works

Leroy Merlin reduces this portable air without works with which to alleviate the heat waves this summer (and also the cold of winter)

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If you are looking for a quick way to air-condition your home without getting into construction trouble or having to call installers, Leroy Merlin has just reduced one of those air conditioning devices that not only saves you the summer, but also the winter. It is about the Equation Cool&Heat 9K portable air conditionerwhich you can buy today for 259 euros. EQUATION Cool&Heat 9k 2236 fg/2150 kcal heat pump portable air conditioner The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A 4-in-1 penguin ideal for any time of the year The great advantage of this portable air conditioner It is its enormous versatility. We are not looking at the typical noisy device (it is not silent, mind you) that ends up collecting dust in the storage room as soon as September ends. By integrating a heat pump systemthis device is capable of becoming an efficient heating system for the winter months. To this, we must add its functions of fan (ideal for sweltering but not extreme days) and dehumidifierwhich makes it a key ally to combat environmental humidity that makes the thermal sensation at home much heavier and more annoying. with his refrigeration capacity of 2,236 frigoriesit is perfect for medium-sized rooms and another of its great assets is its philosophy Plug & Play. Forget about having to call an installer or drill holes in the wall; You just have to place the device near a window, place the hose with the sealing kit included and connect it to the power to start cooling any room in your home. Furthermore, having a compact design, multidirectional wheels and integrated handles, you can easily move it around the house according to your needs, keeping the living room cool during the day and moving it comfortably to the bedroom at night. This portable air conditioner comes equipped with a very intuitive LED display and a remote control so you don’t have to get up from the sofa or bed when changing the mode or speed of the air flow. It also incorporates a Night Mode and a 24-hour programmable timer. ⚡ IN BRIEF: offer for Equation Cool&Heat 9K portable air conditioner today ✅ THE BEST Zero installation complications: You save community licenses, technicians at home, drilling walls and hundreds of euros in labor. It’s just arrive, unfold the window kit and plug it in. Use 365 days a year: The inclusion of a heat pump prevents the device from being a useless “junk” during the winter, guaranteeing the return on investment throughout the year. ❌ THE WORST Sound level… As in all portable air conditioners, the compressor is inside the device itself and not on the façade, which generates a continuous noise level (between 50 and 65 dB) that can bother light sleepers. Efficiency compared to a fixed split… Although it cools quickly and directly, it consumes a little more energy than a fixed inverter system to maintain the same temperature in the long term. 💡 BUY IT IF… You live for rent. It is the definitive solution if your landlord does not allow work to be done or if you do not want to invest money in a property that is not yours. ⛔ DON’T BUY IT IF… You need absolute silence in the room to fall asleep, the constant hum of the compressor can be uncomfortable at night. You may also be interested EVVO Clima Silent – Portable Air Conditioner up to 14000 BTU with Heat Pump The price could vary. We earn commission from these links INFINITON | Portable Air Conditioner | PAC-S10 | 3000 Frigorias The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Webedia and Leroy Merlin In Xataka | Silent ceiling fan: which one to buy? Tips and recommendations In Xataka | Best portable air conditioners 2026. Which one to buy and six recommended penguins

The DGT has found the perfect example of why road works kill on the road

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Rush is never good, and even less so when it can have fatal consequences. Despite this, every day we see examples on the road similar to the one we bring today, where in a video We see a driver who was traveling at 168 km/h in a section with a limit reduced to 40 km/h due to works. The case, detected by a Pegasus helicopter of the Civil Guard, has been the most serious of a special surveillance campaign that has left more than 15,000 complaints in a single week. What has happened? Just like they count From El Mundo, the General Directorate of Traffic deployed between June 22 and 28 an operation dedicated to the road sections affected by maintenance, conservation works or changes to the layout. During those seven days, the agents of the Traffic Group of the Civil Guard controlled 233,506 vehicles, of which 15,460 ended up being reported for breaking some rule in areas with works. Click on the image to go to the video The fact that attracts the most attention. The most extreme case involved a vehicle captured by a Pegasus helicopter traveling at 168 km/h at a point where the general speed was 90 km/h, but due to the presence of works it had a temporary limit of 40 km/h. That is, the driver was going more than four times faster than what was allowed on that specific stretch. Danger behind the wheel. In these sections of works there may be workers working very close to the road, machinery entering and exiting, narrower lanes and temporary signage. Reducing the speed there serves precisely to have more room to react to any unforeseen event. It makes all the sense in the world, but still, it is quite common to see some drivers ignoring the signs. The underlying problem. This example was the star violation of the entire campaign. According to data from the DGT collected According to El Mundo, around 90% of the complaints made during these seven days were related to not respecting the specific limits of the areas under construction. This connects with the accident figures that the organization manages. And provisionally, the DGT counted 154 accidents in maintenance and conservation sections during 2025, of which 26 affected operators who were outside their vehicles, on the road or its surroundings. The majority of these accidents are accidents caused by drivers not involved in the work itself, and speed appears as the factor that most influences them. It wasn’t all speed. The campaign also brought to light other types of risky behavior. 204 drivers were reported for not respecting the signs on sections under construction, 135 for using their cell phones while driving and 68 more for other types of distractions, such as wearing headphones. Added to this are 71 complaints for improper overtaking, 17 for incorrect lane changes, 13 for negligent driving and another 13 for reckless driving, according to collect the middle. There was also no shortage of infractions related to basic safety elements, as there were 135 sanctions for not wearing a seat belt, 5 for not wearing a helmet and another 5 for not using child seats. The list is completed with 58 positive alcohol tests and 39 positive drug tests. What is the DGT doing to avoid it. Beyond specific control campaigns, Traffic is also beginning to rely on new technology to reinforce safety on these stretches. For example, recently the first models of connected conesdevices capable of warning in real time of the presence of works so that the driver can anticipate and adapt their speed before reaching the conflict point. The idea is that this type of devices (cones, V-16 beaconsinformation on screen on the roads) can offer centralized information through DGT 3.0a connected platform accessible by the organization itself, connected cars, manufacturers, navigators, assistance services and more. The objective is for this information to help prevent accidents or warn of sections under construction, traffic jams, vehicles on the road and so on. Cover image | Jorge Franganillo In Xataka | The AP-7 has not had tolls for four years. Now the Government is studying whether to recover them or spend 500 million to expand it

how it works and how to configure it to pay with it on your mobile

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Let’s tell you What is Bizum Pay and how does it work? This application created to be able to pay with Bizum in stores. The Spanish application arrives to compete with the American Visa, Mastercard, Apple or Google trying to take over our mobile payments. We will start by explaining what Bizum Pay exactly is and how it works, so that you know how to differentiate it from normal Bizum. Then, we will tell you how to install and configure the app on your mobile. Of course, I am already warning you that being able to configure it will depend on whether your bank has already implemented the service. What is Bizum Pay Bizum Pay is an application that works like Google Pay or Apple Pay, and is used to pay in card machines using your mobile. Thus, instead of carrying a physical card with which to pay, you can do so using your mobile phone, and with the extra layer of security provided by biometric identification, confirm the payment with your face or fingerprint. The operation of the application is the same as that of other paid apps. You launch it, and when you have unlocked it, you bring the mobile phone closer to the dataphone. Both will connect and you will make the payment. The difference between a normal Bizum and Bizum Pay is that the normal Bizum is made to send money to other people using your mobile number. Meanwhile, Bizum Pay is created to be used in card machines and pay in establishments, replacing your physical cards and other American payment apps. How Bizum Pay works There is a fundamental difference between Bizum Pay and other payment systems. You are not going to link a card but your bank account. All mobile payment applications work by linking a physical card to use from the device, but in Bizum Pay you use your account. Therefore, it is not a virtual card that you are going to use, but when you pay with this system you make an immediate transfer between accounts. The money leaves your bank account and goes to the establishment’s account configured in its contactless payment infrastructure. This makes sense, because Bizum itself is a service for making transfers directly from the bank account where you have set it up to someone else’s. The difference is that with Bizum Pay you no longer need to use phone numbers to send moneyand everything is done through the establishments’ dataphone. Bizum Pay also allows you to store tickets or passes, just like Apple Pay or Google Pay. Additionally, in the app you can see all the payments you have made, saving these “tickets” to consult them whenever you want. The Bizum system has the same security guarantees as the rest of the mobile payment options. You’ll have to unlock your device to pay, so it’s safer than paying with a card that others can use. Bizum currently has 39 participating banking entitiesamong them the most important banks in Spain, but also many neobanks. How to configure Bizum Pay To configure Bizum Pay, you have to download the application on your mobile. You have it available on Google Play for Android and in the App Store of iPhones. You install it like any other app. When you open the app for the first time, you will be taken to a screen where how it works is explained. You will have to slide, and in the end you will have to write the phone number to which you have Bizum linked. You know, that number that you configured in your bank app, and that is the one that your friends use to send you money through this system. This will take you to the activation of Bizum Pay in your bank’s appthe one where you have Bizum configured. When the bank app opens, you can confirm the activation of the payment app. Your bank may not yet support Bizum Pay. This will depend on each bank, and you may have to wait a few weeks until you can use the application. But the activation is as we have explained to you. When you activate Bizum Pay you will have to configure it as your default mobile payment app. The steps to follow depend on your mobile: On Android: Settings > Connected devices > NFC > Contactless payments On iOS: Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Contactless App If you get involved, use Android or use an iPhone, the best thing is use the settings search and search for terms such as “payments” or “contactless”, so that the option automatically appears. When you enter this screen you will have the mobile payment app that you usually use configured, and you will be able to change it to Bizum Pay, although only when you already have the app activated. In Xataka Basics | Bizum in 2026: everything that changes (and what does not) in transfers with this system

What science says about the “trick” of two crossed fans to cool the house: it works, but with limits

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With heat waves hitting the thermometers, the desperation to cool the house without increasing the electricity bill leads us to look for any shortcut. And although the new air conditioners have shown that they have a low daily costthe reality is that many people prefer to opt for the classic fan and there are ways to optimize its operation. An idea. Something that has become popular in recent days is the possibility of using two fanshaving each in opposite windows. Under this premise, the idea is that one of them brings in air from the street and the other manages to get it out to ensure that the house in the end is as cold as possible within their possibilities. It has support. What is proposed here is to take to the extreme a concept that has been used for a long time in the architectural world to ensure that homes, passively, can acclimatize. And, according to the design standards and manuals of entities such as the IDAE, uwell-designed cross ventilation can reduce the interior temperature by up to 5°C. The two-fan technique falls into the category of hybrid or assisted ventilation. As detailed by platforms specialized in architecture such as ArchDaily or the technical area of ​​Tinsa, it is not enough to open windows at random. For there to be flow, a pressure difference must exist. The idea. By placing one fan pointing inward on the coldest façade, which is normally the north one or the one facing a shady patio, and another pointing outward on the opposite façade, we are mechanically forcing that pressure differential. The goal here is for the cool air to push the stagnant hot air mass out the opposite window. Although yes, for this flow to accelerate and be more efficient, the opening through which the air leaves should be more open than the one through which it enters. It’s proven. A thesis from the Piloto University of Colombia wanted analyze the effectiveness of this ventilation methodand it was seen that this system showed a significant reduction in thermal load in a hot-humid climate. Although here it is important to highlight that the thermal insulation of the home or building is very important, logically, to maintain an adequate temperature. It has small print. Logically, these two fans cannot work miracles, and if the outside temperature exceeds 30 degrees and especially if the relative humidity is high, cross ventilation loses all its effectiveness. Far from cooling, here there would be thermal energy in the home and forcing the entry of air at 35 °C with a fan is the equivalent of turning on a giant hair dryer. The best hour. Here the official recommendations point out that cross, forced or natural ventilation is a strategy that should be left for the first thing in the morning or at night. when the temperature is considerably lower. For the “two fans trick” to work and achieve that promised 5°C drop in the structure of the house, you must apply it only when the outside temperature drops below the inside temperature. This is called “selective ventilation” since during those hours, the mechanical technique of the two fans will sweep away the heat accumulated on the walls and ceilings during the day. Images | Delaney Van In Xataka | We have been trying to optimize cooling for centuries. My grandfather from Toledo solved the heat with the simplest invention: a door split in two

In Alicante they are experts making works with ancient art. Until they found a Roman sphinx embedded in a staircase

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Recycling in the architecture of Antiquity (or the Middle Ages) was neither an ecological sensitivity nor an aesthetic trend. Rather, it was pure and simple economic survival. If you had good quality square stone, go ahead and build. It mattered little whether that stone had been part of a temple dedicated to Jupiter, whether it was the statue of a disgraced emperor or, as in this case, a mythological creature. It has a name: architectural cannibalism is known in the art world as spolia. And thanks (or because) of it, Spanish archeology has just solved a mystery that had been gathering dust in a warehouse for decades. In the archaeological site of El Monastil, located in the town of Elda (Alicante), researchers have “decrypted” a piece who had been camouflaged under a false identity for too long. The rain acting as an archaeologist. It all started in the year 2000, during the arduous excavation work of a late Roman wall located in El Monastil. Workers unearthed a three-step ladder that looked like a typical routine structural find. The following year, the Levantine climate worked its magic: torrential rains swept the area and caused the ashlars to collapse, exposing new features. Upon inspecting the damage, the team led by archaeologist Antonio M. Poveda discovered that one of the blocks was not conventionally quarried stone. The deliberate marks betrayed a previous history. Which? That someone, during the Visigoth or Byzantine occupation in the 5th or 6th centuries, mutilated a monumental sculpture, cutting it down with a sledgehammer to turn it into a simple step. Twenty years of confusion. Carved from local beige limestone, it was barely 31 centimeters high and 55 centimeters wide; what remains is a tiny fraction of its original volume. This sphinx was missing its head, wings and legs, with a surface so eroded by blows that its identification became a headache: an Iberian female figure or a random goddess? It wasn’t until last year, when the Archaeological Museum of Elda A thorough cleaning was undertaken when, in collaboration with Professor Ferrán Arasa i Gil, one of the greatest experts in Roman sculpture in Spain, remains were compared. And the shape matched too well with other sphinxes found in limes Germanic, from Romania and northern Italy. The verdict was unanimous: a Roman funerary sphinx from the 1st century AD The sophisticated security system for the afterlife. This creature of Egyptian origin and Greek traces is no ornament. And here is the key: it is a psychopomp, the guide in charge of collecting the soul of the deceased and transporting it. Its presence in the tomb fulfills an apotropaic function: the fierce gaze and hybrid posture, with the body of a lion and the torso of a woman, exist to scare away looters and protect the eternal sleep of those who rested beneath it. Have you seen ‘The Neverending Story’? His famous fulminating sphinxes are inspired by the same. Apparently, the owner of this piece was part of the rural elite of Ilici Augusta (current Elche). They were landowners who, in a time of great prosperity under Augustus and the Julio-Claudians, competed to display social status through monumental mausoleums. Built next to the Via Augusta. So the figure was another banner of power and prestige in full Romanization. He plunders well without looking at who. For the Visigoths, the sphinx was no longer a sacred symbol. The case of Elda, with this disdain for the artistic past in favor of pragmatism, rhymes quite well with other recycling imposed in Baetulo (Badalona), Segóbriga (Cuenca), Obulco (Jaén) or Carissa Aurelia (Cádiz). The most canonical example is found in the mosque of Córdoba: Abd al-Rahman I reused Roman and Visigoth columns and capitals, from the temple of Janus, from previous Christian villas and basilicas, to raise the forest of columns in the prayer room. In Toledo, the Christ of Light is the ancient Bab al-Mardum mosque. San Pedro de la Nave, in Zamora, was a 7th century Visigoth church dismantled and reassembled like a collage. And the same with the Basilica of Santa Eulalia, in Mérida, built on a Roman temple dedicated to Mars. Even the Almohad minaret of the Giralda in Seville was converted into a Christian bell tower by the braves. What makes special Monastil is that it is an inexhaustible “matryoshka” of civilizations. This Alicante site is a time capsule where the Bronze Age, the Punic presence, the Roman military base from the time of Pompey, the Byzantine monastery and the later Visigoth church overlap. In this immense network of strata it is easy to find history cut up and relocated, outside the contexts for which it was created. Many now lie in the warehouse of the Elda museum, treasures waiting to be reclassified and archaeological history rewritten. Images | FoxR for Wikipedia, Flickr (Santiago López-Pastor) In Xataka | If the question is how the Egyptian pyramids were made, science has an idea: hydraulic systems In Xataka | In a display of technical superiority, France has just invented traditional white towns. We, however, have forgotten about them

How it works and two ways to avoid it

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Meta AI has released a new function with which Any user can create images with other people’s faces without permission. This opens the door to all kinds of abuse and unethical uses, since the function allows you to use your profile image or photos of yourself that you have published as a reference. We are going to briefly explain how this function is used and how these images are generated. Then, we will tell you the two methods with which you can prevent others from creating images with your face. Giving permission is enabled by default, but can be disabled. Meta AI takes photos with Instagram users’ faces Whoever uses the Meta AI website or app Now you can ask it to generate photos of other people. You simply have to use a prompt where it is requested to do so, mentioning the user by their account name. For example, if Xataka were a person, we can ask them to take photos of @Xataka doing whatever we want. By default Meta AI will use this user’s profile image as a reference for its composition. But you will be able to ask him to use the photos in his feed as a reference, and also any scenario or action. Come on, you can create images of a person doing whatever you want without them having control over what you do. Prevent them from taking images of you without your permission There are two ways you can prevent Meta AI from accessing your photos to create images. The first is deactivate the permissions that Instagram has activated by default. Come on, if you don’t touch anything, the Instagram settings mean that you have given Meta AI permission to use your photos for whatever other users want. To deactivate this function you have to enter Instagram settings, and click on the section Share and reuse. Once inside, go down to the section Allow people to reuse your content on Instagram with AI Features at Metaa new option that when translated into Spanish should be something like Let users repurpose your content on Instagram with Meta’s AI features. In this section, you have to disable options Publications and Reels. With this, you will prevent all your public photos and your reels from being used to generate any type of content in Meta AI. The second method is to make your account privatebecause Meta AI does not have access to the content of these types of accounts. In other words, if you already have a private account, it is not necessary to touch anything, although it is advisable to deactivate the permissions anyway in case this changes in the future. In Xataka Basics | No, WhatsApp Meta AI cannot be deactivated, but this way you can make it bother you as little as possible

what it is, how it works, how to verify yourself and what options and functions it offers

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Let’s explain to you What is it and what does W Social offer?the European microblogging social network. It is an alternative to X and Threads that uses the same protocol as Bluesky to have its functions and users, something that may be a little complicated to understand and that we are going to explain to you. We will tell you what it is and what it is not, but we will also explain its own particularities, such as the verified system. Only people who verify their identity can use it.sacrificing your privacy in exchange for an environment without bots, trolls, without abuse and with better behaviors. What is W Social W Social is a European social network. Specifically, it is a micromessage network, the same as Twitter/X, Threads or Bluesky. In fact, what is sought is to create a European alternative to American social networks, where all data is stored on European servers subject to stricter privacy laws. W Social is not a closed and independent social network, but uses Bluesky’s AT Protocol. This means that it is like a European body of Blueskythe technology is the same, and from each of them you can access, follow and talk to the users of the other. Come on, from W Social you can follow the account without problems xataka.bsky.social. Think of all this as two networks that speak the same language and they are interconnected with each other. It is the same as the instances of Mastodonbut with another technology. You will be able to access Bluesky accounts and read posts and all content, and users of this network will also be able to follow you. Bluesky has more than 45 million usersalthough there is no figure for how many of them are active. In any case, this will mean that W Social will join forces with this alternative network, all of those users are accessible from it. This means two things. On the one hand, W Social will not start from scratch or be a deserted social network. And the second is that It is not necessary for you to opt for Rella If there is something that doesn’t convince you, you can always use Bluesky or other European alternatives with the same protocol as Eurosky. W Social plans to allow you to migrate your Bluesky account to make it easier for your followers to follow you, but this is something that is not working yet. Finally, W Social wants to be a network based on verified humans, transparency, privacy and freedom of expression as its fundamental objectives. This translates to you need to verify your identity to be able to use it, something that we will explain to you later. In the end, W Social assures that its reason for existence is the certainty that we need a global and reliable social network, and that it is European managed, hosted and ownedwith all the benefits this entails for privacy due to the strictest European regulations in this regard. What W Social is NOT W Social It is not a social network created by the European Unionbut by a European company. Yes, a company like Meta or X, but based in the EU and with our rules. This also means that It is not a decentralized or open network like those that are part of the Mastodon ecosystem. It will be a network belonging to a company, which will be the one that makes the decisions. Come on, just like Instagram, Facebook, Threads or X. Main features Using W Social is the same as using Bluesky. First of all, you have the feeds, which are personalized algorithms that you can add and order as you like. W Social comes with several of its own Feeds pre-linked to your account, but by default on the main screen you only read messages from users you have followed, whether from Bluesky or W. As for W Socia’s own feeds, you have to read all network users independently of Bluesky, to read the media registered in W, to read organizations, to read featured users, and Discover feeds and trends that use content from W and Bluesky. But in addition to this, you have a search engine to use any Bluesky feed created by its own users. Come on, unique algorithms that can be thematic, by language, or whatever you want to create on your own. But the main feature of W Social is that Your users must have a verified identity. You have two different ways to do it, and without this procedure you will not be able to use the network. This measure has something positive as a clear way to end bots, trolls and online abuse and threatssince the user can be identified to expel him or his actions have criminal consequences just as in life outside the Internet. This will promote a less toxic environment without fake profiles, but you have to sacrifice your anonymity in exchange for these advantages. The other fundamental pillar of W Social will be moderation. Just as X is a free, wild space where abuse, misinformation and toxicity are common, W Social seeks to be a more controlled network with clear rulessuch as not being able to insult, avoid coordinated campaigns or the creation of permanent noise. Moderation is always a delicate topic, although the platform promises neutrality. We will have to wait to see how they carry out these tasks, how much is done by algorithm and how much is done by people. Moderation is important for creating a healthy digital environment, but it can also be dangerous For the rest, W Social has the rest of Bluesky’s features. You can send private messages to any user on any network using the Bluesky protocol, create user lists, save and pin topics, see trends and share all content. In essence, using W Social is identical to using Blueskywith the same functions and access to the same user base. What changes are the internal rules: strict … Read more

If you don’t have glasses for the solar eclipse, this homemade box made with cardboard and aluminum foil works just as well.

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If you plan to see the solar eclipse on August 12, you will surely have already been researching methods to see it safely. To look directly at the Sun, x-rays, photographic negatives or any of the tricks that were recommended in the past are not useful. We can hurt our eyes a lot. Only approved glasses are valid. However, if you do not have or do not want to buy them, you can always resort to indirect methods, such as pinhole camera. It is an ideal method to use with children, since you can see the solar eclipse without risk And, what’s more, they have a good time making the box. Of course, it is a perfect plan to do as a family. We tell you everything you need to do it. Materials The materials to make the pinhole camera are very simple. First of all, you need a cardboard box. It may be worth an empty cereal container or shoe box. You also need a white piece of paper, a piece of aluminum foil, tape, a pencil, scissors and a thumbtack. How is the pinhole camera made? To make the pinhole camera, first we need to draw one of the shortest sides of the cardboard box on the sheet of paper. For example, the base of the cereal box. We place it on the sheet of paper, draw the outline and then cut it out. We must glue the resulting piece of paper inside, on the bottom of the box. Next, at the opposite end of the box, two square-shaped holes should be made. If we have a cereal box, which has that side open, we would have to glue a piece of cardboard in the middle, so that the two square openings on the sides can be seen. In this NASA publication there is a video that shows how it should look.. Then, cover one of the openings with aluminum foil secured with adhesive tape. Also, make a small hole in the center of the aluminum foil with a thumbtack. With this the pinhole camera would be ready. How to use it to view the solar eclipse? To use the pinhole camera we must position ourselves with our backs to the sun and look through the hole that doesn’t have aluminum foil. The sun’s rays enter through the small hole in the aluminum foil, which acts as if it were the lens of a camera, so that the image behind it is projected on the blank paper that we place at the bottom of the box. It should be noted that, logically, this device only works during partial solar eclipse. When totality is reached and the Moon completely covers the Sun, there is hardly any light that can enter through the hole, so there will be no projections to look at. The good thing is that, only during that totality, you can look at the sun directly, without glasses. Of course, you have to be very clear when the totality begins and when it ends, since with very little light we can damage our retinas. In short, this is a good way to indirectly see the partial solar eclipse without the need for approved glasses. If you are in one of the places within the band of totality, once it begins, you can look at the Sun directly, but be careful not to go too far. Unless you are in a town like Lerín, where The bells will ring to warn when totality begins and endsget away from the slightest ray that appears. Image | POT In Xataka | The trio of eclipses that await Spain on the horizon: an unprecedented and historic chain between 2026 and 2028

In 1778 Mozart attempted to teach composition to a French noblewoman. It didn’t go well at all, but thanks to her we now have unpublished works

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Wolfgang A. Mozart died more than two centuries ago at the age of 35, but neither the time that has passed since his death nor his youth have prevented his talent from continuing to surprise us in 2026. Literally. Although few musicians have been as scrutinized as the Austrian genius, the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BnF) just discovered an unpublished notebook from 1778 with scores from Mozart’s hand. The 44-page work contains seven pieces for flute and harp. Beyond the artistic value, the discovery sheds new clues about his life. The date: 02/02/2026. Sometimes chance is capricious. Coincidentally, that day, a week after the 270th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, one of the BnF conservators was rummaging through old manuscripts in the archive when he came across a piece that caught his attention. “I opened it and saw staves full of deletions, corrections and additions,” relates the BcN employee, François-Pierre Goy, responsible for the collections prior to 1800. “I recognized Mozart’s handwriting, his way of drawing the brackets, the rounded treble clefs leaning forward, the double final bars with fermatas above and below,” explained Goy to Le Monde. If it is not common to find an unpublished work by Mozart, that specific discovery was even more exceptional: the notebook dates from the end of the 18th century, but it is not signed and the BnF stored it among twenty manuscripts that were in the process of being recataloged. Following the trail. Goy had a hunch (one based on his extensive knowledge of the Austrian composer), but that is not enough to attribute an anonymous notebook to Mozart. To confirm his suspicions he went to Laurence Decoberthead of the Iconography and Documentation Service of the Department of Performing Arts of the BnF and a good connoisseur of the Austrian composer. In fact, he participated in the exhibition ‘Mozart, a French passion’, in 2017. Their analysis must also have pointed to Mozart’s authorship because Goy and his colleague decided to turn to a third specialist. Just a few months ago, in April, there was a knock on the door of Armin Brinzingthe director of the Mozart Library at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg. The expert did not have many doubts either: he confirmed the attribution and, above all, highlighted the historical importance of the work. “It is Mozart’s most important discovery in decades,” claims. What does the notebook contain? The document contains 44 handwritten folios with seven short works for flute and harp, as well as composition exercises, nothing strange if we take into account the context in which the experts place it: the BnF believes that it collects the composition lessons that Mozart gave to Marie-Louise-Philippine de Bonnières de Guînesan aristocrat three years younger than the Austrian and who is remembered above all for her skill as a harpist. “The use of French paper in the manuscript and its content (composition exercises and seven pieces for flute and harp) suggest that it bears witness to the lessons that Mozart gave directly from May to July 1778, during his last stay in Paris, to de Guînes,” explains the French organization. The young harpist, who was 19 years old at the time, was the eldest daughter of Adrien-Louis de Bonnières de SouastreDuke of Guînes and great lover of music. In fact, the duke himself was reputed to be a virtuoso flutist. By hiring Mozart as a composition teacher, he hoped that his daughter would create “great sonatas” for the instruments they both played: she the harp; he the flute. “I’ve tried everything”. The notebook located between the shelves of the BnF completes an episode in Mozart’s life that we already knew in part. Through a letter that Wolfgang wrote in May 1778 to his father, Leopold, who remained in Salzburg, we know, for example, that his young pupil may have been a skilled harpist, but she did not seem to have the makings of a composer. “She has no ideas, nothing comes of it. I’ve tried everything with her,” recognized Mozart frustrated. In general, his stay in Paris was not as profitable as he expected. He did not receive the recognition he desired and Goy explains that the duke never paid the Austrian for a flute, harp and orchestra concert that he commissioned. “We don’t even know if the Guînes family ever performed the pieces.” Why is it important? Locating a lost Mozart manuscript is always good news, even more so if (as in this case) it includes several unknown pieces. The notebook found by Goy, however, presents a series of peculiarities that make it even more interesting on a historical level. For example, the works are intended for a flute that the duke had bought in London, an instrument “rare, if not unique in Paris”, clarify from the BnF. Furthermore, Mozart did not devote the same attention to the flute or harp that he did to other instruments for which he created more repertoire, such as the clarinet. The new BnF work is also completed with annotations that seem 100% taken by the student and six blank final pages, without annotations. The big question. The manuscript is fascinating, but the truth is that experts seem to have few doubts about its origin. The BnF believes that it is one of the pieces “confiscated” in the mansion of the Duke of Guînes in mid-1794, during the Terror period of the French Revolution. Goy himself remembers that in the National Archives of France there is an inventory that cites “two bundles of sheet music” bound books taken from the aristocrat’s house in May 1794, after he sought refuge in England. The truth is that in recent years music lovers have enjoyed the discovery of various works unknown by Mozart, including pieces from his adolescence. “One of the most important”. Whoever wants to enjoy the short pieces for flute and harp that have just been resurfaced from the BnF archives can do so now in a performance made June 21 in the Ovale room of … Read more

The Dreame T16 Pro Heat arrives, a vacuum cleaner that works with very hot water to remove even the last stain of dirt.

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Nowadays we can find many devices that help us (although many others do not) when cleaning the house. Robot vacuum cleaners, cordless vacuum cleaners and a long list of devices are almost essential in the home. Of course, we cannot forget the floor scrubber vacuum cleaners, which are so effective on many occasions. Dreame is a very well-known brand in this type of devices and has just released a particularly interesting model: the Dreame T16 Pro Heat. Under paper it is very attractive for removing dirt from the house, although its price is nothing less than 629 euros. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A device that allows you to reach the corners of the room The Dreame T16 Pro Heat stands out mainly for its shape, since the brand has managed to manufacture a floor-mopping vacuum cleaner that has a body only 9.85 centimeters thick. In addition, it has a total 180-degree reclining system so that we can clean even in narrow places, such as sofas (if they have long legs) or under the bed. But it also stands out (a lot) because it works with water that reaches temperatures up to 90 ºCthus promising to put an end to the dirt in the house; As the brand itself promises, it is capable of removing grease stains from the roots, such as cream and butter stains. It also works as a conventional vacuum cleaner offering a suction power of 30,000Paa very high figure so that it does not resist dust or pet hair, for example. It also includes an articulated arm called WhaleSweep AI Robotic Arm, which allows you to better clean corners. On the other hand, this device comes with its own charging base, and also Used to clean the roller. In addition, its battery offers a theoretical autonomy of up to 70 minutes in its Eco mode and can be connected to a smartphone through its app to adjust the water flows. ⚡ IN SUMMARY: dreame t16 pro heat ✅ THE BEST The design: It is ideal for leaving almost no gap uncleaned, whether under a sofa or bed or in corners. Your charging basewhich is capable of cleaning the roller. ❌ THE WORST Your autonomysince in maximum power mode it can be very tight depending on which homes. The pricewhich is quite high. 💡 BUY IT IF… It is your first device to clean the house, since it allows you to vacuum and mop comfortably, although manually. It is also interesting for dirt stains that are difficult to clean with a robot vacuum cleaner. ⛔ DON’T BUY IT IF… You already have a robot vacuum cleaner or a cordless vacuum cleaner, since there are devices that may fit better with what you need, and that cost much less. You may also be interested roborock Robot Vacuum Cleaner QV 35A Set, 8000Pa Suction, Two Liftable Spin Mops, Anti-Tangle Brushes, Reactive Technology for Obstacle Avoidance, Navigation and Mapping, White The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Rowenta The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Dreame In Xataka | Best handheld vacuum cleaners: which one to buy and 6 + 1 recommended models from just over 30 euros In Xataka | One day you are young and the next you have copied your parents’ vacuum cleaner

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