Science

It’s so strange that science has had to investigate it

by

A sports fisherman in Costa Rica was surprised by his life by capturing something that seemed taken from a fantasy film: a two -meter shark of an intense orange yellow color and with completely white eyes. Something that I had never seen in his life, but that was not a new species, but A specimen of nodriza shark with such a rare genetic condition that has left fascinated scientists. A shark so special that it has deserved to be investigated. The finding, which took place near the Tortuguero National Park, on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, has been documented in a scientific article Posted in the magazine Marine Biodiversity. And this shark was not any: it is the first case of xantism Total scientifically documented in a nodriza shark (ginglymostomacirratum) worldwide. And the first registered in the Caribbean Sea. A unique shark in its kind. On August 10, 2024, while fishing at a depth of 37 meters, a fisherman captured, photographed and released this incredible exemplary. The images revealed an adult shark of approximately 200 cm in length, whose skin, normally of a grayish brown color, was of a vibrant yellow-orange tone. What is Xantism. It is a genetic condition that causes predominantly yellow pigmentation in the skin of an animal. Although It has been observed in various speciesfrom reef fish to reptiles, it is a phenomenon considered ‘rare’, especially in the marine environment. The reason for its rarity could be in the natural selection itself: such a striking color could make the animal an easy target for predators. Why this shark is special. But what caught the attention of the researchers, led by Marioxis Macías-Cuyare, were his eyes. The animal had white eyes, without visible iris, which suggests an even more complex condition than simple xantism. Scientists have called it ‘albino-xantochromism’, a combination of xantism (excess yellow pigment) and albinism (absence of other pigments such as melanin in the eyes). The unknown is in its survival. One of the great questions posed by this discovery is How has such striking animal survive. As a general rule, animals with such striking colorations are easy prey, since their inability to hide makes them a perfect target for predators. However, this Nodriza shark was a two -meter adult. This shows that, despite its spectacular color, it has been able to survive for years, hunt successfully and no one has been able to hunt. The fact that it will reach maturity, suggests, according to the authors of the study, that “Xantism does not hinder the survival of this species.” The most plausible theory is that this type of sharks live in night environments, which could have helped him go unnoticed. The new questions that opens this golden shark. This sighting is not just a curious anecdote, but it opens a new field of research. This Nodriza shark is currently classified as ‘vulnerable’ species in The IUCN Red Listso understanding its genetics and adaptation capacity is crucial for its conservation. In this way, science now wonders if this can be an isolated case or if it can represent an emerging genetic tendency in the region. In addition, environmental factors are also on the table, since it points to the high temperatures of the Caribbean could influence the expression of different genes through epigenetics. In Xataka | The white shark is an exceptional swimmer. His secret is in his “denticles”

The science behind one of the AI pillars has an origin as unexpected as unknown: pigeons pecking for food

by

Imagine a missile guided by a dove. It sounds absurd, but it happened in the middle of war: someone proposed to train them to Picute the target from a screen and thus redirect the projectile. The system was never usedbut left something more powerful than the anecdote: A way of learning based on proof, error and reward. The comparison helps to understand logic, but it is not literal: today there are no birds in algorithms; What is maintained is the idea of strengthening behaviors through signals. That logic, simple and direct, is the one that many artificial intelligence models follow. What was previously an answer conditioned by food, is now a score, a preference or human indication that the model learns to pursue. The test and reinforcement mechanism was not lost over time. In the 1940s and 1950s, the American psychologist Burrhus Frederic Skinner formalized that idea with his theory of “operant conditioning”: A behavior increases its probability of repeating itself if its consequences are positive. Although behaviorism was displaced by approaches focused on mental processes, its logic found a new field in computer science. Since the end of the seventies and, above all, in the eighties and ninety, Richard Sutton and Andrew Barto applied it to the design of artificial agents capable of acting, receiving a signal and adjust ‘Reinforcement Learning: An Introduction’. As Mit Technology Review points outthe idea of molding behaviors without resorting to fixed rules became a useful tool to teach machines. From the 1980s, reinforcement learning began to be implemented in algorithms that explore simulated environments, fail, receive feedback and try again. They do not follow human instructions step by step: learn based on the result. This approach proved to be especially effective in tasks with clear objectives, such as games. And it was there that he gave one of his most visible jumps. Alphago’s story marked a before and after in artificial intelligence. In March 2016, he beat South Korean Lee Sedol 4-1 in a series of Go games. He succeeded by combining supervised learning of human games and reinforcement learning. A year later, Deepmind was one step further with Alphago Zero. Instead of training with human data, he started from scratch and learned playing against himself: each victory reinforced his strategy, each defeat the corregía. In 40 days he surpassed not only the human championbut also to all the previous versions of Alphago himself. Today, reinforcement learning is not only used in games; It is also used to refine the models behind services such as Chatgpt. The OpenAI system incorporates a technique known as Reinforcement learning with human feedback (RLHF): people compare model responses and those preferences become a signal that guides their evolution. According to Openai, this phase seeks to align the behavior of the model with the user’s intention. It does not learn explicit rules, but patterns that maximize the reward, that is, what receives better assessments. Reinforcement works, but it doesn’t work for everything. Its effectiveness depends on the signal being well defined and represents the objective well. If it is confused or poorly designed, andThe system can adopt ineffective or even problematic strategies. This has fed a scientific debate. Some biologists have indicated the paradox: Association learning is considered limited to animals, but is celebrated in AI when it produces advanced results. It is no accident that great technology have adopted this approach. More than 80 years after that experiment with pigeons, their pecks are still present in the technology we use every day. Images | Nist Museum | Google | Xataka with Gemini 2.5 Pro In Xataka | The strange case of the diminutive AI: how tiny models are taking the colors to the mastodons of the AI

To the big question of whether you can lose weight, science has an answer. And it has everything to do with genetics

by

There are multiple reasons to walk, to try to approach that figure (rather symbolic) of the 10,000 daily steps. For many, keeping weight under control is one of the main reasons. In this sense, genetics plays an important role, since some people have greater predisposition to accumulate body mass. We have only a couple of decades learning what are the (diverse) genetic variants that are associated with our ease to increase our weight. Know them, however, the door has opened us To be able to design strategies that bring us closer to our goals When maintaining or reducing our weight, thus minimizing the effort to achieve them. Because each individual is a world and not all bodies react in the same way to certain diets or exercise regimes. This is a breeding ground for failure, since what for a person is a “miraculous” strategy to another can take it to a dead end. A study Published this year made a compilation of the different genetic variants identified to date linked to this ease to lose weight through diets and exercises. The team found 30 genetic markers linked to our body’s response to diets and 24 associated with the exercise. Because LAGENTICS is not an isolated factor: it is not our genes in themselves that make us fat. These are nothing more than a part of a complex system in which they interact with our diet and other life habits. More steps To understand these interactions, A study performed by the American Heart Association analyzed the degree to which walk could reduce the impact of genetics and sedentary life About our body mass index. The analysis, published in 2012, observed that the act of walking could, indeed, counteract our predisposition genetics to gain weight, in front of sedentary habits How to watch television whose effect was the opposite. To carry out the study, the team compiled information on more than 12,000 participants, including information on genetic variants (32 in total) associated with high body mass indices. They estimated that walking at least one hour a day could reduce people’s body mass by about 0.06 kg/m². A more recent study I deepened the matter. The analysis, published this year in the magazine Jama Networkit was raised if people with certain genetic predispositions linked to overweight required specific levels of exercise if they wanted to avoid reaching the limits established in body mass index for obesity. The study It was done With 3,124 adult participants and it was observed that, indeed, people with this genetic predisposition required to walk more in terms of steps given a day than people with less risk associated with their genes. According to the data obtained, people in the high risk of risk should walk about 2,280 more steps That people in the average percentiles, a total of 11,020 steps per day, if they wanted to equate their risk of obesity. Although, as a general rule, controlling our diet is a better tool to lose weight, exercise can help us in our attempts. Exercise is, for example, an ideal tool to avoid recovering the weight we have gained. But exercising is, above all, a way to stay healthy. Active life has very diverse positive impacts on our healthespecially in the field of cardiovascular health. In Xataka | Make cardio or train strength: for science there is no debate about what is the ideal year from 50 Image | Tamar Willoughby *An earlier version of this article was published in August 2024

We have been listening for years that “a glass of wine a day is good for health.” Science is clear that

by

Many times we have heard that “a glass of wine a day is good for our health.” We have also heard that “the Recommended alcohol amount It is zero”Who is right in this debate? The debates about the benefits and prejudices of a food are not exclusive to fermented drinks such as wine or beer. The relationship between eggs and cholesterol is a classic example but we can also find apparent contradictions regarding the consumption of coffeehe rice or the potatoes. Human health has many dimensions and our nutrition is very varied (even the poorest diets involve the consumption of a wide range of compounds present in the ingredients of the product or in their additions). Studying in detail The effect of each product is difficult precisely for this reason. That is why science often advances slowly, with the succession of seemingly contradictory studies that are actually simply refining the aim. However, the accumulation of these experiments is granting us a better idea of what happens in our body when we consume alcohol, even when this consumption is restricted to “a glass or two” wine. To better understand the debate, we can start asking us, what is good for wine? The idea that wine can be beneficial to our health is mainly based on polyphenolsnon -nutritious substances but with antioxidant capacity. These compounds present in grapes of which the wine is fermented, they can be beneficial to our health. The problem here is that There are non -alcoholic alternatives where these compounds are also present, such as must or grape itself. In part due to these compounds, it is usually attributed to wine Potential benefits About our cardiovascular health. Experts believe that this improvement could be due to the fact that these compounds favor the reduction of blood pressure and reduce cholesterol. Still there is some discrepancy in this regard among the different studies. A drink with risks Cancer is One of the main risks that are associated with excessive alcohol consumption. AND There are several types of cancer which have been associated with this consumption: in addition to the liver, alcohol consumption has been linked to oral cavity cancer, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, colorectal and, in the case of women, with breast cancer. “The response to whether the relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer risk is clearly established is that there is sufficient evidence,” said Marina Pollán, director of the National Epidemiology Center, in statements collected by Science Media Center (SMC) Spain. The risk, of course, “is proportional to the amount of alcohol ingested, being lower for moderate consumption.” But beyond cancer, excessive alcohol consumption has been conventionally linked to the appearance of the Hepatic cirrhosis (which can also lead to cancer). This disease It arises with the formation of “scars” in our liver, and can also be caused by hepatitis. While we link moderate consumption of wine to an improvement in heart health, alcohol consumption can have an opposite effect. This has also been related to the appearance of alcoholic myocardiopathy, arrhythmias and other heart problems. It should not forget the relationship between alcohol consumption and mental health problems such as addiction itself, being able to exacerbate existing problems. Various studies made in recent decades They have pointed out Alcohol as psychoactive substance More harmful In social terms. One of the most outlined studies in this field was carried out in the United Kingdom and Posted in 2010. Posted in The Lancetits results indicated that this was not so much to the damage it generated in the individual (in this sense it was overcome by heroin, the crackand methamphetamine), but for its social cost. However, these risks are generally manifested after consumptions that we consider “excessive”, in contrast to “moderate” consumption that is often promoted. The problem is that, beyond social conventions or recommendations perhaps without excessive scientific foundation, we do not know if there is such a thing as moderate consumption. According to the Monograph Alcohol 2021. Consumption and consequencesof the Spanish Observatory of Drugs and Addictions, this border does not exist, or in the words of the text itself: “There is no level of risk consumption free of risk.” That is why the health authorities speak not of “moderate” consumption but “low risk” consumption. The risk is never zerobut it is possible to keep it low. And how much is considered “low”? According to the report limits of low alcohol risk consumption, this would be two standard drink units (UBE) in men and one in the case of women. These “standard” measures are equivalent to 10 g of alcohol or, in terms of wine, approximately a 100 ml glass. It is not the same to ensure that moderate alcohol consumption is compatible with a healthy life than to say that this moderate consumption is beneficial to health. Nor is it the same to say that wine can generate a specific benefit in our well -being with ensuring that this possible benefit can be greater than the risks involved in this or other alcoholic beverages. As we pointed out at the beginning, alcoholic beverages (like any other food) contain a myriad of compounds, some harmful, other beneficial for their operation. The general consensus is that the damages of compounds such as alcohol are superior to the benefits that others such as polyphenols can provide. In short, a glass of wine a day can hardly kill us, but We must be aware of the risks They are associated with her. As always, a balanced diet and an active life can always help us reduce our risk of suffering certain diseases, perhaps even helping us to compensate for these small excesses that we can incur. In Xataka | The forbidden dish of Italy: a cheese so extreme in its preparation that the European Union had to put limits In Xataka | The industry has determined to coin the “healthy ultraprocesses.” Science is clear about what is behind Image | Helena Lopes *An earlier version of this article was published … Read more

If the question is whether there are healthy ultraprocesses, science already has an answer

by

You enter the supermarket with the idea of eating better. You fill the cart with “high in fiber” bars, whole grains, 0% yogurts and vegetable protein milkshakes. Everything sounds healthy. Everything fits into the diet that you promised to follow on Monday. But according to the most recent science, you may be falling into a very common trap: that of the ultra -processed who disguise themselves as healthy. Healthy ultraprocesses? A new clinical trial, Posted in Nature Medicine magazineled by Samuel Dicken of the University College London, has he managed to answer this doubtful doubt: An ultra -processed with good nutritional profile is equally healthy as a natural food? The answer has been very blunt: no. Although these products meet the recommended values of sugar, salt or fat, their impact on the body is different. Science behind. For eight weeks, 55 adults overweight or obesity followed two different diets: one based on “healthy” ultraprocessed foods, such as frozen lasagers, cereals ready to consume and vegetable milkshakes; and another composed of minimally processed foods, such as homemade spaghetti, natural yogurt and fruits. Both diets complied with the official nutritional guides of the United Kingdom (Eatwell Guide), which allowed to compare the impact of processing, beyond nutrients. The result was revealing. The participants lost twice the weight with the minimally processed food diet and more than double body fat. But that was not all. Spontaneously – and without restrictions or portion control – the participants ate less calories when their diet was based on unproacted foods. According to the epidemiologist Filippa Juul, by Suny Downstate, consulted by The New York TimesThis is explained because minimally processed foods have less caloric density and require more chewing, which favors satiety. “Ultraprocesses have less texture, chew faster and stimulate appetite artificially,” Juul has summarized. If the results are projected to one year, researchers estimate that a diet based on natural foods could mean a loss of up to 13% of body weight in men and 9% in women. In the diet with ultra -processed, that figure would fall to between 4 and 5%. What distinguishes an ultra -processing food? The classification of food according to their degree of processing does not depend solely on their ingredients, but also on how they have been transformed. According to the study descriptionultraprocessed foods include “ingredients that are rarely used in domestic cuisine, such as emulsifiers, sweeteners, artificial flavors or flavor enhancers”, while minimally processed foods retain their natural shape and require a simpler preparation: fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, whole cereals, natural yogurt, etc. A “healthy” cereal bar can have added fiber, but it also usually contains syrups, stabilizers and artificial flavors. In contrast, a bowl of oats soaked overnight and mixed with fresh fruit and natural yogurt is a minimally processed food that provides fiber in its natural form and without additives. So what is really healthy? The study does not seek to generate alarm, but it does leave a clear message: it is not enough to look at the label numbers if the product is outrageous. How is done also matters. Nutritionist Brenda Davy, cited by The New York Timessummarizes it thus: “Cooking more at home, using recognizable ingredients and avoiding products with endless component lists remains the best recipe to take care of our health.” Along the same lines, Adrian Brown, co -author of the study, warns in The Guardian that the labels do not always tell the whole story: “The nutritional labeling does not capture the level of processing. Many products that seem healthy do not show warnings, but remain UPF.” The environment: a primary factor. As noted by doctor Chris Van Tulleken, author of the Ultra-Procedure Book People, the current food environment hinders healthy choice. “We cannot continue to blame the individual for a hostile food environment. The ultra -processed are cheaper, they are everywhere and are designed to hook,” has declared in The Guardian. Therefore, the authors of the study advocate public policies: better labels, marketing and tax regulations that favor access to fresh foods. Less tags, more real food. Although the study has limitations (short duration and small sample), its conclusions reinforce an increasingly solid scientific trend: minimally processed foods work better to control weight, reduce cravings and eat less effortlessly. And although it is not necessary to completely eliminate the ultraprocessed – the reality and the routines do not always allow it -, it is possible to recover control from the kitchen. The evidence is clear: it is not just what we eat. It is how what we eat is done. Image | Pexels Xataka | Making rice of more is no longer a mistake: cooling it and reheating it can reduce your calories according to some nutritionists

If you think hospital food is terrible, science has just proved you

by

The industrial aspect of the trays in which food is served in the clinics, the aseptic environment of the room, or the bad drink that generally implies the visit to the health center are factors that convert hospital food into a dish of the liking of few. Well, the problem can be even more serious. Health and environment. A team of researchers has analyzed the food served in two hospitals and three residences in Germany and He has found reasons For concern, both for the health impact of menus and for their environmental effects. The team detected, in all the institutions analyzed, shortcomings in fundamental nutrients, including folate, potassium and vitamin B6. In addition, they also detected that in residences patients failed to achieve the required provision of proteins. “We have found that meals contained insufficient plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes; and too many refined grains, added sugars, salt and saturated fats,” pointed in a press release Lisa Pörtner, co -author of the study. “This leads us to an inadequate provision of nutrients and poor dietary quality.” Not only a matter of health. According to the equipment, the diet in health centers should be model in relation to its dietary quality, but the problems detected by the study go further, and the study found that the analyzed diets had a negative environmental impact. “We find that (these menus) contribute to environmental degradation and climate change (which also threatens health),” Nathalie Lambrecht highlightedalso member of the team. Planetary health diet. How did the team reach these conclusions? The study was based on the comparison between the sampled diets and a model diet, in this case the so -called Planetary Health Diet or phd. PHD is a diet Proposal in 2019 by experts of the Eat-Lancet commission, linked to the magazine specialized in medical studies The Lancet. This diet prepares the consumption of plant foods, limiting in turn the consumption of meats and dairy (without eliminating them). The equine not only contrasted the degree of adhesion of these menus to the PHD, it also cotnrasted its nutritional qualities through the so-called Healthy Eating Index-2020 and a nutritional adaptation evaluation. In addition, they calculated the “environmental footprint” of diets through an estimate of the requirements in land use, greenhouse gas emissions, eutrophication (excess nutrients caused by waste emission), water -water acidification and expenditure. The details of the study have been published In an article In the magazine The Lancet: Planetary Health. And in Spain? The results are not directly extrapolated to Spanish hospitals, after all ingredients and cooking techniques can vary much from country to country, even in something as apparently bland as hospital food. However the situation here It doesn’t seem much betterto the point that the complaints of users and professionals took a few months ago to the ministries of health and consumption to take action on the matter. In May, the project of a new Royal Decree focused on improving the quality of menus in health centers, a framework similar to the announced months ago for the improvement of food quality in teaching centers, was announced. The process for the development of the new standard began with a public consultation announced the same May. In Xataka | How much meat is too much meat? This is how the debate about meat is changing Image | Xataka with Gemini

Your mind can activate a loop song without asking you permission. Science knows why he does it … and why he doesn’t know how to stop

by

You are silent. Walking down the street, serving a coffee, looking distracted by the mobile. And suddenly … there is again. A melody you have not chosenbut who insists on returning. As a drop in the tap, as a notification that you cannot deactivate. In my case, it is the same song for a couple of days. Always the same part, as if the rest did not exist. It does not bother me, but it has made me think: why does this happen? Does our brain make sense, sometimes it works like a striped disk? What is exactly an Earworm. The Earworms – Also called “ear worms” – they are musical fragments that are installed in the head and repeat themselves again and again, without you chosen. The term comes from German Ohrwurm And today describes a mental phenomenon as recognizable as elusive. It is not something weird: As the National Medicine Library of the United States collectsup to 98% of the western population has ever experienced them. Most live them as a simple anecdotebut for some people they can become annoying or even distressing. We speak in a very specific way of spontaneous mental activity that science has been trying to understand. Why do some songs stuck. Earworms are the result of a combination of musical and neurological factors. The themes that are most repeated usually have simple structures, fast tempos and easy to hum melodies. This was revealed by a study led by musicologist Kelly Jakubowskiwhich analyzed more than 3,000 songs and found that those who stayed in their heads tended to have common melodic contours and a medium tempo faster than the rest. Among the most mentioned songs such as Earworms in Jakubowski’s study and his team, several Anglo -Saxon pop hits stand out. It is no accident: the work was done in the United Kingdom with English -speaking participants, so most of the topics that appear are in English. Even so, many of them have been true global successes, also known by the Spanish public: ‘Bad Romance’ – Lady Gaga ‘Can’t get you out of my head’ – Kylie Minogue ‘Don’s Stop Believin’ ‘ – Journey ‘Hoilebody That I used to know’ – Gotye ‘Moves Like Jagger’ – Maroon 5 ‘California Gurls’ – Katy Perry ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ – Queen ‘Alejandro’ – Lady Gaga ‘Poker Face’ – Lady Gaga The decisive occurs in the brain: the auditory cortex – the same one we use to listen to real music – is reactivated even when we simply imagine a song. The emotional state also influences: stress, distraction or nostalgia can open the door for a melody to be installed without prior notice. Auditory cortex Some minds are more prone to loop. Not everyone lives the Earworms the same. Some people barely notice them, while others suffer with intensity, as if the brain stayed in a loop. In most cases, Earworms are lived as a simple curiosity or even as something entertaining. But when the repetition becomes persistent and annoying, it can be a sign of something more serious. According to psychiatrist Srini PillayProfessor at Harvard’s Faculty, “these persistent loops can be associated with obsessive-compulsive disorders, migraines, unusual epilepsies, palinacousis, stroke or cerebral metastases.” It is not usual, but it can happen. What to do if you don’t want to keep listening to her. There is no magic formula to eliminate an EARWORM, but there are strategies that help. Curiously, try to block the song It is the least effective: the more struggles against her, the more she clings, a phenomenon described by Daniel Wegner as “ironic process.” Instead, accepting it without resistance usually works better. As the Kennedy center collectssome people choose to listen to the complete song; Others replace it with another melody. There are specialists who point to chew gum To interfere mental repetition. And you, what song isn’t you going from your head? Since I started investigating the Earworms, the song in my head has not disappeared. Now I know that I am not the only one, that there are reasons behind and that, deep down, that loop is part of how our brain works. And you? Have you ever had an Earworm that you couldn’t take off from your head? What was that song impossible to erase? Do you have any technique to take it off? We read you in the comments. Images | Xataka with Gemini 2.5 Flash | Amanz | Kennedy Center In Xataka | I put myself in the hands of some “sleep headphones” in the hope of reconciling sleep. It has come out regular

Roig believes that in 2050 we will no longer have kitchens at home because we will buy the food out. Science is not so clear

by

The appointment was designed to boast resultsbut during the presentation of his 2024 memory, Juan Roig, president of Mercadona, launched a prognosis that monopolized almost more holders than the milmillonary turnover of the company. For many of many, the Valencian He predicted That babies who are born in thirty years will not know what it is to have pots or a caster. “I said and kept it: in the middle of the 21st century there will be no kitchens.” The reason? People will feed out of home or base of precooked dishes ‘ready to eat’ like those sold by the Mercadona itself, according to Roig’s particular gastronomic dystopia. A study Recent suggests that the Valencian perhaps rushed in his forecast and that, despite the changes of habits, Spain remains a country full of kitchens. A percentage: 59.1%. What percentage of Spaniards still cooking frequently? And how do they do it? Questions similar to those are what was raised a while ago Elena Sandriof the Catholic University of Valencia (UCV). To resolve them, he conducted a survey with more than 1,500 participants who threw some interesting conclusions, now embodied in An article Posted in the magazine International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science. Specifically there is a fact that seems to question that the future without kitchens prophesied by Roig is just around the corner: 59.1% Of the Spaniards still cook daily or almost daily. “It is still central”. The study does not stay there. The study reveals that the average time that 59.1% dedicated to the kitchen is around the hour and a half and that there are still a clear differences between sexes: they cook more frequently, apply healthier techniques and show wider gastronomic knowledge. Its score is several points higher than that of men. If we look at the ages, clear differences are also seen: adults cook more. With that data the expert reaches A clear conclusion: “Homemade cuisine is still central to Spanish culture.” His study also reveals the importance of knowledge to favor “healthy culinary practices” or “sociodemographic disparities”, especially among men, people with low educational level, young people and people who live alone. “They tend to resort more to fast food and prepared dishes, often due to the lack of time, skills or knowledge.” Is it the only study? No. Throughout the last years several studies have tried to answer the same question: do we continue to cook the Spaniards? In 2023 FESNAD, the Spanish Federation of Nutrition, Food and Dietary Societies, made A study With a sample of 1,075 and obtained a photograph somewhat different from that of Sandri: according to their calculations, about 46% of the Spaniards continue to turn on their vitros or stoves every day. It is a considerable percentage, although it already crosses the border of the middle of the population. “Our kitchen at home is losing importance, we do not cook daily and cook alone. We do not cook every day for the little time we have and the speed with which we live,” He pointed out The Vice President of Fesnad, Rosaura Leis. Another interesting perspective is contributed by the Kitchen Canal, which also made Your own study with 2,251 interviews with people between 20 and 65 years. What did you find out? That the large majority of the population (around 90%) cooks at least once a week, but only a very poor 20% does so daily. New times, new habits. The previous fact, of course, must be analyzed taking into account another key that slides the Channel Cocina report: almost four out of ten Spaniards (36%) practice Batching Batchingso they dedicate a day to cook much of the food they consume throughout the week. Among young people that practice rises to 41% and if we talk about Madrid, 46% have incorporated it into their lives. The study It also reveals that more than half of the Spaniards eat from Taper at least once a week, especially lunch from Monday to Thursday, and 43% receive them from other people, especially (yes) of their mothers. Is it the only change? Again, the answer is ‘no’. Throughout the last years industry and researchers have been sliding data that reveal that, although Juan Roig’s prognosis may still sound distant, in Spain it is increasingly easy to meet people who feed (timely or of often) without turning on a single stove or take a pan. The Association of Prepared Dishes Manufacturers (ASEFAPRE) estimates that in 2024 the consumption of its products 6.6% shot In homes, overcoming the barrier of 700,000 tons. To be more precise, per capita intake grew 3.8% to touch 17.2 kg per year. Similar reading leaves Another report From the consultant Kantar, who reveals that the purchase of dishes “ready to eat” has shot 48% in a matter of two years in Spanish supermarkets. Moreover, its survey shows that in 20% of cases the client does not even consume them at home. “The interest at this time lies in the search for balance between time, health and culinary pleasure,” summarizes Veronika Kurshudyan, director of the Customer Area of the consultant. “Look for solutions”. Simply, and although Spain still is a country full of kitchens, people already “not only buy food”, warns Kurshudyan. Now demand something else when he goes to supermarkets: “Look for solutions.” From that approach it is better understood than when a few months ago the CIS dedicated himself to asking the Spaniards if they believed that industrial cuisine and the Fast food They were eclipse to home cooking, they meet a striking result: most (mostthree out of four) people responded affirmatively. What is the conclusion? The key I gave it a few days ago Miquel Echarri in THE COMIDIST- THE COUNTRY: Perhaps the prepared food is gaining ground at a good pace and there is already 40.9% of Spaniards who never cook or do it very afternoon in the afternoon (the other reading left by Sandri’s study), but home cooking is far from being a … Read more

Andrew Huberman is determined to make 150 minutes of cardio a week to live more. Science is not so clear

by

It’s 3:52 in the morning and Ashton Hall Start your day: Mouth Tapingcardio on the balcony, statements, ice on the face, banana on the face, all in timed time. His extreme morning routine went viral a couple of months ago with more 99 million views on Tiktok. What started as Skincare with Journaling He has mutated in a culture cult. More and more men adopt millimeter routines with the promise of order, control and success. In that scenario, Andrew Huberman, Stanford neuroscientificpodcast, Guy supplement, Not only is a reference: he is an architect of this new biohackeada masculinity model. Science and Podcast. Huberman’s fame comes for his program Huberman Lab, where he dissects studies on health, sleep, exercise and supplementation, with serious voice, marked body and surgical safety. Talk about protocols, not advice and millions follow it to the letter. What proposes Sounds simple: look at the sun in the morning, train on an empty stomach, dive into cold water, take magnesium, sleep 8 hours and repeat. But it sells it as a high performance science and packages it in a self -control language, constant improvement and masculinity without cracks. But is it reliable? Not everyone is convinced. The researcher Joseph Zundell (Harvard) has pointed out in Times How Huberman draws hasty conclusions from studies with limited evidence. Many of the articles that he quotes – special about supplements or longevity – are based on animal models or are preliminary. However, it makes them “protocols” with appearance of certainty. And we must not forget the conflicts of interest, since it recommends supplements like AG1 (from Athletic Greens), a company that actively collaborates. Although it is presented as an independent disseminator, its content is also part of the well -being business. Even in the most personal field. An article in New York Magazine He collected former partner testimonies that accuse him of manipulative behavior, toxic relationships and contradictions between his mental health discourse and his private life. One more bro? Yes, but with a doctorate. Huberman embodies the university version of the Bro-fitness: sculpted body, extreme control and scientific discourse. It is less explicit testosterone, plus paers reviewed. However, the objective is the same: optimize body and mind, and project success. Its physical presence is not secondary: it is part of the message. And their theories are perfectly aligned with the new online masculinity referents, where to take care of the skin and make cardio coexists with protein smoothies and direct sunlight as if they were dogmas. In his crusade for longevity, He has emphasized what to do 150 minutes from Cardio A week you can lengthen life. That figure appears in several episodes and interviews. But is it really backed by evidence? Science behind. This is where enthusiasm collides with complexity. The data of the “150 minutes” is not invented, but is decontextualized. In the videos he explains that training in zone 2-moderate intensity, without reaching exhaustion-for 150-200 minutes per week improves cardiovascular health, metabolism and brain function. However, a meta -analysis, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicineanalyzed 26 systematic reviews of 199 cohort studies: a total of more than 20 million observations. The general conclusion is clear: higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with a significant reduction in the risk of death and cardiovascular diseases. There is no universal magic figure. According to Justin Lang (Cheo Research Institute)the response to exercise varies between individuals according to age, sex, genetic, health and lifestyle. A high -level athlete will need to train much more to improve its aerobic capacity. Someone who starts can benefit with just walking at a light pace three times a week. Besides, As he warns The cardiologist Jayne Morgan (Piedmont Healthcare), the benefits of cardio are not linear or infinite: more exercise does not always equals more health. The threshold depends on the physical condition and other clinical factors. In fact, studies such as The one published in Missouri Medicine They already talked about an inverted j curve: moderate exercise protects, excess can have adverse effects, especially in the heart. In summary: yes, 150 minutes of weekly cardio is a good reference for most healthy adults, but it is not a closed formula to extend life. Science supports regular physical activity as a longevity factor, but with margins, adaptations and without absolute guarantees. The hidden cost of male self -care. Huberman’s message – orders, discipline, physical performance – connects with a silent anxiety growing among many men. Obsesting with diet, body or training is no longer perceived as a problem, but as willpower. But behind certain extreme self -care routines, what sometimes there is is control, guilt or fear of failing. As the journalist Noemí López Trujillo explains in Newtralthis aesthetic pressure is not understood only in image terms, but as an extension of the norms of traditional masculinity: like it without seemingly effeminate, rendering without showing weakness, improving without speaking of beauty. Therefore, many men seek to “maximize” their physique instead of simply taking care of themselves. And that is where phenomena such as looksmaxxingthat disguise emotional discomfort with improvement language, but push it towards isolation, guilt or even radicalization. There is something in your favor. Andrew Huberman has achieved something that few scientists achieve: to become viral. Has brought complex concepts to mainstream and has aroused the interest of millions in the body, the brain and aging. But its way of translating science into protocol has costs. His statements, such as the 150 minutes of cardio to live more, are based … but also many nuances that he rarely explains. And in a world saturated with productivity anxiety, these nuances are essential. Not everything that seems science is. And not everything that improves your health needs a timed routine at 4:00 in the morning. Image | Pexels and Tiktok Xataka | You will love the muscle above all things: how protein fever has resulted in a “perfect” body cult

Creatine is the Queen of Gym. Now science investigates if you can also wake up your brain when you don’t sleep

by

Creatine is, together with Powder proteins Already the Ashwagandha, one of the star supplements if we do physical activity Intense. It is one of the most studied supplements and evidence on improvements in physical function are clear. However, in recent years he is calling attention to areas far from the gym thanks to its potential benefits for cognitive function. And now there are those who are studying the effects of creatine in People with lack of sleep. Creatine and brain. The operation of creatine is simple. It is a compound that we produce naturally, mainly in the liver, but that we can also obtain thanks to certain meats and fish. The problem is that in vegan lifestyles or within the framework of intense training, supplementation becomes very interesting To increase those immediate reserves of energy Recently, the Texas A&M University He discovered that creatine is not only useful in the muscles, but also in the brain, with studies pointing to positive effects on the Recovery of brain injuriesin reducing the sensation of fatigue and as a neuroprotective agent by showing potential to reduce mitochondrial dysfunction, being a key factor in the neurodegenerative diseases. Neurogenesis. Creatine plays a very relevant role in the formation of New cells and brain tissuesalso in the creation of neurons in the embryonic phase. And that prominence is what encouraged research on creatine functions in the brain. As we read in BBCwithin the tests that are being done, one is that of Ali Gordjinejad, researcher at the Forschungszentrum Jolich Center in Germany. As we discussed before, they have been carried out, and they are still doing, studies that relate the role of creatine in the brain beyond that embryonic phase, and something that disrupts the usual functioning of the brain is the sleep deprivation. That is where Gordjinejad wondered if creatine can have a role in the short -term memory and brain recovery in People with sleep deprivation. This would be interesting for people who must travel at night, emergency service workers or students who hurry before exams. The analysis. To do this, his team recruited 15 people and divided them into groups. One was given a creatine supplement and another placebo. The shot was at 6:00 p.m. and, until 9:00 in the next morning, he tested the cognitive performance of those people every two and a half hours. He analyzed his reaction times or short -term memories and discovered that the processing speed was higher in the group that took creatine. Gordjinejad Consider That, in that stress situation for the body and, above all, the brain, the organ needs energy available quickly, taking it from phosphocreatine deposits that have been filled just before exercise. Would act exactly as it does when we are doing a Intense exercise To endure, for example, one more repetition. Controversial. The researcher believes that his findings show the potential of creatine to help overErebro starts its repair mechanisms. Now, although there are very forceful studies, this is somewhat less due to an important detail: the participants in the study took 10 times the recommended daily dose of creatine. Gordjinejad himself points out that it is such a high dose that it should not be taken by people with kidney problems, but even if you are perfectly healthy, that dose can cause stomach pains or problems in the following deposits. You have to continue studying. What the researcher is clear is that we must continue to investigate until finding evidence that supports his theory or, on the contrary, help to leave it aside (that is also the scientific purpose, in short). In following trials, he will try with smaller doses, and is something that will allow creatine to relate more evidently to cognitive function. Because, as we said, Its muscle benefits in exercise They are evident and well supported by science, but when we talk about the performance of this supplementation in the brain, various researchers have agreed that you have to standardize amounts of creatine in the analysis and, above all, update those studies. A clear example is that of researcher Terry McMorris, which in 2024 and after reviewing 15 studies, concluded that there is no clear evidence that supports that creatine improves cognitive function, being the main problem that many of these studies were carried out almost a century ago and in unstricted situations. In what McMorris and Gordjinejad shake hands is in the belief that it is an area in which it is worth continuing. Images | l ch In Xataka | If the question is how to increase protein intake every morning, the answer is “proffee”: throwing it into coffee

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.