We already know where the microplastics get the lettuce that you eat in the salad: from the air

At this point of 2025, the idea that everything (Absolutely everything) It is full of microplastics. Plants are no exception; nor, of course, the vegetables we consume. The matter is that, for a long time, we have assumed that these compounds entered them through roots, soil and water. It is not exactly like that. No? And where do they come from? Well, a few days ago a Chinese research group published in the magazine ‘Nature’ The first solid evidence that supports the idea that one of the main routes for these microplastics is air. And it is in a lot of environments: Tianjin scientists collected all kinds of leaves, herbs and vegetables of urban and rural environments. In all, they found plastic particles in the foliar fabric. In the most polluted sites, concentrations of up to 10,000 nanograms per gram of dry weight. Above all, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene (PS). And where do they enter? That is something that is yet to be confirmed, but everything seems to sign up for stomata (small openings formed by cells) and cutt it (a membrane covered by insoluble waxes, “Ideal for absorbing microplastics“). Once inside, the compounds move inside the plants using the vascular beam, are distributed by different tissues and accumulate in hair structures called ‘trichomes’, a kind of fitological ‘sinks’. A big problem … The Chinese study demonstrates that accumulated absorption and accumulation of atmospheric microplastics It is generalized. But there are keys that help us better understand the circulation of these compounds: for example, that the outdoor plants had between 10 and 100 times more pet than those grown in greenhouse. And that the efficiency of the absorption of the leaves is extremely low (around 0.05%); That is why this route has been discarded repeatedly. However, given the little evidence we have about how microplastics enter the soil and water, this route begins to take shape. And, we like it or not, right now it is very difficult to control. And, of course, even if we don’t know what they do … In our body, yes that data like these raised many doubts about what happens if we discover that (as we intuit) is a serious problem. Because, in short, Our control capacity It is extremely limited. Image | Killari Hotaru | Kasturi Laxmi Mohit In Xataka | Our problem with microplastics is so huge that they already appear even in human testicles

We have been asking us for years, we will eat in space. Now we know that at least miso

The space has become in recent years a more and more open place, not only reserved for a handful of trained professionals but also to anyone who can afford one of the nothing cheap passages that can lead one to cross the last border or even put it into orbit. Now, if we want to continue taking more and more people to space, solve The question of food It will be a key step. Miso in space. A group of researchers Miso has managed to ferment In a mission to the International Space Station (ISS), demonstrating that the food fermentation process is possible in environments like this. The experiment is a small step towards improving habitability conditions in space trips. From koji to miso. The miso It is a popular seasoning in Japanese cuisine. It is prepared from fermented soy, barley or rice grains, and salt. Soy fermentation is performed through a Koji fungus culture (Aspergillus oryzae), a fungus also used in the elaboration of the Sake. The team wanted to verify if this fermentation was possible in orbit, since microgravity conditions or cosmic radiation could affect the growth capacity of microbes in food. To check it, they sent a sample to low terrestrial orbit, to the ISS, For 30 days. As a control, they also fermented samples of the same lot on the mainland, at the MIT headquarters (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and at the Technical University of Denmark. Fermantado. The experiment was successful. When the sample came to Earth, the team studied the state of microbial communities, aromatic compounds and sensitive properties. They detected, yes, some changes. “Fermentation (in the ISS) illustrates how a living system on the microbial scale can prosper through the diversity of its microbial community, emphasizing the potential of life to exist in space,” stood out in a press release Maggie Coblentz, who collided the study. Nuts. Trying things in a laboratory is usually a bad idea, but this time the team should also verify the taste of this space miso. They first verified that the orbital recipe contained the same aromatic compounds and amino acid profiles similar to terrestrial miso. Those who tested the space miso explained that the taste was good and similar to that associated with this product. They noticed that, a greater flavor of nuts and more toasted. The details of the study were published In an article In the magazine iscience. Expanding the menu. The experiment can be used to improve access to new flavors among people traveling to space. Today the foods that can be consumed in space are limited by factors such as the amount of water that we can lead to the space or product development requirements. The possibility of fermenting products in orbit will expand The limits What we can eat in space (e Even on other planets). And it is not only about the possibility of introducing new flavors: fermentation is a process that humanity has taken advantage of during millennia to preserve food and increase its useful life through transformation. Not so sterile. As Explain COBLENTZalthough we tend to see ISS as an aseptic and sterile environment, the experiment also demonstrates that microbial life is possible in these environments. This also implies bioethical issues about the fact that, if humanity ever becomes an interplanetary species, it will not do it alone but accompanied by both plants and infinity of microorganisms that can settle in these extraterrestrial environments. In Xataka | The food knows very different in space. The reason is more intriguing than it seems: confinement Image | Maggie Coblentz / POT

If we want to eat less, eating more slowly is a valid strategy. In Japan they are investigating how to achieve it

Losing weight, or maintaining our weight under control is more than solving the simple calorie equation consumed against burned calories. Numerous more or less hidden factors can unbalance this balance, factors ranging from the metabolic to the sociological. The other factors. A Japanese researchers team He has investigated in how factors such as the number of bites, the rhythms we perceive in our environment and gender affect the duration of food. The goal is to eat more slowly to make us easier to have our weight under our control. Slowly. The idea of ​​stopping the rhythm with which we eat to eat less and be able to lose weight is not new but we can find it in guides and recommendations of More than a decade ago. It is not an infallible recipe, but According to expertsaid. The logic behind has to do with how the stomach and other organs of the digestive system transmit information to the brain and how it processes it. This occurs in two ways: first through nerve impulses, and then through the chemical signal that some hormones transmit. Replicating one of the hormonal signals that indicate that food has satiated us is precisely one of the mechanisms for which the consumption of Drugs like Ozempic makes us lose weight. An aid. Now, even when we talk about a “trick” like this, say it is easier than doing so. That is why the new study has analyzed how different factors affect the speed with which we swallow food. And in this, men and women have differentiated guidelines. “While the science of nutrition often deals with the metabolism and absorption of food, and dietary content, there are limited evidence in Japan that eating behavior connects both (points). This intrigue led me to study eating behavior, which involved gender differences,” pointed in a press release Katsumi Iizuka, co -author of the study. 33 participants. To put these ideas to the test, the team responsible for the study He put pizza portions to 33 participants, healthy adults between 20 and 65. They measured the number of bites and the times they already chewed what rhythm. They also used metronomes and headphones to induce more or less accelerated rhythms to check the response of the participants. As expected, the team observed important differences in the habits of men and women: on average these took longer to eat their portion (87 seconds in front of the 63 d them men). They also chewed more (107 times against 80 on average) and took more bites (more than double). Change the rhythm. However, gender was not the only factor that affected eating habit: rhythmic stimuli affected the time required to consume food. A 40 pulse tempo per minute (BPM) markedly elongated the duration of food compared to those who ate without rhythmic stimulation. The details of the study were published In an article In the magazine Nutrients. Facilitating work. Now, there are also reasons why being cautious when generalizing the results of the study. First, we must take into account the limited sample (33 participants). Second, also for the existence of cultural differences between our context and Japanese. These differences both to gastronomic culture and gender differences between men and women and the way in which each society expects to behave when they eat in public. Despite this, the results can help us design strategies to facilitate weight loss that best suits each person, taking into account, for example, their gender. The study can also allow us to know more about how changes in context can help us influence our eating behavior, such as using music with slow tempos to force more leisurely meals. In Xataka | Beyond tobacco: we have just discovered that food can also affect the risk of developing lung cancer Image | Surprising_media

Elon Musk has revealed the formula of his team’s success. The problem is that they barely have time to sleep and eat

Facing The experiments and tests around the world that seek to establish a four -day workdaythe richest man on the planet proposes a hardly justifiable leap against. Elon Musk recently revealed which is the “formula of success” of the efficiency office it manages in the United States government. The keys: work So many hours that sleep deprivation threatens the health of the workers themselves. The culture of the extreme. He did it a few weeks ago through Your X account. Elon Musk revealed then that he and his department of government efficiety (Doge) work work nothing less than 120 hours per weeka figure that triples the standard day 40 hours. Musk argued that this titanic effort is what allows them to overcome their “bureaucratic opponents,” who operate with conventional schedules. What does science say to all this? Divide the day. Making the accounts more or less standard, and since a week has 168 hours, working 120 hours is to leave alone 48 hours for any other activityincluding in the eating equation, bathing, moving to work/return home and, of course, sleeping. In the best case, if an employee allocated those 48 hours only to sleep, he would get a maximum of 6.8 hours per night, well below The 8 recommended hours by health experts. However, it is still a utopia considering the time of displacement and any other of the basic needs, so it is likely that real rest is much lower. Science. In Fortune They collected several studies that warn about the serious consequences of working in excess. Mayo Clinic points out that sleep less than 7 hours At night it can contribute to obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke and depression. WHO data already indicated in 2016 that 745,000 people died by cardiovascular diseases associated with working days of 55 hours or more. Microsueños. Since the 1950s, scientists Like William Dement They have documented The effects of sleep In the brain, identifying the IMPORTANCE OF REM DREAM and discovering the phenomenon of The so -called “microsueños”episodes of momentary unconsciousness that can cause fatal errors at work. More recently, studies have shown that lack of sleep reduces activity in The prefrontal cortex (responsible for decision making) and in The hippocampus (key in memory). The impact is not just neurological. The study of the World Health Organization indicated that working more than 55 hours per week increases by 35% the risk of stroke and in 17% the risk of heart disease. In terms of productivity, an investigation from Stanford University concluded that it falls dramatically After 50 hours a weekand that working 70 hours per week generates almost The same production as 56 hourswhich suggests decreasing yields beyond a certain point. Musk’s obsession. The truth is that it was already known that Musk was a recognized WORLKAHOLIC. In A 2022 interview With investor Ron Baron, he confessed to having lived three years within his factories in Tesla and Spacex, sleeping in sofastents on the roofs and even under his desk, surrounded by metallic dust and the most uncomfortable conditions. No doubt, his labor philosophy of “more hours is equal to more efficiency” has been widely criticizedsince scientific evidence suggests that imposing extreme days does not guarantee better results and, instead, It affects health and the well -being of workers. Govern without sleep. They counted in a VOX medium report that the extreme work rhythm in Doge has already generated serious mistakes In public administration. From multimillionaire mathematical failures to the accidental dissemination of classified information, fatigue seems to be affecting the capacity of the Musk team to make key decisions. The recent dismissal and Hurrying reaction of essential personnel in areas such as nuclear safety and Avian flu response It is a sign that the policy of exhaustion could be having real and dangerous consequences. Plus: Trump administration is implementing Mass dismissals in the IRS In full tax season, which could generate an administrative collapse. In short, these types of measures, promoted by an apparently exhausted team, arouse concerns about the efficacy and stability of the government Under this new hyperproductivity model. The failures of “hacking” the dream. Paradoxically, Musk and other technological leaders have recognized that The dream cannot be replaced. Companies like Eight Sleepthat sold rest capsules From no less than 4,600 dollars to Musk and his team, they reinforce the idea that, although the culture of extreme work remains promoted, they are also looking for more efficient ways to achieve that eight -hour standard. Even figures such as Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos have defended the Importance of rest In productivity. On the other sidewalk, while Musk insists on that exhausting routine, he himself has admitted that his ancient habits caused “brain pain”, in fact, his Erratic behavior in networks Social raises doubts about whether you are really improving your rest. Sleep more, no less. Despite the alleged glamor that some try to grant sleep deprivation, scientific evidence is overwhelming: The rest is indispensable For the optimal functioning of brain and body. Instead of glorifying days of 120 hours per week, the real challenge should be to find ways to maximize productivity without compromising health. One thing seems clearly clear: at the end of the day, not even the brightest and most innovative minds can escape human biology. Musk either. Image | Gage Skidmore In Xataka | In his eagerness to attack the public sector, Elon Musk has crossed a line: distorting the story of Hitler and Stalin In Xataka | In his efforts to cut and fire workers in the US, Elon Musk has gone one step further: Italy

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