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“Are Slimbooks a good investment?”

July 3, 2026 by usatoday24

GNU/Linux continues to be a very popular family of operating systems, especially for those who prioritize privacy and freedom of choice, without impositions from large companies. And Spain has a great manufacturer of computers with pre-installed Linux called Slimbook. One of our readers asked us about this brand, taking advantage of The Officeone of the advantages of Xataka Xtraour subscription to access exclusive newsletters, raffles, promotions and other exclusive advantages. In this case, what we offer is a direct line with us to resolve questions like this. The xatakero asked If Slimbooks are a good investment. He explains to us that he is a GNU/Linux user, but that he sometimes has problems with some systems, so he was looking for a device that was natively compatible. The question “I have been following them for the last two years, and although I am not in Europe I love their content. Excuse my Spanish, but I write mostly in English. I have a question about Slimbook systems. I don’t see any reviews on Xataka, and I would like to know if they are a good investment. I use Linux daily and sometimes I have problems with some systems, so I would like a device that is already compatible.” The answer Buying a computer is always a decision that requires taking many things into account. And when you want it to use a specific operating system, then you are interested in knowing if it is fully compatible. Our colleague Javier Pastor, specialist in AI, productivity and operating systems, responded to this question. The answer was the following: “Hello! First of all, thank you very much for encouraging you to write to us and don’t worry about your Spanish, it is perfectly understood and it is an honor that you follow us from afar. Regarding your Slimbook question, you are right about Linux support among the current large manufacturers. Although there are some that over time have ended up offering it as an option, they do not focus on it. This means that there are opportunities for manufacturers like this one, which precisely focuses on that section and comes out with really interesting equipment that is very designed to work with all types of Linux distributions without problems. Although we have not analyzed any of their teams recently, we keep track of them and they certainly continue to have important advantages precisely in that scenario. In fact, its greatest virtue is being designed and optimized for Linux, so you don’t have to worry about fighting with Wi-Fi or trackpad drivers. They even have apps specially designed for better management of equipment options, such as Slimbook Battery (currently in version 4, and with the code on GitHub), which shows that they are very attentive to these types of details. They have also improved in materials and components—aluminum chassis, very high-resolution screens and great refresh rates, “giant” MacBook-type trackpads—and we certainly believe that they are a fantastic option for Linux lovers. The price/performance ratio is very acceptable. It is true that you can end up installing Linux on many other computers, but here the peace of mind that everything is fine function from the first power on is maximum, and that always helps in making the decision. Greetings!” Do you have more questions like this? The subscribers of Xataka Xtra You can send us your questions and our team will respond personally. And if you are already a subscriber, remember this advantage and that you can ask us whenever you want.

49% of Americans already use AI frequently. Only 16% believe that it brings something good

June 28, 2026 by usatoday24

People are using AI non-stop, but they are afraid of it. It is the great conclusion of a recent study from Pew Research Center in which a unique dilemma is posed. Adoption is skyrocketing, but so is pessimism and distrust regarding AI. A survey with contradictory results. The well-known Pew Research Center published its macro survey “Americans and AI 2026” these days, and the results give a very contradictory picture. On the one hand, generative AI tools are increasingly used and are already part of many people’s daily lives. On the other hand, this success in popularity coexists with the concern that these same users have regarding this technology. ChatGPT is king. The report shows how using generative AI models is already very normal among the North American public. 49% of American adults say they use chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot, up from 33% in 2024. ChatGPT’s market share is by far the most notable: of all those who use these platforms, 44% (almost half) use ChatGPT over other alternatives. Gemini is in second position with a 25% share, and behind it are Copilot and Meta AI. The use is also anecdotal: 12% confess to using AI several times a day, and for 4% the use is “almost constant.” Goodbye search engine, hello AI. The practical use of AI also allows us to understand the change that is taking place. In the survey, participants indicated that the two areas in which AI is most used are the search for information (40%) and the automation of work tasks (38% of active workers). Not only that: the AI Overviews of the Google search engine are an absolute success: 60% of users take advantage of these summaries, which reveals a total transformation of the way we consume content and, in this case, searches. It is striking that AI is being used more and more, but at the same time users have an increasingly negative perception as well. Fear of AI (especially among young people). One of the most surprising conclusions of the study debunks the idea that new generations embrace AI with much more optimism than previous generations. It is true that those under 30 years of age double the AI use rate of those over 50 (57% compared to 28%). However, it is precisely these young people who show a more hostile profile towards the impact of this technology. These young people, those most impacted by recommendation algorithms, are the same ones who overwhelmingly believe that AI will end up having a negative impact on both their personal lives and society in the next 20 years. Less data security. The main reason for this negative perception of AI seems to be data security. For 71% of respondents, the use of AI will make their data less secure. It is a striking discovery that reveals a real problem: the conversations we have with AI are not private, because when asking something to ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini, for example, the data is sent to the clouds of OpenAI, Anthropic or Google (respectively) to be read and processed. This data can theoretically be collected, stored and consulted by personnel from these companies, and encryption practically does not exist. Only solutions like Apple’s Private Cloud Compute They propose a real solution to the privacy and confidentiality of conversations with AI models. Google, by the way, has launched its own alternative, Private AI Compute. A problem in the making according to US users. The growing use of AI seems positive because it shows that users are indeed finding ways to take advantage of it, but the fact that this increased use does not contribute to a positive perception is especially worrying. Here it is evident that the current rejection of data centers in the USA or fear of the impact that AI will have on work They do not help to improve that perception, and the uncertainty in both senses is high. There is more concern about AI in Western countries: curiously in Asia, optimism exceeds the concern generated by this technology. And in Spain, what? In our country the survey “AI Monitor 2026” carried out by Ipsos reveals varied data for various countries, including Spain. According to this survey, 47% of the Spanish population is enthusiastic about the use of AI (8 points above the European average), although there is also concern regarding this technology: 52% of those surveyed showed concern about its impact on society. Image | Solen Feyissa In Xataka | Spain has just put numbers to the impact of AI on the labor market: 2.3 million jobs will change forever

49% of Americans already use AI frequently. Only 16% believe that it brings something good

June 28, 2026 by usatoday24

We are at 44 degrees and AEMET says that the worst is yet to come. The good news is that we already know when thermal relief arrives.

June 22, 2026 by usatoday24

We’re sweating, let’s face it. And it’s Monday and you don’t even want to look at the car thermometer. Above all, because AEMET has already been warning that the worst is coming on Tuesday: even 44 degrees in the interior valleys, hellish nights in the southeast and anomalies of more than 20 degrees in the north. And yet, at the bottom of weather prediction models (where hours almost become weeks) cold scenarios begin to appear. “Anomalies of -12 degrees to start July“, you hear them say. And yes, the map is correct, the data says that. The problem is everything else. Although first of all, good news: thermal relief is close. “It will arrive in the middle of the week”a breath of fresher air” from the northwest. This will help cool the heat that “has settled in much of the Iberian Peninsula during the end of spring and the beginning of summer.” It doesn’t mean, of course, that it won’t be hot. Even if (as some maps point out) temperatures stay a couple of degrees below normal, it will still be hot. However, the decline will be clear. For reference, Bilbao will go from 42 to 29 in 48 hours. And now let’s continue with July. Indeed, some outputs of AIFS v2the European Center’s artificial intelligence model, are showing very curious anomalies for the first days of July. There are, in fact, three traps: the first is the deadline. Ten days, whether we like it or not, is still a long time to close a forecast. The second is that we are talking about anomalies: -12 degrees of anomaly is a lot, yes. But above July levels it is not ‘as much’ as it might seem. At most we will have spring weather left. Something that will be well received, but that can become a problem if we do not manage expectations correctly. The last trap is to understand that ‘a week’ is not ‘a weather’. It is true that we have already had two very rare high temperature events (which, it seems, are caused by variations in the jet stream). It is also true that the idea of a cold first of July conveys a certain idea of a thermal ‘roller coaster’. But neither an early heat wave nor a thermal bump changes the reality: that summer is getting harsher. That is to say, we run the risk of the idea that “the weather is crazy” take hold when it is a lie. We do not live in a world where cold and heat are distributed as if the days were distributed in a lottery: we live in a world that is warming. Which heats up much hotter and faster than we would like. What can we expect? In the short term, a little more heat and a little thermal relief. There will be some showers in the west, first; and in the east, later. Then, if everything ends up being confirmed, a few days that are a little cooler (and wetter than normal). In the medium term, everything indicates that more of the same: hot, very hot. Image | BenBaso In Xataka | This map reveals the exact ‘climate clone’ of your city (and the result is surprising)

We thought that Ozempic was only good for losing weight. Its last side effect is a brake on violent impulsivity

June 21, 2026 by usatoday24

If there is a family of medications that has made headlines in recent years, it is the GLP-1 receptor agonists, although they will probably be more familiar to you if we say ‘Ozempic‘ either ‘wegovy‘. These drugs began by revolutionizing the treatment of type 2 diabetes, but it was all a very effective way to ‘treat’ obesity. But soon after, scientists began to notice something fascinating when they saw that patients said they also lost the desire to drink. alcoholsmoking or nail biting. After investigating it. A new studyor have taken these first indications of the suppression of impulses one step further, entering the field of crimonology and have seen that it can be a way to reduce violent crimes. To reach this point, the researchers analyzed, through a survey, 821 adults who had used GLP-1 drugs at some point. After this, the study separately analyzed current users of these medications with former users to see exactly the effect the medication can have on points that go beyond food consumption. The results. What they found is not that Ozempic “reduces crime,” but something much more subtle: in current users, the association between impulsivity traits or alcohol consumption and violent behavior was significantly weaker. That is, the drug seems to act as a buffer, since in an unmedicated person, high impulsivity combined with alcohol consumption is usually a cocktail that facilitates aggressive behavior, since something that is well proven is the relationship between alcohol and violence. But in patients under treatment with Ozempic, this transition between “feeling the impulse” and “executing the violent action” seems to be attenuated, which could prevent the transition to committing a crime of intent. Because? To understand why a metabolic drug could have behavioral effects, we have to look at the brain, since GLP-1 agonists act on brain areas involved in the reward system and appetite regulation. The clinical context of this phenomenon is increasingly documented, since a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in JAMA Psychiatry demonstrated that semaglutide reduced craving and several drinking metrics in adults with alcoholism disorder. This medical trial has much greater causal weight than the criminological study and provides a solid clinical basis by pointing out that GLP-1 modulates our relationship with substances and immediate gratification. With violence. With all this we can make it clear that, if on the one hand alcohol is reduced and on the other the impulsivity felt when thinking about committing a crime, indirectly two of the main catalysts of violence are being reduced. The small print. With these types of findings, it is easy to fall into sensationalism and think that we are facing the ‘Clockwork Orange’ pill. However, it must be emphasized that the published study is observational and cross-sectional in nature. This means that a kind of ‘still photo’ of the situation has been taken without following up on the participants to see how their impulsivity evolves over time. Images | David Trinks In Xataka | We thought Ozempic was only for weight loss. Science is seeing that it can end alcoholism

Spain has 15 million pets that cannot set foot on a good part of its beaches. That’s something that’s starting to change.

June 21, 2026 by usatoday24

It comes with going to a park or taking a walk through any city in the country, but in case there were still any doubts, the Government recently provided definitive proof that Spain is a land of pets. The first official census has counted neither more nor less than 15.2 millionof which 7.6 are dogs. With such figures it is better understood that, as summer approaches, more and more people are asking themselves a question: Can we go to the beach with our four-legged friends? The answer is: it depends. Reviewing the figures. We mentioned it before: in Spain there are many (many) pets. It is something that we intuited thanks to the censuses carried out by feed manufacturers, companies dedicated to the care of pets or the Companion Animal Identification Network (REIAC), but which has been confirmed by the first official study of the State. It details that in Spain there are 15,171,569 pets, of which 7,562,893 are dogs. They represent, respectively, 14.1 and 9.6% more than in 2021. Beyond the raw data, the census confirm that in Spain there are now more pets than people under 30 years of age or who live in the country almost double of dogs than small children. Hence the pet economy this awakening the appetite of more and more companies (from feed manufacturers to insurance companies and venture capital) or that, when planning their summer vacations, they have already many families looking for accommodation (or even destinations) pet friendly. To the beach with the dog. Proof of this enormous interest is that every year the blogs specialized in pets (and also some other generalist) publish maps and online guides to dog-friendly beaches during the bathing season, which usually runs from June to September. Their ‘photograph’ does not always coincide, but usually includes more than a hundred sandy beaches. Some place the total count around 130 beaches. Others raise it to more than 150. That disparity is not surprising because the list can change from one year to the next and not all sandy beaches that accept dogs do so in the same way. Fine spinning. Last year, in fact, RTVE published a map in which he differentiated between three main types of beach, depending on the freedom that the dogs had on each one. The most comfortable for pets would be the ‘complete’ beaches, those to which they can freely access all year round. In second place would be the ‘partial’ sandbanks, which tolerate pets, although with small print. For example, the presence of dogs can be restricted to only a defined stretch or a certain time slot, such as at night, when the number of bathers is reduced on the beaches. Finally there would be what RTVE calls ‘nearby’ beachesstretches of coast close to urban areas in which access is allowed in at least part of the sandy area. Why so much complication? Basically, because the Coastal Lawthe framework standard that regulates the maritime-terrestrial public domain, leaves a wide gap that have been covered by the regional and local administrations. And that challenge has not been faced in the same way everywhere. What’s more, sometimes the topic has generated intense social, political and institutional debates. One of the latest examples has been left by Gijón on account of his new ordinance municipal on animal welfare: in March, during the allegations phase, the Principality he was reluctant to the presence of dogs on the city’s beaches, although later nuanced that the decision depends on the City Council. From the beaches to Change.org. Another interesting case is found in A Coruña, where it has been activated a collection of signatures in Change so that the Consistory allows dogs on the beaches in summer in night timefrom 9:30 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. Right now the local ordinance prohibits pets on beaches between June 1 and September 30, with the only exception of the Bens sandy area, which is considered a “dog beach”. Along the Spanish coast there are many more With these characteristics, which are added to other sandy areas where dogs are allowed during the summer, although at night. One figure, two conclusions. let there be between 100 and 150 beaches that can be considered (to a greater or lesser extent) dog-friendly) leaves several conclusions. The first, as recently reported on the Sr.Perro blog, is that the number of sandy areas in which there is a clear regulation that allows enjoyment with dogs is very small. In general, it is estimated that Spain has somewhat more 3,500 beaches. That the proportion is so low is explained, in part, by the requirements that all those sandy areas must comply with opt for the badge of ‘Blue Flag’. The “Guide to Blue Flag criteria” of 2025 states that “the prohibition of domestic animals on the beach must cover the entire area of the candidate beach, including the bathing area.” “Local regulations must prohibit the presence of domestic animals on the beach during bathing season, even outside bathing hours,” the document insistswhich cites WHO studies on “microbiological risks” associated with the presence of excrement on beaches. Gaining weight (little by little). That is the second conclusion that the sandbank map leaves. dog-friendly. Although they remain a minority, some sources they specify that their number has been increasing due to the increase in the pet census and citizen pressure, which sometimes results in campaigns like the one activated this year (also in 2025) in A Coruña. A quick check on Google shows that Sanlucar de Barrameda, Marin, Vila-seca, Cadiz, Punta Umbria either Almeriaamong other populations, have taken steps in recent years (or months) to make it easier for people to enjoy the places of a dip. Image | Nathalie Anfuso (Unsplash) In Xataka | Your cat asks you to cuddle and then bites you. It’s not evil, it’s that you don’t understand its signs

We thought that sleeping was only good for rest. It actually helps us build new muscle.

June 17, 2026 by usatoday24

We spend a third of our lives sleeping, and although to some people it may seem a waste of time because literally while we sleep we are not ‘producing’, the reality is quite different. And it’s not just about resting, but our brain hides a real neural “switch” that, during sleep, dictates whether our body will build muscle, burn fat or, on the contrary, enter a state of metabolic emergency. What was seen. Joint research from the University of California and Stanford University, published in September 2025 in the prestigious magazine cell, managed to map this mechanism. The researchers identified a specific neuronal circuit in the hypothalamus composed of two fundamental players: the GHRH neuron, which acts as the “accelerator” of growth hormone, and somatostatin, which functions as the “brake.” Its balance is essential to regulate how much growth hormone is released during sleep. And it is not something that should be left in the background or only for children who are growing, but this hormone is essential to be able to build muscle, break down fat or even regulate glucose. In the first half of the night. Not all moments of the night are worth the same, since approximately 70% of daily growth hormone secretion occurs during the first cycle of deep sleep, also known as the N3 phase. In this way, if we shorten our hours in bed and miss that key rest, deep quality sleep is not achieved and the desired peak of growth hormone does not occur. What this directly leads to is accumulating fat and losing muscle tissue. The hunger. The muscle is not the only one affected, but our diet also suffers chemical sabotage. Here research has shown that little sleep drastically alters our appetite-regulating hormones. A large meta-analysis published in the journal Obesity Reviewsthat analyzed 21 studies with 2,250 participants, pointed out that short sleep causes leptin, which is the hormone that sends the signal of satiety, to decrease by 18%, while ghrelin, the hormone that triggers hunger, increases by 28%. This makes us have a greater appetite and prefer to consume more calories if we do not sleep enough hours. The metabolic risk. The impact of not sleeping goes far beyond hunger and the scale, since at a metabolic level, sleep restriction reduces insulin sensitivitywhich directly increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. More and more data. If you still had doubts about the benefits of sleeping correctly, we already know that having a good sleep allows us to be more productive and better integrate the different knowledge that we learn in our brain. But to this is now also added the ability to ‘create’ new muscle, making the smartest decision to be sleeping, although for some it is not very productive. Images | Slaapwijsheid.nl Anastase Maragos In Xataka | Hitting the gym every week is great, but it all depends on what you do right after you leave the gym.

We knew that freezing bread was convenient, cheap and fashionable. What we are not clear about is that it is “so good” for health

June 17, 2026 by usatoday24

The world has changed. And if there is something where that It is more noticeable than in water, land or airthat’s bread. HE note on bread and it shows a lot. So much so that, despite the attempts in recent years to revitalize it, the culture of bread (those 315 varieties that identified Jose Carlos Capel at the end of the 80s) is in clear decline. Thus, the idea of buying bread every day is increasingly in the minority and the big question that thousands of people ask is… “Is it really a good idea to freeze it?” And, to the surprise of many, it is a good idea (although not as good as it wants to let us know). You just need to do it well. So you don’t lose properties? As the dietitian-nutritionist explained Nuria Romero in Ideal“we can rest assured, because when frozen, bread does not lose nutritional properties.” Although, it is true that “sometimes its texture or flavor can be affected.” And is any bread worth it? The best are “those that are less toasted, since they are the ones that best hold the moisture balance between the crust and the crumb.” For the same reason, it is also a good idea to freeze large breads or those that are made from whole wheat or rye flour. How do you freeze bread? Although it may seem obvious, freezing bread is very very simple. There are three easy steps to implement. The problem is that most consumers They are not usually applied systematically. The first thing is to choose fresh bread at room temperature. If the bread is already starting to get hard or hasn’t cooled completely yet, the end result will be much worse. Later, it is highly recommended to cut it into portions that make it easier to defrost later. In this sense, many people choose to cut it into slices. And then pack it airtight. This way we ensure that moisture from the freezer does not come into contact with the slices. And so (well isolated) you can last up to six months in a lot of trouble. And how do we defrost it? That is usually the other big problem: if we do not defrost it correctly, it can lose its freshness. Therefore, the most effective way to do it is at room temperature: placing it on a rack so that moisture does not accumulate, defrosting gives very good results. If we are short of time, it can be defrosted in the oven (at about 160 degrees, wrapped in aluminum foil for 10 or 15 minutes) or directly in the toaster if we have it sliced. Is that where the magic begins? We have seen it in many articles: for example, as he explained Dr. Karen Alarcón Fuentesgastroenterologist and endocopyist, when unfrozen “a large part of the carbohydrate in the bread will be converted into prebiotic fiber.” Something that “not only benefits your microbiota, but will also regulate your blood glucose.” But is it true? It is not clear. As our colleague Liliana Fuchs explained to usis something that “has a certain scientific basis, but is of no use in practice.” The key to all this mess is in the resistant starch“a type of carbohydrate that is difficult for our body to process, it is not completely digested and has a similar effect to fiber.” The problem is that, in the case of breadit has only been possible to demonstrate that freezing it (and roasting it later) reduces the glycemic index, although it was a fairly small study. The process does not affect resistant starch. And, in fact, “the effect on the health of a normal person will be practically nil; the total diet and daily habits matter much more.” Image | Charles Chen | Coffee Danube Still Life Photography In Xataka | We have been eating bread with “hidden salt” for so long that we have forgotten its true flavor. That’s going to change

We already know how much water Amazon consumes in its data centers. We have good and bad news

June 12, 2026 by usatoday24

amazon has made public the data of water consumption in their data centers. It is a remarkable exercise in transparency, especially because its division Amazon Web Services (AWS) It is currently the largest cloud infrastructure on the planet. We have bad news… and also good news. 2.5 billion gallons. The figure that stands out the most in this report is the 2.5 billion gallons (almost 9.5 billion liters) of water consumed by its servers per year. It is approximately 5% of the annual water consumption for the Seattle metropolitan area, so this is a notable figure, but one that must be put in perspective because there have already been previous studies that they misunderstood the situation. Golf courses are worse. The company already stated a few weeks ago that “data centers use significantly less water than golf courses or car washes.” They also gave other examples that consume more water, such as the meat production industry or the textile production industry. The efficiency metric. A metric called water use effectiveness (or WUE) is used to measure the impact of a data center. This magnitude indicates the liters consumed for each kilowatt-hour of energy delivered to the servers. According to Amazon, its WUE is 0.18 liters per kWh, much better than Microsoft’s 0.27 l/kWh and of course the 1.1 l/kWh from Google in some of its facilities. It is clear that not all hyperscalers manage to cool their data centers with the same efficiency. Amazon spends a lot of water in its data centers, yes, but according to current data it consumes significantly less than its rivals. Physics is physics. Data centers generate enormous amounts of waste heat, and Amazon indicates that they use direct evaporative cooling systems. Instead of maintaining huge air conditioning systems, the company uses mechanisms that introduce outside air and pass it through humid panels. This allows water to evaporate, absorb heat and cool those rooms where the servers are. The toll exists, of course: evaporated water is lost to the atmosphere and cannot be immediately reused in local ecosystems, which causes pressure drops in surrounding reserves during heat waves. Geography helps. Amazon’s efficiency advantage also benefits from intelligent geographic location of its data centers, the company says. Many of them are in regions with temperate or cold climates in the northern hemisphere. In these areas, cooling by outside air (free cooling) you can take advantage of more than 80% of the days of the year. In contrast, its competitors have often been forced to create their data centers in very hot desert environments which require injecting pressurized water constantly. Promises on one hand, criticism on the other. To compensate this impact due to your water consumptionAmazon has committed to returning more water than it consumes to local communities by 2030. This policy, dubbed “water positive“groups initiatives ranging from the restoration of watersheds to the creation of wastewater treatment plants. Of course, all this discourse faces strong criticism. For these voices, what Amazon is doing is a facelift, but it does not fix the immediate local shortage of wells from which data centers extract water in the middle of summer. The problem persists. Amazon’s report is welcome because it breaks the silence that usually prevails in Silicon Valley regarding natural resources. Even so, it also shows that the world faces a notable problem if the water (and energy) consumption problems generated by data centers cannot be solved. Taking into account the ambition and multimillion-dollar projects of AI companies In this sense, it would be important for official organizations to be in charge of monitoring and regulating these gigantic consumptions. Image | amazon In Xataka | Data centers do not want to depend on the conventional electrical grid. Solution: build your own plants

One fine day Richard Feynman left a restaurant. 50 years later we already know why better known bad than good unknown

June 9, 2026 by usatoday24

In the late 1970s, the brilliant physicist Richard Feynman He went with his friend Ralph Leighton to eat at a Thai place named Indra in Glendale, California. Looking at the restaurant’s menu, Leighton couldn’t decide: should he order his usual favorite, ginger chicken, or try something new and perhaps better? Any other person would have responded in one way or another (“if you like it so much, you better insure” or something like “he who does not risk does not gain”). Richard Feynman, brilliant as he is, did something else: He started scribbling equations on a napkin. and he turned that into a mathematical problem that he not only detected, but solved. For some reason, the prodigious physicist never published that analysis, and his notes were left to Leighton. For years that story was forgotten, but 50 years later researchers from the universities of Oxford, New York and Princeton managed to rescue those notes and Feynman’s solution. And what that revealed was surprising. Rescuing Feynman’s restaurant problem The researchers explained in their study, published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) that although Feynman had focused on what happened to the different dishes in the same restaurant, they They preferred to expand the problem: what happens when we are in city X, for example, on vacation, and we want to choose a restaurant. Richard Feynman’s handwritten notes on a restaurant napkin turned out to be a fascinating problem. Source: PNAS. Feynman’s restaurant problem is actually a variant of what is known as the optimal stopping problemto which also belongs the famous variant of secretary problemwhich gave rise to the 37% rule: When choosing from 100 options, one should try the first 37 to maximize the chances of choosing the best one. Then you can “settle” for that one, because it is difficult for there to be a better one among the rest. But we are digressing. Feynman’s original mathematical formula established an optimal policy based on a uniform distribution of quality. According to the physicist’s formulation, our quality bar is not static nor falls by chance, but decreases exponentially as the days available in our vacation calendar are exhausted. Thus, it usually happens that when we are at the beginning of our vacation, We usually demand absolute perfection in the chosen restaurant because the remaining time allows the risk to be amortized. In the end, however, that threshold of demand collapses and we settle for a decent restaurant. We move from the exploration phase – taking risks with new places (or dishes) – to exploitation – repeating places (or dishes) that we liked. The researchers wanted to test this mathematical model with a sample of 2,520 participants, and in doing so they detected a striking anomaly. During the first nights in a new city, participants explored massively, much more than mathematical logic itself advised. The researchers discovered that this phenomenon responded to the so-called “early exploration bonus” that fell rapidly as the days went by: if we have an opportunity to “get it right,” our brain shows tremendous psychological resistance to tying itself to a restaurant at the first opportunity. We prefer to continue trying other restaurants because we trust that we will find a better one. The four “gastronomic worlds” of the study: the behavior of the participants varied according to each distribution. Source: PNAS. But as the experiment went on, something else was discovered. Humans are not blind robots, but we calibrate the bar according to the city we visit. The experiment placed participants in four different “food worlds” in which the ratio of excellent restaurants to mediocre (or decent) ones varied. The data showed that the human brain is capable of diagnosing the type of “food world” it finds itself in just by trying three or four restaurants. From there, set the bar. Feynman mathematically intuited that the bar would lower exponentially as the return date approached, but the experiment revealed something different. Human beings reduce our level of demand linearly with respect to the proportion of days we have left on vacation. We are becoming less and less demanding and more “nostalgic”. This guarantees something important: that at least on the last nights we enjoy the “better bad known than good not known”, because that “bad known” will not be so bad after all: we have already experienced it. Fascinating. Image | SAP (edited with Magnific) In Xataka | Studying by heart seems like a good idea until you forget it. The Feynman method appeals to your understanding, not your memory.

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