thinks

Everyone thinks that the Great Guiza Pyramid in Egypt has four sides. From space you look very different

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A team of Japan researchers scanned under the sand surface in a “blank area” of Giza’s western cemetery next to the Great Keops pyramid. Had found something surprising: an old Egyptian structure in underground. That finding is still involved in the mystery, because it was dwarfed with Another study that he had discovered something fascinating: the great Guiza pyramid does not have four sides, and that explained His longevity. A wonder with trick. For millennia, the Great Guiza Pyramid It has been celebrated as the epitome of the perfect geometry: four imposing triangular faces converging in a majestic apex. However, an unsuspected structural detail had remained hidden with the naked eye: the pyramid It does not have four sides, but eight. Chronology. We are not crazy. The revelationconfirmed by air observations and Modern researchpoints to a concavity in the center of each face, one that is invisible from land, but detectable low certain conditions of lighting or from the sky/space. The first to realize something was the British pilot P. Groves In 1926, when captured an image Air that revealed a subtle but decisive geometric truth. Each of the four apparent sides of the pyramid has a central cleft from the base to the cusp, which turns its plant into a figure eight sidesNot in a home run. Already in 1940, the Egyptologist Flinders Petrieby analyzing historical illustrations, he noticed A hollow line along each face of the pyramid. Decades later, experts like IES Edwards And more recently the Mathematician Akio Kato They supported this hypothesis in their work, noting that the stone blocks were arranged with a Mild inclination towards the center, creating a subtle and almost imperceptible longitudinal depression. Kato described the great pyramid not as a square pyramid, but as a Concava octagonal pyramid. One of the first images where depression was appreciated (taken by groves) An engineering feat. The curious thing about history is that, far from being an aesthetic anomaly, these clefts aim to fulfill a Structural function vital. According to Kato’s study, the inclined layers next to a reinforced base allow the pyramid nucleus to Compacte and strengthen Over time, thus resisting gravitational compression, earthquakes and storms, even after having faced more than 500 episodes of heavy rains in 4,500 years. In other words: this characteristic would have been key to ensuring the long -term stability of a colossal size structure exposed to extreme conditions, and possibly was not a mere side effect of construction, but a sophisticated architectural strategy. Between intention and accident. However, not everything in the Great Pyramid responds to the master plan of an infallible civilization. Throughout their runners and sealed cameras, abandoned spaces have been found that could Unstable result During construction, which leaves open the possibility that the unique concavity has been, in part, the result of improvised adjustments rather than a completely premeditated design. No doubt, ambiguity does not remain merit to the ancient builders, but underline their pragmatism: modify the course when the conditions demanded it, and incorporate the accidental as part of the lasting structure. What the geometry hides. In short, that its mathematical truth has remained hidden with the naked eye for millennia highlights an essential lesson on The great pyramid: Secrets continues to reveal despite his universal fame. What seemed to be an elementary geometric figure becomes, under a new look from the air, a sample of invisible complexity, and technical decisions so advanced that today they still baffle us. The revelation of your Concava octagonal form Not only challenges our preconceived notions, but reaffirms the fascination that always accompanies Guiza, a pyramid that, as far as we know (and we do not rule out new surprises), is a unique geometric rarity in its species. Image | Douwe C. van der Zee In Xataka | After scanning a “blank area” under the pyramids of Giza, we have found something even more mysterious: a structure in L In Xataka | Egypt has a problem with their pyramids: when tourists discover what they are back traumatized

If you talk to your plants even if everyone thinks you are crazy, science has something to tell you: you’re not so crazy

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When in January 2012, Risto Mejide said that of “You sing like a diva, but you move like a plant“I did not know that I was completely wrong. And not only for Natalia, the contestant of ‘You do vouchers’ to which he directed those pearls, but because, under that static appearance, the plants do not stop doing things. And not by chance, no. Plants are not only able to detect threats, but activate a whole series of defensive reactions that have intrigued scientists for decades. Everything starts with a bite. Heidi Appel and Rex Cocroft met at a seminar at the University of Missouri and, quickly, saw that His interests fit. Cocroft was one of the great experts in biotremology (the branch of biology that studies the role of vibrations and sound in life) and had been analyzing how insects use the stem of plants to communicate. Do you listen? Apple was an expert in ecological chemistry and listening to those recordings (specifically how the caterpillars of the butterflies of the Col bit tiny mustard plants) had an idea: what if the plants could listen to them? And if that explained that, suddenly, plants activated a whole series of physiological reactions to “attack” the caterpillars? Answering that question was not easy. We had to measure laser vibrations and try to understand what plants could really hear. On the other hand, we had to quantify “how plants care and how.” However, it was enough to measure in real time what happened to the first bite of an caterpillar to verify that, indeed, the plants listened. And not just that. “What is surprising and great is that these plants only create defense responses to feeding vibrations and not to wind or other vibrations in the same frequency as the chewing caterpillar,” Appel explained. They discovered that, in fact, it was enough to expose plants to the sound of chewing so that glucosinolate levels (that defensive response) triggered. Does this mean that putting music to plants is a good idea? No, it doesn’t mean that. “This field is somewhat obsessed with its history of putting music to plants. That kind of stimulus is so far from the natural ecology of plants that it is very difficult to interpret their answers,” Cocroft explained. What it really means is that what we usually think about plants is often wrong. A mistake that, little by little, we are waking up. Image | Annie Spratt In Xataka | We have found a plant capable of producing 40 cannabinoids. A closer plant evolutionarily to lettuce that to hemp

The price of coffee lives one of the biggest climbs in its history. The UN thinks that the worst has not yet happened

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They are not easy times. That is the summary when we have some Eggs in full price escalationthe triggered cocoa Due to illegal gold mining And a coffee that has achieved historical values. In the case of coffee we have been anticipating the storm for months, with a product that was Marking maximums in the stock market and with brands absorbing the coup until have stopped doing it. And, in the middle of that uncertain panorama on the price of coffee, the United Nations arrives to tell us that the worst has not yet been. What about coffee? A set of factors, actually. To the difficulties of transporting raw coffee, aggravated by the increase in freight due to conflicts such as the Red Sea, these last crops are added. Vietnam and Brazil are two great coffee producers worldwidebut the climatic phenomena known as the boy and the girl have affected coffee spots -coffee plants. Both phenomena affected similar forms to countries so remote, causing the same in both: higher temperatures and droughts in some producing areas, as well as an alteration of the rainy season that fall torrentially in a short period of time. As a result, the harvest is poorer and quality can also be seen injured. Maximums. That the two largest coffee producers reduce their production is something that affects the rest of the industry. On the one hand, Arabica coffee is the most coveted among specialty coffee producers and is usually more expensive, with Astronomical examples such as Geisha Café. On the other, although the robust is usually cheaper, specialty coffee is already being created with this variety and something more important: it is the basis of something as consumed as instant coffee. As a result, in the New York ICE bag, the Arabica increase 70% in 2024 and an additional 25% in the first months of this 2025. In the case of the robust, the record is got On January 31 with $ 5,840 per ton in the London Stock Exchange, with increases of up to 6% in a single day. Prices also increase for producers and exporters. As we read in Reutersall the main territories experienced increases in 2024 compared to the levels of 2023. And not small: Ethiopia 17.8%. Kenya 12.3%. Brazil 13.6%. Colombia 11.7%. Indonesia 15.9%. Vietnam 5.8%. Bit with delay. The problem is that the price does not rise for producers, toaster and exporters while for the customer. For example, prices achieved In the bag a few days ago they are those of the cargo that will be delivered in May of this year, and it will be from there when the ‘domestic’ price will continue to increase. And it will not be the last climb. In his last report About the state of coffee, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization -Fao- estimates that coffee prices increased 3.8% in December 2024 in Europe at a retail level, 6.6% in the United States. The dynamic is that a 1% increase in international coffee prices cause an increase of 0.24% at a retail level after 19 months, with 80% of the accumulated impact transmitted in the following 11 months. In the case of the United States, this 1% increase in the international price translates into an increase in the retail price of 0.20% after 13 months. In the case of the US, 80% of the accumulated impact is transmitted in eight months. “Inelastic”. This word is interesting, but it is simple to understand: it is the one that defines goods that do not have substitutes and that, therefore, no matter how the price increases, consumers will continue to buy them. Well, in its report, FAO ensures that “given the inelastic nature of coffee demand, it is unlikely that consumption decreases significantly in both markets” -American and European. That is, as there are no alternatives to coffee, no matter how much prices upload us, consumers will continue to acquire this product. Nor is there anything to intervene because, as FAO herself concludes, coffee consumption represents less than 1% of the annual household spending. From the US National Coffee Association they do not share this, affirming that “the great price increase eaten the liquidity of the customers. They do not have all the money to buy what they need” and ensure that they have sold 30% less of the production when, at this point, they would no longer have reservations. It all depends on three countries. Until now, we have talked about the increase in coffee price for wholesalers, but if we are going to the price that consumers pay, FAO estimates that, in December 2024, a coffee was 6.6% more expensive than in December 2023 in the United States. In the case of the European Union, the increase was 3.75%. Therefore, and taking into account that delayed coup of the price increase in coffee, it seems that the worst is yet to come. From FAO they see this as an opportunity for greater research in technology, research and development of the coffee sector and, above all, to increase the climate resilience of coffee. Although there are many coffee, Vietnam, Indonesia and Brazil producers are the authentic monsters of the great market, but climate change is leaving us two lessons. One is the one that is causing the scarcity and increase of current prices: more unpredictable climatic events on dates that unravel coffee cultivation, therefore affecting crops. On the other hand, it is also an opportunity. We are already seeing that there are those who insist on growing coffee outside Coffee beltwith coffee trees growing wildly in Sicily and Plantations in Andalusia or Catalonia They are testing the viability of growing coffee in such unavailable conditions. Final of the tunnel in sight? What is clear is that the world is thirst for coffee and, with a China increasingly passionate For this drink, it is urgent to have a much more stable stage. In Reuters We read that there are also those who take the … Read more

All those touch screens in the Tesla and the rest of the cars sound very well. Euro NCAP thinks otherwise

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Euro NCAP has been notifying for about a year: cars that bet absolutely everything to the touch screens will have problems to obtain the coveted five stars of its qualification system. For some manufacturers Only the screens mattera Simply terrible decision that allows them to save costs by adding additional steps that could be made by pressing a simple button. The date on which Euro NCAP will begin to penalize this philosophy is closer, but we have bad news: it will not change practically anything. Euro Ncap pressures. We are more or less agree with the methodologies used by its system, Euro NCAP is the most relevant body in Europe to evaluate the safety of new vehicles. After performing its collision tests and various trials, it is evaluated by a system of stars (up to five) how sure is the car. The system takes into account adult protection systems, children, impact on pedestrians and security assists (ADAS) among others and, from 2026, an additional factor enters into the equation: how simple it is to perform basic car functions. Specifically, these five. Selection of flashes Button activation Warning Ring Activate the windshield wiper Activation of Ecall emergency button If it is not possible to activate each and every one of these functions quickly by means of a physical button, the car will not get the five stars. Why (almost) nothing will change. Virtually all current cars have physical controls for the actions described. One of the few that do not include manufacturers such as Tesla is that of Ecall emergency activation, which currently can only be activated using the upper bar of its touch screen. If the American company wants five stars in the cars that you sell in Europe, you will have to adopt this button in physical shape, or in the steering wheel or location they consider. It is a movement that may seem lower, but introducing a new button in a vehicle, or not in the steering wheel, it is important additional costs for the thousands of units that will have to be manufactured in 2026. Whatever it may be, in the face of the end user, everything will remain practically the same: beyond these mandatory standards, everything will continue to be governed by a screen. An important brake for industry. Although this new Euro NCAP standard will not be especially relevant, the organism’s pressures to the industry to keep the physical buttons are more than necessary. Volkswagen already had among his plans to end them to replace them with screenswith the consequent criticism of your buyers that made them consider backing. Other manufacturers, such as BMW, fantasize with systems starring screens and with hardly any presence of physical buttons. This Euro NCAP requirement will put a certain brake on your plans. And it is that European legislation itself does not expressly prevent cars from dispensing with physical buttons. The Vehicle Homologation Regulation (EU 2019/2144) It forces manufacturers to meet certain standards in terms of usability and ergonomics of controls to avoid distractions, but does not specify that these standards pass through physical buttons. The obsession with the screens. On car manufacturers absolutely obsessed with converting their vehicles into tablets with wheels, We have been talking for five years. Already in 2019, manufacturers like Mazda They jumped against reducing the number of screens to avoid distractions and accidents, while the rest advanced towards more and more complex interfaces. Since then, it is more difficult to find a car that is not full of screens than one with a cleaner and more analog interior. The cars They are increasingly expensive and The trend is that they will continue to rise. Interestingly, consumers are every time more unhappy with new purchases. One of the main reasons has to do with the software. The manufacturers have found in it A new way of earning moneybut the bulk of users does not want to go beyond compatibility with Android Auto and Apple Carplay. The road of the industry by 2026, date on which Euro NCAP will begin to penalize cars without tactile controls, aims to be similar to the current one. Many screens, a lot of software (with subscription options and other payment services), and little presence of physical controls. Image | Tesla In Xataka | What screen with Android Auto for your car buy. Purchase guide with better recommendations and tips

We believed that the price of coffee could not rise much more. The diplomatic “war” between Colombia and the US thinks otherwise

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Of the tens of thousands of words that make up the English lexicon, Donald Trump has one that he especially likes and for which he has declared his love in some or other interview: tariff (tariff). This weekend he reminded the Colombian president of this in a quite practical way, threatening to impose 25% rates (or even 50%) if he did not give in to the aggressive immigration policy which is promoted from the White House. Everything indicates that it will remain that way, a threat, but it serves to warm up a market that has been facing strong shocks for months. turbulence: the one with coffee. Yes 2025 It looked complicated For lovers of morning espressos, your outlook has just become more complicated. What has happened? That Trump has shown that, indeed, he feels a special weakness for the word “tariff.” Over the last few weeks it has announced more or less clearly that it will apply taxes on imports of China, Mexico, Canada, Europe, Denmark and even Spainalthough it is still not entirely clear whether the latter was said deliberately or as a result of a geographical ‘slip’. Curiously, it has been another country that has been on the verge of suffering tariff fury from the republican: Colombia. Screenshot of Trump’s announcement on Truth Social. Why’s that? For something that actually has little to do with the international market, trade balances and tax policy. The trigger has been migration. And a political fight between Washington and Bogotá. Basically, yesterday the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, refused to allow two planes from the US loaded with deported Colombians to land in his country. What’s more, he threatened not to welcome them until Trump adopts protocols that guarantee treatment. “with dignity and respect” for immigrants. The response of the Republican, who has managed to return to the White House after an electoral campaign that largely pivoted on a hardening of immigration policy, it did not take long to wait: through its platform Truth Social advertisement a 25% rate for the import of Colombian merchandise that would rise to 50% in a matter of days. Petro responded after a few hours with the same currencyordering a sudden increase (25%) in the tariffs that Bogotá applies to US goods. How did the crash end? In dispatches and without reaching customs. At least for now. Despite its initial reaction, the Petro Executive ended up giving in to Washington’s demands and agreed to receive the planes with deportees. Enough so that Trump has not yet signed the economic sanctions, which have already been drafted and will be activated if his southern neighbor “does not comply” with the agreement. “The Government of Colombia has accepted all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returning from the US,” they boast from the White House, which reminds that Bogotá will also receive them “without limitations or delay.” Click on the image to go to the tweet. What does it have to do with coffee? Simple. The announcement of Trump’s tariffs and the fight between the White House and the Nariño Palace did more than shake up American diplomacy. He also put on guard various sectors Colombians who have important interests in the United States, such as oil, floriculture (which is preparing for the millionaire campaign Valentine’s Day) and coffee. Of all of them, the one more expectation generatesdue to the state of its market and price driftis the latter. At the end of the day, Colombia is not just any country on the international coffee map. And the United States is not just another market for Colombian producers either. This double condition means that everything that affects the relationship between the two, including of course the threats of 25% tariffs or even 50%, interest (and quite a bit) to the market. But… What does the data say? To begin with, Colombia is one of the main coffee powers on the planet. The own tables The US Department of Agriculture places it as the third largest producer, only behind Brazil and Vietnam. Other observatories leave the same drawing, like Statista. A 2024 reportThe USDA office, linked to the US Government, estimated that during the 2024/2025 campaign, Colombian coffee exports would total around 12 million GBE bags. Colombia matters on the global coffee map. And its relationship with the United States is also important, something that is better understood with the help of a couple of figures. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), in 2022 Colombia exported 15.6 billion dollars to the US, of which almost 1.8 billion corresponded to coffee. This data makes it the second largest exported commodity in terms of value, only behind crude oil. The footprint of Colombia in the flow of coffee that reaches the US is also considerable. Click on the image to go to the tweet. But the rate would affect the US, right? The US tariff policy is that, the US tariff policy, and as warned The New York Times Yesterday, basically imposing 25% taxes on Colombian goods would mean that Americans would have to dig deeper into their pockets to buy flowers and coffee. However, if we talk about grain, what happens on the other side of the Atlantic interests us. And the reason is very simple: shocks like the one on Sunday put even more tension on a market that is already go through turbulence. “If the US imposes a 25% tariff on all Colombian exports, the already red-hot coffee market will heat up even more. Colombia is the third largest coffee producer in the world (and a key source of rabi beans). premium)”, I was reflecting yesterday in X Javier Blas, Bloomberg columnist. In the same tweet he included a column written by himself a few days ago in which he warned of the complex panorama facing the coffee market. And what situation is that? In Xataka we have talked already several times her. And it is summed up … Read more

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