strange

Magnetic maps had been marking something strange under Antarctica for centuries. So we’ve started drilling to find it

by

For years, magnetic maps of East Antarctica have shown something strange about the region from Princess Elizabeth Land: a large amplitude linear magnetic anomaly under kilometers of ice that runs along the coast parallel to the margin of the continent. It was something that satellites and planes could detect, but no one knew exactly what rock was producing it until now. Discovering it. If the problem is that this anomaly was under a large amount of ice, a team of researchers within the framework of a Russian-Chinese cooperation He has done the most logical thing to find what was happening: start drilling. What they have found after putting a large drill to work is not only a magnetic rock that gave that peculiar pattern, but it is the geological “scar” of an ancient island arc that collided with the continent almost 1,000 years ago, when the supercontinent was forming. Rodinia. A challenge. The study that includes this discovery focuses mainly on the Rayner tectonic province, an area that is geologically critical because it is considered a “mobile belt.” That is, it is a collision zone where ancient blocks of crust were crushed against each other. The problem with Antarctic geology is that almost everything they are interested in is buried, and in this case the team had to cross 541 meters of ice to be able to reach the rock that interested them. What did they find? What they took from the bottom of Antarctica was not common granite as can occur in other areas, but rather the core recovered is a mafic granulite. Something that is very important, since granulites are metamorphic rocks that have suffered infernal temperatures and pressures. After power analyze this rock So interesting, it was seen that this was what was causing the linear anomalies seen from space. And as we say, it is not a very normal stone, since it is rich in ferromagnetic minerals, capable of altering the magnetic field locally. Investigating Rodinia. Once with the sample in hand, the team applied geochemistry techniques and dating to be able to counterbalance these data with everything that was known in previous research. What was seen is that there was a great violent history behind it, since it was known that the rock was originally born as magma about 970 million years ago. From its birth, that rock was pushed into the depths and “cooked.” The data indicate that it was subjected to temperatures between 650 and 790 ºC and pressures equivalent to depths of 15 to 18 kilometers. In this way, the researchers’ conclusion is that this rock was part of a volcanic arc of islands like those of Japan. But the most interesting thing is that this arc was not originally in Antarctica, but was forcibly “stuck” against the ancient continent during a massive collision that gave rise to the formation of Rodinia. The Indian connection. To understand the magnitude of the find, you have to look beyond Antarctica, as geologists have long suspected that the Rayner Province in Antarctica and the Eastern Ghats Province in India They are twins separated at birth. And the new data reinforces this theory, since the conditions of “high temperature” metamorphism found in this drilling are almost identical to those documented in India. This leads us to conclude that 900 million years ago, the east coast of India and this part of Antarctica were joined, forming a huge mountain range created by the collision of tectonic plates. Images | 66 north In Xataka | In the United States there is an incredible river that does what seems impossible: defy the laws of gravity

The US recorded something strange underground and didn’t know what it was. Now he has just accused China of pressing the nuclear button

by

During the Cold War, even at times of greatest nuclear tension, Washington and Moscow maintained an unwritten rule: If a test was done, the world had to find out. The explosions were political signals as much as military experiments, designed to be seen, measured and, of course, feared. Therefore, talking about detonations so small that they barely leave a seismic trace and about tests designed not to be detected, generates great concern. The United States just accused China exactly that. An unprecedented accusation. It happened last Friday, when the United States denounced China for having carried out at least a nuclear test with explosive performance in 2020 and to prepare for other low-power ones, a complaint made in Geneva through by Undersecretary Thomas DiNanno just as the classical arms control framework is collapsing after the New START expiration. According to Washington, Beijing would have resorted to decoupling techniques to dampen seismic signals and hide underground detonations, an accusation of enormous political significance because it breaks the previous ambiguity and indicates for the first time a specific date, the June 22, 2020in the midst of debate over whether the United States should recover the option of testing nuclear weapons again. The diffuse limit. The technical and legal background is key to understanding the controversy, since both China and the United States have signed, but not ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treatyallowing subcritical testing no self-sustaining nuclear reaction but prohibits any explosion with measurable output. Washington maintains that Beijing would have crossed that line with evidence very low powerdifficult to detect, while the body in charge of verification, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization, ensures that its network did not detect no event compatible with a nuclear explosion that day, thus underlining the fragility of a control system that never came into full force. Lop Nur, satellites and silent expansion. It we have counted other times. American suspicions are also supported by satellite images and intelligence analysis that point to intense activity in the historic Lop Nur polygonwith new excavations, tunnels and drilling that could be used for both subcritical tests and higher performance detonations. This movement fits with the rapid expansion of the Chinese arsenal, which would already exceed the 600 nuclear warheads and could reach a thousand before 2030reinforcing the perception in Washington that the real strategic challenge is no longer Moscow but a Beijing with the capacity and will to challenge US military primacy. A new nuclear race scenario. The Washington complaint comes accompanied by a clear political message: without binding limits, transparency or verification mechanisms that include China, the system inherited from the Cold War ceases to serve, and the United States reserves the right to adopt “parallel steps”including the resumption of testing, if it considers that other actors are breaking the rules. Beijing strongly rejects accusations, claims its moratorium and its doctrine of no first use, but the simple verbal clash shows a change of phase, one with the risk that the end of New START and mutual distrust open the door to a new nuclear race in which small, almost invisible explosions can have enormous strategic consequences. Image | CCTV In Xataka | Nuclear fusion is humanity’s great utopia in the short term: China has already set a date for it In Xataka | China is building something that looks like an oil well. It is actually a nuclear bunker with a command center

I have tried the Huawei FreeClip 2, headphones with a still strange shape but surprising comfort

by

I’ve been using the Huawei FreeClip 2 for a couple of weeks. I put them on out of work obligation, but since then they have spent more time in my ears than I thought they would. That says quite a bit about these headphones. But, as almost always in life, there are asterisks. Huawei FreeClip 2 technical sheet HUAWEI FREECLIP 2 Earphone dimensions and weight 25.4 × 26.7 × 18.8mm 5.1g per earbud DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT CHARGING CASE 50.0 × 49.6 × 25.0mm 37.8g sound 10.8mm driver NOISE CANCELLATION ANC Cancellation on calls with 3-microphone systems ‘Crystal-clear calls’ system Open-ear transparency mode microphones 3 Clear Voice battery 60 mAh per earbud 537 mAh in charging case USB-C charging 5V 1.5 A Wireless charging up to 3W Theoretical autonomy Up to 9 hours on a single charge Up to 38 hours with the case charged connectivity Bluetooth 6.0 Dual connection Quick pairing on Huawei with EMUI 10.0 or higher compatibility Android 8.0 or higher / iOS 13 or higher (to use the Huawei Audio Connect app) Standard Bluetooth connection without advanced features if the app is not used design Open-ear headset with C-shaped bridge design (arc that surrounds the ear) Bridge material: silicone + shape memory alloy Resistance IP57 (headphones) and IP54 (case) price 199 euros HUAWEI FreeClip 2 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, Open Earbuds, All Day Comfort, Open-Ear Adaptive Listening, up to 38h Autonomy, iOS and Android, 42 Month Warranty, Black The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Design with personality and that requires personality The design, officially “C cross-bridge design” and unofficially “two pairs of cherries”they no longer feel like as risky a bet as they did in their first version. That first generation It made me ask a legitimate question.: Who is going to want to wear spheres hanging from a cable over their ear? This is how they will see you with them. Image: Xataka. Two and a half years later, after a wave of imitators of the format, it seems that the market has responded: people do want this. I personally still have my reservations: I don’t go through life hiding, but Yes, I like to go unnoticed, and with these headphones in my ears it is complicated. There is some look from someone who wonders if that is an earphone, a modern hearing aid, a piercing or what. Huawei has reduced the weight to 5.1 grams per earbud. The bridge that connects both parts uses liquid silicone with shape memory. And the tension is just right: they don’t press, they don’t slip. I have bent down to pick things up from the floor, I have run with them and I have spent long periods of time cleaning the house with them in my ears. They usually don’t move. But there is some ‘but’: Sometimes, for some reason (I guess we all have different ears), my left one would slip a little and I would have to adjust it. Are you going to wear a hood? Problem. Will you take off your sweatshirt? Problem. These helmets are not designed to stay there with that type of friction. Running with them is acceptable, but it is clearly not their ideal use, and in fact I did not feel like repeating the play. By the way, these headphones, like those of their first generation, They are exactly the same as each other, there is no left and right model.so it doesn’t matter how you put them on or how you store them in the case. That’s where the sound comes out to your ear. Image: Xataka. Open-ear comfort always sounded like an empty promise until now. These headphones fulfill it because they simply disappear. You really forget you’re wearing them. After hours with them I suddenly realized that they are still there. That’s how well they integrate, that’s how little they bother you. The sound, without any big fuss, it fulfills for the day to day, without further ado. The bass has presence thanks to a drivers 10.8 mm double diaphragm. They do not give the punch of closed headphones, but for an open design it seems acceptable to me. Voices over the phone remain clear, but the treble at high volumes sounds a bit sharp. With the ten-band equalizer you can do something. In short: they deliver, but no one expects miracles in detail and dynamics. The application to customize them and access some advanced features. Image: Xataka. What surprised me the most is controlling sound leakage at moderate volumes. Huawei incorporates a system that emits waves in inverted phase to cancel escaping audio. That is, the noise cancellation system, but towards the outside instead of inward. It works reasonably but not impressively. I listen to something with my wife and, if it is not at high volume, she assures me that she does not hear anything. I pass them on to her and confirm it. If I decide to increase the volume to around 80%, there is an obvious leak. I didn’t try the first FreeClipbut I remember seeing some complaints on this point. The problem has not disappeared but I think it has lessened. The battery is one of its strong points. Lasts up to nine hours of continuous real use. Seven or so most of the time. With the case you can chain charges up to about 38 hours in total. Very good figures for those who travel or spend the day working outside. Fast charging is another detail: ten minutes in the socket gives you three hours of autonomy. A unique appearance. Image: Xataka. The touch controls work on the cable that joins both parts. At first I didn’t understand why a natural gesture produced certain behaviors. Then I failed several attempts because I forgot where that wire was exactly. Afterwards you get used to it, but it is not a perfect system, it is not completely reliable because it requires a lot of precision. Swiping your finger on the … Read more

This console that no one knows about and is full of strange games with motion control has sold more than Xbox

by

The toy that no one saw coming ended up becoming the unexpected phenomenon of Black Friday 2025. At the end of November and facing the Christmas campaign, a practically unknown console surpassed Xbox in sales and was positioned as the third best-selling hardware in the country, only behind PlayStation 5 and nintendo switch 2. What is it. Is called Nex Playgrounda motion-controlled gaming console made by a Silicon Valley startup that, until recently, was developing artificial intelligence applications to extract basketball scoring statistics. The product didn’t even appear on the industry’s radars until the data analysis firm Circana revealedafter studying console sales figures in recent weeks, which had accumulated 14% of total hardware sales during the most competitive period of the American commercial year. How it works. Its interior houses an 8-core ARM processor, 64 GB of storage and a wide-angle camera that constitutes the heart of the system. The tracking technology detects 18 points on the human body in real time using artificial intelligence algorithms that They process everything locallywithout sending data to the cloud. Some critics they have praised its design and motion tracking capabilities, but questioned the limited library of games and the subscription pricing scheme under which it operates. How much does it cost. Its entry price is $249, and includes five pre-installed games, such as ‘Fruit Ninja’. He full access to the catalog requires purchasing the Play Pass, at $89 annually or $49 quarterly. Still, the total cost of $338 would still be significantly below traditional consoles. The console deliberately aims at an audience other than the gamer traditional: families with young children looking for physical activity disguised as digital entertainment. The sales curve. PlayStation 5 led the market last Black Friday and surrounding dates, with a 47% market share. Switch 2 scored 24%, relegating Xbox to fourth position with less than 14% remaining, according to official data from Circana Retail Tracking Service. Nex’s sales trajectory draws a curve that defies any algorithmic prediction: in 2022, the company barely shipped 5,000 units of its console. The following year, that figure multiplied by thirty to reach 150,000 units. By 2024, the projection points to 600,000 systems sold. The evolution of Nex. The most radical transformation of Nex, the company behind Nex Playground, was not only technological, but also identity-based. The company was born in 2017, founded by a group of former Apple, Google and Facebook engineers led by David Lee. Its first app, ‘HomeCourt’, from July 2018, featured cutting-edge technology applied to a very specific market: basketball players, amateur or not, who wanted to analyze performance metrics. In July 2019 they signed a shareholding with NBA and they started to grow receive recognition. The pandemic and the closure of gyms revealed a fact that had gone unnoticed: people I downloaded the app to access minigames They were practically hidden. In 2021, Nex launched ‘Active Arcade’, a free app with 13 body movement mini-games, and they got more downloads in their first month than ‘HomeCourt’ in its entire history. In December 2023, they launched this Nex Playground, which physically materialized everything they had learned up to that point, seeking a family audience more than expert athletes. Agreements have been signed with brands such as Bluey, Peppa Pig, Barbie and the Ninja Turtles, and project more than $150 million in sales this year. In Xataka | Microsoft is killing Xbox for Excel

the strange inhabitants of the Antarctic abyss

by

In the frozen, forgotten depths of the South Atlantic, an international team of scientists has achieved the unexpected: confirming the existence of thirty completely new marine species for science. Among them, a creature stands out that challenges what we know about life in the deep ocean: a spherical sponge covered in hooks, capable of catching its prey with such forceful efficiency that the team itself baptized it as “death ball”. We don’t know everything. With this type of news, science places our feet in reality, since although we have been populating this planet for many years, there are still things that we do not know. An example are these new species that show us that in the depths of the ocean we have a great mystery for humans and that there is still a way to surprise us with our planet. A predator. Most marine sponges They are considered “peaceful”filter feeding and causing no further harm to anyone. But the Chondrocladia sp. novfound more than three kilometers below the surface near Montagu Island, uses microhooks that act as a kind of “deadly Velcro” on crabs and other invertebrates, which it slowly absorbs. Visually, this is a sponge that is actually quite surprising, since it is white and has appendages ending in small balls. In this way, it managed to gain the attention of specialists who have described it as one of the strangest animals of the entire expedition. This is something that breaks with what a traditional sponge does that we all have in mind, which simply feeds on particles and remains in the water itself. But this new species is committed to feeding on other living beings and on those that are above the food chainas the study researchers point out. Technology has been key. Right now, accessing the seabed is a real challenge for humans. One of the great impediments is the great pressure that exists in that environment that becomes really hostile. But thanks to technological advances it has been achieved. This specific investigation has had a underwater robot named SuBastian and high definition cameras. The result of the expedition was thousands of hours of video and nearly 2,000 specimens among the images that had to be analyzed. But the species were not the most notable part of this research, since new hydrothermal springs, coral gardens with volcanic structures were also discovered, and a juvenile colossal squid was recorded for the first time. ​ Not just sponges. It is a fact that on the seabed there are many species that are truly strange, including the so-called ‘death balls’, but they were not alone in this rarity. Other species that surprised the researchers were the following: Zombie worms (Osedax sp.), capable of feeding exclusively on the bone tissue of whales and large vertebrates. ​ Rare mollusks, bivalves and black corals adapted to hydrothermal and volcanic environments.​ A complicated process. Verifying that these findings are true is not something easy to achieve. In this case, the findings were made this August at the University of Magallanes in Chile where specialists from eight countries applied accelerated identification techniques: from in situ imaging to genetic comparison, in a process that seeks to reduce the years of waiting to catalog new species.​ Images | @TuCpakoa In Xataka | We are clogging the ocean’s carbon toilet and it is something that is only going to cause us problems

They have tried to adapt it three times, but it is so strange that they never managed to achieve it

by

As often happens periodically, Stephen King is back in fashion. HBO has released, with notable success, a new prequel, It is in series formatfrom ‘It’. And a couple more adaptations coincide on the big screen, ‘Chuck’s life‘ and ‘The long march‘, with a new version of ‘Pursued‘ around the corner. However, there are some of his works that resist adaptation. ‘The eyes of the dragon’ is one of the most unique cases. What is it about? The fantasy ‘The Eyes of the Dragon’ was published in 1984 and is one of his first exceptions to the pure horror universes that King had been generating since ‘Carrie’: a novel that mixes political intrigue, magic and a fictional universe in line with what he would later do, in a much more sophisticated way, in ‘The dark tower‘. The novel tells the story of the fictional kingdom of Delain, where the throne is marked by the struggle between two brothers, Peter and Thomas, and the dark power of the evil wizard Flagg (there is a connection, in fact, with ‘The Dark Tower’). Why is it special? It is a more accessible and less violent fantasy than his other books, designed for a broader audience and with an adventurous approach that distances itself from the crudeness of other books. It is this same uniqueness that has made it difficult to adapt, since it demands a certain visual finish that is not cheap to achieve. The mixture of classic fantasy elements with psychological suspense and King’s own tension also makes it a work that is difficult to pigeonhole. And we already know how little that is liked in Hollywood. First attempt. The first serious attempt to adapt “The Eyes of the Dragon” was through an animated film. It was going to be produced by the French studio WAMC Entertainment, it was announced in the late 90s to be released around the year 2000. It was a very ambitious project in terms of budget, estimated at around 45 million dollars, something unusual for an animated film that was not strictly children’s at the time. However, despite the initial investment and the enthusiasm of the parties involved, the production encountered multiple technical and financial difficulties that ended it: deadlines were extended, costs skyrocketed and the creative vision began to blur. Ultimately, the studio ended up losing the rights. Second attempt. In 2012 it was the turn of Syfy, the cable channel known for adapting with considerable success works that were considered difficult to bring to the general public, such as ‘Dune’. The idea here was to use the miniseries format that had worked for other Stephen King adaptations such as ‘The Tommyknockers’, ‘The Store’, ‘It’ or ‘Apocalypse’. However, the project did not advance much and neither creative teams nor anything that went beyond the pre-production phase were firmly proposed. Third attempt. And Hulu arrived in 2019. There was some commotion, because the showrunner assigned was going to be Seth Grahame-Smith, who as a writer has had a couple of hits like ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’ and ‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’, but who as a screenwriter has had a somewhat erratic career: he was assigned to sequels to ‘Gremlins’ or ‘Bitelchús’ a decade ago, and more recently he was the first showrunner from the ‘Green Lantern’ series, but ended up leaving the series. And yes, he produced the recent and successful films that adapted ‘It’ by, precisely, Stephen King. The project was compared in tone to a kind of ‘Game of Thrones’ for young people. In September 2020, however, Hulu announced the cancellation of production. The reasons were not entirely clear publicly, but there was talk of budgetary difficulties, strategic changes to the platform and the impact of COVID. We continue waiting. King is so prolific and his name is so attractive to the public that it is not necessary to squeeze every corner of his bibliography in search of material to adapt: ​​there is plenty. ‘The Eyes of the Dragon’, however, is a relatively strange piece in his work: we may see it adapted if at some point that long-awaited definitive version of ‘The Dark Tower’ is created, since both have multiverses that are easy to connect. Until then, we will continue with the raw and bloody visions of the most commercial King. In Xataka | ‘Blackwater’ is one of the publishing events of the moment: economical, best-selling, addictive and serialized

For the first time in many months, there is a chance to see a truly strange event: real rain

by

This story begins with a pinch of hope. In recent days, the main meteorological models were beginning to agree: the interaction of a deep trough and a subtropical low that would generate a fairly active front. In other words, for the first time in a long time, real rain could make its way to Spain. Not even Danasnor summer storms: real water. The problem? That, actually, that They were just a handful of exits. deterministic and considering that autumn has always been (and will be increasingly) infernally difficult to model, that was very little. It doesn’t mean, of course, that it won’t rain. It’s going to rain, but the doubts are enormous. Although, as the cards are dealt, it all starts to make sense. But what is going to happen? According to AEMETFrom Monday to Wednesday, the rain will be concentrated in the northwest of the peninsula. However, only in Galicia will it be persistent and there will be significant accumulations. On Thursday the situation will become more “democratic” and the rains will reach a good part of the northwest, the center of the Peninsula and the Pyrenees. The wind can be very strong. However, real rain (as “real” as it can be in this situation) in the center will have to wait until Friday. Beyond Friday everything becomes more diffuse, some rain is expected in the interior, in the south and in the Balearic Islands. And, almost certainly, a small drop in temperatures followed by another rebound. One that will leave us better than we were, yes; but with temperatures above normal. And then? In reality, everything seems to indicate that these meteorological skirmishes will be little. And, given this, many experts already they begin to put their hopes in December. That’s bad, yes. It is true that the country’s reservoirs they are much better not just last year, but the average of the last ten years. But this “water cushion” will not last forever and, although we tend to forget, autumn is a particularly important season for reserves. “in general terms, autumn usually registers higher accumulations than winter in our country as a whole”, said Yurima Celdrán. If we lose it, we will be facing the next drought with one hand tied behind our back. And going to December to wait for a ‘miracle’ is not positive at all. Image | ECMWF In Xataka | The Mayan idea with which this researcher wants to revolutionize the way we treat drinking water: artificial gardens

We are going to see a lot of strange things as platforms fight to survive

by

The platform war is increasing, and given the atomization that we have been seeing for years (each production company with its own platforms), we started attending to some apparently unnatural pairings but that make all the commercial sense in the world. The latest: Netflix wants to promote content that it had not entered into until now: podcasts. To do this, it partners with another digital communication giant, Spotify. From the digital hand. Netflix and Spotify have signed an agreement which can mark a turning point in the world of streaming audio and video. The pact will allow Netflix to distribute a selection of video podcasts produced by Spotify Studios and The Ringer, the label founded by sports journalist Bill Simmons and acquired by Spotify in 2020. The official launch is scheduled for early 2026 in the United States, with international expansion plans throughout the same year.​ Everyone against YouTube. The alliance places both companies in a competitive position against YouTube, until now a benchmark in the long-form video format with conversational content. Unlike what happens on the Google portal, where the main financing model is advertising, Netflix will not include ads, while Spotify will maintain control of the podcast advertising inventory, which reinforces its business strategy based on creator monetization more than in dependence on the user and subscriptions. The programs. Due to the language barrier, not well known outside the United States, although that could change. The initial catalog will include 16 video podcasts. Some of them are: The Bill Simmons Podcast: sport and pop culture. The Rewatchables: analysis of iconic films The Dave Chang Show: conversations about food culture. Conspiracy Theories and Serial Killers: true crime. Dissect: in-depth analysis of historical records. Also abundant sports programs, a specialty of The Ringer: The Ringer NBA Show, The Ringer NFL Show and Fairway Rollin’. Spotify and podcasts. Since 2023, Spotify is increasing its presence in the podcast landscape after years of heavy investments. The company invested more than a billion dollars in famous exclusive contractslike those of The Joe Rogan Experience or Call Her Daddy. But high costs and the evolution of the podcast landscape led it to abandon the exclusivity policy. For some time now it has decided to reinforce its bet on videosince the video podcasts register a growth twenty times greater than audio-only programs, according to account TechCrunch. Netflix wants variety. As for Netflix, this fits perfectly into its diversification policy: Ted Sarandos, co-CEO, had already advanced in April 2025 the intention to incorporate conversational and experimental video content. It is normal for it to join forces with Spotify to fight Youtubewhich has grown noticeably since the public began to stream your content from television. Two super two. The alliance also allows Spotify to avoid the high infrastructure costs that would entail maintaining its own streaming service. streaming videowhile Netflix obtains a volume of new content that does not require large production investments. It is a beneficial collaboration for both content giants: while Spotify expands the spaces where it can be consumed, Netflix diversifies its catalog with a reasonable investment. Header | kit in Unsplash / Netflix In Xataka | Spain is one of the most important “sets” in Europe: the platforms already invest 2,000 million in filming here

the strange case of the brain tumor that went unnoticed for 30 years

by

Imagine being laughing for no reason at all, no a laugh of joy for having heard a joke, but rather a hollow, distressing laugh that you cannot stop. For a 31-year-old woman, this was his reality since he was a baby and for everyone around her this was a simple ‘tic’ or ‘strange’ behavior on her part. But in the end it turned out to be something much more serious: a brain tumor. A clinical case that is undoubtedly exceptional and that has deserved a publication in the journal Epilepsy & Behavior Case Reports. And it is not only rare because of its symptoms, but also because of the evolution it has had, which a priori has been completely benign. Something that until now had not been documented in anyone, being exceptional. The laughter. Since childhood, the patient experienced episodes of brief, joyless laughter. Before each episode, she felt a tightness in her neck and chest, a kind of “feeling of anguish” that was warning her of what was coming. Seconds later, laughter broke out, during which she remained conscious, but distressed because no one likes to do something they don’t know why they are doing. Furthermore, without controlling the social context where it occurs. It all also adds up to a very distressing condition such as having difficulty breathing, red skin, inability to swallow or even ending up crying while laughing. But within all this there was good news: although in the past the attacks were more frequent, reaching up to 6 or 7 attacks a day that even woke her up at night, over time they became milder and briefer, lasting just one or two seconds. This allowed him to hide them on most occasions. A late diagnosis. For years the cause was a mystery. The woman underwent a brain MRI and several electroencephalograms that were reported as normal. He was even prescribed treatments with levetiracetam and lamotriginewhich had no effect and were abandoned. The key came with a second, more detailed MRI. This time, specialists found the culprit: a tiny 5mm abnormality in the hypothalamus, consistent with a hypothalamic hamartoma (HH). A hamartoma is a congenital malformation, similar to a tumor, which in this case was causing the laughter attacks. The final diagnosis was “gelastic crises secondary to a hypothalamic hamartoma”, that is, a very specific type of epilepsy. A unique case. This case is really special, but not because of what was found in the MRI, but because normally the findings are associated with very serious symptoms such as epileptic seizures or cognitive impairment. But in this case none of these problems developed. On the contrary, he led a completely normal life with university studies and a stable job in the local administration that did not cause him any difficulties. And all this without having prescribed medication. So the question in these cases is mandatory: why? The authors are not at all clear about an answer to this question. The most likely explanation is that the size of the hamartoma was exceptionally small. It has been seen in the literature that hamartomas larger than 1 cm in diameter were associated with more severe crises of the “gelastic plus” type. But the small size together with a very specific location probably explains both the mildness of the attacks and the absence of the rest of the serious symptoms. Images | OurWhisky Foundation In Xataka | That a reporter runs after a pig is the best summary of what we want from AI: videos to break the bank

In a town of 2,000 inhabitants on the edge of Ourense something strange happens every summer: it is filled with millionaires

by

Neither Puerto Banusnor the resorts Caribbean, nor the coast of Malta, nor the exclusive Palm Islands from Dubai. When the Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helú It’s your turn to plan your summer vacation, one of the destinations that is always on your calendar is Planea hidden town in rural Ourense. And he’s not the only one. In the summer, magnates such as Amancio Ortega or Olegario Vázquez Grañasenior managers of El Corte Inglés and Abanca or even the cardinal of Mexico City, Norberto Riverawho came to considered papal. On its streets it is also not unusual to find a Rolls-Royce or Bentley. And all in a municipality that does not reach 2,000 neighbors. Welcome to Avion Seen on the map, Avión does not attract particular attention. The town is located in the Ribeiro regionbetween the Faro and Suído mountains, in the province of Ourense. In summer it is common for maximum temperatures go over 35º and to enjoy the beaches of the Rías Baixas you need to get in the car, take the highway and travel a good handful of kilometers. Its statistical data does not stand out on the Galician map either. The demographic winter has not passed Avión by, which over the years has seen how his census was deflating until you stay in less than 1,800 inhabitants. The percentage of population under 20 years of age in the municipality is only 5.66% and its aging rate far exceeds that of the rest of the region. As far as economy is concerned, Macro data recorded In 2021, an average gross income of 16,410 euros, below the capital of the province, which was close to 26,800. And yet, for years it has not been strange to find great magnates spending the summer in Avión. And no, the term “great magnates” is not a figure of speech nor is it an exaggeration. newspapers like Vigo Lighthouse either The Voice of Galicia They usually cover in detail how the Augusts go by in the town of Ourense, so we manage a fairly long and detailed list of businessmen, senior managers and authorities who have been seen in its streets and bars. Of all, perhaps the most striking is Carlos Slima Mexican billionaire with Lebanese roots who sneaks in often in the TOP 10 of the wealthiest people in the world. Forbes estimates that together with his family he has a fortune of about 85.7 billion of dollars. He is not the only fan of Avión, a regular destination for Vazquez Grañaone of the richest men in Mexico. Through its streets has also been seen to the founder of Inditex, Amancio Ortegaclosely linked to Galicia and which also stands out as one of the fortunes more overwhelming of the planet. Are they the only ones? No. The Galician press leaves a good list of personalities who at some point have paraded through the streets of the town of Ourense. The list is long. And curious. Vigo Lighthouse explains how in August 2014, coinciding with the celebration of the local festival (San Roque) and the anniversary of Olegario Graña’s wife, one could see in Avión a Miguel Rinconknown as “the king of paper” in Mexico by the Bio Pappel firm; the captain Alberto Abedfrom FlyMex; Isidoro Alvarezformer president of El Corte Inglés; or the cardinal Norberto Riveraa powerful prelate who entered the pools to Pope in 2005. Carlos Slim, orange tie, in the center. (Commons) The most curious thing about Slim or Vázquez Graña’s summer vacations in Avión is that the tycoons do not seclude themselves in mansions to enjoy the isolation and move discreetly from their heliports. Not at all. They use their Rolls-Royce and BentleyTrue, but they are also seen in the town’s bars to sit at the table to eat seafood or play a game of dominoes. And no, again that’s not a figure of speech. In August 2013 could be seen Carlos Slim, Vázquez Raña, Rincón and the notary Daniel Goñi playing with the black and white chips on the rubber of the Moncho bar. The print was repeated a year later and in 2017 The Country I recaptured a similar quote at the O Luar bar. Of course, there is no lack either food and music. The town even celebrates a mexican partywith mariachis included. But… Why Plane? That’s the big question. Slim lands with his private jet at the Peinador airport, in Vigo, and travels to the small town of Ourense. Why there and not to some paradisiacal destination or some secluded beach in his native Mexico or Lebanon, from where were originally your parents? The key is in the history of Avión, to be more precise in its very strong ties with emigration: during the 20th century, not a few of its neighbors were forced to pack their bags, get on a transatlantic liner and cross the ocean to find a life in Latin America. Some did well, quite well. And they or now their descendants they keep the link with the town. The case more paradigmatic and that largely explains Carlos Slim’s time at Avión is that of Vázquez Raña. “Our parents left here when I was little. As in many towns in Galicia, there was no future. The mosquitoes ate us. And on the unpaved roads our feet sank in animal excrement,” relates to Vigo Lighthouse Ricardo Hermida, a hotelier who emigrated to Mexico. In Avión they not only reconnect with their roots. There, despite the increasingly frequent coming and going of television cameras, reporters and photographers in search of the best snapshot, they enjoy a tranquility and naturalness that is difficult to achieve in other destinations. “In Mexico I move around in an armored car with six bodyguards; in Avión I am free, otherwise I wouldn’t come here,” admits Vázquez Graña. The expression “the Airplane method” is not ours, but Alberto Dacasaa Mexican businessman with Galician roots and a regular summer resident in the town of Ourense. Last year he released a … Read more

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.