study

The “computer” of 2,000 years ago fascinates us for decades. A new study points out that it might have not served at all

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125 years ago, divers who were collecting sponges in the Aegean Sea, in front of the island of Anticitera, They gave with remains of an old shipwreck. Among jewels, coins and ceramic remains, there was something that caught the attention: a copper fragment of something that seemed to be a gear. It was a compendium of gears that seemed to be part of something much bigger and was baptized as’Anticitera mechanism‘. For decades it was an ignored curiosity in the archives of the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, until the researcher Derek de Solla He recovered it, studied and determined that it was an advanced Greek “computer” built at some point between 200 and 100 AC after many theories, a group of Argentine researchers have put the anti -life mechanism to see how the first computer in history behaves .. And the conclusion is that … it was nothing more than an ingenious toy. The main piece First computer For decades, this mechanism fascinated us due not only to its antiquity, but because ignorance about its function allowed the elaboration of all kinds of hypothesis. However, it was Solla who studied more in depth at the beginning, creating physical simulations about the complete state of the mechanism. Thus, and according to the researcher, the anticitera mechanism was a piece corresponding to a more complex object, composed of at least thirty bronze gears placed strategically in a wooden box with approximate dimensions of 340 x 180 x 90 millimeters. It was activated by a crank that allowed to move the gears and perform its function. Which? Well … predict astronomical positions. According to Derek’s studies, the anticitera mechanism was a planetary computer, a very cool name to describe a “computer” that allowed predicting astronomical positions, lunar phases, eclipses and, therefore, calculating cycles of the 354 -day lunar calendar or dates for sports games, among others The pieces found Through different discs, it showed the astronomical data and, supposedly, was designed to reproduce the irregular movement of the moon in its rotation thanks to specialized gears that compensated the anomalies in its trajectory. And, after that first finding, we found more and more pieces of the mechanism, which has allowed us to get an idea of ​​how it was. It was evident that it was A very advanced machine for its timebut it is also clear that it had a number of limitations. The first: however advanced Greek astronomers were, the mechanism embodied knowledge to date, so comparing it with subsequent techniques and tools is meaningless. The position of some planets is very diverted with respect to modern measurements, for example. This is logical and It does not remove merit To the device, but there were two factors that limited their precision: the mechanics itself and the manufacture of the gears. Due to wear, copper teeth could be increasingly inaccurate and, in addition, as they were manufactured by hand and not in series in a assembly chain, any deviation in the gears would affect their accuracy in the calculations. And that is what previous studies reported, such as those of Mike Edmundsbeing one of the few who has been able to directly investigate the device and lead the equipment that is responsible for your analysis. For what supposedly served Another representation of the Anticitera mechanism Testing Now, some Argentine researchers from the National University of Mar de Plata, have simulated by computer the anti -litera mechanism and their conclusion is … that it was useless. Esteban Guillermo Szigeth and Gustavo Francisco Arenas are those researchers, and have shared their conclusions in Arxiv. For their simulation, they were based on previous studies that already took into account the influence of irregular triangular teeth and the consequences of physical inaccuracies in its construction. When performing it, they realized that the triangular teeth did not seem to have a negative impact on the functioning of the mechanism, but of traffic jams in the gears when turning the crank. That, they point out, would have made it very not very practical in scientific use, practically impracticable, reducing the mechanism to an “ingenious toy.” Now, they also claim that it is the result of a simulation about what they know about the device that It was found in 1900 And that it is possible that, taking into account the necessary skill for its construction, the irregular space between the gears could be a fruit of corrosion, and not something deliberate in its design. The researchers propose that the wheels, given the slightest mismatch, would be stuck as it is extremely pointed, when we wear out or not being well balanced by the manufacturing of the time The researchers propose a series of improvements for the gears that would avoid this defect found, but also comment that it must be “cautious to assume that the measurements perfectly reflect their original values” due to what is commented: someone took too many discomfort to build that and it is unlikely that there would be something so complex, but not functional. That is why they also point out that more must be investigatedeven developing more refined techniques, to better understand the real precision and functionality of an anti -litera mechanism that still has room to fascinate us. On the fact that it was found among the remains of a wreck, the answer is much simpler: surely It was part of the loot for some Roman emperor, probably Julio César. Therefore, the anticitera mechanism remains a source of speculation and fascination due to the tremendous merit of its construction more than 2,000 years ago, but study after study, the conclusion is that the easiest thing is that it served little. Even so, researchers point out that its construction was a technological milestone. And that is something that nobody has questioned. Images | GRB16, Zde, Tony Freeth, David Higgon, Aris Dacanalis, Lindsay Macdonald, Myrto Georgakopoulou, Adam Wojcik, Mike Peel, GTS-TG In Xataka | The myth of the creative genius or why most … Read more

A study has analyzed which cars are the ones that lose the most after five years and the clear answer: electric

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You were young but there was a day when buying a Tesla was a round business. The demand was such and the shortage of vehicles so high that There were those who were willing to pay more money For a used tesla than to pay 10,000 euros less, commission it to the company and wait a few months upon arrival. The funny thing is that you were not so young. It was something that happened in 2022. First in the United States and then in Spain. Who was going to tell us now that the company dealt with a painful salesin which it is difficult to discern how much there is temporary with the renewal of the Tesla Model and and how definitive. Especially in countries where the issue is very sensitive, Like Germany. But, obviously, this is not the usual situation. In fact, if your idea is to buy an electric car and change it shortly (three/four years) it is very likely that it is a bad decision. Because, in general and except for very specific circumstances such as the previous one, the electric car is the type of car that is most devalued. A car for many years If you are thinking of getting an electric car, there are two especially interesting formulas. The first is called Renting. Although it is a formula in which more money is paid than with a share of a loan for the purchase of a car to use, it is a good option if you are not very sure of whether the electric car is for you and you do not want to mortgage in the very long term. The second option is to buy an electric car and You keep it as much as possible. If a car does not give problems this is always the best formula to save money but, in the case of a concrete electric car of an electric car, the more kilometers do, the more they fill the battery at low power and more time keep the car the best result will give. This is because yes, How we tell you in this articleyou can load the car at home, you can be saving about five times more money than with a day -to -day gasoline car in fuel consumption. Especially if the use is intensive or almost exclusive in the city. To this is added that, with the passage of the kilometers and the years, reviews, oil changes, filters and, ultimately, replacement of all types of mobile parts that in an electric car are non -existent, are accumulated in a combustion car. A taxi driver can confirm that it is good savings. But the electric car is a problem if you want to change vehicles or technology after a few years. Because, according to the portal ISEECARSspecialists in second -hand sale in the United States, the electric car is the type of vehicle that is most devalued. According to its calculations, an electric car loses 58.8% of its value after five years. The figure contrasts with those collected for other types of vehicles. A hybrid loses 40.7% From the value of the last car a five years and, on average, a car loses 45.6% of its value. The data leave the sale portal and the cars sold there, monitoring 800,000 vehicles sold between March 2024 and February 2025. If the car is not electric, the type of car that is most depreciated is the luxury car. When there is a combination of both values, the result is fateful. The Jaguar I-Pace is the car that has suffered the most depreciation in the last five years, reaching 72.2%. It is followed by the BMW 7 Series (67.1%) and the Tesla Model S (65.2%). Among the 10 cars that depreciate the most we find the Nissan Leaf or the Tesla Model X. The rest are luxury vehicles. It makes a lot of sense Although it may seem bad news, the high depreciation of an electric car makes a lot of sense. And, in fact, the data is better than in previous years. In ISEECARS They point out that the same study in 2023 signed a depreciation of the electric car five years ago 49.1%. It was a lower figure because The price of second -hand cars shot During the Covid-19 crisis and the posterior Shortage in the supply chain. The figure, however, remained the highest of any other type of car. But in 2019 depreciation reached 67.1%. That this figure has dropped out that more buyers are willing to get a second -hand electric car. A sign that there are more electric cars in the market and that the plaintiffs trust more in technology. Although Buy a second -hand electric car It should not be very different than doing it with a combustion car (in fact, in terms of mechanics, it should be easier), it is logical that those who have never had an electric car are reluctant to enter technology with the acquisition of a second -hand vehicle. In addition, the rapid innovations that the sector is living while more competitors arrive that reduce prices cause cars to lose greater value against combustion cars. The promises of new most ambitious batteries and RECHARGES TO RATIMOS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO IMAGINE They are especially relevant to those who are willing to jump into the electric car but prefer to wait a bit to the new models. Cars now bought are devalued to a greater extent because the qualitative leap of buying a new car will be higher than changing a gasoline used by a new one. It is normal that with technology in full development, the current car is obsolete more quickly. It is something that happens in all types of markets Until a technology reaches maturity. Photo | HAVEREDAS In Xataka | We do not trust the second -hand electric car: its value does not stop falling and it is a problem for the industry

More than half of the population in Spain has vitamin D. A study now question the benefits of supplementation

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Vitamin D, in reality, is not strictly a vitamin. It is a prohormone. Even so, in this article we will continue to identify it as a vitamin by familiarity. Anyway has a fundamental role in the proper functioning of our body. Our body is able to produce it When we expose ourselves to sunlightalthough we can also get it from some foods or Taking supplements. Its importance lies in its ability to favor the absorption of calcium and phosphorus inside our intestine, so without it our bones would become fragile. However, this is not all. It also has the ability to improve muscle function, to activate some defensive cells of our immune system, to regulate blood pressure, and even reduce the level of inflammation of our body. In many regions of Spain, the Sun abounds for a good part of the year, and, even so, more than half of the Spanish population, between 50 and 60%, has an insufficient level of vitamin D (less than 30 ng/ml). This is the percentage defended by a good part of the most recent studies, such as, for example, the one prepared by the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition In 2023, although this figure varies depending on the age and sex of the people collected in the report. Unfortunately many of these studies are not available publicly, but most of them argue that up to 60% of the general population has an insufficient level From this prohormone, as we have just seen. And if we stick to people 65 years of age or older, this figure is triggered until 80%. Vitamin D supplements are in question It is not easy to explain why in a country as sunny as Spain so many people of all ages have an insufficient level of vitamin D, but the most reasonable thing is to assume that it is due to a combination of several factors. On the one hand, many people avoid exposing themselves to sunlight during those hours in which this radiation source is more intense to prevent the appearance of skin cancer. And when they do they protect with solar creams that are capable of blocking up to 95% of the synthesis. In addition, a part of the population has acquired habits that invite you to spend more time at home and less outdoors. The intake of calcifediol supplements is the solution that doctors usually opt for to remedy the vitamin D deficit The diet can help us fight this lack, but the figures given by scientific studies show that in Spain we do not consume with the necessary abundance foods rich in vitamin Dsuch as wild salmon, sardines, cod liver oil or mushrooms. In these circumstances, the intake of calcifediol supplements, which is one of the types of vitamin D that circulate in our blood system, is the solution by which doctors usually opt to remedy this deficit. However, during the last decades Several scientific studies They have questioned the efficacy and benefits of the intake of vitamin D through supplementation. One of the most recent It has been led by Dr. Cynthia Thompson, of the Mel and Enid Zuckerman Public Health College of the University of Arizona (USA), and is very interesting because it tries to statistically evaluate two consequences of taking vitamin D supplements that other studies had only insinuated: the possibility that they reduce the risk of having cancer, but, at the same time, they increase that of suffering a heart disease. This random essay has lasted seven years and involves 36,282 women. Those who were randomly assigned the vitamin D supplementation and calcium supplementation experienced a 7% reduction in the cancer mortality rate. However, those same people also experienced a 6% increase in mortality from cardiovascular diseases. These figures are significant From a statistical point of view, but they do not allow us to reach a definitive conclusion in regard to general mortality. According to Dr. F. Perry Wilsonfrom Yale University (USA), vitamin D supplementation probably does not affect mortality, although it could slightly reduce the risk of some forms of cancer. However, it could also increase the risk of heart disease presumably due to the calcification of arteries. Whatever it is important that we keep in mind that the results of this study, and of those who have preceded it, are not conclusive, although, yes, they give us valuable clues that are worth taking into account. Image | Darina Bellonogova More information | Medium In Xataka | We have found some supplements capable of improving memory in the elderly: prebiot promising

A study has revealed how much technology pays in Spain

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Compare it what companies of companies charge It is one of the most effective tools to know what range the remuneration of a certain sector For a certain vacancy or the time of request a salary. However, companies on a very rare occasion make that information public. The Manfred Technological Employment Platform have developed the study ‘Salary comparative of the Tech sector in Spain 2025‘In which, crossing the salary data of five companies operating in Spain, they have been able to establish salary bands for different corporate steps. The importance of salary transparency. In Spain it is not very common for companies to announce the salary bands for each profile and their career plans, although this helps all employees to understand how they can grow within the company and how much they can win. For that reason, in 2023 a New European regulations that will force companies to be more transparent with salaries. That information is relevant when request a salary or know if the salary of a certain job offer adapts to the average values ​​of the sector. Salaries in five technology. To carry out its study, Manfred has analyzed the public salary ranges and scales of Cabify, Alan and Factorial. On the other hand, external sources such as Glassdoor or Levels.fyi To know the data of Glovo and N26. Mandred has analyzed Salary progression For the different software engineering roles, depending on the experience and responsibility of the position, from the most junior profiles to the standing or principal standing positions. In addition, having 2022 datawe can see the salary evolution that these positions have had. Roles and salary profiles of the five companies Source: Manfred.com Where does it charge more and where does it rise faster? According to the study, Alan and Glovo are the companies that offer highest wages For positions of greater responsibility. Specifically, a main engineer can win up to 170,000 euros a year in Alan, and a salary of 150,000 euros annually plus 22,000 euros of variable bonus in Glovo. As for Junior profiles, it is Alan again who best pays its new employees, with salaries ranging between 45,000 euros and 48,000 euros per year. As for the speed with which It can be promoted and increase salary, the situation is somewhat more complex. Companies such as Factorial or Alan have many intermediate salary scales, which could be derived in periods of promotion between 12 and 18 months to the lowest profiles. The authors of the study consider that Glovo is the company where an elevated salary (more than 80,000 euros) can be achieved in less time. However, this process may require a career with more than 10 years of experience. Salary evolution since 2022. In general terms, salaries in the Spanish technology sector have improved considerably since 2022, especially in the most experienced positions. For example, in factorial, the highest salary ranges have improved between 15,000 euros and 30,000 euros a year thanks to the incorporation of a variable bonus. In Cabify, Senior and Staff roles have grown between 13,000 and 30,000 euros a year, while in Glovo, L4 and L5 ranges have increased between 20,000 and 30,000 euros a year in the last three years. In Xataka | The salary remains a source of job dissatisfaction: six out of ten employees consider that it charges little Image | Unspash (Sigmund)

A study has discovered a much more efficient activity for your brain than writing by hand or walking: sewing

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We spent the day with hurry to finish tasks pending, accumulating stress and with an excess of dopamine caused by the Infinite social media scroll that, in the long term, ends up undermining our Capacity for concentration. For this reason, neuroscientists recommend performing activities that give a breath to the brain and reduce stress levels. One of the most popular activities to get the body and mind down It is walkingbut a team of researchers from the University of Cardiff have found A curious alternative that, in fact, it has been put Very fashionable worldwide: sew or weave. The relaxing power of sewing In the midst of that maelstrom of things to do to what they call adult life, the brain needs to find A PEACE OF PEACE in relaxing activities capable of reducing daily stress levels. The hobbies They are not just hobbiesbut they are also valuable tools to exercise the brain activating areas related to creativity, psychomotor skills, coordination and even memory. Either sew, Write to Manoo readthese activities offer a healthy escape for stress and a way of exercising our brain in a pleasant way. An investigation of the Faculty of Occupational Therapy of the University of Cardiff published in the magazine Journal of Occupational Science He points out that sewing or weaving, is not only a mechanical movement, but an exercise that stimulates the brain and exercises the ability to concentrate in a single activity. This ability to focus all the attention on a precision motor activity makes stress levels reduce. For its part, the coordinated and constant movement of the hands activates neurotransmitters, keeping neurons working and our dynamic mind. This activity, far from being only for grandmothers, is a valuable therapy that improves the quality of life and helps to achieve a state of mental calm. As with other activities that involve Coordination skills Eye hand, sew or weaving favors the activation of different areas of the brain and releases neurotransmitters associated with well -being. In fact, the effects of weaving or sewing described by researchers at the University of Cardiff are very similar to those discovered by another group of researchers from Florida State University When washing the dishes. It is true that, after an exhausting day at work, the least can feel like it is to wash the dishes. However, the Study data They revealed that carrying out this monotonous and repetitive activity plunged the brain in a state of full attention that increased up to 25% the abstract thinking activity for the generation of new ideas and reduced by up to 27% the levels of stress and anxiety. In fact, as confessed in a Round of Questions in Redditthis is one of Bill Gates’s favorite activities to get rid of stress. Additional benefits for well -being Apart from the obvious mental benefits, sewing and weaving offer physical advantages that can improve the quality of life. These types of repetitive and mechanical activities provide effects similar to meditation: Reduce stress. When concentrating all the attention on the hands and in the creative process, it is possible to reduce blood pressure, which at the same time decreases the risk of cardiovascular problems. This physical and mental relaxation effect helps to disconnect from the accelerated rhythm of daily life. Analytical thought. Measure fabrics or threads, design garments, choose colors, plan projects, etc. All this contributes to strengthening analytical thinking and developing logical processes by establishing an order of priorities in the steps. Increase concentration. The activity requires attention to details, so the capacity for mental approach and attention is enhanced. Immediate tangible reward. Unlike other activities such as meditating, sewing or knitting provides a reward at the end of the work, which contributes to improving self -esteem. In addition to all that, sewing will allow you to repair the damage of your clothes, so, in addition, you are going to save some money while you relax. How much they knew Our mothers and grandmothers. In Xataka | Feeling over at work is normal, but it is not ideal: six techniques to avoid it and be much more productive Image | Pixabay (Wal_172619), Freepik

A McKinsey study does not have it so clear

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Teleworking is not living His best days. Large companies such as Amazon or Banco JPMorgan have asked their employees to They return to work at the office five per week and one of the reasons that I do is that so Improve productivity. However, a Recent study From the consultant McKinsey doubts this idea. Non -return situation. McKinsey’s report reveals that the change of model towards face -to -face seems to have consolidated in 2024, with a Increase from the Tour of Office 34%, turning 100% face -to -face work in a working day model for 68% of respondents. The most harmed type of day is, as you can imagine, The teleworking. In 2023, 44% of the interviewees worked remotely, compared to 17% who did it in 2024. The hybrid day has been contracted to a lesser extent, which has gone from 22% to 14%. Where do you work little matter. Managers seem to think that teleworking makes employees are less motivated And, therefore, they are less productive when they are not working from the company’s offices. McKinsey’s study reveals that the place where he works does not have Nothing to do with productivity. “There is no clear winner when it comes to a work model that provides a high level of experience and productivity to employees. Both face -to -face workers and hybrids report similar levels of intention when giving up, showing exhaustion, effort and satisfaction,” say the authors of the report. Productivity will not change. From McKinsey they emphasize that the productivity data is more related to the mood of the workforce, than with the location from which they work. “The amount of effort that employees claim to dedicate to their work is similar among hybrid and remote workers,” says the report. McKinsey advises managers that, instead of forcing employees to return to the office to improve productivity, they focus on promoting collaboration, connection between employees, mentoring and skills development. According to the consultant, these five aspects are key to improving performance in the work and well -being of employees. Or satisfied, or nothing. Likewise, the study data has revealed that, on average, the employee satisfaction It is moderate. The majority of the employees of each day model are satisfied or very satisfied with the type of day assigned to them. In part, this is because in many companies it is the employees themselves who choose the type of day, or the company has taken into account its situation to assign it. This data is contrasted with a intention of resignation of 39%, which is close to the figures that were reached during The great resignation with 40%. “The Z generation, which has a greater intention of leaving, in particular for face -to -face and remote roles (45 percent and 51 percent, respectively),” they point out from McKinsey. Of these two data, analysts deduce that policy change has placed a part of the employees in a model in which they are satisfied with the company or, on the contrary, they are about to abandon it for not. Create the right environment. The change of day in itself productivity will not change And the motivation of employees, but will do so, regardless of the assigned work model, promote collaboration, connectivity, innovation, mentoring and development of personal skills. “Changing the work model alone will not solve or change the nature of the problem unless organizations address why their employees feel that way (dissatisfied),” they remember from McKinsey, pointing to those five functions as the key to improving the motivation and performance of the templates. The problem is that the perception of the application of these five key practices differs greatly between what managers believe they are offering and what their employees perceive. The gap is greater than 25%. In Xataka | Three Spanish companies tell us how it has gone after implementing a job utopia: the four -day week Image | Unspash (Clay Leconey)

Emirates financed a study to know if it can cause rain in the desert with solar farms. The answer is yes

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As water It becomes a more precious resource than oila group of scientists has analyzed if solar farms can have an even more beneficial effect than generating energy with sunlight: making it rain in the desert, offering the communities most affected by drought water and renewable energy at the same time . Climate engineering against drought. Given the drama of its waning water resources, the United Arab Emirates government financed a study published by German researchers in Earth System Dynamics. The researchers proposed to create artificial heat islands by installing large black surfaces (ideally, solar panel farms) to enhance precipitation in arid areas. A promising result. The scientists simulated the impact of these surfaces with advanced models and obtained surprising results. A heat island of 20 km² induces an increase in rains 571,616 m³ a day. This could be translated into water supplies for about 31,000 people. Only with an area of ​​20 km². But the interesting thing about study is not its quantitative results, but the possibility of implementing these surfaces taking advantage of existing infrastructure, such as photovoltaic solar panels. This solution would not only address water scarcity but also contribute to renewable energy production. How it works. That a farm of solar panels can induce rain is not a very intuitive concept, but it is something that He has been studying for a while, particularly in the Sahara. These facilities, by absorbing heat with their dark panels, could create ascending currents that, under the right conditions, would trigger rain storms. When these farms exceed a certain size (about 15 km²), the heat absorbed by the panels, in contrast to the most reflective sand, significantly increases the convection currents necessary for cloud formation. Areas where we know is viable. For this process to work, a source of atmospheric humidity is needed. The models showed that the wet winds of great height from the Persian Gulf are enough, to the joy of Emirates. The researchers also identified other areas of the world where it could work, such as Namibia and the Peninsula of Baja California in Mexico. Some limitations. The initiative requires darker surfaces than those commonly produced by solar panel manufacturers. Some panels are even reflective to improve your thermal performance. However, the Construction of increasingly large solar farmsespecially in China, they open the door to try the idea in the real world. It won’t be simple, of course. The implementation of gigantic heat islands raises logistic, but also ecological and social challenges. For example, how would these surfaces affect local biodiversity? What would be the visual and social impact on nearby communities? You need more research and pilot tests to discover it. The case of Emirates. The United Arab Emirates government, which financed the study, is facing the shortage of two ways, mainly: desalination and sowing of clouds. The program of Cloud sowing through airplanes Plan about 300 missions every year, but like desalination, it is an expensive method with limitations. In this context, large solar farm surfaces are a promising alternative. Image | Pixabay In Xataka | The regions of the world most threatened by drought, collected in a great interactive map In Xataka | The biggest problem of Perovskita’s solar panels was its durability. China has just resolved it *An earlier version of this article was published in February 2024

We knew that the Spaniards did not shut up or under water. Now a study has measured it: 6.9 seconds

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It has happened to us all. You get into An elevator With four other strangers to climb to the ninth floor of a building and when you go for the second you already feel how a leading silence takes over the cabin, of those who seem to be cut with a knife. Uncomfortable. Annoying. Almost, almost pasty. The same when they introduce you to someone and nobody knows what to say or you just reached a first date. The silent silence. But … does everyone bother equally? A study He has just revealed no. A figure: 6.8 seconds. Yeah You feel uncomfortable When you are surrounded by strangers in a closed and small space and suddenly the silence becomes quiet: you are not alone. A study Prepared by the Online Platform for Language Learning PREPY He has confirmed that this sense of irritation before silence is common, very common. It is so common, in fact, that the vast majority of the 26,700 people from 21 different countries that have surveyed PREPLY in Your study They recognize sharing it. And not just that. Its report concludes that this feeling of restlessness does not take long to generate. On average, it occurs when we have 6.8 seconds without pronouncing or listening to a single word. In the case of the Spaniards they are 6.9. A percentage: 77%. That is the percentage of Spaniards who claim to feel uncomfortable when a conversation dies and no one is able to resume it: 77%almost eight out of ten. There are many, but much less than in other societies even more ‘allergic’ to silence. The palm in that aspect is taken by Brazil, where 85% feel uneasiness to mutism. In Italy they are 75%, in Colombia, 80%, in the US 82%and our French and Portuguese neighbors move between a fork of approximately 70 and 75%. A country: Thailand. The survey De Preply shows that discomfort in the face of prolonged and unwanted silences is a universal feeling. Of course, the key is what we understand by “prolonged silence.” Depending on Culturehabits and customs of each country The span of mutism that we are able to tolerate varies considerably. Two data arrives to check it: in Brazil on average they feel uncomfortable after 5.5 seconds of silence, while in Japan that does not happen until past 8.1. It is not easy PREPLY STUDY It is that our relationship with him is complex. For example, Thailand is the country of the list that to tolerates the most seconds and secondly is also an Asian nation, Japan, with 7.8 seconds. But the third and fourth positions are for European countries: Netherlands, where the brand is 7.4; and Germany (7,3). If we cross the data to 6.2. City Second average before feeling uncomfortable Saragossa 5.79 Valladolid 5.95 Murcia 6.05 Barcelona 6.21 Valencia 6.28 Bilbao 6.29 Palma de Mallorca 6.5 A Coruña 6.55 Las Palmas 6.68 Gijón 6.75 Malaga 6.84 Cordova 6.86 Madrid 7.01 Seville 7.17 Alicante 7.32 Grenade 7.51 Vitoria 7.66 Santa Cruz de Tenerife 8.44 Vigo 8.64 San Sebastián 8.67 A city: San Sebastián. The report is not limited to analyzing countries. It also compares cities. And in the case of Spain it reveals some striking contrasts. According to the data collected by PREPLY, the most tolerant Spaniards to involuntary silences are donostiarras. In San Sebastián they do not feel uncomfortable until past 8.67 seconds, more or less like the vigueses (8,64) and Tenerife (8,44). In the opposite pole are the Zaragozanos, who worry at 5.79 seconds, and the Pucelanos (5.95). A place: the elevators. Not everyone reacts to mutism. And not all places awaken the same sensations. 79% of respondents recognized that the site where they have been found more commonly with pasty and heavy silences are closed spaces, such as elevators. Other situations in which that same sensation abounds are the breakups (73%) and when you maintain a first date with someone (72%). In the list there are other scenarios equally predictable, such as casual talks with strangers, funerals or conflict situations. A situation: the presentations. There is something that seems to be especially uncomfortable: the awkward silences during the Public presentations. 36% of respondents by PREPY recognized that this is the situation in which mutism fear the most, even more than in the first appointments, fights, elevator trips, couple discussions or family gatherings. Where we have more assumed are in the talks with co -workers or when we contact someone online. Images | Baruk Granda In Xataka | This is the most silent room in the world. No one is able to endure an hour in it

Communicating with our cats has always been a complex task. A study has discovered the key: flashing

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The Human-Perro communicationand vice versa, it’s really simple. After thousands of years of domestication and coexistence, dogs and humans understand each other almost effortlessly. In fact, they have even Evolved your facial muscles and eyesTo be more expressive and communicate better with us. With cats, the thing changes. We continue unraveling cat domestication And, although they are fully integrated into our homes, it is evident that there are still some Understanding problems. If you have a cat, you will know ‘talk’ with him and read his intentions, but that penetrating look is sometimes a mystery. And that is when we blink slowly. And the cat imitates us. And the magic is done. The reason is that it is the equivalent of the human smile, at least that indicated in a study. The cat smile In 2020, a study called ‘The role of blinking of cats in communication between cats and humans’ explored how this usual gesture in felines is an interspecies communication method. If you have a cat, you will know what we are talking about: that moment in which the cat stares at you and, suddenly, flashes very slowly, as almost falling asleep to, then, to open your eyes fully. He is not sleeping (well, sometimes yes), but trying to communicate with you. Karen McComb is a psychologist at Sussex University and commented that “it is something that many cat owners already They suspectedso it is exciting to have found evidence of it. ” To have that evidence, the team of psychologists did two experiments. The first experiment included 21 cats (11 females and 10 males, aged between four months to 16 years) of 14 different homes. Its owners – 14 humans participated and the instruction was clear: when the cat had eaten in their family environment, the owners had to sit a meter away and slowly blink when the cat stared at them. In the second, another 24 cats of eight different homes were included and there were two differences. The first and most obvious is that the owners were not on this occasion those who performed the flicker: it was the researchers. In addition, after blinking, they extended their hand towards the cats. The tests were recorded, analyzed and the researchers They concluded that cats slowly blin into the initial flickering of humans and, in the case of flickers by the researchers, after the same, they used to approach them to interact with their hand. If they did not blink first, they were less likely to approach in a friendly way. In addition, in the analysis of the recordings, they realized that the cats did not blink in the same way when they were alone or between them and when they were with a human who has slowly blink first. McComb’s conclusion is that it is something we can try with our cats at home, since “it is a great way to improve the link you have with it.” But … why? Three reasons are considered. The first is pure and hard survival: a fixed look is a symptom that it is alert. The cat can also consider that you are, or you can be a threat, if you stare at it, without blinking or flickering quickly, so a slow blink interprets it as you are relaxed and, at the same time, he also lowers his guard. It’s like a friendly smile. On the other hand, the researchers considered that it could be a form of imitation. It is not a secret that cats often imitate their owners and have actions that we consider funny, but that it is simply an attempt to copy human movements and actions. There are always doubts when it comes to animals such as cats and, above all, domesticatedbecause it is always possible that cats have developed that expression because humans respond emotionally when they do. The third reason is that it may have been a technique that cats themselves have perfected to cut an intense, penetrating and potentially threatening look. If they blink slowly and returned the gesture, they interrupted an awkward situation. Whatever, the researchers affirm that, whether it works as if not, it is interesting game hours or petting. And, evidently, it also has practical implications. If we know that cats feel more comfortable in environments in which they feel that the human is not a threat, it is easier to work with them in shelters or veterinary centers. Although, of course, this depends a lot on the character of each feline. As a contribution: I’ve been trying with my three cats for years. None have even paid me. Of course, as soon as I open a little latically, they magically communicate perfectly Images | Nature, Sabri Tuzcu In Xataka | Cats are not as apathetic as we thought. This is what demonstrates its wide repertoire of facial expressions

“We had an architecture study two days stopped”

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In recent days, thousands of Spanish companies have been affected by a measure adopted by Movistar, at the request of LaLiga, to combat illegal broadcasts of football matches. The Teleco has begun to block Cloudflare IP addressesa fundamental service that provides security and optimization to a large number of websites. The problem is that these IPS are shared by many totally legal and legitimate services, which causes the blockade to affect business indiscriminately They have nothing to do with illegal football streaming. Not only online stores “We do not give credit. It seems that it was not Spain. It’s crazy,” says Nelson Domínguez, CEO of Docastixa small mobile application development company. Docastix was directly affected over the weekend when one of its customers, in full product launch with an important advertising campaign, discovered that Movistar users could not access their online store. The company was investing in advertising, paying for each click that took potential customers to its website, but Those clicks translated into error pages for Movistar users. “The launch was a disaster,” explains Domínguez. “We have not been able to count that specific impact yet, but it has been high. The campaigns were lost, the clicks and potential purchases were lost. And then our work to put a solution.” Cloudflare panel with the online store data that Docastix speaks. It is appreciated how the 8 (day indicated in the graph) begins the fall and does not begin to trace until 11. The advertising campaign had begun on the 7th (the traffic peak). Ceded image. Movistar’s response to the problem has been confusing. When Domínguez contacted the operator, they asked for his ID and A relationship of all the websites I had tried to access without success. Then they assured that the problem was solved. “We lost four hours of work again,” he says. “Today, what they have done is to implement blockades every 15 minutes. That is not a solution: perhaps a customer can enter to buy, but when he is going to pay he has already stopped working.” Cloudflare sent a hard statement to Xataka in which he accused LaLiga of acting deliberately, knowing the consequences of his blockade: «Although LaLiga perfectly understood that blocking Shared IP addresses would affect the rights of millions of consumers to access hundreds of thousands of websites that do not violate the law, LaLiga continued with said blockade. This seems to reflect the erroneous belief that their commercial interests must prevail over the rights of millions of consumers to access an open internet ». LaLiga, meanwhile, responded to Xataka With another statement in which he attributed cloudflare the responsibility of using his legal clients as “digital shield”: «Given the statements of Cloudflare to Xataka, LaLig legal as a digital shield to protect criminal organizations and mafias ». “LaLiga has repeatedly required Cloudflare to stop this complicit activity with criminal organizations, which threaten intellectual property and incur multiple criminal activities such as the violation of intellectual property, all kinds of scams and pornography, without a favorable response.” “Thus, LaLiga is not positioned against free access to the Internet, but requests measures and carries out controlled actions against companies or organizations that profit from illegal and criminal acts using legal companies as a digital shield.” LaLiga sources add that it is key to understand the role of Cloudflare not only in the illegal retransmission process of parties, but also of the process that follow to house domains. They explain that they are companies that trust Cloudflare, and deserve to know, according to their version, that they are used as a digital shield while it is profitable, hosting and protecting illegal and mafia activities next to the legal companies that are now affected. They speak of intentional complicity. And the impact goes far beyond online stores. Manuel Márquez, Systems Technician Cloudatarecounts serious cases that illustrate the breadth of the problem: “I had an architecture study two days stopped. They are not only websites and stores, but critical business applications for the daily functioning of companies. “Among their business clients have been affected from law firm, which could not access Lexneteven photography studies that depend on cloud services to share files with their customers. And he also affects the solution of fifteen minutes: “The architecture study has already told us that he will report, because they have left them two days,” he says. “We saw that the IPS were blocking every fifteen minutes. Not only do they do it wrong, but they do it wrong and are trying to mask it.” The situation has forced many companies to take drastic measures. Docastix, with only seven employees, has had to dedicate vital resources to move clients out of cloudflare. “Of those seven not everyone can attack the problem by the subject of knowledge, and of which yes, I can only at that time,” Domínguez explains. “We are a very recent small company, there are clients who do not understand this at all and sound a bit of an excuse. It seems that you blame Movistar from a mistake of yours.” The risk of deactivating cloudflare without a previous plan The background technical problem is complex. Cloudflare acts as a security intermediary for a large part of the Internetprotecting companies against computer attacks. As he explains Jaume PonsSystems Engineer in an automotive multinational, “for a small company, something else is unasumable. In the end, if you expose your website directly they lie down if they propose it. You have to use mastodontic suppliers such as Cloudflare, which will provide that first barrier of cybersecurity input. “ The paradox is that some companies, desperate to maintain their operational services, They are choosing to deactivate the protection of Cloudflare, exposing themselves to security risks. “They are actions that no longer end that someone cannot access a service,” Pons warns, “but that companies that have been forced to deactivate protections have been much more exposed to attacks without an adequate plan.” Economic damage multiplies in unexpected ways. Companies not … Read more

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