environment Archives

The Alhambra and its environment are a jewel of world heritage. Now a threat has emerged: solar panels

October 8, 2025 by usatoday24

For decades Granada can boast of having a world category jewel, the set formed by the Alhambra, Generalife and Albaicín, registered all three in The list Unesco World Heritage. Now the city sees how clouds loom About them. And for an unexpected azón: a photovoltaic plant that, according to icomos (An organism associated with UNESCO) threatens the environment. In fact advises “Slighted” that is paralyzed. What happened? That Icomos (The International Council of Monuments and Sites) has just yielded a jug of cold water on a project that It has been weating for some time Granada local policy: a photovoltaic plant of something more than three hectares that will be built in The Farguea neighborhood of Granada. What Icomos said is that, if carried out, the installation will negatively affect the Alhambra, the Generalife and the Albaicín neighborhood, three Historical jewels included for years in the Unesco World Heritage list. Beyond its content and arguments, the warning is important because Icomos is not any entity. The Council is associated with UNESCO and is dedicated precisely to ensure the “Protection and value” of heritage. Its report also includes some ears to the Spanish authorities and has served to enliven (even more) the debate that For months surrounds a plant that has encountered the opposition of politicians, neighbors and Ecologists. What would the installation be like? The plant is called San Gregorio I and, As needed The countryI would occupy about three hectares to produce 4.95 MW. It is actually part of a broader project that includes two others facilities, stadium plus i and sotoscuro i, of a size more or less similar. The key is where it is projected: The Fargue (Alquería del Fargue), an area of Granada located in the district of Albaicín. In June the PSOE proposed In full paralyzing the macroplanta to “protect the landscape and cultural heritage of the city”, especially the surroundings of the Alhambra and the Darro valley, considered a good of cultural interest (BIC) Since 2024. It is not the only one. Neighbors and Ecologists in Action also mislead the impact that the project would have in the area. What has Icomos said? That criticisms are more than founded. In your report the agency concludes that the photovoltaic plant entails “a very high risk of negative impact” for the surroundings of the Alhambra, the Generalife and the Albaicín, a set including on the UNESCO heritage list. Hence, their authors “strongly advise the stoppage of the planned actions” and give a small touch of attention to the Spanish authorities, to which they warn that they must be “much more vigilant and careful” in the face of projects that affect the protected heritage. How would the plant affect? It depends on what we are talking about exactly. The effect would not be the same in all cases. If we focus on the Alhambra, Generalife and Albaicín the problem is the visual impact. “The Alhambra is more than the fortified monumental complex. The Alhambra territory includes the general’s past Point out in The country José Castillo Ruiz, professor at the University of Granada (UGR). Is it so serious? “The visual impact of an industrial element like this goes much further than a simple discordant element (…). They seriously alter the heritage values of the Alhambra as a historical set, monument and world heritage,” insists The expert, who warns of the loss of centenary olive trees or the alteration of the environment, breaking “continuity” between the Alhambra, the city of Granada, the Valley and the rest of the environment. If we speak specifically of the Valle del Darro the report, in fact warns of a clear environmental impact. Things are very different for project promoters, which They assure that the final affectation will be “minimal” and already contemplate incorporating “corrective measures.” Does it say anything else? Yes. The report remember That San Gregorio I is only one of the three photovoltaic plants that you want to boost in the area, so it slides that its promoter seeks avoid An environmental impact statement (DIA). In total the three photovoltaic plants will approach (although staying below) of the ten hectares that would require activating that procedure. As for processing, icomos insists in which it does not arrive with opening a public exposure process “without effective advertising”. The ideal is to find a way to guarantee “a public participation” during the process, a “real nature”. Why is it important? The controversy around the plant It is not new. A months ago environmentalists and neighbors They already warned of their impact on the territory, the olive groves and holm oaks, biodiversity and even spoke of “disorder and speculation.” The Icomos report is relevant because it has fueled the debate and oxygen to critics, For whom The document “Raises Project death certificate”. Right now its promoters They are pending of construction permits (in which the City Council plays a key role) and the resolution of allegations. Their critics rely on the ICOMOS document for claim That the Alhambra Board or the rest of the institutions move token, which goes even to transfer their complaints to UNESCO itself. Images | Wikipedia (Jebulon) and Sharon Mollerus (Flickr) In Xataka | Mediterranean countries seemed ideal for solar panels. Until the dust storms arrived

These glasses with AI have been designed to look like a genius. They register your environment and give you all the answers

August 22, 2025 by usatoday24

Imagine carrying glasses that seem normal, but that inside offer you constant and silent help. The concept sounds intriguing: without touching anything, You can solve doubts instantlyreceive a clear explanation of something that you do not understand or have an automatic translation in the middle of a talk. A startup called Halofounded by former Harvard students, has created glasses with that idea in mind. And not only that: they promise to endow us with a “superhuman intelligence.” Beyond the marketing strategy, the approach is interesting. Glasses that listen and respond in real time Halo X do not resort to cameras to dazzle us, but bet on a different approach. They are designed for Listen to what happens around youtranscribe each conversation and show on an internal screen information that they consider relevant at that time. They do not wait for them to dislike, but try to anticipate and be useful proactively. In practice, that means that if the name of a car model arises in a talk, they can show a card with key data; If a technical term appears, promise to display a clear definition. The information operation appears in front of your eyes in less than a second. Even in everyday situations, such as speaking in another language, they should be able to real time and facilitate communication without having to do anything else. Halo talks about answers around 900 milliseconds for most consultations, while the most complex searches take about two and a half seconds. To achieve this, the glasses rely on two complementary artificial intelligence engines. Geminithe Google model, is responsible for reasoning tasks, while Perplexity It works as a contextual search engine that consults information on the web. As for the hardware, the halo X bets on the discretion. Incorporate a small type display Waveguide Visible only for the user, microphone and integrated speakers, and dispense with this version. The autonomy announced is around eight hours of continuous use. Of course, they do not process everything on their own. They depend on a connected mobile phone and an application that acts as an intermediary, where most of the calculation and consultation work really runs. The great debate point is in privacy. The system records what you listen, transcribes it and, according to the company, eliminates the audio immediately after. Halo ensures that the product will arrive with end -to -end encryption and that is working to obtain the SOC 2 certification, which would imply external audits on data management. The system records what you listen, transcribes it and, according to the company, eliminates the audio immediately after. However, they do not include any visible indicator that alerts those around you that they are being recorded, and that raises reasonable doubts. The controversy is not new: the founders They had already experienced with unauthorized facial recognition systems about Meta Ray-Banwhich generated debate about security and improper uses of technology. At the moment, Halo X are not available in stores. They can be reserved on the official website with a starting price of 249 dollars And, by selecting euros in checkout, today they appear in 223.13 euros. The company has not yet offered a specific date of shipping or confirms whether there will be official distribution in Europe. It will be necessary to see if the halo X does not end up repeating the recent history of other devices that promised to revolutionize our relationship with artificial intelligence and ended up being sued fiascos. Rabbit R1 and the AI Pin of Humane They aroused enthusiasm in their presentations and arrived with very ambitious speeches, but failed in practice. Halo’s ambition is on the table and his proposal is as attractive as controversial. It remains to be seen if these glasses They fulfill what they promise or if they will end up swelling the list of inventions that pointed high and stayed on the road. Images | Halo In Xataka | China has proposed to be independent in all technologies. And for augmented reality it has “five dragons” In Xataka | The Meta Ray-Ban are the first smart glasses that have managed to impress me. They are the beginning of something more

Health has just confirmed that the new tobacco law goes after the terraces. And it is not the only environment that wants smokeless

May 29, 2025 by usatoday24

Terrazas, Marquesinas, University Campus, Teaching Centers, Sports Facilities and Labor Vehicles will be some of the new environments where smoking will be prohibited. At least that’s what the Ministry of Health seeks, that is working to reform the current anti -tabaco legislation, with the objective of “protecting public health and” denormalizing tobacco consumption in shared spaces. ”The plan is part of a broader strategy that seeks to reduce the impact of smoking, a threat that, according to Minister Mónica García, causes 30 % of cancers. A commitment that had been paused for years. The measure is not new, but so far it had not left the drawer. In 2021 a draft had already been written With proposals in this line, also including an increase in tobacco taxes and a stricter regulation of vapeo. That plan, prepared with the recommendations of scientific and medical societies, was two years paralyzed until Minister Mónica García, who took possession in November 2023he boost him again. Click to see the message of the Minister of Health in X Social consensus has changed. The idea of prohibiting smoking on terraces was one of the most controversial when it began to consider, but public acceptance data has evolved over time. A survey of The Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (SEMFYC) pointed out in 2022 that 72 % of the population would agree to expand these smokeless spaces, including part of the smoking citizenship. Although without mentioning a specific survey, Health has pointed out that the measures raised “are backed by a majority of citizens.” New devices, same regulation. One of the most relevant changes posed by the reform is Normative comparison of electronic cigarettes and tobacco devices heated with conventional tobacco. In practice, that implies that these products will have the same restrictions of use in public spaces, without exceptions. The text that develops this aspect already It has been sent To the European Union for its evaluation, within the usual procedure. The challenge: convert the draft into law. For now, the reform is in the elaboration phase and must overcome several filters. First, the approval in the Council of Ministers, and then a parliamentary process where the support of other political forces will be needed. Everything can change in that process. Even so, the ministry insists on the importance of progressing quickly. A national strategy for 2030. The fight against smoking is part of a more ambitious national strategy. The objective shared with the Spanish Association against Cancer is clear: achieve the first generation of young Spaniards free of tobacco by the year 2030. For this, in addition to expanding smokeless spaces, Health plans to promote the unique packaging, finance treatments to quit smoking from the National Health System and advance measures that hinder the access of young people to tobacco. Not only physical health: also mental health and equity. Exposure to tobacco smoke does not affect all people equally. The Ministry puts the Focus on vulnerable groupsas minors or pregnant people, and raises this reform from an equity approach. Every person, argues healing, has the right to safe environments no longer to be involuntarily exposed to smoke. Images | Sara Kurfeß | Obaid Awan In Xataka | We have discovered something as bad for your health as smoking or drinking a lot of alcohol: not exercise

If you think you are poorer than your environment, you are not alone. It is income perception bias and it is a problem

May 20, 2025 by usatoday24

The human brain comes with a standard “bug”: assume as true what their eyes see. The problem is that What those eyes see And what really happens They do not always coincide. There the cognitive biases arise. A recent study jointly conducted by economists from the universities of Uppsala (Sweden), George Mason (USA) and University of Toronto, reveals that most people tend to believe that their economic situation is worse of what the data really shows. According to researchers, this perception not only affects personalbut also influences collective decisions and the way in which public policies for wealth and services are designed. The tendency to look poorer than you are Regardless of the income level, most people tends to be located in an immediately lower economic stratum to which it really belongs. The study data is based on a sample of more than 1,200 people with different income levels. The results show a common pattern in all of them: the perception of income is usually below reality. Each point shown in the upper graph represents the average perception of the different income percentiles, while the diagonal line represents when the perception of income coincides with reality. That is, those points that are below that diagonal indicate that Income perception is underestimated. It is striking that the vast majority of points are below that “real line” of perception of income, being the usual norm from the 50th percentile as they highlight in The salmon blogit is statistically impossible. Interestingly, in the lower percentilesthe majority perception is the opposite, a perception of income greater than the real one. I’m worse than my neighbor This phenomenon is explained, in large part, by social comparison. People do not have a clear vision of income distribution, so they evaluate their economic situation based on the closest environment, such as friends, family or co -workers. In urban areas, where there is a greater concentration of people with middle-income, It is easier to feel than one is below the averagealthough statistical data indicate otherwise. This distortion is amplified with the effect of social networks and media, which open windows to people with more accommodated living levels, which reinforces that underestimated perception of their own income. Income perception bias is so common that the OECD has created a toolIn which, answering a series of questions about how the user perceives their economic reality, the tool shows that deviation based on the data that the economic body annually collects in their economic reports. Nevertheless, A study Made in Germany, he discovered that being aware that this bias is suffered on income does not imply a change in his perception. Although the study provided precise information to participants about their true position on the global income scale, this correction did not have a significant effect on their support for policies that seek reduce global inequality. That is, even knowing that they are richer than they thought, their willingness to support global redistributive policies did not change relevantly. Consequences on public policies When the perception of income is distortedpublic policies can be designed on erroneous assumptions. If the majority of the population is considered part of the low sectionsthis could generate a Social and fiscal pressure Excessive about the richest, and implement redistributive measures that may not be aimed at people who really need it. As indicated A report of the Carolina Foundation, not taking into account the subjective perceptions of the distribution of income leads to economic and social policies less effective Already an inadequate allocation of resources. From the psychological point of view, this erroneous perception cause dissatisfaction generalized and distrust of institutions. Many people feel that they cannot progress, even if the data show that their position is better than they believe. In Xataka | The two Spain: 7% poorer since 2008 but the number of millionaires will be increased by 12% in the coming years In Xataka | “I am a millionaire and I do not know what to do with my life”: a millionaire is looking for ideas because money has not given him happiness Image | Pexels (Ahsanjaya, kaboomps.com)

2025: The rise of functional food and commitment to the environment

January 22, 2025 by usatoday24

In a world where food consumption is growing due to the use of social networks, it makes way the trends more conscious foodhealthy and friendly to the environment. The trends of 2025 outline it as a year of smarter eating in which the way food is produced and the functionality of what we consume become relevant, which gives value to food. For several years, international organizations such as the United Nations Organization (UN) They have called on countries and the food industry to adopt more environmentally friendly production methods. It is a pending task, but it has experienced progress with an impact on the food choices we make daily and an example is the popularity of plant-based nutrition. This type of diet is on the rise and has a spectrum that goes beyond vegetarians or vegans, according to EuroNews. More and more people are adopting a flexitarian diet that increases the consumption of vegetables over meat, without abandoning the consumption of animal protein. Measurements by the Berlin NGO ProVeg reveal that 24% of Polish consumers identify as flexitarians, quotes Euro News. Added to the growing consumption of vegetables is the trend of zero-waste food, Therefore, there is greater awareness of the consumption of food in all its usable parts and chefs and consumers use recycling techniques and are inclined to use ecological packaging, reusable bags, among others. Functional eating: eating more consciously Consumers value the benefits of food when choosing.Credit: Shutterstock The increase in vegetable consumption is accompanied by a more conscious way of eating, which implies valuing the contributions of food, beyond the ingredients of a recipe. That is why there is more interest on the part of consumers to choose functional foods that provide benefits for health in general. Drinks with medicinal herbs to relieve discomfort, consumption of kombucha and kimchi to improve intestinal health, the use of spices and roots in food to relieve inflammation are just a few examples of the rise of this trend. In the section of Meal from the New York Journal, We publish information on food trends and functional food that you can consult, as well as recipes and tips to make the most of food and reduce food waste. Consultation here. Keep reading:

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