A mathematical problem had been resisting experts for more than 80 years. An AI has surpassed them all

by

In 1946 the Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdős asked a seemingly very simple question: if you place n points in the plane, how many pairs of points can be exactly at a distance 1 from each other? This dilemma is known as unit distance problem in the planeand has maintained many mathematicians who research in the field of geometry, immersed in its resolution for no less than eighty years. The classic strategy proposed by many of them to try to solve it was to resort to a square grid. They soon realized that the number of pairs at unit distance grows at least as n to the power of (1 + C/loglog(n)), where C is a positive constant that quantifies how much a particular construction can be better than a basic square grid. It’s a complicated idea, it’s true, but we can try to approach it in a slightly more intuitive way. A standard square grid produces approximately 2n pairs of points at unit distance. If we rescale it in an ingenious way by choosing the scale factor as a number that has many divisors (in number theory this property is known as a number with many small prime factors), you get more pairs of points to fall exactly at distance 1. The value of C measures precisely the efficiency of that choice. This is the key. An AI from OpenAI has achieved the first major breakthrough in 80 years As we are seeing, the question Erdős asked is very easy to state, but extraordinarily difficult to resolve. If we develop the classical approach a little further we will realize that since loglog(n) grows very slowly, the exponent approaches 0. This means that the square grid grows only slightly faster than n, but not enough to exceed n at a fixed rate. This milestone was achieved by a general-purpose inference model that OpenAI was testing internally. This is why for decades mathematicians predicted that the upper bound would be approximately n^(1+o(1)), that is, just slightly larger than n. Now we know that they were wrong, and the person who refuted this conjecture was not a particularly skilled current mathematician; this milestone has pointed it out a general purpose inference model which OpenAI was testing internally. and not one artificial intelligence (AI) specialized in mathematics. This model has provided an infinite family of examples that produce polynomial improvement. In fact, he has shown that it is possible to construct configurations of points with at least n^(1+δ) pairs at unit distance, where δ is a fixed value greater than 0 that does not disappear as n grows. When the AI ​​delivered this result, OpenAI researchers asked a group of Princeton mathematicians to review it. And his conclusion was blunt. The AI ​​was right. This is the first progress on the lower bound of the problem posed by Erdős in 80 years. And, curiously, the OpenAI model has achieved this by using advanced engineering tools. algebraic number theory for an apparently elementary geometry problem. Several renowned mathematicians, such as Fields Medal winner Tim Gowers or number theory expert Arul Shankar, have declared that the result that AI has delivered is an extraordinary achievement that could provide mathematicians with a bridge to explore other problems in the future. Image | Jeswin Thomas More information | OpenAI In Xataka | These two problems have baffled mathematicians for decades. A genius has solved them with a stroke of the pen

Türkiye seemed immune to the drop in birth rates. Now his Government is desperate because it does not know how to stop it

by

In Türkiye 2025 was the “Year of the Family” and the decade ahead of us (2026-2035) will be that of “Family and Population”. It’s not a coincidence. Just like many other countries from Europe, Asia or America, the Turkish Government increasingly looks with greater concern its declining birth rates. Specifically there is two data that worry Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s team: the number of births has been falling since 2014, which has dragged the fertility rate to its lowest level so far this century, far from what is necessary to keep the population stable. The problem is that neither the “Year of the Family” nor the rest of the measures deployed by Erdoğan seem to be running too much. What has happened? That Türkiye has not managed to avoid the demographic winter that hits other countries in the world, such as Japan, South Korea either much of Europe. It is not just that the birth rate is falling or that the country’s demographic engine is showing clear signs of having caught the flu. The most revealing are the ‘pro-birth’ initiatives and above all the statements of Erdoğan encouraging his fellow citizens to have more offspring, which shows that the issue is generating more and more suspicion in Turkish institutions. In March, the Turkish Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas, expressed it clearly (and dramatically) during an interview: for the Executive, demography has become “a question of survival.” “Our strongest strength is the family,” the leader stressed after recalling that in a matter of 27 years Turkey has experienced the same decline in birth rates that has taken nine decades in other nations. Number of births and total fertility rate, 2001-2025. What does the data say? The last ones, published This same week by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) they draw a very unflattering scenario. In 2025, 895,374 babies were born in Türkiye, a bad figure no matter how you look at it. To begin with, because it represents a drop of 4.78% compared to 2024 and the lowest figure in the entire historical series disclosed by TUIK, which dates back to 2001. As if that were not enough, it aggravates the decline in what is known as the ‘total fertility rate’, which has been moving away from the levels necessary for years to keep the population stable. Why are they important? Of all the TUIK indicators, the ‘total fertility rate’ is probably the one that worries Ankara the most. And it is logical. It basically shows the number of children that, on average, a woman is expected to have throughout her reproductive life (between 15 and 49 years old). In 2001 this indicator stood at 2.38 births. It was good data because it far exceeded the necessary rate (2.1) to keep the population stable without having to take into account other factors, such as immigration. The problem is that since 2014 that indicator has been receding steadily until it remained at 1.77 in 2020, 1.49 in 2024 and 1.42 last year. In fact, 2025 has been the ninth consecutive year in which Turkey falls below the ‘replacement rate’, which means that if Turkey does not want to lose population in the future it will probably need the arrival of foreigners. The crude birth rate has also plummeted in the last five years. Total fertility rate by province, 2025. Can it go further? Yes. He latest report of TUIK suggests that the trend is far from stopping. If in 2017 the organization registered 57 provinces with a fertility rate insufficient to keep the population stable, last year that list had already skyrocketed to 76 territories. What’s more, what has grown the most is the number of provinces with the worst birth rates. If in 2017 there were only four with a fertility rate of less than 1.5, last year 59 provinces were in that situation. What’s more, in all of Türkiye there were only five regions where the replacement rate reached (or exceeded) 2.1. In general, Turkish women not only have fewer children, they also have them later. The average age of mothers in the country at the time of giving birth has skyrocketed in recent years, going from 26.7 in 2001 to 29.4 in 2025. There are a dozen provinces in which, on average, women do not have their first child until they are almost 30 years old. In Artvin or Istanbul, in fact, the average age for new mothers is 29 years old. What does the Government think? Türkiye’s fertility rate may have been declining for years, but still stays above of the EU average (1.34) and of course in countries like Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Spain or Mala, where this indicator does not even reach 1.2. Despite this, Erdoğan has elevated demography almost to a state issue. In fact, he has not hesitated to cross out “disaster” the country’s low birth rates and “betrayal” of fertility control. “Why not have at least four children, or five?”, recently reflected the Turkish leader, leader of the conservative AK Parti, who on other occasions has already warned that the nation is seeing its average age increase (around 34 years old) and the weight of the elderly population. What have they done about it? Beyond political discourse, its Executive has promoted different pro-natal measures. In April Parliament supported extending maternity leave eight to 16 weeks and last year Erdoğan himself advertisement that the Executive would increase its financial aid to families that have children, with the payment of 5,000 liras after the birth of the first-born. “We are also implementing financial aid per child of 1,500 liras per month for the second child and 5,000 liras per month for the third and subsequent children,” advanced. The big question is whether these measures will have an effect and will encourage Turkish births. What do people think? That’s what he tried to find out a few days ago The New York Timesthat interviewed to several Turks to find out if they would … Read more

Airbus had a single center in the world to convert commercial aircraft into military tankers. Now another one will open in Seville

by

Airbus has chosen Seville to install its second global conversion center for the A330 MRTT, the best-selling tanker and military transport aircraft on the market outside the United States. The San Pablo plant will thus become the twin of the Getafe plant, until now the only one in the world capable of transforming A330 commercial aircraft into its multirole military version. We made the announcement during the opening of the ADM Sevilla 2026 fair and the facilities are expected to be operational at the end of 2027. Why it matters. The A330 MRTT is experiencing a sweet moment, as it accumulates some 91 orders from 19 countries and controls 90% of the world market share, excluding the United States. The war in ukrainethe escalation of military spending in Europe and the growing need for tanker aircraft to extend the air forces’ operating margin have triggered demand for a model that until now was assembled at a rate limited by its single-plant capacity. Add Seville will allow you to go from five to seven annual conversions and thus take some work off the Getafe plant. In detail. The conversion process is usually a rather complex task for European aerospace engineering. Civilian A330s leave the Toulouse chain and they are transferred to the conversion center, where for about nine months military systems, in-flight refueling equipment, specific avionics, communications and interior configurations adapted to each client are integrated, until they are ready for aerial refueling missions, troop transport, strategic cargo or medical evacuations. The plant in Seville will also assume maintenance, repair and modernization (MRO) tasks for aircraft already in service. Airbus will take advantage of the current hangars in San Pablo and optimize them to work with two aircraft at a time, imitating Getafe’s way of workingwhere usually one is converted while the other receives maintenance tasks. Figures. The new line will generate around 200 direct jobswhich will be added to the 2,000 professionals already working in São Paulo, and about 600 additional positions in the auxiliary industry. In Andalusia, Airbus is responsible for around 3,500 people between the San Pablo, Tablada (Seville) and Cádiz plants, and more than 14,000 throughout Spain. Why Seville. The president of Airbus in Spain, Francisco Javier Sánchez Segura, pointed ABC that the reasons were based above all on the technical knowledge accumulated in the A400M and C295 programs, the existing infrastructure (San Pablo is the only Airbus factory with two final assembly lines) and the operational proximity with Getafe, which will act as strategic coordinator of the entire program. A technological leap. Until now, Airbus Defense and Space’s activity in Seville revolved around the assembly and maintenance of the A400M and the C295, both military transport aircraft. Sanchez Segura underlined The Seville center will replicate the cutting-edge technologies developed in Getafe, including the intensive use of augmented reality applied to the assembly and inspection of systems. Andalusia, in the focus of aviation. For the Junta de Andalucía, the announcement fits into its strategy to place the community in one of the three most important European points, along with Toulouse and Hamburg. The acting Minister of Industry, Jorge Paradela, recalled that the region already has several important investments, such as the arrival of the Swiss company Pilatus to manufacture private and military training aircraft, and the Ryanair projectvalued at 500 million euros, to internalize the repair of aeronautical engines in Andalusia, with 600 direct jobs planned. The acting Minister of Economy, Carolina España, rated the Airbus announcement is “magnificent news”, also highlighting that exports from the Andalusian aerospace sector have grown by 86% so far in 2026. The other side. The ADM Seville fair, where the advertisement was presented, also attracted protests. The STOP Arms Fair Platform, which brings together social groups, unions, environmentalists and pacifists, gathered at the gates of FIBES to denounce “the institutional support” for the defense industry and the presence of companies that, according to these organizations, have links to human rights violations in armed conflicts such as the one in Gaza. What’s coming now. Airbus has about two years of works, personnel training and technological adaptation ahead before San Pablo delivers its first converted aircraft. If the planned pace is met, Seville and Getafe will end up operating in a coordinated manner to satisfy a larger customer base in a context that does not seem to be going to let up. According to Sánchez SeguraAerópolis depends on around 70% of Airbus’ workload, and this for the Seville plant means consolidating in a field that until now was foreign to it. Cover image | Air and Space Army In Xataka | The war in Iran is doing something that not even Ryanair imagined: making 20 euro flights a relic of the past

from a student’s idea to real research

by

Take a week-long trip with a cabin suitcase In winter it is an art that not everyone can match. Traveling to Mars with a spacecraft in which each extra kilo can mean very expensive amounts of fuel, is a problem. Therefore, it is not enough to put socks inside shoes and replace the filling of the cervical pillow with T-shirts. In these cases it is better to travel light and try to take advantage of the destination’s resources later. A destination that, let us not forget, is the most inhospitable. Still, science is developing proposals as interesting as the one published this year by a graduate student at the University of Arkansas: 3D printing tools directly on Mars. A brilliant student. Zane Mebruer was an undergraduate engineering student when he had an interesting idea. Could metal tools be printed on a 3D printer, taking advantage of the main gas in the Martian atmosphere? He communicated the idea to his teacher Wan Shou and together They set off to check it out.. Typically, when making 3D prints with metallic materials, it is necessary to use a chamber with a protective atmosphere of argon, as this gas prevents oxidation. However, we have said that we do not want to take a lot of luggage to Mars: neither the tools, nor the argon. The Martian atmosphere is made up of 95% carbon dioxide, so it could be that this gas is a good substitute for argon. They did the relevant tests and, indeed, it could be a good option. It is true that argon gave better results, but carbon dioxide also turned out to be a quite acceptable option. Background. It should be noted that these scientists have not been the first to propose 3D printing to avoid having to take a lot of luggage to Mars. In fact, it is something that worries NASA so much that in 2015 issued a challenge to companies and universities to try to print a complete habitat. They were offered a succulent prize of $800,000, which in the end went to a team from the company IA Space Factory. In your case, they used as materials a mixture of basalt fibers extracted from Martian rock and bioplastics. They also wanted to take advantage of materials from the neighboring planet. The new. The materials proposed by that team would not be as useful for printing tools. In that case, metals would be a better option. To do this, Mebruer and Shou proposed using a printing technique known as selective laser fusion. To begin with, this consists of spreading a layer of metal powder on a plate. A laser beam then heats the powder and fuses it onto the plate. When this is ready, the plate is lowered, a new layer of powder is dropped and the procedure is repeated. Layer by layer, the piece of metal hardens and enlarges. The problem is that, in this process, the material is very exposed to oxidation. If it oxidizes, it doesn’t fuse properly, so the result is not as good. That is why a protective gas is needed. Microscope proof. These two scientists carried out the 3D printing in three different conditions: with argon, with carbon dioxide or with ambient air. The result was then analyzed under a microscope in search of any imperfections. It was seen that the best result was obtained with argon, but that with carbon dioxide a hardened, resistant material with few imperfections was also achieved. Much better than with ambient air. Only the metals would be missing. We already have the printing method and the protective gas. Only the metal would be missing. For that, other scientists have proposed recently travel to the asteroid belt and use it as a mine. That’s another story. For now, we wanted to check if printing is viable on the red planet and the answer is clearly yes. Image | Mebruer et al/Magnific In Xataka |Growing lettuce on Mars is NASA’s great challenge to colonize the planet. We already have a “shortcut” to achieve it

If the question is who can turn Amancio Ortega into his personal tailor, we already have an answer: Bad Bunny

by

The launch of the joint capsule between the Galician giant Inditex and the Puerto Rican artist marks an unprecedented milestone in the industry. This long-awaited collection of 150 pieces, baptized as “BENITO ANTONIO”has landed this May 21 just in time to become the official uniform of his imminent I SHOULD TAKE MORE PHOTOS Tour for Spain. If the videos of “Get Ready With Me” (GRWM) flooded the networks looking for the perfect look for Rosalía’s concerts, with Bad Bunny the phenomenon will be very different. Given its 12 dates in Spain and 600,000 tickets sold, the stylistic dilemma has already been resolved in one fell swoop. As explained esquire, this capsule is not the typical merchandising on tour, but a democratization of the artist’s closet. There is no longer a need to invent or imitate your style: now your followers can directly wear your same aesthetic universe and street sensibility. Behind the alliance. Far from being a simple commercial move, choosing a security firm fast fashion to dress a global superstar hides a deep social message. Bad Bunny launches a declaration of rebellion against the inaccessible standards of the industry: good taste and style go beyond spending thousands of dollars on luxury brands. This phenomenon has been baptized by experts as a true “change of power.” As Professor Andrew Groves points out from the University of Westminster, wearing a Zara suit to events the size of the Super Bowl or the MET Gala conveys authority, but “that authority comes from Bad Bunny’s cultural standing, not a luxury house’s seal of approval.” The message beyond. Beyond fashion, the message is sociological and political. Choosing Zara (a Spanish brand with global reach) for the Super Bowl halftime or the MET Gala, an event historically dominated by Anglo-Saxon culture, was a declaration of intent. Bad Bunny uses his influence to tell the world that the Latin and working class identity no longer needs to ask permission or dress in Parisian haute couture to sit at the table of the most powerful. With this on the table, Inditex has not limited itself to hiring the face of a celebrity for a seasonal campaign. The final result shows that it was the artist himself who has adapted all of Zara’s machinery to his universe, his instinct and his identity. Strengthening the Galician firm as its head. The construction of this alliance has been a careful chess game designed over the last few months, evidencing Marta Ortega’s firm intention to strengthen her brand in the US market under the concept of fast couture or “affordable luxury”: The first advertisement in Super Bowl LX: In February, Benito performed before more than 100 million viewers wearing a tailored outfit (bespoke) cream color designed by the Spanish firm. Zara preferred intangible prestige to mass sales, refusing to commercialize the design, although it did have a close gesture by giving away exact replicas of the garment to the workers at its headquarters in Arteixo. The transformation at the Met Gala 2026: The next coup de effect It happened at the so-called fashion Oscars. The Puerto Rican braved the red carpet with a black double-breasted tuxedo custom made by Zara. The suit, sober and elegant, gave all the attention to a hyperrealistic makeup with prosthetics created by Mike Marino, which added “53 years” to the artist to adapt to the theme of the event about the aging body and discuss the social fear of mortality. He teaser by Marta Ortega: To confirm the rumors of the collection in an organic way, the president of Inditex herself wore it at the Longines Global Champions Tour in Madrid a new green cap with the embroidery “Benito Antonio”, advancing the news before the official statement. The soul of Puerto Rico spun into 150 garments. Developed side by side with its creative director Janthony Oliveras, the collection completely escapes tropical caricature. The specialized newspapers agree in praising the authenticity of the proposal, highlighting a design and aesthetics that, as it points esquiremoves between relaxed tailoring, artisanal textures, a great weight of color and basic garments oversizeideal for withstanding the heat of the imminent concerts. Added to this careful preparation is a rich graphic imagery created together with the prestigious M/M Paris studio. The visual identity of the clothing takes direct references from urban infrastructure, electric poles and everyday elements of the streets of San Juan, a decision that should not be interpreted as an exoticization of the Caribbean, but as a demonstration of a deep sense of belonging. Finally, as a definitive detail of loyalty to its roots, L’Officiel remember that Zara decided completely redesign its Plaza Las Américas store in San Juan, Puerto Rico, turning it into an immersive space to debut this capsule exclusively with its compatriots before making the final leap to the rest of the world. A commercial and identity milestone. With this collection, Zara and Bad Bunny have not only signed the most astute agreement of the year, but they have changed the rules of musical fashion. When thousands of fans fill the Metropolitan Stadium dressed in ‘Benito Antonio’ ​​basics, it will be demonstrated that the luxury of our era is not exclusivity, but the ability to make an entire stadium dress with your own identity. Image | Zara Xataka | Zara dressed Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl. That says much more about Zara’s plans than about Bad Bunny

Vegetable milk has fewer nutrients than cow’s milk

by

In recent years, plant-based drinks have become an alternative to conventional milk. “They destroy” some experts have said. And these drinks are no longer just the resource of those who avoid products of animal origin or the lactose present in milk and have become one more option for many. The question of the extent to which these alternatives are nutritionally comparable is very different. A whole series of studies. A whole series of analysis of nutritional properties of some plant-based milk alternatives (PBMA) are drawing a clear horizon. The team responsible for the study observed that some chemical reactions in the process of these drinks reduced the nutritional contribution of the final product. There are more studies in recent years, but all they go in the same line. That these types of alternatives are less nutritious than milk is not a big surprise, just compare the nutritional values ​​of both foods. The study in question shows us the reason for this difference and points out that its magnitude could even be greater than we believed. Maillard’s reaction. The key is in the Maillard reaction. This is a chemical reaction that usually occurs when heating some foods and we usually associate it with color since it is the reaction that occurs, for example, when toasting bread. The changes in the chemical composition of the food associated with this reaction also affect the flavors and nutritional contribution of the product. The question of the extent to which these alternatives are nutritionally comparable is very different. Different processes. Both the milk we drink and PBMA drinks are processed foods, although the difference is important. While the milk goes through minimal processing, typically ultra-pasteurization (UHT); Vegetable alternatives are processed foods that include steps that seek to resemble the final result to animal milk. These alternatives are also subjected to a UHT process, such as explains the team responsible for the study. 12 “milks”. The team compared 12 different drinks: two dairy drinks and 10 plant-based drinks. The team compared the drinks based on their nutrients and examined them for the presence of Maillard reaction products, or MRP, in these drinks. The team quantified the amount of protein present in milk at 3.4 grams per liter. Of the 10 alternative drinks studied, only two exceeded this amount, while the rest contained between 1.4 and 1.1 grams per liter. The amount of essential amino acids present in these plants was also lower in plant milks. They also found a higher amount of sugar in seven of the ten vegetable drinks. In their analysis, the team found various MRPs in plant milks. Among these compounds were acrylamides, found in oat and almond milk. The team points out that their low presence was not alarming, and that the probable origin of these was in the previous roasting process to which almonds and oats were subjected. The details of the study were published in an article in the magazine Food Research International. Interpreting the data. Does this mean that we should avoid plant-based alternatives to milk? Well probably not. The reasons for choosing one type of drink or another may vary and may not always depend on the nutritional contribution. For example, the decision may be based on environmental criteria. In any case, for this type of decisions it is convenient to have accurate information. Above all, because as I say ‘nutritional composition’ and ‘poor health’ do not always go hand in hand. Sometimes, it’s even good. In March 2026 was published in Advances in Nutrition The first meta-analysis on the cardiometabolic impact of vegetable drinks and the results are clear: replacing cow’s milk with soy drink reduces LDL cholesterol and can reduce blood pressure; oat drink shows favorable effects on total cholesterol, etc, etc, etc. According to the original study team, the key should be better labeling that helps consumers choose the product that best suits their needs. “If there were requirements for producers to specify on the labels how many essential amino acids the drink contains, it would give consumers a clearer picture of the quality of the proteins,” explained in a press release Marianne Nissen Lund, co-author of the study. Lund and his colleagues also highlighted the importance of reducing our consumption of processed and ultra-processed products in general. Not only as a way to eat healthier but also to do so in a more sustainable way. A version of this article was published in Xataka in 2025 In Xataka | Fish milk, Indonesia’s idea to create a substitute for cow’s milk. And they are not the only ones Image | Alexa Photos

open 24/7 with 180 workers

by

While Europe seeks technological sovereigntyindependence from foreign technology and How to accommodate your data centers in a system in which the electrical grid is saturatedAmerican Big Tech is establishing itself on the ground. Amazon is one of the most aggressive with its expansion of data centers and Spain, which has been showing its energetic plumageha conquered these companies with one name standing out above the others: Aragón. In short. The community has become one of Europe’s renewable batteries. For years, its energy power has allowed gigawatts to be diverted towards Catalan and Basque industrial centers, but things are changing and, now, they need the energy for themselves. For the data centers that are arriving, rather. Because both Aragón and Amazon have been making promises for months about how these data centers will impact the region and, finally, we can see how many jobs six of the data centers located in Villanueva de Gállego will generate. The round number? 180 direct workers who demonstrate that from words to actions… there is a distance. The promised numbers. Amazon, through AWS, is going to fill Aragon with data centers. In the PIGA (the General Interest Plan of Aragon) it is already details that the idea is for AWS to build 30 data centers and a dozen electrical substations in the region. Villanueva de Gállego and Huesca will take part of the pie, but others are already being developed in Walqa, San Mateo de Gállego and La Puebla de Híjar. During this year’s MWC, Amazon advertisement that they were going to go from less than 20,000 million euros in investment to around 33,700 million to expand their data center infrastructure in Aragon between 2026 and 2035. The plans are ambitious and they themselves estimated that their actions would contribute 31,700 million euros to the GDP of Spain and 18,500 million to the GDP of Aragon. Regarding employment, Amazon itself spoke of 29,900 full-time employees in total, 13,400 in Aragon alone. There was a nuance: these calculations included those of local companies, direct, indirect and induced. Exaggerating, telling the baker who made bread for the sandwiches of the workers who build the infrastructure. Villanueva de Gállego. Although the figure is striking, from the beginning has been reported that they are not going to be new long-term jobs, but rather very dependent on that first phase of expansion and that the reality would be very different. How far? Well, if we look at what was published in The Aragon Newspapersix of those 30 data centers will generate 180 jobs when operational. This is the figure that Amazon itself has provided and that has been published in the Official Gazette of Aragon. In the BOA they refer to the report of the Aragonese Institute of Environmental Management, which is necessary for the American giant to begin the works and, in fact, it is detailed that they have four years to put these data centers into operation before the environmental impact report has to be reviewed. 180 employees across six data centers with three shifts a day to operate 24/365 It doesn’t close here. And, as we say, when they come into operation there will be 180 people between the six buildings. They will be distributed in three shifts and will operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A data center cannot stop and continuous monitoring is needed. Is 180 employees across six data centers a lot? The truth is that the figure does not seem too large because even the largest data centers on the planet do not have that many workers. xAI’s Colossus is one of the largest in the world and there is details even how many plugs there are in the bathrooms, but not a round number of direct jobs. HE speaks of close to 3,000 jobs in the region, but we are in the same situation: it is in Memphis counting direct and indirect jobs, not a round number of direct jobs in Colossus. Bedrock. If you are wondering why so much computing power from Amazon in Aragon, the answer is Bedrock. The intention of the company is that these data centers are the basis of your service which gives access to models from both Amazon and third parties (Anthropic or Mistral, for example) through a unified API. You can call multiple models from the same interface and Amazon takes care of everything else. The idea is that, being in Spain and closer to end customers, those who need to work with very low latency can do so more easily. The energy problem. Aside from jobs, there is the underlying issue of energy. Because Aragón is a ‘green battery’, but renewables are not the best source of energy for data centers. During peak computing phases, data centers need a lot of energy immediately, something that is driving the use of private nuclear, gas and even coal. It is estimated that the expansion of AWS plans will add more than 10,800 GWh per year, more than all current electricity consumption of the community, but the technology company has a backup plan planned to power its facilities. On its water reservoirs, AWS will build a photovoltaic plant with a power of 9,500 kW that will incorporate a system of double batteries and backup generators in case there are problems with the grid supply. leaving environmental criticism aside And returning to the question of jobs, the estimate is that permanent and direct jobs will be around 1,800 during the period of activity of these data centers, which gives us an average of 60 per installation. At the moment, we already see that six of them are far from that average and allow us to get an idea of ​​how “the technological project largest in southern Europe“impacts the job numbers. In Xataka | The great paradox of Madrid: the region with the largest energy deficit in Spain is losing the data centers

retatrutide destroys all weight loss records

by

The pharmacological race against obesity continues to advance with the aim of finding a drug that allows weight loss in a simple way, and among the examples that we have on the table right now, Ozempic stands out. But now science is advancing a new active ingredient that in the first studies points to a average weight loss of 30.3% in 104 weeksa threshold that has never been crossed with other treatments and that can set a great precedent. The essay. The protagonist of this story is the retatrutida, and it promises to set a great precedent after this essay published by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. To understand the clinical magnitude of the finding, we must go to the basis of the study of the trial called TRIUMPH-1which has been specifically designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of retatrutide in adults who are obese or overweight. In addition, it has also analyzed the effect on patients who have associated diseases. How has it been achieved? Overcome the barrier that other very important treatments such as Ozempic or wegovy It is something that attracts a lot of attention, and the key to retatrutide lies in the mechanism of action. And while semaglutide (active ingredient in Ozempic) is an agonist of a single receptor, which It is GLP-1retatrutide acts as a triple agonist. That is, the molecule is capable of coupling to three hormonal receptors: GLP-1, GIP and glucagon. This triple pathway not only slows gastric emptying, suppresses appetite and improves insulin secretion, but direct stimulation of the glucagon receptor appears to increase basal energy expenditure. The latter is vital because, in addition to drastically reducing intake, it pushes the metabolism to burn more energy at rest. And this is the key. A predictable escalation. This is something that could already be seen that was going to arrive at some point, since previous medical literature already talked about the effects that this triple agonist could have. For example, in phase 2 of the trial, retatrutide had already demonstrated average weight loss 24.2% at 48 weeks with the maximum dose of 12 mg. But the key has come with the extension of the follow-up time up to 104 weeks, which has been the missing piece of the puzzle to verify if the therapeutic effect stagnated or if the patient continued to lose body mass with prolonged use. You have to be cautious. In an accelerated and highly competitive sector of pharmacology focused on obesity, it is necessary to know that this figure of 30.3% comes directly from the pharmaceutical company itself and not from a scientific source that has had a review behind it. Although the design of the trial is perfectly planned and the history of the clinical program provides a solid basis, there is still the publication of the definitive scientific article to analyze the “small print” and what logically does not want to be disseminated from a commercial perspective. It will be at that moment where key points can be revealed, such as, for example, the safety of this molecule and the exact metabolic impact. Images | freepik In Xataka | Ozempic’s great challenge is the rebound effect. Science already has two promising solutions to avoid it

As Silicon Valley perpetuates its workday, the four-day work week has found an unexpected ally: OpenAI

by

While in the mecca of the technology industry celebrates the “996” model (from nine in the morning to nine at night, six days a week) as a mantra to not to be left behind In the AI ​​race, the creator of ChatGPT stands out by proposing just the opposite: reducing working hours with a four day work week. OpenAI just published your report ‘Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age: Ideas to Keep People First‘. In it, the company suggests that AI can be the perfect excuse for us to work fewer hours a week without losing a cent of our salary. The idea is not just an academic conjecture, but proposes a package of labor policies designed for the age of AI. Four-day days without touching the salary. One of the most surprising sections of the report refers to “efficiency dividends.” With them, OpenAI proposes that governments, companies and unions promote pilot tests of 32-hour days or four days of work per week without salary reduction, as has been established tested successfully in different countries around the world. The stated objective is to maintain the same levels of production and service, taking advantage of the automation options provided by AI and then making the leap to a model of permanent reduced working hours or cumulative vacation days for employees. The striking thing about the proposal is not its content itself, something that has already been implemented with success in some companiesthe key is who proposes the change. Instead of a union or a workplace welfare study, the idea comes from the company itself that is accelerating the transformation of the labor market around the world. Not just reduction in working hours: better pensions and care. OpenAI presents this measure as a way to redistribute part of the productivity benefits extra generated by AI, so that profits are not concentrated only in the shareholders or in the big technology companies, but that the entire population participates in this advance. The four-day week is just one of the most striking measures, but the report goes much further. OpenAI suggests that companies that profit from AI also increase their contributions to their employees’ pension plans (not just those of their managers as a bonus), and that they cover more of their employees’ healthcare expenses. He also proposes what he calls “benefit bonuses“, direct bonuses linked to improved productivity and subsidies for the care of minors and the elderly. If robots work, let them quote. The document recognizes that AI automation can lead to the massive displacement of jobs and further concentrate wealth in a very small number of large companies. That is why it calls for more robust social protection networks. Curiously, OpenAI’s postulate coincides with the statements made a few weeks ago did Bill Gatesarguing that if AI was to reduce dependence on human labor, taxation should shift from wages and contributions to capital gains and corporate profits. The document introduces the idea of ​​”taxes on automated work”, linked to jobs previously done by people who would be replaced by robots. In Xataka | The war in Iran has achieved something that no government has achieved: giving reasons to bring back teleworking Image | Unsplash (Nathan Kuczmarski)

Airplanes have circular windows for a reason. It took two plane crashes to find out.

by

When you get on a plane, have you ever wondered why the windows of this means of transport They have an oval shape. If you look closely, it’s not just the windows: also the armrests, trays, screens and any interior furniture. has a circular shape. Although it may seem something purely aestheticthere is actually scientific reasoning behind this choice. But before getting into the technical details, we need to talk a little about the history of aviation and how two fatal accidents changed everything. In their early days, airplanes had rectangular windows like those found in any house. As taking to the skies became more popular in the 1950s, airlines started flying at higher altitudes. This guaranteed them considerable economic savings, since the thin air generates less resistance and, therefore, less fuel is consumed, as well as allowing more comfortable driving with less turbulence. But in order for planes to fly at those heights, manufacturers were also forced to make design changes. The cabin had to be pressurized so that the pilots could breathe without problems. And a pressurized cabin requires a cylindrical shape to function, which creates a pressure difference between indoor air and outdoor air which increases as the plane rises. The flat body expands very slightly and therefore stress is applied to the material. And this is where the shape of the windows come into play. In 1954 there were two fatal accidents which caused the death of 56 passengers and crew. The reason the fuselage disintegrated had to do with a design flaw, which was that they had kept the windows square. Due to its right angles, Cabin pressure was concentrated in its corners and it was multiplied by three, more than in the rest of the fuselage. That caused the windows to end up exploding. It must be taken into account that airplanes usually fly at an altitude of 10,000 meters or more and that level atmospheric pressure It is about a third of normal. As Real Engineering explains in this video“When a material changes shape like this, stress is created in the material. Eventually, the stress can increase so much that the material breaks.” This is exactly what happened in the aforementioned accidents. The problems However, in a circular plane, tension flows smoothly through the material, a flow that is interrupted by the introduction of a window. But if the window is oval, stress levels are more evenly balanced. The same principle applies to the cargo and cabin doors. And that’s why we also see it in the windows of ships and spaceships. Unfortunately, it took two plane crashes and several decades of research to realize the evils that square windows were causing. Furthermore, as commented Anthony Harcup, director of the Teague design company, which has worked with Boeing for more than 75 years in this article from Travel + Leisure: “Sharp edges hurt elbows, knees, hips… or any part of the body they come into contact with. Rounding of all parts of the plane is also done for the “deletalization”a design principle that ensures that when subjected to Murphy’s Law, a passenger cannot be injured anywhere in the airplane seat.” It’s not just the shape of airplane windows that has changed over the years, but also their material. The windows you see on airplanes actually They are not glass, but acrylicwhich is more durable than the first. Also, as you may have noticed, there are three layers in each window. In fact, the interior window that faces passengers is not even part of the structure of the plane (it is just a safety measure so that the exterior window does not get touched or scratched). And the second layer exists as reinforcement to maintain the pressure on the end in case the exterior window is damaged. If you looked at the window, you will also have seen a small hole in this layer. Its role is essential since it serves as a valve to equalize pressure between this inner window and the outer window. Between the interior and exterior window there is a small air chamber and this hole regulates the pressure between the two sheets automatically. In addition, it balances the humidity level, preventing the window from fogging up or freezing. Everything on an airplane is pure science. Images | Unsplash In Xataka | The design can save the middle seat on airplanes from being the most hated: wider and “without invasions”

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.