explains

Neuroscience explains why the brain takes much longer to mature than we thought

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The idea we have about adolescence right now it ends at 25 years old, this being the age at which supposedly the brain has just been ‘cooked’ forever to give way to a functional adult. But the reality is very different as the new studies point out, since we would continue to mature the brain until at least 32 years old. Where did the current idea come from? To understand why scientists pointed to 25 years as the age at which brain maturity ends, we must go back to studies of the past. Specifically to Resonance studies from the 90s and early 2000s like the classic Nitin Gogtay who mapped brain development and discovered that the cortex matures from “back to front.” This means that the sensory and motor areas are consolidated soon, but the prefrontal cortex which is in charge of executive functions, impulse control and planning is last in line. The problem is that many of those studies stopped following the subjects when you reach 20 or 21 years oldsince seeing that the curve continued to rise, it was assumed that the “peak” of maturity would arrive shortly after, around the mid-20s. But we had no idea what happened after this. Just assumptions. A new frontier. In order to solve this ‘blindness’ of neuroscience used the analysis of more than 4,000 brains using connectivity neuroimaging techniques at the University of Cambridge. What they saw was clearly five ‘epochs’ or milestones in brain wiring throughout life. Different turning points. And as if our life were a game, in the brain we have like five different screens that begin at a specific age that acts as a turning point. These ages are: 9, 32, 66 and 83 years. What interests us in this case is the period between 9 and 32 years, since the brain is characterized by a continuous increase in the efficiency and integration of neural networks. It is what the authors describe as an ‘extended adolescence’. It’s not that at 30 you think the same as a 15-year-old, but that the architecture of connections has not yet reached its final ‘adult’ form. Something that occurs at age 32 and remains stable until age 66, when brain activity begins to decline. To understand it better. Researchers wanted to use a simile to illustrate this new paradigm. To do this, they ask us to think of our brain as the union of several “functional neighborhoods” that specialize in specific tasks such as vision, language or logic. All of these are integrated with each other through different highways that are high-speed connections. Well then, between 20 and 32 years old The brain is balancing these two processes, so that the connections between different areas of the brain are well connected and organized. And it is precisely this typical pattern of the adult network, where the brain is capable of integrating complex information fluidly, which does not appear until after the age of thirty. Teenager at 30? This is where the important nuance comes in. Just because the brain continues to mature structurally does not mean that we should redefine adolescence in legal or clinical terms. All this because maturation is a gradient, not a switch of ‘now I’m a teenager and now I’m not’. To understand this, you have to know that the different elements of the brain and executive functions have a very different development curve. In this way, saying that the brain matures at 32 is a simplification that is as useful (or as erroneous) as saying that it matures at 25. What science really tells us is that there is no sudden development “blackout”; We remain biologically plastic and dynamic much longer than we thought. An opportunity for habits. This prolonged maturation is good news for all of us, since if the brain continues to actively ‘wire’ itself throughout our 20s, it means that structural plasticity is especially dynamic at this stage. In this way, science is quite clear: aerobic exercise, learning new languages ​​or facing cognitively demanding tasks during this “third decade” of life helps to improve the volume and organization of the brain’s white matter. On the contrary, factors such as chronic stress can affect the integrity of those connections. In short, a brain at 28 years old is not a finished product, but rather a work in progress that is finishing paving its best highways. The next time someone tells you that you should have your life figured out now because “you’re an adult,” you can tell them that, according to the University of Cambridge, your brain still has a couple of years of baking left. Images | Hal Gatewood Robina Weermeijer In Xataka | From 27 to 36 years old the brain reaches its peak concentration. And from there, bad news

A geologist explains why natural disasters continue to surprise us

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How can an eruption on the other side of the planet cause a “year without a summer”? Why does an apparently small earthquake devastate a city while a larger one goes almost unnoticed? The answer is not always in magnitude of the phenomenon, but in the place where it occurs, in the number of people exposed and in how the risk is managed. Understanding it is not just a scientific question: it is a way of looking at the planet with different eyes. ‘Science and aside’ It is the space where we talk about science with experts. It is part of our YouTube channel and is also available as a podcast on Spotify and iVoox. In her fourth episode, Ángela Blanco interviews Rosa María Mateosgeologist and director of the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (IGME-CSIC), a reference voice in the study of natural disasters. With decades of experience and a doctorate focused on this field, his vision helps us understand what is happening on Earth. When science faces the fury of the planet The conversation starts with a seemingly simple question: what is the most damaging natural disaster? The interviewee responds calmly: “It depends where you are and where you live.“In his explanation there are no hierarchies between volcanoes, earthquakes or tsunamis, but nuances. “Living in the Canary Islands, which has a high probability of a volcanic eruption, is not the same as living in Madrid, where the probability is zero.” The danger changes with the map, and understanding it requires looking at the geology of each place before its history. “Among the great episodes that marked the history of the Earth, Rosa cites one that was on the verge of erasing our species from the map. “We are talking about 74,000 years ago, which probably was on the verge of ending the Homo sapienswith our species.” It refers to the eruption of the Toba volcano, a megaeruption in Indonesia. Rosa explains that not all earthquakes are measured the same and that their magnitude can be misleading if you do not understand how it is calculated. “The magnitude of the earthquakes It is measured on a logarithmic scaleto. This means that an earthquake of magnitude four is not twice as strong as one of magnitude two.” The difference, he clarifies, is exponential: each point on the scale multiplies the energy released, and that is enough to turn an earthquake into a colossal force. Some historical episodes demonstrate this better than any graph. Rosa remembers the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 not only for its magnitude, but for what it represented for science. “The waves reached the coasts of Finland.” The phrase summarizes the scope of a phenomenon that destroyed the Portuguese capital and left traces throughout the Atlantic. From that disaster a different way of thinking was born. To understand why some catastrophes are devastating and others are barely mentioned, the expert introduces an essential distinction. “We geologists talk about two very different concepts that we often confuse. One is the danger… and another thing is the risk.“In the video he explains what each one consists of, their scope and also the consequences of confusing the terms. The conversation with Rosa María Mateos shows that natural phenomena cannot be avoided, but their effects can be reduced. In this episode of Science and apartthe geologist explains how observation and knowledge help to anticipate risks and live better with them. A talk that leaves open the door to continue learning about the planet we inhabit. Images | Xataka In Xataka | The Nobel Prize in Medicine illustrates the importance of the “story” to win it: a story that Spain has been losing for years

Science explains why coriander knows you soap (and the fault belongs to your genes)

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For many it is a touch of indispensable citrus freshness in tacos, guacamoles and curris. For others, it is a culinary abomination that It ruins any dish with a disgusting soap flavormetal or even insects. The coriander is undoubtedly one of the most polarizing herbs in the world, an ingredient that does not admit average terms and has generated much frustration. It is not a matter of taste. For years, science has investigated this phenomenon and the answer is clear: if the coriander knows you soap, it is not being a fussy: The fault, in large part, has your DNA. The “soap gene” exposed. The key piece of this genetic puzzle found it An association study at a genomic scale (GWAS) published in the magazine Flavour. Researchers analyzed the DNA of almost 30,000 people and found a direct connection between the perception of coriander soap and a specific genetic variant. The main suspect is a unique nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) known as RS72921001. This small change in the genetic code is found on chromosome 11, just in the middle of a group of olfactory receptor genes. And one of them, called OR6A2, is the perfect candidate to explain the mystery. Because? The OR6A2 gene encodes a receiver in our nose that is especially sensitive to aldehydeschemical compounds that are key components in the aroma of coriander. Interestingly, these same aldehydes are also a byproduct of the soap manufacturing process and are secreted by certain insects as a defense mechanism. In essence, people with this genetic variant have a kind of “antenna” superpotent for the aldehydes of the coriander. While a person without this variant perceives a fresh and herbal aroma, someone with the variable of the O6A2 gene receives an overwhelming sign that his brain interprets with the taste of soap. A more complex genetic cocktail. Although the O6A2 gene is the protagonist, the story does not end there. Another study conducted with twins by the Monell Chemical Sensa Center, and published in Chemical Sensaadd more nuances to the equation. This investigation not only confirmed that coriander aversion has a strong hereditary component – stating the inheritability of taste for coriander in 52% – but also identified other genes involved. Specifically, there have been three genes that have identified in this genetic combo. The first one is TRPA1 which is known for detecting spicy substances, the second is GNAT3 which is crucial for the transduction of signs of taste in the language. The last is the TAS2R50 That is a receptor of bitter taste. This suggests that, for some people, the rejection of coriander is not only due to a soap smell, but to a complete sensory experience that may include bitter notes and a sense of unpleasant itching or flavor. The geography of flavor. Genetics is closely linked to offspring, and coriander aversion is no exception. Statistics demonstrate a fascinating global division, as revealed by a study by the University of Toronto. The prevalence of coriander aversion change dramatically between different ethnocultural groupsaccording to these proportions: Oriental Asians: 21% Caucasics: 17% Afro -descendants: 14% South Asians: 7% Hispanics: 4% Middle East: 3% These percentages make a lot of sense. These data are not casual. Populations with less aversion are those in whose kitchensh It has been a pillar for centuries, such as Mexican, India, Thai or the Middle East. This raises an interesting evolutionary question: was the kitchen of these regions adapted to a population that genetically enjoyed coriander, or constant exposure for generations helped overcome an initial aversion? The answer is probably a mixture of both. How to learn to love coriander. While your DNA predisposes you to hate the coriander, it is not necessarily a judgment of life. Inheritability, although significant, is not 100%, which means that environmental factors and exposure play an important role. Experts suggest that it is possible to “train” the brain to accept, and even enjoy the coriander. Some of the tricks they give is to crust the coriander in the form of pesto or sauce so that the soapy aldehydes are diluted. But you can also bet on introducing it little by little and mixing it with other powerful flavors so that the palate can get used to it. Images | Lindsay Moe In Xataka | We have finally discovered the sixth flavor. The only problem is that if you are not a fly you will not be able to enjoy it

Many heterosexual women say they are fed up with men. There is a theory that explains it: “heterofatalism”

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In a city like New York – or Madrid, or Buenos Aires, or any city where a woman with quotes history and good Internet connection reevalu Spin-off Less glamorous of Sex and the city. One where the stories do not end in Manolo shoes and kisses in the rain, but in Ghostingsexcuses for anxiety and group therapy in dinner format. And it is not that Carrie Bradshaw did not warn something similar. In more than one episode, their columns revolved around a question today very close to what many women formulate from a more critical and collective place: heterofatalism. A term that describes the disenchantment, irony and resignation with which their love experiences with men look at. But it is a ismIs it a theory or just another bad appointment with academic name? Heteropesyism It was coined in 2019 By the columnist ASA beings, describes an attitude of hopelessness and resignation to heterosexual relations, especially from the perspective of women who, although disappointed, do not abandon those relationships. As He explained an article in The Conversationthis position “does not necessarily imply violence or hierarchies”, but rather “a worldly but persistent disappointment.” However, beings propose a more extreme version: heterofatalisma kind of resigned acceptance of heterosexual failure. As explained by Jean Garnett In an extensive article for The New York Timesis “the feeling that the men I want do not love me with enough clarity, urgency or commitment.” An amplified term There is a political and social context that exacerbates disenchantment. As Marie Solis points out in The New York Timesmany of these speeches intensified after the choice of Donald Trump and the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, perceived figures as symbols of sexist impunity. The #MeToo Movement, Although transformativedid not change the most daily dynamics of the appointments. In addition, social networks have amplified this narrative. Tags like #boysober, #selfpartnered or growing interest In movements like 4b (Rejection of relationships, sex, marriage and maternity with men) portray a generation of women who, although they do not always renounce men, have lost faith in the promises of heterosexual love. According to sexual Health Alliancethis gap is linked to how men have been socialized: with difficulty verbalizing emotions, Fear of vulnerabilityand in some cases, a rigid masculinity that associates desire with domination or detachment. Professor Ellie Anderson Talk about “hermeneutical work”a form of emotional exploitation in which women are responsible for interpreting the confusing signs of little communicative men. It also mentions the “masculine regulatory Alexitimia”, a structural emotional difficulty in many heterosexual men. For her part, the psychoanalyst Jessica Benjamin Talk about the “paralyzing complementarity”: When both parties in a relationship feel that they cannot gain recognition without losing power. All this composes an emotional scenario where, as Ironiza Garnett“A woman asks for clarity and is punished for ‘being too intense.” In a Newtral article, the journalist Noemí López Trujillo Lo has explained quite clearly: Connect the rise of heteropesis with a stretch of female sadness. Speaks of Femcelcore As a cultural current where women are portrayed as broken creatures, dressed in black and away from men as the only self -protection strategy. This romantization of the love duel, however, can fall into a sterile nihilism, which avoids all political or transformative action. ORna exclusively feminine experience? Although heterofatalism has been mainly theorized since the experience of heterosexual women, some authors warn that it is not completely unilateral. The Times points out that While women express this pessimism with irony and memes, heterosexual men are also experiencing a crisis, although with very different consequences. While they retract, they take refuge in communities Like incels or PERICAderiving his frustration in misogyny. In this context, in recent years the proliferation of male communities that feed a growing anxiety towards relationships and a replication towards the idea of “traditional love” has become more evident: stable couples under rigid gender roles, and a nostalgia for an alleged “golden age” – the 50s and 60s— 60— in which, with a single salary, “the woman stayed at home, they had three children and they were all happy.” This imaginary, reinforced by online forums and conservative speeches, Not only does it idealize an unequal pastbut it presents it as a remedy against current confusion and disenchantment. For her part, the Poppy Sowerby journalist, In The Timeshe warns that when women hold all men for their disappointment, without nuances, heterofatalism becomes the reverse of the Incel discourse. In both cases, the heterosexual relationship is presented as a tragic destination and without exit. There is a disjunctive present in this whole situation: is the desire the problem or the roles that frame it? One of the most relevant criticism of heterofatalism comes from within feminism. As Health Alliance has detailed sexualthis speech can end up naturalizing misogyny by equating it directly with heterosexuality. The problem, they argue, are not the men per se, but the gender roles that both – men and women – reproduce without questioning. Rachel Connolly, In The Guardianhe sees heteropessimism as “a conservative vision disguised as radical criticism.” Really all we can expect is that our partners do not throw their dirty socks? What kind of imagination do we have if we assume that heterosexual relationships are convicted by nature? Shon Faye, In his book Love in exileproposes something different: stop waiting for a couple to be everything. It raises a reorganization of relationships based on the recognition of our diverse needs –sex, conversation, care, finance – as potentially distributable, and not necessarily contained in a single romantic link. In short, the panorama that is presented is ambiguous. On the one hand, there is a growing awareness of the failed dynamics of heterosexual love. On the other, there is a scarce exploration of real alternatives. The challenge, According to Jessica BenjaminIt is not the resignation, but the encounter. To do this, it proposes the concept of “intersubjective third”: a mutual recognition zone where both parties are seen as subjects with desire, agency and vulnerability. It is … Read more

A Netscape decision in the 90s explains why Google and Meta grow up with each technological revolution

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In 1995, engineers of Netscape They faced a problem during a development night: how to allow websites to execute code without being able to steal user data? Thirty years later, its solution, the ‘Same-Origin Policy‘(Policy of the same origin), has become the invisible architecture that governs all the Internet. Why is it important. Each website became an isolated universe, unable to communicate with others. That night decision explains why we can barely escape the Apple ecosystem, why our data live trapped in silos and why each technological revolution makes the usual giants more powerful. The context. Alex Komoroske, former strategy director in Stripe and former director of Google for 13 years, He has identified what he calls the “iron triangle” of modern software. System designers can only combine two of these three elements: Sensitive data. Internet access. And non -reliable code. The logic is simple: if you allow unknown code to access personal data and have Internet connection, you can steal everything and send it anywhere. The solution was the total isolation. Each application became a fortress where your Instagram data cannot talk to Uber’s, your Apple photos cannot be processed by Google tools, and each service begins knowing zero about you. In detail. Komoroske Talk about this phenomenon With the water metaphor going down a mountain. Each obstacle does not stop the flow, redirects it where there is less resistance. Over time, channels are formed that attract more water to become increasingly large rivers. Planning a trip illustrates this mechanism: Flights in the mail. Hotel in another app. Restaurants in Google Docs. Calendar in a different tool. The constant friction of copying, pasteing and reformating leads to grant access to a single service that already knows all your context. Without friction, everything works perfect. When you share the trip, you use the tool that already has all the information. The threat. The AI promises to be different, but is inheriting the same physics. The LLMS They can create almost free software – a developer with AI can build in hours what it took weeks – allowing infinitely personalized tools. But this “infinite software” distributed through traditional stores does not solve our problems: it amplifies them. More applications mean more silos, more places where your data is trapped. The AI needs context to be useful, but our current security model means that sharing context is a commitment of all or nothing. Yes, but. The technical pieces to transcend this paradigm already exist. Modern Intel, AMD and ARM chips include “safe enclaves“, encrypted and protected memory regions of anyone, including cloud administrators. AI brings us a unique opportunity, because it makes the current limitation evident. The technical pieces already exist and it is the first time in thirty years that we can transcend this policy. While nothing changes, the concentration of power will continue to reinforce. In Xataka | What was ATI: to look at Nvidia to end and forgotten by the technology industry Outstanding image | Netscape, Xataka, Unspash

The marriages of Japanese women with South Korean men have shot themselves. There is a word that explains it: Hallyu

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Last June Japan I had a lesson For the world after years of pro-nature policies, although a very little encouraging lesson: its fertility and the number of births continued to fall. All kinds of proposals had passed along the way, Even money and husband For women who opted for the countryside instead of the capital. However, what few could expect is that marriages are shooting, but those of Japanese with South Koreans, and not vice versa. An unexpected boom. Yeah, Nikkei had That, in recent years, marriages between Japanese women and South Korean men have experienced unpublished growth, with an increase of 40% only in the last year, reaching their highest point in a decade. Reasons? Apparently, the phenomenon is framed within a broader tendency of international marriages In South Korea, which represents about 10% of all unions, in contrast to the general drop of 30% in the total number of marriages in the country during the last decade. Although most of the international marriages In Korea they are with people from Vietnam or China, Japanese unions have grown up 13% between 2019 and 2024far exceeding the rhythm of other nationalities. This trend is driven not only by cultural and demographic factors, but also by a symbolic transformation into bilateral relations, in which romance becomes an unexpected route of approach between two peoples historically marked by tensions. Hallyu as a catalyst. The rise of these marriages has its origin, to a large extent, in the cultural phenomenon of the Hallyu U “Korean wave”, which since the early 2000s has radically transformed the perception that Japanese women have from South Korea. Here are phenomena such as Winter Sonata television dramaissued in Japan in 2003, starting point for a transgenerational fascination that is today manifested in passions by the K-Pophe Korean cinema and the Seoul fashion. For many Japanese, interest began In adolescence with school series and musical idols, and It has been transforming in an attraction for the South Korean lifestyle as a whole. This process has resulted in deep affective ties With Korean cultureto the point that moving to South Korea and marrying a national becomes for many a personal and cultural fulfillment, not just emotional. Cross perceptions. Plus: both Japanese women and South Korean men manifest favorable perceptions of the other. The means that the Japanese value that the Koreans express their affection with greater intensity, are more attentive and emotionally close, they maintain frequent contact by phone and surprise with details. South Korean men, meanwhile, see in Japanese women educated, dedicated, discreet and with a strong sense of family duty. Despite cultural differences, both parties seem to find in the other an idealized version of what they do not find in their own country. These opinions arise not only personal interviews, but According to Nikkei, Also of marriage advice and palpable samples on social networks, where testimonies and publications of happy couples that portray their joint life abound. New globalized romance. There is much more, since in the heat of this trend they have emerged specialized services that facilitate these unions. Applications to match Japanese with South Koreans, online games, social networks and marriage agencies have turned what was previously an occasional crossing into an increasingly common path. Hanny Marriagefor example, it is a company founded in 2024 by a married Japanese with a South Korean who met in language exchanges, and that detected a growing demand for South Korean men interested in marrying with Japanese women. The previous experience of religious agencies such as The Church of Unification In the 1980s and 1990s it has been replaced by more modern forms, mediated by technology and by business initiatives with cultural sensitivity. History with deep roots. He marriage exchange Between Japan and South Korea it has Historical history complexes, from Korean marriages with Japanese at the time of Japanese economic boom, to organized group weddings For religious sects. That said, what distinguishes the current phenomenon is its voluntary, individualized and mediated character For pop culture. What began as an admiration for idols and dramas has become a wave of human connections that demolish ancient barriers. The presence of reality shows as Premarital Lovewhere we see group quotes between Korean men and Japanese women, it is another sample of how this type of relationship is not only accepted, but celebrated and even commercially driven. In a context where demography and the fall of marriages They worry to both countriesthese unions represent a Unexpected ray of hope, both for those who are looking for a couple and for those who want history between Japan and Korea to advance in a more optimistic tone. Image | Cambodia In Xataka | In South Korea offered 14,000 euros to young people in exchange for them to get married. Young people did the same In Xataka | Seoul is so desperate to activate his birth rate that he has had an idea: give € 700 to those who marry

In South Korea there are parents voluntary in cells. There is a word that explains it: “Hikikomori”

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Jin Young-Hae is a fictional name. Your story is not. Last year this South Korean mother explained to the BBC Under the condition of the anonymity what has led him to – in a totally voluntary way – a blue monkey and spend hours and more hours held in a tiny, austere cell, not much greater than a closet and in which he did not have a company, mobile, or portable spent hours. Alone, with your thoughts. The only link with the outside from his peculiar prison was the small hole open at the door through which he was given food. Sounds strange, but there is a word that explains it: Hikikomori. Objective: to isolate yourself from the world. The choice of Mrs. Jin may seem extravagant, but she is not the only one who has made a similar decision in South Korea. BBC has spoken with other inmates and voluntary inmates. In addition to demanding anonymity, they all share two fundamental characteristics. The first, who are parents of young people who are between adolescence and thirty. The second, which have decided to participate in a special program that keeps them held during a brief period in isolation cells. And this last word can be understood in its most literal sense. Jin and the rest of the participants are housed in tiny habitats to which they cannot take or mobile phones. But … why? To understand. Jin or Park Han-Sil, another pseudonyms used by BBC to tell a real case, are mothers of South Korean youth who share another peculiarity: they have been isolated from the world. Jin is the mother of a 24 -year -old who lives withdrawn in his room, neglecting his cleaning and food. Park has a little older, 26 years old, who has already decided to cut all communication with society. Now he barely leaves his room and refuses to take the medication that doctors have scheduled. When voluntary, ladies Jin or Park try to better understand their offspring, put themselves into their skin in an extreme way and especially look for tools to communicate better with them. “I’ve been wondering what I did wrong … it’s painful,” Jin admits50 years. Now, and after passing through the cell, he claims to have “some clarity.” Park also recognizes that isolation has helped him understand the feelings of his offspring. “I have realized that it is important to accept his life without forcing him to fit into a specific mold.” “Confinement experience”. Neither Park nor Jin decided to be a good day in their homes, improvised. His have been planned experiences and the isolation have been done in the Happiness Factory rooms, where the inmates They arrive to experiment in their flesh the “confinement”. For this they can dress a uniform, leave their phones and laptops and be held in bare wall cells, without company. The BBC clarifies That since April there are other parents who have been participating in a 13 -week special education program funded by organizations such as Fundación for the Youth of Korea or the Blue Whale Recovery Center. The program has a clear, and complicated objective: show these fathers and mothers how to communicate better with their children. To this end, it includes a peculiar experience, a three -day period during which participants spend time in rooms in the province of Gangwon that replicate an isolation cell. The keyword: Hikikomori. Jin and Park are mothers of Hikikomoria term coined in Japan already decades ago and that identifies young people who at a certain time of their lives decide to be disturbed almost completely, cutting contact with the world that opens beyond their homes or rooms. The phenomenon is not new, but serious. At least according to the estimates that the authorities handle. Not long ago, the Ministry of Health and Welfare of South Korea conducted a survey between 15,000 young people between 19 and 34 years old and discovered that More than 5% They lived in isolation. If these figures move to the country as a whole, they would show that in South Korea there are hundreds of thousands of people in a similar situation: just over half a million (540,000). Understanding isolation. The program confesses Park, allows the parents of these young people to better understand the reason for seclusion. To her, for example, reading notes written by others Hikikomori He helped him understand his own son’s silences. The South Korean government also has studies that help become a clear idea of ​​the phenomenon of isolation among young people without going through an experience like Hapiness Factory. A study by the South Korean Ministry of Health reflects that 24.1% of young people between 19 and 34 years old who deconciate from the world do so by difficulties in finding work, 23.5% due to problems to relate and 24.8% due to family or health issues. Of backdrop is The competitive society Surcoreana, where from a very young age parents take their children to academies to end up accessing the most prestigious universities in the country. South Korea also stands out for its Work Days marathon. Concern beyond home. The one of Hikikomori It is a phenomenon serious enough to generate concern beyond families. In 2023 the government came to launch A campaign To encourage solitary young people to leave home and “reintegrate into society”, for which he did not hesitate to offer 450 euros designed for young people up to 24 years. Then there was talk that in the country there would be hundreds of thousands of people living in isolation. The advantages of a pause. The mothers and fathers of Hikikomori They are not the only ones in South Korea who seek voluntary isolation. In the country there are those who decide to confine themselves on their own choice, paying even hundreds of euros in exchange for the experience, simply to take a respite from their busy routines. The CBC chain told in 2018, which The case said From Suk-Won Kang, … Read more

A Valencian politician has decided to celebrate a wedding to marry with himself. There is a word that explains it: Sologamia

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A few days ago Stephane Soriano, Benaguasil Councilor (Pp) and general director of the Diversity area of the Generalitat Valenciana, brought together friends, family and colleagues in a luxurious estate located 25 kilometers from Valencia to share with them Your wedding. And as in every Bodorrio that boasts there were gala costumes, emotional moments, photos, laughs and even launch of the bouquet and alliance. What there was not was a couple to share the famous “Yes, I want.” Soriano He married himself. And in doing so he joined a trend that has been gaining adherents and above all visibility: The Sologamia. “Celebrate family, friends and love”. The announcement has been in charge of doing so Stephane Soriano himself Via Instagramwhere he has also published some photos of the celebration. In them he is seen suit, dancing, hugging friends, family and colleagues, speaking to the guests and even throwing a bouquet of flowers. “There are days in life that are marked and yesterday is. Celebrate family, friends and love is to celebrate life,” wrote. “I fulfilled my word”. Not just that. The politician of the Mazón team has also explained why and at what time he decided to celebrate a wedding with himself. History, Explainstarted in 2023, during a visit to Ballastar Molíthe farmhouse in which a few days ago he celebrated his Self -in. He liked the environment so much that Soriano asked that same day to be reserved for a date for a ceremony. The fact that I had no partner or wedding plans was the least. “I would find it,” he jokes. The fact is that time passed, the appointment agreed with the management of the farm and the leader was found without a couple who promises eternal love. “I didn’t find her, but they called me to remind me that I had the reservation and decided to move on,” He recounts in statements collected by The world. Thus, Soriano asked for two au Soriano promises Deliver tomorrow to your partner, if it arrives. “It was half jokingly, but if one day I find the right person, I will give it to him.” Something more than congratulations. Soriano’s decision did not take long attract attention of the press and generate a cascade of comments. Some positive. Others not so much, as Recognize the leader Valencian in networks. “Narcissism? Performance? Callas? I have read many things these days. Some criticisms have made me smile, others have made me think. But they all confirm something: there are still those who are uncomfortable when someone leaves the script,” Reflect. “It was not a literal wedding. It was a party. An excuse. A symbol. A promise I made two years ago when I reserved a beautiful place to celebrate love, the one that arrives, the one that is already, the one that is built with friends, with family, with oneself,” Soriano claims. “If this gesture serves to open questions, question molds or inspire someone to live with more freedom, it will be worth it. And yes: I will continue to defend that in diversity there is also the game, the joy and the right not to ask permission to be happy.” Media yes, unique no. The Valencian politician is not the first to “yes (me) to himself. Moreover, with its gesture it adds to an increasingly visible current both inside and outside Spain: The Sologamiaa practice that basically consists of claiming the commitment and love that a person feels towards himself. The key is that it is also made in an active, public and visible way, reaching the point of celebrating a symbolic ceremony in which this feeling is celebrated with family and friends. The trend about a year ago It was already news Because three Asturian decided to celebrate similar weddings in Gijón: they surrounded themselves with friends and family and gave themselves a “yes I want.” The person who was in charge of officiating the “wedding” had already done something similar years agowhen he celebrated an act in which he claimed himself as “a complete orange”, not waiting for his other half. “It’s hard to explain”. Vanessa García, 37, one of the women who spent that day through the “altar”, Recognize that feeling “is difficult to explain.” “It’s like being alone, but keep being with yourself. When you travel with your partner or pet you feel that you have someone there with you. This is the same, but that other person is you,” He recounts. On the day of his wedding he “reaffirmed as a person who has self -love”, he loves, respects and cares. “The ceremony is a way of deceiving the brain and making it tangible,” duck. Curiously, neither Vanessa nor her other two companions close to have partners in the future. In fact they have already experienced what life is to share with another person. Its position is different from that of We aged themwho choose to live alone, without boyfriends or spouses, and rule out committing. Neither so new nor so strange. Cases such as Vanessa or Stephane give visibility every so often to Sologamia, but the reality is that the trend is neither new nor is it as uncommon as it may seem. Its origins can be traced to 1993When Linda Baker, a Los Angeles woman, decided to organize a wedding in which “husband and wife.” All this surrounded by friends and family and with a trustworthy person who worked as a officiant. A quick search on Google throws More cases Throughout the following years despite the fact that those who participate in links We sológo They lack some of the practical advantages of traditional weddings. For example, the act does not have a binding character or entitles a 15 -day permission. That has not prevented that over the last years more and more people have decided to emulate Linda or Vanessa. How exactly it is not easy to specify it because there are no official records, but in 2024 The world He slid … Read more

This explains the PVPC climb in May

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Almost a month after the blackout that ravaged Spain, Portugal and southern France, the event has caused A wave of reactions in which the debate has been more than served. The main cause of the discussion has been the stability of the Spanish electrical system in a context of high penetration of renewable energy. Although initially the lack of inertia was indicated as possible cause, subsequent reports indicate that the level of inertia In the system it was adequate and exceeded European recommendations. Research has pointed to A series of anomalous eventsincluding oscillations in the electricity grid and generation losses in southwest regions, which triggered the collapse. However, there are still inquiries to continue to determine exactly the origin of the failure. It is a process that will take time: that they tell USA either Italywhere similar research took years. But in the meantime, the priority is to guarantee stability at all costs. The problem is that this security has a price. A price to pay. The Electricity of Spain (REE) has intensified The energy support with gas plants to ensure speed of response to any mismatch. This greater “firmness and flexibility” implies cost overruns that are already beginning to be noticed in the receipt of the light of many homes. In depth. The May electrical bill will be more expensive for about a third of domestic consumers: those that are welcomed to the regulated market (PVPC). According to the countryan average family with a consumption of 249 kilowatts hour (kWh) in May will pay 4.08 euros more in April. That represents an approximate rise of 8% compared to 50 euros from the previous month. The increase is not due to the price of energy itself, but to an increase in the so -called “adjustment services”, costs associated with maintaining the balance of the electrical system in real time. In May, these services have been more expensive to 3.59 cents per kWh. In the coming months. Despite this punctual rebound, the general context of the electrical system is favorable. The average May cost is below € 14/MWh, very close to the historical minimum registered in April 2024, according to the data of the Iberian Energy Market (OMIE). In addition, now the impact only affects the regulated market, but in the medium and long term it will have consequences for those in the free market, when they renew contracts or change company. What if the support had been given by the nuclear? Although they provide stable generation, their lack of flexibility prevents them from reacting quickly to events such as the blackout. In fact, during the April 28 crisis, nuclear power plants were automatically disconnected and took more than other sources to work again, such as Several experts explained to us. In addition, the high renewable generation of these months has forced to operate the idlewhich further limits its role as system support. Therefore, the reinforcement has fallen to the most expensive gas plants, and the extra cost is over the invoice. A photo for summer. In the last daily balances of Ree, corresponding to the last days of May, A strong renewable prominence is confirmed in the Spanish electrical system. However, this advance is not exempt from challenges since to guarantee the stability of the network in an environment of high renewable penetration, it will be necessary to strengthen investment in technologies of storage, MicroRedes and backup systems that ensure a safe and continued supply. Image | Pexels Xataka | The electricity bill is rising again in Europe and Spain. A perfect storm of gas is to blame

Tenants spend more than recommended for rent. And there is something that explains it: “Hot Spots” internationalized

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Buying house is not easy. Rent, either. Every month a large part of Spanish families living as tenants disheve The advice Of the experts and expose their pockets to situations of “overexertion”, which means that they are forced to pay their landlords a pinch of their income greater than desirable. When it goes down to detail, like He has just made idealisthowever, a curious phenomenon is observed: not in all cities the tenants make the same effort. Moreover, there are many provincial capitals in which this effort is totally assumed. The Great question Therefore it is: is overwriting a problem of the Spanish residential market in general or rather something that weighs on certain internationalized cities, such as Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga? A percentage: 36%. That is the “effort rate” that supported the closure of 2024 Spanish households living for rent. Or at least this has been calculated idealist in A study in which he nourishes two major sources: the ads published on their own website and the National Statistics Institute (INE), which has served to obtain information on homes and rent of families. The data is interesting because (technicalities separately) the “effort rate” is an important indicator for any tenant: shows what percentage of income dedicates to paying your home. The general recommendation is that this expense It does not exceed 30% of annual profits. There are those who stretch it a little more and talk about overwhelming alone From 40%. One or another reference is taken, idealist reflects that on Middle Spain exceeds the 30% barrier and steady the red zone. Click on the image to go to Tweet. A figure: 981 euros. The study Not only does the thermometer that Spaniards make to pay their rentals make. It also goes down to data in euros and sound. And its conclusion is that, on average, in Spain there is a two -room -type floor requires 981 euros per month, quite above what it would have to cost for a home standard He could rent it without crossing that red line of 30% of his annual income. Idealista believes that this “reasonable” and assumed price is 764 euros. The fact is interesting again for several reasons. First because it reflects that the difference between the “reasonable” price and the average that is handled in the market is 217 euros per month. Second because the study shows that there are very few homes that fit (or are below) of those 764 euros. According to their calculations, they are only 32%, which means that the remaining 68% of the rental housing offer requires the tenants to tighten their finances. A city: Barcelona. In Your study Idealista goes down to the detail of some provincial capitals, which allows you to appreciate an interesting reality. The effort to deal with rentals is not equally intense in all cities. Moreover, there are enough cities in which (on average) families are not even forced to cross the red line of 30% of their annual income. It is well seen comparing two extreme cases: Barcelona and Ciudad Real. In the first, the city, idealist Calculate That the “reasonable rent” for a two -bedroom floor would be 1,036 euros. That is, that is the monthly income that Barcelona families could pay without having to spend more money from their recommended income. However, there are very few houses that fit that stop, only 16%. Royal market rentals are much higher and are on average in 1,796, which explains that the city has the highest effort rate of the capitals: 49%. In the opposite pole is Ciudad Real, where Idealista’s photo It is radically different. There the “reasonable rental” barrier would be at 881 euros, an amount to which 98% of the homes offered are adjusted. Moreover, the average monthly payment is requested by a two -bedroom house is 501 euros, below that red line. Consequently, the effort rate is only 16%. Capital Effort rate (two bedroom housing) Barcelona 49% Palm 45% Malaga 42% Madrid, Valencia 41% Alicante 38% Segovia 35% Las Palmas de GC, Donostia 34% S/C of Tenerife 33% Bilbao 32% Girona 31% Seville 30% Cádiz 28% Granada, Vitoria-Gasteiz 27% Pamplona, ​​Coruña 26% Ceuta, Salamanca, Guadalajara, Santander, Huelva, Almería 25% Tarragona, Pontevedra, Oviedo, Córdoba, Albacete, Castellón de la Plana 24% León, Valladolid, Zaragoza, Logroño, Ávila 23% Murcia, Badajoza, Zamora, Soria, Lugo, Burgos 22% Ourense, Cuenca, Cáceres, Lleida, Huesca, Toledo 21% Melilla, Jaén 20% Palencia, Teruel 19% Ciudad Real 16% Spain 36% One question: Is it an isolated case? No. Neither from Barcelona nor that of Ciudad Real. In fact, the report reveals something else: that although on Middle Spain it registers an effort rate of 36%, several points above the desirable for tenants, in reality that indicator only exceeds 30% in a handful of large capitals characterized by its high population, internationalization and tourist profile. In Malaga, for example, which has highlighted In recent years for its ability to capture technological multinationals and as Digital nomad destinationthe effort rate is 42%. In tourist points such as Palma, Valencia, Alicante, Las Palmas, Donostia or Tenerife also exceed 30%. A fact: 39 capitals. Ciudad Real is not the only town in which the effort rate is in the lathe or even below 20%. In the same situation are Teruel, Palencia, Jaén and Melilla. In general, the idealist reflects that there are 39 capitals in which the indicator does not reach 30%. Eight other provincial headwaters move between 30 and 40% and there are five between 40 and 49%. The data are in line with the evolution of the effort rate nationallywhich has remained between 2020 and 2021 around 30% and has increased in recent years, but without exceeding 40%, such as In Barcelona or Madrid. A footnote. The idealist study is just that, a study. And as such it must be taken, also taking into account that focusing its analysis on a very concrete profile: its authors have focused on a profile of 2.4 people/home, “a current average … Read more

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