peak

They are entering their “peak”

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There is a deep-rooted stereotype among older people: the image of a grumpy old personrigid or disconnected from reality. But psychology has been accumulating evidence for decades that points in just the opposite direction. Aging is not only a biological process of wear and tear, but it is also a psychological refinement process. We are wrong. science itself points it out in different studies scientific studies done in recent years. Its conclusion is forceful in this sense: the age range from 60 to 70 years represents a “peak” of emotional well-being and social competence that younger generations, paradoxically, are losing. Maturation effect. Personality is not an immovable stone. According to the theory of the Big Fivewhich has the five great personality traits, the passage of time sculpts us for the better. Longitudinal studies where they followed the same group of people for a long time were able to see that from the age of 60 is where it occurs. a positive evolution in three different areas: Awareness: they become more responsible, organized and focused. Greater emotional stability: neuroticism It drops drastically from this moment on, and the emotional storms of youth give way to a calm that is not apathy, but regulation. Kindness increases as a tendency towards cooperation and altruism is also increased. Although logically there are always totally different cases. Because. Just like when the ripe fruit It starts to taste richer, the same thing seems to happen in people due to ‘natural ripening’. It’s not just that today’s adults are different, it’s that the human brain seems programmed to prioritize stability and social cohesion as we age. Boomer advantage. It’s not just that aging improves us ‘as standard’, it’s that current cohorts are aging ‘better’ than their predecessors. In this case we are talking about the comparison of people who They were born between 1946 and 1964 and those of the silent generation. There is a big difference depending on where you were born. Recent research suggests that those born between 1940 and 1950 are entering old age with an intrinsic capacity greater than that of previous generations. This includes not only physical vitality, but greater cognitive and psychological capacity. An exhaustive study on cohort differences in the Big Five has detected that, although maturation makes us calmer, boomers They maintain higher levels of extraversion and openness to experience than their parents had at the same age. That is to say: they are older, more sociable, more curious and with greater personal agency. Young people are losing. Maybe the most counterintuitive fact of recent years comes from Sapien Labs. In its reports on the mental state of the world, the Mental State of the Worldhave identified an alarming generation gap, but this time in favor of the elderly. While the mental health of young people aged 18 to 24 has deteriorated noticeably, those over 65 remain rock-solid in this regard. An important point in this case is the relational resiliencesince before the pandemic and even more so after, those over 70 years old showed ‘Social Self’ rates much higher than those of generation z. This way, they have a stronger self-image and rely less on external validation. Less dependency. Studies focused on people over 70 years of age They report feeling less external control over their lives than they did 20 years ago. They have internalized norms of autonomy and active aging that protect them psychologically. Recent cohorts over 70 report feeling less external control over their lives than those 20 years ago. They have internalized norms of autonomy and active aging that protect them psychologically. The peak of wisdom. Finally, there is the question of wisdom. Not in the mystical sense, but as a cognitive measure of performance. The ability to integrate facts with emotional values, what psychologists call “personal wisdom,” peaks in late old age. Studies with German samples have validated that this competence is an evolutionary advantage of age: the older brain is more efficient at managing complex social and emotional conflicts, something that no youthful “fluid intelligence” can easily replicate. This is an explanation of why our elders are great advisors on many issues. Images | micheile henderson In Xataka | Sleeping on your back to avoid “sleep wrinkles” sounds great. It serves exactly the opposite

The Madrid-Barcelona AVE will reach a peak speed of 350 km/h. And it will do so thanks to new sleepers of Spanish design

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While in China they are already thinking about trains that reach 4,000 km/hIn Spain we are looking for an AVE that reaches 350 km/h that could be reached without problems if it were not for one detail: the tracks. And for something much more specific: the sleepers. The solution is a new design called “aerotraviesa” that will increase the speed of the BIRD. The problem is that theory is one thing, and practice another. a physical problem. Spain plays in the high speed major league and, in it, Renfe opera four types of trains. The Alvia and Avant reach 250 km/h. The Avlo and the AVE reach 300 km/h. However, the machines are prepared to reach higher speeds, the aforementioned 350 km/h. The problem is in physics. When a train exceeds a certain speed, 300 km/h, a phenomenon called ‘ballast flight’ occurs. This implies that the underside of the train generates turbulence that creates areas of low pressure on the track. This causes the passage of the train to vibrate the stones, the ballast, lifting them and causing them to collide against the underside of the train or settle on the tracks and sleepers themselves. Furthermore, at more than 300 km/h, the possible bumps on the journey increase. Air traverses. That’s where a new sleeper design comes into play that the company itself Adif presented a few years ago. Instead of a flat crossbar, a traditional rectangle, the central part of it has a more rounded design. Adif affirms This modifies the velocity field on the ballast in the area between the sleepers, minimizing the presence of ballast particles, and the key points are: Reduces 21% of the aerodynamic load in the space immediately above the ballast bed. The design allows increasing the distance between the ballast level and the upper face of the sleeper. It has no higher manufacturing or handling costs (they are still molds). And most importantly: the aerodynamic load generated by a train at 330 km/h on a track with current sleepers is equivalent to that generated by the same train at 370 km/h, but with aero sleepers. AV350 Plan. In short, the aerocrossers improve the aerodynamic performance of the infrastructure and there is another important fact: their use allows an increase of 12% in the operating speed of the train. And it is not just theory, since Spain wants to start installing overhead traverses to improve the speed of the AVE. A few weeks ago, Óscar Puente, Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, advertisement that the Madrid-Barcelona line will be the first to have these overhead traverses. The result? Reach the maximum speed of the original design of the infrastructure, which is 350 km/h. Currently, the AVE reaches those 300 km/h due to the physical limitations mentioned above. This will allow us to go from the two hours and 37 minutes of the AVE that currently takes the least time to less than two hours. Puente highlighted that the design of the aerocrosses is pioneer in the world. The Polytechnic University of Madrid, Adif and SENER constituted a consortium to develop this technology and obtained the patent in March 2014, achieving international protection in Europe, Saudi Arabia and the United States. There are countries that have faced the ballast problem in other ways, Germany covering the ballast with concrete, for example. Arching an eyebrow. Increasing the speed of the train by changing the sleepers sounds great. The problem is that there are some aspects to consider. On the one hand, the cost-benefit debate not only because of what the investment will mean in changing all the sleepers, but also because of the maintenance of certain train materials that will suffer more than now. Driving at 350 km/h exponentially increases the wear of both the wheels and the catenary, regardless of whether the ballast causes no damage to the train, or causes less. On the other hand, not only the sleepers come into play, but also the own land. A bump at 300 km/h can be annoying, at 350 km/h it can be something more. Or two. And, beyond whether it is worth the investment to gain half an hour or what will happen with those possible technical problems, the big question is what happens with the rest of Spain. It is estimated that the Madrid-Barcelona section in which these air crossings begin to be applied will take about two years to complete. At a rate of 800 sleepers changed per day and 1,666 sleepers per kilometer, the work is of great magnitude. And it is clear that it is a congested route and that it is seeing a boom in the number of travelers, but while that line is reinforced, the connection with other parts of the peninsula remains neglectedlike the train to Soria, Teruel or the perennial case of Extremadura. Images | Xataka, Adif In Xataka | AVLO’s departure from Madrid-Barcelona seemed like another problem for Renfe. He has left us an unexpected winner

From 27 to 36 years old the brain reaches its peak, then everything is downhill

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Concentration is a key skill in our daily lives, influencing how we learn, work, and perform important tasks. Without concentration, errors follow one another and the execution time multiplies. Recent studies have sought to determine at what point in our lives we reach the higher level of care and mental efficiency, a fact that may be very surprising to those who believe that young people are the most concentrated by nature. This information is also important to know what happens after that stage and how we can maintain or improve our ability to concentrate with appropriate exercises and habits. The zenith of concentration A meta-analysis A comprehensive study of 139 studies conducted by researchers from different departments at Hangzhou Normal University found that you can never be as focused as you are between the ages of 27 and 36. According to researchers, attention and memory capacity draws a Gaussian bell marking its peak between 27 and 36 years of age. During this age group, the brain achieves its greatest efficiency in sustained attention and executive skills, surpassing even those of young people as young as 20. From the age of 36, cognitive abilities related to concentration begin to deteriorate little by little, affecting processing speed and working memory. This decline is natural, but progressive, which does not imply that this capacity is lost drastically in a short period of time, the brain simply needs more care and strategies to maintain its optimal performance over time. Train body and mind Although concentration declines as maturity is reached, studies carried out at the Autonomous University of Madrid have revealed physical changes in the cerebral cortex after a cognitive training program based on memory and attention tests. The participants showed an increase in cortical thickness in regions linked to concentration control, suggesting that, with adapted exercises, the brain can develop and strengthen these abilities at any age. Maintain a mental exercise routinepromoting mindfulness and controlling distractions are key to prolonging states of concentration. Constant practice of tasks that require attention and organization techniques They are tools that help keep the brain active and alert. Furthermore, there is scientific evidence about the impact of regular physical exercise in cognitive processes, including attention and concentration, thanks to the increase in cerebral blood flow and the activation of brain regions involved in these functions. The scientific literature agrees that moderate physical activity and enriched environments promote neurogenesis and improve concentration markers. Habits that improve concentration To strengthen concentration and prevent the brain from wandering easily, it is essential to train the mind with specific exercises and adopt effective habits. According the statements By Estanislao Bachrach, a molecular biologist specialized in the relationship between the brain and human behavior, one of the most recommended exercises is daily meditation, which helps reduce stress and improve memory. The excess of distracting elements, such as cell phones or environmental noise, makes it difficult to achieve a state of attention and concentration sustained over time. multitasking He’s not a great ally either. to maintain focus, since with each task change the brain must relocate to the new task, something that takes it out of this “flow” state which Mihály Csíkszentmihályi talked about in his book ‘Flow‘. Finally, motivation plays a crucial role: when a task does not interest us or we feel anxious, nervous or overwhelmed, concentrating becomes more difficult. In Xataka | How to regain the concentration that social networks and multitasking have taken from us Image | Unsplash (Jonathan Borba)

The links lived their peak with the Google search engine. Now that same search engine is killing them

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Google’s results page was an ode to web links. It was the ultimate expression of That basic information unit That was the Internet cement. Now that cement is getting rid before our eyes, and the fault is an AI that is transforming everythingincluding the famous search engine. That is bringing many consequences. The funny thing is that Google has been with contradictory speeches that on the one hand they seem to make it clear that everything is going well and that on the other they point to a potential problem. Where I said, I say Diego Liz Reid, the head of the Google search engine, He published an article In early August in Google’s official blog. According to her, the click volume generated from the search engine had remained “relatively stable” Regarding the same period last year. In May Nick Fox, another Google manager, explained In the podcast ai inside that “from our point of view, the web is thriving.” The same then claimed Pichai, CEO of Google, which In an interview In Decoder he indicated that the search engine “is definitely sending traffic to a wide variety of sources and editorial groups.” John Mueller, another of the company’s managers, He stood out that the clicks that generated the summaries of the “AI Overviews” of Google were “of higher quality” despite the fact that the studies confirmed that the average traffic on websites had fallen about 35%. However Some documents Recently obtained thanks to the US antitrust trial against Google they have revealed another reality. In them the company admitted that “The open web is rapid decline” That first statement against Google’s traditional speech that “everything is going well” with the web was seen these days accompanied by another equally worrying. The Penske Media editorial group – magazine editor like Rolling Stone or Variety— has sued to Google precisely for using AI summaries on the results page. These summaries collect information from various media and then present it to users directly as the answer to their question. And in doing so, they allege in demand, users They do not see the need to go to the original source. The creator of the content, therefore, runs out of traffic and unable to monetize it, especially through advertising. In The Wall Street Journal They quoted The words of José Castañeda, spokesman for Google, who responded to the demand stating that «with AI Overviews, users find the most useful search and use it more, which creates new opportunities to discover content. Every day, Google sends billions of clicks to websites from the entire network, and ai overViews send traffic to a greater diversity of sites. We will defend ourselves against these unfounded accusations. “ However, Markham Erickson, one of Google’s managers in legal material, explained that what is happening is that people are changing their way of looking for information: “The 10 blue bonds serve the ecosystem very well, and it was a simple value proposal (…). We are not going to leave that model. We believe that model has its usefulness. It remains an important part of the ecosystem. But user preferences and what they want are also changing. So, instead of answers based on facts and 10 blue links, They want more and more contextual responses and summaries. We want to be able to offer that too, while leading people to valuable content on the Internet. ” Online media, in danger A study by Press Gazette has revealed the evolution of web traffic that the 50 main media between August 2024 and August 2025 have had. Of all those media, Only five managed to grow in traffic From one year to another. The rest has fallen, and in some cases extraordinary: Source: Sherwood News graph with ados by Press Gazette. In that worrying classification you can see how even media such as The New York Times have lost 7%of its traffic, but the thing is much worse for CNN (38%less), The Washington Post (40%), use today (34%) or Forbes (50%). The falls, coming from a statistical analysis of Similar Web, are terrible and show a clear reality: that the traffic that Google previously came thanks to the links is being lost. And it is being lost because of the simple reason that the Google search engine is displacing the links to the background. The traditional results page is no longer full of links, and instead The first thing that one usually see is a summary generated by AI in which Google collects information and then condensate it and give it chew to the user. Of the search engine that gives you links to which he talks with you Things seem clear to Google, which first offered the AI ​​overViews generated with AI and that is gradually expanding the deployment of Ai mode, his “search engine in conversational mode” which is basically a perplexity or a chatgpt Search. Logan Kilpatrick, head of Google Ai Studio and Gemini’s API, indicated how the new AI Mode already has a new URL (Google.com/ai), although said conversational search engine does not work at the moment in all regions. In Spain it is not available, for example, but the simple use of a VPN allows you to use it without problems. A verified x user called Burkov replied saying that this mode of ia should be the default search engine, to which Kilpatrick replied With a simple “soon :)”. Two days later, yes, clarified That answer pointing out that “I was not saying that AI Mode will replace the main search engine.” Another Google manager too He wanted to clarify that Kilpatrick’s response wanted to say that they would soon be available to those who wanted to use it. As they explained In Search Engine Landthat AI Mode becomes the Google default search engine implies great changes in the way the contents were located. Before SEO allowed trying to position these contents, but now we will be at the expense of an AI system that will … Read more

Better not wait for the August 12 peak

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If the Perseids are the Rain of fleeting stars More popular in the northern hemisphere is for something. They appear in full summer, when the skies are clear, the nights are more pleasant and many are on vacation. But this year they have a problem. Luna almost full at the worst moment. In 2025, the Perseidas Activity Peak The night will take place from August 12 to 13. As every year, it is the moment in which we should see the most meteor. But this time, the Perseids will share the stage with an guest star that nobody wants on an astronomical observation night: a large and brilliant moon. According to the August lunar calendar, the full moon will come on day 9. This means that for the night of 12, our satellite It will be in the diminishing phase gibosa90%illuminated. Although we move away from the cities, the natural light pollution of the moon will complicate the visibility of the weakest meteors. Only the most spectacular and bright cars will stand out in heaven. When to see the Perseids. According to him National Geographic Institutethe moment with the greatest abundance of meteoros will occur on August 12 just after the sunset, around 22:00. The moon will appear on the horizon approximately an hour later, so we will have a very scarce margin to accustom the eyes to the dark and enjoy the hunt for perseiders. Our advice to have a more relaxed and lasting experience: not wait until then. The Perseids or tears of San Lorenzo They are active from July 17 to August 24, so this weekend we can see them burning in the night sky. And the growing moon will be hidden soon through the west, leaving a night with a perfect dark sky for observation. How to locate them in heaven. Whether you decide to get ahead and if you prefer to wait, the first thing is get away from the city’s lights: Go to a beach, the field or the mountain, especially if it is “in the shadow” of the moon. The less light pollutionmore stars and persistent you can see. The most popular meteor rain of the summer owes its name to the constellation of Perseus, but the most effective way to see them is not to look for the constellation on the map, but to stare at the darkest part of the sky (care with the neck, better to be lying) because they can appear anywhere, provided there are no clouds, and the greatest possible field of vision will be good for you. Your eyes need between 15 and 20 minutes to adapt to total darkness, so it is best to avoid using the mobile. Anyway, perseiders are so fast that it is difficult to take pictures. A time-lapse or video are safer options. For the same reason, it is not worth using telescopes or prismatic. Image | Giles Laurent (CC by-SA 4.0) In Xataka | Emptied Spain is an ideal place to see the Perseids: we have some ways to find the ideal place

China’s “Peak Oil”

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In the middle of the war escalation between Iran and Israel, a scene attracted all global attention: China ordered his oil tankers Leave the Ormuz Strait, the artery where a fifth of global oil travels. It was a cautious reaction, yes, but revealing. More than 80% of the Iranian crude is destined for Chinese refineries, and yet Beijing opted for diplomatic silence rather than confrontation. The urgent yielded to the strategic. And maybe there is the true story. Because while moving away from tensions in the Middle East, China is approaching – step to a pace – to an energy milestone that reconfigures the global board: its oil demand is about to reach the peak. Or maybe he has already done it. From global leader to consumer in pause. For more than two decades, China promoted a good part of the global oil growth. From YOUR INCOME TO THE WTO In 2001, each stretch of highway built, each inaugurated refinery, each expanded city or megaproject launched added pressure on the world’s world demand. According to the Financial TimesChina has been responsible for more than 50 % of the increase in global demand since 2000. Its economic expansion was also an energy expansion. However, that trajectory begins to be invested. The International Energy Agency estimates that the demand peak It will be reached in 2027while key actors in the sector in China advance it considerably: Sinopec foresee which could happen before 2027 and CNPC claims that it has already surpassed in 2023. An accelerated paradigm shift. China’s energy turn does not occur in a vacuum. It is part of a much deeper technological, social and economic transformation, which manifests itself at all levels of daily life. Just see how tourist videos have been viralized by paying with the palm of the hand In supermarkets either Metro stations. What until recently seemed science fiction, in China it is already routine. That same vertiginous rhythm is happening in the energy system. On the one hand, an internal technological revolution: electric vehicles, heavy transport electrification, trucks that work with natural gas and high -speed trains. On the other, a structural change: the real estate crisis has reduced the demand for heavy machinery, construction materials and petrochemicals, sectors historically linked to oil consumption. The consequence is clear. Crude imports fell in 2024 for the first time in two decades – exchanging the pandemic -, According to Financial Times data. An unequivocal sign that oil is ceasing to be the growth engine that was for more than 20 years. But there is a production record. Paradoxically, China is producing more oil than ever. In March 2025, it reached a historical maximum: 4.6 million barrels per day, According to Global Times. Besides, He has just completed The drilling of the deepest vertical oil well in Asia, with 10,910 meters deep. Contradiction? Not exactly, since China drills when there is need. The point is that 72% of the oil it consumes is imported. For Beijing, that dependence is a weakness. Therefore, for years, more than 80,000 million dollars investigate annually to revitalize old deposits. The objective is not to grow without brake, but to guarantee a stable domestic supply. CNOOC has assured in Reuters Having reached a replacement ratio of 167%reserves, which allows to maintain internal production for at least a decade. In other words, less oil to consume, but more own oil to control. The end of an era. According to Bloomberg analystsis finishing the oil supercycle that defined the markets for more than 20 years. As China decoupled from intensive raw growth, pressure on OPEC, large oil companies and exporting countries – as Saudi Arabia, Iraq or Russia – becomes stronger and louder. Morgan Stanley lo has clearly summarized for the Financial Times: “The world we knew, where oil rose every time China grew, is disappearing.” To begin: an electro -speaking. China is not only slowing its crude oil consumption, it is building an economy driven by electrons. Since Xi Jinping assumed power in 2013, the country launched a “Energy Revolution” based on electrification, technological innovation and energy sovereignty. Today, 10% of your GDP It is linked To clean industries: electric vehicles, batteries, solar panels, intelligent networks, wind turbines. Today, the Asian giant is the world’s largest producer of electric cars, and its two great champions —Byd and Catl – reinvote about 5% of their revenues in R&D. Also, like have detailed in Bloomberghas already deployed 40 tension ultraalt transmission lines, which connect the mega west solar plants with the east industrial centers. The country plans to invest another 800,000 million dollars in the next five years to consolidate its electricity network. The goal? Reduce oil dependence without compromising growth. After the peak. With China outside the center of demand, India and other emerging countries will absorb part of the growth, but without reaching the scale of the Asian giant. According to the IEAthe global oil demand will reach its maximum in 2029, but without China, the market will lose its main engine. “Even if other economies continue to grow, the Chinese decrease marks the beginning of a structural decline in world demand for crude oil,” He explained Ciaran Healy, an IEA analyst. While their ships turn around in Ormuz, their economy accelerates in another direction. Not towards a price war. But towards a model where power is not measured only by fossil reserves, but by transformation capacity. The oil era does not end, but its dominant role in the world economic model is retreating. The rules of the game are changing. Image | Unspash Xataka | The hope against the increasingly extreme heat waves comes from China: a material that lowers the temperature automatically

get on a peak and lower it skiing

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The common of mortals we settle for spending the Holy Holidays trying to catch the first spring sun rays In some Mediterranean beach, In the Canary Islands Or, the most selfless, enjoying the tranquility of empty cities. However, when Mark Zuckerberg and you have the Third Major Fortuna in the Worldplans for those party days They are much more ambitious. The Founder of Meta has thrown of economic power Sent to its fleet of two superyates of 330 million dollars to make a journey of 8,500 km, just so that Mark Zuckerberg can lower skiing the slope of a mountain. Ski Vacation to another level. According to The published by LuxurylaunchesMark Zuckerberg has shown again his adventurous spirit organizing a Holy Week vacation in style, in which skiing was going to be the main ingredient. Therefore, he has sent his surgeate fleet valued at 330 million dollars to Norway. He Launchpad And its support boat, the Wingman, have had to travel a distance of about 8,500 km bordering the Arctic Circle to anchor in the Norwegian waters and wait for the Zuckerberg family there. The Plan: Practice Heliesquí or, in other words, climb by helicopter to the top of a mountain and Lower it skiing. To ski by boat. Although it may sound strange, expensive and extremely polluting, Mark Zuckerberg has its reasons for such deployment, as published the Swedish media NRK . THE LAUNCHPAD, A SUPPLY valued at 300 million dollars And with 118 meters of length, it served as a floating lijo residence for the millionaire, while the Wingmana support ship valued at 30 million dollars, made the support and heliport functions for the helicopter that would accompany them throughout the journey. During this vacation, Zuckerberg has taken full advantage of the possibilities offered by his fleet. Anchored in the Norwegian fjords, one of the more impressive landscapes And little traveled from the planet, the tycoon has deployed his helicopter since the helipad of his superyte to practice Heliesquí in the Norwegian mountains. Heliesquí with trick. As its name already indicates, this discipline consists of climbing a helicopter mountain and Descend skiing By pending virgin snow, an experience reserved only for the most adventurers and, in this case, for those who can afford such logistics deployment. Heliesquí’s practice requires special landing permits for the helicopter and, given the strict environmental measures in the areathey are not very supportive to give them for tourist reasons, as confirmed by NRK Børre Johansen, mayor of Hamarøy a population of northern Norway. However, Zuckerberg has found an ingenious solution: he does not need permits if the helicopter lands directly on his yacht and does not touch the mainland. Thanks to this legal lagoon, the billionaire has been able to descend down the slopes of the Norwegian mountains without bureaucratic restrictions, using the helipad of its yacht as the basis of operations to reach peaks in Norway or even cross to Sweden, skiing by unattainable slopes for most skiers and returning to their luxurious boat, everything without having to ask for authorization from the local authorities. Long distance fleet. It is not the first time that Mark Zuckerberg displays his fleet thousands of kilometers away from his base in San Francisco just to enjoy a luxury getaway. In 2024, the Launchpad navigated more than 7,700 kilometers From San Francisco to Tahitiwhere he remained anchored for more than two months waiting for the arrival of its owner. On that occasion, Zuckerberg never appeared, but the fleet was ready to receive it whenever. As indicated by the Navigation data provided by Marinetraffic, the Launchpad It is still in Longyearbyen, one of the most northern inhabited populations on the planet located in the Svalbard archipelago, famous for the “Apocalypse vault“ In Xataka | The difficult thing has not been to build a yacht of 80 meters and 200 million dollars. It has been to take it to the sea without destroying it Image | Feadship, goal

Thus looked at its peak before the arrival of Hernán Cortés

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Mexico City is one of the most populated cities in the world, also one of the most stuck cities in the world. There were no roads ago, but channels: an intricate network that were the Tlatelolco and Tenochtitlan arteries. The two Mexican cities used to browse themselves culturally and trade until they joined in one. Thus, Tenochtitlán was one of the more powerful and large cities From its time, with a very careful structure of neighborhoods, the aforementioned channel system and a network of channels and bridges that connected the different parts of the city. For 1518, less than 200 years after its foundation, Tenochtitlan was an imposing metropolis. The big question is … What was Tenochtitlan at its peak? It is a question with a complex answer, but the good news is that there are some maps that allow us to get an idea. After the occasional artistic representation of the city, the best portrait of Mexico-Tenochtitlán of that 1518 is that prepared by Thomas Kole. Tenochtitlan in all his glory Kole is a 3D artist who, together with a fortnight of collaborators and numerous sources, They rebuilt The Mexican city in its time of splendor. All the images of this article are Kole’s work. There are also a series of aerial photographs, taken with Dron by Andrés Semo García, which allow to compare more clearly of Mexico City with the former Tenochtitlan. 3D recreation of Thomas Kole Tenochtitlan was, above all, a masterpiece of engineering and hydraulic. We have already commented that the channels were the arteries of the city, and it is not for less because they allowed not only the transport of people, but also of goods. Through Canoas that had great maneuverabilitythey could transport food and objects, but the port was also a cultural center where merchants from different regions met. Apart from the channels, they developed an advanced water management system with aqueducts that supplied fresh water to any point in the city. The main one was that of Chapultepec, with a double pipe system that distributed water more efficiently. In an engineering display, they also had the Chinampasfloating gardens or orchards to maximize agricultural production. The Mexica was a highly stratified society in which the different social steps were very clear. It was very similar to other civilizations and, comparing with one that catches us close in Europe, we could relate them to the feudal system. 3D recreation of Thomas Kole The elite was made up of a high class in charge of administering the empire, a nobility with religious and military positions, and the merchants, who occupied a privileged place for their strategic role. 3D recreation of Thomas Kole Then there was the ‘common’ class with farmers, warriors or artisans and, above, the Huey Tlatoani, the cusp of the pyramid. He was the greatest ruling both military and religious. Moctezuma was one of them, without going any further. Moctezuma II … too. Of the peak to the fall In its maximum splendor, Tenochtlitlán had about 200,000 inhabitants. To put it in perspective, Paris He had about 150,000 inhabitants at that time, London about 60,000 and Rome just 50,000. Bad example of Rome, since they were recovering at that time, but hey, the point is that the Mexican city was much larger than the European cities of the time. 3D recreation of Thomas Kole Photograph by Andrés Semo García (Semodron) Three years after that splendor … Hernán Cortés arrived. The Spanish conquering troops, with the native help that was under the yoke of the Mexicans, took Tenochtlitlán. The centuries passed, the old Mexican culture and rites were buried and, from the ruins of the great Mexican city, today’s city emerged. 3D recreation of Thomas Kole Photograph by Andrés Semo García (Semodron) As Kole points out, and as can be seen in the city, after the Spanish conquest there was little left of that Mexican past. From time to time They discover channel remains and other archaeological vestiges, but the best way to take a look at how the great Tenochtlitlán could be through works such as this artist. 3D recreation of Thomas Kole Not even the same zone | Photograph by Andrés Semo García (Semodron) Also thanks to the photographs with drone about which Kole imagined the Mexican city and allows us to see that some of the current great avenues could be in the past some of the most important channels in the city. The lake was dried and the city, which was once great and is now huge, has gained ground to nature in a surprising way. In this article we have left some of the most shocking images, but to better appreciate Kole’s work with more direct comparisons, we recommend visiting its website on This link. Images | Tenochtitlán portrait In Xataka | Everyone knows Teotihuacán, and it turns out that in another inhospitable area of ​​Mexico there were hidden pyramids

The price of housing in Spain is already higher than in the bubble peak. But the data has a small trick

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That Spain has A problem With housing it is no novelty. Even so, it is interesting to find data that specifies to what extent it has been complicated to access a house in this country. The Property Registrars they just disseminated one that results especially valuable And it shows that those who want to buy an apartment today meet the highest prices of the historical series, even above those of the 2007 real estate bubble. However, it is convenient to handle those figures with perspective. Prices above 2007. The real estate market is in full Price climbing. That also does not suppose any surprise and can be seen in the ascending curves that have been showing for a long time graphics like those of the idealistic portal. This week the College of Registrars published A report That leaves an extra, more interesting reading. The sustained price increase has led to the average housing price has reached in Spain “A new historical maximum”overcoming the values ​​that were handled in 2007, before the real estate bubble. According to the data collected by the registrars, the average cost during the last quarter of 2024 stood at € 2,164/m2. Table of the study of registrars on the evolution of the price of housing. Going down to detail. The dossier It allows to delve even more and check for example how the new and ‘second -hand’ housing housing market is responding, which has accumulated from afar the largest volume of sale operations. In fact, almost 637,000 transactions Scored by the professional body throughout 2024, just over 505,000 were starring used properties, 6.4% more than the previous year. The new house left ‘Solo’ 132,000 sale, although that data reflects a considerable increase with respect to 2023, of 21.6%. As for prices, at the end of 2024 the square meter of the release was charged on average to 2,338 euroswhile that of the already used properties was quoted at 2,133. In the first case the price exceeds that it was handled between 2006 and 2007, before the brick bubble exploded. The same does not happen with the second -hand housing, which although it has been more expensive, it would still continue slightly below of those prestisis values. Prices with small print. The study of registrars of Spain effectively shows an average price of housing in historical maximums, above of the 2007 level, but the big question is … does that mean that the houses are more uninquerable today than before the real estate bubble? To answer that question, you have to take into account the difference between the nominal valuesthat measure the current prices of each moment (in this case 2024) and The real onesin which the effect of inflation is taken into account. A few days ago, after the publication of the registrars dossier, Doctor of Economics Daniel Fuentes He warned in x which shows nominal prices, with which the comparison between 2007 and 2024 has 17 years apart. And its inflation. The nuance does not remain value to the report data, but it should be taken into account if comparisons are made with the prices prior to the 2007 brick crisis. Click on the image to go to Tweet. More perspectives. In fact, registrars are not the only ones who have published more or less updated information on Spanish real estate market prices. In April 2024 the Bank of Spain launched A report in which it clearly reflected the differences between nominal and real values. According to their calculations, in 2023 the average housing prices had been recovered since 2014 with a nominal revaluation of 56%; But in terms of real revaluation that rise was much lower, of 30%. What does that mean? That in the first case the prices of 2023 were about to exceed those of 2007 (they were 2% below); But in the second, taking into account the real values, the average of 2023 was still 28.5% lower at 2007. The indicator Tinsa Imie (monthly real estate market index) December It also shows that, although the values ​​have grown clearly, the general indicator It is still below of the scored in 2007. Graph of the Annual Report of 2023 on the housing market in Spain. Graph of the Bank of Spain on the evolution of the price of nominal and real housing. Evolution of the price of housing in Spain reflected in the October October report. Different situations. That current prices approach or exceed those of 2006 and 2007 also mean that the current scenario is the same as that of the years prior to the brick crisis. “The demand after the bubble was speculative, the one now is demographic,” says Fuentes In your tweet. During A talk with The country Santiago Carbó, Professor of Economic Analysis, also ruled out a crisis similar to that of the bubble. The reason: the great current challenge of Spain is the mismatch between supply and demand, rather than indebtedness, as was the case then. The problem, Carbó aboundsis that finding affordable housing becomes “increasingly difficult” and it will be difficult for the measures taken by the Government to let their effects feel this year or even the next one. “The incorporation of thousands of floors to the market would be needed to relieve this tension, and that requires years.” Is there more? Yeah. The study of the registrars allows to know three other factors equally interesting: the differences between regions, the number of signed mortgages and the weight of foreign buyers. With regard to the first issue, that of the lags between communities, the report shows that disparate realities coexist in the Spanish market. For example, while Madrid led the cost of the house, with € 3,780/m2, in Castilla-La Mancha and Extremadura that average did not even reach the € 1,000 barrier. The weight of the foreign buyer … and the banks. The report also shows that the vast majority of purchases are made with bank financing. Throughout the last quarter of 2024, 124,000 … Read more

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