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This is the robot that the creator of the Roomba has been wanting to develop for 30 years

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Colin Angle, co-founder of iRobot, left the company in a somewhat abrupt manner after the breakdown of the Amazon agreement. However, the topic of home robotics has never disappeared from his mind, and in fact it has returned with a somewhat peculiar proposal. Does not clean floors. It has four legs, moving ears and is designed to make you get attached to it. The story behind the return. Angle left iRobot in 2024, after the failure of its sale to Amazon and after almost three decades at the head of the company. Shortly after, he founded Familiar Machines & Magic with Ira Renfrew and Chris Jones, two iRobot veterans. Last week at the Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything conference, he unveiled his first creation: a furry-looking quadruped robot they call “Familiar.” According to they counted told the WSJ, the choice of name comes from modern European folklore, where the term was used to describe supernatural animals that accompanied witches. What exactly is it. The truth is that it is difficult to classify. He does not speak, he is not a smart speaker with legs, and it is not a typical robotic pet either (despite having a similar size). It has 23 degrees of freedom that allow you to move your head, neck, ears, eyes and eyebrows. It walks on all fours at a calm pace, cannot climb stairs or grab objects, and its communication with the user is completely non-verbal: it meows, purrs and expresses emotions through its body and face. “By design, you will avoid giving factual advice on things that perhaps you shouldn’t give factual advice on,” explained Angle to The Verge, in a direct reference to the problems that chatbots based on large language models have. Its face has been designed unrelated to any specific animal, and this decision is deliberate, because if the robot looked like a dog or a cat, the user would bring preconceived expectations that the robot might not be able to meet. So, yes, it is a somewhat complicated pet to describe. What technology does it have inside? According to those responsible, the Familiar works with the chip Jetson Orin from Nvidia and a small, custom multimodal AI model that processes vision, audio, language and memory directly on the device, without sending data to the cloud. It has a camera, microphone and a touch-sensitive touch casing. It can work without an internet connection. Morgan Pope, creative director of the company and former researcher at Disney Research, points out in an interview with IEEE Spectrum that were two recent advances that made the project viable: the use of reinforcement learning to achieve fluid movement without very expensive hardware, and the Generative AIwhich, in his words, “is perfect here because it creates the plausible assumption of intelligence, which helps the character feel coherent and alive.” What is it for and who is it for? Curiously, the Familiar is not intended as a toy or as a home assistant. Its purpose, according to the companyis to reinforce healthy routines and actively accompany its user. Angle focuses above all on families with small children, older people who live alone or people who want to better manage their well-being. The robot observes, learns and acts. The example that has been given is that, if it detects that you have been looking at your mobile screen for too long, it will try to get you to pay attention to it. Or if someone comes into the house carrying bags and in a hurry, they will know how to stay still and not get too angry. AI is not designed to always obey you. “Training him to obey you perfectly would break the illusion that he has his own personality,” Angle explained. to IEEE Spectrum. The goal is for the robot to have its own goals, not to execute orders. A history of failures. The trajectory of companion robots for the home has not been very encouraging to date. Jibo, Kuri, Anki Vectorhe Aibo original from Sony… they all promised something similar and they have all ended up being discontinued. The common denominator of their failures always ends up being the same: entertaining the first few days until they are forgotten in a closet. Angle thinks AI can change the equation here. “If this ends up being a toy, we will have failed. If it is a creature you want in your world, we will have succeeded,” counted to The Verge. We have questions. The robotic mascot presented at the WSJ event was a prototype that they controlled partially remotely, but Angle promise which will hit the market completely autonomously in 2027. The price, for now, is vaguely described as “similar to the cost of having a pet”, a range so wide that in practice it says nothing. On the other hand, carrying a camera and microphone always on around your home raises some questions about privacy. Although the team states that data is not shared in the cloud, these are issues worth keeping in mind. And now what. Familiar Machines & Magic has brought together talent from Disney Research, Boston Dynamics, MIT, Bose and Sonos. Angle has been wanting to build artificial life for thirty years since the time when iRobot’s original name was, precisely, Artificial Creatures Inc. The technology that did not exist then now exists. So now we need to know if they can materialize that promise into something that people want to have in their living room. Images | Familiar Machines & Magic In Xataka | The end of Nvidia in China seems to be very near: its current market share is 0%

It has taken us 30 years to find 6,000 exoplanets. TESS just found 10,000 candidates in one fell swoop

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Since the first exoplanet was detected in 1992, have been discovered 6,273 planets outside the solar system. However, detection methods have become so refined that that number is expected to skyrocket in the coming years. Just look at the list just presented by a team of scientists from Princeton University, which includes more than 10,000 new candidates. Many may not be exoplanets when they are reviewed, but the fact that so many candidates have been found is already a good sign. A very well spent first year. This new list It comes from the analysis of the first year of data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Exploration Satellite (TESS). In total 11,554 possible exoplanets have been found. However, 411 of them were only captured in one transit, so their orbital parameters could not be calculated. Another 1,052 had already been confirmed as exoplanets in the past. The remaining 10,091 do make up a list of possible exoplanets that had not been noted before. Transi what? Transit is one of the most useful methods of exoplanet detection. Typically, it is much easier to detect the star around which a planet orbits than the planet itself. After all, stars are bigger and brighter. However, observing the star itself can give us data on the existence of planets orbiting it. And when these pass between the star and the telescopes that observe it, their light is interrupted. Like when a cloud passes in front of the Sun or a very large moth flies in front of a light bulb. We know that planets revolve around their stars with a fixed period. For example, it takes the Earth 364 days to orbit the Sun. When these light interruptions are seen cyclically, it can be assumed that there is a planet orbiting the star. That’s what TESS detects. The advances of TESS. Until now, exoplanets have been searched around very bright stars. However, TESS has the ability to also study stars with weaker illumination. This allows us to do a much more complete analysis of the sky and find many more candidates for exoplanets. In fact, a lot of data is generated at once, so it has also been necessary to use a machine learning algorithm to analyze it all and find the real candidates. It must be confirmed. There are other reasons why a star’s light could be interrupted. For example, eclipsing binary stars either solar activity itself. That is why the next step, once a list of possible exoplanets is found, is to analyze them carefully to rule out those other possibilities and check which ones really are. It can still improve. These scientists are now ready to also begin analyzing data from the second year of TESS observation. In this case, some changes have been made in the study methodology, such as studying stars that are observed at different times of the year. This way, exoplanets with a long period can also be detected, which sometimes go unnoticed if they are not observed at the right time. When the period is very small, they pass many times between the star and the telescopes, so it is easier detect traffic. If the period is long, it is difficult to detect them if you do not look at the right time. With this in mind, the study’s authors hope to double the list of candidates. If this time there have been more than 10,000, the next time we have news about TESS there could be many more. Image | POT In Xataka | How the solar system was formed: for the Earth to be born, a star had to die first

50 years later, the Soviet fire of the “Gates to Hell” is going out. And it’s not good news

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In 1971, in the heart of the Karakum Desert, a group of Soviet engineers observed how the ground was sinking under his feet after a failed drilling. What came next was not an immediate evacuation or closure of the area, but rather an improvised decision that, according to who witnessed itseemed like a quick solution to a specific problem. That choice, taken almost as another technical procedure, would end up having consequences that no one at that time was able to anticipate. The eternal fire goes out. During more than half a centurythe Darvaza crater has burned relentlessly in the middle of the desert, becoming an almost permanent image of inexhaustible fire that seemed to defy any natural logic. However, the most recent data show a clear change: the intensity of the flames has fallen drastically in recent years, losing more than 7% of its strength. What for decades was a constant spectacle begins to weaken, altering the perception of a phenomenon that many considered eternal. The origin between legend and Soviet heritage. The birth of the crater is still shrouded in all kinds of stories and uncertainty, although the most widespread and feasible version points to the accident. during Soviet drilling in search of gas in the sixties or seventies. According to this theory, the ground collapsed when it reached a pocket of natural gas and the engineers they decided to set fire to the site to prevent the release of toxic gases, convinced that it would be extinguished in a short time. Thus, what was going to last weeks lasted for decadesfed by an underground network of gas that never stopped flowing, giving rise to one of the best-known anomalies of the energy legacy of the former Soviet Union. From remote curiosity to global icon. Over time, the crater went from being a geological oddity to becoming a almost mythical destiny for travelers and explorers, despite the difficulties in accessing Turkmenistan. Its image, a gigantic burning cavity in the middle of nowhere, has fueled so much adventure tourism like internal propagandato the point of being used by country leaders as a symbol of power or control. The experience of approaching the edge and feeling the direct heat of the fire has reinforced its reputation as a unique place in the world. The attempt at control and doubts about its decline. For its part, the Turkmen government has years trying to control emissions from the crater, and attributes part of the recent weakening to new drilling nearby plants intended to extract gas. However, the independent analyzes They suggest that the loss of intensity could have begun before these interventions, which opens the door to natural causes that are not yet fully understood. This nuance introduces a key and dangerous uncertainty: it is not clear whether the end of the phenomenon responds to human action or to a change in the geological system itself. The unexpected twist: less fire does not mean less problem. Yes, because although At first glance, the reduction of the flames could seem like good news from an environmental point of view, the reality it is more complex. Fire acts as a mechanism that transforms methane (much more powerful as a greenhouse gas) into carbon dioxide, reducing its impact in the short term. If the flames subside, more methane could be released directly into the atmospherewhich would make progressive shutdown a potentially bigger problem. A fragile balance that is still active. Despite its weakening, the crater remains activewith visible flames and constant emissions that remind us that the phenomenon has not disappeared. The huge amount of gas accumulated underground suggests that the fire will not be completely extinguished in the short term, maintaining that strange balance between natural spectacle, industrial legacy and environmental problem. Thus, half a century later, the symbol of eternal fire begins to change, although its disappearance does not necessarily imply a more favorable end for the rest of the planet. Image | Stefan Krasowski, Tormod Sandtorv In Xataka | China’s first pipeline network is 4,000 years old and something revolutionary: it was built without the need for kings or nobles In Xataka | About to close, this remote mine in the Polar Circle has found a 2 billion-year-old yellow diamond that weighs 158 carats

For 120 years, scientists considered the Omiltemi rabbit extinct. Meanwhile, in Sierra Madre del Sur they were hunted for food.

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When in 1904 Edward William Nelson identified the first Omiltemi rabbits, he did not know that this was going to be one of the last confirmed sightings of what, for decades, has been considered one of the most endangered mammals in the world. The bug. It was a large, nocturnal rabbit, with dark reddish hair, long ears and a short tail. But not much else was known because zoologists had frepeatedly scratched in finding and studying it. And yet, if they had asked the inhabitants of the Sierra Madre del Sur (in the Mexican state of Guerrero), they would have been able to add one more thing: that they are very rich. Because while scientists were looking for these bugs, neighbors hunted them and integrated them into their usual diet. Where are those rabbits? We must not fall into simplifications, since 1998 we already suspected that the rabbit was still alive and there. That year, some local hunters gave researchers the skin of a killed specimen: that is, we had physical proof that the species still existed. Therefore, the species was not officially extinct; What appeared in the species lists is that we did not have enough data to know what was happening with it. Now, after a long investigation with traps and sampling, we do have them. He wasn’t dead… Between 2019 and 2024, a team led by José Alberto Almazán-Catalán (the Institute for the Management and Conservation of Biodiversity) carried out a specific search for the rabbit under the program Search for Lost Species by Re:wild. They visited 10 areas and obtained records in 7 of them. The conclusion of this work (and I quote verbatim) is that the Omiltemi rabbit “is a rare species, but not only is it not extinct, but it is much more common than previously believed.” The data matches with the graphic material that Fernando Ruiz-Gutiérrez published in the Mexican Journal of Mastozoology. And then? Well, although the situation has not changed, it has revealed everything that we do not know. It is now evident that the distribution reaches an area up to three times larger than previously suspected. It is also true that, without suspecting it, the communities in the area have been hunting (and even breeding) these rabbits for decades without knowing that they were Omiltemi rabbits. And it is curious how this type of news helps make clear how little we know about the world around us. The initiative Search for Lost Species from Re:wild has already ‘recovered’ 13 species around the world. Some of them, like Winton’s golden molethey had gone 86 years without confirmed records. “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than your philosophy dreams of,” Hamlet tells Horatio and, if we apply it to contemporary science, we see that this is still the case. Image | Re:Wild In Xataka | Spain is witnessing a shocking phenomenon: three invasive species are feeding each other to conquer the country

Today on Netflix the series that, nine years after its premiere, remains the best thriller ever seen on streaming

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How many times, watching a series, do you have that curious feeling of “I’m watching the history of the medium”? You may have noticed it with series that not only impact you in a special way, but you also know that the people around you who also watch it experience a very similar feeling. If you’re watching ‘Succession‘You’ll know what I’m talking about. My last time, before HBO’s magnificent family intrigue epic, was on ‘Mindhunter‘, that Netflix premiered in 2017. Nine years later, it is still my favorite series of all those released on the platform. Neither ‘Stranger Things‘, neither ‘The Witcher‘, neither ‘sandman‘ nor any other have managed to match the degree of intensity and perversity of this brief masterpiece by Joe Penhall (also screenwriter of ‘The Road’) in which David Fincher directed some chapters. It started from a real event in the history of criminology: in 1977, two FBI agents revolutionized investigation techniques, giving a twist to how to get into the minds of serial killers. The series is based on the book written by some of the protagonists, and although obviously the suspense and suspicions generated by the agents’ investigation are played here, as well as the portrait of famous murderers such as the Son of Sam, Ed Kemper, Charles Manson or BTK, the realistic reflection of an era is above all. A realism that takes great care to present heroes and villains, and much less to mythologize serial killers, as the worst do. true crimes. ‘Mindhunter’ describes with coldness and a certain perverse sense of humor (and here the Fincher style is clearly evident) these first times in which psychology entered in the darkest minds and abysmal, with a fascinating portrait of these first methodologies. And all supported by an excellent cast (Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany and Anna Torv) that not only gives credibility to the ensemble, but also catapults the empathy we experience for a group of researchers who, literally, tread on absolutely unknown ground. Image | Netflix In Xataka | Today comes Netflix’s biggest release this week, an action-packed psychological thriller starring Charlize Theron

Evangelism has been leading a revolution in Madrid for years. Now he has turned the Metropolitan into a huge church

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evangelism build muscle in Madrid. The weekend tens of thousands of people gathered at the Riyadh Air Metropolitan stadium to participate in The Change 2026a Christian event that had its first edition in August 2023 at the Benfica da Luz stadium (Lisbon) and revolves around gospel, prayer and evangelization. The event is important not only for its content or participants, which includes the footballer Daniel Alves. It is above all because it connects with other manifestations recent and multitudinous Christianity. What matters, but even more so when and where. What is The Change 2026? A Christian macro event held this weekend in Madrid. Its highlight came on Saturday, when a massive event was organized at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium (Atletico’s field) which, according to organizers’ calculations, was attended by more than 35,000 people. In the website from The Change details that the first event of these characteristics took place in 2023, in Lisbon, and has already attracted thousands of people. At its genesis is the Rodrigues Pereira Association, an organization promoted by the preacher of the same name. Tickets to the event were freealthough they required prior registration and the organization accepted donations. Why is it important? Its attendance data is interesting in itself, but if there is a reason that explains the curiosity that The Change has aroused (and the comments that it has generated in networks) is that it connects with other much broader trends. The main one, the celebration of massive religious events in Madrid. We had the best example beginning of 2026when the city hosted two events almost simultaneously that had thousands of attendees. He January 10 Vistalegre served as the setting for a concert by Kahuna Group Music, a Catholic group that brought together thousands of people. On the same dates, the Movistar Arena hosted the prayer meeting Callswhich had Alpha España among its organizers and had the evangelical group Hillsong as the opening act. They were not two isolated cases. In April some 85,000 people They participated again in the fourth edition of the Festival of the Resurrection, organized by the Catholic Association of Propagandists and which once again featured Hakuna. Catholics and/or evangelists? It is not a minor issue. The Change vindicate that their event “is not the fruit of a single organization”, but “the heartbeat of a united church, with the same feeling.” The Catholic Church, however, has distanced itself from the event held this Saturday at the Metropolitan. In fact, on March 12, the Archdiocese of Madrid sent a statement brief and firm in which he made it clear that it had nothing to do with The Change. “This initiative is being promoted in our diocese by people outside it, in collaboration with a priest and an association led by a Portuguese evangelical pastor,” pointed out the Madrid Catholic Church, which clarified in passing that it was only informed of the event “when it had already been called.” “Consequently, the Archdiocese of Madrid does not consider itself linked to this event and regrets the call for activities of this nature in its jurisdiction without the necessary coordination with diocesan pastoral care.” Is it an important detail? Yes. Because it connects with a broader phenomenon that transcends the event held this weekend at the Metropolitano. Beyond the rise of Christianity (a trend that studies do not always support: some suggest a growing interest in the spiritual, rather than in orthodoxy), The Change or Llamados show a change in the way of expressing faith. A shift that also pivots towards a form of collective prayer and celebration centered on pop music, rock, big screens and collective prayers, manifestations far from the liturgy of more traditional Catholicism. Is it something new? No. The change comes from years back and it has not been without debate. The Online School of Apologetics has published, for example a list of “twelve reasons why it is not good to listen to Protestant music” and in 2011 the website Religion in Freedom he was wondering Whether Catholics should take note of the evangelists’ use of music. All this, between the controversy by Hillsong. In recent days, voices uncomfortable with the Metropolitan event have also emerged. One of the clearest is Universitarios Católicos (almost 132,000 followers on X), which took advantage of the weekend event to remember the rise of evangelism in the Community of Madrid. “One of the consequences of mass immigration: the loss of our Catholic identity,” concludes. Religion in Freedom assures that, although on Saturday people linked to the Catholic Church or Charismatic Renewal of Madrid could be seen in the stadium, the vast majority of attendees were not linked to the Church of Rome. Specifically, the media estimates that if in the event held in 2023 in Lisbon Catholics represented 25% of the public, in the case of Madrid they were 10%. What was seen in The Change? The event revolved around gospel, corporate prayer and preaching. Among the participants, names stood out such as Rodrigues Pereira or Dani Alves, former footballer for FC Barcelona and the Brazilian national team sentenced to four and a half years in prison (sentence later revoked by the Superior Court of Justice) for a violation. From that same thing, from his experience in prison, Alves spoke before the thousands of people gathered at the Metropolitano. “I was in prison for 14 months, but there Christ set me free. I have lost everything, but by losing everything I found Jesus.” Is it just religion? No. It’s culture. And demographics. Events like Saturday’s may grab headlines, but they are rooted in a much more important… and silent reality: over the last few years, evangelism has been expanding throughout Madrid, coinciding with the increase in Latin American migration. The Observatory of Religious Pluralism in Spain recorded a few months ago 834 places dedicated to evangelical worship in the region, which made it the minority confession with the greatest presence, ahead of Muslims. The phenomenon, very visible in the polygons where new … Read more

Murcians and Castilian-La Mancha have been fighting for nothing for years. Whatever happens with the transfer, what we are really losing is time

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Ultimately, this is the story of a deception. Since 2019, the Supreme Court has been saying exactly the same thing: the application of the European Water Framework Directive forces Spain to change the way it manages its transfers. And he hasn’t said it once, no: if we talk about the transfer of the Tagushe has said it, at least, six times. Despite this, the different administrations have been interpreting a political melodrama for years that has prevented the design of a system that minimizes the problems that the directive may create. And the result is that Murcians and Castilian-La Mancha They have been fighting for nothing for years. Fortunately or unfortunately, this race forward seems to end on May 5. What happens on May 5? If everything goes as planned, on May 5 the Supreme Court will decide the future of the Tajo-Segura Transfer and the Tajo Hydrological Plan 2022-2027. That day, the high court will decide what happens to the appeal of the Central Union of Irrigators of the Tajo-Segura Aqueductthe last major judicial process that remains open against the changes that the Government approved in 2025 to adapt to the regulations. It is, so to speak, the last legal bullet left for the irrigators of the eastern peninsula. And what can we expect? Bit. The president of the union himself, Lucas Jiménez, has publicly admitted ‘cold spirits’ and ‘without great expectations’, given the meaning of previous pronouncements. And at this point, the issue being debated is whether the new ecological flows (which, according to the University of Alicante, will entail an average loss of 105 hm³/year from 2027) come into force now or may be staggered. But, the unpopularity of the measure in large areas of the country has caused everything to be postponed. To the point that the National Court just admitted to processing Castilla-La Mancha’s appeal for the Ministry’s inaction in publishing the new rules: in fact, if Scrats’ appeal is overturned tomorrow, there will be no rules to apply the transfer. And then? The conflict will enter a new phase: given the eventual rejection and with the transfer cuts legally consolidated, all that remains is to discuss technical details and compensation measures. We must not forget that the Transfer supplies almost 150,000 hectares irrigation in Murcia, Alicante and Almería. This is water that is already de facto granted to irrigators and the State will have to compensate them. Although, of the 1,450 million euros that Moncloa committed to cushion the blow, it seems that only around 5% has been executed. The story that never ends. We have been fighting over water in Spain for decades and we have been unable to create a system that reorganizes the country (and adapts it to real water). Almost the opposite: for more than 30 years, it has never been like this. As explained in Datadista“since the deep drought of the 1990s, each dry period has served to implement emergency measures (…) or allow practices that were not eliminated when the rains returned, they were used to expand irrigation, increasing the problem of overexploitation and contamination of aquifers and the wetlands they feed.” And the bill for all that is what we are paying now. Image | Trent Haddock In Xataka | The Tagus reservoirs have reached their maximum level. The response of the authorities has been to empty them immediately

That bug has been waiting for its moment in Spain for 60 years. And your time is now

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In 1964, someone decided it was a good idea to release a handful of estrildas in Portugal. Before the end of the decade, this small opportunistic bird from sub-Saharan Africa had already settled in Extremadura and Andalusia. By the 80s, it had already reached the east of the peninsula. For 60 years, estrildas had remained in a discreet background. It had taken root, but they weren’t getting traction. However, that has begun to change: in the last 15 years, Valencian estrilds have multiplied by 10 and in Catalonia the population has tripled. AND, to the surprise of the expertsthe key to the boom has been two other invasive species. What has happened? In recent days, several media have begun to publish reports announcing that the African bird “has already arrived” in Spain. However, the common estrilda has been here for decades. What is new is not that: what is new is that in recent years the proliferation of uncultivated plots (one in five are) is becoming the perfect breeding ground for two other exotic species, the common reed and the Pampa duster. And those species make the perfect habitat for estrildas. Do they eat them? No no. That’s why I say it’s curious: the researchers they have realized that it is not that birds consume these plants. The plants provide shelter, roosting sites and perfect structures for this species. The strilas have been surviving for years in a very hostile territory, now they have found some areas that suit them like a glove. The story, as you can see, is more complex. Above all, because it has an agricultural substrate. Without the profound changes of recent years in the countryside, neither the Pampa duster nor the common sugarcane would have reached where they have. In this sense, what is truly worrying is not the estrilda (a bird that, as far as we know, is not affecting the local fauna either). What has experts worried is the chain of invasions. You just have to think about it a little to understand: the feather duster is South American, the common reed is Asian, and the estrilda is African. Together, they have managed to become strong in southern Europe. Fauna and flora have logics that we are still unable to understand in depth. In the end, the key is always in the same place: that there is a moment when we are going to have to assume that the only way to get out of all the problems we are creating is to start comprehensively managing the field. Image | XRTF In Xataka | England is experiencing an unprecedented invasion. The problem is that they are octopuses, and they are devouring everything they can find.​

more than 2,000 years without hair and a sacred mission in the underworld

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When I did the 1930s Mexican nationalism began to reclaim its pre-Hispanic past and rescue icons of the country. one in particular which stood out for its symbolism: the xoloitzcuintle. His name may not mean much to you, but you’ve probably seen him in photos or movies like ‘Coconut’by Pixar. He xoloas it is commonly known, is a dog breed originally from Mexico that stands out for two great reasons. First, because of his appearance, bald and athletic. Second, because of its history, which dates back to several millennia ago and connects with the Aztecs. For them the xoloitzcuintle was not just a pet, but a symbol associated with death and the last companion of the deceased on their journey to Mictlanthe Mexican underworld. A name that says it all. It seems like a tongue twister, but “xoloitzcuintle” is not only the name of a breed of dog native to Mexico. The word, from nahuatlthe language of the ancient Mexica, is in a way a description. There is who believes which is the combination of ‘Xolotl’the god of fire and death, and ‘itzcuintli’, which means dog. Others consider that the first part of the word is more of a nod to the hairless appearance of the animal, so it would be translated as “strange or wrinkled dog”. In either case, it is a fantastic business card for the ‘xolo’, a breed that has been linked to Mexico for millennia and stands out both for its exterior appearance and for its history and symbolic value. Hence, in the 1930s, the country’s nationalist movement “exalted her as a national symbol,” comment Raúl Valadez Azúa, from the Anthropological Research Institute (IIA) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM. No hair or premolars. Its symbolic value may not be obvious, but as a breed the Xoloitzcuintle is unmistakable. Although there are examples of different sizes and varieties with and without hair, usually their specimens are distinguished by two characteristics: They are hairless and lack premolars. The reason must be sought in their genetic pool. During their first embryonic phase, three layers are formed in the xoloitzcuintle, like remember from the UMAN: the endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm. The latter, however, is affected by a mutation that affects the teeth and fur. “It cannot be denied that a hairless dog is at a disadvantage. For example, when fighting with other dogs or in the face of climate changes. Despite this, after 2,000 years, it is still here,” reflect Valadez. Its peculiar condition also presents some advantages that have favored its bond with humans. Since it lacks hair, it is easy for us to feel its heat, which in the past caused xolos to be used with therapeutic purposes to relieve rheumatism or muscle pain. Just like huge hot water bottles. “A decision of the gods”. “The people of the region considered that, although the bald dog was a strange animal, its appearance responded to a decision of the gods and that therefore it was not up to them to kill it or decide its fate. Thus, they accepted it like the other dogs and called it xoloitzcuintle,” duck the UNAM expert. The result is fascinating: a characteristic that a priori could have represented a disadvantage compared to other races, ended up becoming a sign of identity that strengthened its symbolic value and the bond with men. An ancient race. If the appearance of the xolo is peculiar, its history is no less so. Experts believe the breed can date back to at least 2,000 years ago (there are those who place it even further back, to 3,500 years ago), emerged in western Mexico and after 500 years it began to disperse following two routes: one took it to South America, the other to Tula, Teotihuacán and Mayan territories. Its link with humans is also very old. Researchers have found remains dating back to 7th century and they seem to associate it, already at that time, with funerary contexts. They even suggest that he was attributed a role as guardian of sacred spaces. The Aztec dog. The remains of bones and ceramic fragments have allowed experts to better understand the role that dogs had in pre-Hispanic Mexico, where they were used for both eminently practical and symbolic purposes. Valadez remember For example, there are testimonies that speak of ritual sacrifices of hairless dogs in times of drought or during mass ceremonies, as well as others that reveal how their scavenging habits ended up associating them with death. “These animals were linked to the underworld because somehow what they ate in the underworld was converted into fecal matter, organic waste that was incorporated into the earth to pass to the underworld and, subsequently, returned to the earth as fertilizer that nourished the plants and, therefore, life,” reflect the expert However, if the xolo stands out for something, if something has earned it the nickname ‘Aztec dog’is the spiritual role that was attributed to it. The last companion. Its role in pre-Hispanic religiosity was so relevant that even today they highlight it the Mexican authorities, who have even designated the October 27 as ‘National Xoloitzcuintle Day’. Mythology claimed that when a person died, their essence undertook a journey to the underworld (Mictlán) that forced them, among other things, to cross the river Chiconahuapan. For that journey, however, he needed the help of the xolo, who would lend him a hand (or not) depending on how he would have behaved in life. Over the last few decades, researchers have found remains of dogs in graves, which has allowed them to confirm the belief that the deceased should be buried accompanied by a dog. Of course, with an important nuance: although at first it was believed that xolos were the favorite breed for that rite, the really relevant factor was the color of the coat. It had to be toasted. Other meanings were attributed to white or black hair that made them invalid for the journey to the afterlife. … Read more

a diamond from 2 billion years ago

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It was at the beginning of the 20th century when, in a south africa minea foreman named Frederick Wells thought he saw a simple flash in a rock wall and decided to check it with his knife. What he got out of there turned out to be the biggest diamond never found, a piece so large that for years was doubted whether it was just a fragment of something even greater. The iconic scene left a curious idea that is repeated in the history of mining: sometimes, the most extraordinary finds appear just when no one is looking for them. Luck at the last minute. It happened at the beginning of April, when in one of the most remote regions of the planet, a few kilometers from the Arctic Circle, a mine which was already facing its last days of activity has left an unexpected discovery that rewrites its ending. This is not just a new geological discovery, but one that combines extreme rarity, almost unimaginable antiquity and a context that makes it something much more symbolic How usual. In a place on the planet where every extraction seemed to be part of the past, the earth has offered one of its oldest secrets at the last possible moment. An extraordinary diamond in every way. It is not trivial, because the stone found, with more than 158 caratsis among the largest yellow diamonds ever discovered in Canada, a country where this type of gem is already exceptional. In more than two decades of activity, only a few few comparable pieceswhich places the discovery in a practically unique and almost unusual category. The rarity is even greater when you consider that this type of diamond represents less than one percent of the mine’s total production. Two billion years. Yes, because the true value of this diamond lies not only in its size or color, but in its fascinating origin. The researchers said that, formed approximately two billion years deep within the Earth, it is the result of extremely slow geological processes that have remained intact until today. Its yellow color, a product of presence of nitrogen in its crystalline structure, it adds another layer of uniqueness to an already exceptional piece. On the brink of closure. As we said at the beginning, what makes this discovery especially significant is the moment in which it occurs. The Diavik mineoperational since 2003, just closed after more than twenty years of activity and more than 150 million carats extracted. In other words, this diamond appears as one of the last great discoveries before the end, functioning almost as a symbolic closure for an operation that has marking the industry in northern Canada. Extreme engineering in one of the harshest environments. The context in which the discovery occurs is key to understanding its importance. The mine operates in subarctic conditionswith extreme temperatures and in an isolated environment that has forced the development of advanced technical solutions, from containment dams in frozen waters to hybrid energy systems with renewables. This level of complexity turns each extraction into a logistical and human challenge that goes far beyond simple mining. Beyond the stone. During its lifespan, the mine has not only produced diamonds, but has transformed the economy of the region, generating thousands of jobs and important industrial activity. Furthermore, it has established collaborations with communities local indigenous people for the management of the territory and its future restoration, a key aspect now that the exploitation has come to an end and the environmental recovery process begins. The last gift. If you also want, together, the discovery sums up the essence of the entire operation: technology, nature and time converging in an unexpected moment. When everything pointed to a definitive closure without any major surprises, the mine has delivered one of its most extraordinary pieces at the last minute, as if the land itself refused to disappear without leaving a last trace. Thus, more than a simple discovery, the diamond has become the region in the final symbol of a cycle with the most filmy closing. Image | Rio Tinto In Xataka | The diamond industry has been looking for a way out of its biggest crisis for years. Taylor Swift just served it on a platter In Xataka | The diamond industry promised to be happy with lab-grown jewelry. Until prices crashed

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