evolution

For some reason, evolution does not stop creating antiques. 12 times different around the world has emerged

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Like the Chavo del Ocho when he did for the umpteenth time the joke to continue criticizing Professor Jirafales once the others had silenced, nature can have somewhat repetitive scripts. The point is that they work. Trend to eat ants and termites. It doesn’t matter if we are in America, Africa or Asia. Again and again, throughout the history of the earth, different mammalian lineages have reached the same evolutionary conclusion, developing a similar body plan to exploit one of the most abundant banquets on the planet. A recent study Posted in Evolution magazine It reveals that the specialization in eating ants and termites (a feature known as Mirmecophage) has emerged independently at least 12 times different since the extinction of dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Convergent evolution. When we think of an anthill, the iconic elongated snout animal of the Americas comes to mind. But the anthill is not alone. Pangolines and Aardvarks, who inhabit Africa and Asia, are distant relatives who have developed a surprisingly similar tools kit. Adaptations include long and sticky tongues, a reduced or non -existent teeth and powerful front legs armed with claws to dig in insect nests. This phenomenon, in which unrelated species They develop similar features To adapt to similar conditions, it is known as convergent evolution. The same strange design. “The specializations associated with Mirmecophage are among the strangest and most fascinating mammals,” says Laura Wilson, an evolutionary biologist, In Science magazine. “This study illuminates our understanding when, and how many times, these fascinating characteristics evolved and under what conditions.” To reach these conclusions, the also biologist Thomas Vida and his team collected and analyzed data on the diet of almost 4,100 species of mammals, mapping their eating habits in the great evolutionary tree. The resulting model left no doubt: the evolution has taken the path of mirmecophagy over and over again, and has done so in the three large branches of mammals, including marsupials and monretrems, which put eggs. The postdinosaurs world. There are several crustaceans that have evolved towards a body shape similar to that of a crab. This phenomenon has occurred at least five times, but over several hundred million years. Mirmecophagous mammals, on the other hand, have done it 12 times in just 66 million years. “For some reason, things continue to evolve until they become hormigueros,” says the author of the study. Why this rise of ants dining rooms just after the disappearance of dinosaurs? The answer, according to researchers, is in the history of social insects. After the great extinction of the Cretaceous-Paleogen, the ants and the termites experienced a demographic explosion. His presence in the fossil registry shot, and his biomass became an abundant ecological resource. A road without return. The study also reveals another fascinating fact: once a mammalian lineage specializes in eating ants and termites, it seems that there is no turning back. The researchers only found a reversal case: the musarañas elephant of short ears. Their ancestors were probably fed on ants and termites more than 13 million years ago, but today, these southern Africa creatures have a mixed diet that includes other insects and plant matter. This evolutionary dead end is probably due to the stability and abundance of the food source, or the difficulty of recovering the features of a generalist once the body has adapted to such a specific diet. The story, therefore, tells us that while there are ants and termites in abundance, the evolution will continue to threaten more mammals into relentless devouring machines of colonies. Image | Claudio Olivares Medina (CC BY-DC -nd 2.0) In Xataka | “This is not a penguin.”

Drones are revolutionizing war in real time and Europe already has its following evolution: the “hybrid” drone

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The drones are Very present In war. The UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles) have proven to be versatile and competent tools on the Batallo field both in the offensive and in intelligence, but they have an important limitation: when they are on land they are useless. A small drone can get through a window and check a room, but it has no wheels to sneak into recesses in terrestrial operations. Not being, of course, it is a Rooster. A what? A Rooster. This peculiar “hybrid dron” is manufactured by the Israeli company robotic and stands out, as it is obvious, for its form factor. Unlike conventional drones, which can usually only fly, Rooster can fly and run thanks to a side wheel system. They are not really wheels as such, but a kind of cages that, on paper, should pay correctly even on complex land. Teams of three. This drone can be operated independently or in teams of three. When they come together, the three drones forms a mesh, interconnect with each other, share sensors (such as cameras) and can be controlled by the same operator. In fact, this can see in real time the image of drones on the control screen. This connectivity is key, especially if there are no GPS signal in the area. More Specs. The device weighs 1.6 kilos and is to be able to transport loads of up to 300 grams, such as a radiation sensor or a thermal chamber. Its autonomy is 12 minutes of flight and 30 minutes on ground. Seeing it in operation is, at least, curious, since it can pass another in real time, which allows to explore a plant on the ground, fly over the sale, climb to the second floor flying and return to the land exploration. It has cameras (night vision included), records even in Fullhd and, of course, it has ia to detect obstacles. The Rooster flying | Image: robotican In the hands of Israel … and NATO. This drone has already been adopted by the Israeli armed forces, but now it is ready to make the leap to the international market. Just three days ago, the Rooster got he NATO STOCK NUMBER. This is a 13 -digit code used by NATO that guarantees that all objects, from a bulb to pants, are cataloged and are easily accessible in supply chains. Also, in some way, it determines that they are trustworthy devices and that they meet the standards of the alliance. The company also confirmed that has sold its drones to “elite units in Europe”, not to mention exactly countries. We do know that, currently, they are employed by Israel’s defense forces and By the American Dea. The Spanish army He also had occasion to put the rooster tested during a demo that took place in forum 2e+i in Toledo in 2023. The rooster on land | Image: robotican The current context. Israel, One of the world’s great weapons manufacturersIt is not a NATO member country, which adds 32 members, but a partner through the 1994 Mediterranean dialogue such as Jordan, Mauritania or Morocco. The relationship with this country at this time is tense. On the one hand, he has the United States as a great ally, to the point that Israel is considered a MNNA (Important not-oan ally). This designation is made by the United States government to those countries that it considers closest allies. Israel was one of the first five countries to be part of this list after the creation of the MNNA level in 1987 by Ronald Reagan. On the other hand, there is the European Union, which He has condemned Israel’s acts in Gaza and supports the Palestinian authority, but still without agreeing on what measures take against Israel. Some countries, including Spain, defend that agreements with Israel must be suspended and advocated by taking measures and By a arms embargo. The future is the remote control. If something has made clear the recent events that have shaken the international geopolitics, in particular the Israel-Palestine conflict and The Ukraine Warthe thing is Drone control It is capable of decant the balance and make a difference. Unmanned vehicles allow precise maneuvers without putting military personnel at risk. Having more versatile options, such as a hybrid drone capable of developing on land and air, opens many possibilities and supposes, without a doubt, an advance. Cover image | Robotican In Xataka | Solving one of the great mysteries of war video games: if weapons have copyright or not

Evolution seems ambitious. In hand, it is even more

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The first thing that shows when sustaining the Galaxy Z fold7 It has changed. And not little. Samsung has made his most ambitious folding feel thinner, lighter and, above all, more comfortable in his hand. The difference with the previous generation is clear, although it does not see in an image: you have to touch it, because the photographs do not do justice. The design is still recognizable, but now it transmits something different. Less than that industrial robustness proposed by the Galaxy z fold6. There is also a risky, necessary cut – according to Samsung – to give life to one of the key elements of this generation. We are talking about the disappearance of compatibility with S Pen. Samsung Galaxy Z fold7 If we talk about Galaxy Z Flip7I must also say that he has taken some interesting steps. It changes little on the outside, but gains presence. The sensation in hand is more solid and uniform. And there is a visual detail that has caught my attention from the first moment: the exterior screen occupies more space than ever. This year, in addition, a third model enters the scene: the Galaxy Z Flip7 Fe. A folding that we will not address in these first impressions, but that adopts the screen format of the Flip6 launched last year and aims to become the most affordable option of this family. Thus samsung money earns: the secret is on the iPhone Technical sheet of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 and Z Flip7 Samsung Galaxy Z fold7 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Dimensions and weight Closed: 72.8 x 158.4 x 8, .9 mm Open: 143.2 x 158., 4 x 4.2 mm Closed: 75.2 x 85.5 x 13.7 mm Open: 75.2 x 166.7 x 6.5 mm External screen 6.5 inches screen FHD+ Dynamic Amoled 2x Display (2520 x 1080, 21: 9), 422 ppi 120 Hz Frequency of adaptive update Super AMOLED of 4.1 inches 1048 x 948, 60/120 Hz soda frequency Main screen 8 inches qxga+ Dynamic Amoled 2x (2184 x 1968), 368ppi 120 Hz Frequency of adaptive update 6.9 inches FHD+ Dynamic Amoled 2x 120 Hz Frequency of adaptive update 2520 x 1080 (21: 9) processor Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy Exynos 2500 RAM AND STORAGE 12 GB /256 GB 12 GB /512 GB 16 GB / 1 TB 12 GB / 256 GB 15 GB / 512 GB front camera 10 MP, F/2.2, 1.12μM, FOV: 85˚ (exterior screen 10MP, F/2.2, 1.12μM, FOV: 100˚ (Interior screen) 10 MP, F2.2, 1.12μM, FOV: 85˚ Main Chamber 200 MP, Quad Pixel AF, OIS, F1. 7, 0.6μm, fov: 85˚ 12 MP Dual Pixel AF, F2.2, 1.4μm, FOV: 120˚10 MP, Pdaf, OIS, F2.4, 1.0μm, FOV: 36˚, 3X Optical Zoom 50 MP, Dual Pixel AF, OIS, F1.8, 1.0μm, FOV: 85˚ 12 MP, F2.2, 1.12μM, FOV: 123˚ battery Dual 4,400 mAh (typical) Dual 4,300 mAh (typical) connectivity 5g LteWi-Fi 7Bluetooth 5.4 5g Lte Wi-Fi 7 Bluetooth 5.4 Operating system Android 16 One UI 8 Android 16 One UI 8 colors Intense blueSilver grayDark blackMint green (only at samsung.com) Intense blueDark blackCoral redMint green (only at samsung.com) others IP48 resistance IP48 resistance price From 2,109 euros From 1,209 euros Two bets in common: more screen, refined design As I pointed out, I was enough for a few seconds with the fold7 in my hand to notice that something had changed. The exterior screen is now widerand that shows right away. I no longer have that feeling of writing in a narrow vertical bar, as in the previous models. Without becoming identical to that of a standard non -folding mobile, it seems much more. (Here is a video testing the exterior screen that planned to climb right to end) Deploying it is still a small ritual, but this time the reward is somewhat greater. The main screen grows slightly and the frames are reduced. Samsung ensures that the fold shows less than in previous generations, and the truth is that, after a few moments of use, I have forgotten that the fold is there. To the touch, yes, it can be perceived. Of the right left, the galaxy z fold6, the galaxy z fold7 and the ultra galaxy s25 In the visual comparison that we have made between fold6, fold7 and galaxy s25 ultra the evolution is clearly appreciated. The Fold7 appearance ratio It finally approaches what you expect from a normal mobile. Galaxy z fold7 sides Flip7, on the other hand, takes a visual leap from outside. Its outer screen grows to surround the cameras and flash. Seeing her in person is different from seeing her in images: in her hand she wins a lot. And the 120 Hz make everything move with a fluency that hooks. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 folded and deployed Inside, Flip also grows. Just a few tenths of an inch, but enough to open it, give the feeling of having greater breadth for any task. Performance at the height and a long -distance promise In what there is no margin for doubts is in power. The galaxy z fold7 rides a Snapdragon 8 Elite for GalaxyQualcomm’s most advanced processor, optimized with Samsung to get even more performance. I have not had enough time to squeeze it thoroughly, but the first sensations are very good: everything moves fluently, the apps open instantly and the multiventana responds as it should. In addition, Samsung has confirmed that this model comes with Android 16 and a seven -year commitment commitment. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 In Flip7 the approach changes. Here we have an Exynos 2300 processor, which also feels fast and efficient in these first tests. The most interesting is not only its performance, but now it supports Samsung Dexa function that until now was reserved for higher ranges. That is available in Flip says a lot about the maturity that this format is reaching. Another relevant point: the battery. Samsung has promised improvements in flip, which 4,000 mAh to 4,300 mAh. We will have to wait for … Read more

It affects few people, but Williams syndrome can help us understand new details about human evolution

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Williams syndrome is a condition with its own “personality.” And it is not quite a way of speaking, some call it “personality of the Williams syndrome”And it is one of the features that usually characterize people with this uncommon condition. Let’s start at the beginning: What is Williams syndrome. The origin of this can be found in the genes of the people in which it manifests itself, specifically in chromosome seven. The absence of a region that covers between 25 and 28 genes is what causes the appearance of the syndrome. This absence can be hereditary. Although most cases are not inherited but the result of chance, who manifest this syndrome have a 50% chance of transmitting it to their descendants. This is because it is a Dominant autosomal inheritance. The syndrome affects a person between 18,000 and 7,500and does it similarly regardless of sex. According to Explain in The conversation Deborah Riby, expert from Durham University, this syndrome usually comes associated with some concrete facial features But also with problems that affect the health of those who are born with him, including heart problems and difficulties when feeding. This syndrome is usually rigged with intellectual disabilities that can be between mild and moderate, but perhaps their most defining feature, and is greater extraversion and trust. The “Williams Syndrome Personality“Includes traits, Riby explains, as the greatest sensitivity and consciousness that occurs in parallel to the difficulties that people with this syndrome present. “Many individuals are highly mad (…), some are music experts and the large majority are highly social. ‘Extroven‘,’ Over-amygible ‘, and’ emotionally sensitive ‘, are frequently used descriptions to describe (this personality), ” Riby details In your article. People with this syndrome, very often, present hyperacusia, an extreme auditory sensitivity that can be responsible for high levels of anxiety. Levels that in turn can be disabling. These features are rigged with A vulnerability related, and that is that people with the syndrome can be excessively confident, explained to the BBC Alyson Muotri, from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Contrary to autism? The different vision of social exchanges that characterizes people with this syndrome makes some see this syndrome as “The opposite of autism”. The idea that this disorder is an opposite to autism is also nuanceable, says Riby. “There are several cognitive domains that are problematic in both disorders. Deficits in nonverbal behavior such as visual contact, facial expressions, interpretation of gestures, are widely documented. Additionally, we know that both disorders are associated with difficulties in sensory processing, high anxieties and repetitive behaviors or restrictive interests,” Riby adds to your article. The existence of this type of relationship, both similarities and differences, lead to the possibility that learning more about one could lead us to better know the other. Especially, Riby proposes, knowing more details about this syndrome of such clear genetic origin can give us clues about the biological mechanisms that determine the appearance of something as complex as autism is. And this is not the only way in which this syndrome can help us advance in the knowledge of our own species. Some experts seek how to take advantage of this to find out new data on how they evolved as human traits, trust or sympathy. Studies on this syndrome have managed to link some of their features with the disappearance of one gene or another. Interestingly, experts They have not found the gene “Limiting sympathy” whose disappearance makes these people more extroverted and friendly. In Xataka | The chromosome and is disappearing … What will be of men? Image | Xataka with chatgpt /

Some millionaires decorate their mansions with works of art. Others hang a pagani zonda r evolution as if it were a picture

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There are different examples that illustrate that Having money is not always linked to have good taste for the decoration. There is nothing more than See the attic of the Trump tower where the current tenant of the White House lived. Excentricities apart, the most common is that the millionaires decorate the walls of their mansions and luxury floors With works of art of incalculable value. However, not all these works of art have left the brushes of consecrated artists. In this case, the work of art that have “hung from the wall” is a Pagani Zonda R Evolution of limited edition valued of more than 2.2 million of dollars. Passion for pagani and speed The Argentine expiloto Pablo Pérez Companc is known, in addition to his sports career, for his fondness for supercar. That hobby has led him to gather an important cars collection high -end. Pérez did not settle for park your cars in the garage or expose them in showcases. According to The published by ADPérez decided that his Pagani Zonda R Evolution, an authentic jewel of engineering, had to take a privileged place in the living room of his 300 square meter apartment In Miami valued at about eight million dollars. Beyond being a whole purchasing power displayhaving a zonda exposed on the wall of your salon is a declaration of love for motoring, taken to the extreme of converting a supercar In a work of art contemporary. The Pagani Zonda R Evolution: A masterpiece of engineering The Pagani Zonda R Evolution, also known as Revolution, is a high performance supercar designed for circuits, but with such a spectacular aesthetic that could well be considered a work of art. Pietro Martelletti. Courtesy of RM Sotherby’s Equipped with a 6.0 -liter V12 engine developed by Mercedes AMG, this car is able to deliver the impressive 800 hp figure. The body is manufactured in carbon fiber and titanium, which allows you to reduce your weight to only 1,070 kilos. To put it in perspective, this supercar that measures 4.40 meters long, weighs less than conventional tourism. Its exclusivity is such that only 15 units of this Zonda R have been manufactured, which makes it a piece coveted by collectors. In addition, this is the only unit that is prepared to be hung in a living room. In its manufacture and design, Horacio Pagani himself participated. A car hanging in the living room: the Dark Minion project The Expilet has the habit of baptizing all its cars with unique and personal names. The unit chosen for this project was called “Dark Minion” and was specially modified to be installed on the wall of its living room. Touch the photo to go to the original message Such and as they detail in Robb ReportPagani withdrew the engine and modified several elements to reduce its weight to 360 kilos, but maintaining the appearance and original car design. “Many hours of coordination were needed between our local engineers, the Italian engineers of Pagani and the experts of the construction department to carry out the complexity of this project. There are no precedents in the US of a work of this size,” said Carina Radonich, co -director of Finish My Condo, Design Study Project manager. To support the weight of the body, a special aluminum and carbon fiber column was designed that allows the car “floats” over the room. In addition, the entire Pagani team that participated in the transformation signed the rear wing, turning this unit into an absolutely unique piece. “There is no other zonda in the world,” Pérez said proudly. The difficulties were not limited to their design and modification. Now it was necessary to raise it 27 meters high even in its definitive location. Installing a car of these dimensions and features inside an apartment is not a simple task. To achieve this, it was necessary to gather a team of 25 people, among which they were also Horacio Pagani. The operation required a millimeter planning and the use of specialized machinery to introduce the Zonda R Evolution for the large window of the terrace. “There was an overwhelming moment of silence when they raised the car,” Radonich remembered. Finally, the car was installed in its final location, serving as an original separation between the room and the bedroom of the apartment. A separation of 2.2 million dollars. In Xataka | A millionaire wanted to decorate his living room with an impressive rolls-Royce Ghost. Living on a 44 floor did not seem to import him Image | ZONDA, RM Sotherby’s

500 million years of evolution separate us from sea stars, but there is something that has not changed so much: our appetite

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Hormones are molecules that exert the functions of messengers in our body. They take part in a large number of physiological processes, among which are the food and digestion of the food we consume. Among them, we know several hormones that regulate appetite and satiety. Evolutionary History A new study has analyzed The evolutionary history of bombsin, a hormone capable of transmitting the signal of satiety to our brain. This hormone had already been detected in some species of vertebrates and we know that it is capable of exercising this function in humans. Now we have found the genes that encode these hormones in very distant species evolutionarily, such as sea stars. Bombsin Bombsine was discovered in 1971, not in humans but in an amphibian, the belly toad fire (Bombina Bombina). It is a small peptide similar to those used by our own body to transmit (among other “messages”) the sign that we have satiated, molecules such as glucagon, the gastric inhibitor peptide (GIP), or the peptide similar to glucagon-1 (LPG-1). The researchers who studied the bombsin verified that, by injecting it into mammals, this also caused a feeling of satiety. This caused the subjects to reduce the amount of foods they consumed and space their intakes more over time. Needle in a haystack. In his study, the team responsible for New Research, began to study the genomes of different invertebrate animals until it ran into genes capable of encoding hormones similar to bombsin. And they found them in several equinoderms species (Echinodermata), As for example in the common sea star (Asterias Rubens), but also in hedgehogs and sea cucumbers. “It was like finding a needle in a haystack,” explained in a press release Maurice Elphick, co -author of the study, “but finally we discover the genes that encode a neurohormone similar to the stars of sea stars and their relatives.” Arbn.After that, the team studied the function of this hormone, which they called Arbn. Through mass spectrometry, the equipment was able to determine the molecular structure of the compound, thanks to which they could synthesize it and submit it to test. Thus they found that the hormone had an impact on the gastric processes of sea stars. “When I put Arbn, I saw that it caused contraction in the stomach of the sea star,” Weiling Huang addedCo -author of the study. “This, Sig would, that Arbn could be involved in stimulating the stomach retraction when the sea star stops eating. And that is precisely what I saw. When I injected Arbn into the sea stars (…) it made the stomach retract (…). What is more, arbn also delayed the beginning of the food, since the stars injected with arb those that water was injected. “ The details of the study were published In an article In the magazine Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Making historians. The study gives us new clues about how our digestive system and its tools to control its internal processes evolved. A track that allows us to ride ourselves 500 million years ago, when the last common ancestor of humans and sea stars inhabited the earth. But the finding also has significance for the pharmacological industry. In recent years they have seen the rise of various treatments based on hormone analogous substances such as LPG-1 or GIP. Compounds such as semaglutida (better known by its commercial name Ozempic) or the tirzepatida (Tirzepatida) were born as diabetes treatments but achieved success as losing weight formulas. These compounds emulate the hormones that our body secretes behind meals, hormones that fulfill the function of communicating to organs such as the pancreas that our digestive process is underway but that also transmit to the brain the message that we have satiated our appetite. Compounds such as Bombsine, Arbn, or similar could perhaps be used also In this context. In Xataka | Japanese researchers have studied how to eat less. Your verdict is extremely simple: eat more slowly Image | Hans Hillewaert, CC by-SA 4.0

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