reason

There’s a reason you stop to pet any cat you pass on the street (and it says a lot more about you than you think).

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There’s something that happens to me every time I walk down the street and pass a cat. It doesn’t matter if you’re perched on a wall, looking out of a window, or just sitting on the sidewalk watching the world go by. Arrest. Greetings. I extend my hand slowly, wait to see if it comes closer, and if it does, I pet it. It is not a conscious decision: it is automatic. It also happens to me with dogs or any other animal that crosses my path. For a long time I thought it was just a personal quirk. But it turns out not. Psychology and neuroscience have been studying exactly that gesture for years—that almost uncontrollable impulse to seek contact with a cat—and what they have found says much more about who we are than what appears at first glance. The first thing to understand is that in this bond, the cat has the last word. It’s not like petting a dog, which usually comes alone and enthusiastically. Cats are selective, unpredictable and much less invasive in their displays of affection. Therefore, what science says about this exchange has a particular complexity. a study, collected by Science Alert measured the hormone levels of owners and cats during 15-minute sessions of physical contact at home. The results were eloquent: when contact was relaxed—stroking, gentle hugs, rocking—oxytocin levels rose in both people and animals. But there was an indispensable condition: the interaction could not be forced. Cats had to be able to walk away if they wanted to.. “The hormone flows when the cat feels safe and comfortable,” the study authors wrote. What would happen when that condition was not met was just as revealing. According to Vice owners who tried to hug cats that didn’t want to be hugged saw their oxytocin levels drop, not rise. And the same would happen in the animal. The forced hug does not activate love: it turns it off. There is something deeply human in that. Oxytocin, cortisol and a 150 hertz purr Oxytocin is the hormone that scientists call “love” or “bonding.” It is the same one that is triggered when we hug someone we love, when a mother sees her newborn child, when there is real trust between two people. That it also appears in contact with a cat—and that it appears in the cat as well—is not a minor fact. The connection with animals and the increase in oxytocin is not new in scientific research. A review published in Frontiers in Psychology in 2012 already documented that interaction with animals produced measurable increases in oxytocin and reductions in cortisol, the hormone associated with stress. But studies on cats in particular came later and with important nuances. Researchers in Japan published in MDPI Animals an experiment with 32 cat owners: those who freely interacted with their animals showed significant hormonal changes compared to non-contact rest periods. A 2002 study already documented that the increase in oxytocin generated by gentle contact with cats helped reduce cortisol and, consequently, blood pressure and even the perception of pain. It is one of the works collected by Laura Elin Pigott, professor of Neuroscience at London South Bank University, in his analysis published in The Conversation. But there is a third player in this equation that is often overlooked: the purr. According to a synthesis of research collected by PetShun the frequency of a cat’s purr—which ranges wildly between 25 and 150 hertz—falls within what specialists call the “biomechanical stimulation range.” It is literally the same range of frequencies used in clinical vibration therapy to promote tissue repair and bone density. Some studies suggest that Listening to that sound can reduce cortisol levels by 10% to 20% in just 15 minutes of exposure. It’s not magic or intuition new age. It is physics and biochemistry. With a dog the bond is automatic. With a cat, you have to earn it But not all animals produce this effect in the same way. And understanding that difference is key to understanding what it says about you that you are looking for cats. In a 2016 experiment, scientists measured oxytocin in pets and their owners before and after ten minutes of play. The dogs saw an average 57% increase in their oxytocin levels. Cats, just 12%. The difference, according to researchers collected by Science Alertdoes not reflect feline coldness but rather evolutionary history: dogs were domesticated for millions of years for constant visual contact and dependence on humans. Cats, no. That’s why they reserve that hormonal surge—and that confidence—for the moments when they feel truly safe. In other words: with a dog, the emotional bond is almost automatic. With a cat, you have to earn it. And that completely changes what it says about the person looking for it. What stopping on the street to greet a cat says about you A study from Nottingham Trent University, published in PLOS ONE by Lauren Finka and her team with a sample of more than 3,300 cat owners, found something that at first seems striking: certain personality traits observed in the owners also appeared in their cats. The researchers’ hypothesis is that cats could be reflecting, in part, the personalities of those who care for them. It is not a minor fact: it suggests that the relationship is not one-way and that the human-feline bond is so real that it leaves a mark on both. On the other hand, research on people who prefer the company of cats consistently points to certain shared traits. a study published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications analyzed 319 young adult cat owners and found that pet attachment was positively correlated with empathy, emotional regulation, and perceived social support. In other words, Those who build a solid bond with their cat tend to also have greater empathic capacity in their human relationships. This finding connect with what Faunalyticsan organization that synthesizes research on the human-animal bond, has documented: people who live with companion animals are … Read more

For some reason that no one can fully decipher, Madrid has insisted on having the largest Ferris wheel in the world.

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The Ain Dubai It is a 250 meter high Ferris wheel located in the Bluewaters Islandin the United Arab Emirates (UAE), making it the biggest of the planet. At least his kind. For reference, the famous London Eye around 135 m. However, the reign of meganoria Dubai might not last long. A group of Spanish investors has proposed to build a similar structure of 260 m, a unique piece that would redefine the skyline of the city. They have even given it a name: Panorama Tower. The most curious thing is not the project itself, but Madrid’s determination to carry it out against all odds. A meganoria in Madrid? That’s how it is. And if you have followed the Madrid chronicle of the last five years you will know that it is not exactly a new project. Its origins can date back to at least March 2020, when the then vice mayor Begoña Villacís wakefulness that the City Council was working to provide Madrid with the largest Ferris wheel in Europe. Although Villacís came to meet with a company interested in the project, the pandemic and the political changes (the leader was part of C’s, a group that was left out of the Consistory in 2023) made the meganoria would stay in the drawer. Since then the topic has warmed the political debate and there has even been talk of different locations for the structure, including Madrid Rio and the park Tender Galvanalthough without becoming a priority real. Click on the image to go to the tweet. What has changed? That the project seems to have gained oxygen. That is what follows from an exclusive published a few days ago by The World in which a few news about the future Panorama Tower are revealed. According to the newspaper, the project has the support of the organization Madrid Business Forum and it seems to have aroused the interest of an investment group with Spanish capital that, although it has chosen to remain anonymous, would be willing to provide funds to raise the wheel. It is not a minor detail if you take into account that The World talks about the investment being around 300 million. Is it the only new thing? No. In fact the above is not even the most important thing. The real novelty is that the meganoria has found a new horizon. Although in recent months the debate had focused on its possible location in the Tierno Galván park, now its promoters are looking towards another area of ​​the city: the future development of Madrid New North. To be more precise, the focus is on a municipal plot which houses the EMT garages and is not far from the ‘Four Towers’ from Madrid. Is it that important? Yes. That the promoters are now betting on Madrid Nuevo Norte is important for several reasons. First, because of what it would represent for this new urban development in Madrid, which aspires to become one of the great financial, technological and business centers of Europe. Second, because, if Torre Panorama finally goes ahead and the meganoria becomes a new tourist icon, it would help decongest the center. What about the previous location? The choice of Madrid Nuevo Norte would also mean giving up the Tierno Galván park, a location that was controversial because the rejection of the residents of Arganzuela to the project. In fact, they came together 15,000 signatures against the meganoria. At the moment the Consistory only has recognized that it is “open to studying the technical feasibility” of a ferris wheel, although it has not yet received any “formal” proposal. Regarding the possibility of building it on the plot that the EMT once used, remembered that its use is “endowable”, so it “could be used” for that purpose. Do we know anything else? Yes. Beyond its size or location, one of the details that most attracts attention about the project is the effort that its promoters are putting into moving it forward. Even rethinking locations. In 2020, when it was talked about for the first time On the subject, Madrid Río was targeted. It even slipped that the idea had attracted to the firm Circular View, which had previously tried without success to promote a similar structure in Valencia. Years later the focus shifted to Tierno Galván. The location actually rang so loudly that in August 2024 The City Council even hired a geotechnical study to clarify whether the park has the necessary characteristics to accommodate a structure of that caliber. Its results were revealed a few months ago, in march. And although the change in location has caused them to lose interest, they help us understand the dimensions of the Ferris wheel much better. And what will it be like? According to the information collected in that study, replicated a few days ago The Worldthe Ferris wheel would measure up to 260.4 m high, the equivalent of a 62-story floor. With such a size it would easily surpass the Crystal Tower (249 m) and would become the tallest building from Madrid and Spain. It would also far surpass the Ain Dubai. The construction would sit on an area of ​​800 m2 and, instead of having the traditional structure of the London Eye or Ain, it would rise as a “ferris wheel tower”, with shops, commercial areas, leisure spaces and a panoramic viewpoint. The objective: to provide Madrid with its own ‘Eiffel Tower’. Images | Madrid City Council and Wikipedia In Xataka | Madrid has turned Manzanares into a new tourist attraction with LEDs. The neighbors have something to say

The Steam Deck OLED went on the market for 569 euros. Three years later it costs 35% more for an obvious reason

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Since the Steam Deck is in stores, we are witnessing the most hardware era from Valve in many years. And of course, entering this swamp has its pluses and minuses. After months of irregular availability, Valve’s portable console is returning to the shelves. The problem is that it has done so with a considerable price increase: more than 40% in both models. It is another example that today, being an early adopter pays off. what has happened. Valve has updated the prices of the Steam Deck OLEDits only range since it retired the LCD model half a year ago. The 512 GB model goes from 569 to 779 euros, while the 1 TB model goes up from 679 to 919 euros. They are 210 and 240 euros more expensive, respectively. In the United States the rise is even more prominent, increasing its cost by more than 40%. If there is any good news that we can get from this, it is that both models are once again available to buy on Steam after a long season of intermittent stock. Valve’s justification. The company has in a brief official statement that “these new prices reflect the current state of component costs and other global logistics challenges across the industry.” That is, you pay more for exactly the same device that existed a few months ago. The real culprit: RAM. Behind all this is rising memory prices. The cost of RAM has skyrocketed in recent months due to the enormous demand from large technology companies, which They are building data centers for their artificial intelligence projects at a frenetic pace. This has led to widespread memory and storage shortages affecting the entire industry. It is not an isolated case. Valve is the latest manufacturer to join a worrying trend. nintendo recently announced a price increase for the Switch 2citing precisely the “recent rebound in the prices of memory and other components.” sony It has also gone through several climbs price since the release of PS5 and Microsoft He has also done the same with Xbox Series on more than one occasion. The outlook, in general, is complicated. And it is that according to Circana datathe average price of new hardware in the United States has gone from $235 in November 2019 to $439 in November 2025. That the 1 TB Steam Deck now costs more than a PS5 Pro It’s pretty crazy. What this changes. The Steam Deck was born as a clever cheap gateway to the portable gaming PC, an alternative that has even ended casting doubt on the future viability of gaming on Windows. With this increase, it is no longer that economical option, especially since there is no longer an LCD model. And now, with the most expensive base model, the Nintendo Switch 2 curiously becomes the cheapest alternative for those looking for a portable console, despite its recent price increase and all. And now what. After the rise, now what everyone wants to know is what will happen to the price of the Steam Machine and the Steam Framehardware that Valve intends to launch this year. The company finds itself in a complicated situation in this regard, especially in a context of supply problems. At the time, those responsible for the console they said that it would cost something “more in line with what could be expected from the current PC market.” Given what we have seen with the Steam Deck, now we have more doubts than ever. In Xataka | Project Helix is ​​the new Xbox machine and the warning is clear: it is not going to be cheap

Zeekr comes with the very complicated challenge of breaking prejudices. You have reason to believe it

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When someone asks me, I am very clear about where I think Chinese brands can hurt Europe: the “cheap” car. I put the latter in quotation marks because it’s not just about cars under 20,000 euros, I also think they have a chance in that type of product that gives a lot for less money than its rivals. Although, in that case, we are already talking about figures close to 50,000 euros. but there are some nuances here. It is clear to me that the bulk of sales of Chinese manufacturers in these first years They will arrive with models with a combustion engine. Either because they can make volume in markets like Spain, with a high rate of sales of low-end vehicles or because, due to the particularities of the tariffs imposed by the European Union, they offer very competitive cars in the triangle formed by price, equipment and electric range. Yes, I have more doubts in the electricity market. First, because these cars are subject to tariffs, which makes it difficult for them to compete on price. Secondly, because European manufacturers are starting to get their act together -heh- and the offer in all types of sizes, range and price is already more than interesting. Third, because the more the price of the car rises, I have the feeling that the customer takes less risk and the more he values ​​staying with the “old-fashioned” brands. Zeekr will play in a very complicated league. And yet, he has reason to think that he can gradually gain ground. We shouldn’t wait an emergence like that of BYD (four of the 10 best-selling electric cars last year in Spain were theirs) or Omoda/Jaecoo, which are building its sales around cars with combustion engines. I think they themselves are aware of them. But they have the muscle and the product to allow themselves a slow landing but with a view to prospering in the future. “We make exclusivity accessible,” said Lothar Schupet, CEO in Europe, in his presentation. A good starting range Zeekr arrives in Spain in the middle of a new expansive wave across Europe. If we have said that our country has been the perfect gateway for manufacturers who fight over price, the case of Zeekr is completely different. The company has been selling its cars for some time in the Nordic countries or the Netherlands, where electric sales are more advanced. Now it is time to make the leap to less consolidated markets, such as Spain. This has an advantage. The company is already rolling in Europe and has waited until sales have started to pick up more strongly. But they also have other incentives. The range already consists of four cars, of which only one of them will arrive in the coming months. The other three can now be purchased. This range also touches several styles. Zeekr He Zeekr It is a very interesting electric compact. During our contact with the company we had the opportunity to briefly ride it. It is a 4.43 meter car that has three versions. The basic one costs 37,137 euros and has a 49 kWh battery with 272 HP of power. Above there is an intermediate version with 340 HP of power and a 61 kWh battery. The most ambitious reaches 496 HP of power that is combined with a 69 kWh battery. The latter already stretches to 46,242 euros. The first two batteries are LFP and the largest is NCM. The last two steps move between 405 and 415 kilometers of autonomy, which allows you to travel with some peace of mind. The access version is limited to the city with its theoretical 330 kilometers of autonomy It is an agile car that does not feel as soft or as artificial as many other Chinese cars. It is complemented by an interior feel in the materials that is pleasant in general lines but above all with rear seats and a trunk that make it a very attractive proposal for families who move in an urban environment and who take one or two long getaways throughout the year. Despite its 400 volt architecture, it can go from 10 to 80% in just 18 minutes. Furthermore, there is something that I really liked about this car and that is its aesthetics. Its design differs from other Chinese cars that may be more similar to each other and this Zeekr X does seem to me to have a clear and defining image by itself. Above, the Zeekr 7 It is the family model. It is an SUV that is committed to interior spaciousness, especially in the rear seats, and that raises the level in terms of the interior appearance of the materials. It is a car that we were not able to test but it comes with 75 kWh LFP and 100 kWh NCM batteries. ITS 800 volt architecture allows it to go from 10 to 80% charge in 13 minutes and promises 615 kilometers of autonomy in its largest version. Inside, the Zeekr 7X is also committed to offering the best image in terms of quality perception. It is a car that will arrive loaded with technology with the latest active infotainment system, similar in format to what we see in Tesla. It is a car that starts at 52,500 euros with its single-engine (421 HP) rear-wheel drive version. Above, it combines this motor with the large battery, which would be the most balanced option or the longest autonomy (615 approved kilometers), costing 54,425 euros. The jump to all-wheel drive (two engines totaling 646 HP) means increasing the price to 62,250 euros. He Zeekr 7GT It is the car that will arrive in a few months. It is a sportier version with a family or style body. shooting brake. However, it will be a car that is slightly lower in price, starting at 45,675 euros in its cheapest option, with a 75 kWh battery and 421 HP of power and reaching 59,235 … Read more

China has more solid-state battery patents than anyone else and still fears being left behind for one reason: Japan

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What China is leading the energy and mobility transition What we are witnessing does not take anyone by surprise at this point. However, not all fish are sold, and in energy storage we are going to witness a significant evolution with the arrival of solid state batteriesa type of battery that we have been talking about for years. Just like they count From CarNewsChina, the country dominates the volume of research and records on solid-state batteries, but be careful because that leadership on paper does not guarantee winning the commercial race. And it is that a new analysis of the Xinhua agency recognizes that the United States, Europe, Japan and South Korea are moving forward with more industrial coordination and better international deployment of patents, just when the technology enters a decisive phase for its commercialization. Why it matters. Solid-state batteries are considered the next big leap from current lithium-ion batteries. These promise more energy density, faster charges, greater security and longer lifespan. They not only affect the electric car, but also humanoid robotseVTOL (vertical take-off aircraft), consumer electronics and stationary storage. Basically, whoever controls the technology and, above all, its manufacturing at scale, will set the pace of mobility and energy in the next decade. Patent war. China accounts for around 35% of the world market for solid-state patents and 39% of those related to electrolytes, the largest global share, according to share from CarNewsChina. Scientific publications have gone from 21 articles in 2015 to 562 in 2023, with institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences or Tsinghua University leading advances in the engineering of the solid-solid interface, which for years has been one of the great bottlenecks. On the other hand, Japan continues to be the leading technological source with about 37% of global requests, compared to 30% from China. Japan is ahead. The problem in China is not quantity, but the concentration and quality of your strategy. Among the 30 most relevant institutions in the world in solid state and electrolyte patents, 17 are Japanese7 Chinese, 5 South Korean and only 1 European. The top ten positions are entirely Japanese or Korean. Toyota, alone, accumulates around 40% of all intellectual property in the sector. Added to this is a structural weakness, since Chinese companies register many fewer international patents than their Japanese and South Korean rivals, who shield their technology in the United States, Europe, India and Southeast Asia. The companies that move the board. CATL, BYD and SVOLT are leading the latest phase of this technology. And only in 2023 will Chinese companies filed more than 500 patent applications. Gotion High-tech The design of a 2 GWh line for totally solid batteries has already been finalized and another 0.2 GWh pilot line is operating with tests on vehicles. Ganfeng Lithium, backed by Changan, claims to have reached 1,100 cycles in a 400 Wh/kg cell and aims for 500 Wh/kg in production. On the other hand, Chinese researchers have also shown a prototype of 451.5 Wh/kg capable of charging in three minutes. CATL, for its part, is patenting lithium compounds with fluorine and sulfur electrolytes to improve fast charging and thermal stability. Deadlines. own report Xinhua places the start of production in small series around 2027 and broader commercialization around 2030. The industry continues to work in parallel on three electrolyte routes (sulfide, oxide and polymer) without any having won yet. Furthermore, according to the media, there are still challenges to overcome, including the formation of lithium dendrites, ionic transport mechanisms, solid-solid interface engineering or cell failure modes. And now what. China is preparing to industrialize what it currently masters in the laboratory. And its first national standard on solid state batteries (“Terms and Classification”) is under public consultation and proposes to differentiate between liquid, solid-liquid hybrid and totally solid cells. For now, the country dominates in terms of volume of papers and research, but it is clear that real dominance will come from manufacturers who first resolve large-scale production, cost, durability and safety. And let’s be honest, China has an advantage, especially with CATL and BYD controlling much of the world’s battery sharebut in the field of solid-state batteries there is still play. Cover image | Michael Fousert In Xataka | The EU no longer knows what to do to stop its car manufacturers from buying parts from China. So he’s going to force them

“Going to the gym for an hour” is not worth spending eight hours sitting. And there is a deep evolutionary reason for that.

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They have slipped it on us and it is time to recognize it. For years, the gym boom has been received with enthusiasm: having ubiquitous and accessible sports facilities to get us out of our sedentary routine can only be understood as something positive. And yet, the way sport has entered our lives is deeply problematic: we have managed to create a “compartmentalized model” of physical activity that is leaking everywhere. So “going to the gym” doesn’t work? No, it’s not that. It’s not what the evidence says. Intense exercise is helpful. Very useful. And it is always better than doing nothing: but the idea of ​​going to the gym for an hour and that’s it forgets that the relevant unit is not the hour at the gym, but the energy pattern of the 24 hours a day. Let’s put it another way: Why do the Hadza They do not burn more calories than office workers despite walking 12 km a daywhy weight loss gym programs consistently disappoint or why the WHO has begun to separate “exercise” from “sit less”? The answer to these three questions is the same: the evolutionary biology of the human being. Two lines of research that converge at the same point. Between 2012 and 2018, a team from Duke University coordinated by Pontzer discovered that the body It is not dedicated to linearly adding exercise expenditure to basal expenditure. What it does is compensate for it (reducing expenditure on other vital functions such as inflammatory, reproductive processes or metabolic control). That is, doing an hour (or more) of intense exercise does not have to increase total energy expenditure. The second line of research arises from comparing people with the same weight and height. In ’99, the Mayo Clinic discovered that the daily difference in energy expenditure can be attributed to things like walking, standing, housework, and other types of small unconscious movements. To this we must add that a sedentary lifestyle is, in itself, a risk factor. In 2016, Ekelund and his team discovered that between 60 and 75 minutes a day of moderate physical activity are needed to eliminate the excess mortality risk associated with sitting for 8 hours or more a day. That is, one hour of exercise does not solve the problem. And the problem is that the public conversation doesn’t realize it. It is unbalanced: the dominant imagination since the 80s sees doing “a handful of hours of exercise” as a way to “buy” health. The very long debate about how many steps to take each day is exactly the same. The issue, as I say, is that the evidence is clear that we are not buying anything. And then? Should we close the gyms? Nothing of the sort. The important thing at this point in 2026 is to begin to understand that the correct unit to think about our physical activity is the full day. As the WHO says“more activity is better than little; any activity is better than none; (however) reducing a sedentary lifestyle provides independent benefits” and is worth addressing regardless of the exercise we do. The idea of ​​”training for an hour and then spending the rest of the day calmly” does not hold water. Going to the gym is positive, but it is not a papal bull: intense exercise works as something that adds to leaving a sedentary lifestyle. It does not replace it. Image | Anupam Mahapatra In Xataka | Cereals yes, but wrapped in black cardboard: the packaging business aimed exclusively at men

Airplanes have circular windows for a reason. It took two plane crashes to find out.

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When you get on a plane, have you ever wondered why the windows of this means of transport They have an oval shape. If you look closely, it’s not just the windows: also the armrests, trays, screens and any interior furniture. has a circular shape. Although it may seem something purely aestheticthere is actually scientific reasoning behind this choice. But before getting into the technical details, we need to talk a little about the history of aviation and how two fatal accidents changed everything. In their early days, airplanes had rectangular windows like those found in any house. As taking to the skies became more popular in the 1950s, airlines started flying at higher altitudes. This guaranteed them considerable economic savings, since the thin air generates less resistance and, therefore, less fuel is consumed, as well as allowing more comfortable driving with less turbulence. But in order for planes to fly at those heights, manufacturers were also forced to make design changes. The cabin had to be pressurized so that the pilots could breathe without problems. And a pressurized cabin requires a cylindrical shape to function, which creates a pressure difference between indoor air and outdoor air which increases as the plane rises. The flat body expands very slightly and therefore stress is applied to the material. And this is where the shape of the windows come into play. In 1954 there were two fatal accidents which caused the death of 56 passengers and crew. The reason the fuselage disintegrated had to do with a design flaw, which was that they had kept the windows square. Due to its right angles, Cabin pressure was concentrated in its corners and it was multiplied by three, more than in the rest of the fuselage. That caused the windows to end up exploding. It must be taken into account that airplanes usually fly at an altitude of 10,000 meters or more and that level atmospheric pressure It is about a third of normal. As Real Engineering explains in this video“When a material changes shape like this, stress is created in the material. Eventually, the stress can increase so much that the material breaks.” This is exactly what happened in the aforementioned accidents. The problems However, in a circular plane, tension flows smoothly through the material, a flow that is interrupted by the introduction of a window. But if the window is oval, stress levels are more evenly balanced. The same principle applies to the cargo and cabin doors. And that’s why we also see it in the windows of ships and spaceships. Unfortunately, it took two plane crashes and several decades of research to realize the evils that square windows were causing. Furthermore, as commented Anthony Harcup, director of the Teague design company, which has worked with Boeing for more than 75 years in this article from Travel + Leisure: “Sharp edges hurt elbows, knees, hips… or any part of the body they come into contact with. Rounding of all parts of the plane is also done for the “deletalization”a design principle that ensures that when subjected to Murphy’s Law, a passenger cannot be injured anywhere in the airplane seat.” It’s not just the shape of airplane windows that has changed over the years, but also their material. The windows you see on airplanes actually They are not glass, but acrylicwhich is more durable than the first. Also, as you may have noticed, there are three layers in each window. In fact, the interior window that faces passengers is not even part of the structure of the plane (it is just a safety measure so that the exterior window does not get touched or scratched). And the second layer exists as reinforcement to maintain the pressure on the end in case the exterior window is damaged. If you looked at the window, you will also have seen a small hole in this layer. Its role is essential since it serves as a valve to equalize pressure between this inner window and the outer window. Between the interior and exterior window there is a small air chamber and this hole regulates the pressure between the two sheets automatically. In addition, it balances the humidity level, preventing the window from fogging up or freezing. Everything on an airplane is pure science. Images | Unsplash In Xataka | The design can save the middle seat on airplanes from being the most hated: wider and “without invasions”

There is an underlying reason that explains it, according to Bloomberg

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The agreement between OpenAI and Apple, announced at WWDC24brought together all the ingredients to become one of the most refined movements in the sector. The artificial intelligence company of the moment landed with its star product in the ecosystem of the technological giant where practically everyone wants to be. ChatGPT began to occupy a privileged position within the devices compatible with Apple Intelligence– The user could take advantage of its capabilities from Siri and Writing Tools, and even link their account to access a more complete experience. And yes, unlike other Apple Intelligence features, like the new Siri, that ended up being delayedthe integration with ChatGPT did end up being deployed on the apple company’s different platforms. What did not materialize, according to Mark Gurmanwere the results that OpenAI expected. The startup led by Sam Altmanexplains the Bloomberg analyst, was confident in an avalanche of new paying subscribers that would translate into billions of dollars in annual revenue, at a time when every dollar counted. Two years after that agreement, even the possibility of legal action begins to appear on the horizon. The agreement, furthermore, was not exactly frozen in that first photo from WWDC24. Bloomberg points out that the integration ended up expanding with new entry doors: users could subscribe to ChatGPT directly from the iOS settings, Apple incorporated it as an option to create images in Image Playground and also used it to analyze on-screen content. On paper, it was no small feat. The problem, always according to the sources consulted by Gurman, is that these expansions were simply not enough. An alliance without money involved, but with many expectations The economic key to the agreement helps to understand why the disenchantment weighs so much. The American media already explained in June 2024 that Apple was not paying OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into its systems. Nor was it considered, at least at that time, as an operation in which OpenAI would buy its place within the iPhone. The payoff lay elsewhere: Apple offered distribution, visibility, and potential access to a gigantic user base. For a company that needed to turn popularity into recurring revenue, that promise was apparently worth as much as a check. Now, the reality was much less brilliant. Bloomberg says user studies conducted by OpenA suggest that Apple customers turned much more frequently to the standalone ChatGPT application than to the integration within Siri and other system services. That information changes the reading of the agreement. If the user already has the habit of opening the app, the presence in Apple Intelligence stops working as an entrance door and it becomes something more secondary: it is there, but it does not necessarily drive the business. The shape chosen by Apple would not have helped much either. The use of ChatGPT within their systems remained limited. The reproach attributed to OpenAI has a quite concrete logic. Bloomberg notes that the company hoped Apple would put ChatGPT in a more prominent place, not just as an option available if the user knew where to look for it. It also relied on broader integration with in-house apps and more intense promotion within its platforms. But the matter goes further. Gurman assures that OpenAI lawyers are working with an external firm on different legal options that could be executed soon. One of them would be to send Apple a notification by alleged breach of contractwithout this necessarily implying filing a lawsuit from the first moment because it aims to resolve the conflict outside of court. It should be noted that there is no official information, and that Apple and OpenAI did not comment following the request of the American economic media. Apple, for its part, doesn’t seem very comfortable either. The company reportedly maintained reservations about OpenAI, including whether the startup did enough to protect user privacy. Added to this is a more recent tension: OpenAI no longer wants to limit itself to software and works on devices with several former Apple peopleincluding Jony Ive. For Cupertino, according to Bloomberg, the signing of engineers from its hardware teams would also have been especially annoying. That scenario is going to change even more. Already at WWDC24 Apple announced that it would open the door to integrate other AI systems in its ecosystem. So everything seems to indicate that it is a matter of time until OpenAI rivals such as Google with Gemini either Anthropic with Claude land within the apple company’s ecosystem. It would not be an expulsion from ChatGPT, but it would be an obvious loss of prominence. We have to wait to see how this agreement and the relationship between both companies will evolve. Images | Xataka with Nano Banana In Xataka | The ‘Chinese Netflix’ has designed a plan for AI to generate the majority of its content within five years. It sounds risky

The reason why a hantavirus “pandemic” is very far away has a name and surname: long-tailed mouse

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The media coverage that is being carried out around the hantavirus is generating fear of the virusbut also mice. Even the president of the Government of the Canary Islands used Artificial Intelligence to check if mice swim, fearing that they could cause an outbreak in the Canary Islands with arrival at the port of Granadilla of the MV Hondius cruise ship. This particular piece of information makes for a lot of conversation. However, we are going to ignore it to focus on what is truly important. Should we be worried about mice during this health emergency situation? The reality is that not much. To begin with, we must remember that There are many different hantaviruses. The cause of the outbreak on the cruise ship is the Andes variant, the only one known to be able to be transmitted from person to person. Even so, it is still a zoonosis. That is, the initial contagion always comes from an animal, in this case a mouse. But not just any mouse. In the Andes variant, Its main reservoir is the long-tailed mouse (Oligoryzomys longicaudatus), characteristic of the forests of Chile and Argentina. Seropositivity has been detected in some other species of South American rodents. However, these are much more anecdotal cases. The vast majority of infections initially come from the long-tailed mouse. Now, this must be put into context and, above all, clarify some important terms. What is the reservoir of a virus? The reservoir of a virus is the organism, place or environment where the virus better replicated and maintained over time. Generally this concept is used to talk about animal reservoirs. These are the animals in which a virus reproduces best. Normally they do not experience symptoms, but their immune system does not attack them in the same way as ours would, since They usually develop tolerance. That is, the immune system detects them, but The inflammatory response that causes the symptoms of the disease is suppressed. Said in a very colloquial and simple way, it is the house in which a virus lives and grows most comfortably. Many times, humans are accidental hosts of viruses. They have mechanisms to invade our cells, so animals can pass them to us. Sometimes we can even infect each other. However, we are like a house in which they live in transit and discomfort, with the immune system attacking them in a much more excessive way. It would be that rental apartment that is falling apart, where you live until you find something better, if the house doesn’t fall on you first. In the case of the Andes hantavirus, Its main reservoir is the long-tailed mouse. This rodent does not get sick when the virus enters its cells. Therefore, the hantavirus can multiply in them, reaching very high viral loads for a long time. The long-tailed mouse lives mostly in forests in Argentina and Chile. How is it spread? A good part of these viral particles are found in mouse feces and other secretions. When these are dry, they can become dust, easily inhaled by humans. In fact, it is often spread when people in rural environments sweep in places where these animals have deposited their feces. Sweeping raises virus-laden dust. This is why, in areas where it is suspected that this mouse may be, it is recommended Use bleach and do not dry sweep. If this is done, gloves and a mask should be worn to avoid inhaling the dust from the feces. In the case of the cruise, it is not known exactly how patient zero could have been infected. It’s not even 100% clear who he is. But it is suspected that he could have been the first deceased, since he was fond of birds and went on birdwatching excursions in rural areas of Argentina, going into caves where there could be mice. When stepping on feces such a closed environmentthe dust could have concentrated in the air and caused the initial contagion. What does it mean that other rodents have shown seropositivity in Andes hantavirus? Seropositivity against a virus is the presence of antibodies generated by the immune system to fight it. That a mouse is seropositive for the Andes virus means that it has passed the virus. Plain and simple. It could be a reservoir or it could not be. It is known that he has survived, but it is not known if he has shown symptoms or if the virus has replicated efficiently in his body. The only mouse with which this is well demonstrated is the long-tailed mouse. That is why it is considered the main reservoir of the Andes hantavirus. Beyond that, we can only speculate. Of course, what is clear is that it is a virus that is only abundant in Chile and Argentina, where this rodent is mostly distributed. Can you swim? Yes, the long-tailed mouse can swim. It normally lives in forests where there may be bodies of water, which it sometimes has to cross to get from one point to another. Now, does this have any implications for the health crisis of the Hondius? The answer is emphatically no. First of all, It would be extremely rare if one of these mice had traveled on the ship without being seen. It is true that in the past there were diseases, such as the plague, in the spread of which the rats that traveled on ships played a significant role. However, at present this is highly unlikely. Plus, we’re talking about a luxury cruise. It is not normal for a mouse to travel undetected inside a ship. The most accepted hypothesis currently is that patient zero must have been infected outside the ship. On the other hand, even if the virus had reached the Canary Islands, it is one thing to swim through the ponds of a forest and quite another to cross the sea from the anchored boat to the port. We should not fear any rodent Could Spanish mice … Read more

Madrid is going to sacrifice one of its busiest tunnels for months. The reason: a new exchanger

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Madrid has several gigantic projects underway. In this house we have talked about the work of the Mayritt tunnel boring machineof the burial of the A-5the improvements and transformation of Metro Madrid, the Sales Parkand countless urban works that they barely give the capital a break. On this occasion, its residents will have another area blocked for a time, as the busiest underpass in the southern area of ​​Madrid will close for ten months to allow progress in another of those great transformations: the new interchange. Why is this happening now? Madrid City Council announced A few hours ago, the Conde de Casal road tunnel would close to traffic in both directions starting at 6:00 a.m. this Friday, and will not reopen until February 2027. The delegate of Urban Planning, Environment and Mobility, Borja Carabante, confirmed it on Thursday at a press conference after the Government Meeting, explaining that the closure is necessary to continue with the works on the new transport interchange and to execute the connection between the lines 6 and 11 Metro. This is a particularly delicate blockade, since according to data consulted by El Diario, 39,000 vehicles pass through this tunnel every day, with greater intensity in the center-outskirts direction and in the afternoon time slot, especially between 3:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. What changes on the road. During the ten months of closure, traffic will be redistributed for the surface. Two entry lanes will be enabled from the A-3 towards the Plaza de Conde de Casal and one exit lane from the Plaza de Conde de Casal towards the A-3 Valencia and the M-30 North. Just before the M-30 bridge, the section entering Madrid from the A-3 will go from two lanes to one. On the other hand, the outbound link branch from the M-30 towards Conde de Casal will remain open. In addition, two turns will be prohibited in the square itself: the turn to the left towards O’Donnell towards Doctor Esquerdo, and the turn to the left from Doctor Esquerdo towards Avenida del Mediterráneo and Glorieta Mariano de Cavia. Starting in September, the council plans to progressively expand the number of surface lanes. Where to go if you want to avoid the area. The Town Hall has published Alternative routes both to enter and leave Madrid. to enter: A-3 – Plaza Conde de Casal – Glorieta Mariano de Cavia; A-3 – Plaza Conde de Casal – Doctor Esquerdo – O’Donnell; or the M-40 for long-distance routes. to leave: Glorieta Mariano de Cavia – Cavanilles – Doctor Esquerdo – surface branch A-3 towards Valencia; Doctor Esquerdo – Plaza Conde de Casal – surface branch A-3 towards Valencia; or O’Donnell – M-30 southbound – A-3. What changes in public transport. The Madrid Regional Transport Consortium (CRTM) has activated several adjustments to the EMT urban bus network. Line E recovers stops 2125 and 2126 near the square, although it stops stopping at 2127 and 2128. Line 32 deviates through Cavanilles towards Conde de Casal. Lines 63, 143 and N9 recover stops near the square. The headers of lines 20, 30 and 140 are still located in the Pavones intermodal area. The Town Hall recommended in its publication the use of public transport to reduce pressure on an area that has already been accumulating traffic restrictions since works began in August 2023. The project behind the chaos. As we have said on several occasions, the objective is to extend Metro line 11 from Plaza Elíptica to Conde de Casal, a 6.9 kilometer route that will include two new stations, in Parque de Comillas and Madrid Río, and three interconnection nodes: Palos de la Frontera with line 3, Atocha with line 1, Cercanías and AVE, and Conde de Casal with line 6. Precisely this last connection will allow, according to Carabantedecongest line 6, which moves a million passengers a day and is the most saturated on the network. In parallel, the transport interchange is being built, which will integrate the buses that currently operate on the surface underground. When it comes into operation, scheduled for the first half of 2027, it will benefit more than 65,000 daily travelers, according to data of the consistory. And meanwhile. The special mobility device activated by the City Council includes the deployment of Municipal Police officers and mobility in the surroundings during the entire works phase. Working hours are limited to between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., a limit that the delegate recalled in response to neighborhood complaints about noise and dust. Carabant recognized that the council is “aware” of the inconvenience, but insisted that the works “are necessary to continue.” Cover image | Madrid City Council In Xataka | The Madrid Cercanías have become a nest of problems and delays: their solution is new “megatrains”

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