land

We will run out of space on dry land one day. So Spain is already putting solar panels into the sea

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Filling the field with solar panels has a physical limit. It is very likely that, while reading this, you have heard the debate that in our landscapes there are beginning to be more panels than crops. Faced with this growing land saturation, the alternative is already floating in the water: The San Enrique de Vigo Shipyard has just launched the first floating marine solar platform with purely Spanish technology. Named “Paiporta”—a tribute to the victims of the deadly DANA in Valencia in October 2024—this pioneering modular structure marks an industrial milestone. Its destiny is not to stay in the Galician estuary, but to be towed in the coming weeks to the Valencian coast to undergo its final test: validate its operability and generate electricity in the open sea. The sea as a technological ally. The saline and hostile environment of the sea offers conditions that multiply the efficiency of the panels. Traditional solar panels lose efficiency when they reach high temperatures. However, in these floating installations, seawater acts as a powerful natural coolant. By heating up less, the panels perform more and are capable of producing more electricity than their twins installed on the ground or on roofs. Added to this cooling effect is an intelligent design decision. Those responsible for the project They detail that the panels installed on the platform they use bifacial technology. This means that the installation not only absorbs direct solar radiation falling from the sky, but is also capable of capturing and generating energy from light bouncing off the sea surface. In the near future, they are expected to operate jointly with offshore wind farms (offshore), sharing evacuation infrastructure and maximizing the amount of clean energy that can be extracted from the same ocean coordinate. Mass-produced photovoltaic catamarans. The “how” is as important as the “what.” PV-bos (PhotoVoltaic-BlueNewables Offshore Solutions) technology has not been conceived to create unique and artisanal prototypes, but to revolutionize the assembly line. The project – called Renovar – pursues the development of platforms manufactured through industrialized and modular processes, directly inspired by mass manufacturing models. The objective is clear: reduce costs, cut production times and make photovoltaics offshore be competitive at a global level. To achieve this, the technological solution is based on an innovative catamaran-type design, specifically optimized to withstand harsh ocean conditions. This format allows the plates to be raised to a safe height above sea level, which not only improves energy performance, but also greatly facilitates maintenance work. The overall project contemplates a floating system of one megawatt of total power, divided into two PV-bos units of five hundred kilowatts each. Bringing this steel and silicon giant to the water was no easy task. From BlueNewables They explain that the launching It required a complex tandem lifting maneuver, using the emblematic and colossal cranes of the Vigo shipyard to place the structure with millimeter precision on the estuary. The industrial muscle. Behind this technological advance there is a powerful business and institutional alliance. The initiative combines the vast experience in marine structures of Astilleros San Enrique (belonging to the Meridional Group), the technological specialization of the Canarian engineering BlueNewables, and the technical collaboration of Soermar (Society for the Study of Maritime Resources). In addition, the project has the strong financial support of the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, and the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE) through its RENMARINAS program. On the other hand, it is a breath of fresh air and an opportunity for reinvention for the naval industry. José Luis Torres, general director of the San Enrique Shipyard, emphasizes that this success demonstrates the capacity of the traditional Spanish naval sector to lead cutting-edge developments. Far from remaining anchored in the construction of conventional ships, shipyards demonstrate that they can compete at the highest international level in the new markets opened by the energy transition. Next station: open sea. With the “Paiporta” now afloat, the Spanish industry sends a clear message to the world. In the words of Bernardino Couñagoco-founder and CEO of BlueNewables, this launch places his company “among the world leaders in the marine floating solar sector” and clearly demonstrates the enormous “industrial and technological capabilities that exist in Galicia and Spain to lead innovative energy solutions at an international level.” But the work is not finished. This successful maneuver in Vigo is just a decisive step. Now, the platform leaves behind the safety of the manufacturing phase in the shipyard to head towards the final stages: commissioning, connection and monitoring. When the “Paiporta” reaches the coasts of Valencia, it will have to demonstrate that the engineers’ mathematics can withstand the onslaught of waves and salt. The limit of the earth has already been surpassed; Now it’s time to conquer the horizon. Image | Bluenewables Xataka | Many towns oppose wind farms. In Euskadi they want to solve it the hard way: giving them 7% of their profits

It turns out that there are invasive land snakes that take to the sea from Ibiza. And they are annihilating a unique lizard

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In addition to being one of the great European tourist destinations, the Pitiusas Islands have a unique jewel of nature: the pitiusa lizarda unique reptile in the world that only lives there. By living in isolation, the lizard populations on each islet have evolved independently, giving rise to 28 different subspecies. This biological jewel today has a direct and truly terrifying threat: the horseshoe snake, a foreign species that was accidentally introduced to Ibiza in 2003, probably through ornamental olive trees imported from the Iberian Peninsula. Or so they thought: spotting a horseshoe snake is no longer something occasional, but they can even be seen swimming in the open sea. Spoiler: they are terrestrial snakes. what’s happening. The Center for Ecological Research and Forest Applications (CREAF) has published an academic article that covers the origin and invasion status of the horseshoe snake. The expansion map is conclusive: in 2010 the snake was present in less than 5% of the Ibizan territory, in 2016 it already occupied 40% of the island and in 2025 it had reached 90%. As stated by the research team led by Guillem Casbas and researcher Oriol Lapiedra, when it conquers a new area, it can take less than three years to eradicate the entire population of lizards. The speed of expansion is unprecedented among invasive snakes in Europe. What has never been seen is also the most disturbing: they have documented how snakes swim between islets, that is, they carry out active colonization. In 2024 they recorded a snake crossing 430 meters of open sea to the islet of Santa Eulària. The same sea that has served over the years as a barrier to the evolutionary isolation of the pitiusa lizard is no longer enough to protect it from its predator. The unstoppable advance of the horseshoe snake. Ecology Why is it important. The extinction of a species is always bad news from the point of view of fauna diversity, but this one is unique: its goodbye means that a unique and irrecoverable evolutionary lineage disappears, and according to the IUCN It is already cataloged as threatened, which means that population models predict a severe and continued reduction in the short and medium term. Beyond taxonomy, this eventual extinction would have its effect within an ecosystem as particular as the island and its balance, which could end with more extinctions due to a domino effect. In the case of the pitiusa lizard, it has pollinating and seed dispersal functions and if it does not do so, it puts the reproductive success of plants in check. On the other hand, and although its importance is more relative, the Pitiusas lizard is one of the great cultural and identity icons for those who are from Ibiza and Formentera: this amphibian is deeply rooted in the collective local imagination and popular mythology. Context. The magnitude of the problem is best understood within the biology of the islands. Islands are especially vulnerable ecosystems to invasive species because the loss of a single species can trigger cascading effects throughout the entire biological community. Invasive species enter the islands like an elephant enters a china shop: they compete for resources (more limited), alter habitats (smaller) and disturb ecological processes. The Pitiusas lizard is a critical node for the islands: however, was For millions of years it was the only terrestrial vertebrate in the archipelago and did not develop anti-predatory behaviors against snakes. A parallel case studied in depth is that of the brown tree snake on the island of Guamwhich decimated native bird and lizard populations, causing an increase in insects and altering forest dynamics. tragic consequences. The immediate ecological consequences are severe and quantifiable: there have already been local extinctions of lizards on at least 10 islets, and the snake has colonized between 12 and 15 of them through active swimming. And unfortunately, it’s just the beginning: this global study highlights that the impact of invasive vertebrate species on seed dispersal in island ecosystems is even greater than that caused by the extinctions of native fauna. Or what is the same, there may be a disruption in the plant regeneration of these islets. Likewise, its disappearance can take its toll on agriculture indirectly, as the lizard regulates the insect population. Is there a solution? The most urgent and important shock measure is to actively control the snake invasion. In 2025 the Balearic Government surpassed the 4,400 captures of invasive snakes in the Pitiusas and has already opted to leave the traps throughout the year. In 2026 the device will continue to expand with more resources. Of course, with a presence of 90% already in Ibiza, total eradication is unfeasible in the short term: the most realistic thing is to contain the advance and protect refuges. On the other hand, the conservation of the pitiusa lizard is also a priority objective, with several breeding lines of pitiusa lizards with genetic criteria in collaboration with the Barcelona Zoo. In the long term, the only structural solution is to combine the control of the snake with the conservation of the lizard’s genetics for a later reintroduction into its territory. In Xataka | The Ebro is filling with brown prawns, an invasive species that we are going to find more and more on our plates. In Xataka | Spain is witnessing a shocking phenomenon: three invasive species are feeding each other to conquer the country Cover | Albert Masats and Swimming Snakes Wipe out Endemic Lizards from Mediterranean Islets, Oriol Lapiedra

Spain’s problem is not the lack of buildable land. It is a huge land jam that blocks three million apartments in cities

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The brick crisis at the beginning of the century may be left far behind in time; But the truth is that, almost 20 years after the bubble burst, the sector has not yet recovered from its hangover. And that has dragged it into a paradox: although the country drags a serious deficit residential (some 700,000 homes) and prices they don’t stop going upin Spain there is a huge amount of immobilized buildable land, plots that after the crisis have ended up in the hands of municipalities incapable of promoting housing on them or of groups, funds and companies that have not been able to develop them or have not considered it viable. It might seem like a minor issue if it weren’t for the fact that there are calculations who estimate that that ‘big traffic jam’ of land is costing the cities of Spain 2.9 million potential apartments. That is, houses that could be built on developed lots, but for one reason or another they still do not go beyond paper. Just over half (1.5 million) are also concentrated in the 15 main metropolises. One figure: 1.5 million. The data comes from a study published in the last notebook of the Civic Circle of Opinion by Ignacio Ezquiagaeconomist and expert in the real estate sector. In it he basically dedicates himself to reviewing the “pending planned housing” in the main urban areas of the country. These are apartments and houses that should be built on plots of land in an “advanced state of urban development” or sectorialized (endorsed by a plan and the corresponding city council), but that still do not go from paper to work. Why is it important? Because as Ezquiaga’s study recalls, that bag of land could accommodate millions and millions of new homes. To be precise, it speaks of about seven million properties, although a good part is located in rural areas where the gap between supply and demand is not as serious as in the capitals. If we focus on the 86 urban areas of Spain, we find vacant land with the potential to host 2.93 million of housing. If we refine the shot even further and limit ourselves to the 15 main metropolitan areas of Spain, the figure remains at around 1.51 million homes. Of these, half a million would be located in areas with already urbanized land. Madrid, in the lead. In your studioEzquiaga includes a table prepared with data from the Ministry of Housing that shows that the largest housing stock planned and pending execution is located in the Madrid area, at least if we talk about raw figures. There the potential is 351,000 properties, almost 15% of the total existing housing stock in 2021. The potential is equally high in Murcia (226,600 units), Seville (142,900) and Barcelona (142,900), although in general terms it adds up to thousands of homes in all areas of the country. The smallest is Palma, with almost 12,000. In “dead hands”. To understand part of this large pool of stuck housing we have to go back almost two decades ago, to the bursting of the real estate bubble and its subsequent hangover. When brick ceased to be the business of the century and many developers were forced to close, the plots that had recently hosted residential projects began to become an asset with an uncertain future. A part ended up in private hands. Another, from the town councils. Their casuistries are different, but in the end the result is the same: what Ezquiaga calls properties in “dead hands”parked plots, stuck despite having the potential to inject millions of homes into a market that, 20 years later, is once again tense. “Judging by its urban status, blocked for more than two decades in which many have remained vacant, these are not temporary but structural situations; that is why they remind us, overcoming the distance, of those owners who went down in history as dead hands,” reflect. Who controls that land? As remember The Country There are two major fronts. 30% has remained in the hands of municipal administrations that once received them from the developers as part of the land that they had to give up to carry out their real estate projects. The problem is that not all town councils have the capacity, will or simply the resources to take advantage of that land and convert it into public housing (VPO). The result is that it ends up blocked, up for sale or redirected towards other uses, such as endowment services. The remaining 70% of the land depends on private entities, but that does not guarantee that it will be exploited and converted into housing. The key is whether or not its development is profitable. And if they can finance it. This also explains that when city councils opt for public-private collaborations to take advantage of the land they control, they do not always find partners willing to embark on the projects. One of the keys is provided by Ezquiaga in your studio: The 15 main metropolitan areas in Spain have land with potential for a million and a half homes, but only a third are located in environments with already developed land. “Vacant land”. Last year, in another study published by the think tank Funcas on the Sareb, Ezquiaga I already warned of the complexity of the scenario: “With a development industry with lower capacities compared to previous decades, the original projects were discontinued. Thus, many of the still viable lands would not adapt to the regulatory changes or the new territorial needs, paralyzing them and contributing to a surplus of vacant lands with negative consequences on the valuation of Sareb’s portfolio and, above all, for the long-term generation of new residential supply.” He is not the only one who has drawn attention to the land with still pending potential in the cities of Spain. The Ministry of Housing itself has analyzed the main pockets of land available in Spain for new apartments, focusing above … Read more

the price of a hectare of olive grove falls in Jaén while the rest of the land soars

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Something is happening in Jaén. The price of a hectare of olive grove has fallen: it went from 17,682 euros in 2023 to 17,499 euros in 2024; the last year of which we have consolidated data. And it may seem like an anecdote (after all, it is a decrease of 1.03%), but it is not. Because while the olive grove loses value, the rest of the agricultural land increases: the orchard increases by 13%, dry fruits by 19.7%, arable land by 18.3% and subtropical crops by 26.1%. What is happening to the olive grove? A complicated question. We could talk about many factors (the collapse in the price of oil at source, the increase in production costs or a 2025-26 campaign that was expected to be bad before it started), but we would be focusing on the situation and not on the underlying trend. The central issue hidden in the data is that Jaén is the “canary in the mine” of the Spanish olive grove. After all, Jaén is especially sensitive to changes in the profitability of the olive grove: on the one hand, the monoculture concentration of the olive grove in the province has caused many parallel dry lands to be in slope areas that are difficult to mechanize and almost impossible to convert into intensive ones no matter how much water is available. And let us not forget to remember that the olive grove does not stop growing. With the only exception of the small decline in 2022 (0.08% already recovered in 2023), the hectares of olive groves They have grown year after year. Does demand grow and price fall? With the provisional data of the Survey on Crop Areas and Yields (ESYRCE) 2025 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) in hand, the olive grove area in Spain reached 2,873,396 hectares. This is 1.63% more than in 2024 and 5% more than in 2015. And yet the price falls. The key is that does it unevenly: Irrigation gains ground over dry land, super-intensive olive trees in hedges spread over land previously dedicated to cereal or cotton, and investment funds concentrate their enormous resources in areas with more water. The great transformation of the Spanish olive grove. We said it years ago, Spain faces an enormous agrarian challenge, an unprecedented industrial reconversion: convert 1,901,529 hectares of olive groves into irrigation before it’s too late. And that “afternoon” is closer than ever because the Junta de Andalucía The cut in aid amounts to up to 22% to the Jaén olive grove that would derive from the proposal for the new CAP. Here is the key, here is the factor that will change the field in the coming years. Image | Txemari. (Navarre) In Xataka | Spain faces its greatest agricultural challenge of the century: converting 1,901,529 hectares of olive groves into irrigation before it is too late

that “drink” fuel without stepping on land

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In the 80s, during exercises in the Atlantic, several pilots British Harrier They confessed that one of the greatest tensions was not the combat itself, but rather the time to return to the aircraft carrier with fuel in the red, adjusting each maneuver so as not to run out of margin in the last minutes. On more than one occasion, that millimeter calculation turned the landing into a matter of well-timed seconds. The limit that was always there. The anecdote is not trivial, since for decades the Harrier fighters of the Navy have operated with a clear restriction that conditioned each mission: their fuel dependency available when taking off from the ship. This limitation marked the time in the air, the radius of action and the ability to sustain operations far from the starting point, forcing each flight to be planned carefully. very tight margins. Let’s think that we are talking about an environment where projection and persistence are increasingly determining factors, which is why this barrier had become one of the most difficult factors to overcome. Without depending on land. That scenario has now changed with a milestone that, although seemingly technical, has quite profound operational implications: for the first time, a Spanish Harrier has been refueled in flight for a A330 MRTT of the Air and Space Army. The maneuver not only demonstrates compatibility between platforms, it also opens the door for these fighters to stay in the air much longer without needing to return to deck. In practice, it means that the Harrier can continue operating, surveilling or attacking without the fuel clock marking the end of the mission. A range and time multiplier in combat. The announced in-flight refueling completely transforms the aircraft’s operational profile, and it does so because expands its radius of action and allows you to stay in the area for much longer periods. This is especially relevant for a carrier-based fighter, an aircraft whose natural environment imposes obvious logistical constraints. In other words, with this capability, the Harrier can get further away from the shipcover more space and respond more flexibly to changing situations, something key in both defense missions and projection operations. Interoperability: two armies in one. Beyond refueling itself, the Spanish exercise represents a leap in integration between the Navy and the Air Forceby coordinating different systems (the Harrier boom and the A330 basket) in a joint operation. Plus: this type of capabilities reinforces the idea of ​​a more connected force, capable of operating in coordinated and efficient manner in complex scenarios. Furthermore, the A330 MRTT establishes itself as a central piece, capable of supplying multiple platforms and acting as a true force multiplier. Extend the life of a “veteran”. It is the last of the legs to analyze, because the context is key to understanding the importance of the advance: the Harrier continues to be a fundamental asset for the Spanish Navy, especially while its replacement by the F-35B. In the face of uncertainty, the strategy involves extend its useful life through maintenance, spare parts and improvements that maintain its operational relevance. The in-flight refueling capability fits perfectly into that goal, increasing its utility without the need to introduce a new system. Beyond a simple test. In short, what at first glance may seem like a technical test is, in reality, a paradigm shift on how Spain can use its embarked fighters. Allowing these planes to “drink” fuel in the air eliminates one of their main restrictions and brings them closer to a much more efficient operating model. more flexible and sustained in time. In a scenario where the speed of response and the ability to remain in the area make the difference, the advance redefines the role of the Harrier and expands the real scope of Spanish aerial projection. Image | Navy, Counting Stars In Xataka | Spain has a dilemma that is difficult to solve: call the US or be the last with a fighter jet in danger of extinction In Xataka | Spain has built a laser that shields the backbone of its Navy: the A400M is now ready for combat

has reclaimed 25% of land from the sea and converts wastewater into drinking water

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There is a country in the world that, when it runs out of space, manufactures more. And when it doesn’t have water, it recycles it infinitely. It’s not science fiction: it’s Singapore, a city-state that surpasses the six million inhabitants concentrated on an island that was barely 580 square kilometers and that today it occupies 736 square kilometers. A growth of almost 25% in just over half a century. It is not ambition, but necessity: it does not have enough land or its own rivers or aquifers, so it has had to cook everything for itself. Since its independence from the United Kingdom, it has not only increased its surface area: it has also built one of the most sophisticated water management systems on the planet, capable of converting wastewater into drinking water. of superior quality to standards of the World Health Organization. Singapore’s territorial resilience. Singapore has understood that its land and water (scarcity) problems are not independent, so it is solving them jointly and in a long-term plan (its sewage system is literally designed to last 100 years). It is the urban resilience applied to territorial development in its maximum expression, that is, the capacity of a territory to face climate, demographic and economic change through its infrastructure. A concept promoted by organizations such as the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction of which Singapore is today the most advanced student. A living laboratory in real time. If those southern geometric shapes don’t seem natural, it’s because they aren’t. Google Earth Context. The quick response to why is Singapore doing all this? It is because it lacks land and water, but reality is based on three essential axes that invite urgency: Geography. Singapore is a small island (more than New York) with a brutal population density, it does not have mountains that function as a natural reservoir or large rivers or aquifers. The rain is abundantbut collecting it in such a small field is a challenge. Strategic dependence. Historically, it has imported water from Malaysia through different agreements (the last one expires in 2061) but that represents a strategic vulnerability of the first order. Also they have imported sand from neighboring countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia. Climate change. Singapore is especially vulnerable to the threat of sea level rise as 30% of the territory is less than 5 meters above mean sea level. How to gain land. We enter first-class public works engineering. The traditional method consists of dredging sand from the seabed, transporting it to where it is required and filling the hole. The problem is that Singapore has run out of sand to dredge and no countries to sell it to it. As own governmentcountries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Malaysia have banned sand exports to Singapore over the years citing environmental reasons. The second method is the dutch poldera construction that consists of setting up a dam to gain land, so that the water is then pumped outside and the soil is kept dry permanently with a drainage and pumping system, so that the land created remains below sea level. Less sand is needed, but it requires sophisticated and permanent hydraulic engineering. In any case, gaining land is increasingly expensive, complex and more delicate from an environmental point of view. Polder operation diagram. Dutch Water Sector Megaprojects to gain land. It is enough to look at a satellite map of the south of the country to see geometric shapes that do not exist in nature and that are geographical proof of their projects. And more specifically, a glimpse of some of the most impressive: Pulau Tekong. The best example of a polder is this project started in 2008 and completed in September 2025 from the hand of the Dutch Deltaresinvolved the recovery of 810 hectares of land located 1.2 meters below sea level. Jurong Island It is today a petrochemical hub, an industrial estate that was born from the merger of seven islands: Pulau Merlimau, Pulau Ayer Chawan, Pulau Ayer Merbau, Pulau Seraya, Pulau Sakra, Pulau Pesek and Pulau Pesek Kecil. Long Island It is his most ambitious and futuristic project. It will join three strips of land in the east (from Marina East to Tanah Merah) to gain 20 kilometers of coastline and about 800 hectares. How to gain water. Singapore’s water strategy is an absolute global benchmark and is carried out by the National Water Agency. Its strategy is articulated around four sources of supply (its four national taps): water from the local basin, imported water, desalination and NE water (from NEWater). The idea is simple but effective: diversify supply sources as much as possible so that, no matter what happens, the city’s supply is not compromised. And that no drop of water leaves the cycle without being reused. The first two consist of the local capture of rainwater in its network of 17 reservoirs and the agreement with the State of Johor (Malaysia), which began in 1962 and expires in 2061. For desalination they use reverse osmosis through membranes and have five plants in operation. But he tap More interesting is the NEWater, capable of covering 40% of the total demand of the country. How do they do it? With a three-stage treatment consisting of microfiltration, reverse osmosis and disinfection. The resulting water is so pure that it is used for industrial and cooling purposes. Megaprojects to gain water. Although we have already outlined the main lines of Singapore’s water strategy, there are truly impressive specific projects: DTSS (the deep tunnel sewage system): is a huge underground network for wastewater management 206 km long that is centralized in three recovery plants in Changi, Kranji and Tuas. The recovered wastewater is what is then passed to NEWater. Marina Barrage. A project that serves to get an idea of ​​the Singapore mentality: it is a reservoir built in the center of the city thanks to a 350-meter dam. It combines three functions: producing drinking water, keeping possible floods at bay … Read more

Cats always land on their feet. And science has been trying to understand an inexplicable phenomenon for centuries.

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Cats are fascinating animals, also for science that, for centuries, has tried to answer the question: How do they always manage to land on their feet? Although studies have been done trying to solve itit is not known with certainty how they achieve it. A recent experiment by Japanese researchers has shed some light on this feline mystery. In a recent study published in The Anatomical Recordthe researchers took a different approach than had been followed until now. The experiment consisted of two parts, on the one hand to thoroughly analyze the flexibility of the cat’s spine and on the other to observe several cats performing this correction in the air. For the first part, they performed mechanical tests on the spinal columns of five cat corpses. In this way they measured the maximum resistance and range of motion of the spine before breaking. What they discovered was that the cats’ spine is very flexible in the upper area, where the thoracic vertebrae are, turning 360 degrees. The lumbar part is more rigid and robust. For the second part, they recorded two live cats being released at a distance of 90cm from the ground. The recordings were analyzed frame by frame and compared with the data obtained from their observations. The difference in spinal flexibility fits with what was observed in the videos: the cat turns its front paws first (your most flexible area), so first look at the ground and then adjust the rest of your body (the least flexible area). The experiment also observed an interesting detail and that is that in most tests the cats turned to the right. Specifically, the first cat turned this way every time, while the second turned to the right six of the eight times it was dropped. In case anyone is worried, the bodies were donated and to record the falls they put a cushion underneath so they wouldn’t get hurt. The falling cat problem It is a problem that arose in 1894, when French scientist Étienne-Jules Marey showed in a video that cats were able to right themselves in the air without external help. Since then there have been different hypotheses that have tried to explain the exact mechanics of this stunt. Falling cat, by Étienne-Jules Marey, 1984. Source: Wikipedia There are two main models to explain this spin in the air. The first is “tuck and turn” which proposes that cats rotate the upper and lower halves of their body executing movements at the same time and in opposite directions. The second is “legs in, legs out.” This model states that cats adjust their fall trajectory by first stretching their hind legs and then collecting them again, making a successive turn with the front and then with the back part of the trunk, so that They adopt the correct position while still in free fall. Another less supported hypothesis is the “tail-propeller” hypothesis, according to which the animal can reverse the direction of rotation of its body by moving its tail in the opposite direction, as if it worked as a propeller. However, tailless cats can also do this movement, so although it may help, it is not essential. The new study supports the “legs in, legs out” model hypothesis, but the researchers caution that the problem still cannot be considered solved and more research will be needed. The plan is to build mathematical and three-dimensional models with more data. In statements to New York TimesGreg Gbur, physicist who is an expert in falling cats (oh really), states that science has tried to simplify into “a single correct way that cats land on their feet, but nature is not concerned with simplicity.” In Xataka | Walking cats on a leash is fashionable. We have asked an expert in feline behavior and she is clear about what she thinks. Main image | Gemini, own edition

They have found the first giant lava tube under their land

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Venus can be considered Earth’s evil twin because it has overwhelming pressure, sulfuric acid clouds and temperatures on its surface capable of melt lead. However, beneath that infernal façade, the planet could hide fascinating geological secrets. The first of these secrets has already been discovered, since we have proof that there is a huge underground lava tube. More than volcanoes. This finding was published at the beginning of February in the magazine Nature confirming what planetary geologists have suspected for decades. And Venus not only has volcanoes, but it has a magmatic ‘plumbing’ system that makes those on Earth look ridiculous. The finding focuses on the Nyx Monsa massive shield volcano 362 kilometers in diameter, where researchers from the University of Trento have identified a structure that changes our understanding of Venusian volcanism. What have they seen? In short, experts have seen a kind of well or skylight that they have designated as ‘A’. But it is not a simple crack in the ground of the planet, but rather it is the entrance to an underground world. This tunnel is not exactly small, since it has a diameter of more or less 1 kilometer and leads to a cave with a minimum height of 375 meters and an extension of at least 300 meters from the entrance. Although in this case estimates suggest that it could be up to 45 km long. It’s not small. To put it in perspective: these dimensions far exceed the lava tubes that we find on the Moon, Mars or Earth. The physical reason behind this gigantism is the unique conditions of Venus: low gravity compared to Earth and its very dense atmosphere allow lava flows to create massive structures without collapsing so easily. How they have done it. To achieve this, it is not that we have recently sent a new probe, but that the Italian team has carried out a reanalysis of the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images captured by the NASA Magellan probe between 1990 and 1992. This already tells us that we should not throw away data no matter how much data we have. For decades, those images were there, waiting for processing technology and human expertise to know where to look. Until finally these researchers detected a unique asymmetric radar reflection. In this way, by analyzing how the waves bounced off the western slope of Nyx Mons, they were able to infer the existence of the underground void. A Spanish similarity. Something curious is that the authors of the study compare this training with the Green Cave in Lanzarotea terrestrial analogy that helps us understand morphology, although the Venusian version operates on a monumentally larger scale. Its importance. Until now, volcanic activity on Venus was intuited by changes in the atmosphere or surface characteristics. This discovery is the first direct evidence of an empty underground conduit, validating theories about recent and intense volcanic activity that has shaped the planet as a geological “twin” of our own. But the most interesting thing is in the future, since there are missions like VERITAS and EnVision that are about to leave our planet and that have much more modern and precise radar systems than that of the old Magellan. That is why they now have a great objective: to map the subsoil that we are beginning to know. Images | SIMON LEE Marc Szeglat In Xataka | We have been deceived by the distances of the Solar System: the closest neighbor to Neptune is Mercury

Spain has never been a land of skyscrapers. Now someone wants to build one for luxury tourists in Malaga

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Malaga is known for the Alcazaba, Gibralfaro or its Cathedral. If Hesperia and the Qatari fund Al Alfia manage to move forward with their plans, in not too long it will also be for another building, one that will also mark their skyline: the Port Tower. The project is not new (it has years on the table) and has generated considerable controversy in the city, but its promoters have just made it clear that they are not giving up: after receiving green light of the Port, the companies that are trying to move it forward have organized an event to share dates, data and investments. Their objective is to demonstrate that they are still committed to building a 144-meter tower in a country, Spain, that stands out for its little hobby by the skyscrapers. What is the Port Tower? A megaproject which has been in the offices of administrations for almost a decade and (above all) generating debate in Malaga. And the “mega” thing is more than justified in this case. At least if we pay attention to the latest data broken down by their promoters. The idea is to build a skyscraper 144 meters high, 59 meters wide and 19 meters wide at the end of the Levante dock, in the middle of the port, near the maritime station where the cruise ships dock. The tower will act as a huge hotel 382 roomsbut its promoters they insist in which it will arrive accompanied by a much more ambitious and useful infrastructure for the city that will cover, in total, 54,000 square meters. “The hotel will be located in a currently depressed area, where there is nothing, and we are going to recover that environment for the city and the citizens,” slide from Hesperia, a fundamental piece in its promotion together with the Qatari fund Al Alfia. Is more information known? Yes. Both about the hotel itself and the urban development that will accompany it. The icing on the cake will be the skyscraper: 144 meters high whose centerpiece will be accommodation focused on the high-net-worth clientele that comes to Malaga. The objective, in fact, is for it to operate as a five-star Grand Luxury hotel and be managed by an international chain (there are already interested parties). Beyond the hotel, the complex will include a 2,500 m2 auditorium, underground parking, a restaurant, a plaza and a 1.3 km boulevard with viewpoints, a bike path, green areas… The development companies in fact calculate that the complex will cover around 54,000 m2. “It is not a speculative project, it will have a return for the developer, but above all for the city because it creates many public spaces,” investors claim in The Opinion of Malaga. How much will it cost? There is talk of an investment of about 200 million eurosalthough initially the figure was quite inferior. This high amount (along with the special status of the land) explains why the promoters insist on the “transformative” and social dimension of the project and the return it will have for Malaga. The reason? To begin with because the promoters they do not rule out qualify for European funds and have support from the administrations. Before even thinking about financing, the project must nevertheless get its future cleared by the Council of Ministers, for which it is key that its public utility be demonstrated. Why is it news? The initiative is by no means new. A quick search in the newspaper archive arrives to verify that he has been chaining procedures for years, a complex path during which he even changed his star architect: the Valencian José Seguí He moved not long ago to the Londoner David Chipperfielwinner of the Pritzker Prize (the Nobel Prize for architects) in 2023. In recent weeks, however, the tower has been in the news again for two reasons. The first came in October, when the Port Authority gave the green light to the complex and allowed him to move on to the next stop in his processing: the State Ports table. There they must study it in depth before it reaches the Council of Ministers, which must rule on whether the hotel complex fits into the Levante dike. That is, whether or not it authorizes the hotel use of that space. The second reason why the tower is being talked about these days is because its promoters, Hesperia and Al Alfia, have organized an act to emphasize that they are not giving up. In fact, the quote served to explain details of the Chipperfield project and outline the schedule managed by the companies: their objective is to resolve the pending issues “in the medium term” to start the works as early as 2026. According to their estimates, the work will last about three years. Will that be possible? First, the project must overcome certain obstacles. And not all of them have to do with financing. The project needs the green light from the Council of Ministers and Óscar Puente, Minister of Transportation, since has warned that the Executive will not move until it knows the judicial resolution to the appeals presented by the Defendamos Nuestro Horizonte platform and the Academy of Fine Arts of San Telmo, critical of some aspects of the project. They are not the only ones. ICOMOS, linked to UNESCO, has warned also the landscape impact of the tower. Spain, country of skyscrapers? Although in Spain there are skyscrapers like the Crystal Towerin Madrid, of 249 m, and in Andalusia itself we find the Seville Tower (180.5 m), the truth is that our country does not exactly stand out for its large buildings. Some time ago Skyscrapercenter made a ranking with the nations with the highest number of towers that exceed 150 meters and Spain occupies 32nd place, behind other European countries, such as Germany, France or the United Kingdom. The Malaga tower is a reminder of one of the controversies generated by this type of structures: its impact on the landscape … Read more

has a new life on land as a luxury hotel

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There are people who dream of have your own boatbut their stories don’t always end as they imagined. Clyde Stires began to raise in 1987 a yacht at his California home because he couldn’t afford to buy it. He threw it into the sea seven years later, although its story had a bitter end when the Kaleidoscope was stolen in Mexico. Chris Willson bought an old cruise shiprenamed it Aurora, invested a fortune and more than ten years to turn it into a floating dream, but it was finally scrapped. Some boats accumulate effort, years and enthusiasm, but destiny is not always on the side. Among all those marine stories, one appears that has taken an unexpected direction. It is what was once considered the oldest active passenger ship in the world. It was born in 1914, the same period when shipyards were still working with rivets and before welding became popular in shipbuilding. Today it no longer travels the oceans, but it is still standing: it is stranded on a small artificial island off Bintan, in Indonesia, and has been converted into a luxury hotel known as Doulos Phos The Ship Hotel. It does not sail, but continues to receive passengers. From onion cargo ship to hotel stranded on artificial island Its history began far from tourism and any pretension of luxury. When left the shipyard in 1914his name was SS Medina and transported onions and other products along United States trade routes. Decades later, he would be recruited for World War II, performing logistical support tasks. After the conflict, it was converted into a passenger ship and adopted a diesel engine, which allowed it to extend its useful life. Later, as a mission ship and floating library, it visited more than one hundred countries and survived an attack in the Philippines in 1991. The age that made it special also left it at a disadvantage compared to modern maritime safety standards. Updating it involved changing a good part of its structure, installing new fire protection systems and adapting the cabins to current standards. It was too expensive an operation for its owner, who took it to a dry dock in Singapore, where it was waiting for offers. The most likely involved its scrapping. However, a Singaporean businessman named Eric Saw submitted the winning bid.acquired it for 900,000 euros and decided to try to give it a second life. After purchasing the boat, the new owner faced a problem that was not technical, but geographical: he had nowhere to put it. He tried to get Singapore to grant him a permanent space, but negotiations were unsuccessful. Keeping it in dry dock was expensive. and it didn’t offer a way out either. The opportunity came in Bintan Resorts, a tourist area jointly promoted by Indonesia and Singapore, where they proposed taking it as a heritage attraction. There he proposed an unusual idea: instead of keeping it afloat, permanently installing it on land, on an artificial island shaped like an anchor. Moving a 6,800-ton ship to dry land is not a common operation. First, a section of the coastline was emptied to make a provisional “channel” and allow the hull to approach the area where it would be stranded. On that land, a concrete base was prepared, anchored by piles that crossed the ground until reaching firmer layers. The movement was done with winches and enormous air cushions that acted as rollers. The initial plan contemplated a much shorter operation, but progress was slower and the maneuver ended up extending to seven weeks. Converting a century-old ship into a hotel involved completely redesigning its interiors. The old shared cabins, with bunk beds and barely any space for movement, gave way to spacious rooms with private bathrooms, air conditioning and services typical of modern accommodation. Fuel tanks were removed, bulkheads were pierced and new electricity and water networks were deployed. Today it has 93 cabins spread over several levels, including the Executive Suites, the Family Suites and the so-called Master Mariner, located on the upper deck with a terrace, outdoor jacuzzi and private dining area. Although the interior was completely transformed, the goal was not to erase its past. Key elements were preserved such as the engine room, the propeller shaft of more than 60 meters, several lifeboats and some original cabins enabled as “experience cabins”. The decks remain passable and guests can access iconic spots such as the fo’c’sle, the same space in the bow popularized by the movie Titanic. Original rivets recovered during the renovation were also incorporated into the interior decoration as a reminder that this is a 1914 boat. The project does not stand alone as a business. The investment exceeded 15 million euros and the owner maintains that his objective is not to recover that amount. He has declared that this is a conservation project and that He only earns a dollar a year in salary.. In addition, it states that the proceeds go to charitable activities. Keeping the boat, even out of the water, remains an ongoing challenge, because the rust never completely disappears. Painting and repairing the hull is an ongoing process. The owner maintains that the modifications made could be reversed, allowing, at least in theory, the ship to be returned to the sea if someone wanted it in the future. Images | Doulos Phos In Xataka | We believed that the most incredible thing about megacruises is their size. It turns out that the real miracle is their kitchens

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