The United States has decided to launch millions of flies with airplanes on its own territory. It has good reasons

As killing flies to guns, in the United States they have decided to do it using more flies. Literally. For months the country faces the ghost of the Cochliomyia hominivoraxa fly that in its larval state is a serious threat to cattle, wildlife, pets and even Humans. Hence the country has devised a peculiar strategy to fight it: raise thousands of millions of flies and then release them from airplanes. It sounds crazy, but it makes all the meaning. There is no small enemy. At first glance the Cochliomyia hominivoraxalso known as the New World Barrenning Worm (or NWS) does not seem much. But that is with the naked eye, of course. Although they are not much greater than common flies, in their Larval state they represent a considerable threat, especially for cattle, pets and wildlife. NWS females deposit the eggs in wounds or mucous membranes and, once they hatch, the larvae break through the meat, feeding thanks to their sharp oral hooks. Hence “BARRENOR WORD”. Dead cattle in weeks. The species is so voracious that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) warns of its effects, the risk of cattle and what the nation is played by keeping it at bay. “It is crucial to protect our livestock industry, our economy and our food supply chain,” emphasize. In An interview With the AP Agency, Michael Bailey, director of the American Association of Veterinary Medicine, is even more explicit: the larvae can end a 450 kilos bovine in a matter of two weeks. And why is it news? The boreride worm is An old acquaintance of the American authorities. Although the species is endemic to Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic and countries in South America, the US has been looking for a way to prevent the species from expanding north with the help of Panama. Moreover, in his day he already deployed a strategy that allowed him A small outbreak Registered in the Florida Keys in 2017. The problem is that now the larva is calling again at the gates of the southern US, which has put the USDA on guard. “Although the NWS has been eradicated from the country for decades, recent detections in Mexico, at points as north as Oaxaca and Veracruz, about 1,125 kilometers from the border, have led to the immediate suspension of the imports of living cattle, horses and bison in the US entry ports on the southern border on May 11,” I recognized The government recently. Cattle lock and something else. Import blocking is only a small part of the Usda activated plan to curb the expansion of carnivorous parasite. The US authorities also want to have a vast network of facilities that allow him to raise hundreds of millions of NWS flies every week. And are willing to invest millions of dollars to achieve it. The Agriculture Department has already announced the investment of 8.5 million in a southern Texas and other installation 21 million To re -adapt a metapa plant, in Mexico, which was dedicated to the breeding of fruit flies. The idea is that it now focuses on the NWS. Both facilities will also be added to another base of Panama that is already able to raise about 177 million flies every week, a figure that the USDA considers insufficient. Its goal is to get to 400 million. But … raise flies for what? To have fewer flies. I know, it sounds inconsistent, but it makes all the meaning of the world. The flies that leave those hatcheries are not ‘normal’, but special specimens, males sterilized with radiation that can mate, but not (and this is the key) reproduce. The idea is actually very simple: scientists raise millions of flies, billions, and then release them in the fields so that females mate with those altered males. The result are eggs unable to hatch, which translates into less larvae and, over time, in diminishing populations. A solera technique. The technique is interesting for several reasons. For a start, Remember APit is more effective and ecological than resorting to pesticides. In addition, Washington has already proven that the system works relatively well. USDA remember which used the same “biological control technique” to end NWS populations in the 60s and the 2017 Florida outbreak. The same strategy has also been deployed in other places to combat different pests. Los Angeles used it to stop the proliferation of the Fruit fly And Singapore did something similar with the mosquitoes They transmit dengue. ‘Bombing’ of flies. Raising sterile male flies is just the first part of the plan. To work and stop the carnivorous worm, something else must be done: release those diptera strategically. And the US already knows how to do it. The Associated Press agency It has relieved that the government proposes to throw the altered specimens on southern Texas and Mexico. In fact he hopes to have In late of this same year a special installation to disperse insects in the Moore Air Baselocated almost at the border with Mexico. The new farm of southern Mexico would take something more to be ready. It would not be activated until July 2026. Images | USDA (Flickr), APHIS-USA and Wikipedia In Xataka | These worms live in the most radioactive area of ​​Chernobil. To everyone’s surprise, they seem immune to radioactivity

Xiaomi has sold 200,000 electric SUVs in 180 seconds. Tesla has reasons to worry

Present a car, open orders that same night and close 200,000 orders in three minutes. Xiaomi with him Yu7 It is not an anecdote, it is the best proof of the meteoric promotion that it is achieving in an industry in which it has been participating for just a year. He managed to win at Tesla Model 3 In China and the plan is clear: to be even more ambitious with Yu7. Xiaomi destroys your own record. 289,000 units sold in just one hour and 200,000 in the first three minutes. Xiaomi has made it clear that Xiaomi Yu7 is destined to be a success in sales. A key fact is that these sales, in the first seven days they are reimbursable, so they do not have to be a direct translation of the final volume. So that you have more context the Xiaomi Su7, the Yu7 sister electric Berlina, obtained 50,000 orders in the first half hour of its output for sale, and a total of 88,898 In the first 24h. Barbarian figures for the company’s first car, multiplied in this second model. Why is it important. Xiaomi has a clear objective with Yu7, aim at the best -selling electric SUV of China. That SUV is the Tesla Model and. Elon Musk’s company closed 2024 with just over 480,000 units sold throughout the year, and claims to have 200,000 orders from the new Model and Juniper In the country. The war between these two models has just begun, but Xiaomi seems to have everything to achieve its purpose. We have the best track in what he has achieved with his electric Berlina. He already succeeded with the SU7. Xiaomi needed no more than a few months to sell in China more than Model 3 of Tesla. He succeeded in December 2024, with 25,815 units compared to 21,046 of his main rival. The figure catapulted SU7 as the Fourth best -selling electric sedan in the countryand closed the year with more than 135,000 units sold in front of the 75,000 Tesla. With just a model in the market, Xiaomi has managed to sneak into the top 20 of best -selling manufacturers in Chinaabove rivals like Lynk & Co and Zeekr. The global photo is still headed by a byd that seems unbeatable, and Xiaomi needs to climb from the 24th place in the ranking Until the seventh since Tesla had last May. It looks like an almost impossible climb. But it is not. The code of sorpasso. Tesla has had excellent months with Model and in China. In March, it was the best selling electric with 43,370 units. That same month, the Xiaomi Su7 (a car that does not even compete in its category), sold more than 27,000 units. Now, Xiaomi finally has an electric car that competes directly with Model Y. one that is also superior in technology, fast charging, autonomy and performance. The damage that SU7 can make to Tesla’s sales is huge, even more at a time when the country is reinforcing support for national brands. It will not be an easy challenge. Image | Tesla In Xataka | The Xiaomi Su7 self -imposed a challenge: to eat Porsche in his own land. And they just got it

Four AI companies control how Half Mundo reasons. It is the greatest concentration of intellectual power in history

While the public focus is concentrated in the possibility that the AI ​​will take our job ahead (Business Insider 21% of its template has just announced citing it as a cause, the CEO of Axios has published A text by the chungosAnthropic’s CEO has shouted “that comes the wolf” to justify that only they can save us), In the background something less visible is happening: We are giving our intellectual autonomy in favor of efficiency and comfort. It is not just that four companies –Openai, Google, Anthropic, Meta – are building the infrastructure with which millions of people resolve doubts and make decisions. They not only manage data: they also protect the way we link ideas. The Great Chinese of AI They are out of this equation for a simple reason: their still domestic approach without the international vocation of the Americans. Google (the search engine) was and is influential, but with it we have had to spin our own speech: Cotejar Fuentes, Weighing biases, assume contradictions. The generative AI instead serves a round response that It sounds coherent even when hallucin And that’s why he demands less surveillance. The result is that we are replacing the “internal process” with an external verdict covered with a technological aura that deter the replica. Whatever you say, Chatty. Delegate is too tempting. Save time and headaches. The problem is that we do not subcontract logistics, but criteria. We ask Chatgpt A professional strategy. TO Claude A curriculum. TO Gemini today’s interpretations. In doing so we accept without discussing the biases and empty of a trained model about texts that we will never see. It is an invisible assignment and, therefore, difficult to question. Never before so few hands had defined what questions can be asked and what answers sound reasonable. History has known infrastructure monopolies – electrity, internet, railways – but never one about reasoning patterns. Now another qualitatively appears: It operates on the symbolic plane, where narrative frames are defined through which we understand the world. Very subtle and very decisive. What previously implied a deliberation – read, contrast, imagine scenarios, weigh nuances – today becomes an instantaneous response, of definitive appearance. What to think about euthanasia? How to react to infidelity? What economic model is more fair? We no longer look for elements to think: we look for the correct answer The faster and more comfortable. And we accept as valid the one that sounds best, even if it ignores what does not fit in your narrative. Its effects will not be immediate, but predictable: a slow loss of variety in thought, of ideas out of the ordinary. Platforms have progressive consequences. Tiktok and Spotify, for example, They have made the songs last less and the chorus arrive before. What consequences will the LLMS within fifteen years? If we all consult models that converge towards average responses, intellectual eccentricity – culture rate for innovation – It will be increasingly weird. There is hardly a brake for AI, but perhaps at some point we have to decide how much reasoning we are willing to deliver before staying without it. Outstanding image | Xataka In Xataka | Deep Research is not just a new AI function. It is the beginning of the end of intellectual work as we know it

There are no diesel motorcycles for a very long list of reasons. This American brand doesn’t care about a single of them

Motorcycles are not gasoline by whim. They are because diesel engines are unfeasible For the very nature of the behavior of a motorcycle, although there are those who have determined to resurrect a concept that, every time it has tried, has not managed to go beyond the anecdote. Why my motorcycle is gasoline. There is a very long list for motorcycles to bet on gasoline and not by diesel: the first is that they are designed to have a relatively content size and weight that allows them to be driven. Diesel engines are heavier that gasoline engines due to their compression ratio (burn with much more pressure and inevitably need more resistant and heavy materials). They also work in a very low range of revolutions, ideal to minimize consumption, but with much less response for a vehicle born to be agile and sportsto a greater or lesser extent. An industry that seeks to be profitable. They are also more complex to manufacture and maintainan especially important cocktail in an industry that sells much less than that of the car and operates in reduced volumes. In short, the motorcycle industry has focused on gasoline engines Because of its ease to extract power in low displacement, the advantage in weight-power relation, and the finely important performance in a vehicle in which, literally, we have the engine under the legs. Diesel attempts. Attempts to create a diesel motorcycle are over a hundred years old. Already in 1904, Holland created a diesel engine with a single cylinder, 2 hp of power and turned to 700 rpm. It was basically a bicycle with the support of a small engine Since then, there have been multiple attempts to make the diesel motorcycle profitable. The giant Royal Enfield He was one of them, with his 350cc diesel bullet. The conclusion they obtained was clear: “Although the sales of our gasoline motorcycles grow with the market, diesel have not followed the pace. It was a niche product. Now I don’t think we continue with the motorcycle” They are, everything is said. Axiom diesel cycles wants to try again. Matthew Lach, creator of AXIOM DIESEL CYCLEShe continues to believe in the dream of diesel motorcycles, and has materialized his own concept. Your company has been manufacturing custom motorcycles with this type of engines since 2019. Real, for street and perfectly accessible … for anyone who wants to pay them. And it is that the price of one of their custom diesel has a price that is around $ 50,000. There is not a single motorcycle in the generalist market that is around this figure, not even the supercar or The most enviable market trail. What you take. Far from offering a competitive engine in features regarding Its Custom Competitorsthe vision of this company is particular. It offers a three -cylinder engine, a thousand cubic centimeters and … 24cv of power. Exclusivity, an aesthetic achieved and, what noses, a diesel engine, is what this manufacturer offers that, for the moment, only sells in the United States. Image | AXIOM DIESEL CYCLES In Xataka | A hybrid engine that works with diesel and hydrogen. There are those who believe it is the future to clean heavy transportation

Everyone has reasons to be half happy and half concerned with the new Pope

At 18:08 of May 8, 2025, in the fourth round of voting on the second day of the conclave, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected Pope. It is not exclusive, or any mystery. These days we have lived what is possibly the most broadcast conclave in the history of humanity and, at this point of the week, almost everyone knows everything that needs to be known about the new Vicar of Rome. In fact, everyone knows too much about Leo XIV. A series of extraordinarily well measured gestures. Today, Italian newspapers comment that Prevost He took many votes already in the first vote of the conclave. It is not something we can know for sure, but that is the explanation that his speech from the balcony was so long. He had time to think about words, gestures and emphasis. Also in the symbols. Leon XIV went out to the Plaza de San Pedro dressed in the traditional habits of the Supreme Pontiff. Something that Francisco did not do. And, in fact, he has chosen a very rich name symbolically. Everyone is talking about Leon XIII (“father” of the rich social doctrine of the Church, but also of Syllabus, the great refutation of the ‘main errors’ of the modern world); But you could talk about Leon i (whose papacy, According to Benedict XVI“It was undoubtedly one of the most important in the history of the Church”) or even Fray Leonone of the closest collaborators of San Francisco de Asís. And that has been noticed … “The decisions of Pope Leo XIV of adopting a traditional name and appearing with the traditional papal outfit – as Benedict XVI did and not Francisco – are small but encouraging signs of a man who subordinates to the papal trade and understands the importance of continuity with the past.” Those words are from Edward Fester One of the best known conservative theologians today. A few minutes later, I even praised his temperament. Burke either SarahFrancisco’s staunch enemies have also been hopeful. On the opposite side, Jesuit James Martín (one of the church members closest to the LGTB opening) He said he knew that “Pope Leo XIV is a kind, open, humble, modest, determined, worker, reliable and feet on the ground. A brilliant choice.” How is it possible? Because, even if it may not seem, the reading that the media are making of why Leon XVI has been chosen ignores the dynamics and political of the Church. The constant temptation to interpret what happens in the world according to the narrow framework of socio -political references in which we move, makes the debate about the conclave seen as primary to Pope: but without trying to understand what is happening in an international organization with thousands of problems and very complicated solutions. Things like flying old Premost tweets against Trump’s immigration policytake advantage to ask that there are women in the conclave or the widespread regrets because lTo Church doctrine about abortion is “outdated”They show that these last days have been nothing more than a huge projection exercise. In illo one unum. His pontificate’s motto is not a coincidence. In addition to his 12 years as a prior of the Augustinians (a huge order with global implementation), Prevost was known, above all, by The diplomatic feat that led to closing the agreement of the last synod of the bishops in which the most reformist groups and the most traditionalists were about to declare war. As the motto you have chosen suggest: it seems that its mission will be in tenders and heal a Catholic Church that He has been “harassed by the wolves for many years”. However, hope has a dark back. In the same way that all ecclesiastical groups have reasons to be hopeful, everyone has reasons to walk. No one knows for sure what will do or stop doing Leon XVI. As in the case of Francisco or Juan Pablo II, the choice of someone relatively unknown in Rome opens the set of play in a radical and unexpected way. And that, in an organization of the size and power of the Catholic Church that is a lot. Image | Infoweather1 | Wikimedia In Xataka | In 1958 the Church applied a small change in the funeral of Pius XII. Ended the deceased exploiting (literally)

It has rained 143% more than normal and Spanish agriculture has suddenly entered into crisis mode. They do not lack reasons

After more than 20 days of continuous rainfall and four huge high impact stories, peninsula floors They are practically saturated. And it should not be a surprise: the amount of water that has fallen has been 143% above Normal. And, although it may seem good news, it doesn’t always rain to everyone’s taste. Isn’t it good news? At the agroganadero level, there are many farms to which this Borrascas festival has been very good: vineyards, olive groves, nuts, dryland cereals and, in general, the livestock that feeds on pastures. But the field is much bigger. Andalusia It’s a good example. Only in the province of Seville, sunflower, chickpea, pea, cabbage and grelo have been affected. But there are more: the red fruits of Huelva, the pepper, the cucumber, the watermelon and the melon Almeria or the lettuce, the broccoli and the Murcian cauliflower. This is going to add the Granada asparagus if the situation is maintained. But why? For a concatenation of factors, of course. Floods have drowned many sown (with “root, gangrene and fungal asphyxiation problems”); The low temperatures are slowing down the development (when not burning) numerous crops; and the lack of labor (or the impossibility of working on lands) prevents the necessary works – or even collection. In figures, According to news four“Farmers find only 15% production.” So much so that a few days ago the Andalusian farmers sighed for just 15 days of sun. And what will happen? If everything goes well (that is, if everything goes as expected) nothing should happen. It is true that the situation has been harmful, but if the time is normalized and without water restrictions, the campaign is in time to save. If the “anomalous” situation lengthens, we will have a problem. However, whatever it is, it is very possible that we notice the break in the supermarket. A couple of years ago, Europe He ran out of red pepper For a cold wave. What has happened is very similar. Right now, there are a dozen products that play with the breakage of the supply. In case climate change I would not assume enough problemsnow it is stubborn to mess up the stations. And that, of course, is a challenge for one of the key sectors of Spain. Image | Markus Winkler | CHANDLER CRUTTINGE In Xataka | “Not a crop is saved”: Spain is about to discover in its flesh the effects of water scarcity

Deepseek closes external investments and risk capital. You have three reasons to do it

Deepseek, The great sensation of the beginning of the year in AIhe is breaking with all the rules of the startup ecosystem not only for his efficient AI modelbut also for rejecting the risk capital that other competitors need such as eating. Its founder, Liang Wenfeng, maintains 84% ​​of the property (an anomaly in its field) and does not seem to be in a hurry to give control. Chinese technology broke into the industry in January With its new AI model, but unlike its competitors, it does not announcing multimillionaire financing rounds. Nor want to do it, according to anti The three reasons. Liang Wenfeng has clear reasons to keep investors at bay: 1. He does not want to lose control of his long -term vision on AI.2. Depseek has sufficient its own financing through its High-Flyer investment fund.3. He fears that external investors, especially Chinese, intensify concerns about privacy and security. Why is it important. In a sector where competitors are launched to capture thousands of millions to finance the expensive AI race, Depseek is betting on an alternative path. Financial independence also gives Deepseek freedom to focus on research and development, instead of seeking rapid monetization that investors usually demand. Between the lines. Liang does not usually hide his distrust of investors. In a 2023 interview He openly criticized the obsession of venture capital funds by rapidly monetizing AI, to the detriment of advanced research. This position symbolizes a growing skepticism in the technological sector about whether the traditional financing model is compatible with the development of long -term transforming technologies. The figures. The Deepseek owned structure is unusual for such a powerful startup: 84% is owned by Liang Wenfeng, the founder. 16% are in the hands of people linked to their investment fund, high-flyer. 0% is of traditional external investors. In detail. Liang has funded Deepseek with the benefits of High-Flyer, its quantitative investment fund. “Money has never been a problem for us; the problem is in the prohibitions for sending advanced chips,” he said in 2023. This financial self -sufficiency has allowed Deepseek to develop without the usual external pressure of investors, usually focused on short -term growth metrics. The backdrop. As a Chinese company, Depseek operates under laws that give the Government broad access to their data. This has already caused prohibitions of use in several countries and private companies. The entry of Chinese investors could get this situation worse. The US government has history by sanctioning Chinese technology with government ties, such as Huawei and DJI. And now what. Deepseek will need more and better AI chips to stay competitive, according to Liang himself. These components are expensive and are strongly restricted in China due to the export controls of the United States. Without external financing, Depseek could be left behind in the technological career against rivals with more resources, such as OpenAi or Anthropic. Of course If someone has demonstrated ingenuityIt is Deepseek. In Xataka | Manus is the new sensation of China after Deepseek. Is generating as many expectations as doubts Outstanding image | Deepseek + Philipp Katzenberger | Alejandro Luengo

There are good reasons to think that Spain is one of the favorites

Europe has become Byd’s great goal. The company of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles plug -in arrival from China is intended to open a new factory in Europe, according to its president Stella Li to various journalists in an event in Frankfurt at the end of last week. The information is signed in Bloombergwho emphasize that the final decision can be extended, still, at least a year and a half. Therefore, it is imagined that the project is in an early stage and that the future of the company in the coming months or the measures taken from Europe can define the future of the same. A third factory to continue gaining ground According to data from Jato DynamicsByd sold 50,216 units in Europe in 2024. It is a figure that left him out of the 30 best -selling car manufacturers in the continent. But, despite everything, the figures are better than those of historical brands such as Alfa Romeo. However, the growth prospects They are huge for analysts like those of S&P global. According to their accounts, they believe that Byd can add almost 200,000 enrollments in this 2025 (include industrial vehicles) and bet on sales of 400,000 units in 2029. To be fulfilled, we would talk about a company that would be struggling to get into the top 10 of best -selling cars in Europe. Part of those forecasts seem to be consolidating. Jato Dynamics He emphasizes that last year China beat the United Kingdom, Türkiye, Japan and South Korea in sales in Europe. Much of the success is due to its electrified vehicles, increasingly demanded in the market and offered at a very competitive price. The company, of course, hopes to gain ground within the continent. At the end of 2023 ByD confirmed that it will manufacture some of Your most affordable cars in Hungary And, last year, he did the same when certifying that will manufacture in Türkiye. Now, they already talk clearly that they are looking for a third factory on European soil. Byd faces a context in which it is difficult to make projections. Europe seems to be willing to Close the tap to Morocco and Türkiyea bridge that began to explore Chinese companies to skip some tariffs that, in the case of byd, They are 17%. In spite of everything, the company also has a wide range of plug -in hybrids that it can bring to Europe and for which it would not pay an extra cost. In your information, Bloomberg He also points out that Byd is interested in nourishing his third factory in Europe with a battery production plant. This is essential to maintain the prices of its electric cars below its rivals since much of its success is based on an enviable vertical integration. In addition, Europe is interested in increasing the production of batteries on its own soil. Aspire to give more alliances such as Catl and Stellantis. To this we must add that byd needs to continue increasing its sales in Europe since the margin of benefits achieved is greater than in China where they continue to live Very expensive price war. In all this context, Spain aspires to be chosen for this third byd factory. Before confirming that they would manufacture in Hungary, our country was one of the best positioned but ended by falling from the race. The cheapest labor and a position closer to Germany (where more electric are sold) could determine the decision. However, in recent months our country has positioned itself as a attractive place for vehicle companies. The costs, both of energy and labor, are cheaper than countries in our environment such as France and Germany. In addition to the ease of receiving and distributing pieces and vehicles through the ports, Chinese companies have been taking positions in one way or another in our country in recent months. Photo | Byd In Xataka | Byd has not surpassed Tesla in 2024 but his goal is much more ambitious: being the fifth manufacturer in the world

There is no reason why the price of light rises. There is a storm of reasons and are related to gas

Europe does not leave one to get into another. Why has the price of light uploaded this time? Beyond that we have returned to the VAT of 21% in the light invoice, if you have noticed an increase in the price of electricity and gas lately it is for the delicate moment that the natural gas industry lives again in Europe. The perfect storm of gas. This is how They call analysts To a confluence of factors in the gas industry that has the unfortunate European consumers suffering the consequences on the electricity bill. Regulatory measures that come to an end, a sudden reconfiguration of supply routes and the increase in demand for wind shortage have generated a scenario in which electricity prices have firing again, affecting both homes and To industries. Goodbye to the top in the price. More than two years ago that the European Union established a stop at the price of gas as an emergency measure to counteract speculation and relieve the crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. That mechanism expired on January 31so now the reality is different. Much of Europe has started the month of February heating with gas, but without a “firewall” that slows the expense, a situation that has raised criticism of several Eurodiputados. Italy in particular asked to reconsider or adjust the threshold so that consumers do not pay excessive prices. Total interruption of Russian gas. At the same time, the energy relationship between Europe and Russia has not gone to better. The Total gas traffic interruption Through Ukraine, an agreement that since 1991 allowed Moscow to supply the continent, has left several countries in a vulnerability situation. One of the most affected countries It is Moldovawhich is not yet part of the EU block. Although the dependence on Russian gas is getting smaller, the supply maintained relative stability throughout the region. The new gas routes. Given the disappearance of the traditional route, Europe has had to resort to alternatives such as Liquefied natural gas that comes to us by ship from the United StatesCatar and Australia, or the limited use of gas pipelines such as Turkstream. These sources allow to maintain the flow of energy in exchange for a much higher cost than the gas transported by land, which translates into rates of up to 50 euros per megavatio hour and, therefore, a direct rise in the prices of the prices of the prices of the light. A WINDER WITHOUT WIND. The impact is aggravated in the electricity sector, where the demand for gas for generation has reached historical levels. The most flagrant case It happened in Germany because of the famous Dunkelflautebut the analyst Pedro Cantuel He points out that Spain registered in December 2024 the highest demand in ten years. And reservations going down. The last edge of this scenario are gas deposits. Point out Bloomberg that storage levels in key countries such as France and the Netherlands are below the objectives set by the European Commission, adding a layer of uncertainty for next winter. The Difficulty replenishing these storesaggravated by summer contracts with high prices, it is a real risk for the security of the supply that has ended up affecting, like everything else, on the electricity bill. Image | Endesa In Xataka | Forget the industrial revolution: the fastest energy change in human history is happening now In Xataka | 2025 is the beginning of the end for gas boilers in Spain. European regulations have started its long withdrawal

Reasons why you should reconsider getting a dog

in a world where 65.1 million American households They share their life with at least one dog, According to a study by Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Hungary, a fundamental question arises: Are these furry companions really the key to a happier life, or are there nuances we often ignore? Let’s start from a common image: the ideal dog, that companion who welcomes us with a wagging tail and offers us unconditional love. It’s no surprise that so many people want to adopt one, convinced that a dog will inevitably improve their lives. And there is some truth in this: the ELTE University study, published in Scientific Reports, found that “dogs make life happy” was the statement most valued by owners, with a score of 2.78 out of 3. In fact, more than 60% of the 246 owners surveyed spontaneously highlighted the deep relationship they develop with their pets, describing them as honest and devoted companions. Challenges of having pets: the other side of the coin However, Life with a dog is not just games and cuddles. Reality, as revealed by the research team led by Laura Gillet, a doctoral student in the ELTE Department of Ethology, is more complex and nuanced. Their findings confirm what many owners already sense: the human-dog relationship is a delicate dance between deep joys and considerable challenges. For example, the economic aspect turned out to be an overwhelming concern: 95% of owners noted expenses as their biggest challenge. Vet bills, food, and other ongoing costs can significantly impact the family budget. Furthermore, although less mentioned, The emotional exhaustion and practical challenges also weigh. Caring for a dog with health or behavioral problems can cause worry and guilt, as well as significantly disrupt your daily routine. Having a dog involves great responsibilities and expenses. (Photo: Shutterstock) The triple dimension of the human-dog relationship The study revealed 3 main dimensions in the human-dog relationship: the benefits (emotional, physical and social), the challenges (practical problems and negative emotions) and the commitment factor. The latter is particularly interesting because it divides opinions: while some owners see morning walks and daily training as a blessing that structures their lives, others consider them a burden that interrupts their routines and affects their rest. In that sense, the reality is that having a dog can be as rewarding as it is challenging. On the one hand, 31% of owners mentioned improvements in their lifestyle thanks to more exercise and outdoor activities and 15% especially valued the connection with another species, pointing out that sharing life with a being with such different qualities For humans it is enriching. On the other hand, we must also consider the less glamorous aspects: They can dirty the house, limit the freedom to travel and, perhaps most painfully, They have relatively short lives (This last aspect received the highest negative rating in the study, with -1.67). A revealing fact is that the positive aspects received, on average, a much higher rating (2.06) than the negative ones (-0.66). However, researchers warn that some owners may be downplaying problems for fear of being labeled “bad owners,” underscoring the need to have a more honest and balanced conversation about what it really means to own a dog. Responsible adoption: the importance of a conscious decision “Bridging the gap between expectations and reality can improve the lives of both humans and dogs,” emphasizes Eniko Kubinyi, head of the Department of Ethology at ELTE. Hence, experts emphasizehe importance of adopting consciously: reflecting on available time, budget and lifestyle before adding a dog to the family can avoid friction and disappointment. Ultimately, for most, the joys of sharing everyday life with a dog continue to outweigh the setbacks. Even so, it should not be overlooked that this decision entails an economic cost, emotional implications and adjustments to routine. The key to a satisfying and long-lasting relationship with a four-legged companion is to be well informed, honestly weigh the pros and cons, and above all, understand that this is a long-term commitment that requires constant dedication. As the researchers suggest, the better prepared future owners are for this reality, the more satisfying the experience will be for both them and their canine companions. Edited by Felipe Espinosa Wang with information from Eötvös Loránd University, Scientific Reports and Study Finds. Keep reading: * The time you should feed your dog to avoid health problems* The first canine airline: flights with menu, playground and dog baths* Five hotels that will treat your pet like royalty

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.