eat

OpenAI wants to eat Microsoft’s toast with its own GitHub

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The relationship between OpenAI and Microsoft has gone through better times. And when their technological alliance began, it was one of the first examples that indicated to us that all this AI was going to last for a long time. And here we find ourselves, in a much more delicate and powerful panorama in equal measure. However, now this alliance is going through one of its most tense moments, and the culprit has names and surnames: OpenAI would be developing its own code hosting platform, rivaling GitHub, which belongs to Microsoft. We tell you all the details. Why does this matter? GitHub is one of Microsoft’s crown jewels in the technology ecosystem. If OpenAI continues with this project, it would be attacking one of the most strategic businesses of its main partner and investor, the same company that has injected billions of dollars in its growth since 2019. And over the last two years, their relationship has gone from being symbiotic to being, on certain fronts, directly competitive. What exactly happened. According to account The Information, several OpenAI engineers would have been fed up with the constant GitHub service outages in recent months. So they decided to consider building their own alternative. As the medium shares, the project is still in the initial phase, so it could take months to see the light (if it ever does), but the medium assures that the possibility of selling it as a product to OpenAI clients is already being considered. At the moment no company has confirmed or denied it. Renegotiations. The crazy idea of ​​​​building your own GitHub arrives in full renegotiation of the terms of that same alliance that they forged a few years ago, a process that, according to the Wall Street Journalhas become extremely tense. As the media reports, OpenAI wants to reduce dependence on Microsoft in computing and distribution, and is also trying close the acquisition of Windsurfthe AI ​​startup from which Google also got involved to keep a good part of the talent. The problem: Microsoft has access to all of OpenAI’s intellectual property under the current agreement, and OpenAI doesn’t want that to include the purchase of Windsurf. Microsoft, for its part, offers its own AI programming tool, GitHub Copilotwhich competes directly with what OpenAI is trying to build. Media fight. According to the WSJseveral OpenAI executives have gone so far as to internally debate what they describe as a “nuclear option”: publicly accusing Microsoft of anti-competitive behavior and seeking a federal regulatory review of the contract. That is, take the fight to the legal and media arena. That this possibility is on the table says a lot about the level to which the conflict has reached. Both companies have also been fighting for some time over the percentage of participation that Microsoft would have in the new for-profit entity which OpenAI wants to become. OpenAI has until the end of the year to complete that transformation or lose $20 billion in funding it had committed to. How we got here. Microsoft first invested in OpenAI in 2019 with 1 billion dollars. In exchange, it gained the exclusive right to sell OpenAI’s tools through its Azure cloud and preferential access to its technology. For years, it was a sweetheart deal for the two: Microsoft positioned itself as a leader in enterprise AI and OpenAI got the infrastructure and money to grow. But now the market has changed a lot, and what was a relationship of mutual dependence has become a race in which the two compete on almost the same fronts: consumer chatbots, productivity tools with AI, solutions for companies, etc. For now, both companies maintain the official speech of optimism about their ability to continue building together. But the cracks are increasingly difficult to cover. In Xataka | Aragón is becoming a Spanish data center giant thanks to Amazon. There is still a big unknown

Neuro-sama is the AI ​​that has dethroned all human streamers on Twitch because it doesn’t need to eat or sleep

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2026 already has its first milestone in the history of streaming: for the first timethe channel with the highest number of active subscribers on Twitch does not belong to a human creator. Neuro-sama, a VTuber generated entirely by artificial intelligencereached 162,459 active subscribers at the beginning of the year, dethroning all flesh-and-blood streamers on the platform. This figure places the channel vedal987from where Neuro-sama emits, in an unprecedented position: an artificial entity that surpasses established rivals in paying audiences. More human than humans. The origin of Neuro-sama dates back to 2019, when the British developer known as Vedal designed an artificial intelligence system initially aimed at running games of the rhythm video game ‘osu!’. Three years later, in December 2022, the project evolved into its current format: a VTuber that combines multiple technological layers to simulate the presence and activities of a human streamer. According to its creator, Neuro-sama’s visual infrastructure is developed in C# using the Unity engine, while the artificial intelligence systems work in Python. It is expressed. Neuro-sama’s architecture rests on a LLM (Large Language Model), technology that processes billions of parameters to generate coherent conversations in real time. These models form the basis of chatbots such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini or Microsoft Copilot, and operate by predicting sequences of words according to patterns learned during their training. Added to this conversational core are voice synthesis systems that generate the characteristic high-pitched tonality, and an avatar animated using Live2D technology that reacts visually to interactions. The result is a digital entity capable of maintaining dialogues, playing video games and responding to chat without direct human intervention during broadcasts. Audience records. Neuro-sama’s upward trajectory in terms of viewership is completely unusual. In January 2025, during its second annual “subathon” (a continuous broadcast format whose duration depends on subscriptions received), the channel set a world record by reaching level 111 on Twitch’s Hype Train system, an indicator that measures the intensity of subscriptions and donations over concentrated periods of time. That milestone, which surpassed the 106 levels of the previous record, seemed difficult to match. However, just eleven months later, in December 2025, Neuro-sama pulverized its own brand. The channel completed a level 120 Hype Trainaccumulating 118,989 subscriptions and 1,000,073 bits in a limited period of time. This figure makes vedal987 the only channel that has managed to break the global Hype Train record twice in a row, a distinction that earned him a global Twitch emote usable by any user of the platform. You peel them. lThe economic implications are notable. According to data from TwitchTracker, with 162,459 active subscribers and applying Twitch’s standard revenue split (which varies depending on individual agreements, but is usually around 50% for the creator), the channel would generate approximately $400,000 per month exclusively from subscriptions, not counting direct donations, additional bits or advertising deals. Currently, vedal987 occupies the 3rd place in the historical ranking of channels with the most Twitch subscriptions. He has a sister. In March 2023, Evil Neuro was born, presented as the “twin sister” of the original character. Vedal conceived this second entity so that Neuro-sama could interact with herself, but the project resulted in a differentiated personality with its own voice, visual model, and behavior. Both AIs have transcended the streaming format: in December 2022, Neuro-sama premiered ‘LIFE‘, his first original song. In August 2024 both launched ‘NEVER‘, the first duet between the two entities. The problems. The phenomenon has problematic antecedents: Nothing, Forevera series inspired by Seinfeld and generated entirely by algorithms, was suspended from Twitch after making transphobic comments. The Rubius experimented Similar dilemmas with DegenerIAa channel where ChatGPT controlled all conversations. In fact, one of the DegenerIA characters made derogatory comments about the streamer Pokimane, showing that automatic moderation systems do not always filter inappropriate content. Neuro-sama herself faced a temporary ban in 2023 for controversial statements, a reminder that the conversational autonomy of these systems carries risks. The rise of VTubers with AI. Conventional VTubers, until now, were humans controlling virtual avatars in real time through facial and body motion capture systems. Hololive, the Japanese agency that dominates this sector, manages figures such as Gawr Gura, whose YouTube channel exceeds four million subscribers. These creators choose to represent themselves through animated characters for reasons ranging from protecting privacy to building digital identities. Neuro-sama represents a qualitative leap: here there is no human behind the avatar. The VTuber industry has experienced sustained growth that YouTube quantified like this: Between 2022 and 2024, VTubers-related content generated an average of 50 billion views annually on the platform. The market for tools to produce this type of content has also become democratized: platforms such as Akool, HeyGen and VTube Studio allow creators without advanced technical knowledge to generate interactive avatars with a very small investment. Doubts about the future. What is clear is that this boom of technology-driven VTubers is full of imbalances. Continuous broadcasting without the need for rest gives these entities a structural advantage over human streamers who need to sleep, eat or simply disconnect. The question of whether this constitutes unfair competition or simply technological evolution remains without a clear answer. In Xataka | We have a problem with AI. Those who were most enthusiastic at the beginning are starting to get tired of it.

The judge has allowed it to eat up the inner courtyard of the block

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The elevator is a necessary element in any building, but there was a time when it was not so common. Many old buildings face a problem: they want to install an elevator, but it doesn’t fit in the stairwell. It is not usually common, but there are cases in which installing the elevator involves “eating” part of the homes. The conflict. Our colleagues tell it Xataka Home. Given the lack of space in the common areas, a community of Madrid residents unanimously agreed to install the elevator, occupying part of the private patios of the ground floor homes. One of the two affected homeowners took the case to court, claiming that installation in the stairwell was possible. The judge agreed with him and the community’s decision was annulled, but it didn’t end there. The sentence. The community of neighbors appealed to the Provincial Court, which ended up agreeing with them. The problem with installing the elevator in the common areas is that it did not comply with the regulations, but it also meant causing great damage to the building because the staircase had to be demolished, in addition to blocking access to the homes for a long time. The criterion was based on the general interest of the community and the fact that the installation in the courtyard was much more reasonable from a technical point of view. The private use. In the case of this sentence, the space occupied by the elevator is the private use patio of the first floor. That is, the property belongs to the community, but its use is exclusive to one of the neighbors since access is through their home. As stated in Economist & Juristhe article 9 of the Horizontal Property Law It is clear: “a permanent easement can be built over a private space, without requiring the consent of the affected owner,” as long as it is justified and is of interest to the community. Mandatory installation. The LPH establishes that the elevator is mandatory if a resident requests the facility for accessibility reasons. The community will be obliged to install it and its cost must be borne by all owners. It can also be approved by a simple majority, which prevents the installation from being blocked if, for example, the neighbors on the ground floor or first floor refuse to do so. Sometimes they eat the kitchen. There are many buildings without elevators that do not have space in common areas and, in some cases, their installation requires invading part of the homes or a commercial premisesthat is, a private property. As stated in The Confidentialthe Supreme Court declared that it is “an easement of passage in favor of the community.” Of course, in these cases the owner has the right to compensation, which will be set based on the value of the square meter. Or the street. In Madrid it is quite common to see elevators attached to the façade of the building and that invade part of the sidewalk. This is an exceptional measure to guarantee accessibility to the building, provided there is no other remedy. According to the regulationsthe sidewalk must remain at least 1.8 meters wide, although in some specific cases it is allowed to narrow to 1.5 meters and even 1.20 meters if there are no other options. In this case, the project must be presented to the city council, which is the one who studies and approves whether to grant the planning permission for works. In other communities such as Cantabria, lThe regulations also contemplate this possibility. Image | Laura Sacristán, Xataka In Xataka | What changes does the new Spanish regulations ask to make in elevators before July 1?

Spaniards eat much less fish than 30 years ago and a big reason is on the horizon: laziness in cooking it.

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The data is clear. Fish consumption has been going on for decades losing ground in the refrigerators and kitchens of Spanish homes. We eat less and less, which is already noticeable in the sector, with the loss of thousands of fishmongers. There are, however, certain businesses that seem to be weathering the storm and even your sales increaseand they achieve it basically thanks to a different bet, focused on the sale of ready-to-eat fish, online orders and home delivery. It is interesting because this reveals to us that the great fish crisis may not be so much a question of taste as much as it is a question of habits and cultural change. What has happened? That fish is not immune to the social and consumer changes that have been affecting the food industry for years. Only in his case the trend is especially interesting. Sector data has long shown that Spanish households buy less and less fresh fish, which among other things has precipitated the closure of thousands of fishmongersbusinesses that deal with other challenges, such as the lack of generational change. There are clues, however, that in reality not the entire sector is suffering. We Spaniards today may have less fish in our refrigerators or cook it less than our parents or grandparents, but the consumption associated with leisure, the away from homeis not having a bad time. Not only that. There are certain specialized businesses (such as those dedicated to the sale of ready-to-eat fish or home delivery) that they assure be selling more. Do we eat less fish? If we base ourselves on the data Regarding domestic consumption from the Ministry of Food (MAPA), the answer is clear: yes, with fluctuations. His latest reportwith data for the year from August 2024 to July 2025, shows that the consumption of fishing products has decreased by 2.1%. If we talk specifically about the purchase of fish (not counting shellfish or preserves) the puncture has been 4.4%, 5.4% in the case of fresh merchandise. They may not seem like big declines, but the crisis facing fish is better understood when the temporal focus is expanded and per capita consumption data is analyzed. In that case, a collapse is confirmed that has hit the sector squarely. own Fedepesca warns that in recent years “local businesses in general and fishmongers in particular have lost a third of their stores.” Does all consumption fall? Not quite. Recently we told you how there are certain species that have seen their consumption rebound (in the case of smoked salmon and trout) and above all how fish consumption seems to be resisting and even increasing outside the home. This is suggested by the “extradomestic consumption” report of Mercasawhich in 2023 saw a rebound of 2.6%. The last ones quarterly data They also show an increase in the demand for fish. The truth is that for years it has been easier to find establishments and even chains that serve poké dishes with salmon, sushi, sashimi or ceviche, in addition to the traditional fish offering. Year Per capita consumption of fish products (kg) Per capita consumption of fish (kg) fresh fish frozen fish 1990 30.4 19 13.6 5.4 1995 29.4 18.2 14.6 3.6 2000 24.32 14.45 11.72 2.73 2005 28.36 16.40 13.39 3.01 2010 27.3 15.38 12.05 3.33 2015 25.9 14.46 11.64 2.82 2020 24.83 13.25 10.58 2.68 2024 17.99 9.31 7.31 2 And on other channels? A few days ago the SER published an analysis which gives clues to other business avenues that seem to be weathering or even saving themselves from the decline in fresh fish consumption: businesses dedicated to the marketing of ready-to-eat foods and those focused on home delivery. That is, those that facilitate and personalize consumption. There is not much data, but SER provides two specific examples that help understand the phenomenon. The first is the Catalan supermarket chain Plusfreshwhich offers customers the option of taking home ready-to-eat fish. The company claims that they have installed ovens in all their establishments, which has allowed them to considerably increase sales of seafood products. “Five years ago, 8% of the fish we invoiced went through the oven, today it is around 16%. In these five years we have doubled the sale of these products,” precise. He is not the only one walking in that direction. In your line “ready to eat”Mercadona has included salmon and sushi poké. Are there more examples? Yes. The SER cites another case: Peix a Casaan online fishmonger that allows you to schedule deliveries and that has gone from selling a few boxes of fish a week to managing between 100 and 150 orders each day. Its owner explains that a decade and a half ago began to bet on the fish delivery service, a formula that it hasn’t gone bad: From working with fifteen well-known clients, we have gone on to dispatch thousands and thousands of annual orders with an enviable year-on-year growth rate of around 20%. Why’s that? Because the sector suspects that the problem is not that fish is no longer liked or that it has become too expensive. In fact, in the last year, domestic demand for smoked salmon and canned clams and mussels has increased. considerably. The key would be something else: a cultural change that prevents younger people from buying and preparing fish at home. “We have a special focus on the young public, those people up to forty years old, who we have seen are not having access to seafood. For us it is a key audience,” recognize from Pesca de España. It won’t be easy because in the background there is a larger trend: a growing interest in cooked and ready-to-eat food, which has even led some (among them Juan Roig) to predict the end of traditional kitchens at home. Images | Jorge Franganillo (Flickr) In Xataka | A Japanese restaurant has taken its obsession with fresh fish to the extreme: it lets you catch it yourself

is that they “hack” your brain so that you eat even more

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The consumption of ultra-processed foods For many, it is an ideal option in the case of not having time to cook or simply because it is something they don’t like to do. The problem is that science recently issued an alert what points to the risk that exists between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and structural changes in the brain that cause us to eat even more. As if it were a true ‘vicious circle’ from which it is very difficult to escape. The study. Using data extracted from brain scans Of almost 30,000 middle-aged participants, the team of scientists has seen the relationship between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and markers of adiposity, inflammation, or metabolism. But what interests us in this case, above all, are the modifications in brain structure. For this they used the data from UK Biobankmaking the average intake of ultra-processed foods among those studied 46% of the energy consumed in an entire day. But what was also interesting is that the scans measured cortical thickness, the integrity of the white matter and the microstructure of deep areas related to feeding. Changes in the brain. High consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with changes in brain regions that play an important role in controlling appetite and the reward effectespecially the nucleus accumbens, hypothalamus, putamen and amygdala. The fact that it alters nucleus accumbens It is related to the reduction of neurons and an increase in extracellular space that is compatible with the processes associated with overeating and food addiction. But in addition, the study found that part of these changes were mediated by systemic inflammation and metabolic imbalances. An addictive loop. Although part of the effect involves increased adiposity and inflammation, the analysis suggests direct mechanisms on brain areas that regulate compulsive eating behaviors. Specifically, the brain changes associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods could reinforce patterns of seeking out and excessive consumption of these same products, creating a loop that perpetuates eating the same thing. This fits quite well within clinical theories about the addictive nature of some processes and their ability to “hijack” brain circuits, reward. These circuits are what generate the pleasure that opens the door for us to have an addiction to the ‘stimulus’ that presses that pleasure button that we have in the brain. There are exceptions. Obviously, not all ultra-processed foods are the same. The research clearly differentiates between processed foods. There are some that are clearly positive, such as frozen vegetables, but others are negative, these being those that have industrial addictives and chemically modified compounds. Specifically, it has been seen how the harmful effects are strongly linked to additives such as emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners and other compounds that promote the intestinal inflammation that we hate so much, impacting the brain directly. And we already know that attacking the microbiota of our intestine has consequences that are increasingly important. Public health. The conclusions of the study reinforce the growing consensus in the scientific literature on the impact of ultra-processed foods on health. The accumulated evidence points to the importance of reducing its consumption and moving towards stricter regulations on the composition and also the advertising that is being done. The authors of the study point to the need to reduce the intake of ultra-processed foods and strengthen standards within the industry to improve the health of all citizens. Something that also has an impact on them having less contact with the doctor and that can liberalize services. Reprogramming brains. Faced with the question of whether ‘ultraprocessing’ reprograms our brain, there is still a long way to go to analyze the different pathways that exist. But clearly we are facing a first step in understanding food addiction. Images | Kobby Mendez Shelley Evans In Xataka | When it comes to meat, science knows there’s something better than protein shakes: lean pork

A paleontologist discovered a frozen bison for 50,000 years. Then he stewed him to eat it with vegetables

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Almost half a century ago, in the middle of the Summer of 1979the American paleontologist Dale Guthrie received one of those calls that accelerate the pulse of any fossil lover like him. Some miners had found close to Fairbanks, in Alaska, which seemed to be part of the body of a bison of the ice age. At least that was what suggested the confusing knead of hooves, legs and skin that had peeked between the mud while the operators were looking for gold. Years after that call (and after intense work through) Guthrie and his colleagues celebrated the one who has probably been one of the most delusional banquets in the history of humanity: a stew with flesh of 55,000 years. What the hell is this? Something such that Walter Roman and his family have to think about the summer of 1979, when they discovered in a mine north of Fairbanks (Alaska) something that little or nothing had to do with the gold they were looking for. While working in the area they realized that something appeared between the frozen land: the remains of what seemed like a Ancient ancient creature of tens of thousands of years. They were so surprised that they warned of the finding and the news ended up arriving at Guthriepaleontologist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). Something better than gold. Guthrie had to drive about an hour On gravel roads to get to the Roman mine, but the effort was worth it. Once there he observed what they looked like muscle tissues, bones and black hair, the remains of an ancient semi -soured steparia creature between the ice. “Roman’s finding was a novelty for both. He had found an authentic mummy, an exceptional event,” I would report Years later Guthrie in one of his books. The body had peeked thanks to the force of the hose with which the miners worked, powerful enough to remove part of the frozen mud, but not to completely release the body. Seeing him Guthrie decided to finish the task to prevent the meat from breaking down. With you, the Bison Priscus. The paleontologist concluded that what he had before him was a Bison Priscusan exceptionally well -preserved steparium bison if you take into account that tens of thousands of years had lived. Unfortunately, not everything was good news. Ice accumulations prevented removing the body quickly. And the summer heat played against him. To get out of trouble Guthrie took A decision Worthy of King Solomon: he waited for a large part of the body to appear, cut what could be preserved in one of the powerful freezers of the UAF and then excavated the rest of the body that was still embedded in the icy mud, which included the head and neck of the animal. When he had all the pieces he assembled them with the help of a specialized taxidermist. Not just that. As it details An article Published in 1986 in the Magazine of the University of Alaska (UA), the researchers were responsible for preserving the bones, hairs, insects, wood fragments and plants … any fragment that would be hidden among the ice, however insignificant, to rebuild the last instant of the life of the bison. For that same reason, the geology of the area analyzed in detail, in addition to the orientation and position in which the body was. Once the work was completed they baptized the animal ‘Blue Babe’. Why ‘Blue Babe’? For a double wink. The first, to the coloration that acquired the body for the chemical reactions that occurred during the excavation. The body was covered with a layer of Vivianita that, when exposed to the air, acquired a bluish hue. The second is a reference to American folklore: Blue Babe It is the name of the blue ox that accompanies Paul Bunyan, a popular US and Canada figure, a strong and large lumberjack. A bloody story. So far the funniest part. What Guthrie and his colleagues discovered (in the excavation His wife also participatedMary Lee) when examining the body was much less enjoyable. On the back they found brands of claws and teeth that led them to conclude that Blue Babe was killed by a Panthera Leoatrxan extinct and related feline with the African lions. The beast opened the side of the bison, killing and leaving exposed vertebrae, ribs and muscles that later were responsible for devouring other carnivores. A first radiocarbon dating of a skin fragment led them to think that this event occurred some 36,000 yearsalthough subsequent studies have proven that they fell short and traced it to 50,000 years. Much more than a fossil. He Panthera Leoatrx And the rest of the beasts who participated in the bloodthirsty Festin were not the only ones who put the vote at the coast of Blue Babe. When examining the body the scientists found out something else, that the bison died towards autumn or winter, which favored the body to cool quickly and ended up freezing before their 50,000 -year -old dream. Your state of conservation It was so extraordinarily good That the paleontologists found blood coagulated in the skin, bone marrow, fat … and something else: they found that the muscle tissue that the lion and rest of the beasts had not realized had a color and texture very similar to that of fresh meat. So, why treat it the same? “A small part of the neck”. “All of us who worked on this had heard the stories of the Russians who excavated things like bison and mammoths at the north end and were frozen enough to eat them,” He came to confess Guthrie in statements collected by Obscure atlas. “So we said: ‘Do you know what we can make’ prepare a meal with this bison ‘.” No sooner said than done. The paleontologist and his colleagues decided to try a piece of one of the best preserved parts of Blue Babe, the neck. The banquet was held in … Read more

Chinese researchers believe they have discovered a simple “trick” to lose weight: eat raw vegetables

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For decades, scientists have discussed the effects of vegan and ovo -vegetarian diets on weight loss and heart disease prevention. Without much success, really. Not because The clues in favor have not accumulatedbut because something was missing. A common link, a thread that organized all that scientific evidence and gave meaning. In recent years, a team of doctors from the Qilu Hospital of the University of Shandong He thinks he found That piece that was missing. And it’s an important piece. Above all, because obesity is becoming The great epidemic of the 21st century. 1.9 billion overweight peoplesome 600 million people with obesity and up. Something that would not be a problem if it wasn’t because, like They wrote Yani Xu and his team in their research, “obesity and its associated complications not only lead to an increase in morbidity and mortality, but also to a reduction in quality of life.” Finding simple weight loss strategies goes beyond aesthetics or fashion: it is an investment in quality of life. But did not solve Ozempic? It is true that the arrival of Ozempic (and the rest of New agonist medications from LPG-1) has radically changed our way of seeing overweight: as Antonio Ortiz said, these medications are helping us understand that Metabolism and appetite are biological facts, not moral elections. Biological facts that, as we see, bring huge social consequences. Plan b. Therefore, although the “new ozempics” are being revolutionary, they are far from being the solution to all our problems. Not only is these very expensive medications (and obesity shows a clear correlation with greater rates of poverty and precariousness economic); They are not substitutes for healthier and more balanced habits. That’s where Yani Xu and his team enter. In search of lost evidence. Tracking in the previous bibliography, Chinese researchers found 24 studies that followed more than 2,000 people. They were quite quality studies (randomized clinical trials) and that has allowed them to conclude that there was a detail that showed very strong links with a lower risk of obesity and heart problems: raw vegetables. In fact, this is true even when they eliminated the effect of genetic factors from the equation. Something not too common and, therefore, very interesting. “The vegetarian diet is a viable option for people who wish to control their body weight and (prevent) metabolic diseases,” They explain. How is it possible? The researchers They shuffle some ideas: From its high content of phytosterols and fatty fats to its role in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. However, it is not too clear: we have a statistical explanation, but we still lack a mechanism of action. We may have solved one of the big problems when establishing a clear relationship between weight loss and veganism, but not at all. However, with the data that Let’s have on the tableit seems that the idea of ​​progressively increasing the weight of vegetables (and raw vegetables) seems like a positive strategy. More positive than we thought. Image | Elena Mozhvilo In Xataka | Ozempic to lose weight: its effects and risks beyond controversy, according to science *An earlier version of this article was published in September 2024

There was a time when we went to supermarkets to fill the fridge. We do it more and more to eat in them

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There was a time when people went to supermarkets to fill their pantry. Not anymore. Or at least not only does it for that. As The tastes changedhabits and especially Rhythm of life It has also been doing our relationship with retail chains. When today we go to a super we can do it to take food that we will then cook at home, but also to buy already prepared dishes or even (increasingly) stay lunch inside the premises, as if we were in a bar. In 2025 the super do not compete only with neighborhood stores, they do it with restaurants to which every time They cost them more Offer profitable menus. What happened? That our way of consuming is changing. And with her the super. Black left over white A report of the consultant Worldpanel by numerator Efe revealed that it confirms that hypermarkets are no longer just places we go to food to prepare food at home or already prepared dishes. In addition to all that, every year hundreds of thousands of people cross their doors to do something else: breakfast, lunch or snack right there. Yes, as if they were in a restaurant or a bar. What do the figures say? According to Veronika Khurshudyan clarifiesspokesman for the consultant, throughout the last year (at the end of July 2025) 6.9 million people have gone to hypermarket and supermarket coffee shops to buy food they have then consumed away from home. The data is interesting, but the report includes another that is still more: about 1.3 million customers chose to stay in the establishment and eat food in situ. The data is significant for two reasons. First, its reach. Second, the trend. Those 1.3 million consumers double the figure of the previous year. “Shows an increasing interest in enjoying the experience within the establishment itself”, Notice Khurshudyan. The most common is still that we buy food to consume it at home (31% of the time) or in the place where we work (16%), but the data reflects a growing business for large chains. “The coffee shops in the hyper and super begin to consolidate as a flexible point of consumption that combines the practical ‘to carry’ with the possibility of staying and enjoying at the time,” insists the consultant’s spokeswoman. Is there more data? Yes. And while they are not so clear about where we eat and if we do it inside or outside the hypermarkets themselves, they show a clear trend: we are increasingly going to the super search of cooked food. No paste packages, tomatoes or minced meat trays. No. What we want is the ration of carbonara spaghettis already prepared. Dishes that we can devour instantly. Another report by Worldpanel by numeraton, Posted in August by Five daysshows that food sales ready for consumption have shot in the last three years in the Spanish premises 49% in terms of value. Where do we eat? The report reflects that although in most cases (80%) we realize those dishes already ready in our own homes, it is increasingly common for us to consummate them, far from the table of our living room or kitchen. That study Specifically, I did not delve into details, but it did slide that the ‘extra -adomatic enjoyment’ was growing double digit: with the data and April in the hand it was 15% if we talk about frequency and 29% in terms of sales value. Worldpanel is not the only one who has found the growing interest in already cooked dishes. In his Sectorial Report In March, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Map) points out that the consumption of prepared dishes increased 6.4% in the last year until leaving the average consumption per person in 17.47 kg. Not just that. If we take into account that indicator (the average per capita intake) the prepared dishes are the ones that grow the most between the categories identified by the map. While the food set was reduced by 0.5%, with falls in the case of fish and vegetables, already ready foods grew by 5.4%. Why do we do it? For comfort. Or rather, changes in priorities to Manage our time. Worldpanel and the Promarca association contributed Some keys A while ago with a survey that reflects that 47% of Spaniards consider that they lack time throughout the day, which provides a golden opportunity to those known as “convenience” products, those who focus on the ease and comfort for the consumer. According to The same study “convenience” is the main motivation that moves customers in 45% of the occasions when they demand food and drink. It may seem little, but it exceeds other reasons, such as health (18.6%) or pleasure (22.6%). The trend is clear enough to A few months ago The president of Mercadona, Juan Roig, recognized his conviction that in not much time the Spaniards will feed ourselves with the food we bought outside the home. Not with the ingredients, no, but with the already prepared dishes that we take to our home. “I said and kept it: in the middle of the 21st century there will be no kitchens”, He settled. The data of prepared dishes manufacturers suggest that it is not disenchanted: in 2024 its consumption increased in Spain 6.6%. How do companies respond? Roig has not only shared his forecast. His chain has been preparing for that stage (gastronomically speaking) apocalyptic with his line ‘Ready to eat’a branch of the company whose origins can be traced to 2018 and that is committed to the sale of dishes, from incoming to pizzas, lentils, or meatballs, between a long etcetera. In your last Annual Report Mercadona pointed out that last year the service was extended to a hundred and a half of premises, which raises the network to 1,260 supermarkets, 1,200 in Spain and the 60s of Portugal. Moreover, the chain ensures that the section “has not stopped growing” and Keep incorporating it to more premises. And Roig’s company … Read more

It is to “eat” your bacteria

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Every time you go to the beach or walk under an intense sun, the skin starts a complex chain of reactions on its surface. You can think automatically In vitamin D and in the burnsbut at the microscopic level a fascinating ‘battle’ is fought where bacteria that cover the skin have a leading role. And what they do is surprising: literally, they “eat” one of the most negative effects of the sun, altering the way our body responds to it. The sun is a threat to the immune system. To understand this story, you must first know that the sun does not only bronze. Ultraviolet radiation (UV) acts as a powerful ‘switch’ for the immune system. When UV rays affect the skin, it converts a very abundant molecule called urocanic acid In its ‘twin’, cis-urocanic acid. This new molecule, the CIS-UA, has a very clear mission: to be a powerful Immunosuppressive. It is as if it disarms the ‘defenses’ in the skin so that they do not react to the presence of the sun. As a positive point, it allows us to use the UV light phototherapy to calm inflammatory diseases such as dermatitis. But it also has a negative point, since not having the defenses ‘on alert’ can hinder the elimination of sun damaged cells that in the long term they can in the long term evolve to skin cancer. Bacteria again demonstrate their importance. A published study by the magazine Journal of Investigative Dermatology It has given light to why the immunosuppressive effect of CIS-UA in a real environment was not always as powerful as expected in the laboratory. The answer to this dilemma was in the billions of microorganisms that inhabit the skin: the Microbioma. In a series of animal experiments, the researchers saw that when exposing the skin to UC radiation, the population of certain bacteria (especially the Staphylococcus epidermidis) He shot. And it wasn’t a coincidence. This bacterium It has an enzyme of the catalase type that functions as a perfect ‘crusher’ to eliminate the CIS-UA. In essence, while the sun produces this immunosuppressive molecule, the bacteria of our skin use it as a source of food, limiting its amount and, therefore, its effect on our defenses. They demonstrated it by eliminating bacteria. To give more validity to the theory presented, the researchers disinfected the skin of the mice to eliminate their microbiome. When exposing them to UV light, the immunosuppressive effect shot. Without bacteria that end the CIS-UA, the molecule could continue ‘silence’ to the skin defenses and give rise to having a greater probability of cancer. But when they only left the bacteria on the skin Staphylococcus epidermidis The defenses were not depressed. This was a great proof that the bacteria and its enzyme were responsible for regulating the effect of the sun on the skin. A door to sun’s sun’s sun. These discoveries are not only to satisfy scientific curiosity, but opens the door to new medical and cosmetic applications. For patients with psoriasis or atopic dermatitis, a simple step such as disinfecting the skin before applying UV light therapy can greatly enhance its effectiveness by suppressing skin defenses. For the day to day, we are interested in otherwise: limit immunosuppression to maintain active defenses in the skin against the damage that prolonged exposure to the sun can do. The creams of the future could not only block UV rays, but also include ‘probiotics’ or ingredients that feed these beneficial bacteria. We would be in this way by promoting our natural defenses instead of depending solely chemicals. Although for now the sun cream is still essential. Bacteria are one of us. Although bacteria are almost always related to a pathology, the reality is that There are about 100 billion microorganisms in the body (ten times more than cells). And the reality is that they do important functions such as in the human microbiota, whose alteration has been related With serious diseases such as Alzheimer’s wave depression. Now we see a new beneficial function of the bacteria that live with us, and that are more allied than enemies. That is why the investigation is pointing out that A healthier chocolate must focus on probiotics or that one of the most famous diets such as intermittent fasting It has positive effects In our health, But also negative. This makes your research right now in the priority of numerous groups and very diverse disciplines. Images | CDC Morgan Alley In Xataka | Science has solved one of the strangest mysteries of the human species: the people who do not like music

We are carrying the design of protein foods where to eat clear tuna is from males

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The hallway has changed a lot in recent years. Light -low fat products are a thing of the past, now what is carried are proteins. Not only with yogurts, Proteíca fever It is in many foods and almost everyone has a design clearly oriented to attract the male audience, but perhaps we are going out of hand. All to black. They commented on this Bluesky thread Following the design of the container of the tuna cans to the natural day. Black background, a small detail in blue and high protein very large. It is not the only product with a design from style; yogurts, fresh cheese, paste and even Frozen Noodles (¿? ¿?). Most have containers in which black color predominates and, to a lesser extent, red, with aggressive designs that highlight the amount of protein that the product has. If you had not noticed, you just have to look for “proteins” in any supermarket. Day, Carrefour, Consume, Mercadona… The trend is clear. Products “high in protein” in day supermarkets. Black does not mean more protein. Or at least not many more. The case of day tuna is a good example. In their container they indicate that it is high in protein, specifically 14.3 grams per can, 25 grams per 100 grams of drained product. However, it is enough to compare it with the Normal natural tuna of the same brand To see that it only has 2 more protein. Of course, the price is much higher: 19.20 euros/kilo for the high protein version and 11.67 euros a kilo for normal. The public. Protein -rich products are aimed at those who seek to increase their muscle mass. Traditionally, the male public has been the most interested in strength training and everything around him. However, we have seen that in recent years every time More women began to do strength trainingto the point that Almost half of gym subscriptions are women. Some powdered protein containers. Gym aesthetics. Although gymnasiums are a more balanced terrain as far as gender is concerned, the aesthetics of training related products such as Protein milkshakes It is already entrenched. A lot of black, intense colors, aggressive typefaces and an aesthetic that seems to shout “if you take this, you will get strong.” The food industry has adopted this visual language, first were the energy drinks And now we see how it has spread to all kinds of products. The containers are sexist. We like it or not, It is so. Right now there is an obsession with eating more protein, but we have also lived others such as low -fat products. If protein -rich products are black, Light They are pink and have softer fishes. The reason is clear: traditionally the female audience has been the most concerned with weight loss. We can still find many products like this In the super, but the fashion of proteins seems to have moved them. Influences. We can think that the container does not matter, but the reality is that it is key in the purchase decision. In This study They found that the container influenced the perception of whether a product was healthy or not, even altering its perception of flavor and determining the purchase decision. The participants tended to associate the products that had a female packaging as healthier, while the most masculine were perceived as less healthy. Some containers of cosmetic products for men. Packaging For males. There is another predominantly feminine industry where we can see this trend more clearly even: cosmetics. The men More and more care about their personal care Beyond the shaving and many brands have launched products of products oriented to them where we find dark colored containers such as black or blue. This ‘masculinization’ is also reflected in the name of the products, such as the ‘fuel’ facial of Kiehl’s or the ‘pure carbon’ of l’Oreal to refer to a facial cream. Perhaps the most exaggerated example we have with This makeup for men To which ‘War Paint’ have baptized, because of course, a real man does not make up, he goes to war. Cover image | Day supermarkets, own edition In Xataka | We had been thinking that creatine served to train better. It turns out that the greatest benefit was in the brain

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