In the historic Down House, the house where Charles Darwin lived for 40 years in Kent, England, there was a space that was key to developing the theory of evolution that would bring the English naturalist worldwide fame. And it's not the table where he wrote The Origin of Speciesbut rather his garden. There, Darwin spent hours conducting small experiments with plants, such as the so-called Darwin's orchid or Christmas orchid, from Madagascar. It is a very particular species, with an extraordinarily long nectary, over 20 centimeters. The scientist predicted the existence of an insect capable of reaching the hidden nectar. The butterfly would be discovered decades later, confirming an intuition based solely on botanical observation.

Almost three years have passed since the first step was taken toward making the Ciutadella del Conocimiento mega-project a reality on the site of the former Mercat del Peix, next to Barcelona Park. Now, the start of its activity seems closer than ever with the government's financial support for one of its core projects: the creation of the new Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB). According to government spokesperson Silvia Paneque, the Generalitat (Catalan government) will fund €104 million for the construction of this building, which will be dedicated to advanced research in regenerative and precision medicine and will be essential for promoting this new hub of science—biomedicine, biodiversity, and planetary well-being—and urban knowledge.

One of the piles being built for the future BSM parking lot in Barcelona's Ciutadella district came across something unusual: a blackened wooden skeleton. When archaeologists began excavating less than two weeks ago, they found the side of a boat that had sunk between the 15th and 16th centuries. The wreckage revealed almost intact pine cones, as well as seeds from hazelnut trees and other fruit trees. The remains, which once uncovered must be constantly soaked with sponges, paintbrushes, and rags soaked in salt water, may help explain one of the most fascinating aspects of Barcelona's history: its relationship with the sea.