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There is a Chinese startup creating the most amazing robots of the moment. It’s called X Square

January 26, 2026 by usatoday24

The only embodied AI (bodied artificial intelligence) company backed by the three Chinese technology giants: ByteDance, Meituan and Alibaba. Just over two years of life and financing rounds in which they have managed to overcome the 400 million dollars. These are some of the cover letters of X Square Robot, one of the most promising companies in the field of robotics. where does it come from. XSquare It is a Chinese startup which was born in 2023 at the hands of Wang Qian, an engineer and doctor from the University of Southern California who, in recent years, has maintained a discreet profile in the industry. The company was born not only as a company aimed at creating humanoid robots: they are also behind the development of the language models necessary to lead in robotics. The roadmap. The startup, despite its youth, has made the most of its two years of life. December 2023, full financing and start of operations. March 2024, efforts begin to develop a general large-scale model for embodied AIthe brain that would move its robots. May 2025, commercialization of Quanta X1, a bimanual wheeled robot equipped with its WALL-A model. Specially designed for logistics and commercial tasks. July 2025, first to show purposeful AI model general capable of directly controlling a highly dexterous robotic hand. Unlike traditional approaches—based on rules, fixed trajectories or action-specific training—the system uses a single model that integrates perception, planning and control, allowing grip and movement to be adapted in real time to changes in the environment. August 2025, Quanta X2 arrives, its first humanoid robot, also with a wheel base. The product. Quanta X2 is the latest solution from X Quare, a wheeled humanoid robot that integrates the company’s own AI model. This model allows the robot to have a vision system, autonomous motion control, real-time task planning, etc. We highly recommend watching the demo video in which X Square shows it in operation, because it is spectacular. Why is it important. X Square does not sell ordinary humanoid robots, it sells cognitive capacity. The norm in robotics companies is to design the hardware and adapt it to existing software. X Square designs its own models focused on physical AI. This is something fundamental for his native country, China. The country wants to accelerate the automobile industry in 2030 with 100% automated factories. The aid policy is especially favorable for local companies developing robotics solutions. China has created centers responsible for training robots to imitate human behavior. X Square software is key The backup. X Square is backed by giants like Alibaba and Bytedancethe first group having announced an internal team dedicated to robotics using Qwen, its AI models division, as a base. Despite Alibaba’s muscle when it comes to creating its own language models, the investment of more than $140 million in X Square Robot makes it clear that it is much more than a typical startup. Image | XSquare In Xataka | Robotics has just broken another scale barrier: there are already autonomous robots smaller than a grain of salt

December is the key month for rain in half of Spain: if we miss it, we will go back to square one

December 9, 2025 by usatoday24

For months, one of the favorite activities of half of Spain was entering embalses.net and see how the country’s water reserves were. If we did, the most common reaction could only be described with one word: tranquility. The water impounded on December 1 was 54.02%. That is 3% more than the same week last year and, mind you, almost 10% above the average of the last 10 years. Everything seems in order, but the story is always more complicated than it seems. Because, while these data seem to improve, more and more towns declare their tap water ‘non-drinkable’‘. That is to say, despite everything, we cannot lose December. A key month for water in Spain. Meteorologist César Rodríguez Ballesteros said it a few days ago“climatologically, December is one of the rainiest months of the year in Spain. Of the 2621 stations on the map, it is the rainiest at 1075, the 2nd rainiest at 385 and the 3rd at 236.” It is true that it does not rain the same way or at the same time throughout the country. It is obvious, but it is good to keep it in mind: the eastern peninsula — DANAs territory — the most important months it’s september and, above all, October. In the heart of the Ebro and Duero Valley, the key month it’s may. And, curiously, in the Cerdanya area, the rainiest month it’s august. However, I insist, by extension (almost half of the country) and location (the parts of Spain with the greatest storage capacity), December is a key month. Above all, after a very dry october and a barely normal November. In Xataka Catalonia has prohibited filling swimming pools due to the drought. For your hotels the solution is easy: buy water in France And, a priori, we have good news. As we explained a few weeks agothe start of December 2025 in Spain would be marked by a very active Atlantic circulation thanks to a significant “negative NAO”. The ‘NAO’ is the ‘North Atlantic Oscillation‘ is what meteorologists call the eternal “give and take” maintained by the Azores anticyclone and the Icelandic low, the two major atmospheric phenomena that govern the meteorology of the North Atlantic. When the index we use to “measure who is winning” is negative, the Azores anticyclone is weaker than normal and, for this reason, it cannot block deep Atlantic storms. The direct consequence is that they circulate further south than normal: right at our latitude. {“videoId”:”x8npqne”,”autoplay”:false,”title”:”DROUGHT What if we can’t reverse it?”, “tag”:”Webedia-prod”, “duration”:”262″} A mattress that can disappear at any time. Looking at the data, even in the most optimistic analysis it is clear that we are coming from very dry and irregular autumns: our water system is affected and the water cushion can evaporate very quickly in spring. To do? As experts often repeat“the (next) droughts are managed with full reservoirs.” Now, even provisionally, they are. It’s time to prepare for summer. However, everything seems to indicate that we will not do so. And, in that at least, yes we have experience. Image | Copernicus In Xataka |In the middle of one of the most extreme droughts in living memory, Catalonia has had an idea: start cutting down trees (function() { window._JS_MODULES = window._JS_MODULES || {}; var headElement = document.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)(0); if (_JS_MODULES.instagram) { var instagramScript = document.createElement(‘script’); instagramScript.src=”https://platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js”; instagramScript.async = true; instagramScript.defer = true; headElement.appendChild(instagramScript); – The news December is the key month for rain in half of Spain: if we miss it, we will go back to square one was originally published in Xataka by Javier Jimenez .

a 100 square meter spider web where two enemy species live in peace

November 15, 2025 by usatoday24

He fear of spiders is one of the most common phobias. So much so that there are video games that allow you to change the design of spiders for that of other animals and there is even research into how. recreate them in less scary ways. With this I want to tell you that, if they give you the creepswhat they have discovered in a cave between Albania and Greece will be the new scene of your nightmares: the biggest spider web in the world, a megacity that has more than 111,000 spiders. And the most curious thing has nothing to do with the size of the structure. In short. A few days ago, in the magazine Subterranean Biologya team of researchers described their great discovery: in the Sulfur Cave between Albania and Greece, they had found a mega city of spiders. Actually, the initial discovery was made by speleologists from the Czech Speleological Society in 2022, but scientists from Transylvania University were the ones who visited and documented the cave in recent years. What draws the most attention is a nightmare scenario: a ‘silk’ structure that covers about 106 square meters and in which a whopping 111,000 spiders live. It is located about 50 meters from the cave entrance, in a very narrow, permanently dark area, and researchers believe there are thousands of individual funnel-shaped spider webs that have come together to create the structure. The colony. For that reason alone, the find is worth mentioning, but the most interesting thing is not the size, but rather the people responsible. If we were talking about a single species, well, it would be impressive due to its dimensions, but what is relevant here is that there are two species that coexist in the megacity: The curious thing is that both are solitary species and have never before been documented to form colonies. Furthermore, under normal conditions, the domestic tegenaria would hunt the Prinerigone vagansmuch smaller, but the researchers realized that both coexisted peacefully. Paradise. The reason? The total darkness may be inhibiting the spiders’ senses, allowing coexistence, but the toxic sulfuric environment may also be playing a role. What they are clear about is that the ecosystem is perfectly oiled: There is no photosynthesis as there is no light, so the microorganisms that are present are sulfur-oxidizing bacteriaconverting inorganic compounds into organic matter that sticks to the walls. There are chironomid larvae that feed on these biofilms. From the larvae, Tanytarsus albisutus emerge, mosquitoes that do not bite and that form dense swarms in an inland stream and of which there are an estimated 2.4 million individuals. By accident, they fall into the webs of the spider megacity and estimate that each spider touches 200 mosquitoes, so they are well fed, they do not need to hunt or leave the structure and they continue to expand the colony. The two species in love and company Implications. One of the researchers, István Urák, has commented that they often think they completely know a species “to the point that we think we understand everything about it, but even then unexpected discoveries can happen.” And he does not say this because the two species coexist, but because they have carried out DNA analyzes that have revealed that the populations of the Sulfur Cave are genetically different from their conspecifics that inhabit the surface. This means one thing: in the evolutionary line, those on the surface have gone one way and those in the cave have gone another, remaining isolated enough to evolve in another way and adapt specifically to the hostile environment they inhabit. These differences mean that microbial diversity is lower in cave spiders and females produce fewer eggs per sac than those on the surface, possibly because since they do not have predators, they do not have to produce as many offspring. a mine. Urák’s team is working on a follow-up study that may shed more light on these spiders, but in addition to the silk megacity, other teams have documented another thirty species of invertebrates that have adapted to this peculiar environment. Among them, another spider: the Metellina merianae who, unlike the other two, prefers to live in solitude. And, regardless of curiosity and even scientific interest, researchers have stressed the importance of protecting this colony. For this reason, the exact location of the cave has not been shared, but the situation is complex because it is located on the border between Albania and Greece and it remains to be seen which country has the power to protect it. In the end, they have been developed in a very specific way and any external element that is introduced can be a contaminant. Beyond the rejection that spiders produce for many of us, this discovery puts on the table that, even in conditions as hostile as a cave without light, with little oxygen and the presence of toxic gaseslife not only makes its way, but “enemy” species can form enormous communities that live in harmony. For the sake of the Prinerigone vagansmay there never be a lack of mosquitoes… Images | Marek Audy, Subterranean Biology In Xataka | We have genetically edited a spider to produce a fluorescent red web. And the implications are promising.

The bidet is dead. The square meter killed it and Scandinavian design buried it

October 23, 2025 by usatoday24

In Spanish bathrooms, a classic element is quietly disappearing. The bidet was in almost every home, as inseparable from the toilet as the mirror from the sink. But something has changed. Today, in new urban apartments and modern renovations, the bidet has become a spatial luxury. Instead, as detailed by interior designer Pia Capdevila in Architecture and Design: “Some time ago we replaced them with sanitary showers, which take up less space and are much more functional in small bathrooms.” What do you mean, a faucet? The change has been progressive but unstoppable. Around the 60% of Spanish households They still have bidets, but in new constructions and renovations their disappearance is almost total. The reasons are simple, as interior designer Ana García explains for El Mueble: Bathrooms have been reduced – in cities they are usually around 4 square meters – and every centimeter counts. Maintaining a bidet means reserving about 60 centimeters of width next to the toilet, a space that can be used for a larger shower, a piece of furniture with drawers or simply to gain comfort. In this context, the hygienic shower or “sanitary shower” has become the great substitute. “They are faucets with a small hose and sprayer that are installed next to the toilet. They require almost no space and are very functional,” adds García. In fact, in countries like Thailand or Indonesia, this system—popularly known as boom gun— is the standard of domestic hygiene. A new aesthetic that invades everything. Saying goodbye to the bidet is not just a matter of space, but of cultural and generational change. The architect Carlos Alonso thus sums up the phenomenon in an interview for El Muble: “A client who already has a bidet will surely want to keep it. But one who has never had one will probably not even consider it.” Personal hygiene is understood in a different way, faster and more functional, without additional pieces that interrupt the clean aesthetics of the bathroom. Homes, increasingly smaller and more versatile, prioritize visual order and efficiency. The architect Miriam Gómez in the same medium he points out: “Placing a bidet in the bathroom is a very typical mistake. It takes up a lot of space and is hardly used. We replaced it with a sanitary shower next to the toilet.” Only some cases – large bathrooms or homes with elderly people accustomed to its use – justify maintaining it. But the classic bidet, that low and robust toilet, is already a piece from another era. So what is better? The dilemma is no longer “bidet yes or no?”, but how to maintain the same hygiene without losing space or style. In today’s bathrooms, where the square meter is worth gold, the solutions include compact and functional options. The most common are hygienic showers or side showers, small taps with a hose that are installed next to the toilet and allow you to wash with water without taking up more space. “When space does not allow a bidet, we recommend a faucet attached to the toilet, with two water channels. It is more aesthetic, takes up less space and is just as functional,” explains the architect Carlos Alonso. However, if what you are looking for is one more step in comfort, the future is already here: Japanese toilets – also called smart toilets or washlets – are gaining ground in Spain. According to Architecture and Designmore and more homes are incorporating them, especially in new homes, due to their functionality and compact design. They integrate washing, drying, temperature control and even automatic deodorization functions. Designer Eva Mesa, from Tinda’s Project, explains it with personal experience: “The first time I tried a Japanese toilet I understood that it was a more coherent, cleaner and more evolved system. Once you get to know it, there is no turning back.” And what is more hygienic? Although the bidet has lost ground, medical experts continue to advocate the use of water as the most hygienic method for personal cleansing. According to Dr. Cindy Kina colorectal surgeon at Stanford University Medical Center, water is the standard treatment for removing body dirt in almost all contexts. In addition, it points out that those who use bidets or water showers have between seven and ten times less bacteria on their hands than those who use only toilet paper. Finally, it details that water prevents the irritation that dry paper can cause and is especially recommended for people with sensitive skin, hemorrhoids or in the postpartum stage. The future of the bidet depends on the map. A publication of The Big Data Stats that went viral On networks it showed how more than 60 countries in the world still use the bidet or some similar water hygiene system. The map did not reveal anything that we could not intuit, but it did confirm it with data: the bidet is still alive, although not everywhere in the same way. In Spain, specifically in Zamora, its installation is still mandatory by urban planning regulations, an exception that surprises even municipal architects. Looking towards our Italian neighbors, the bidet is also law: since 1975 it has been mandatory in all bathrooms. For its part, crossing the Atlantic, in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, the bidet maintains a strong cultural presence, as deeply rooted as mate or the water bottle. On the other hand, in much of Asia and the Middle East, the custom remains, but in another format: that of the side faucet or manual shower, as occurs in Thailand, India or Egypt, or even in Brazil, where the version with a hose prevailed over the traditional bidet. The bathroom of the future. The trend is clear: the bathroom will be more compact, technological and sustainable. Perhaps in a few years we will remember the bidet as a domestic relic, like the landline or the record player: something that was essential and barely survives today. But its essence—hygiene with water—is still more alive than ever. Because in … Read more

How to force Gemini to create images of proportions and sizes you want instead of always making them square

October 10, 2025 by usatoday24

We are going to explain how to get it Gemini make images with the sizes and proportions that you want. With other alternatives such as ChatGPT This is as easy as telling the horizontalxvertical pixels or telling you an image aspect ratio, but with Geminithe artificial intelligence from Google this seems to fail, and often just makes them all square no matter how much you ask otherwise This is a bug that will surely be corrected over time, but if you need to have control over the proportion of the image you are going to create, we will tell you a little trick with which to force it in an original way. Create images in the proportion you want The first thing you have to do is edit a blank image with the proportion you want using any image editor. You can simply make a blank image and crop it to use a specific size. It could also be a random photo, because in the end it’s just one size template which you will then use in Gemini. Now you have to go to Gemini. When writing the prompt you have to add blank image with size that you have chosen. It will be like putting the canvas on which to later create the image. Then, next to the image add a prompt with this formula: “Replace this image with one that shows (…)”. Here, in the prompt it is important to specify that you want replace that image with a new oneand then describe what you want to appear in the new drawing. By doing this, Gemini will not create the image entirely from scratchbut instead will take as reference the size from which you have uploaded. And then, since you have asked to replace the image, nothing from the previous one will appear, but to avoid problems it is best to have the image blank. This way, you can master one of Gemini’s biggest flaws when creating images, which is that it ignores your size instructions. And remember that you can have several templates of specific sizes. In Xataka Basics | Gemini Image Editor: 16 Ways and Tricks to Squeeze Nano-banana with Google’s AI

The best novelty of the iPhone 17 is one that is going unnoticed: a square front camera

September 10, 2025 by usatoday24

Apple has presented an innovation that has gone unnoticed among the most striking improvements of The iPhone 17: A completely redesigned front camera with a square sensor. Why is it important. For the first time in the history of the iPhone, Apple has abandoned the traditional format 4: 3 of the front camera. The new square sensor allows selfies Grupales horizontally without turning the phone. What has happened. Apple has equipped this system in all models of the new generation: iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The resolution has increased from 12 to 18 megapixels. The square sensor works as a broader canvas than different formats are cut according to the need. The AI automatically detects how many people appear in the frame and adjusts the field of vision accordingly. However, the final result is 7 megapixel photos, according to The images shown by Apple during the Keynote. In detail. The new camera allows three different formats: 4: 3 portrait for selfies individual. Horizontal 16: 9 for groups. Square format for social networks. During video calls, Center Stage, an old acquaintanceautomatically keeps the user centered on the frame, even if it moves. The function also allows you to record simultaneously with the front and rear cameras. Yes, but. No Android manufacturer has implemented exactly this solution. Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo or Google have opted for ultra -angular front sensors to achieve similar effects, but maintain the traditional rectangular format. The advantage of Apple’s approach is simplicity: it prevents users from physically turning the device to change the orientation, something especially useful when the phone is held with one hand. The context. This improvement comes after years of relative stagnation in Apple’s front cameras. The last important update had been the jump to 12 megapixels in the iPhone 12 of 2020. The commitment to the square sensor reflects the Apple approach to simplify usual gestures through software. Instead of forcing the user to adapt their behavior to the device, the iPhone adapts to the needs of the moment. In Xataka | If you buy an iPhone Air, you will not be able to use a physical sim: Apple forces its users to go to ESIM Outstanding image | Apple

the ‘chocolate cherry’ color and square nails are trending

January 24, 2025 by usatoday24

Jennifer Lopez, like kylie jennerhas confirmed the prediction of famous manicurist Gina Edwards: “square nails inspired by the 90s will set the trend this fall-winter,” she predicted. It seems that the elegant minimalism and unique details star in the season’s proposals, turning nails into a key accessory for any look. Jlo is clear about it and that is why she has opted for this design for the promotion of the new movie he stars in: Unstoppable. It is a long autobiographical story that tells the story of Anthony Robles, a wrestler who was born without a leg and overcame numerous obstacles to become a national wrestling champion. Jennifer Lopez plays Judy Robles, the wrestler’s mother. In full tour to publicize the filmJlo has also leaned towards the enamel that is in fashion: the cherry chocolatein which, by the way, we see her looking gorgeous. Jlo’s manicures become a trend It is not the first time that JLo confirms a manicure trend and makes it her own. This winter, according to Sofya Khasanova, co-owner of Siberia, there are four color ranges that will be in fashion. dark purple: Dark purple has established itself as one of the most popular colors of the season. This shade balances fun and sophistication, adapting to any occasion. With a pearl finish, purple is transformed into an even more luxurious and refined option. All shades of gray: gray tones have become a must of winter. From a single shade to mixtures of several shades, gray nails, especially with pearl finishesoffer an elegant manicure that is easy to combine with any style. Dark blue and green: For those looking for something different, dark shades of blue and green are ideal. These colors stand out for their sophistication and versatility, being perfect for short and long nails, square or round. classic red: Red, the timeless color par excellence, remains a safe and sophisticated choice. During winter 2025, darker tones dominate, providing an air of elegance and sophistication that never goes out of style. But JLo has gone one step further and has blended the first color with the last, also giving it a touch of brown, which is the quintessential fashion everything this season. © tombachik © Jlo Jennifer Lopez usually trusts the man who is also Selena Gomez’s manicuristTom Bachik. The singer usually maintains the length of her nails and always moves between reds, Bordeauxearth colors and the most neutral ones. It is the first time, however, that we see her look such long square nails. The also actress usually prefers more almond-shaped silhouettes But, like a good trend setter, this winter she prefers the fashionable way. © tombachik © tombachik © tombachik Another detail to take into account about JLo’s manicure is that rarely chooses nail arts striking. The businesswoman also prefers smooth enamels and usually chooses the classic finish: gloss. This year, however, the cat-eye effect, tortoiseshell and the snake effect are also going to be a trend. Do you dare with them or are you from JLo’s team and you stay with the most discreet version of fashion of the moment?

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