarine cables, gas pipelines and critical infrastructure in the Baltic have normalized the idea of a permanent hybrid war. In this context, Washington observes how Moscow and Beijing test pressure tactics below the threshold of open conflict, while legal and judicial responses appear slow or ineffective. The explicit willingness of the United States to include military option for Greenland fits into that fait accompli logic: securing key positions before the strategic environment deteriorates further. It is not just about denying advantages to rivals, but about getting ahead of a scenario in which infrastructure, logistics and control of physical nodes are worth more than declarations of principles. The navigable Arctic and a port. Here a possible decisive derivative emerges. Science has been warning for some time a stage where the Arctic is heading, on a horizon of decades, to be navigable for most of the year. The sustained retreat of sea ice is transforming routes that were once seasonal into viable commercial corridorsdrastically reducing the distances between Asia, Europe and North America. Today, they capitalize on that advantage especially Russiawith the Northern Maritime Route, and Chinawhich presents itself as a “near-Arctic power” and invests in ports, icebreakers and logistics agreements. For the United States, which is late to this board, Greenland represents the perfect shortcut: an enclave located between the Atlantic and the Arctic, capable of hosting deep-water ports, air bases and logistics nodes from which to offset the Russian-Chinese advantage. Seen this way, more than a mine, Greenland is a port ahead of the world to come, a piece from which to influence the global trade of the 21st century and the control of routes that, for the first time in modern history, cease to be be closed by ice. A small island, a global change. If you will, the final paradox is that all this pulse revolves around a tiny territory of less than 60,000 inhabitantsone mostly opposed to integrating into the United States and in favor, at best, of a slow and cautious independence. However, its symbolic and strategic value is disproportionate. Greenland condenses the transition to a world where melting ice reconfigures maps, critical minerals redefine dependencies, and alliances are strained to the limit. For Trump, it is a source of political impact, potential money and demolition of the old order. For Europe, possibly proof that geography prevails again to the law. And for the international system, the warning that the Arctic is no longer a remote edge of the planet, but one of its new centers of gravity. Image | The … Read more

why the specimens of the 21st century no longer look anything like those of a thousand years ago

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In recent decades, the image of the unchanging bear of wild nature has given way to a different reality. Science is now watching as the bears They are changing their physiognomytheir DNA and their way of interacting with the world in order to survive two great pressures: the persecution of humans and the climate change. The Italian experiment. The most surprising case is that of Apennine brown bear in Italy. For centuries, this animal has lived on a biological island surrounded by the civilization that has managed change the animal both physically and genetically. This is something that science itself has collected and that has been seen in the weight of the animal, since this animal weighs an average of between 140 and 210 kiloswhile their closest relatives usually weigh 350 kilos. And this was not a conscious selection, because for generations humans systematically eliminated the largest, boldest and most conflictive specimens. Those that remained in the ecosystem were the smallest and also the most docile specimens that began to reproduce. Selection of the shy ones. This reality connects with the theories of Alejandro Martínez-Abraín on “shy-selected” populations or selected for their shyness. According to this concept, historical hunting not only reduced the number of predators, but acted as a psychological filter. We have pruned the personality of the species, eliminating the brave and leaving behind a lineage of animals whose main characteristic is the extreme avoidance of human beings. with the aim of not giving us problems. Also in the Cantabrian Sea. While the character of the bear changes in Italy, if we come to Spain it is easy to see how we are breaking the calendar of our own species. In the north of the peninsula, climate change has begun to dismantle hibernationone of the most sacred biological processes of the species. Data collected since the mid-1990s shows a clear trend: females are leaving their nests earlier and earlier due to rising spring temperatures. In this way, what once represented an awakening regulated by biology and food availability at the end of April or May, is now an uncertain exit conditioned by shorter winters. The hidden biological cost. By leaving the burrow early, mothers with babies face a mountain that has not yet fully awakened because spring has not arrived. In this way, the bear cubs, vulnerable and with a developing immune system, are exposed to pathogens and also to the attack of adult males that also activate early. In this way, climate change is not only warming the air, it is forcing the bear to live in a time lag with its own ecosystem. Something that also adds to the scarcity of resources that can compromise their survival. In the Arctic. Here the situation has reached an almost science fiction level of genomic complexitysince the subpopulation of polar bears in southeastern Greenland has become the living laboratory of adaptation to global warming. These animals live in an environment that no longer has the sea ice necessary to hunt seals for much of the year, but they have found an emergency solution: using the glacial ice that breaks off from the fjords. Inside. The deepest adaptation they are undergoing is within their cells, as researchers point out that they have identified more than 1,500 specific fragments that are active specifically in this population. These elements seem to be altering fat metabolism, since they cannot depend on seal fat as they have until now. That is why they have to look for other sources of fat such as eggs, poultry or reindeer. To do this, their genetic profile is changing to allow them to process terrestrial energy sources, a metabolic transformation that could be the species’ last line of defense against an ice-free Arctic. Which is what is being achieved with the increase in the Earth’s temperature. A new coexistence. This global metamorphosis poses a management dilemma for the 21st century, since with the abandonment of rural areas and the boom in nature tourism Encounters between humans and bears are more frequent than ever. But this is a problem, since although the ‘shy’ ones have remained in nature, the lack of fear they have can reverse the trend of security that we have before them. That is why the key to the future is not only in protecting the animal, but in managing its behavior. The goal is to achieve what they call “zero habituated bears,” which implies the use of more aggressive measures: from the use of firecrackers and rubber bullets to reinforce fear of humans, to surgical waste management to prevent bears from seeing towns as easy food. Great plasticity. This is a great characteristic of bears as we have seen, since they have reduced their size in Italy, they come out of hibernation earlier in Spain and they are more omnivorous in the Arctic. But this “redesign” is also a reminder of our omnipotence: even when we try to save species, we end up altering their very essence so that they can survive on a planet we have made in our image. Images | Mark Basarab In Xataka | Faced with the largest flood of wild bears in memory, Japan has taken a measure: emergency hunts

one of the most influential films of the 21st century

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It has been almost two decades since the premiere of ‘The Holiday‘, one of the Christmas movies par excellence and feel good movie manual. There are several points that catapult certain stories as a Christmas reference and this work by Nancy Meyers (‘You to London and I to California’, ‘When you least expect it’) meets all the requirements. The story of two women who, when their love relationships implode, decide to take a 180-degree turn in their lives and exchange homes during the Christmas holidays is the starting point to wrap you in all the Christmas syrup required. It is more than natural that you enjoy ‘Home Alone’, ‘Polar Express’ or ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ but the truth is that a rom com It competes like no other genre for the title of Christmas phenomenon and helps you enter the new year with the necessary energy. Story of a “Christmas movie” It is easy to review all the characteristics that have made ‘The Holiday’ a must-see Christmas event and one of the most influential romantic comedies of the 21st century. The main asset and what makes it the icon it is today is its more than successful cast. Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Jack Black… All of them do that thing that is so unpleasant in an actor of “playing themselves”, or at least, how we viewers think they are. Its special touch, which provides fresh air and differentiates it from the rest of rom coms Christmas is its goal character. The continuous mentions of the film industry, the world of scriptwriting, premieres and having cameos from stars such as Dustin Hoffman enriches the traditional journey that the protagonists take in this archetype of films. It is mandatory that a romantic comedy and a Christmas movie be cheesy, there is no other option and that is what we are looking for, but if we want to introduce cheesiness with taste, that is where things get complicated. ‘The Holiday’ achieves the most difficult thing and is the best example of handling tenderness with just the right amount of corniness. It does not only achieve this with its main love stories, but with another essential piece: Arthur. Having in your cast a film figure like the great Eli Wallach (‘The Godfather. Part III’; ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’; ‘The Magnificent Seven’…) and giving him the place he deserves with a twist to his filmography is worthy of admiration. The actor carries the weight of the plot more tender. A love story that endures over the years and loss, which speaks of the physical and mental vulnerability of old age and the importance of surrounding yourself with a circle of support. Here is the great story of ‘The Holiday’, everything that involves the protagonists. And the journey and purpose of the characters goes through their love relationships, but in reality it is not the only thing that defines them. It is at this point that on many occasions, we notice the difference between a good romantic comedy script and just another “afternoon movie.” If we pay attention to the relationship that Iris (Kate Winslet) establishes with Arthur (Eli Wallach) and the bond they create, we get a much more complete portrait of the character and personality of the character and with this, our own connection with the film and the plot increases. We suffer much more with the treatment she receives from her ex-partner, that neglect ends up feeling like her own and the feelings on the surface come with the famous speech about heartbreak that no one but Kate Winslet can make. “What I’m trying to tell you is that I understand what it’s like to feel like the smallest, most insignificant and pathetic being in humanity and what it’s like to feel pain in parts of your body that you didn’t even know you had (…)” – Winslet’s monologue in ‘The Holiday’ So the romantic element does not fade, but the plot of Graham’s daughters (Jude Law), the parallelism with Amanda’s childhood (Cameron Díaz) or that beautiful friendship between Iris and Arthur ends up completely rounding off this Christmas icon. The sweet spot of Christmas fantasy Furthermore, as we have already touched on previously, talking about Christmas movies and what they reveal about you‘The Holiday’ and that particular “Choose your own love story” allows it to reach different types of audiences. While many people pine for Jude Law, the handsome stereotype movie who is also an exemplary father, others decide to opt for the sweetness and kindness of Jack Black. The slow-burning ending of Iris and Miles’ story is its true story. couple goals and perhaps something much more credible than those declarations of love in minute one of Graham and Amanda. One of the biggest challenges that this type of film faces is the fantasy/reality balance. As a general rule, the public wants to immerse themselves in a fantasy that accompanies the seasonal spirit and helps them forget about daily life for at least two hours, but at the same time, they need a certain connection to get involved in a story that, after all, talks about feelings. And here ‘The Holiday’ once again passes with flying colors. We can fantasize and dream about that luxury house in Los Angelesthe cozy English cottage from a story during a Christmas full of love and magic, or if we go very crazy, that Hollywood pays tribute in life to a great screenwriter as happens with Arthur, but at the same time the rawness of heartbreak or disappointments in personal or work relationships connects us with real life and fully links us with the story. Nor can we ignore one of the fundamental elements that give the package to ‘The Holiday’, and that is that music does not only play an important role during the beautiful scene in which Miles creates a piece of music inspired by Iris. To top it all off, the soundtrack is by Hans Zimmer, … Read more

We are becoming the Japan of the 21st century

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Let’s start with the facts: Europe ages faster than any other developed regionespecially in the south. middle age is over 44 years oldand going up. The big technology companies that define our era are American or Chinese, with permission for South Korean or Taiwanese exceptions. Our industrial glories (Nokia, Siemens, Ericsson, Alcatel…) are today B2B suppliers or corporate zombies, invisible to the consumers who once loved them. We host two of the most important technology events in the world (MWC and IFA) but we are spectators of a spectacle that others dominate. And in the meantime, we regulate: GDPR, AI ActDMA, DSA. We legislate about innovations we don’t lead and impose rules on games we don’t play. There is an uncomfortable but quite precise parallel: post-bubble Japan. In the 1980s, Japan seemed destined to dominate the 21st century. Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, Nintendo… Japan defined some of the technologies that dominated the world at the end of the 20th century: The game boy and the desktop Nintendo. The walkman and the discman. The Trinitron teles. The VHS that won the format war. The Canons and Nikons that captured our memories. The iconic Casio watches. The Toyotas and Hondas that redefined the word “reliability.” Even the word kaizen (continuous improvement) became a mantra for companies around the world. Japan, in addition to manufacturing great products, exported methodologieswork philosophies and visions of the technological future. Then came the bust, the stagnation, the deflation. And the worst: institutional nostalgia. Japan did not collapse, but began to stop creating the future. And it became a museum of how things were done, of when we were relevant. Europe is taking that same path, but faster. What is worrying is not so much the absence of large European technology companies with honorable exceptions, is the response to that absence: instead of creating conditions for them to emerge, we focus on aggressively regulating those that exist.. We act as if power resides in controlling other people’s platforms, not in building our own. It’s the mentality of someone who no longer plays: if I can’t win, at least I set the rules. But setting rules without the ability to enforce them is simply irrelevance disguised as principles. Japan took solace in its culture, its refined aesthetics, its exceptionalism. In Europe we console ourselves with our “values”. Data protection, sustainability, digital rights. Everything correct, everything noble. But insufficient. Because in the meantime, the technological architecture of the 21st century—the one that defines what is possible to do, think, create—is being built in California and Shenzhen. We set limits on systems that others design. The underlying problem is that Europe has internalized a narrative of managed decline. We no longer aspire to lead, but to “preserve our model.” Translation: manage decay with dignity. It took decades for Japan to accept its new role. Europe seems to have accepted it on the fast track. In Xataka | I increasingly like technology that doesn’t want anything from me: the one that has a purpose and leaves you alone Featured image | Tianshu Liu, Il Vagabiondo

There are only two places in Spain from which you can see the eclipse of the 21st: the Spanish Antarctic Bases

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Eclipses have given much to talk about in recent months. In April of last year millions of Americans saw an eclipse whose total concealment path furrowed from south to north the country. Something closer, in March of this year we had a small snack of the row of eclipses that we can see in the coming years. But some eclipses go unnoticed. A new eclipse. On Sunday there will be a new partial eclipse of Sol. The eclipse will begin approximately At 17:30 UTC7:30 p.m. Spanish peninsular (CEST); and will last almost until 21:54 UTC, or 23:54 Cest. Like other solar eclipses, this occurs on dates close to a lunar, in this case The last day 7 September. The beginning of the eclipse will be given on Pacific waters, near the Samoa archipelago. While being a partial eclipse there will not be a moment of total concealment, it will be at 19:42 UTC (21:42 CEST) when I know the moment of maximum concealment. According to Explain the National Geographic Institute (IGN), the maximum magnitude of the eclipse will be 0.86, but the inhabited settlements can only see the sun disappear in Something more than 72% of its surface. As Ign explains, after 264 minutes of eclipse, the sun will shine fully, being the waters of the ocean, near the Antarctic Peninsula the last to see the solar concealment. The eclipse of the antipodes. Sunday’s eclipse will be almost a tracing that was seen on March 29, only will run through the antipodesthe opposite side of the globe. The partial eclipse will be visible in the islands of New Zealand and other archipelagos of the southern Pacific. Almost “refile” can also be seen on the west coast of Australia, including Sydney and on the island of Tasmania. A very small fraction of humanity will be the one that this eclipse can see. In addition to those that inhabit the mentioned areas, in Antarctica the eclipse may be seen by those residing in some bases, including the Spanish located in the Southern Shetland Islands. The areas where the eclipse will be seen are best in the south of New Zealand and in some areas of the Antarctica continent, specifically in the region known as Earth of Oates, as well as in some small archipelagos located in the region. Waiting for a turn. Meanwhile we are waiting for the three eclipses, two plots and one annular, visible in Spain and part of Europe Between 2026 and 2028. The first of these eclipses will be the August 12 of 2026 and will be a total eclipse. The second will happen on August 2, 2027 and will also be total. The last will be annulled and will arrive on January 26, 2028. Meanwhile the world will see other eclipses. The following, for example, will arrive February 17 of 2026. It will be annulled but it can also be seen only from the southern hemisphere, with its annular phase only visible from Antarctica. February 7, 2027 an eclipse, also cancel, It will travel part of South America and can be seen partially from much of Africa and southern Spain. In Xataka | Spain is very excited about the three eclipses that will arrive between 2026 and 2028. The government is worried Image | NASA/AUREY GEMIGNANI / SNOWSWAN

Galileo Galilei of the 21st century is an unknown man who has discovered more moons than no one is going to discover

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If they asked you about an astronomer, you would probably think of Copernicus or Galileo Galilei. Maybe Carl Sagan came to mind. If they add “to be alive,” you might answer Neil Degrasse Tyson or, in the event that you are a fan of Queen, Brian May. The name that would hardly come out in the conversation is Scott S. Sheppard, an astronomer as prolific as unknown. The number 1 in yours. Yeah Cristiano Ronaldo He is the greatest scorer in the history of professional football, Scott S. Sheppard is the CR7 to discover objects in our solar system. In total, he has put his name in more than 200 planetary moons: 78 of Jupiter, 119 of Saturn, three from Uranus and three of Neptune. Practically half of all known planetary moons. A record that, as points out Iflscienceprobably will never be overcome, and he has continued to swell it in recent months. The true king of Jupiter. In April, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) confirmed the discovery of two new moons in Jupiter, raising the official total giant to 97. Their provisional names are S/2017 J 11 and S/2017 J 10. Both are small moons and with retrograde orbits, that is, they revolve in the opposite direction to the rotation of the planet, something common in the outer and smaller satellites of Jupiter. And yes, he has discovered them Scott S. Sheppardthat with these two new findings, he adds almost 80 moons of Jupiter to his credit. To put it in perspective: Galileo discovered the first and largest moons of Jupiter in 1610. Since 2000, Sheppard has overwhelmingly dominated the search for Jovian satellites. What is resisting: Planet 9. He extensive curriculum Sheppard looks more like the index of an astronomical atlas than to the discoveries of a single person. In addition to natural satellites in Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptunethis astronomer of the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington DC has also discovered 23 minor planets, six candidates for dwarf planets, three comets that bear their name (Sheppard – Trujillo, Sheppard – Tholen and Trujillo – Sheppard) and The most distant object ever observed In the Solar System: 2018 Ag37 “Farfarout”, about 130 times the distance between Earth and the Sun. This is where your work becomes even more fascinating. Many of his discoveries are transneptunian objects such as 541132 Leleākūhonua “The Goblin”. And it is no accident. Sheppard and his colleague Chadwick Trujillo found them while looking for something much bigger: The hypothetical planet nine. Themselves proposed in 2014 The existence of a superstraier -type distant planet to explain the strange orbits grouped from objects such as the Minor Sedna planet. Image | Carnegie Science In Xataka | What types of satellites exist: guide not to get lost in a gigantic network of which we are increasingly dependent

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