understand

The most important question to understand someone is not what they believe in or what they hope for. The question is what does he love?

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“To know if someone is good, we do not ask what they believe or hope for, but rather what they love.”. One reads this phrase and it is almost inevitable to think that it is the typical self-help junk merchandise that fills feeds, mugs and WhatsApp statuses. But nothing could be further from the truth. And not only because It was written more than 1,500 years ago by one of the most influential thinkers in history, but because (in addition) it has become one of the philosophical concepts of recent months. So maybe the question is not what an old priest can teach us in this time full of haste, but also; The question is why that old priest has returned to the center of public debate exactly now. What exactly did Saint Augustine mean? The phrase is very interesting because, beneath an apparent meaningless string (what do you believe? What do you expect?), it hides a very clear idea of ​​what is important in life. In Christian thought, the three great traditional virtues are precisely faith, hope and love. What the philosopher from Hippo defended is that faith is important, of course; Hope is fundamental, of course it is: but at the center of everything is love. In fact, Augustine himself has another famous phase (“Love and do what you will”) that goes much further in his master-centrism. Nobody can be very surprised, really. Saint Augustine has great hits like: “Lord, grant me chastity and continence, but not now.” That “Do whatever you want” sounds suspicious, but (actually) it’s not so suspicious. We’ll see. Why has all this become popular right now? For politics, of course. On January 29, 2025, US Vice President Vance defended in an interview that canceling most US foreign aid and mass deportations with that argument. That “there is a Christian concept old-school “where you love your family, then your neighbor, then your community, then your fellow citizens, and after that, you can prioritize the rest of the world.” Later, at X.com, he spent the afternoon sending people to google “ordo amoris”. That is to say, Vance endorsed that idea of ​​”love and do what you want” in the most direct way possible. But does it make sense? Translated into a more current language, the Augustinian idea simply tells us that the subject is defined by the direction of his desire, not by the correctness of his beliefs or his expectations. But, without getting into political questions, that doesn’t exactly mean that there is a clear order of obligations that tells us who we should love first and who we should love second. It is not a ranking. Augustine’s idea is more complex because, deep down, he was convinced that love has a transformative power over people: it orders them from within. That is the order he claimed. What we can learn from Saint Augustine without entering into politicking. That what is important are the things that really matter to us; not our ideas about the world, nor what we hope will happen. But, above all, because what we love will end up turning us into the type of person we want to be. In someone, as the Father of the Church would say, good. Image | In Xataka | “If I am wrong, I exist”: 1,500 years ago, Saint Augustine had already given the best argument against the productivity gurus

NASA’s alliance to finally understand dark matter

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This week, NASA launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, better known as the Roman Space Telescope. With its launch scheduled for September of this year at the earliest, it will become the space agency’s newest space telescope. It will coexist with others like Hubble or James Webbbut it has something that these don’t have. The ability to track vast expanses of the Universe at once. That’s what makes it special. Much more space. The Roman Space Telescope has 18 detectors that give it a panoramic view of space. It has been baptized with this name in honor of what is known as the mother of Hubble, for her important role in the development of this other space telescope. However, both have major differences. It is capable of looking at a field 100 times larger than that of Hubble. As a result, is expected that discovers tens of thousands of planets, billions of galaxies and stars and thousands of supernovae. An ideal companion for James Webb. The Roman Space Telescope also has advantages over the James Webb. If it is capable of analyzing a field 100 times larger than that of Hubble, in the case of James Webb exceeds it by 50 times. This allows you to observe without a clear objective on the part of the researchers. When exploring such large expanses, you may find something unexpected at any time. That’s where James Webb comes into play. And, although it can analyze less space at once, it is much more precise. Its mirrors are larger, so it captures more light and can discern more details. If the Roman detects something interesting, the James Webb analyzes it with a magnifying glass. Context matters. We have already seen that the James Webb can study the Roman detections with more precision. However, they can also help each other in the opposite direction, since the Roman is capable of providing context around James Webb’s objectives. Together to unravel dark matter. The biggest difference between the Roman Space Telescope and the James Webb compared to Hubble is that they can analyze space by focusing on emissions in the infrared spectrum, rather than visible light. As a result, it can see through cosmic dust, detect cold objects, and look further back in time. The latter is extremely useful for understanding the expansion process of the universe and, incidentally, unravel some mysteries about dark matter. The Universe expands. We have known for a long time that the universe is expanding. That is, the galaxies are moving away from each other, but not because they are moving, but because the space between them is stretched, like a balloon that is inflating. It is also known that this is happening more and more quickly. But why does it happen? It is not clear, but it is suspected that it may be due to dark matter. Supernovas that act as lighthouses. To better understand what is happening, it is important to measure very well how galaxies are separating. One of the ideal ways to do this is by using Ia supernova explosions as beacons. They are phenomena with a known maximum brightness, so they are used to measure distances, taking into account the analysis of their relative brightness from Earth or the place where a space telescope is located. The problem is that they only occur once every 500 years in the Milky Way. A telescope that measures in the infrared can travel very far back in time, but the James Webb only does so in small pieces. The Roman, on the other hand, can analyze such large areas that several of these explosions could be detected at the same time. That would allow several beacons to operate simultaneously to better map the Universe and understand why it is expanding as it does. Once the beacons were located, the James Webb would enter the game to do its detailed analysis. Together they can unravel very ancient mysteries of astrophysics. There is no one better than the other. Image | POT In Xataka | We have been studying the planets of TRAPPIST-1 for years with great hope. James Webb just knocked it down

There are only 66 cases in the world and science is just beginning to understand it

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Night rest can be interrupt due to many factorssuch as the need to go to the bathroom constantly to drink water before going to sleep, but there are other cases, such as painful sleep erectionswhich right now is emerging from ignorance, and that is why every time you get to know more of this problem which, fortunately, is quite infrequent. What is it? Although you may think that this is a problem related to the penis, the truth is that it is classified as a parasomnia. And it is no wonder, because what happens to the man here is that he has multiple erections during the night while he is in the REM phase of sleep that are so painful that it makes you wake up with a jump out of bed. But the curious thing is that the problem does not lie in the penis tissue itself, but rather clinical reviews point out that this disease is closely linked to hypertonicity or contracture of the bulbocavernosus muscles of the penis and the pelvic floor. Added to this are alterations in the central nervous system, such as instability during REM sleep, a peak in activity of the sympathetic nervous system and abnormal processing of pain and hormonal stress signals. It’s a challenge. At the level of cases diagnosed with this problem, the reality is that we speak of a “phantom disease” since it barely there are 66 cases documented worldwide, and there are almost no articles in the medical literature. This is something that translates into a situation of underdiagnosis, since in daily practice specialists see very few cases throughout their career. As a result, patients suffer a medical journey that delays diagnosis for years, and in desperation, and in the absence of answers, many end up assuming erroneous self-diagnoses based on chronic stress or prostatitis. Science tries to advance. Historically, the lack of cases made it difficult to create treatment protocols with the steps that doctors had to follow to solve the patient’s problem. However, recent clinical research has shed light on highly effective therapeutic approaches. That is why right now the use of muscle relaxants such as baclofen has proven to be a turning point for patients, since by relaxing the muscles of the penis an improvement is achieved in patients with this problem. In addition, diseases that are below this problem should also be looked for, such as sleep apnea or insomnia in general, which may be related to this pathology. Although there is still much to be done to investigate this disease, which a priori is quite unknown. Images | gpointstudio on Freepik In Xataka | Before colonizing other planets, humanity must solve a problem: erections in space

this single fact is enough to understand this spring

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Roller coaster, they call it; but, in reality, it is simply spring. Although, of course, what a spring: the first two weeks of April have chained at least three thermal oscillations of great amplitude: drops of up to 20 degrees in a matter of hours, very rapid ascents and starting again. And the heat is back, but what everyone is wondering is something else: are we already on the slow road towards summer or will there be more relapses? We have an answer. The answer is obviously not simple and, in fact, is very speculative; but the elements are there. To begin with, the AEMET’s seasonal forecast places April, May and June in the upper tertile of temperatures. We know that the months can give us surprises (as has happened with this January 2026), but we also know that forecasting is generally strong. Furthermore, as we have explained, the transition to El Niño is underway. It is true that the impact of the phenomenon in Spain is ambiguous and that, if anything, the strongest trend has to do with rainfall. But it is clear that, given what we have seen in the data, it is another argument in favor of heat. Of course, the behavior of the polar jet can still give us some cold episodes (April is usually the month with the greatest undulation of the jet). However, the space of possibilities is increasingly narrow and limited. Spain is an increasingly warmer place. AEMET data they leave no room for doubt: The last cold record in mainland Spain was the night of April 2 to 3, 2022. Since then, in the last four years, we have not had any more. Instead, we have had 100 records of warm days. This is not normal: in a world without climate change, five cold and five warm records are expected each year. That is, we would expect 2o from January 2022 and we have only seen two. Both in April of that year. This is the context in which 2026 takes place. So this heat is now definitive? With all this, the short answer is probably yes. Above all, because even if the cold air intrusions return… they will be increasingly weaker and briefer. And that, in the middle of a spring that tends to be warmer than normal, paints a fairly predictable scenario. The chips are on the table. All that’s left is for them to start falling. Image | BenBaso | Xataka In Xataka | Castilla-La Mancha and Murcia have been in a battle for years for the water of the Tagus: once again, Murcia is winning

Cats always land on their feet. And science has been trying to understand an inexplicable phenomenon for centuries.

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Cats are fascinating animals, also for science that, for centuries, has tried to answer the question: How do they always manage to land on their feet? Although studies have been done trying to solve itit is not known with certainty how they achieve it. A recent experiment by Japanese researchers has shed some light on this feline mystery. In a recent study published in The Anatomical Recordthe researchers took a different approach than had been followed until now. The experiment consisted of two parts, on the one hand to thoroughly analyze the flexibility of the cat’s spine and on the other to observe several cats performing this correction in the air. For the first part, they performed mechanical tests on the spinal columns of five cat corpses. In this way they measured the maximum resistance and range of motion of the spine before breaking. What they discovered was that the cats’ spine is very flexible in the upper area, where the thoracic vertebrae are, turning 360 degrees. The lumbar part is more rigid and robust. For the second part, they recorded two live cats being released at a distance of 90cm from the ground. The recordings were analyzed frame by frame and compared with the data obtained from their observations. The difference in spinal flexibility fits with what was observed in the videos: the cat turns its front paws first (your most flexible area), so first look at the ground and then adjust the rest of your body (the least flexible area). The experiment also observed an interesting detail and that is that in most tests the cats turned to the right. Specifically, the first cat turned this way every time, while the second turned to the right six of the eight times it was dropped. In case anyone is worried, the bodies were donated and to record the falls they put a cushion underneath so they wouldn’t get hurt. The falling cat problem It is a problem that arose in 1894, when French scientist Étienne-Jules Marey showed in a video that cats were able to right themselves in the air without external help. Since then there have been different hypotheses that have tried to explain the exact mechanics of this stunt. Falling cat, by Étienne-Jules Marey, 1984. Source: Wikipedia There are two main models to explain this spin in the air. The first is “tuck and turn” which proposes that cats rotate the upper and lower halves of their body executing movements at the same time and in opposite directions. The second is “legs in, legs out.” This model states that cats adjust their fall trajectory by first stretching their hind legs and then collecting them again, making a successive turn with the front and then with the back part of the trunk, so that They adopt the correct position while still in free fall. Another less supported hypothesis is the “tail-propeller” hypothesis, according to which the animal can reverse the direction of rotation of its body by moving its tail in the opposite direction, as if it worked as a propeller. However, tailless cats can also do this movement, so although it may help, it is not essential. The new study supports the “legs in, legs out” model hypothesis, but the researchers caution that the problem still cannot be considered solved and more research will be needed. The plan is to build mathematical and three-dimensional models with more data. In statements to New York TimesGreg Gbur, physicist who is an expert in falling cats (oh really), states that science has tried to simplify into “a single correct way that cats land on their feet, but nature is not concerned with simplicity.” In Xataka | Walking cats on a leash is fashionable. We have asked an expert in feline behavior and she is clear about what she thinks. Main image | Gemini, own edition

The Iberian lynx is reconquering Spain and that is good news. The challenge now is to understand why

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In 2002, there were 94 Iberian lynx confined to two very specific points in Andalusia. It was so obvious that the future of the species was written that no one bothered to read it. And hence the surprises: almost 15 years later, There are 2,401 copies distributed across 17 nuclei breeders in six autonomous communities (and Portugal). But the most interesting thing is not that the Iberian lynx population has grown, what is interesting is that its recovery is so great that it now frequents places where it has not been seen for centuries. This is what has changed and, above all, these are the consequences. Has the situation changed that much? At least on a symbolic level, yes. Of course. In 2014, there was not a single lynx in all of Castilla – La Mancha. Today, 46% of all Spanish individuals of the species they are there and it already exceeds the Andalusian population. That is, what is happening with this feline is much more than a simple story of population growth (also 29% a year since 2020): it is a whole change in the ‘center of gravity’ of the species. And yes, it is good news. In fact, the IUCN removed it from the “endangered” species and put it on the “vulnerable” list. Is the first species to drop two (two!) categories on that list in just 20 years. Did we really not see it coming? The truth is that not only did we see it coming, it is what we were looking for. But, as I said at the beginning, the general journalistic account that has been done at the national level hides all this. In 2019, when the project started LIFE LynxConnectthe idea was precisely that: it is not enough to have many lynxes if those lynxes are controlled in only a couple of places. Recently we were talking about the very delicate situation of the immortelle of Mojácara plant that survives confined to a single beach on the Mediterranean coast. That couldn’t happen with the lynx. Therefore, the idea of ​​authorities and researchers was simple: we needed various nuclei and we needed to connect them to each other. In any case, it is not all our merit. Because, as always, climate change has a lot to do with it. The north of the peninsula is becoming drier and has greater populations of rabbits: this has meant that there are at least two towns (in Cuenca and Palencia) which are completely outside the recent historical distribution of the lynx. And if those two populations are there it is because they can be there now. In fact, experts rule out that the lynx extends to the Cantabrian coast because, simply, there are not an abundance of rabbits. Okay, and what are the consequences of all this? To begin with, the ecological balances to which we are accustomed have changed. In fact, now that rabbits have become a problemmany rural communities are waiting for the arrival of the lynx to put things in place. However, there are also numerous life safety problems (162 accidents in 2024 alone) and challenges for territorial planning. Be that as it may, the lynx is a laboratory now that the reintroduction of species is the order of the day. Also now that they arrive invasive species at a level never seen before. There is much to learn and, I fear, little time to do it. Image | Kenny Goossen | Ian In Xataka | England is experiencing an unprecedented invasion. The problem is that they are octopuses, and they are devouring everything they can find.​

Science had always believed that only humans understand geometry. Until we noticed the crows again

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The perception of geometric regularity in shapes, a variant of elementary geometry, has long been considered an ability that only human beings had. And it is no wonder, since from quite early stages of development and across multiple cultures, our species has demonstrated a natural understanding of spatial rules. But this has changed in a species similar to crows. A radical change. Although this innate quality of humans was quite well established, science has now shown that the crows too They have geometric understanding. A cognitive milestone that rethinks what we thought we knew about animal intelligence and the evolution of pure mathematics. A myth. The scientific bases showed a notable gap between human abilities and those of the rest of the animal kingdom with regard to euclidean geometry. Previous research had already seen that primates lacked the ability to recognize geometric regularity in tests of visual perception of shapes, something fundamental, since they may be the first that come to mind when thinking about this property. And this was crucial to determining that humans have an innate ability to process geometric regularity, since the recurring inability to species like baboons After intensive training he laid these foundations. However, the researchers decided to explore these abilities in birds known for their impressive cognitive and arithmetic skills. Touch screens. To test birds’ spatial intuition, scientists from the University of Tübingen They designed an experiment based on the detection of visual anomalies. In this case, two 10- and 11-year-old male crows were trained using touch screens located inside conditioning chambers. Here the birds could observe an array that displayed six simultaneous shapes on the screen and the task was to detect an “intruder”, that is, to peck at the shape that differed in its visual parameters with respect to the other five base stimuli. The tests. For the final test, five reference quadrilaterals were used, ordered by their level of regularity: the square, the isosceles trapezoid, the rhombus, the right hinge, and a completely irregular shape. From here on, the “intrusive” figures were artificially generated moving the lower right vertex of the original figure at a fixed distance equivalent to 75% of the average distance between the vertices. Results. The most impressive thing seen was the immediacy of understanding the problem, as the crows were able to apply the concept of detecting the intruder immediately upon being exposed to the new sets of quadrilaterals. Both subjects dramatically exceeded the 16.7% chance level during their first trials, demonstrating that they understood the task without hesitating or mindlessly pecking. Furthermore, during the first 60 trials, the first crow achieved 48.3% success and the second crow 56.7%. The most impressive thing. The most revealing data from these tests was precisely that the birds showed significantly better performance with shapes that presented properties of pure Euclidean geometry, such as right angles, parallel lines or symmetry. It is crucial here to highlight that this performance advantage did not require extensive prior training, but rather the regularity effect was present from the very beginning of the testing phase. Because? Faced with the logical question of why crows achieved what other primates failed, the authors of the study recognize certain important methodological differences compared to classic experiments with baboons. In this case, they point out that the crows were subjected to a strict progress criterion during training, needing to maintain 75% correctness over five consecutive sessions. In contrast, baboons only needed to reach a criterion of 80% correct responses only once, without the need for consecutive sessions. And although this difference may make a direct and exact comparison between the species difficult, the main finding is incontestable: crows recognize geometric regularity. Images | Tyler Quiring In Xataka | Punch, the monkey clinging to a stuffed animal and a victim of bullying, has achieved the impossible: uniting the Internet under the same cause

The cell phone on the nightstand is not “frying” your brain, but science is beginning to understand why it prevents you from resting

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It is practically a ritual today: connect your phone to the charger, set the alarm and leave it on the nightstand just 30 centimeters from the pillow to sleep. According to the data, for 95% of adultssleeping with your phone within reach is a logistical necessity; For a growing stream of longevity experts, It’s a biological miscalculation. because we rest less. To do this, we have analyzed the bibliography to know exactly the effect of having your cell phone next to you. The culprit confirmed. Before entering the swampy terrain of the possible problems that radiation can generate when it is around us, we must point out the “elephant in the room.” The most solid evidence we have today does not blame antennas for having a bad sleep, but to the screens and what we do with them. To give us an idea, a meta-analysis over 36,000 participants concluded that excessive use of smartphone increases the risk of having poor quality sleep by 228%. The double responsible. The first is the suppression of melatonin, since the blue light emitted by the LED panels of mobile phones tricks our brain making him believe that it is still day. This delays the release of melatonin and fragments the architecture of sleep. But not only the blue light is information, since responding to a WhatsApp or doing doomscrolling on TikTok before bed keeps the brain alert. A study of medical students suggested that nighttime cell phone use corresponded to poorer sleep. The radiation debate. It has always been a mantra for many: having your cell phone nearby is having a large source of radiation that causes many health problems. In this case, organizations such as the WHO or ARPANSA have traditionally maintained that evidence of damage from low-level electromagnetic fields is “insufficient.” However, it does not mean that it is non-existent. The most recent studies They are beginning to see the non-thermal effects that mobile phones have. One of the most interesting was done with baby monitors that have a frequency of 2.45 GHz, similar to Bluetooth or Wifi, to simulate environmental exposure. The result was that the exposed group, compared to the placebo, showed a worse subjective quality of sleep and alterations in heart rate variability, suggesting that sensitive people do notice the invisible “presence” of the electronic device nearby. Brain wave modulation. Other research on 5G signals found that exposure to 3.6 GHz waves affected sleep spindles during N2 phasethat is, light sleep that accounts for 50% of the total rest time. The curious thing about this study is that the effect depended on genetics: only carriers of certain variants of the CACNA1C gene showed alterations in the electroencephalogram. This qualifies the warnings of some experts, since radiation may not affect us all equally, but for a genetically predisposed subgroup, sleeping next to a continuous emission source could be fragmenting their N2 phase, crucial for memory consolidation. The habit factor. It is often cited Sinha’s studio to demonize radiation, but what this study really measured were habits in a sample of 566 participants. In this case, it was seen that those people with high mobile phone use took longer to fall asleep, their sleep was less efficient, and 22.6% reported worse quality of sleep. In this way, the conclusion was not that the waves prevented them from sleeping, but that the habit of having their cell phone nearby inevitably leads to using. If it’s on the table, you look at it. If you look at it, you become active. It is a behavioral rather than a radiological vicious circle. Hygiene protocol. The question in this case is inevitable: should we wrap the room in aluminum foil? It’s not necessary. In this case, physics works in our favor thanks to the inverse square law: the intensity of the radiation falls drastically with distance. That is why the most important thing is to move the device at least one meter away from the bed, since at this distance the exposure falls to negligible basal levels, making Sleeping with your cell phone under your pillow is the worst possible decision. If we want to go a little further, we can put it in airplane mode, although the best advice, as the Spanish Society of Neurology points out, is to have a sacred hour, where the recommendation is to leave the screens an hour before going to sleep. Images | Nubelson Fernandes In Xataka | We thought insomnia was just not being able to sleep. Now we know that there are five different disorders

There is a graphic that explains the atrocity that has occurred in Grazalema. And it helps to understand why the people continue to be evicted.

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And that graph is Nahel Belgherzea meteorologist who covers extreme events throughout the world and who, despite being used to them, has described what has occurred in the mountains of Cádiz as “hydrologically absurd.” “Hydrologically absurd”? It is. Grazalema, according to available datahas received more than 2,000 mm of rain in the last 20 days alone. That is, more than a normal year of rain and we are at the beginning of February. It is not surprising that Spanish reservoirs accumulate 43,341 hm³ of water; that is, 5,634 hm³ more than last week. As of today, Spain is at an astonishing 77.34% of its total capacity. And, in fact, today, many reservoirs continue to drain before the arrival of more water. What do you see in the graph? The graph in question is very simple: it is the accumulated rainfall for the Grazalema station. On the Additionally, in gray, you can see the cumulates from other years. And, as you can see, the curve is almost vertical: it has rained unspeakably in a few days. Compared to normal years (when the river grows in spring and winter), there is now a totally enormous water boom. Something unprecedented. And, precisely that, is what is forcing CISC technicians to continue reviewing the Grazalema aquifer. While the City Council insists that the return of the residents will take place when a safe return can be “guaranteed”, researchers from the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (IGME) they are still on the ground. The aquifer, a geological structure 18 square kilometers in size, has been put under enormous pressure and authorities are focused on ruling out the slightest risk of collapse before the town’s inhabitants can return. The Junta de Andalucía, in fact, has been warning for days that it can go for a long time. Image | Nahel Belgherze In Xataka | Desertification is devouring southern Spain: Extremadura and Murcia face a completely dry future

Only once did he bet on a scientist and help us understand it better

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If today we think of an astronaut, we usually imagine someone with advanced scientific training, prepared to live for weeks or months in a challenging environment, master complex systems, robotics and even several languages. But in the sixties, when the space race was a race of speed and prestige, the mold was different: NASA was looking for operational profilespeople capable of making decisions under pressure and flying machines that no one had flown before. That was the pattern that marked almost the entire Apollo program.. And yet, there was one exception that broke the norm: for the first and only time, one of those who set foot on the Moon was specifically selected as a scientist, and that influenced what we learned about it. The protagonist of this exception was Harrison H. “Jack” Schmittand his case is unique within the lunar program. On Apollo there were astronauts with doctorates or advanced technical training, yes, but that does not automatically make them “scientist-astronauts.” The difference is in the selection criteria. Buzz Aldrinfor example, had a doctorate in astronautics, but entered the astronaut corps through the usual route of the military pilot (Group 3), like so many others. In June 1965, according to NASA, a specific group was selected to incorporate scientists, Group 4, and Schmitt was the only member of those members who ended up assigned to a moon landing mission, Apollo 17. The astronaut who came to be a scientist Before becoming an astronaut, Schmitt was already working, literally, with the Moon in mind. According to the USGSin 1964 he joined the Astrogeology team at the Flagstaff Science Center as a geologist after receiving his doctorate from Harvard. participated in lunar geological mapping and led the Lunar Field Geological Methods project, focused on how to do field geology applied to satellite exploration. That experience put him in a unique position within the program: He was not a newcomer to lunar science. After joining NASA, his contribution went beyond flight. The Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition highlights who organized the lunar scientific training of the Apollo astronauts, represented the crews during the development of hardware and procedures for exploring on the surface, supervised the final preparation of the descent stage of the Apollo 11 lunar module, in addition to serving as a mission scientist. Apollo 17 was not just another mission within the program. NASA defined it as the last of the three J-type missions, a series characterized by greater hardware capacity, more scientific load and the use of the Lunar Roving Vehiclethe electric rover that expanded the real exploration radius. That explains why the exploration of the Taurus-Littrow valley was not chosen at random. The objective was ambitious: to work in an area where rocks older and younger than those recovered in previous missions could be found. Added to this scientific ambition was an operational design with room to deploy and activate surface experiments, perform sampling, and complete photographic and experimental tasks both in lunar orbit and upon return to Earth. In an interview with the Japanese space agency (JAXA)Schmitt explains that a specialist comes with years of accumulated experience, and that allows him to decide much more quickly what is important and what is not. Schmitt recalls that NASA trained its pilot astronauts to observe well and understand the problems they were working on, but insists that there is no substitute for experiencewhether in geology, medicine or any other discipline. That is the practical logic that sustains their presence in Apollo 17: when the objective is no longer just to arrive, but to interpret an environment and choose samples judiciously, having someone on the ground who has done field geology for years changes the quality of the decisions. And there appears one of the most memorable episodes of Apollo 17. In the middle of the field work in Taurus-Littrow, Schmitt and Eugene Cernan identified the so-called “orange soil”a finding that generated great expectation in the scientific community. Within the framework of the mission, this material has been described as volcanic glass or pyroclastic material, and is interpreted as especially clear evidence of ancient explosive volcanism on the Moon. It wasn’t just a color oddity. It was a clue about the thermal and geological history of the satellite, and a perfect example of why the mission had looked for a place where different materials could appear, older and also younger than those brought by other expeditions. If Schmitt’s story seems strange it is because, within the same group of scientist-astronauts, he was the only one with a lunar destiny. The USGS notes that, From more than 1,000 applicants, six were selectedand that three of them, Joe Kerwin, Owen Garriott and Edward Gibson, would end up flying in Skylab in 1973 and 1974. That is, science, yes, but far from the moon landing. NASA wanted to reinforce the scientific component of manned flight, but the priority of the lunar program remained different and the space for “specialists” was limited. In this context, Schmitt stands out not only for stepping on the Moon, but for what it implies: even within a group created to add science, the moon landing remained almost exclusive territory of the operational profile. Schmitt’s story has value precisely because it is not just a biographical oddity, it is a mirror. In Apollo, the ideal astronaut was an operator, and only once, in the last moon landing, that mold was opened to integrate someone selected for their scientific profile. As we have seen, currently, astronaut training is designed for long and complex missions, with different requirements. And right now, when the moon race looms again, that question makes sense. Since Apollo 17, in 1972, humans have not returned to the surface, but NASA proposes a way back with Artemis, with Artemis II as a manned flyby and Artemis III as the planned moon landing if plans are fulfilled. With China also targeting the satellite, the return is no longer read only in a historical key. Returning … Read more

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