Breaking

Breaking the console market seemed impossible. The Steam Machine has the potential to do it: Crossover 1×31

by

The arrival of the Steam Machine It took us all by surprise a few days ago. The console and PC hybrid developed by Valve may become a real meteorite for traditional consolesbut be careful because not everything has been said. Valve, which became famous after the development of the mythical ‘Half-Life’ended up becoming the great PC video game distributor of our time thanks to Steam. Although they already tried to attack the gaming PC market with their Steam Machines a decade ago, now the approach is very different. That first attempt came too soon, but things have changed a lot since then. Valve has made its Steam OS operating system (based on Linux) an excellent alternative to the one offered by Windows on PCs. Above all thanks to Proton, the layer that allows you to play Windows games on Steam OS as well as on Windows… or even better. We have seen the first clear example of the experience that Valve could offer in this sense in the Steam Deckwhich have been a modest success (about 6 million consoles sold), but which have sparked interest in portable consoles that even Microsoft has decided to manufacture with partners like ASUS. Now the Steam Machine proposes to be a promising alternative to the Xbox Series S/X and the PlayStation 5 and combine the best of both worlds: a console-type experience and almost the entire catalog of video games available in the world of Windows PCs. The only question is whether he will make it, and that’s where enters the price factor. It is a fact that we will know at the beginning of 2026, and it will be from then on that we will know if this machine works or not. We are talking about all of this precisely in this Crossover 1×31we hope you enjoy it! On YouTube | Crossover In Xataka | The question is not whether Tim Cook will soon stop being CEO of Apple, but who will succeed him: Crossover 1×30

We have left Moss out for nine months in space at the mercy of vacuum and radiation. He’s back alive and breaking records

by

Life is much more tenacious than we usually think, even when we take it out of its cradle and expose it to the most hostile environment we know: the emptiness of the outer space. And to carry out this test, a team of scientists has decided to take a moss and expose it to conditions outside of Earth, giving a result that opens a path for us on how to create new ecosystems on other planets. The protagonist of this story is Physcomitrium patensor better known as primitive moss. And there were a series of Japanese researchers those who wanted to check What would happen if this little primitive moss was left outside the International Space Station. The logical a priori thing would have been that he would have died instantly, since he did not have oxygen, the environment was really aggressive, with a lot of direct radiation as he did not have the protection of our ozone layer and logically he was not in his natural habitat. But the reality is that he has managed to endure the absolute emptiness and the cosmic radiation for 283 days. But not only has it survived these conditions, but upon returning to Earth it has been planted and germinated. Without a doubt a great surprise in the face of the resistance that these organisms have. A round trip. The research, led by biologist Tomomichi Fujita of Hokkaidō University and published in iScience, started from a premise that seemed like science fiction: can a primitive land plant withstand prolonged exposure to cosmic elements without protection? To find out, in March 2022 they launched hundreds of samples aboard the ship Cygnus NG-17. Once on the ISS, the astronauts attached these samples to the outside of the station, orbiting at about 400 km altitude from the Earth’s surface. There they stayed for nine months, exposed to constant cycles of light and shadow, extreme cold, and relentless ultraviolet radiation. In January 2023, the samples returned in a SpaceX capsule (mission CRS-16) and when analyzed in the laboratory, the results perplexed the researchers. More than 80% of the spores had survived and were able to germinate. Not everything is the same. Just as two humans may not be equally resistant, something similar happens with mosses. In this research, we tried to verify the resistance of three types of fabric, but the winner was undoubtedly the sporophytewas the hardest fabric. Something that was already suspected, but the litmus test that this was was missing. In terrestrial laboratories, stress is usually tested separately. That is, in a season an organism is exposed to heat, or cold, or high radiation. But in this case everything happens at the same time, and that is why it was expected that his survival would be null with this combination of factors. But the reality is that the spores protected within the sporangium endured. And although the scientists noted a degradation of one type of chlorophyll due to visible light, the structural and genetic integrity of the plant remained intact enough to be “resurrected” upon returning home. Its importance. Growing a moss on the surface of the ISS seems insignificant and a silly waste of money. But the reality is that this finding has two very important readings. The first looks towards the stars and the terraforming process. It must be taken into account that mosses were the first plants to colonize land on our planet 500 million years ago. It can be said that they are natural pioneers thanks to the fact that they can settle on bare stones and then when they die, they generate soil where more complex plants later emerge. In this way, if they can survive space travel and withstand extreme conditions, they could theoretically be the biological vanguard. in lunar or martian bases to help modify its atmosphere and ecosystem. Something more urgent. Right now, our goal has to be to create crops that are more resistant to the extreme weather conditions we face on our planet. And the solution may lie in these spores and their genetics. Understanding the mechanism that gives them this great resistance is vital so that we can modify seeds of other crops with the aim of conferring the same resistance. A vital step to face everything that may be yet to come to our planet. Images | Mike Frandson POT In Xataka | Fungal spores and other microorganisms are candidates for surviving on the surface of Mars, according to NASA

Who will compensate Renfe for its investment in AVRIL trains that are breaking down?

by

AVRIL trains are at risk of cracking. At least that is what happened in one of those that provided service on the Madrid-Barcelona high-speed corridor, which has forced it to take all its trains out of circulation and cancel the AVLO service. But now, who pays the dishes Broken buggies? a fissure. It all began in July 2025. At least, the nightmare of what promised to be a peaceful, uninterrupted sleep began. At the end of the month and with the entire summer campaign ahead, Renfe suspended the sale of AVLO tickets between Madrid and Barcelona overnight. The reason soon became known: one of the trains had presented a fissure that forced him to stop full. Without being very clear about how to act, Renfe suspended the sale of these options low cost in the busiest corridor in Spain. Then he chose to make high speed… a slightly slower transportation, limiting maximum speed to avoid problems. Finally, ended up suspending the service completely. A setback. Preventively removing AVRIL trains from circulation in the Madrid-Barcelona corridor is a setback for Renfe since it will not compete with an option low cost in this space and leaves the way clear for Ouigo and Iryo. A space that, in fact, Ouigo had started to give way a few months ago. And although Renfe has room for maneuver because This line is the most expensive in Spain and the least sensitive to offers, the truth is that Renfe no longer competes on price in it. The setback comes, above all, because the results of Talgo’s S106 trains, known as AVRIL, are proving problematic. His arrival was already marked by the bad reviews and the turn of the year caused a widespread breakdown on the trains. Half a year later, when everything seemed forgotten, the trains break down (literally) on the Madrid-Barcelona route. Why are they important? When Renfe commissioned Talgo to produce 30 AVRIL trains, it did so thinking about its ability to lower prices. The trains allow access to a greater number of people and promised top speeds of 300 km/h, which they are not being able to take advantage of. But, above all, the batch of AVRIL trains is key because they are flexible. The trains can “jump” from the Iberian gauge to the international gauge. This allows Renfe to be the only one to be able to operate on the Galician high-speed corridor without having to transfer in Ourense. It is expected to be a differential advantage for competitors do not consider entry in said corridor when it opens to the rest of the competition. Who pays for this? Aware that poor performance of AVRIL trains is a setback for the company, Renfe has already started looking for trains in Germany. But, in addition, the relationship between Talgo and Renfe is not in the best moment. To begin with, because Renfe has already been claiming since last year more than 116 million euros compensation to Talgo for delays in the deliveries of its AVRIL trains. If it is confirmed that the problem with AVRIL trains is structural, new economic demands can be expected from Renfe. In Talgo, however, they defend themselves and assure that the real problem is in the infrastructure. In September they already pointed out Adif as the culprit of the cracks in its trains, alleging a “poor state of maintenance of the line (…) the horizontal leveling problems on that line and the vertical accelerations they cause on the rolling can, by repetition, cause the failure mode due to cracks in the bogie frame.” Adif has defended itself by ensuring that the line is correctly maintained and that it has all the necessary approvals so that the services are provided normally. Not happy with the answer, in The reason they explain that Talgo has already hired an external audit to determine what caused the crack in the four affected trains. Designated. What Talgo wants is obvious: to put the ball in Adif’s court. The company already had to reserve more than 100 million euros last year in their accounts to pay the compensation they owe to Renfe for delayed deliveries. Incurring more expenses because of a productive mistake can only damage your accounts further. On the other hand, Adif is the other big one. They explain in The reason that the main union of train drivers (Semaf) also points to the track management company as guilty due to insufficient maintenance. Criticisms that are not exclusive to this corridor since in Andalusia A lack of investment has also been pointed out worrying as the main cause of summer breakdowns. In that case, It was Ouigo who pointed out Adif as responsible for an incident that left more than 300 people completely stranded in the middle of the field for one night. Photo | Talgo In Xataka | Spain thought that Spain could manufacture the perfect trains for Spain. The reality: Spain is already looking for trains in Germany

The US investigates 2.9 million cars for breaking the rules

by

Tesla continues to push for its FSD to reach Europe. At the moment, the company still does not have its semi-autonomous driving system available (requires paying attention while driving) on ​​our continent. In recent months they have intensified their messages but now they have a problem. One that concerns 2.9 million cars. FSD. Full Self Driving. It is Tesla’s most advanced driving assistance system. The company sells this system in the United States that allows you to take your hands off the wheel and let the car take all the reins. The system can even be activated within a town with the car taking various exits or reacting to traffic agents such as pedestrians or improperly parked cars. The system, for now, is still awaiting approval on our continent. The deadlines have been extended but, at the moment, the only cars that allow you to drive without hands on the steering wheel are those equipped with Ford BlueCruise and as long as the route has been previously mapped. Click on the image to go to the original tweet More and more pressure. Since last summer, Tesla has been pushing for the European Union to allow this system to be used on its roads. Last June, Elon Musk asked in X the support of his followers so that the European Union speeds up the processes. And, furthermore, He went so far as to say that the FSD “will save lives”. The tweet was preceded by two other publications aimed in the same direction. From the official Tesla account, the company shared videos showing how its cars equipped with FSD circulated normally through cities like Rome or Paris. In the latter, even entered fully into the chaotic roundabout of the Arc de Triomphe Parisian and behaved completely normally. 2.9 million. With this idea on the table, the NHTSA, in charge of traffic safety in the United States, has opened a preliminary investigation into 2.88 million Tesla cars equipped with its most advanced autonomous driving system, advancing in Reuters. The reason is simple: they violate traffic regulations. In total, NHTSA has been informed of at least 50 violations while the FSD was active. Nearly two dozen warnings have been reported after cars ran a traffic light or stalled after it had already opened. Other warnings reflected that the car did not take cross traffic into account and was rushing to pass an intersection with other vehicles already performing the maneuver. They remember in Ars Technica that these investigations are not unknown to Tesla. In fact, this is already the third time that the NHTSA has opened an investigation related to Tesla’s driving assistance systems. like a human. For better and worse, Tesla cars appear to have been configured to behave like a human. Elon Musk already pointed out that their fleet of cars allows them to collect data in real traffic scenarios much faster than their competitors and this allows them to improve autonomous driving skills much faster. However, it was noted a long time ago that this “more human” and less robotic behavior sometimes passed for violate certain traffic rules. And with the launch of the first robotaxis onto the streets, it was proven that this human behavior, even, could be translated into braking in case you see the police. Clue. The problem for Tesla is that FSD approval is key. First because it has been one of his great promises: buy a car today that, tomorrow, you will be able to drive alone. Promises that, on the other hand, have not been fulfilled. But, also, for Tesla the FSD is really very important. First, because it is a source of income that I hoped to make profitable over the years, either with a significant income at the time of purchase or with recurring payments to activate and deactivate it through updates. And, second, because it would allow regain a leadership position within the industry. Right now, except for the specific case of Ford and the Mercedes level 3 applicable in very specific circumstances, no one can drive without having their hands on the wheel. If Tesla obtained this approval it would turn the system into an added value that could tip the balance in its favor when choosing a new car. Photo | tesla In Xataka | Tesla unlocks one of its most advanced functions in Europe. And incidentally confirms that we will have the least autonomous Teslas of all

Breaking a bad habit is difficult, but not impossible. The key is to make your brain hate it

by

Habits have a very important role in daily life. In fact, as indicated in the book ‘Emotional Intelligence: Good habits‘ Harvard Business Review, approximately half of our daily actions are based on habits that we repeat without just realizing. However, the same mechanism that anchors good habits, also explains why changing a bad habit may seem like a task almost impossible. It is not only willpower, but to understand how our brain works and how habits are anchored in it. Why do we adopt bad habits? We know that leading a sedentary life is not healthy, that navigating Tiktok video video until many in the morning Take takes the next day and that smoking seriously harms our health. However, such and As explained to Harvard Business Review Judson Brewer, neuroscientist and author of the book ‘Undo the anxiety‘, we cannot avoid falling into any of these negative habits, and eliminating them is very uphill. According to Brewer, the environment in which we live is designed to bombard us with stimuli that reinforce those habits, especially negatives. The rewards that our brain receives when performing certain behaviors alter our Reward -based learning systemso a pattern difficult to break is created. “Every time we try to disconnect from an exhausting task (with social networks), we reinforce the reward, to the point that harmful distractions can become habits.” However, although it is not a simple process, research carried out by Brewer demonstrate that it is possible to change the bad habits definitively. Understanding the response mechanism that articulates them gives us the tools to achieve it. Bad habits have their origin in the way our brain learns through an immediate rewards system (yes, as in Animal training). These behavioral patterns arise because they reinforce the feeling of pleasure or relief quickly. This rewards system implies a trigger (hunger sensation), followed by behavior (eating) and a reward (feel satiated). “These three components (trigger, behavior and reward) appear every time we smoke a cigarette or eat a cake,” says the neuroscientist. Detect the origin of bad habit Bad habits are not eliminated, they are only replaced by good habits. Therefore, one of the important steps of the process to get rid of them is to find the trigger that generates the action to seek the reward. “Once you know your triggers, try to identify the behaviors you make when these bad habits occur. Do you look at social networks instead of working? Do you eat sweets during difficult tasks? You should be able to identify the actions to which you resort to feel comfortable or quiet before you can evaluate your reward value.” For this reason, the neuroscientist ensures that knowing the scenario in which activation occurs and what action is carried out to obtain the reward is one of the key points so that it is easier to eliminate bad habits. For example, eating sweets would be the search for reward that is activated by a situation of stress or anxiety, and sugar rush reward. Avoid or learn to manage the stress situation It is the first step to subtract weight from sugar reward. The key: break the reward chain According to studies of the University of Utrecht (Netherlands), self -control alone is not enough to eliminate a habit, since the brain associates that behavior with a reward that temporarily cancels rational thinking. No smoker will tell you that tobacco It is beneficial for healthbut even so smokes. A fundamental step to break with a bad habit is to reduce or eliminate the reward that the brain receives. That implies not only changing the behavior itself, but also the context that activates it and the associated sensations. Modifying those three elements: detonating, behavior and reward, it is basic for the brain to stop finding satisfaction in that behavior and abandons the need to carry it out. Brewer’s investigations have revealed that an effective way to face bad habits is to replace them with behaviors that offer similar, but positive health or well -being rewards. One of the techniques that Brewer has used with his patients full care training to teach the brain that this behavior is not only benefits, but also represents something unpleasant or even harmfulcausing him to hate him and not look for him anymore. The neuroscientist said that, when someone joined his program to quit smoking, the first thing he asked is to pay attention while smokeing: to the smell, the environment, to the sensation when smoking, etc. The objective of this exercise is that patients become aware of the “value of the reward” and if this value, which probably had positive connotations (social acceptance, etc.), still remains. Studies From the University of Bethesda they have shown that if that reward is no longer appreciated as it used to be, it is less likely that the brain will claim it and, with it, it will be easier to get rid of that bad habit. This can be applied to any other habit that the past may have a positive connotation, but has already been diluted. According to Brewer, an important factor is in question what gives you that bad habit before consuming it and analyzing how you feel before, during and after the process from a critical point of view, instead of simply having a reactive behavior of repentance after having obtained the reward. “Your behaviors may not change immediately, but persevere. If you manage to control your mind with our methods, over time you can free yourself from unwanted habits and see how your cravings disappear with peace of mind,” said the neuroscientist. In Xataka | Creating new habits is difficult. The author of “atomic habits” believes that there is something even more complicated: keep them Image | Unspash (Oskar Kadaksoo, Lilartsy)

The world’s largest passenger plane does not stop breaking

by

Airbus has to the, for the moment, the largest passenger plane in the world: the Airbus A380. This bug is able to transport in its entrails up to a maximum of 853 passengers (in very specific conditions). In fact, only the Antonov AN-225 He shadowed him, but he was neither produced in series nor currently exists, since It was destroyed during the Ukraine War. The A380 is, in short, a huge and very important passenger plane for certain airlines, but has a problem: it does not stop breaking. A complex machine. That is what a plane is, and more if we talk about one like this. So that Let’s get an idea Of its complexity, the Airbus A380 is made of four million individual components manufactured by 1,500 companies distributed throughout 30 countries. Inside the fuselage there are inserted 19,000 screws that join each of the three main parts, in addition to the 4,000 screws used to join both wings. It has 220 windows, 16 doors and only exterior paint weighs 531 kilos, there is nothing. Airbus A380 of Air France | Image: Maarten Visser with license CC by-SA 2.0 The problem. That does not stop breaking. According to slide from Bloombergsince 2020 (the plane flew for the first time in 2005), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency has issued 95 aircraft directives for the Airbus A380, twice as many as received by Boeing homologues: the 787, 777 and 747. Among the problems mentioned are the breakage of the axis of the landing gear, cracked joint Evacuation ramps. Some of these problems come from time to time These aircraft passed on land during the pandemic. These directives are, in a nutshell, corrections, inspections or modifications that must be carried out in an aircraft or a component to solve potential security problems. Its fulfillment is mandatory and not only can not only put the safety of passengers at risk, but to assume sanctions or the disqualification of the plane. Lufthansa’s first Airbus A380 | Image: WO St 01 With license CC By-SA 3.0 Keep it or … keep it. The Airbus A380 is 20 years old. As a general rule, airplanes usually withdraw Once between 25 and 30 years old. What does that mean? That the Airbus A380 is too young to remove it and too old to keep it at the same time. The underlying problem is that there is no alternative: The Airbus A380 ceased to occur in 2021so airlines that need a large capacity for long journeys should look for an alternative. Airbus It is not capable To produce the A350s, the largest aircraft of the Airbus catalog after the A380, with enough quickly to meet the demand. The supply chain, in particular everything related to cabins and engines, still having pandemic problems. He Boeing 777xBoeing’s proposal has not stopped having problems. The plane was going to be delivered to customers in 2020, but it has been delayed so much that the first deliveries are not expected until at least 2026. Image | KRZYSZTOF KACZALA WITH CC BY-SA 3.0 License A bottomless well. Airlines therefore have some airplanes whose maintenance will go to more. Reviewing these aircraft not only consumes an absurd amount of time (60,000 hours distributed among all workers, according to Bloomberg), but a lot of space in facilities that are not precisely abundant. That a plane like this failure is a high expense: not only have to be repaired, but to delay flights, relocate passengers, etc. All sum. Be that as it may, Airbus intends to continue operating and offering support: “Airbus undertakes to provide full technical assistance to customers to ensure that they can optimize operations with their A380 fleets, and this will continue while the plane remains in service,” they say from the company. The largest fleet. Emirates is, by far, the airline that has the most Airbus A380: 116 aircraft of which 21 are on land. The operator intends to continue using them at least until the end of the next decade (the investment has been high and few planes move so many passengers at once). Singapore Airlines and British Airways are followed from afar with 12 units each. Other operators, such as Qantas, Lufthansa and Qatar Airways also have some units, but intend to replace them with A350 at the beginning of the next decade. Cover image | N509FZ licensed CC by-SA 4.0 In Xataka | Europe has a message for tourists who are going to fly: prepare for a summer of delays and historical cancellations

Mexico has declared war on a smuggling that is breaking the Chinese market: the “Cocaine del Mar”

by

A little over a year ago, in June 2024a Mexican National Guard team was watching the Tlaquepaque bus station in Jalisco, when something curious happened. Suddenly one of the dogs trained to detect drugs began to sniff two cardboard boxes located in the officia of a messaging company. As they approached, the agents found that it smelled strange, as a “decomposition product”, so they decided to open the packages. Inside there was no coca, nor hashish, nor weapons, but 80 vexigas Fish dehydrated. The fact is that these buches belonged to a very specific species, the Totoaba Macdonaldiand were not any pieces either. As much as they had bad appearance and poured those 80 veils, which together weighed around 18 kilos, they could have sold for 360,000 dollars In the Chinese black market. For something they are known as “Cocaine of the sea”. Totoaqué? Totoaba Macdonaldi. His name may not be familiar to us in this part of the world, but he is well known in his place of origin, in The coasts of Mexico. To be more precise the species is endemic to the Alto Gulf of California and attracts attention for its size. A totoaba can reach the two meters100 kg of weight and 30 years of life. If for something it is (sadly) famous however it is for its swim bladderor buche, the organ that facilitates flotability. Why’s that? Because in certain regions of China it is considered a treasure, a Delicatesen coveted by their alleged Medicinal properties and that quotes stratospheric values in the black market. Among other uses and despite the fact that there are no solid investigations that demonstrate their goodnessin the Asian giant Totoaba buches are used to make soups that supposedly improve articular pains and relieve the discomfort of pregnant. It is so popular in the country that they are even used as an investment, luxury gift or even dowry. And how much does it cost? Quite. It is not easy to specify it because the price of Totoaba’s bladder is closely linked to the Chinese black market, but a quick search arrives on Google to confirm that it is a luxury merchandise. In 2017 the BBC I calculated that the kilo of Buche could easily exceed 8,500 dollars. The same figure contributed recently the Nikkei agency in An article On the vexigas introduced to smuggling in the Asian market. Others go further and talk about $ 20,000 per kilo, 2,200 euros for just 100 grams or even 40,000 euros for the vexigas of the most desired and most desired specimens. There are those who even slide figures still higher. Is it a problem? Yes. The high demand has submitted to the species at such a pressure that the Mexican government has had to take action on the matter. In the 70s prohibited its fishing, in 1991 It was officially declared in danger of extinction and its name has passed, among other documents, to the list of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). It also appears in the “Red List” of the Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), whose last evaluation is 2020. There is a vulnerable species. And how is it now? In A statement Published at the end of June, the Mexican government recalls that in the twentieth century Totoaba fishing grew “without control to reduce its population and take it to the edge of extinction” and recognizes that the species is still stalked by smuggling. However, there are some signs that invite moderate optimism. Protection measures and especially repopulation work are helping “little by little” to recover the species. A month ago, in fact, the authorities released 40,000 young in Baja California Sur. In total, in that region about 270,000 have already been released. Are there more measures? Yes. Mexican authorities also carry out controls such as the one that allowed to requisition 80 bucho Last year at the Jalisco Bus Station. Not long after the National Guard and the Customs Agency intercepted another 75 pieces In the Customs of Sonoyta, Sonora. Last March the authorities presumed A new ‘blow’ When removing hundreds of meters from Enmalle networks and dozens of copies of Totoaba on the coasts of the Alto Gulf of California. And at the political level? The species is also part of the Mexican political debate. Over the last years the authorities They have been profiling The legal framework that protects the species and in spring a government commission approved A reform package For that same purpose. Your goal? Regulate the tariff codes that would apply to an export, maintaining, ensures digital road map, the veto to the commercialization of buchors. A few weeks ago the Nikkei agency revealed That Mexico has decided to partially raise the veto to the export of the species, although it speaks exclusively of the meat of specimens of fish farm. The measure is accompanied by a stricter monitoring of the merchandise to prevent its smuggling. Cocaine of the sea? Maybe it sounds excessive, but in recent years the totoaba has earned the nickname of “Cocaine of the sea”. And it makes enough sense. Not only for his high pricealso for the consequences of demand in China. The lucrative business of the Totaba fish illegally and its price in Asia has caught the attention of organizations dedicated to drug smuggling. “The posters realized that these Chinese merchants won a lot with the jellyfish, the Totoaba buche, the sea cucumbers, the abult … and these economies began to penetrate to dominate them,” Explain to The country Felbab-Brown, from the Brookings Institute and an organized crime expert. At the beginning of the year the CBC chain revealed A report of the agency and border services of sample how the networks of Chinese organized crime and the Mexican cartels are resorting to the Canadian ports to exchange buffers and precursors of the fentanyl. Are there more factors at stake? The answer is affirming again. There is another involuntary protagonist who … Read more

There is a whole literary genre dedicated to perverse crimes in the most cuquis and friendly spaces in the world. And he is breaking it

by

We identify the black novel, invariably, with what is known as HARD BOILED: hard detectives, bloody crimes, sordid environments. But … what if there was another way to raise gender? Settling in certain classics of the genre, the novels Cozy Mystery (“Cozy mystery”) They are more than a niche: they are a very profitable way to continue taking advantage of a historical style of making crime literature and suspense. But … what are exactly? They are police novels that present the crime and its resolution in “clean” environments: small peoples, picturesque communities or scenarios of everyday life (bookstores, coffees, gardening clubs). Explicit violence and sex are deliberately excluded from the scene, and the narrative focuses on the interaction between unique characters (often an amateur detective, almost always a woman, with a great sense of humor and daily skills) and the logic of the research. But this sounds to me … Of course it sounds to you: the eccentric detective, which takes advantage of its harmless appearance to gain the confidence of the suspects has as famous historical precedents as the Miss Marple Miss Agatha Christie And her most distinguished heiress: the Jessica Fletcher de ‘A crime has been written‘. Its roots can be traced even further: the British mystery novels of the nineteenth century and, in general the peaceful style of the “golden age” of the mystery (whose most popular representative is Christie) and where in addition to amateur detectives such as Miss Marple, we saw rural environments or closed communities, crimes executed “out of the scene” and ingenious resolution. In the 1980s, several writers began to claim and modernize that friendlier and more casual approach to the international boom of the darkest police novel. Since then, the Cozy Mystery He has experienced several popular cycles: the last one we are living now, supported by compartmentalization in increasingly detailed and specific subgenres that the editorial industry lives (of the Romantasy to the stories of Love with skaters). An editorial boom. Not only throughout the world authors such as Richard Osman, Joanne Flike or Kate Carlisle have become stars: also in Spain the subgenre has become a boom. Editorial Alma, for example, has found a real reef, and is exploiting fever by the Cozy With a collection that it already has almost forty titles to which are added, of course, its corresponding Children and Youth Variants. In the collection, titles such as ‘A lovely old woman … and lethal’, ‘Pride, prejudice and poison’ or ‘The last cupcake’ make clear the constants of the genre: kind satire, cuquis crimes and peaceful environments. And together with all these are, of course, the classics: ‘The Thursday Crime Club’, by the aforementioned Richard Osman, was one of the first supervantas of this last success of the genre. What’s behind: feminism … There is an inspiration for the genre that does not go unnoticed: its feminist inspiration. Women are present in Cozy Mystery as authors and also starring the books themselves. Gender can be understood as a reaction to the traditional black novel, historically monopolized by male voices and marked by the representation of women as a victim, secondary or femme fatale. The protagonists of these books are usually common women but extraordinary acuity, carriers of a logical, observer and empathic look. Following Miss Marple’s wake, many of them are mature, widowed characters, retired or housewives, whose age and experience confers authority and charisma. A true disarticulation of gender stereotypes, claiming values such as intuition, daily wisdom and practical sense, with women deeply integrated into their community, which gives a collective dimension to the narrative. A quiet and silent challenge of crime and punishment codes, eminently male law and order of the traditional genre. … and well -being. The warm and comforting style of these books (and their editions, with covers of soft tones and domestic scenarios) point to addresses that have nothing to do with the usual policeman: pleasant routines, the beauty of the everyday. And there is an echo in the prose of these books: light but not banal, ironic without cruelty … that is, a kind of comfortable reading, a very appropriate emotional refuge in these times of crisis, uncertainty and stress. We have spoken on other occasions about entertainments that disconnect us And peace provide us, and without a doubt the Cozy Mystery It has a lot to do with this trend: in a hyperconnected society, we crave return to small, intimate and without shocks. Except for small crime than another, but that is resolved easy. In Xataka | If you join the lifelong hobbies you have the editorial phenomenon that is sweeping in bookstores

Chinese dolls of sinister smile are breaking it in Spain. They are called Labubu and they are already falsifications and scams

by

Rabbit ears and a very sinister smile. So are the labubu, some small collection dolls that, following the wake of successes like Sonny AngelThey are invading everything. After its success in China, the fever for these collection dolls has left their borders and has arrived in Spain. And with it the inevitable is also coming: falsifications. Context. Labubu are an original creation of the Hongkonese artist Kaising Lung, marketed by Pop Mart, which also markets Other similar collection toys lines. These are small stuffed animals with a keychain hitch, which are usually hung from the bag or backpack. When we buy one, several designs appear on the side of the box and you can touch any of them. This surprise effect and the gamification of the purchase have caused them to become an object of desire for collectors around the world, getting to pay authentic fortunes For them. Viral success. Although there were long before, the Labubu boom occurred in 2024. In China they generated the whopping 3,000 million yuan (about 355 million euros). 2025 is even better For these little elves. Only in China the growth is 100%, but in the rest of the world it would already be in 480%. There is a key factor in this global success: there are more and more celebrities and influencers who show their labubus in public. The first Celebrity that popularized them It was Lisa, from the K-Pop Blackpink group. Now they are hanging from Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Madonna or Kim Kardashian bags. The fever arrives in Spain. We said there is an invasion of Labubus and Spain was not going to be less. At the end of last year They opened a store in Barcelona and the tails to buy one of these dolls were kilometer. In the official store they are exhausted and, although there are other stores that sell Labubus in Spain, the same thing happens: almost all They have hung the ‘out of stock’ poster‘(Yeah, Also Amazon). With this panorama, the sale platforms are being filled with Labubus, with an increase in searches for 856%. Falsifications and scams. Stock -free stores and demand for clouds are the perfect ingredients for counterfeiters to fall in action. According to a Kaspersky reportit’s already happening. Fraudulent websites that sell counterfeit figures have been created and, in addition, they steal data from the users they buy. They always recommend buying official distributors, but since in Pop Mart Spain there are hardly any stock, many users go to Wallapop, Milanuncios or Vinted. There are many available, many of them original, but here another problem is presented: the price. Normally a Labubu costs between 15 and 30 euros. Taking advantage of scarcity, many vendors They swell prices. Precedents. Collecting Figuritas is no news. A few years ago we lived the Funko Pop Fever. In 2019, the North American company He presumed to have tripled its value, Although a couple of years ago we knew that their finances did not happen their best moment. Labubu fever takes advantage of the wave generated by a more recent phenomenon: The Sonny Angelsthose Japanese dolls that many people had glued on their smartphones and that were also a problem by The amount of falsifications that circulated. In ambiguity is success. Although similar to the Sonny Angels, Labubu are pioneers in one thing: it is the first time that China “colonizes” Europe with a cultural and consumerist phenomenon of this type. According to This Chinese journalist, The secret of success would be precisely that Labubu does not seem something Chinese. Its ambiguous design makes it more consumable by a massive audience. The corporate image of its parent company, Pop Mart, is also more ambiguous or “less China”, something that according to this journalist is intentional and would have a goal: “There is less likely that there is a violent reaction if Beijing does something wrong.” And China became cool. They told it in This Economist articlewhere they explore the change of image that China has experienced since the West in recent years. A clear indicator is the success of Chinese cultural products such as The movie Ne Zha 2or video games like ‘Genshin Impact’ and ‘Black Myth: Wukong‘. Tiktok’s success, his leadership in industries such as The electric car or the drones They have contributed to improving the image of the country outside their borders, something that coincides with a growing United States Negative Vision Under Trump’s mandate. Image | Declan Sun in Unspash In Xataka | A new potentially disruptive scenario opens in global energy: China has touched the oil in oil

Byd is breaking the car market with very low prices. Now it has the entire industry against

by

China has entered a new price war in its automobile market. Many months after Byd and Tesla gave the battle by lowering their prices to try to get out of their competition, the Chinese company has relieved the power it has in their hands to impact their rivals. And along the way, criticism has been taken from analysts, their competitors and even the Chinese government itself. An already known play. In April 2024Byd and Tesla played hand in a race to see who could reduce the prices of their cars. Then, Elon Musk’s company looked from you to your sales from BYD but for a few months the Chinese company has stayed at the top of the table. Then we knew that the strategy could be taken ahead to some of its competitors. Byd played with its ability to sell at volume to put cheaper and attractive cars on the market while Tesla had a wide margin of benefits To press your rivals. Returning to the streets. Now it has been byd, alone, the one that has put all the meat on the grill. And the industry upside down. The company has lowered prices very aggressively, to the point that the Byd Qin Plus DM-Ia plug -in hybrid sedan, has dropped its price by more than 40% in the last two years. These discounts are applied for less than a month But they are the continuation of sales that were already applied in April. Some of its models They have reduced their price by 34% In these last sales but, above all, it is surprising that a car like the Byd Seagullwhich is already the cheapest car on the market, now is available 20% cheaper. A dangerous trend. These BYD pricing sales have been pushing the rest of the industry in the last year. The data reflects them Bloomberg In a powerful graphic: of the 30 best -selling cars in China, only one has increased its price. It doesn’t matter if you look at Chinese manufacturers or foreigners, only Tesla Model and is now more expensive (update through) than two years ago. This, according to its analysts, is a problem with the industry. They ensure that if the customer does not have the assurance that prices are maintained, it is very possible that they delay their purchase. That could be wearing part of current car sales. The second perspective is that of manufacturers. Reuters He already pointed out in 2023 that much of the automobile manufacturers in China were not profitable. According to his accounts, Byd did earn net money with each car sold but his great rivals like Xpeng or Nio lost between $ 10,000 and $ 20,000 per unit sold. Rain of criticism. Byd’s last movement seems to have tired the rivals. China Chongqing Auto Forum has been a reflection of the tensions that exist in the automobile industry. Collect in Carnewschina That the attacks between competitors have flown throughout the talk. While from ByD they insisted again on the idea that They are suffering coordinated defamatory attacksfrom Geely they have assured that their competitor behaves like a hypocrite. The specialized media in the Chinese industry argues that Victor Yang, vice president of Geely and in charge of public relations and communication snapped at his rival a hard Isn’t This just a case of the Thief Crying Thief? What could be translated by something like “the thief is believed that all are of his condition.” It was not the only poisoned dart of the event, they point out in Carnewschina. Among those responsible for Huawei and Xiaomi there were also cross statements according to their electric vehicles and only from Chery it seems that the waters were tempered with a more politically correct message, noting that the intense competition made the market better. “An Evergrande” Byd’s rivals attacks have not been a novelty either. Only a few days ago that from Great Wall Motors, another of the big Chinese companies, they said that the car market lived in a bubble that could already be defined as “an evergrande” referring to the collapse of its largest construction company. Without giving names, Wei Jianjun, head of Great Wall Motors, pointed out that The industry situation was not healthy And that vehicle automatures were being too high, with the ultimate goal of makeup the results. Lei Yunfei, responsible for BYD’s public relations, soon answered Weiboreferring the criticisms that the company was receiving. And the state answers. After pulling and loosening between Great Wall Motors and Byd, institutions called the main manufacturers to attend the problem of automatrications. Little or nothing is known about what was treated there but Reuters He showed this movement was a call of attention to Byd. Days after that meeting, People’s Daily (means of communication that is one of the spokesmen of the Chinese Communist Party) collected in an article Related to new energy car sales (electric and plug -in hybrids) Calls to flee “price wars.” It specified that both the Chinese Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) had made appeals not to fall into this type of practices because they pointed out that “recently the industry has seen a decrease in profitability, largely due to the increase in competition marked by disorderly price wars.” Photo | Byd In Xataka | Byd has decided to sink the price of electric cars. It is a strategy that is already affecting the Byd value itself

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.