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To the big question of whether you can lose weight, science has an answer. And it has everything to do with genetics

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There are multiple reasons to walk, to try to approach that figure (rather symbolic) of the 10,000 daily steps. For many, keeping weight under control is one of the main reasons. In this sense, genetics plays an important role, since some people have greater predisposition to accumulate body mass. We have only a couple of decades learning what are the (diverse) genetic variants that are associated with our ease to increase our weight. Know them, however, the door has opened us To be able to design strategies that bring us closer to our goals When maintaining or reducing our weight, thus minimizing the effort to achieve them. Because each individual is a world and not all bodies react in the same way to certain diets or exercise regimes. This is a breeding ground for failure, since what for a person is a “miraculous” strategy to another can take it to a dead end. A study Published this year made a compilation of the different genetic variants identified to date linked to this ease to lose weight through diets and exercises. The team found 30 genetic markers linked to our body’s response to diets and 24 associated with the exercise. Because LAGENTICS is not an isolated factor: it is not our genes in themselves that make us fat. These are nothing more than a part of a complex system in which they interact with our diet and other life habits. More steps To understand these interactions, A study performed by the American Heart Association analyzed the degree to which walk could reduce the impact of genetics and sedentary life About our body mass index. The analysis, published in 2012, observed that the act of walking could, indeed, counteract our predisposition genetics to gain weight, in front of sedentary habits How to watch television whose effect was the opposite. To carry out the study, the team compiled information on more than 12,000 participants, including information on genetic variants (32 in total) associated with high body mass indices. They estimated that walking at least one hour a day could reduce people’s body mass by about 0.06 kg/m². A more recent study I deepened the matter. The analysis, published this year in the magazine Jama Networkit was raised if people with certain genetic predispositions linked to overweight required specific levels of exercise if they wanted to avoid reaching the limits established in body mass index for obesity. The study It was done With 3,124 adult participants and it was observed that, indeed, people with this genetic predisposition required to walk more in terms of steps given a day than people with less risk associated with their genes. According to the data obtained, people in the high risk of risk should walk about 2,280 more steps That people in the average percentiles, a total of 11,020 steps per day, if they wanted to equate their risk of obesity. Although, as a general rule, controlling our diet is a better tool to lose weight, exercise can help us in our attempts. Exercise is, for example, an ideal tool to avoid recovering the weight we have gained. But exercising is, above all, a way to stay healthy. Active life has very diverse positive impacts on our healthespecially in the field of cardiovascular health. In Xataka | Make cardio or train strength: for science there is no debate about what is the ideal year from 50 Image | Tamar Willoughby *An earlier version of this article was published in August 2024

O Solve these four big problems as soon as possible or Intel will be condemned to a very dark future

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“I think it is too late for us (to achieve the position of Nvidia in the field of artificial intelligence), Although we have other opportunities in this market (…) twenty or thirty years ago we were leaders. Now the world has changed. We are not among the ten main semiconductor companies. We have to be humble. ” These words of Lip-Bu Tanthe general director of Intel, are aimed at the company’s employees in a clear attempt to expose what challenges they face. The challenges with Those who are dealing Intel They exceed the other challenges that he has faced during his more than half a century of history. The leadership that has sustained for decades in the manufacturing industry of integrated circuits is in the hands of The Taiwanese company TSMC Since the mid -2000s. In addition, the stagnation during the last years of the PC market and the slowness with which Intel has participated in the AI industry have placed it in a very compromised position. It is necessary to compete from you to compete again with AMD. Intel and AMD compete on several fronts. Three of the most important are the processors for servers and work stations, the GPUs for artificial intelligence and the CPUs for PC. The company led by Lisa supports a very solid position in these three market segments, and if we stick to CPU for PC enthusiasts During the last generations it has been very successful among users. In fact, to us your chips Ryzen 7000 and 9000 We love. In this Intel scenario you have no choice but to fight from you with AMD and recover a technological leadership that lost a long time ago. His future is in the hands of lithography 18a. Intel’s short -term competitiveness is closely linked to the success of a single semiconductor manufacturing technology: 18A photolithography. Ben Sell, Vice President of Intel Technology Development, confirmed At the end of last September that the 18A node already has the maturity necessary to enter large -scale production in 2025. and also assured that it will benefit from the resources that have been reallocated since the 20A node. In the current scenario the 18A node will be the true protagonist. That is not the slightest doubt. The 18A node already has the necessary maturity to enter large -scale production in 2025 The internal division should be left behind. The possibility that the Board of Directors of Intel decides to split the chips manufacturing subsidiary of the company’s matrix and put it in the hands of another company has triggered a deep internal division in the company. Joseph Bonetti, main manager of Intel engineering programs, expresses it in this way: “Intel leaders, Board of Directors of Intel and Donald Trump administration, please do not sell or give the control of Intel Foundry to TSMC just when Intel is taking the technological front and starting to take off. It would be a terrible and demoralizing error.” Bonetti also maintains that Intel is not lagging for its competitors, and that the advances that their engineers are achieving in the field of chips production are very important. Lip-Bu must recover government confidence. Lip-bu Tan, the general director of Intel, is in a very compromised position. Before arriving at the company that Cadence Design Systems currently led, an American company specialized in the development of software and hardware tools to design and verify integrated circuits. The problem is that just a month ago, in July, the US Department of Justice condemned her to pay a fine of more than 140 million dollars for selling commercial secrets to China. According to this US institutionCadence Design Systems delivered this critical information to the National University of Defense Technology, a Chinese teaching and research center that is supervised by the Chinese army. Lip Bu-Tan Intel leads since March 2025but there is a crucial fact that we should not overlook: although this conflict has taken it out of Cadence Design Systems directed this company between 2009 and 2021. And this was the period in which According to the US Department of Justice There were export control violations by which this company has recently been convicted. Image | Intel In Xataka | Intel has confirmed that the 20A node will be skipped to reduce expenses. The 18A node will enter production in 2025

The new largest plane in the world will be a beast to revolutionize wind. The big question is whether it will fly

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In the Albores of the Ukraine WarRussia took control of the airport space of Hostomel. It was where two aviation monsters, Antonov-124 and Antonov-225They were trapped. The result of the attacks? Serious damage to one of the merchandise transport aircraft more used in Europe and Destruction of Antonov-225the largest plane in the world and pride of Ukrainian aviation. His loss has left a void that a startup wants to take advantage of with the Windrunner, the world’s new biggest plane Focused on the transport of wind turbines. The problem is that there are serious doubts that one day he undertakes the flight, but there is already an interested party that has nothing to do with him renewable energy sector: The Pentagon. Drive wind. The company after this ambitious project is Radiaa startup that considers that, in a Decarbonization scenario and with one artificial intelligence so voracious In energy terms, it is necessary to boost the installation of wind turbines throughout the world. The problem is that, to accelerate that installation, the cadence of Warmers installation And the transport of its elements, such as blades, is a problem. The towers can be set up by pieces, but the blades are another song. Radia considers that none of the load aircraft They have the ability to transport large blades, and there their plan with the Windrunner and a winery that will allow three 80 -meter blades, two of 95 meters or just just or barely one 105 meters long. And it will do it directly on an improvised landing floor at the construction of the wind farm. Comparisons are hateful. To put in context what type of plane we are talking about, if the Antonov-225 was a monsterthis Windrunner would be unqualifiable: Winrunner Antonov AN-225 Total length 108 meters 84 meters Wingspan 80 meters 88.4 meters Height 24 meters 18.1 meters Winery length 105 meters 43.3 meters Bodega volume 8,200 m³ 1,300 m³ Comes with a price. The problem is that putting such a plane in the air has a problem: fuel. For the 250 tons that the Antonov-225 could load, the Windrunner will stay in more modest 72.5 tons. Enough for its main mission of transporting shovels that in its largest lengths are around 60 tons. But autonomy can also be the big problem of that plan that allows winding throughout the world. Driven by four engines that will work with Sustainable Aviation Fuel, or SAFits autonomy will be up to 2,000. It will be its great limitation, since it will relegate it to an almost local use in Europe, America or Asia, with continuous reposses or with the need for shovels to be manufactured to those 2,000 kilometers of its destination. Windrunner on the left, Antonov An-124 in the center, Boeing 747-400 to the right Serious doubts. It is evident that the Windrunner is promising, but experts from the aerospace industry are not so clear that Radia can materialize their vision. The argument that analysts and experts of the aviation industry use is that Radia is a startup that will need a lot of money and have seen projects with better commercial arguments and lower technological risks. Also, and how we read in BBCRadia goes against everything that is usually done in this industry and, after testing a scale model in the wind tunnel, wants to speed up times and reduce costs passing from that model to scale to real -size test aircraft. As? Instead of building traditional prototypeslooking for digital design tools. And this is not like building a car on your own: once built, an overwhelming aircraft certification process begins. Virtually the interior of the Windrunner is a winery. Trust. In the same BBC article, Mark Lundstrom, founder of Radia, confessed that, although there are numerous challenges, the fundamental principles of the development of the Windrunner go through “not doing anything new and developing the minimally viable aircraft for aviation”. That makes them discarded alternatives such as the airships, which should go through new regulations and supply chains, and also that they have opted for a more traditional supply chain. For example, hiring experienced suppliers Like the Italian Leonardo for the fuselage, the American Afore to review the security or The Spanish Aernnova For wings and pylons of engines. It is not yet known who will provide the engines, but from Radia they commented to BBC that they have “selected an existing certified engine and are working to define the integration strategy in the fuselage.” That is, Radia is using already tested technologies and components, which will allow them to “the unit cost is proportional to the weight and size of the aircraft and, therefore, comparable to that of other civil aircraft of wide fuselage,” according to Radia’s spokesman. And it is expected that the 70% of suppliers of Radia are European. The Pentagon has taken his eye. Of course, Radia is not the first visionary Aerospace Company, but if you do not set the objective of building the Windrunner for its main objective of filling the aircraft planet, whoever has recently called at their door I have something interesting to offer. In May of this year, the United States Department of Defense signed an agreement with Radia To analyze if the Windrunner could transport military load. Although the weight it can carry is much lower than that of the missing Antonov-225, its winery is huge and is something that has captured the attention of the Pentagon. From Radia they maintain that its objective remains to serve the wind energy market, but recognize that the unique capabilities of its plane make it interesting for additional applications. Boeing heats engines. Radia aims to have several real -size test units to make a first test flight at the end of this decade. Again, an excessive ambition if we take into account that planes such as the aforementioned AN-225 barely made a few flights a year … and there was only one. And we will see how the pressure of … Read more

A laboratory has recreated the first molecule after the Big Bang. The result does not fit with our history of the universe

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In the beginning, God created heavens and earth. And the earth was without order and empty. And the darkness covered the surface of the abyss, and the Spirit of God moved on the surface of the waters. Then God said: Be the light. And there was light. Go if there was light. A little context. Just after the Big Bang, the universe was an unimaginably dense and hot place. But as it expanded and cooled, the matter began to organize. First, protons and neutrons formed the nuclei of the lighter elements. Three hundred eighty thousand years later, temperatures fell enough for electrons to join these nuclei, forming the first neutral atoms: mainly hydrogen and helium. And it was then, in that cosmic childhood, when chemistry was born. The first molecule. The first chemical bond of the universe was the helium hydride ion (HEH+). A simple molecule formed by an atom of neutral helium and a hydrogen core; That is, a proton. For decades, his role in the birth of the first stars was subject to intense debates and theoretical simulations. Now, a team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Nuclear Physics in Germany has achieved recreate for the first time The reactions of this molecule in conditions similar to those of the primitive universe. The result has been a capital surprise that will force physicists to reconsider what they thought they knew about how the first lights lit. The first stars. After the formation of neutral atoms, the universe entered into A period known as the “dark age”. There were still no objects that emitted light, such as stars. For a star to be born, a gas cloud had to contract until enough density and temperature to start the nuclear fusion. But there is a problem: for the cloud to contract until that point due to gravity, it needed to dissipate heat. Below the 10,000 degrees Celsius, hydrogen atoms are not able to radiate that heat. This is where the molecules come into play. Helium hydride (heh+) can cool gas in a much more efficient way due to its strong dipole moment: it radiates heat emitting photons when rotating and vibrating. Something does not fit. Physicists believed that HEH+ had been a key cooling agent in the primitive universe. The problem was that HEH+ could also be destroyed by colliding with the omnipresent hydrogen atoms. Until now, the theoretical models predicted that the destruction reaction had slowed down drastically due to the very low temperatures of the primitive universe, but no one had verified it experimentally. The results of the experiment, published in the magazine Astronomy & AstrophysicsThey are completely unexpected. To the difference of all predictions, the reaction does not slow down at low temperatures. In fact, its speed remains almost constant. What physicists call a “reaction without barrier” occurs. Image | NASA, that In Xataka | The first molecule of the universe: after decades after it, we just discovered one of the key pieces of chemistry dawn

Volvo does not start with the electric car and believes that his big problem is in Spain

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They said that “there was no future for internal combustion engines” from 2030. Last year they softened their expectations. And now they confirm that the transition to the electric car has been choking to the point that it will not be possible if in countries such as Spain a serious plan to electrify the country does not go ahead. Yes, we talk about Volvo. “It’s very difficult”. These words of Håkan Samuelsson, CEO of Volvo, summarize the feeling of the company with respect to the electric car. In an interview with the German media Die Zeitasked about the slow transition to the European electric car, which was expected faster, Samuelsson has responded to the following: There must be a clear sign that at a given time it is changing to electric mobility. But, of course, if there is no load infrastructure, especially in southern Europe, it is very difficult to implement it. A general concept is needed. Therefore, I can also imagine classify new hybrid vehicles with plug -in and long -range technology. In addition to southern Europe, a region in which Spain is undoubtedly, the CEO of Volvo also points out that “in certain regions of the world it is complicated for us, for example, in the west of the United States, with its own particularities. We probably need a few more years there. For electric mobility to succeed.” More loaders. With both answers, Samuelsson points directly to the load infrastructure as the main stumbling block to achieve the expected impulse with electric mobility. In the case of the United States it is evident. Tesla created a recharge network that held its first sales. Now, with your own loaders, your network is so good that has made manufacturers adapt to your bet. And in Spain we also have lessons to learn. Although we have improved and in Xataka We support that with the current volume of electric cars the reliability of the loaders than the pure power, According to ANFAC’s latest electromobility barometerin June 2025 we barely covered 17.5% of the total loaders that we should have installed at the end of the year. Tranquillity. Having a dense and reliable recharge network remains the main concern of those who do not dare to make the leap to an electric car. The ultimate goal is to be able to leave home without having to plan a route but that, right now, is not possible. And not only is it not possible, besides With a small battery electric carit is essential to be clear where, when and for how long to stop. Without a doubt, when one takes an electric car for a while it does not take time to adapt to its demands. Acquire the necessary knowledge to Do not pass hardships It is simple but that entrance barrier is still too high for those who want to disburse 30,000, 40,000 or 50,000 euros in a car and want to forget to pass anxiety for autonomy. But, above all, it is especially complicated among those who are looking for an electric car of 20,000 or 25,000 euros and know that they will have to Pay with some discomfort Your low price. What happens with Volvo? The problem for Volvo is that their electric cars do not advance to the expected rhythm and their plans were to stop selling combustion engines in 2030. In 2021, just four years ago, they said that “There is no future for internal combustion engines”. However, in 2024 they have had to admit that the transition to the electric car is being resisted more than the account and They already advanced that it was likely to maintain hybrid cars in the market for a longer time. Again, The low sales in the United States were key. Now, its CEO uncheck getting pressure so that countries take the initiative and put their efforts to create a solvent recharge network. Is something done? Yes, something is being done. First, countries have to give an acceleration to the recharge network forced by the European Union itself which has designed a plan to have fast loaders in the main routes of the continent in the short and medium term. In addition, you work to oblihar that the new loaders have Your own payment TPV systemwhich should facilitate adoption to the electric car. Right now, it is still necessary to have a good number of applications on the mobile if you load with different companies. And the government is also working for make cargo plugs visible With a new signaling on the roads. The ultimate goal is to go through the drivers that Spain is not a wasteland without loaders and that can be traveled with relative tranquility. One last curiosity. For Samuelsson “no, we were not too fast (about the jump to the electric car). For us, as a rather small company, the fully electric vehicle market is large enough.” Words hide a defense of their own legacy. The current CEO of the company already held this same position between 2012 and 2022. That is, the commitment to sell exclusively electric cars in 2030 was yours. After a small hesitation period, Samuelsson returned from his retirement to re -direct the Swedish company. A company that, on the other hand and by preference of its own CEO, is increasingly China: I want more cooperation from Volvo (with Geely). I want Volvo to remain independent, that is, with the headquarters in Sweden and that it is cited in the Swedish bag. But I also want to increase the value, the interest of the owners, and therefore more exchange within the holding company, to save money and introduce new technologies more quickly. Photo | Xataka In Xataka | Spain already has its first national map of cargo points for electric cars. We have tried it and we have opinions

The big problem of green hydrogen is the dependence of fresh water. We have found the solution in the sewers

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In the great darking puzzle, Green hydrogen points ways to become one of the most important pieces. Has become one of the Great bets of the European Union For the Energy transitionbut although renewable energies such as solar or wind are used to produce it, it has a big problem: Consume a huge amount of fresh water. Some researchers want to stop this problem using something we produce in industrial quantities. Sewage. The water problem. Talking about clean energy implies looking at some initial point of the process to realize that there is still an ecological footprint. Electric cars do not emit, but make their batteries yesFor example. Something similar happens with green hydrogen. Solar or wind energy is which is used to perform the electrolysis process With which hydrogen is generated to use as a source of energy, but as we said, a lot of water is consumed, a resource that is increasingly scarce For millions of people. That is why we are investigating alternative ways to generate green hydrogen without those huge amounts of fresh water. For example, using seawaterbut there is a type of fresh water that had not been considered for the process and that has now entered the equation. Trash Treasury in wastewater. These waters contain a series of pollutants that, according to logic, would make it difficult to Electrolysis process. They have nickel, platinum, chromium and other metals that, until now, had to be extracted from water in an expensive purification process before using that water in electrolysis. However, a team from the School of Sciences of the Australian Rmit has found a way to take advantage of these metals to accelerate the production of green hydrogen. In electrolysis, electrodes are a key component because it is the one that facilitates the reaction that separates water in its base components: hydrogen and oxygen. To do this, an anode is used (where water breaks down releasing oxygen and electrons) and a cathode (protons earn electrons and form hydrogen molecules). In the anode and cathode metals such as nickel, platinum or iride are used as those found in wastewater, and what they have done from the RMIT is … take advantage of them. The invention. To do this, the electrode is manufactured with an absorbent carbon surface that attracts those metals present in wastewater, as if it were a magnet. When they “catch them”, form catalysts that conduct electricity and start that task of dividing water into its components. Nasir Mahmood is one of the researchers and, as we read in Miragenewsexplains the reaction as follows: “The catalyst accelerates a chemical reaction without consumed in the process, allowing metals to interact with other elements present in wastewater and enhancing the necessary electrochemical reactions to divide water into oxygen and hydrogen. And, beyond the theory, the team devised a device that managed They expose in ACSa stability of 95%. This pilot device, connected to a small solar plate, is the one you can see in the image that opens this article. And the waters look at everything … except purified water. Potential. Now, it is not as easy as taking the wastewater and using it directly. The team Confirm which used wastewater that had been subjected to some treatment to eliminate solid waste, organic matter and other nutrients. Not metals, yes. The water used for the experiment comes from agricultural waste, which opens another door to the circular economy of the materials. HE esteem that more than 80% of wastewater return to the planet without any treatment (although other sources They point at 50%), but if we started using a part to produce green hydrogen, we would be reducing that percentage, giving a breath to areas with drought problems and allowing to inject energy into those areas without affecting their Drinking water deposits. In developing countries it would have great potential. An upcoming step is to try more types of wastewater, since not all have the same amount of metals in their composition, and as professor Nicky Eshtiaghi, another of the authors of the study, comments, the plan now is to look for partners to climb technology and find commercial applications. Images | Rmit, Hightail Xataka | In Peru, a company has had an idea to take wind energy directly to your home: turbines as a lay way

Solving the big doubt about the most effective supplement to sleep better: magnesium or melatotine

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Melatonin is perhaps in the most popular supplement for people with mild or occasional problems to reconcile sleep. But it is not the only one. In recent years, magnesium has become another well -known alternative, a Nutritional supplement to which we also attribute the ability to lend a hand when we have a hard time. Choosing between one and the other is not simple, There is no higher alternative To the other. Both supplements have demonstrated some capacity to facilitate sleep but the way they do differs completely. This implies that each of these supplements can be more useful in certain contexts, while the other could help us in different situations. Understanding the differences between them can help us choose in a better informed way between one alternative. The Melatonin sometimes receives the nickname of “sleep hormone.” As its name suggests, it plays a central function in our Circadian rhythmthat is, our sleep cycle. This compound is synthesized by our own body in the pineal gland and is released at night, when our senses begin to perceive the disappearance of daylight. Its function is to transmit the message that the time has come to sleep. Melatonin supplements have the objective of making this hormone transmit their sleep message to the brain even when our body does not consider that it is time to synthesize it by itself. Despite his growing popularitywe may not have heard about magnesium as sleep -related nutrient. This element is central to the biochemical processes developed by hundreds of enzymes in our body. Among these processes is the synthesization of melatonin. This would be a way in which magnesium could help us fall asleep, but perhaps it is not the main one. According to Experts explain Medical newsthis element plays a key role in tasks such as muscle relaxation. Exercise against calcium (which we use in contraction), blocking its action channels and thus helping our muscles relax. In addition, magnesium is also linked to other neutraltansmiores, such as Aminobutiric gamma acid (GABA). In this context, magnesium regulates the signs of this neurotransmitter, which again translates into “calm and relaxation.” The usefulness of magnesium as it helps when sleeping It has been observed by Some studiesbut it should be noted that there are still many doubts about their real ability to achieve this goal: some experts warn of the existing limitations in scientific literature. This was pointed out for example a systematic review of literature and meta -analysis published in 2021 In the magazine BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. Different ways, different uses Melatonin stands out in contexts in which our cycle of vigil and sleep is disrupted. An example is the Jet lag that we suffer when changing abruptly from spindle. Adjusting our sleep cycle to a new schedule can be difficult, depending on the magnitude of change and personal circumstances. The supplements can offer us the melatonin we need to sleep at night until our body can end up adjusting to change. Magnesium, meanwhile, stands out for its help to muscle and psychological relaxation. This can help improve sleep quality and reduce the impact of anxiety About our sleep cycles. What if I combine them? Combining supplements can be an option in certain cases. According to Some experts suggestmelatonin has an advantage when helping us with “adjustments” in the short term in sleep; while magnesium has a broader range of benefits. Many of the clinical trials that have investigated the effect of magnesium on our dream have been based on trials on which a combination of substances. Combination that generally included not only magnesium but also melatonin. This strengthens the idea that this combination has the ability to help us with our sleep problems, at the same time that is also one of the reasons that skeptical experts of the use of magnesium as a supplement use. After all, if we have only proven that it works in conjunction with other compounds, we have no forceful evidence of its solo use. The side effects of melatonin and magnesium supplements are mild, but like any drug, it is convenient to meet them when deciding on a treatment. Among the possible adverse effects more common from melatonin They meet the headache, dizziness, nausea and diurnal drowsiness; But there have also been cases of vivid or nightmare dreams, short -term depression, irritability, constipation or diarrhea, among others. The side effects of magnesium are also usually mild, although also Their contraindications should be considered. The adverse effects of this supplement usually appear when consumed in high doses and usually have a gastrointestinal character, including diarrhea, nausea or vomiting. In Xataka | I put myself in the hands of some “sleep headphones” in the hope of reconciling sleep. It has come out regular Image | Vladislav Musekov / Beelith USA

Ryanair workers have a good reason for passing passengers with too big suitcases: collect more

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When we approach the shipping doors, it is quite common that part of the airline team is responsible for looking sideways at passengers to see if We comply with the regulations of luggage and we do not carry excessively large bags in the cabin. In addition to because it is part of their work, Ryanair employees also have another motivation behind: collect more. The airline pay your employees 1.50 euros For each suitcase that detects that it does not meet the rules, a practice that the company’s own CEO itself, Michael O’Leary, not only defends, but even considers expanding. Why this happens. The Irish airline has confirmed that this economic incentive pays for its staff for catching passengers that carry luggage that exceeds the allowed dimensions. Those who catch can fall a sanction of up to 75 euros for billing it in the cellar. O’Leary justifies This policy as a way to “eliminate the scourge of passengers with excessive luggage.” The numbers that explain the business. Each employee can win up to 80 euros per month for this practice. Although it should be said that, according to the company, more than 99.9% of travelers comply with luggage standards. It should be said that the difference between what Ryanair pays to its employees for detecting a suitcase and what charges the passenger for sanction (up to 75 euros) is a considerable margin that contributes in part to the spectacular results that the airline has had. And is that Up to 820 million euros in the last quarter, shooting their shares 4.7% in the stock market after exceeding all forecasts. The growth of 7% in auxiliary income, where these luggage penalties are included, has been key next to the 21% rise in average rates up to 51 euros per ticket. Ryanair is not the only one. This practice makes employees at the boarding door also act as a kind of luggage guards. It is not for less, since if in addition to making passengers to comply with the regulations, they take a pinch, better than better. Todo esto teniendo en cuenta además que Ryanair anunció que would expand the dimensions of the permitted suitcases in cabin. Although the truth is that the practice is not exclusive to Ryanair: other airlines like Easyjet have also implemented similar schemes Through subcontracted companies such as Swissport, which pays 1.20 pounds for each pillada suitcase. The workers, who usually charge around 12 pounds per hour according to The Guardian, also face tense situations with passengers, since no one makes it funny to have to pay more just when you are going to ride on the plane. The context of the sector. Ryanair is now in a sweet moment, especially knowing that it has become the main airline in Spain by passengers with a growth of 20.6% this last quarter and maintains this country as its second most important market after Italy, with income of 772 million euros. The European Parliament Press so that airlines allow luggage in cabin and hand for free, but O’Leary predict that this proposal “will not prosper due to the lack of space in the airplanes.” According to its latest financial report, the airline operates with virtually 94% occupation flights, where approximately half of the passengers can carry two packages and the other half only one. And now what. Ryanair does not rule out increasing the incentives paid to its employees for detecting excess bulk, although O’Leary expects detections to decrease in the coming years as passengers adapt better to the standards. Meanwhile, the airline benefits from a European market with a limited capacity until 2030. “We will be at least five years old, until 2030, with the constrained offer,” Neil Sorahan accountfinancial director of the airline. This allows them to keep high rates and strict policies. For travelers, this means that we will have to take special care in the boarding gates, especially to comply with the regulations and not take an unpleasant surprise later. Cover image | Niels Baars and Anastasiia Nelen In Xataka | Ryanair’s new competition does not come from any European airline: it comes from India and has an ambitious plan

The big problem of marine wind is cables. Germany has a plan to avoid them

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In the middle of the North Sea, an anchored barge off the German coast does not transport merchandise produces fuel. It is not science fiction: it is the first floating floor that converts wind, seawater and air into energy for the future. Short. In the port of Bremerhaven, Germany floats a rare platform. At first glance it looks like another industrial barge, but in reality it is a floating laboratory that prepares for something unpublished: to manufacture synthetic fuels directly in the sea. More in depth. The project His name is PTX-Wind and is part of the national H2Mare initiative, focused on the production of clean energy on the high seas. It is promoted by the Institute of Technology of Karlsruhe (Kit), together with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Technical University of Berlin. The installation has not yet left the port, but it is already ready for its next phase: operating in real conditions against Helgoland. The purpose of the kit with this test is clear: show that e-combustible in the high seas can be generated, without electricity or land infrastructure. No cables, network or land firm. One of the most striking things of this platform is that it is not connected to any electricity grid. It works totally autonomously, using only wind energy, seawater and the surrounding air. What you get from there transforms it into liquid fuels ready to use, without net emissions of CO₂. According to Professor Roland Dittmeyer, director of the Institute of Microprocess Engineering of the Kit and project coordinator, this installation not only seeks to demonstrate the technical viability of the system, but also learn to climb it for future large industrial platforms. The heart of the barge. Inside, this platform integrates several advanced technologies that, together, form a Power -to-X (PTX) chain (PTX). In other words, they convert renewable electricity into fuels or other chemicals. The giant laboratory has a first phase of Direct air capture (DAC)which extracts carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. After that, desalination to transform seawater into water suitable for electrolysis. That water is divided into hydrogen and oxygen using electrolysis fed by wind energy. Finally, a synthesis is used Fischer-Tropsch to combine hydrogen with CO₂ and generate liquid hydrocarbons, also known as e-combustible. The entire system has been designed to operate in a modular, flexible and disconnected way of the electricity grid, adapting to the natural intermittency of the wind. This allows maintaining active production even in variable conditions, a key aspect for its replication at an industrial scale. First in your class? While there are other hydrogen production projects on land or offshore wind platforms, none until now had gathered all these pieces in a single floating and autonomous structure. According to Interesting Engineeringthis is the first plant that converts marine renewable energy into liquid fuel without depending on the mainland or electrical networks. The point is that not everything can plug. Today, many sectors already advance towards electrification: cars, heating, even some trains. But there are industries – as aviation, maritime transport or heavy chemistry – that still depend on liquid fuels with high energy density. The e-fuels, like those produced by this platform, They are a neutral alternative in carbon that could replace diesel or kerosene without the need to completely redesign airplanes or ships. And the best: they do not compete for agricultural lands nor consume fresh water. When operating directly in the sea, they take advantage of the wind potential and avoid costly terrestrial infrastructure. According to the Federal Ministry of Investigation of Germany (BMBF)also helps relieve pressure on local electrical networks. Not only diesel. Although for now the main objective is liquid fuels, the team behind PTX-Wind is also investigating other possible production routes, such as Synthetic methane (compatible with current gas networks), The green methanol (useful for maritime transport or chemical industry) and renewable ammonia (It works as a hydrogen bearer or as fertilizer without emissions). The sea as a new energy border. More than a prototype, the PTX-Wind platform represents a scalable and adaptable model for the production of fuels in the high seas. Its modular design would allow to replicate this technology in different coastal areas of the world, creating a distributed network of floating refineries of clean energy. At a time when climatic solutions are urgent and promises often stay on paper, this floating barge is a tangible example that innovation is already out there, literally floating in the sea. Image | Unspash and Kit Xataka | There is a place where Spain is losing a good part of the renewable electricity that generates: the Toledo-Ciudad Real-Granada axis

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

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