analyzed

A meteorologist has analyzed 30 years of Spanish skies to see if you should worry about not seeing the eclipse on August 12

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Can you imagine spending a fortune on a trip? to emptied Spain to enjoy a show that will only last a couple of minutes and at the moment of truth the clouds arrive and prevent you from seeing it? That will be what will happen this summer if we are unlucky enough that the skies in the totality zones of the August 12 eclipse become cloudy. Unfortunately, until 3 or 4 days before we will not know what will happen. Weather predictions cannot be made any further in advance, what more would we like. However, you can do an analysis of what has happened in previous years, right in that place and on that date of the year. The meteorologist Benito Fuentes has been in charge of doing it and we can see the results in your X account (formerly Twitter). 30 years of observations. The meteorologist has analyzed what happened on August 12 at 8:00 p.m. in the Spanish skies over the last 30 years. Although the totality of this year’s eclipse will be reached around 8:30 p.m., the eclipse itself will start at 7:30 p.m.. That’s why he chose 8:00 p.m. The bad thing is that in your analysis you can see that in some of the points of the totality strip, half of August 12 have had too many clouds to be able to see an eclipse with peace of mind. Not all clouds are the same. The meteorologist has paid special attention to medium and low cloudssince the high ones allow the passage of light, so that it could be seen when the eclipse “turn it off”. Just a little cloudy skies. Another important fact that the meteorologist clarifies is that, due to the time at which the eclipse will take place, quite close to sunset, a few poorly positioned clouds are enough to ruin the show. It is not necessary for the skies to be completely cloudy. He has used 35% cloud cover as a threshold from which to start worrying. Not all positions are equal. Precisely also because of the time close to sunset, the clouds that would spoil the eclipse are those that are towards the west, where the sun sets. A few clouds to the west would be much worse than a completely closed sky above our heads. Don’t panic. These data are not a prediction, far from it. Just because half of the August twelfths have been problematically cloudy in the last 30 years does not mean that this year will be cloudy as well. With the predictions that can be made in the previous days, it will be possible to recalculate to a certain extent. the place to observe the eclipse. It’s not worth worrying ahead of time. That little bit of mystery and uncertainty also makes what is to come very interesting. And the good thing is that, if we can’t see it, we can always go hunting for the other two components of the Iberian trio of eclipses. Image | Magnific/NASA In Xataka | A third of Spain will be completely dark for a minute or two. The astronomical event of the century is approaching

Researchers analyzed 280 samples of bottled water. Only one of the brands was free of microplastics

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Better taste and smell and health reasons. Those are the two main reasons why people drink bottled water, according to a study from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Spain is, in fact, the third European country that consumes the most bottled water (up to 107 liters per inhabitant). That clashes with one thing: that bottled water is not only much more expensive than tap waterbut now we know that it also has micro and nanoplastics in quantities much greater than estimated. The original study. Some researchers from Columbia University analyzed three popular bottled water brands in the United States (whose names have not been revealed) in search of micro and nanoplastics. To do this, they used a new technique called Raman stimulated scattering microscopy based on probing samples with two simultaneous lasers tuned to resonate specific molecules. Analyzing seven common plastics, the researchers developed an algorithm to interpret the results. According to Wei Min, co-inventor of the technique and co-author of the study in question, “it is one thing to detect and another to know what you are detecting.” The findings. On average, this study found that one liter of bottled water contains 240,000 detectable plastic fragments, between ten and 100 times more than previous estimates. Specifically, the researchers state that they found between 110,000 and 370,000 plastic fragments in each liter, of which 90% were nanoplastics. In that sense, it is important to remember the difference between micro and nanoplastics: Microplastics: those whose size varies between 100 nanometers and five millimeters. Nanoplastics: those whose size is equal to or less than 100 nanometers. The most common plastics. To no one’s surprise, one of the most common plastics was polypropylene terephthalate, better known as PET. It is the material that many bottles are made of. “It probably enters the water by breaking off pieces when the bottle is squeezed or exposed to heat,” say the researchers, who cite another study that suggests they can also break off when repeatedly opening and closing the cap. Usual. And although the presence of PET is common, this plastic is surpassed by polyamide, a type of nylon that “probably comes from the plastic filters used to supposedly purify water before bottling it,” says Beizhan Yan, researcher of the study. Other common plastics the researchers found were polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and polymethyl methacrylate. And the rest? The technique used includes the seven most common plastics, but there are many other plastics. According to exposes Columbia University, “the seven types of plastic the researchers looked for only represented about 10% of all the nanoparticles they found in the samples; they have no idea what the rest are. If they are all nanoplastics, it could be tens of millions per liter.” And what about those sold in Spain? That’s what he wanted to find out a study by the CSIC and the Barcelona Institute of Global Health. They have developed a technique to quantify particles between 0.7 and 20 micrometers, as well as the chemical additives released into the water and, for this study, they analyzed 280 samples of 20 commercial water brands. Only one of the brands did not contain microplastics, but all 280 samples contained plastic additives. More specifically. The result is that, on average, one liter of water contains 359 nanograms of micro- and nanoplastics, an amount comparable to that obtained in the tap water found in a previous study made by the same group. “The main difference we found is the type of polymer: in tap water we found more polyethylene and polypropylene while in bottled water we detected mostly polypropylene terephthalate (PET), although also polyethylene,” said Cristina Villanueva, ISGlobal researcher and author of the study. Lots of microplastic. Considering that we drink two liters of water a day, the authors estimate “an intake of 262 micrograms of plastic particles per year.” Regarding additives, 28 plastic additives have been detected, mostly stabilizers and plasticizers. According to the researchers, “our toxicity study showed that three types of plasticizers presented a greater risk to human health and, therefore, should be considered in risk analyzes for consumers.” In that sense, other studies have discovered the presence of microplastics in atheromatous plaques in the arteries, which increases the risk of heart attack. From the American Diabetes Association they also ensure that some components found in bottles, such as BPA and the aforementioned microplastics, increase insulin resistance, thus reducing its effectiveness. Images | Jonathan Chng in Unsplash In Xataka | The US has decided to abandon paper straws because everyone hates them. The problem is the alternative: plastic In Xataka | After the failure of the yellow container, the Government has reached a conclusion: it is time for returnable bottles *An earlier version of this article was published in February 2024

I have analyzed your new exosome mist to see how much of it is revolutionary and how much of it is marketing

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In recent years, Mercadona’s cosmetics section has become one of the most sought after in this supermarket chain. With a rhythm of presentation of new products that is sometimes overwhelming, they are completely up to date with trendy ingredients. In fact, They were already slow to join the centella asiatica fever. With your new exosome and cica mistthey have corrected the error. This product promises to hydrate, strengthen and energize the skin at any time of the day. In addition, Mercadona claims that it reduces expression lines and helps stimulate collagen and elastin synthesis. All this while reinforcing the skin barrier. It is, therefore, an ideal product for dry and/or sensitive skin, although anyone can use it. This is what Mercadona says. In order to check if it is worth it, I have been using this product for a week. Although it may not be enough time to notice results if there are any, I can make an initial verdict and, in the process, analyze the ingredients, because the reality is that, with science in hand, this Mercadona exosome and cica mist has a lot to cut through. What is the INCI? From now on we are going to talk a lot about INCI, so it is important to be clear about what exactly it is. This is the list of ingredients that all cosmetics must contain. in it All components of the product are detailed in descending order of concentration. This means that the most abundant ingredients are at the beginning and those with the least amount at the end. Therefore, it is not only important that we check the ingredients. It is also key that we look at where they are in the INCI. Sometimes, some brands promote a product to us for a specific ingredient, but when we look at the list we see it practically at the end. Logically, the effects will not be the same. Yes, it is important to keep in mind that those ingredients that are below 1% can now be listed in any orderso the last ones on the list will not necessarily be ordered by decreasing concentration. What is in the INCI of this mist of exosomes and cica from Mercadona? The first ingredient in Mercadona’s exosome and cica mist is water. This is normal in many cosmetics, since It is a very good solvent and is usually the base in which the rest of the formula is mixed.. Leaving this aside, the next ingredient, which would be the most abundant after water, is glycerin. This is a very common ingredient in moisturizing products, since hydrates in three possible ways. A substance that hydrates It can be humectant, occlusive or emollient. The former retain water, swelling and promoting hydration. The latter form a protective layer that prevents the water that is already on the skin from evaporating. Finally, emollient substances also create a protective barrier, but introducing lipids between the cells that mimic the skin’s natural barrier. The result is also a much softer appearance. In addition to glycerin, which moisturizes in every possible way, there are other moisturizing ingredients in the formula, such as propanediol, which is in second place (always without counting water), ribose, in fourth place, or hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate, in fifth place. There is also ethylhexylglycerin, much further down. In sixth place we find vitamin E (tocopherol), which acts as an antioxidant, but also has an occlusive effect. Special mention to gotu kola Something interesting about this product is that its main claim is quite high in the INCI. Centella asiatica, also known as Cicais the third ingredient without counting water. It is a plant known for its anti-inflammatory and skin regenerative effects. This is what the cosmetic claims say, but also what science says, since there are quite a few studies that support its use. These highlight the benefits of three active ingredients present in the plant: asiatic acid, asiaticoside and madecassoside. The first has shown to be a great healerthe second stimulates collagen synthesis and the third has great anti-inflammatory power. Therefore, it can be a good option for sensitive and damaged skin. Its role in stimulating collagen synthesisFurthermore, it is interesting after the age of 30, when we start to produce less naturally. This is why it could help reduce certain expression lines, as long as it is found at adequate concentrations. From the age of 30 we produce less collagen naturally In the case of Mercadona’s exosome and cica mist we see that it is the fourth ingredient if we count water. It is one of the most abundant ingredients, but that does not mean that its concentration is very high. There could, for example, be a lot of glycerin and everything else be in very low concentrations. Unfortunately, it is something that brands are not required to indicate, so we cannot know. We only have to observe the results. What about exosomes? exosomes They are very small vesicles that are naturally released by cells to communicate with each other or send substances from one to another. The use of exosomes of plant origin is beginning to become increasingly common in cosmetics, since can help provide interesting substancessuch as proteins and lipids. This is why it has become a great marketing claim, although there is a problem: there is no regulatory obligation to include the presence of exosomes in the INCI. In fact, It is not even an approved component to be included in this type of list.. At most, it can be indicated that there is a plant extract, as is the case in this case with gotu kola. But we do not know if there are centella asiatica exosomes or, on the contrary, other components. Other ingredients After tocopherol, the function of most ingredients is not focused on the users’ skin, but on the usability of the product itself. There are preservative compounds, such as phenoxyethanol, emulsifiers, such as polysorbate 20, formula stabilizers, such as tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, or pH … Read more

They have analyzed the coordinates of the rescue of the pilot in Iran. Not only do they not add up, they point to a very different mission from the US

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In the most complex military operations, it is not uncommon for open data (images, coordinates or videos) to allow reconstruct scenarios with a level of detail that was previously only available to the intelligence services. In recent years, independent analysts have come to identify locationsmovements and even operational failures crossing public information in a matter of hours. Because sometimes, the key is not in what is told, but in how they fit (or don’t) the visible pieces. The official version: Mission Impossible. It we count yesterday. The official narrative describes a rescue operation on a large scale to recover a crew member from an F-15E Strike Eagle shot down in Iran, with special forces deployed on the ground, multiple aircraft involved and direct confrontations with Iranian units. The pilot would have survived thanks to his training, emitting a signal from an elevated area while elite teams located and extracted him in a complex but successful mission. However, from the beginning it has attracted attention the enormous cost material, with aircraft destroyed or damaged worth hundreds of millions of dollars, something disproportionate for a conventional rescue operation. The first step: follow the coordinates. More than 48 hours after the rescue, the analyst of the popular Simplicius Substack has compiled all the information that has appeared about the operation. Its analysis begins by dismantling the official version based on a basic element: geolocation. The first information places the demolition in the southwest of Iran, near the coast (about 80 km), an area consistent with the type of operations that a combat fighter of this type would carry out. The problem? That the appearance of the subsequent videos and remains identified on the land that we commented yesterdaywith C-130 transport planes and destroyed American helicopters, appear at hundreds of kilometers awayin the vicinity of Isfahan, which introduces a contradiction that is difficult to ignore and forces us to rethink the entire sequence of events. One more thing. As clarified Also the analyst, the geolocation of the CSAR (rescue operation) only showed a group of search helicopters passing through that areathat is, it did not geolocate the remains of the downed F-15E. For all we know, those helicopters could have been passing from there to the place of the accident in Isfahan. However, it must be remembered that even official sources from the main US media outlets, all with direct contacts in the government, initially reported that the accident occurred precisely in the area where the CSAR helicopters were sighted and geolocated. That is, the inconsistency in the geolocation found is not based solely in a single test. Plus: it seems evident that it makes more sense for an F-15E to be operating in the coastal area and not hundreds of km deep in Isfahan dropping short-range bombs, a task that should correspond to stealthier aircraft. Even so, a subsequent geolocation supposedly located the F-15E accident just south of Isfahan. C-130 and MH-6 helicopters destroyed The pieces don’t fit. From there, the data has accumulated inconsistencies that further distort the official version. For example, the use of huge transport planes to rescue a single pilot, the alleged mechanical failures that forced to destroy aircraft on the ground despite evidence of impacts and shrapnel through images and videos. Not only that. The lack of coherence about how was he evacuated to the staff after these failures generate more than reasonable doubts. What real chance is there that the two MC-130s that flew some 100 US special forces members to Iran to rescue the last F-15 crew member, suffer at the same time mechanical failures and could not take off? But even if it were true,how they managed then remove that same number of people after both planes suffered those “mechanical failures”? The photo used for geolocation, which shows the crater, belongs to an original series of photos with remains of the F-15E The landing strip. Each detail, in isolation, could be explained, but together they draw a pattern that suggests something else was going on. In fact, the analyst explained that the geolocated remains of the C-130s, which apparently used a local “agricultural landing strip”, are located just on the other side of a mountain, about 35 km from the Isfahan nuclear facilitywhere Iranian near-military-grade enriched uranium is supposedly stored. This result comes from the previous image, that is, this would place the distance between the two places of the remains at about 25 km. The location to the northwest is the F-15E crash site, and the location to the southeast is the C-130 wreckage field. The geolocated remains of the C-130s, which apparently used the agricultural landing strip (32.223369, 51.897678), and which are located just on the other side of a mountain, about 35 km from the Isfahan nuclear facility, where Iran’s near-military-grade enriched uranium is supposedly stored Plot twist: the nuclear hypothesis. That proximity, just 35 km southeast of one of Iran’s main uranium deposits, it doesn’t seem casual and opens an alternative hypothesis: that the rescue operation was actually a cover for a mission much more ambitious. In fact, Trump I had already spoken to extract Iranian uranium, an operation that would require the construction of landing strips in the country. Therefore, it is plausible that the plan was already underway for some time, while the American president bought time by stating that it was only a theoretical “possibility” under consideration. Under this scenario, the presence of special forces, the volume of resources deployed and the risk assumed seem to fit better as part of a clandestine operation than as a simple rescue. A parallel narrative. With the official data taken together, the story evolves towards a different interpretation in which airstrikes, special forces activity and even the possible disinformation campaign attributed to the CIA They would be part of a coordinated operation to distract, confuse and execute deeply hidden objectives. Of course, the rescue would still be real, but it would cease to be the main objective and become the … Read more

A study analyzed the power of LED car headlights. The conclusion is what all drivers already know

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I hate traveling at night, almost as much as drive in rain. It had been a while since I went to a national one, but a few days ago I had to do it and what had to happen happened: I was dazzled on more than one occasion. Car headlights have evolved tremendously in a short time and LEDs have prevailed in new vehicles. The problem is that every time there are more signs that we have gone too far with its evolution. And a new report puts a percentage on how dangerous they can be if they are not properly calibrated… or if the car that uses them is an SUV. In short. Whether because you have a new car or because you update the headlights of a car with a few years behind it, they are one of the elements that are most appreciated on the journeys. They see you better, you see better and it is one of the most important points in terms of safety behind the wheel. If the height is correct and they are well calibrated, they are a pleasure, but it can also happen that this is not the case and they dazzle or dazzle you. There, security goes to hell for a few seconds. The British Department for Transport has published the results of a study about glare caused by LED lights. Your conclusion? They represent a road safety problem, altering the habits of drivers in the United Kingdom. We could extrapolate it perfectly. Basically, between October 2024 and early 2025, they combined objective measurements in real conditions with surveys of 1,850 drivers. The results They are devastating: 97% of them affirm that they are frequently distracted, and 96% that glare from headlights is a road safety problem. Analysis. On the one hand, we have those statements from drivers, who were asked about the frequency with which they felt distracted due to glare from the headlights of vehicles traveling in the opposite direction. On the other hand, the objective analysis. To do this, the DfT used luminance cameras and mixed the data using a machine learning algorithm to identify the variables that come into play at high glare levels. They discovered that there was a strong correlation between higher luminance levels and reports of glare in some test vehicles (logical, on the other hand). Also that road factors influence, such as circular upwards or curves to the righttimes when drivers’ eyes are most exposed to the beam of light from the headlights. In the end, these are things that a study does not have to confirm if you have ever driven at night, but what is interesting about the study is the consequences and the “culprits.” Impact. For example, more than half of the respondents have affirmed that this discomfort due to glare has generated anxiety when driving at certain hours, which is why they have reduced night driving or have abandoned it altogether. And more than 20% point out that they would like to take the car less at night because of this, but they have no other option. According to statistics and beyond the indirect impact, they estimate that glare has bound about 290 accidents annually. and the effects They depend on age: a 50-year-old person takes nine seconds to recover from glare, while a 16-year-old takes just one second, which applies another risk factor on the road to older drivers. SUV. Beyond this, they have also found that larger vehicles, such as SUVs, are the most associated with glare in surveys. This is logical: they are taller, their headlights are more aligned with the eyes of drivers traveling in the opposite direction (especially in lower cars) and it seems that all new cars are SUVsso they are the ones with the most up-to-date lights. The problem of retrofit. This term in English refers to the modification of an existing component. In short: updating with new parts and superior technologies, such as changing the brakes for better ones, installing a new infotainment system or change the original halogen headlights for LED ones. You can buy new ‘bulbs’ even on Amazon and many are approved, but there are two problems: those that are not well regulated and those that are installed illegally. The British Administration has identified that illegal conversion is a problem, since changing halogen bulbs for LED means that those housings designed for halogen do not work the same with the new LED headlights, causing dangerous glare. British ITV has intensified its analysis of the sale of these kits, with heavy fines for violators. Not simple solutions. They estimate that around 800,000 vehicles fail their annual inspection due to headlight alignment problems, but although these are UK numbers, this is a global problem (in Spain22% of serious failures have to do with the lights) which implies that, perhaps, we have gone too far with the power of our cars’ headlights. The solution is not clear. The report recommends periodic glare checks and rethinking luminance measurements in modern headlights, but this will have to be studied. In the end, it is something that we all suffer at one time or another although, as they point Our colleagues at MotorPasión, for motorcyclists there is another added problem: reflections on the visor itself. Image | Alexander Jawfox In Xataka | The “made in China” business of the DGT’s V-16 beacons: homologating the same product 24 times and selling it under different brands

Someone has analyzed 136 million buildings threatened by rising sea levels. And there are reasons to worry

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One of the biggest threats we have as a society is undoubtedly rising sea levels. A process that is slow, but that can end up changing the mental maps that we now have from world geography to finish coastal areas of some regions completely flooded. Something that a study wanted to shed light on analyzed building by building flood risk in the Global South. And the result is alarming. The study. Published in npj Urban Sustainabilityis the first to analyze the impact on this scale in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America. “The rise in sea level is a slow but unstoppable consequence of the global warming that is already impacting coastal populations and will continue for centuries,” explains Natalya Gomez, co-author of the study. The numbers. The study analyzes the exposure of buildings to different levels of local sea level rise (LSLR), regardless of a specific time scale. This allows the findings to remain relevant as climate projections are updated. In this case the data is quite compelling. First of all, with just 0.5 meters of sea level rise, 3 million buildings would be submerged under the sea. Something that is inevitable right now, even if the most ambitious emissions cuts on the table are applied. If we talk about a five-meter rise in sea level, a scenario that could occur in several hundred years if emissions do not stop, the exposure would skyrocket to 45 million buildings. And in the most extreme case, with a 20-meter rise in the LSLR, the figure would reach 136 million buildings. How it was done. To achieve this level of detail, the scientific team combined several cutting-edge technologies. They used the database Google Open Buildings V2which identifies the location and outline of billions of buildings by analyzing satellite images. This data was cross-referenced with FABDEM, a digital global elevation model that, thanks to machine learning, removes the height of trees and buildings themselves to obtain the true elevation of the “bare ground.” This is crucial to not underestimate the risk of flooding. Finally, they adjusted the calculations using a global tidal model to reflect the water level during high tide, thus providing a more realistic estimate of the danger. Uneven impact. The risk is not the same in all regions, since the study reveals that in the early stages of sea level rise, Africa is the continent with the highest number of buildings affected. However, as the LSLR intensifies, Southeast Asia quickly comes to dominate the flood figures. A key finding is the non-linear nature of the threat. Building loss is relatively high below two meters LSLR, but accelerates dramatically between 2 and 4 meters. Professor Jeff Cardile, co-author of the study, points out that “we were surprised by the large number of buildings at risk from relatively modest long-term sea level rise.” This means that we are not facing a problem that is gradually worsening, but rather one that could reach tipping points with devastating consequences. Many of these buildings are located in low-altitude, high-density areas, affecting entire neighborhoods and critical infrastructure such as ports, refineries, and cultural heritage enclaves. Planning. Beyond the global warning, the study seeks to be a useful tool. Researchers have created an interactive map available through Google Earth which allows policy makers and urban planners to visualize which regions face the greatest exposure. And on this map you will be able to see, building by building, the risk of ending up below sea level as a consequence of climate change. A global problem. Although this study has focused on the effects that will occur in Africa or Asia, the reality is that it is a problem that affects us all. As the study points out, all of us depend on food, goods and fuel that pass through ports and coastal infrastructure that are exposed to this rise in sea level. Thus, disruption of this infrastructure can cause disruption with serious economic consequences globally. That is why this tool can guide climate adaptation strategies, such as the construction of protective infrastructure, the adjustment of land use planning or, in some cases, the planned relocation of communities. As Maya Willard-Stepan, lead author of the study, concludes: “We cannot escape at least a moderate amount of sea level rise. The sooner coastal communities start planning, the more likely they are to continue to thrive.” Images | Chris Gallagher Marc Pell In Xataka | In the midst of climate change, cities only have one question to answer: become a sponge or a mousetrap

The genre Superventas, analyzed by its best Spanish authors

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The talk about Romantas and Comic-with He did not put the crowds early at six in the morning (although, like all, he filled in his room), but he did bring several tens of readers and readers who came to listen to the interesting reflections of a trio of outstanding authors of the genre. A good symbol of what the genre of the Romantasy: It does not occupy holders, it is not the convention center of conventions like this, but Sell ​​thousands and thousands of copies outside the media radar, captivating along the way more and more followers. In the Comic-with Malaga We had the opportunity to attend a talk with three of the most important authors of the genre in Spain: the very young Lucia Cerezo, author of the saga ‘Phoenix and Dragon’, and the most experienced parente and Selene Pascual, authors of about twenty works such as ‘paper petals’ or the series ‘Time Keeper’, almost all of fantasy but not all strictly all strictly. Together they raised a somewhat demystifying approach to the genre. Iria makes it clear when he appears: “We have been writing fantasy, fiction and romance and sometimes, why not? Mixing all those subgenres.” And he adds: “When we started publishing, we already wrote fantasy with his romance touches. When we were more girls and we were fans of ‘Memories of Idhun’, nobody described him as Romantasy, but clearly If ‘Idhun memories’ was published today, what would it be called? Romantasy. “ With this, they make it clear that the mixture in “more or less balanced” parts of fantasy and romance, as it was agreed to define Romantasy in the start of the talk, is a label that defines a style, but that has always existed. “The themes have not changed, but the way the themes are being appointed,” says Selene. But he also recognizes that tastes are transforming: “Yes, it is true that there has been a boom of a type of fantasy that puts romance in the center of the plot, now today it looks more than the romance carries the plot and that the romance eats the fantasy a bit.” I would be parente It tracks the origin of the term and awarded a completely industrial origin: “It is a label that is born from the publishers, from Bloomsbury, which is the one who published Sarah J. Maas.” Commercial maneuver or not, all agree that this new genre has managed to vibrate at a frequency that many readers were looking for. Iria and Selene summarize it with their own experience: “Our book that fits the most in the Romantas and is ‘Papelos de Papel’, a story in which the romance prevails about the rest, of a girl and a boy who live in different worlds and that communicate through a book. It was a bit of the allegory of what we have ever dreamed of when we take a book and think that we would like to be part of him.” They are also aware of the importance that networks have had in the dissemination of the term. Selene says that “following the pandemic, people were at home without knowing what to do, and decided to talk about books with people who liked the same genres. The ‘Romantasy’ began to be used, and it grew until they acquired their own category.” However, the networks have a darker side, and it puts the Spanish authors in the background. According to parente, “the books in English Many times they come with marketing already done. Because when you see a new book in stores, you say, ‘Buah, I have seen it and have recommended it 7000 times in Tiktok and I have left 7000 videos, I’m going to buy it.’ “ The problem of labels, they recognize, is that “fashions change from time to time”, and the categories can also be a trap: Selene states that it has noticed a certain tendency to “Tropification, that is, I have to add three certain tropes to my book or if it will not be sold. “The genres have always used clichés, but there are many who” seem now to be mandatory. If the girl does not put the dagger on the boy’s neck, it’s wrong. If it is not a enemy to loverswe are not interested “, and that can be more a restriction than a welcome novelty. But all are very clear about what the attractiveness of this genre is supervent. Lucia states that “many readers seek evasion, and Romantas and gives you this, a fantasy world, a love story that, if you want, allows you to read and evade. But also, if you prefer, you can make a deeper reading, you will usually have a political background, something that speaks to you of the real world and everything that is happening and that somehow gives you hope.” And there they give in the nail: “I think that Romantas and also has this basis of hope, that you can have a better world, and somehow people want that.” And Romantas and gives it, beyond labels. In Xataka | Brandon Sanderson’s fantastic emporium works thanks to 70 people who help him put order in his books

Australia has analyzed teleworking since before pandemic. His conclusions disassemble the reasons for the return to the office

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Although teleworking is no longer the preferred option by companies, or at least not their full -time variant, remote work continues to maintain much higher values that those who registered before pandemic. That shows that, in a way, teleworking does arrive to stay in Very specific contexts. Australia has been observing the real impact of teleworking for four years and consolidated data contradict old prejudices. “Working from home makes us happier,” The authors assure of a study by the University of Southern Australia, ciming a new more flexible and productive labor model. Time flexibility: the new office fruit. The Australian study is especially revealing because it began before the pandemic and the rise of teleworking and has been extended for four years, which leaves a much more defined photo of how remote work has impacted on the way of working and its consequences. According to the study, the possibility of choosing from where to work has allowed to improve both the mental and physical health of workers, although there is still a certain friction from corporate culture. According to A report of the International Labor Organization (OTI), the flexibility provided by teleworking is already equal to The emotional salary with which companies try to capture and retain the best employees, replacing other benefits. Most satisfied employees with their work. The data collected by the study reveal that before the pandemic, the Australian worker used about 4.5 hours per week only in displacements to the office. That time optimization It makes those who work from home enjoy “ten extra days of free time a year against those who go to the office”, dedicating 33% of that time to leisure, which implies “more opportunities to be physically active and less sedentary.” A factor that also highlighted the Academic Study which was carried out in Spain from the Lacaixa Foundation. According to the authors, these data “usually go hand in hand with worse mental health and with lower scores in the assessment of our own health.” Thanks to teleworking, employees have gained “hours of rest to sleep and, for example, breakfast more peacefully”, which helps reduce levels of template stress. In turn, this recovered time also has a reflection in healthier habits, such as home preparation or the increase in the consumption of fruits, vegetables and dairy. The result has been a more varied and healthy diet, with less dependence on ultraprocessed foods that require less preparation time. Positive whenever it is by choice. If something has shown us the experience of “forced” teleworking during the confinements of 2020 is that the teleworking It is not for everyone. Since this study allows to contrast the situation of employees before and after the massive arrival of teleworking, it also reveals how it affects that change of work model in workers The researchers found that the well -being and mental health They improved especially when teleworking was voluntarily chosen, while “when employees work from home for obligation, mental health and well -being tend to get worse.” Productivity in evidence. One of the main arguments of companies for the return to the office has been the alleged fall in productivity that was associated with teleworking. In this sense, researchers blame the problem more to an inability to assign tasks and New model management not in a direct casuistry of teleworking. “In many cases, managers who claim that teleworking reduces productivity responds more to a lack of management than a real performance problem,” says researchers in their conclusions. The conclusion after four years of monitoring is unequivocal: work performance and productivity seem to stay stable or, in most cases, improve when working from home. These results coincide With other research that They disconnect the decrease in productivity of the company with the teleworking. The distance does affect the cohesion of the equipment. Great corporations like Amazon wielded The argument of the cohesion of the equipment To impose The return to the office. In that sense, the study prepared by Australian researchers recognizes that “the connection with the classmates is difficult to reproduce at a distance,” admit those responsible for the study, and alert about the risk of loss of cohesion in the work teams. But, as has been demonstrated with some strategies back to the office, the problem can be mitigated by facilitating efficient communication channels. A Recent study Posted in the magazine Naturerevealed that this Team cohesion problem It currently persists with the hybrid day model, provided that consistent communication patterns are not established. In Xataka | A Barcelona company wanted to try the four -day week. He ended up firebaging an employee for having two jobs Image | Unspash (Rodeo Project Management Software)

Some astronomers analyzed the “Big Bang sound.” Now they believe that the Earth is in a vacuum of 2,000 million light years

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Cosmology has a huge problem. It is known as hubble tension and suggests that the nearby universe is expanding faster than the distant and primitive universe He is telling us. Something does not fit. Now, a disturbing study offers a solution. The big problem of cosmology. Hubble tension is One of the biggest headaches of modern physics. On the one hand, we have the measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB), the oldest light in the universe. When applying the standard cosmological model (LBDACDM), these observations show a 67.4 km/s/mpc hubble constant. On the other hand, when The expansion of the universe is measured Using nearby objects such as standard candles (a type of supernova), a significantly higher value is obtained: about 73 km/s/mpc. This difference, that the most recent data places in a tension of more than 5Sigma (a level that in particle physics is considered a discovery), refuses to disappear. A disturbing explanation. A new study Prepublished in Arxiv proposes a solution as elegant as depressing. That the discrepancy is not in our measurements, but in our location. According to Indranil Cosmologists Banik and Vasileios Kalaitzidis, we could be living in the center of a gigantic cosmic vacuum, a “bubble” of 2,000 million light years in diameter with a density 20% lower than the universal average. The test, they affirm, It is in the “Big Bang sound”. A local vacuum. The idea of the local vacuum is not new: it is known as the empty KBC (Keenan-Barger-Cowie, in honor of the astronomers who proposed the idea based on the galaxies count). If our galaxy, the Milky Way, were in a region with less matter than normal, the severity of the surrounding, densest areas, would “throw away” out. This effect, added to the general expansion of the universe, would cause nearby galaxies to move away from us faster than normal. “This would give the appearance of a faster local expansion rate,” explains Indranil Banik, of the New Research. The Hubble tension problem would thus become a local phenomenon, without the need to revolutionize the entire cosmological model. The sound of the Big Bang as proof. What the new study of Banik and Kalaitzidis contributes is a much more fundamental test based on barionic acoustic oscillations. Although we call them “the sound of the Big Bang”, they are not sound waves that we can hear. They are the traces that left the pressure waves that spread through the superdense plasma of the primitive universe. These waves were “frozen” about 380,000 years after the Big Bang and created A characteristic pattern in the distribution of matter. This pattern works as a cosmic rule of about 500 million light years in length, which astronomers use to measure the expansion of the universe to different eras. The results. The team analyzed 20 years of measurements and compared them with two scenarios: on the one hand, the homogeneous standard model, without emptiness; and on the other, the model that includes the empty KBC. The results, presented at the National Astronomy Meeting 2025 of the Astronomical Society Royal, are blunt. According to the statistical analysis of the study, the model with a local vacuum conforms to the data in a spectacularly better way. While the standard model has a 3.3sigma voltage with observations, vacuum models reduce it to only 1.1sigma –1.4sigma. Calmly. The researchers consider “demonstrated” that A vacuum model is about 100 million times more likely than a model without emptiness. However, it is a preliminary study, which has not yet gone through the pairs review. Previous studies set very strict limits to the existence of such an influential vacuum, concluding that it is not enough to explain the entire Hubble tension. They also propose early dark energy as a solution. But Banik’s work offers one of the strongest evidence to date that the Earth could be in a very lonely region of the universe. Image | Greg Rakozy (UNSPLASH) In Xataka | The James Webb and Hubble telescope coincide in the expansion of the universe. And physics fails to explain why

The OCU has analyzed about thirty Tarrina ice cream, the results are not excellent

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Summer is already here more than one awaits an ice cream binge. Ice cream are rich in sugars and fats, generally ultraprocessed foods and therefore Not especially healthy. Despite this (or perhaps precisely because of it), choosing the healthiest option can be a good idea. New report. Now the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) has published the results of its analysis of the Tarrina ice cream that we can find in supermarkets. Your verdict is not optimistic: too many additives, “some not recommended”; and scarce in dairy fats. 32 ice cream. In its analysis, the OCU studied 32 Tarrina ice cream like the ones we can find conventionally in supermarkets. They chose “Family Format” of three flavors (vanilla, chocolate and caramel). The analysis focused on white brand ice cream although it also included specimens of two “first brands”. According to Explain the organizationthe analysis consisted of an assessment made from labeling, nutritional quality (including energy content, fats and sugars used and composition), degree of processing, and a tasting test. The latter represented 50% of the final grade assigned to each product. Bad notes. According to the organization, only 10 of the 32 selected products exceeded the tests, with four of them “highlighting for their quality.” The 28 that did not reach this category, continues to explain the OCU, exceeded the levels in aromas, concentrated, dyes or syrups, which “mask the lack of product quality.” According to the OCU, the low quality in the ingredients was reflected in the taste of the products in the tastings to the palate. “It is not for less, because these are ultra prosecuted products, poor in dairy fat and rich in aromas, syrups and additives, some not recommended,” The organization explains in its statement. Too many additives, few dairy products. As for additives, the OCU identified a total of 20 (an average of 4 per product). Of this twenty additives, the organization highlighted four qualified by OCU itself as “not recommended.” It’s about E442, E471, E472C and E14XX. Only one of the analyzed products was described as “additive free.” The OCU also paid attention to the fats present in the products. He noted that only eight of the ice cream analyzed used dairy or cocoa exclusively. Better chocolate, caramel worse. In the results published by the OCU, a pattern can be perceived, and that is that among the ice cream analyzed, those of chocolate presented Better scoreswhile the caramel scored lower. “Caramel ice cream are the worst valued (in addition to the most caloric)”, details the organization. A product not so healthy. There is no healthy ice cream and that is why it is recommended that this food so desired in summer is only consumed in moderation. Ice cream are foods rich in sugars and fat regardless of the type of sweeteners and fats used. Choosing one or another option can depend on our tastes and what we want to prioritize in our diet. In Xataka | The ice cream are going to get very expensive this summer. There are two guilty strangers: coconut oil and the Philippines diesel Image | Titopasini

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