avoid

There are some that practice ‘partner exchange’ to avoid extinction

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For decades, popular culture and a certain anthropocentric vision have projected the idea that the traditional family It was the most normal thing in the animal kingdom. However, biology has a habit of contradicting us and if we look Alaskan watersand specifically the belugas From Bristol Bay, monogamy is not only rare: it is evolutionarily inefficient. The study. It has had as its objective analyzing the DNA of hundreds of these cetaceans for more than a decade, and confirms what we could call, in human terms, a lifestyle “swinger” either polyamorous among these animals. Although this word is more for our daily life, since in a scientific way it is called polygynandryand it is the secret of these whales to stay genetically healthy and resilient. The myth of the “better half”. Choosing a life partner for whales is something that is not the norm in this case. To reach this conclusion, the researchers They didn’t just watch what they did.but carried out an exhaustive analysis of 623 genetic samples collected over 13 years in the Bristol Bay beluga population. And we are facing a very interesting population because it is geographically isolated and has about 2,000 individuals. What they found was a mating system where both males and females mate with multiple partners. There is no “alpha male” that monopolizes females (polygyny), nor females that have only one consort. It is a constant and strategic exchange. Stepbrothers everywhere. The definitive proof of this behavior is in the family trees that the study managed to reconstruct. When analyzing kinship, scientists came across a revealing fact: there were many half-siblings who shared a mother or father but not both. The fact that it is very difficult to find full siblings indicates that season after season, females do not repeat partners, but rather change. A strategy that is aimed at maximizing reproductive success, since otherwise a few males would dominate the genetics and cause less genetic diversity. ‘Swinger’ as an advantage. We might think that this behavior is chaotic, but it is actually a very sophisticated biological defense mechanism. And constantly mixing genes with different partners ensures greater variability in the offspring to avoid serious diseases such as those that historically occurred. we have had in the European monarchies. But the interesting thing is that it is a choice of the females who play an active role. In this case they are not passive, but actively choose the males to mate with to have great variability, possibly to ensure that their offspring have the best possible genetic combinations. Its longevity. One of the characteristics of this species is that it can last for many years, and that is why maintaining genetic diversity through polygynandry allows them to adapt to long-term changes in their ecosystem. And it is a finding that aligns with previous research, since a high diversity in the microbiome and population structure of these whales was already pointed out, but the mating system had never been confirmed. A genetic lifesaver. The most fascinating thing about this discovery is how it rewrites our understanding of cetacean sociality. We often assume that highly intelligent and social animals tend toward monogamy (as is the case with certain birds), but the reality is that belugas demonstrate that you can have a complex society, care for offspring, and at the same time have a promiscuous sex life for the good of the species. For conservationists, this is good news. Knowing that this population maintains high genetic diversity and avoids inbreeding itself means that they have better biological tools to cope with climate change and human pressure than other more “faithful” but genetically poorer species. Images | Todd Cravens In Xataka | Going to the mountains to go hiking is increasingly popular in Spain. And those who are suffering are the golden eagles

The US electrical grid does not support so many data centers so they have had an idea: disconnect them to avoid blackouts

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One third of all data centers in the world They are in the US and that is putting a huge burden on the electrical grid. One of the consequences that consumers are noticing is the price increases on the invoice, But electricity operators already foresee another problem: blackouts. What is happening. They tell it in WSJ. The US power grid is beginning to become strained, with grid operators expecting blackouts during periods of high demand. The solution they propose to avoid this is to make data centers disconnect from the network and use their own energy reserves temporarily. The technology companies have not been amused and talk about “discriminatory measures.” Why is it important. In 2023, data centers already consumed 4% of all the country’s electricity and the forecasts are that by 2028 that percentage will increase to 12%. The electrical grid is not prepared to support so much demand and, although it is already expanding, the pace of construction of new data centers is faster. Network operators face a difficult dilemma: powering data centers while maintaining supply to consumers. ‘Kill switch’. PJM Interconnection It is the organization that oversees the energy market in the Midwest, where they have already suffered from the problem of price increases. The concern that blackouts will occur is on the table and PJM has proposed that technology companies create their own energy sources or accept that their supply will be cut off if the network becomes too saturated. They are not the only ones who have raised something like this. With demand expected to double by 2035, Texas passed a law last year that contemplates a ‘kill switch’ that allows large consumers, such as data centers, to be disconnected at times when the network is under “extreme stress.” What the technologies say. As we said, the companies that own these data centers have not been very happy with the proposal. The Data Center Coalitionof which companies such as Google, Microsoft and AWS are part, have stated that the proposal is discriminatory since data centers need a reliable and stable network. They also warn that depending on their own energy reserves could have a negative environmental impact, by forcing them to use solutions such as diesel generators. Waiting times. There is an intermediate scenario in which technology companies can obtain benefits if they accept these conditions. As the electrical infrastructure does not support so much demand, data centers have to wait several years to be connected to the network, normally between 3 and 5 years, although there have been cases up to 8 years. Southwest Power Pool, the grid operator in Texas, has offered data centers a deal: give them access to the grid sooner in exchange for agreeing to be disconnected during times of high demand. According to a recent study Funded by Google, data centers that have more flexible connections (i.e., those that build their own power sources and accept temporary disconnections) typically connect to the grid several years faster than those that do not. Bring your own energy. Despite the reluctance towards that off button, generating your own energy is the most realistic solution and the one towards which the industry seems to be moving. Google recently bought an electrical company in order to obtain its own energy. Others big tech Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle or xAI are also exploring create your own energy solutions such as natural gas and solar panels. Image | Google In Xataka | Drastically reducing data center consumption is crucial for AI. And China has had an idea: submerge them in the sea

Working in a nuclear power plant is not the best way to avoid cancer. Now it turns out that its waste also serves to cure it

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If there is a terrifying and mainstream disease, it is cancer: after all, according to the WHOone in five people will develop it at some point in their life. Although in some cases the risk factors vary depending on the type of cancer, working in a nuclear power plant poses some riskas long as there is greater exposure to ionizing radiation, even if there are no accidents or more intense exposure through maintenance work. Paradoxically, the activity of nuclear power plants, which can cause cancer, also serves to generate the basis of the medicine to cure it. And we are not talking about a potentially distant study, but rather something that can already be materialized. In fact, the United Kingdom has already taken a step forward to transform some of its radioactive waste into anti-cancer medication. The world’s first lead-212 radiopharmaceutical ecosystem. Because in the UK they have closed an agreement between the public body Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and the biotechnology company Bicycle Therapeutics for which the latter will have 400 tons of reprocessed uranium to extract the valuable (for the medical industry) lead – 212 for 15 years. Behind Bicycle is Sir Greg Winter, co-founder of the company and winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2018. This will provide them with the infrastructure to create the world’s first end-to-end lead-212 radiopharmaceutical ecosystem, from discovery to commercial supply. So explains it Mike Hannay, Chief Product and Supply Chain Officer at Bicycle Therapeutics. The benefits of lead – 212. Lead – 212 is an isotope used in therapeutic contexts thanks to its particular decay properties, so that it emits both alpha and beta particles. While the former provide high-energy, short-range cytotoxicity, the latter have a more extended range, targeting micro-metastasis. In a simplified way, this medically applicable isotope is essential for precision treatments against tumors resistant to other therapies. Thus, it carries radiation and acts directly on cancer cells to destroy tumors, minimizing the damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. This type of technique offers promising results in prostate cancers and neuroendocrine tumors of organs such as the intestine or pancreas. Extracting lead-212 is an arduous task. Converting the waste from nuclear power plants into cancer treatments seems like a fantastic idea for two reasons: because of the cure for cancer itself and the problem of dealing with radioactive waste, one of the great challenges faced by these energy industries, which have also explored other avenues such as take advantage of the remaining energy. But getting here has not been easy: the extraction process of this isotope has been carried out by the United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) with a complex chemical process that requires the isolation of scandalously small quantities of the precursor material from the used nuclear fuel. Thus, first the Thorium-228 is extracted from the reprocessed uranium to later process it into Radium-224. It is then loaded into a lead-212 generator that has been custom-made for Bicycle Therapeutics’ needs by US company SpectronRx. This is a continuous regeneration, producing enough lead-212 to deliver tens of thousands of doses of precision therapy per year. The laboratory explains that the critical part is in the beginning: “The initial precursor material extracted is comparable to finding a single drop of water in an Olympic swimming pool.” From that minute amount, an even smaller fraction of lead-212 is separated. First discover the universe, then cure cancer. In addition to this unexpected use of nuclear power plant waste, in recent weeks a group of researchers from the University of York have evidenced in a study that the intense radiation captured in the beam absorbers of particle accelerators could be reused to produce materials used in cancer therapies. Those particle accelerators They are used, among other things, in experiments to discover the matter of which the universe is composed. In Xataka | The rarest element on Earth aims to cure cancer. And Europe is already accelerating its production In Xataka | We have been believing that bacteria are a weapon against tumors for 150 years. And finally we have discovered how Cover | Jakub Zerdzicki and Ivan S

There was a reason for airports to avoid solar panels, and Malaga has just dismantled it

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In our daily lives we are increasingly accustomed to seeing solar panels. on balconies either roofs. Even when we travel by car it is common to find plate-covered land either large wind turbines. However, there is one place where until now solar energy seemed out of place: airports. For years, sun reflection was an unsolved problem in the airport environment. The fear that a flash could affect a pilot on approach stopped any attempt to install solar panels. In Malaga, that fear is no longer an obstacle. In short. Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport sum for the first time self-consumption photovoltaic installations promoted by private companies. Europcar and Goldcar They were the first to take the stepwith a project developed by the Malaga engineering company Ubora Solar. As La Opinión de Málaga highlightsit is not a project promoted by Aena, but rather a direct commitment by private companies to generate their own clean energy in one of the most regulated and monitored spaces in the country. The big obstacle: glare. The main challenge of the project was not technical or economic, but rather air safety. The possibility that the solar panels generated annoying reflections or glare on pilots and controllers was a critical concern, also regulated by Aena regulations. The answer involved an exhaustive analysis of visual risk. Ubora Solar developed aeronautical glare studies following the standards of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), taking into account everything from the actual flight trajectories to the visibility from the control tower. All of this served to precisely define the orientation and inclination of the panels within the airport complex. The results were conclusive. Luminance values ​​were well below the European threshold of 20,000 cd/m², and any possible reflection coincided with the position of the sun, being “masked by its own brightness”, a phenomenon known as sun masking. In other words: the reflection exists, but it is imperceptible and does not pose an operational risk. In other countries it was already a reality. Although solar installations already exist in airports in other countries, the case of Malaga is especially relevant due to its private nature. In the United States and in different parts of Europeairport photovoltaics has been a reality for years, always subject to strict glare and air safety studies. The difference, as various media emphasizeis that in Spain this step had not yet been taken without a direct impulse from the airport manager. Málaga thus acts as a laboratory and precedent for a model that could be replicated in other airports in the country. A success that does not blind. For years, the sun was seen as a risk at airports. In Malaga, he has become an ally. The project shows that the greatest fear —the glare— it is not fought with prohibitions, but with rigorous studies, planning and technology. Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport not only manages takeoffs and landings. It has also opened a new path for the energy transition in one of the most complex environments that exists. And it has done so without losing sight of the most important thing: safety. Image | solar ubora and Unsplash Xataka | When the December sun surpasses that of April: the luminous paradox of a vertical panel on the balcony

avoid cell phone use and sleep 12 hours

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While in Silicon Valley they brag about hugging the culture of “996” with eternal days With no time to rest, Pavel Durov, co-founder and CEO of Telegram, has built a routine that clashes head-on with that model. Instead of living glued to your cell phone, opt for long hours of rest and phone use reduced to its minimum essential expression. All this taking into account that he runs an app with hundreds of millions of users around the world. Sleep as a tool for creativity Durov does not forgive time to go to sleep. The millionaire explained in an interview on Lex Friedman’s podcast that books every night between 11 and 12 hours to be in bed. That It doesn’t always mean you sleep. all those hours, but the founder of Telegram, instead of getting nervous and getting up when he can’t fall asleep, simply limits himself to staying in bed thinking. “Some people hate it. They tell me ‘Take a sleeping pill’ but I never take pills. I love those moments because I have so many brilliant ideas, or at least they seem that way to me in those moments, while I’m lying in bed,” said the stoic millionaire. In fact, the scientific literature corroborates what Durov says and associates it with a moment in which inactivity causes the brain to wandera moment in which the brain’s abstraction mechanisms are activated that are responsible for assimilating knowledge and relating concepts. This process is closely related to creativity as it fosters new connections by helping to find solutions to complex problems. It is the same process that explains why the best ideas or solutions they occur to you in the shower or when you wash the dishes. The mobile phone is not the center of life Another curious habit of the founder of Telegram is that he avoids picking up his cell phone at all costs. just get upand delay as much as possible entering the torrent of notificationsnetworks and messages, as a deliberate way of protect your concentration. Friedman himself confirmed this point, ensuring that in the previous two weeks that he had shared with the millionaire I hadn’t seen him use his cell phone. to share content on social networks or respond to messages. Durov considers that the telephone is, above all, a constant source of distractions that prevents people from developing their own ideas and decide for themselves what they pay attention to. “If you open your phone first thing in the morning, what you end up being is someone who is told what to think about for the rest of the day,” Durov said. The millionaire summarizes his position with a very clear phrase: “My philosophy is quite simple. I want to define what is important in my life. I don’t want other people, companies or organizations of all kinds to tell me what is important today and what I should think about.” Durov’s case is even more striking if his career is taken into account: before Telegram, he had already founded one of the largest social networks in Russia, and now he is in charge of one of the most used messaging services in the world. He himself recognizes that it may seem contradictory to promote products that encourage constant connection and, at the same time, opt for the minimum possible exposure to mobile phones in their personal life. In Xataka | There are big billionaires obsessed with having dozens of children. And then there is the CEO of Telegram, who has 100 Image | Flickr (TechCrunch)

Movistar, Orange and Vodafone are going to raise prices in 2026. You still have time to do something to avoid paying more

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Unfortunately for users, it has already become a tradition: every year around this time, the three operators begin to notify their customers of the price increases that they will come into force in January. And 2026 is not going to be an exception. The first to report it It was Movistarthen Orange followed and shortly after It was Vodafone’s turn. They are all preparing an update to their upward rates for the first weeks of 2026 that will directly impact the pockets of millions of households. The increase is not the same in all rates, but in some cases, it may mean pay up to 6 euros more per month. The good news is that we still have time to take measures to avoid it. It all depends on whether you are willing to continue paying for services that you may no longer need. Image: Xataka On January 8, Vodafone prices rise. Although last year Zegona, the owner of Vodafone Spain, allowed to avoid the inertia of the increases linked to the CPIin 2026 prices will rise again. And this time they will not be linked to the CPI, but will exceed the expected inflation (close to 3%) to reach an average of 4%. The increase affects almost everyone: from those who only have a mobile line, who will pay 1 euro more per month, to families with complete convergent packages, whose fee will increase between 3 and 5 euros per month. In addition, you will pay 1 extra euro for each additional line and another extra euro for each contracted streaming platform. Ancillary services such as Secure Net, One Number or MultiSIM maintain their prices. Orange rates rise on January 12. Orange packages will suffer a weighted average increase of around 3.8%. For example, customers who have contracted the Fiber pack with one or two unlimited lines will pay 5 euros more per month. Also those with the Cinema and Series package, both with one mobile line and two. Football fans will be worse off, since the Football and Cinema packages will increase by 6 euros per month, regardless of whether you have one or two mobile lines. Image: Movistar Movistar customers have their turn a day later. The customers who will notice the increase the most are those who have 1 Gbps fiber rates and unlimited mobile line services. For example, the 1 Gbps fiber and unlimited mobile package plus an additional line increases from 63 to 65 euros per month, and the option with two unlimited lines increases from 80 to 83 euros. The basic Movistar Plus+ package with deco increases by one euro, from 13 to 14 euros. What remains the same are the entry rates, such as the basic package with 600 Mbps Fiber and mobile with 60 GB, which remains at 53 euros per month. The date on which the new prices will come into effect is January 13, 2026. Why do operators raise prices? The justification for these price increases by Movistar, Orange and Vodafone is very similar and always revolves around investment and quality of service. As they are “premium” operators, they do not limit themselves to giving you connectivity, but offer the latest technologies (WiFi 7, 5G+, 10 Gbps fiber…) and an entire ecosystem of services, such as alarms, insurance, telemedicine, etc. To this we must add television with a decoder, agreements with third parties to integrate their content and the high cost of football in the case of Orange and Movistar. In fact, the three operators hide behind the increase in costs on the part of providers and their desire to continue offering varied and quality content. You have the right to cancel the contract. Operators are obliged to communicate any modification to the contract (a price increase is one) at least one month in advance of its entry into force. In all three cases, the new prices will be applied, as we have seen, in the first days of January. Hence, customers are now receiving the relevant notices. Even if you have a current contract, the unilateral modification of the conditions by the operator gives you the right to terminate the contract and change companies at no cost, as long as you do so before the date of entry into force of the new prices and that you are not paying for a device in installments. If you receive the notice and do nothing, the operator legally assumes that you accept the new conditions. Therefore, December is the perfect time to analyze your day-to-day needs and check the options you have both within your current operator. like in the competition. On mobile phones, for example, there is a golden rule that recommends hiring a rate that offers your average consumption plus a 20% margin. On fiber, you may be able to lower the speed, and on television, you may not need as many platforms or content packages. Cover image | Xataka In Xataka | Telefónica does not buy Vodafone or Digi for now, but it already has a plan: one in which mergers are necessary In Xataka | For the first time in decades, Telefónica can freely decide with whom it shares its network. And that changes the entire Spanish market

There is an extensive system to avoid being cut off in the 48 km underground of the M-30. It’s time to renew it

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Madrid City Council will completely renew the radio communications network of the M-30 tunnels, a system that has been in operation for almost two decades and is vital for coordinating emergency services and keeping drivers informed underground. The tender for the project starts today, Wednesday, with a budget of 4.8 million euros. Why you need a renovation. The 48 kilometers of M-30 tunnels register 488 million users a year, according to advance from The World. The current radio communication system is practically the same with which these underground galleries were inaugurated almost 20 years ago. Like any technology, requires updates to continue providing service and guarantee quick responses to any incident. What systems maintain communication. Just like inform In the middle, the infrastructure has two differentiated networks that allow coordination between security forces. The TETRAPOL system covers the National Police and Civil Guard, while the TETRA connects the Municipal Police, Firefighters and SAMUR. Furthermore, according to collect El Mundo, these systems guarantee the operation of analog emergency channels, Madrid Calle 30 communications and commercial FM stations. All this works thanks to two radiating cables installed on the roof of the tunnels: one exclusively for emergency services and another for the rest of the transmissions. “What makes it possible for this system to respond are radio communications. When there is an incident, the emergency services and the Police have an effective possibility of coordinating between themselves,” explains Antonio Jesús Tocino, managing director of Madrid Calle 30, to El Mundo. When will the works start and what improvements will they bring?. As well as inform In the middle, the work will begin in spring 2026 and will continue for 13 months, until April 2027. The intervention will be carried out in control centers, technical rooms and the more than 200 emergency exits, without affecting traffic except for specific outages to renew amplifiers. Among the notable developments is the increase in FM stations, which now number 48 of the current 12. This will expand the ability of the M-30 Radio system to inform drivers of safety recommendations in the event of an emergency. “We have gone looking for the most modern thing on the market,” assures Bacon. A broader technology plan. This renovation is part of a comprehensive modernization of the facilities that has already mobilized 34 million euros. Recent improvements include bluetooth beacons that allow maintaining the GPS signal inside the tunnels, in addition to a project for centralized management of the control center financed with Next Generation European funds. Cover image | Google Maps In Xataka | 171 million euros later, Metro de Madrid wants to reopen line 7B. The big question is whether the tenth time will be the charm.

The patch to avoid another massive blackout is going to cost us 731 million euros. Iberdrola has already begun to collect it

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The blackout on April 28 did not come free, and we consumers are going to pay for it. Iberdrola has confirmed that the extra cost caused by the “reinforced mode” that was activated after the massive blackout. And everything indicates that the rest of the electric companies will follow in their footsteps. what has happened. They tell it in The World. Until now, the impact of the blackout on the bill had been limited because the CNMC intervened so that the electricity companies could not modify the price for customers who have contracted fixed rates. FACUA also issued a statement warning that rates could not be raised if it did not appear in the contract. The blackout was more than six months ago, more than enough time for many free market contracts to have been renewed. This has given Iberdrola the opportunity to introduce clauses that allow them to pass the cost on to customers. Reinforced mode After the blackout, the so-called “reinforced mode” was activated. This adjustment involves intervening in the market to incorporate more conventional energy (gas, hydroelectric and nuclear) and limiting the entry of renewables with the aim of avoiding voltage failures. And of course, these energies are more expensive, in addition to requiring more auxiliary services to stabilize the network. The problem is that this It started as a patch after the blackout, but it has become the new normal which remains half a year later. The cost. It covers from the blackout until September and amounts to 210 million euros distributed between Spain and Portugal. Of this sum, Spain assumes the majority, with 180 million euros. Iberdrola regrets that the change in the system by Red Eléctrica is entailing an extra cost that “affects our results” and they hope to transfer 70% of this amount to their clients before the end of the year. Not just Iberdrola. Nothing prevents the rest of the electricity marketers from following in Iberdrola’s footsteps. According to El Mundo, the total cost of the reinforced mode in these six months amounts to 731 million euros and it looks like it will remain active for longer, so this amount will increase. The CNMC warns that any change in contract prices must be communicated transparently. From one pocket to another. In the Iberian Peninsula there are five nuclear power plants, 1,300 hydroelectric plants and some 200 gas plants. These conventional (non-renewable) energy plants are providing more energy as long as the boosted mode remains active and they are receiving more income for it. What is striking is that they mostly belong to private companies such as Iberdrola, Naturgy either Endesawho are the ones who will end up increasing the price of the invoice. Images | Wikipedia In Xataka | Five months later we continue to discover things about the blackout in Spain. And the news is getting worse for Europe

Finland has realized that its welfare state is not enough to avoid the birth crisis. Now look for how to stop it

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The world has been looking at the Nordic countries for decades with a mixture of admiration and envy for their model of social welfare. A clear example is Finland, a benchmark in education, aids to motherhood and spent in social benefits. None of this, however, has prevented him from seeing how his birth rate it contracts little by little. In fact, the fall has been so forceful since 2010 and its rate is at such low levels that the Government has decided to hands to work. Now you have a diagnosis… and a formula with 20 ingredients. What does the data say? That Finland has a birth problem. A particularly complex one. The statistical basis The World Bank shows that its birth rate has plummeted over the last six decades, going from 2.7 during the baby boom to 1.3 in 2023. The decline was particularly sharp between the 1960s and 1970s, followed an oscillating curve until the last decade and accelerated again towards 2010. latest data of Macrotrends show a slight recovery, but the rate still remains far from past values. Why is it important? Because it shows that Finland has a problem, one recognized without half measures by the Government itself. “Finland’s birth rate has been declining rapidly over the past 15 years. In 2024 the country’s total fertility rate became as low as 1.25,” recognized last March the Ministry of Social Affairs, which admits that although Finland is not the only country dealing with this challenge, the collapse there has been “exceptionally rapid” in the last decade and a half and threatens to become an economic and social challenge. “Finland’s rate has fallen to a historic low and the decline has been more pronounced than in the other Nordic countries. There is a considerable gap between the ideal number and the actual average number of children. It is essential to find solutions to reduce the gap,” advocated in spring the Minister of Social Security, Sanni Grahm-Laasonen. In 2023 the indicators of the neighbors Norway and Sweden there were around 1.4 children on average per woman, also far from the replacement rate that allows countries to stay away from immigration. Why is the birth rate falling? That’s the million dollar question. And the one that the Finnish authorities did a while ago. To answer it in 2024 the Government commissioned a report which had to clarify the factors that hinder the country’s demographic engine and (just as important) explore possible solutions. The task was relevant because, as the Executive assures, in Finland there is “a big difference” between the number of children that couples want to have and those they have. “Studies show that Finnish family policy has favored both well-being and birth rates and continues to play an important role. However, the current decline is mainly due to the fall in the number of first births and the increase in the proportion of childless people,” reflect Professor Anna Rotkirch, from Väestöliitto (the Finnish Family Federation), one of the experts who participated in the preparation of the birth report. Did you identify the causes? Yes. And no. The Government quote somebut he also recognizes that there is no “clear reason” that alone explains the decline in birth rates. “Therefore there are no easy solutions to stop it,” the Ministry of Health resigns itself before listing some factors that come into play, such as cultural changes, unstable relationships, health, the situation of the labor market and income or the problems of reconciling professional life and parenting. The NPR organization was recently one step further and interviewed experts and young Finns to find out how they approached parenthood. Poa Pohjola and Wilhelm Bomberg, aged 38 and 35, are the first ones he cites in his analysis: the couple has been together for about three years and last July they had their first baby, although Pohjola admits that not so long ago he believed he would never have children. “It seemed impossible to me,” the woman confesses. His case is paradigmatic because it agrees with a phenomenon that Finnish researchers have observed and can be extended to many other countries, including Spain: delayed maternity and the increase in people who directly choose not to have children. In the case of Finland this has led to a fertility rate slightly lower to that of the EU average and nations such as Iceland, Denmark, Sweden or Norway. Does it matter beyond Finland? Yes. And it matters because Finland offers a particularly interesting case study. As remember Liisa Siika-ahofrom the working group of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, “in Finland benefits and services for families are relatively good.” In fact the Nordic countries they usually stand out precisely because of the facilities they provide for having offspring. Specifically Finland does it in aspects such as incentives, education and paid leave. “We can no longer claim that our good family policies explain the good fertility of the Nordic countries,” points out to NPR Annelie Miettinen, from the state agency Kela. “What baffles researchers is how this can be true, because all of these countries are relatively good at offering family support,” Miettinen said, “but there are really no good explanations for today’s very low fertility rates.” Just as it happens in Spain if the country is managing to weather the demographic storm is basically thanks to the immigration flow. How to solve it? A few months ago the Government made public a report on the topic that includes twenty proposals focused on the family and birth rate, all based on the premise that the commitment to early childhood education, family leave and economic support will boost birth rates. Until it is confirmed, the Health Department itself remains cautious. “In Finland the benefits and services for families are relatively good. This means that there are no areas where simple changes can be made,” takes on Sikka-aho. “However, all systems require maintenance and that is what many of our proposals address. It is unlikely that … Read more

The DGT has a fine of 200 euros for those who carry the bicycle in any way in the car: this way you can avoid it

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There are those who would leave their own child at home if in exchange they could put the bicycle in the trunk of the car. I know what I’m talking about, I know some practical cases. And beyond opening the debate on whether we should call the officials in charge of ensuring the care of minors, we can guarantee that the DGT is not going to have so many concerns. And that’s what to wear a bicycle incorrectly placed in the car is grounds for a fine. Specifically, a penalty of 200 euros for carrying the cargo poorly packaged, as stated in article 76 of the Traffic Law. Although beyond the possible fine, carry the bike correctly It is also essential to guarantee the safety of the passengers themselves. It must be taken into account that objects that are not properly secured can become real projectiles and in the case of a bicycle, which usually requires the seats to be folded down, it can be much more dangerous. To give us an idea, it is calculated that at 50 km/h an object multiplies its weight by 50 when thrown into the void. These are data from the DGT that are scary and that should make us think if we have the car seats folded down to carry the bicycle in any way inside. Having said all this, let’s review what the alternatives are. What can I do to carry a bicycle in the car? As the colleagues of Motorpassionnot everything goes when transporting a bicycle because we will be risking a good fine and our own integrity. In that case, there are three solutions that we must take into account to choose the one that best suits us. If what we want is carry the bicycle inside the carThe most effective thing is to use anchors. To do this we must have adjustable straps that attach to the vehicle’s fixing points that we can find on the vehicle seats themselves. In any case, they are points that are not always in the same places. However, if you can’t find these points or they are not entirely practical, you can always find some bike fixing kits that are sold for the interior of passenger cars. Of course, it is important to look at the size because they are often designed for vans. Another option is to mount the bike on top of the vehicle, on the roof. It is not the most recommended because the car will consume more but, above all, we will be more exposed to side wind, making the mobility of the vehicle difficult. Of course, regarding the regulations, we can rest assured because the General Vehicle Regulations allows the load to reach a maximum of four meters high. In this case we will need a roof rack or roof bars previously installed on the car. The kits to take advantage of this possibility are diverse. There are those that fix the bicycle frame, others in which we can mount the bicycle with both wheels on and, in the last case, turn it over and hold it by the saddle and handlebars, with the wheels facing up. In any case, it is very important to ensure that the bicycle is securely fixed. The last and most recommended option, but also more expensive, is to opt for a bike rack. There are those that are installed on the tailgate and, in this way, are easily dismantled and assembled and there are those that are hitched like a trailer. In this case, it must be reflected in the vehicle’s technical sheet and pass the ITV when installing the modification if the original vehicle did not have the tow ball. Despite this, if you regularly use the bicycle and want get the most out of the trunkis still the best option. However, keep in mind that the load cannot protrude across the width of the vehicle and lengthwise it cannot extend more than 10% of its total length if the load is divisible and 15% if it is not. Furthermore, in this last case you have to mount one of V-20 signal. If the load occupies the entire width of the vehicle, two signs of this type must be mounted (one at each end) and in no case can the car’s license plate be covered. It must be taken into account that driving with a poorly legible license plate can also result in a fine of 200 euros. Photo | Motorpassion and Gabe Pierce In Xataka | This titanium bike looks spectacular. It is also the first 3D printed that can be purchased

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