Walk

a walk through Beijing, Ebro, Chery and the silent streets

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This is the third time in two years that I have visited China. The first time was for visit OnePlus and OPPO headquarters in Guandong. The second, for get into the kitchen at the Honor factory and headquarters in Shenzhen. Now I do it for something totally different and that’s why I would like to do something different. I tell you. On this occasion I accompanied Ebro, yes, the car company of the Chery group, to the Beijing Motor Show and the Chery headquarters in Wuhu. And I do it for a reason: cars, historically, have not been my greatest passion, but now, at almost 32 years of age and with a view to starting a family, I am thinking about changing cars and I know China has a lot to say about this.. In Córdoba, my city, everything always arrives late. I mean, relatively recently they opened the first bowling place. açaito give you an idea. That’s why I know that something is changing, because every time I take my car, a small Seat Ibiza, I see cars from brands on the road that I didn’t see two years ago: Omoda, Jaecoo, Ebro, MG and BYD, mainly. Understanding his success requires understanding the context of his native country. and, to do this, there is nothing better than coming to it and experiencing it first-hand. And that’s why I propose something to you. Ebro S900 PHEV | Image: Ebro I propose that we live this together through a kind of daily blog in which I will tell you what I have seen, what I have learned and what things have caught my attention. Not from the perspective of an engine expert, but from the curious point of view of someone who knows that A new car is part of your next stage in life and you can’t stop seeing how Chinese brands are becoming more and more popular. Together we will visit the Beijing Motor Show, we will tour the streets of the Chinese capital, we will travel to Wuhu and we will see what and how is cooked in the bowels of Chery. That’s why I think the first thing is to put ourselves in context. At the group level, Chery takes bronze in the Chinese market, only behind BYD and Geely. Only in 2025, the firm sold 2,860,393 cars exactly, which is said soon. Chery, in turn, has several brands and subsidiaries such as Chery Automobile (where we find Chery New Energy and Fulwin), Omoda, Jaecoo, Lepas, Zongheng, Luxeed (along with Huawei), Exeed, Jetour, Karry, iCar, Rely, Soueast and the Chery Jaguar Land Rover joint venture. Its most famous products are, without a doubt, the Tiggo and the Arizo. Omoda, Jaecoo, Lepas (arrives in Spain this year) and Exlantix (in China it is Exeed and will arrive in Spain next year) are the brands that the company uses to boost your export strategy. Ebro, for his part, It is a joint venture established in 2024 between Chery and Ebro EV. Roughly speaking, this partnership allows Chery to assemble vehicles at the former Nissan plant in Barcelona and distribute them in Spain and Portugal under the (revived) Ebro brand. It’s a little more complex, but let’s stick with that idea. Tiggo 9 | Image: Xataka Actually, Ebro cars use Omoda platforms | Jaecoo (with some adjustments, for example in the suspension) and these, in turn, are the exported versions of the Tiggo. He Omoda 9 SHS It is, clearly, a Tiggo 9. Why so much branding? Because so they can attack different market segments with specific models and strategieshas no more. It is exactly the same thing that other Chinese groups such as Geely do, which has Geely, a large part of Volvo and Polestar, almost half of Proton Holdings, Zeekr or Lynk&Co, to name just a few. Aito M7, the electric SUV owned by Huawei | Image: Xataka Having said that and having that context, the first thing that has caught my attention in the short time I have been in China is how ubiquitous local brands are. I’ve seen endless BYD, Xpeng, Leapmotor, Nio, BAIC and ArcFox. I have even had the chance to see a couple of Xiaomi SU7s. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes or Audi, because there are, but it gives me the impression that they have a more luxury component. From the models I have seen, I get the feeling that European cars still have a certain premium aroma here. Toyota, Hyundai and Honda are also relatively common, but the omnipresence of local brands is evident. One of the few Chery that we have seen in Beijing Something that stands out in Beijing, where I am right now, is that you hardly see Chery cars. There are, a priori, three reasons: Chery​ is a great exporteris a Chinese brand whose power is not in China (despite being one of the best-selling brands), but in the international market. It makes sense, since abroad there is much, much, much less competition than in the local market and, above all, in the big capitals. We are in Beijing, a Tier 1 city. There is more capital and users are looking for higher-end/premium products, which explains the greater presence of Tesla, European, electric brands such as Nio or Arcfox and, above all, BAIC (Beijing Automotive Industry Holding). BAIC is a local brand and all taxis are BAIC. Arcfox is BAIC’s premium electric range. The registration system. Buying a car in Beijing is not about going to the dealership and that’s it. To avoid pollution, the government established a points and lottery system to obtain permission to buy a car. Gasoline cars go by lottery and the chances are tiny, 0.1%. New Energy cars (electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, etc.) are on a waiting list. It is long, very long, but unlike the lottery, it is safe. If you want a car in Beijing, the easiest thing is to buy an electric one and there … Read more

“Japanese walks” are much more effective than your daily hour-long walk

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For years we have heard the mantra of 10,000 steps a day as the magic number to stay in shape and keep chronic diseases at bay. However, science has been pointing elsewhere for some time now, such as the need to do strength training, and when it comes to walking, it no longer takes into account how many steps are taken, but rather how are they made. And this is where the “Japanese walk” comes into play. A new system. For friends, ‘Japanese walk’ and for the more technical, known as ‘Interval Walking Training’. A walking system that has been developed by different Japanese researchers and is based on intervals and also on how positive it can be to integrate with the environment that surrounds us. How to do it. The formula to test it is quite simple, since you simply have to alternate 3 minutes of fast walking at 70% of our maximum aerobic capacity with 3 minutes of slow walking at 40% capacity. Although three minutes seems very little, the point here is that we are going to repeat this same thing a total of ten times, until we reach at least 30 total minutes of exercise, changing as we go. And the recommended frequency to obtain results is 4 days per week. There is science behind it. Although it is a technique that is gaining quite a bit of strength in recent months, the reality is that science has been analyzing the impact it has on our health for many years. In this way, in 2024, a study concluded that this method improves glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes through greater glucose effectiveness, and not only due to insulin sensitivity. In 2025, a review also noted that this type of interval exercise prolongs healthy life, preventing chronic diseases, dementia and bone loss, which is especially beneficial in people with low initial levels of bone mineral density. His secret. For us to really see these benefits, the most important thing behind it is adherence. Here technology plays a fundamental role, such as mobile applications that make it easier for the population to follow this routine without depending on in-person supervision by third parties. Something that is ideal especially for older people. Images | pressfoto In Xataka | We have been debating for years whether it is better to go to the gym in the morning or in the afternoon. Physiology finally has the answer

more than 2 km and you can walk like 2,000 years ago

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For centuries the Romans dedicated themselves to expanding throughout Europe and North Africa, taking over the Mediterranean and weaving a wide network which spanned from the Nile Valley to Britannia. A vast world in which his mark is still present today, more than a millennium and a half later. However, few places can boast of preserving a vestige like the one that has stood in Galicia since the 3rd century AD. There, in Lugo, it remains a wall apparently immune to the passage of time that continues with an appearance not very different from what the legionnaires saw in their day. That makes it a unique treasure. A magnetism that does not go out. In a world in which immediacy rules and in which chronicles are out of date within a few hours of being published (the war in Iran leaves a good example), the Lugo wall is a rare bird. It was built nearly 2,000 years ago, between 3rd and 4th centuries of our era, and has been endorsed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for more than a quarter of a century. However, despite its long history and enormous popularity, the fortification continues to make headlines in 2026. A quick search comes to check it. News, reports, guides…all about a monument almost twenty centuries old and all signed in recent months. The interest in the Lugo wall does not fade. Just as other large constructions inherited from the Romans or the pre-columbian civilizations. What is the reason? That the Roman wall of Lugo is unique. And we don’t mean it in a kind, complimentary way or with the purpose of extolling its virtues. No. Its authenticity is objective and is recognized by UNESCO itself, which in 2000 included it on its World Heritage list and its benefits still stand out today. The UN technicians emphasize its “exceptional universal value” and remember why it is such an unusual piece: “It constitutes the most complete and best preserved example of Roman military architecture in the Western Empire (…). It represents the best example of late Roman military fortifications.” “Despite the rehabilitation works carried out, the walls retain their original layout and construction elements typical of their defensive function, with walls, battlements, towers, fortifications, doors and stairs, both modern and original,” comments UNESCOwhich remembers that it also maintains the original layout. “Very few complexes can offer the same historical authenticity and archaeological integrity, both in size, integration and continued use.” Is that so strange? In case there were any doubts, the United Nations office insist: “The authenticity of the walls of Lugo lies in the fact that they have survived 18 centuries intact. During that long period, numerous interventions have been carried out on specific parts for practical and aesthetic purposes, which means that they are not preserved exactly in their original form; therefore, from a restrictive interpretation, they could be considered to lack a certain authenticity. However, as a whole, their authenticity is impeccable.” The unique character of the construction is also claimed by Spanish institutions, starting with Turespaña, which presents it as “the only Roman wall on the three continents that experienced Roman domination that has remained entirely intact.” The same idea is emphasized from the Xunta de Galicia and the Lugo Provincial Councilwhich insists that, despite the changes it has experienced to adapt to the times and the city, “it continues to preserve its perimeter intact, a circumstance that makes it unique in the world.” A lurking colossus. If the above were not enough to highlight its historical value, the fortification draws attention in itself. Perhaps it only represents a tiny part of what the Great Wall of China (with which by the way is twinned for almost two decades), but even so the Galician defense is large enough to stand out in the urban area of ​​Lugo. In total it measures 2,117 meterswith an average thickness of 4.2 m and an unequal height that ranges between eight and 12 m. In some sections it reaches seven wide. Its plan is rectangular and, according to Tourespañacovers 34.4 hectares. As for the structure, it is built with earth-based mortar, loose stone and pebbles. Gates and towers. The above is just part of your business card. In addition to the wall itself, the complex includes a dozen gates and a good part of the original towers. Both elements are interesting. Regarding the doors, the Provincial Council technicians remember half of which are considered original from Roman times. The other five opened from the 19th century to adapt to the urban development and accessibility needs of Lugo. There are those who believe that this adaptation was key for its preservation. With respect to the towers, the autonomous administration points out that the wall preserves 71, most of the 85 original structures. Other sources speak of only 63 “cubes” preserved, among which include one of the most emblematic towers, A Mosquera, which still preserves two original windows. The fortification also has quadrangular structures. They complete the set the stairs, the ramps and the archaeological remains. Although the conservation of the wall has received various endorsements important, not everything is perfect: in February a storm caused a section of several meters will collapse. According to The Voice of Galicia It is the first collapse in two decades. A gem with legend. A construction like the wall of Lugo is not only defined by its history, it also accumulates centuries and centuries of tradition and legends. One of them, perhaps the most famousmaintains that the Romans did not build the fortification to protect a city but rather a forest, the ‘Sacred Forest of Augustus’, ‘Lucus Augusti’, from which the current name of the city originates. What we do know is that it took shape mainly between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD and today it stands out for two things. The first, for being “an exceptional legacy” of Roman architecture and engineering, a merit recognized by UNESCO itself. The second, because it … Read more

convert your M-30 to cycle and walk

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He Boulevard Periphérique It is a sort of Parisian M-30. The French city has, like Madrid, a ring road with a length of 35 kilometers. It was designed in 1958 to unclog traffic in the city center with a clear objective: it was faster to go around the city center at a sustained speed than to pass through the center of it. Both projects have grown with parallel lives. The Parisian highway was not completed until well into the 1970s and Madrid began construction of its own in that same decade. But, over time, they have experienced the same problems. Quickly, the highway was absorbed by the city itselfcreating a kind of urban highway. This has caused a series of issues. The first is pollution, both from vehicle emissions and the noise generated. But also social problems with architectural walls that make pedestrian or bicycle passage difficult and that break the internal cohesion of the city. Madrid has solved part of this problem with Madrid Ríoburying a part of it and, now, covering the Sales step. In Paris they have encountered a similar situation. The Boulevard Périphéric was built on the remains of the old Thiers wall, a defensive fortification completed in 1844 that at the beginning of the 20th century was totally useless and made it difficult for those who lived outside the wall to enter the city. What they didn’t imagine is that They were about to create a new wall. The city has been debating for years what to do with this bypass. Measures have already been taken to try to reduce traffic. The latest proposal involves converting it into a real boulevard, with its trees, its pedestrian crossings and its bike lanes. A new mayor’s office, an old project During Anne Hidalgo’s mayoralty, the city has taken various measures to reduce traffic in the city center, calm the passage of vehicles and penalize those who reach the heart of Paris by car. Thus, a project has been implemented to multiply the number of bike lanes, reduce the trips that pass through the interior of the city and punish those who arrive with an SUV to the Eiffel Tower itself. Hidalgo has taken over from Emmanuel Grégoire, who has managed to maintain control of the city in the hands of the socialists. And now a new melon opens: What to do with the Parisian M-30? Under Hidalgo’s mandate, the highway had already taken the first steps toward becoming a true boulevard. So, speed has been reduced to 50 km/h but the traffic jam is so serious that most drivers said they couldn’t notice the difference. But the intention of the new Government is to go further. The new mayor has not hidden At no time does he want to go deeper into the path designed by Hidalgo, reducing the volume of vehicles circulating through the city. And, above all, converting the current ring road into an urban boulevard. That is: transform the road into a road limited to 30 km/h, create a bicycle lane that runs along the entire length and leave space for pedestrians. It is a project for which Parisian environmental parties are also betting which, in addition, support the creation of traffic-signalized zebra crossings, instead of raising pedestrian crossings with bridges. This “changes everything because the road is a circular highway, and from the moment it is broken (the traffic lights are installed), it is no longer the same model,” their representatives point out. Reconverting the image of Boulevard Périphéric is an old ambition of the environmentalist and socialist parties since they have been talking for more than a decade about the chaotic traffic that is experienced every day in Paris but also about the social gap that exists between those who live inside and outside it. Already in 2015, Guardian dedicated an article to the problems generated by this urban highway. The intention of the new Government team is to have the project completed before the end of its mandate. That is to say, in the first years of the next decade, Paris has changed the morphology of this space completely. However, since The Figaro They warn that bureaucracy can play against them and that everything would get stuck if the police force issues an unfavorable opinion on the measure. Photo | Romain DC on Wikimedia and Johan Mouchet In Xataka | The cities with the worst rush hour in the world, explained in these graphs

a walk to the heart of the Michelin plant in Vitoria

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“Here we all know someone who works at Michelin. Most stay but others go to Valladolid for a few years, others to Lasarte… others even come and go to Lasarte, although less so.” Five minutes of chatting with colleagues from the local press is enough to confirm the impact of Michelin in Vitoria, a company that directly employs 3,500 people. The province is the most industrialized in Spain. The city seems chiseled by the idealists of sustainable mobility. The facilities of Michelin and the city center are separated by 15 minutes by bus, “it would have taken eight minutes by tram,” another of the colleagues who attended the presentation points out. It almost sounds like a joke, a city where a good part of the direct and indirect jobs are created by Mercedes and Michelin has experienced a reconversion that is the envy of Spain and an example in Europe. Before, Michelin tires that they manufactured themselves passed through their urban area. Now too, but bicycles ride them and not cars. Those same cars that will soon be able to wear the Michelin Primacy 5 Energy and the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy, the two premium compounds that the French company will soon launch. The first are already beginning to be manufactured in Vitoria. The seconds have not yet been awarded but the Basque plant is one of the best positioned. Tires with a chip and million-dollar figures 60 years have passed since Michelin opened the doors of its factory in Vitoria. So, on the outskirts of the city. Today, the avenue that leads to its facilities is a continuous flow of cyclists who ride calmly between well-designed bike lanes. Vitoria does not have much to envy of Amsterdam. In fact, to live there, nothing to envy if we take into account the tourist explosion of the dutch city. “How are you able to live in a nice city?” I joke with the locals longing for a fraction of the photograph I have in front of my eyes for Madrid. That’s where we are when we cross the doors and Bibendum greets us next to a gigantic tire. It is by no means the largest manufactured there. The latter weighs 5.7 tons. The one in front of us will only weigh a couple of them. But this time we have not come to learn about heavy transport tires. This time we are here to learn about Michelin’s new premium compounds. The Primacy 5 Energy are already manufactured in Vitoria and if everything goes as it should, 200,000 tires will be manufactured before the end of 2026. The Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy, at the moment, are being finalized but in a few months they will begin to be manufactured here or in any other plant that the company has throughout Europe. In both cases they are summer tires but with clearly different approaches. The latter are designed for sports cars and more aggressive driving. As an example, the performance of its prototype version during the test that Mercedes carried out with its Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX in Italy: a week at more than 300 km/h without rest. With extraordinary results, it must be said. 25 world records broken in one fell swoop. Those that are manufactured are the Primacy 5 Energya tire that replaces the e-Primacy, which was a range designed to improve consumption without sacrificing performance. According to the company, these tires are now quieter, improving braking by 8% both new and with used rubber. And, they defend, they offer 30% better grip than their main rival. Of course, it was not revealed who they consider to be the main competitor. What is irrefutable is that the tire has earned a triple A on the efficiency label used by the European Union to determine the performance of rubber. That is, it has obtained the best grade in the wet grip, consumption and noise tests. To reach our cars, the manufacturing of these tires begins within the Vitoria plant. There, the company shapes the rubber as if it were kneading industrial bread. The materials are crushed and heated until they are malleable enough to cover the first layers of the tire. A structure that also uses textile fibers to give rigidity to the final product. The process progresses between robots and operators who are mere spectators at best. Its function is to control that the highly mechanized process works correctly and that the type of compound that a central unit requires is manufactured at all times, anticipating a possible stock out. Between robots and conveyor belts, the rubber bands advance and are structured. Step by step they reach the coating with the outer rubber, the layer that treads on the ground. A very high temperature firing process reveals the final design. It is time to let it cool and check with machines that apply thousands of light flashes if the quality is correct. The last workers check with their hands and eyes that everything has gone as it should. It is the most artisanal part of the production. The most digital one occurs in between. The company is already including small chips in its wheels in RFID format. At the moment they only have detailed information on the type of compound and its dimensions. Manufacturers only need one reading device to store the rubber bands correctly in the shortest possible time. This novelty is not a whim of the company. We must remember that Europe’s intention is to get serious about wheel contamination so it could be used to control the traceability of the product. In the absence of defining the latter, what is certain, they explain to us, is that in 2029 all tires sold must have this system. Vitoria aspires to become the first factory in the world to implement these chips in all manufactured tires this year. If this happens, eight million tires will leave their doors with this control system. And this is the … Read more

We thought that human beings began to walk in Africa. This 7.2 million-year-old fossil says otherwise

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The scientific consensus has been telling us for decades that the cradle of humanity and the origin of our ancestors who began to walk on two legs was in Africa. However, a new paleontological discovery in the Balkans just launched an order to this official story. More specifically, a fossilized femur that suggests our earliest ancestors may have started walking on two legs in Europe. A bone. The centerpiece of this discovery is a femur cataloged as FM3549AZM6 and found at the Azmaka site, in Bulgaria. From this, the research team began to analyze the bone down to the millimeter, highlighting above all the anatomy it had. Researchers here have identified key biomechanical traits that point to partial bipedal locomotion, meaning that our ancestor could walk on two legs. Specifically, they have seen that the neck of the femur is unusually long and it has specific muscle insertion points that strictly arboreal primates do not have. These characteristics suggest that Graecopithecus He spent considerable time walking upright on the ground. A new hypothesis. This finding does not come out of nowhere, since in 2017 this same team of researchers already raised eyebrows in the scientific community by suggesting that the evolutionary divergence between humans and chimpanzees could have occurred in the eastern Mediterranean, and not in Africa. That hypothesis was based on analysis of a jaw found in Greece and a tooth from Bulgaria attributed to Graecopithecus freybergi. Now it comes to light again. At that time, definitive proof of locomotion was missing, but Azmaka’s femur fills that gap that we needed to begin to reach clear conclusions. Why did they stand up? Evolution rarely occurs without a strong environmental push, and the Europe of 7 million years ago looked nothing like it does today. Here investigations at Bulgarian sites, such as the Struma Valley, show that the landscape was dominated by a savanna environment very similar to the African one, caused by a global confrontation and severe droughts in the Mediterranean. This loss of dense forests would have forced the region’s primates to come down from the trees and adapt their movement to travel long distances in open fields in search of food. In this way, it was geography and not the continent that forced bipedalism. The debate. The new Bulgarian femur revives one of the hottest debates in paleontology, since until now, the title of the oldest bipedal hominin was held by Sahelanthropus tchadensisabout 7 million years old and found in Africa. But now, if this team’s dating and analysis are accurate, Graecopithecus would not only equal, but slightly surpass in seniority Sahelanthropusmoving the “kilometer zero” of bipedalism to the Balkans. But at the moment it is too early for the textbooks to change definitively, since, as with previous discoveries, the scientific community will demand more independent analyzes and will seek to debate every notch of the femur. What is undeniable is that the African monopoly on the origin of our lineage now has a serious European competitor. In Xataka | Humans are evolving live on the Tibetan plateau. And understanding what happens there will be essential in space

Now the “therians” arrive, people who walk on all fours

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They wear animal masks, move on all fours and publish tutorials on networks to perfect the gallop or feline jump. Therians are not a new phenomenon, but social media has catapulted them into the digital conversation. Who are they, where do they come from, what differentiates them from the fashion of the furriesDo they have the right to their own veterinarian? What is a therian? Perhaps the easiest way to understand it is by going to the community’s own definition: “species dysphoria”, a discomfort analogous (in structure, although certainly not in clinical recognition) to gender dysphoria. A therian does not wear a disguise: the term (which abbreviates therianthropefrom Greek therion -wild beast- and anthropos -human-) designates people who identify themselves psychologically or spiritually as a non-human animal. The Therian Society He assures that it is not a cosplay or costume, but rather a lifelong identity. The animal with which each therian identifies is called theriotypeand canids and felines are the most common, although videos of reptiles and extinct species have already been seen. There is a whole vocabulary around the phenomenon: shifts or changes of state are the moments in which the person experiences instincts, thought patterns or sensations typical of their animal nature. and the phantom shift It is the perception of non-existent limbs or appendages (tail, ears, claws) that have a clear correlation with the well-proven phenomenon of phantom limbs. Therians: Origins. In the infinite Usenet groups (the first forums) of the nineties is where the topic began to be talked about. The forum alt.horror.werewolvesoriginally created for fans of fictional werewolves, led to debates about what it meant. be a werewolf, not just consume fiction on the subject. Soon the therians were separated from otherkin, a term that grouped those who identified themselves as non-human beings (elves, dragons, vampires). Therians limit their identification to animals that exist or have existed and Its symbol is Theta-Delta (ΘΔ): Theta represents the first letter of therian and delta symbolizes change or transformation. Does it have a scientific basis? Let’s just leave it at that academic psychology has not recognized species dysphoria. But there are attempts at recognition: a Lake Forest College thesis He spoke of it as a transversal theme between therians who manifested themselves in very different ways. In ScienceDirect was distinguished between therianthropy clinical (delusional disorder in which the person believes they are transformed into an animal, and which is historically linked to psychosis) and therianthropy as a non-clinical identity, which is not included as a disorder in the DSM-5. One thing is clear, and also investigated: Therian identity acts as a protective factor for those with higher levels of autism or schizotypy, suggesting that the community plays a real psychological support role for certain profiles. TikTok, engine of subcultures. This seemingly specific group has found a meeting point and expansion on TikTok, which has the prepared algorithm to connect statistical neighborhoods of people grouped by common behavior and interests. The result is a unprecedented acceleration of the visibility of subcultures previously confined to forums and Discord servers. For example, in the case of the therians, they are interested in quadrobicsa discipline that makes it possible to move, trot, jump and gallop on all fours (and about which there was already videos on YouTube in 2015) : its practitioners publish tutorials that the algorithm triggers because it is visually striking content that generates polarized reactions. Furry precedent. To understand therians, you have to go back at least four decades, to a fandom that went through a very similar cycle: it emerged on the margins, was distorted by the mainstream media, and ended up being the subject of academic research. The furry fandom took shape at a science fiction convention in 1980, when a drawing from Steve Gallacci’s ‘Albedo Anthropomorphics’ comic sparked a discussion about anthropomorphic characters in speculative fiction. In 1986 the first “furry party” took place and in 1989 they had specific conventions. Although both communities overlap in many aspects (approximately 15% of furries They also identify as therians), a furry relates to anthropomorphic animals, building a fursona that works as a character or avatar; a therian, on the other hand, identifies with a real, non-anthropomorphic animal. However, the media stigma that the furry fandom suffered in the late ’90s is comparable to the scrutiny that the therian community faces today. The furries were identified (mainly due to an unfortunate episode of CSI 2003) with sexual deviants, but the community ended up denying itdemonstrating that the main attraction for fandom was belonging to a community, not any fetish component. llegacy to Spain. There have been no defining moments of the arrival of the therians to Spain, beyond descriptions in the media, simultaneously with what has happened in Mexico or Argentina, of hangouts in parks such as the Retiro in Madrid or the Ciutadella in Barcelona, ​​or groups practicing quadrobics in public places. Many of these media go into topics such as liquid identity in digital times and also in the aggressiveness that they awaken in their detractors, who begin to organize far-right attackspossibly because of the parallels with gender dysphoria. In Xataka | What are urban tribes and how have they evolved until today?

A beach bar in Malaga had the happy idea of ​​taking its ‘Sardinator’ robot for a walk. Until the police found out

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An establishment in La Malagueta decided to innovate when it came to attracting new customers with an advertising robot that wandered along the seafront, advertising mojitos, caipirinhas and espetos for four euros. Although the idea was striking and made heads turn among the local residents, the Malaga City Council has stopped the initiative. ‘Sardinator’ does not comply with municipal regulations and the Local Police have already reported the beach bar. The beach bar play. The robot, named Sardinator, walked along the La Malagueta promenade inviting people around to follow its voice to the beach bar. It wasn’t a waiter robot of those that serve inside the premises, but an autonomous device designed to advertise in the middle of a public street. It advertised drinks and food as it moved, although according to MálagaHoyhis ability to avoid obstacles left a lot to be desired: “he avoids trash cans, but he is not so skilled with people”, even tripping over a pedestrian. Why did the police intervene? Just like has shared The medium, Elisa Pérez de Siles, Councilor for Public Roads of the Malaga City Council, assured that this type of robots “are not authorizable” in the city. The use of the device on the promenade violates the municipal ordinance, which is why the Local Police were ordered to draw up a report and report the establishment. Although in other cities they are quite popular devices, in Malaga “there is an ordinance that must be complied with,” said the councilor. The political reaction. The municipal group Con Málaga has also focused on the issue. Its councilor, Toni Morillas, submitted a letter to the mayor asking about the robot after receiving complaints from neighbors who observed the advertising device “with astonishment.” Morillas even described the situation as “Málaga, the lawless city” on his social networks, according to inform MálagaHoy, highlighting the concern over the lack of control over this type of initiatives on public roads. The legal loophole of advertising robots. The case of Sardinator is something very specific and Spanish legislation does not yet specifically contemplate autonomous advertising robots on a public road. Municipal ordinances regulate outdoor advertising through urban planning licenses, but these regulations are designed for static elements such as fences, signs or posters. Many ordinances expressly prohibit the distribution or delivery of brochures and advertising on public roads, and even advertising in circulating or parked vehicles except for very specific exceptions. The boom of robots in hospitality. Sardinator does not seem to have had the same luck as other robots that have had growing popularity, such as those who work inside serving at the tables. In Spain, waiter robots are being introduced mainly in fast food restaurants, chains and some fine dining restaurants. Cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Valencia or Seville have already seen the introduction of these robots in several establishments. The fundamental difference here is that these robots move in controlled private spaces, not on public roads, which avoids conflicts of this type. Without going any further, in Malaga, there are several establishments that have incorporated this type of robots, although never outside the premises, as is the case of Sardinator. How they work. Waiter robots are designed to take orders from the kitchen to the customer’s table, following already marked routes and avoiding obstacles. The manufacturers are mostly of Chinese origin, including PUDU Robotics with its Bellabot and Kettybot models, Orion Star with Lucky, and Keenon, although there are also Spanish companies such as DAX Robotics with its Delibot and Slimbot model. The prices of waiter robots range between 6,000 and 15,000 euros, and they can support up to 60 kilos of load. They are equipped with LIDAR laser sensors and 3D cameras to move autonomously and safely. Robots as an alternative to labor shortages. The labor shortage in the Spanish hospitality industry, which affects more than 60% of businessesaccording to the Bank of Spain, means that this type of device could end up being an effective alternative. This is not about replacing staff, but about easing the burden due to the difficulty in finding waiters and qualified staff, which is why many establishments are turning to service robots as support. Although they are not yet a complete substitute for human interaction nor are they profitable for all establishments, these robots may end up representing a pragmatic response to a structural problem. And now what. The La Malagueta beach bar will have to return to traditional advertising methods or look for alternatives that respect the regulations. Meanwhile, ‘Sardinator’ has stopped touring the promenade and his catchy “mojito, caipirinha, daikiri” promotion is no longer heard in the area. Let’s give a minute of silence for our friendly friend. Cover image | Javier Albiñana In Xataka | The crazy story of the Galician woman who registered El Sol before a notary, sold plots online and then took eBay to court

If you have ever wondered what the pride of the Spanish Navy is like, this virtual walk puts you in the S-81

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Although the Spanish Naval History is rich and prolificfor years, Spain built submarines under foreign license. Giving life to one of these vehicles is not an easy task, but at the beginning of this century, something changed and the Navy decided that it was time to have its own model: Class S-80. After years of development, delays and some problems, in November 2023 the S-81 was delivered, aka “Isaac Peral” It is a submarine with some of the latest technology innovations and A “unique” propulsion system (which will work at some point). And, if you have ever wondered what life is like within a submarine or how its operators train, the Navy has published a 3D video in which we can see some of the S-81 rooms. What needs to be done to enjoy the video is to give the ‘play’ and rotate with the mouse, turning the camera to see the first details of the roof and, then, of the interior. The first thing we see is the upper area of the submarine, which in some works has been indicated as the entrance zone to it, but that it is an ‘watchtower’ from which the commander performs the work of approach to port. It is the best point to control the operation and has manual controls and a huge compass. At the bottom of the bow, the submarine entrance hatch can be seen, as well as a series of countermeasures in the foreground. Apart from the torpedoes, the S-81 has electronic and acoustic countermeasures as part of its defense and survival suite. In the offensive weapons, it has torpedoes, missiles and mines. As countermeasures, an acoustic lally system is helped that Imitate the submarine signing To divert enemy torpedoes. It also has the possibility of launch mobile countermeasures, luresand the electronic system allows both the detection of enemies and the disturbance of adversary signals to increase their ability to perform furtive operations. In the final bow we see the hatch through which the crew enters the submarine. In the central hall, a plaque remembers the main characteristics of Isaac Peral, as well as some historical data. On both sides of the hall, we find dependencies for the crew. These are six or three beds cabins and each of the 48 occupants of the submarine has its own bunk. In other submarines, especially in the oldest, there was something called “hot bed”, beds in which the crew slept in shifts. Only the commander has his own cabinless than 3 m². Now, although the crew can be rested by having its own bed, there are bad news: there are only two toilets and three showers for the entire endowment. Under the candle, the highest part of the submarine that is from which the commander controls the entrance to port, is the command platform. This is the brain of the submarine and in the image below we can see operators training in the simulator found on the mainland. Also on the mainland, operators can train with a simulator to learn to keep the ships of the ship through ‘avatars’. It is very widespread, but it is always curious to see how they handle similar systems with Xbox’s command. The truth is that the virtual walk of the Navy is short and would have been great to see some non -confidential units under the optics of that 360º camera. Currently, Isaac Peral will be a few months stopped in port because it will undergo a new maintenance round. As they detail in The confidentialwork will be carried out in Mechanics, electricity, hydraulic, electronics and cooling areas With the intention of calibrating systems such as communications, analyze the operation of the drinking water production system and check the state of missile throwers. The S-81, the unique of the S-80 fleet at the moment, due to a postponement In the afloat of the S-82 Narciso Monturiol until the end of summer, it will be three months stopped in port for this maintenance. Images | Navy, Navantia, Rubén Somonte Mde In Xataka | That time Spain bombarded Istanbul: nine ships, a film flight and the Obsession of Octavio de Aragón

Back to V8 or walk to the electric car. And that says everything about how the industry is

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“The electric is the future” The words are from Koji Watanabe, head of HRC (Honda Racing Corporation), the division of the Japanese firm in charge of developing the technologies that their teams (and those that hire them) use in the competition. Yeah Formula 1 goes back To the V8 engines, they leave. That is what the Japanese wanted to make clear. Right now, the company does not have an official car inside the championship but supply its engines to Red Bull. In 2026, They will do the same with Aston Martin And they have not ruled out having more customers for the future. But his role in the historic competition can have an expiration date. It all depends on the direction of the sport. The FIA (International Automobile Federation) wants to back the path to the electrification that took formula 1 in 2014. Its bet: Back to Combustion Motors V8. Some teams are for the work but others like Audi or Honda (this as supplier) do not want to hear about the matter. And the dispute threatens to put the sport up. “We didn’t come for this” The first thing we have to know is what is the current situation. The 2026 season will be a year of changes, we will have new chassis in cars and new power units. These power units will finally be maintained as a hybridized turbo. Of course, the weight of the electrification will be greater and the fuel will have to be 100% sustainable from 2026. This regulation should be in force until 2030. The problem is that since the arrival of the V6 Turbo hybridized in 2014 Fans have been complaining that something has died with The end of the V8 and V10. In 2021, despite everything, the regulations of these engines froze to prevent that Honda’s exit will leave Red Bull behind. The background problem is that new engines are giving bad results in simulations. To the point that There is spoils slower than those of Formula 2. The reason is that electrification will become 45% of the total power that a car can deliver (it is currently in 20%) and it is even believed that in a circuit like Monza, the pilot would have to lift the foot at the end of line so as not to end the battery and run out of electrical power for much of what remains circuit. That is especially important next year, since the electric motor will go from delivering a maximum of 120 kW (163 hp) to 350 kW (475 hp). Run without power electric at the end of a line is to be sold for the rest of the return with a very slow car. The way of driving and understanding the car changes radically. “The engine changes completely when braking and curves to produce additional energy, directly feeding on the battery. Therefore, the engine assumes the task of a generator at specific times,” explains Hywel Thomas, responsible for the development of Mercedes engines to Auto Motor Und Sport. That is, at times, the car will act as a series hybrid. That is why some manufacturers have long been moving threads to return the sport to larger engines and reduce the electric weight. He came to talk about returning to the V10whose devastating sound is iconic. Finally, they are pressure to return to the V8. That movement has not liked Honda, who consider that “electrification is a fundamental element To move towards a sustainable future, “making it clear that they do not wait for them if this happens. And he didn’t like Audi either. The company of the four hoops will have a car next year on the grill but the Germans say that ” Hybrid power units It was a key factor “for the company to launch into the pool. They have stressed that “the new regulation was planned for 2026 and beyond”. Returning to V8 is a setback for brand investments just over two years seen. And his message was clear: the V8 “was not for what we came here.” A message that clashes frontally with a good part of the manufacturers. In Motorpasion They collected months ago Ferrari, Ford and Cadillac (Ford will supply Red Bull engines and Cadillac will have its own equipment) They already supported the idea of returning to the V10 engines. And, without committing, Mercedes launched the message in China that “we have an open mind. We are prepared for any engine.” Everything this mess tells us about the industry What is being played with the next big change of regulations is much further than simply, the engines that the cars will use in the competition. It is no accident that Honda and Audi, firms that in their street cars are betting on the electrificationoppose the return of large V8 engines, in the worst stage for them, V10. Nor is it accidental that firms such as Ferrari, Ford and Cadillac support this second scenario. Or that Mercedes does not see him with bad eyes. Already in 2023Christian Horner, Mandamás de Red Bull that recently has been firedhe said that “maybe we return to some V8 or V10 that are totally sustainable. It would be fantastic!” This supposed sustainability goes through the use of 100% synthetic fuels, an idea that would have to go hand in hand if you want to reduce the electrification volume. The key here is that F1 is still seen as a laboratory. The jump to hybridization with the V6 Turbo was designed for manufacturers to explode what they learned with the MGU-H in its street vehicles. However, this component is really expensive and has barely had development out of the competition. With this failure in mind, Ferrari, Ford and Cadillac press to return to the V8 engines. The Italian company aspires to Synthetic fuels are part of its essence in the future. And it also has in mind continue developing large engines combustion since they will allow you to continue selling … Read more

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