Month: August 2025

What are constellations and why scientists are still taking advantage of this millenary tradition

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The human being has from prehistory looking at the night sky to guide himself, either looking for the north to establish our course, or in order to know what is the ideal time for the planting of a crop. We have also often sought in the stars the esoteric and the divine. The stars have helped us to locate in space and time. And to guide ourselves in the tangle of bright dots that populate the night sky we have often resorted to an old “trick”: the constellations. What is a constellation The constellations are Star groups that are close to each other in the celestial vault. Not so in the universe, the stars that share a constellation Thousands of light years can be located on each other, it is only their position related to the field of vision that we have on earth. The constellations were created when our ancestors assigned a form to these groups: whether the shape of a person or deity (as in the constellations of Andromeda, Orion or Virgo), an animal (the major and minor bears, or the constellations of Aries and of Taurus), an object (such as Erídano, the oven or the clock) or other mythological being (such as the hydra or draco). The constellations change depending on the time of the year and the region in which we place ourselves: there are constellations that are only visible in winter, others in summer; Some can only be seen from the southern hemisphere and others from the north. All this due to the relative position of the earth regarding the “backdrop” of the universe and the sun, which blinds our vision of the stars during the day. The constellations are therefore groups of stars in our sky and the way in which their position is distributed. Groups that were probably used Since ancient time as a mnemonic trick to distinguish stars and, with them, identify times of the year or to use as a compass with which to guide us. How many constellations are there? To use constellations as a systematic tool, scientists have developed an “official” constellation list. Thanks to this we can list a specific amount of constellations. How many? 88 in total. And who says it? The institution in charge of designating constellations is the International Astronomical Union (UAI), responsible for the nomenclature of many other elements in space and in the celestial vault. The delimitation of the celestial borders depending on the constellations as we know it today was approved by the UAI almost a century ago, in 1930. It was then that the proposal of the Belgian astronomer was published Eugène Joseph Delporteapproved two years before by the General Assembly of the agency. What is the origin of the constellations These constellations came to us through ancient Greece, but we know that they did not originate there but had a even older originperhaps in the Babylonians or in other civilizations of the surroundings of the “fertile growing”. We also know that this type of cartographies arose In various civilizations Far from each other, from South America to China. These constellations came to us through ancient Greece, but we know that they did not originate there but that they had an even older origin, perhaps in the Babylonians or in other civilizations of the surroundings of the “growing fertile” lifting. We also know that this type of cartographies arose in various civilizations distant from each other, From South America to China. The origin of the “modern constellations” is in two points. The first, the fact that the era of exploration led Europeans to have to orient themselves in the southern hemisphere, where some of the constellations are not visible, but where the reference of these can also be useful. How science uses constellations Although constellations are based on tradition and not on the use of the scientific method to order the stars, science makes use of them in certain contexts. Precisely this need to “cover holes” It is due to the use made by constellations today and is to serve as a reference for the Observation of objects and phenomena astronomical. The celestial vault can be divided into latitudes and lengths, with its degrees, minutes and seconds, in the same way we do with the surface of the globe. This way of dividing the sky can be useful, but it is also not very intuitive if we do not have other references. On Earth we have cities, countries and continents; In the sky, constellations can help us intuitively locate a specific point in the vastness of the night sky. Difference between constellations and galaxies Are not the galaxies of stars also? The constellations resemble galaxies in the fact that both terms refer to groups of stars, but beyond this fact, the differences are non -existent. While constellations represent groups of stars that are in proximity from our perspective, galaxies are formed by groups of stars that are found gravitationally anchored each other. Galaxies are also composed of many other elements linked in the same way, from dust and gas clouds even black holesthrough planets and asteroids. The terminolgia can be confusing by the way we have to name some and other elements. For example, if we talk about Andromeda we can be referring to both a constellation and The homonymous galaxy. This coincidence is precisely because the galaxy was baptized with the name of the celestial region where you have to look to find it: the Andromeda constellation. In Xataka | Star rains, planetary alignments and lunar phases: all the astronomical events that we have in sight Image | Stellarium Web / NASA

A hunt is aiming two Tesla Cybertruck to fly through the air

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In the military field, it is normal Try to get ahead to the scenarios that can Pose the enemy. However, what is about to happen in a specific area of the United States possibly breaks with any other operation of the past. In a play that mixes futuristic technology with military strategy, the United States Air Force has two Tesla Cybertrucks between eyebrow and eyebrow, but not to use them, but to destroy them. A singular purchase. Yes, the United States Air Force has launched a peculiar request: has acquired two Tesla Cybertrucks And it is placing them as targets for tests precision with missiles. Although at first glance it may seem an eccentricity, the decision contains a reasoning that goes far beyond symbolism or technological extravagance. The goal declared It is to evaluate how certain types of ammunition react and behave when they hit vehicles that, according to internal projections, could be in the hands of enemies in future combat scenarios. The acquisition is part of a larger package of 33 vehicles that will be allocated to the White Sands Missile Range base in New Mexico, where the Air Force Test Center (AFTC) carries out advanced exercises, many of them in collaboration with the US Special Operations Command (Socom). Cybertruck as part of the enemy. The specific inclusion of the cybertruck inside the list (when no other brand vehicle appears cited) responds to An internal study of February 13, 2025, which evaluated the design, materials, impact resistance and technological innovations of this model. He justifying documentpartially censored but published online, concludes that the angular design and the without painting stainless steel of the vehicle place it in a separate category, completely different from conventional vehicles with steel or painted aluminum chassis. To this is added its electrical architecture of 48v, an still incipient technology among competitors. According to The AFTCthere are no comparable vehicles in the market. One More Thing. But the most disturbing of the application is the premise that supports it: it is considered “probable” that future adversaries begin to use cybertrucks in combat areas, and it is pointed out that these vehicles have demonstrated unexpected resistance to damage after greater impacts. Without specifying the scenario or the enemy to which allusion is made for obvious reasons, the document underlines the need to replicate realistic environments in training, including vehicles that could be used by hostile forces. The war truck. He Geopolitical context in which this restlessness is placed has broader implications. Although it is not explicitly mentioned, SOPGM (Stand Off Precision Munitions) programs are mainly designed to neutralize mobile threats In the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa and other environments where the objectives are usually adapted civil vehicles. In this context, the cybertruck not only embodies a symbol of technological status, but can represent A tactical threat real if used by armed or insurgent actors who seek improvised armor, silent electrical mobility and structural resistance. Recent history offers some clues: Ramzan Kadyrov, leader of Chechnya, He showed publicly Several modified cybertrucks With machine guns 12.7 mm caliber, allegedly sent to Ukraine. Beyond its doubtful origin (given its inclusion in sanctions lists), these vehicles symbolize the growing crossing between consumer technology and irregular war. Other tests in the past with cars Musk’s “apocalyptic” car. When Elon Musk presented the cybertruck in 2019, he did it with a promise: a vehicle “Apocalypse proof”with armored windows, ultra -resistant and science fiction chassis. Since then, it has been subject to fervor and mockery in equal parts. Ha suffered withdrawalcriticism for Your finishesdoubts about Your reliabilityand a growing perception that the initial vision has been weighed by structural problems. In spite of everything, Tesla has sold about 46,000 units (according to estimates of this spring), with the majority concentrated In North America. However, it has been confirmed that some copies have already arrived in the Middle Eastand Tesla announced in April that it will open direct sales In Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar before the end of the year. The importance of the enclave. That geographical turn of the Cybertruck distribution cannot be overlooked. If the vehicle becomes available in regions where militias or state actors with interests facing the United States operate freely, it could become an impromptu platform For mobile attacksarmored transport or even paramilitary use. In fact, several companies are already offering Modified versions of the cybertruck for security agenciespolice bodies or armed forceswith additions such as additional armor, tactical kits and unnimlined unipersonal configurations. The United States Department, which this year considered Acquire cybertrucks for diplomatic use, canceled that intention shortly after, probably because of the political and symbolic implications of the vehicle. Consumer technology (or conflicts). The history of the use of civil vehicles as whites in military training It is not new. For years, the US army has employed Toyota Hilux or Land Cruisers trucks, Imimitations of Asian SUV or sedans used by insurgents, as part of its simulation exercises. The new in this case is The qualitative leap which represents the cybertruck: a high -end electric vehicle, sold as an emblem of modernity and status, which now enters the orbit of asymmetric war. The decision of the Air Force to use it as a target of proof reflects a broader transformation in the way in which armies are prepared for the conflicts of the future. It is no longer just training against armored armored or pickups, but to assume that high -tech civil arsenal (globally commercialized) can be integrated into operations theaters in an unconventional way. Between the plausible and the absurd. The Tesla case as a missile goal Raises broader questions about the evolution of modern combat. If the military considers plausible for a future enemy to use luxury electric vehicles as mobile war platforms, what other elements of the civil world could be militarized? The same logic that promotes the acquisition of these training vehicles can be applied to Other technological artifacts whose use moves from private consumption to … Read more

Walmart has already approved the first green hydrogen truck in Latin America. Its great limit: the load infrastructure

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What if the future of heavy logistics in Latin America had already begun, and would have done it with a single truck? In a region where the transport of goods depends largely on diesel engines, Walmart has achieved homologation of the First Tonnage Tonnage Moved by Green Hydrogen. It happens in Chile, with a vehicle that, on paper, It can exceed 700 km of operation without issuing CO2. It is a test, for the moment. But one that marks the beginning of something much bigger. Chile has not only been the country chosen to test this truck: it has also been the engine of a public-private collaboration that seeks to open the way in heavy transport without emissions. Walmart participates in the Hidrohaul program, promoted by the Corporation for Production Promotion (Corfo), with an initial investment of 6.15 million dollars and a clear goal: Check if this technology can climb. An experiment that can mark a before and after For Walmart, the experiment fits with Its global objective to decarbonize all its logistics operation before 2040. For Chile, it is a general essay of what could become a National Transportation Network Green hydrogen driven. Manufactured by the Chinese company Feichi Technologythe truck uses a hydrogen fuel battery that generates the electricity that feeds its engine. Can transport up to 49 tons and is designed to travel up to 750 km per full load with 75 kg of hydrogen. Although it does not seem, this truck is also an electric vehicle. The difference is how that electricity generates. Instead of loading a battery connecting to the network, use a Hydrogen fuel battery: A system that mixes hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity, water and heat. That electricity feeds an electric motor that drives the truck. There is no combustion, there is no CO2. And as a byproduct, it only emits water vapor. It is a different way to reach the same destination: a heavy transport without emissions. It all starts in Quilicurain the metropolitan area of Santiago. There, Walmart Chile installed in 2023 The first green hydrogen industrial plant in the countryin collaboration with Engie. The installation has a 0.6 MW electrolyzer which uses electricity from renewable sources – solar and wind – to separate water molecules and generate hydrogen. That plant not only supplies the new truck: it also feeds a fleet of hydrogen lifting wheelbarrows that already operate in the logistics center. The refueling, the great challenge for this to climb The autonomy of the truck is sufficient to operate within the central area of the country, but not beyond. Today there is no public network of trucks for trucks. The challenge is not only technical, but also logistical and economic: how many trucks will need to justify a hydroiner? ¿Where to place them To cover routes without wasting resources? In scenarios like Californiathe order of dozens of high volume stations is projected to serve several thousand trucks towards the beginning of the next decade. Chile will have to solve its own puzzle. The big question is not whether hydrogen works, but it is worth betting on it. In long -running trucks, it has clear advantages: autonomy, quick recharges, zero emissions and lower impact of weight than in pure electric. But it is still a expensive technology, with a limited refueling network and a lower energy efficiency compared to other options. It is not a universal solution, but a useful tool on the right place. That is precisely what Chile is trying to find out: if the hydrogen fits on its real logistics map. Images | Walmart Chile In Xataka | Welcome to the silent collapse of energy: In the US, AI is beginning to drain the country’s electricity

Palantir is already worth more than Coca-Cola with the tenth of income. Wall Street has lost its head with AI

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Palantir Technologies has just passed giants such as Samsung, Costco or Coca-Cola, reaching the 411,000 million dollars of stock market capitalization. Why is it important. A company that bills 1,000 million dollars to the quarter is worth more than others that generate ten times greater income. It is the purest manifestation of “Ia washing“What Wall Street consumes. The facts. The data analysis company founded by Peter Thiel in 2003 reported a 48% growth in income to exceed for the first time the 1,000 million quarterly dollars. Their commercial contracts in the United States fired 93%, while the government rose 53%. The benefit grew by 144% to 327 million. In figures. The per (Price to Earnings Ratioprice of the action divided by the benefit of the action) of Palantir reaches 596more than ten times higher than that of Nvidia (57) and almost twenty times Apple’s (31). To justify its current assessment, the company would have to maintain an annual growth of 55% for four consecutive years. Even in that optimistic scenario, it would quote the income of 2029 at 25 times. The context. Wall Street lives a speculative bubble fed by any company that mentions the magical words: ‘artificial intelligence’. Palantir, who for years has been fighting for growing beyond his defense contracts, has reinvented himself as the company that “makes” the AI models in the real world “work. His CEO, Alex Karp, proclamation that “the great language models simply do not work without palantir.” Yes, but. The euphoria hides several problems. The company quotes its future sales to 80 times, a metric that exceeds any historical precedent in the S&P 500. Deutsche Bank, who maintained sale recommendation, admitted that “something special is happening” but recognizes that “the valuation is still very challenging.” It is the same bank as The recommendation has uploaded just not to seem completely out of market reality. Between the lines. Karp used the results conference To attack elite universities and promise that AI will give “super powers” to workers without higher training. A populist speech that fits perfectly with the current political narrative, but that does not justify an assessment that makes Palantir the most overrated company of the most important stock market index in the world. The big question. Can a company that invoice 4,000 million annually the same as Johnson & Johnson, a multinational that generates 85,000 million? Or that Coca-Cola, global icon whose income multiplies by ten? The markets have decided yes, betting that IA will completely transform the economy. Palantir has become the symbol of that bet. With all that that implies when the bubble explodes. Outstanding image | Palantir In Xataka | The seven magnificent face a total war in their own future. And there are three candidates to impose the rest

Europa presumes to be a renewable power, but it turns out that it wants to import energy directly from Africa

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The desert sun hits strongly the dusty plains of Tunisia and Algeria. At first glance, they look like empty lands, but they could soon become a mosaic of wind towers, solar fields and batteries capable of storing as much electricity as to feed millions of European homes. It will not be energy for nearby cities: the Mediterranean will cross through submarine cables to light homes, factories and trains on the other side. The European Union has decided that its energy transition will not be built only at home: a good part of its green future will travel from North Africa. A priority list. The European Commission He has just updated Its list of cross -border projects of renewable energy, incorporating five new plans that will have preferential access to the financing of the mechanism connect Europe (CEF) and greater international visibility. Among them, one stands out that symbolizes the new energy strategy of the block: Medlink. According to documents cited by BloombergMedlink plans to install 10 GW of wind energy, solar and storage systems in Tunisia and Algeria. Electricity will travel through two high -voltage marine cables to Italy, with an annual capacity of 28 SWH, enough to cover about 8 % of the Italian electrical demand. The project, promoted by the Italian company ZHEROcould be extended to supply energy to Austria, Germany and Switzerland from 2030. The European Commission establishes that, to enter its list, a project must involve at least two Member States or a Member State and a third country. With this update, thirteen initiatives are part of this special category. Other in motion actors. The impulse is not limited to Tunisia and Algeria. Starting with Morocco that aspires that renewable energies represent 52 % of its installed capacity in 2030 and has launched six green hydrogen megaprojects. Among the companies involved are the Spanish Action and Cepsa, together with European, Arab, Chinese and American giants. These projects will not only produce hydrogen, but also ammonia, steel and green industrial fuels, bound for both international markets and the supply of Europe, According to data collected in Xataka. For its part, Egypt has attracted billions in European investments for solar, wind and green hydrogen plants, much of whose production is destined for export. However, A report reported by The Guardian de Greenpeace He warns that this strategy could limit local decarbonization, keeping the country dependent on imported fossil fuels such as mazut, a oil derivative with high contaminating content. In parallel, Themed also advancesan underwater interconnection project of 600 MW between Tunisia and Italy, independent of Medlink and centered on hydroelectric energy. With its scheduled implementation for 2028, it has financing from the European Reconstruction and Development Bank, the Green Climate Fund and the German Development Bank, As reported Enterprise. The implication of this bet. In Brussels they see it as a double play: accelerate the green transition and reduce the dependence of Russian gas, which collapsed after the invasion of Ukraine. Italy gains weight as a renewable entrance door to the north, and countries like Spain They restore key energy relationships, as the agreement between Naturgy and the Algerian Sonatrach to set gas prices until 2027. The European Commission defends that these interconnections and megaprojects are “essential to meet the objectives of the European Green Pact and reinforce energy security” at a time of global uncertainty. Critical voices have not been long in coming. As they have detailed in a reponnet for The GuardianGreenpeace denounces that Europe runs the risk of “outsourcing” socio -environmental costs to the global south: intensive use of water in arid areas, displacement of communities and prioritization of the European supply on local development. Hanen Keskes, responsible for campaigns of the organization in the Middle East and North Africa has sentenced: “The global north must assume its responsibility and build domestic renewable capacity, instead of outsourcing costs to the global south.” Looking to the future (almost) immediate. The EU has set the objective of importing 10 million tons of renewable hydrogen in 2030. Morocco wants to be one of the main exporters together with Algeria and Egypt, a trend that extends throughout North Africa. In the European energy map, the south of the Mediterranean is ceasing to be a border. Under the sea, high voltage cables will join sunny deserts with industrial cities. It is a historical opportunity to accelerate the decarbonization of the continent provided that, as critics warn, the light that comes to Europe does not leave those who live under the sun that generate it in shade. Image | Unspash and Unspash Xataka | The white gold that unites Morocco and the US in the Sahara: phosphate

This flying motorcycle that seems removed from ‘Star Wars’ reaches 200 km/Hy can already be purchased. The “can” go in quotes

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Year 4 dby (after the battle of Yavin). The Galactic Empire invades the Endor Moon, home of the nice Ewok, and puts the at -st on the ground and the 74-Z sliding motorcycles. These flying motorcycles, piloted by explorers and very cool, all said, were not enough to prevent the rebel alliance from destroying the second star of death. However, his legacy seem to last to this day. The test? The Volonaut Airbike, a flying motorcycle of the most curious that can already be bought and that could pass perfectly through a means of transport of ‘Star Wars’. Volonaut? Maybe the name doesn’t tell you anything. Maybe that of its founder, Tomasz Patan, either. But if we talk about Jetson One Maybe the bell sounds. The Jetson One is a unipersonal evtol AKA an electric flying car that made a lot of noise a few years ago. Well Volonaut It’s like Jetson, but in motorcycle format. Patan is behind both companies and his proposal with the Volonaut Airbike is, at least, striking. Volonaut’s team took references to ‘Star Wars’ quite seriously | Image: Volonaut in X A flying motorcycle … According to Volonaut on its website, this “Supermoto for the Skies” is designed to transport a person (up to 95 kilos, by the way). Use a reaction engine capable of reaching 200 km/h, it has no rotating propellers and, according to the firm, is seven times lighter than a conventional motorcycle “thanks to the use of advanced carbon fiber materials, 3D printing and a minimalist approach.” … that little flies … Seeing it in motion is impressive and really remembers science fiction films. The problem is that its autonomy is quite scarce. The Volonaut Airbike uses diesel, biodiesel, jet-a1 or kerosene and is able to fly for only ten minutes. They have to be ten spectacular minutes, but only ten minutes. Positive part? Reposting is fast: less than a minute. … And what “can you” buy. The device has been developing for several years and has not been until now that it has been put up for sale. You still have to finish polishing, but you can book. How much? Here is the reason for the quotes. Image | Volonaut If there was someone interested in her, Today I would have to deposit 2,000 non -refundable dollars to reserve a hole. Then we would have to deposit $ 80,000, which guarantee the unit and confirm the buyer’s interest. Finally, once the motorcycle is ready, the buyer will have to put the remaining $ 798,000. Total cost: more than 700,000 euros to change, a price quite remote from the average pocket, but perhaps not so high for those who see in the Volonaut Airbike a whim like any other. And where where? In the United States a specific license is not necessary, since it enters within the category Ultralight of the FAA. Another different story would be to fly this vehicle in Spain, where it would be at least, A regulatory level challenge. Cover image | Volonaut In Xataka | Alef Aeronautics’s “flying car” can already fly: the only problem is that it has little car and much of Evtol

The J -15dt appears armed with electronic pods and points directly to the Fujian

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Nails recently published photographs offer A good look of the J-15DT, the electronic war version of the Chinese hunting J-15. It shows at least three external pods, in addition to low visibility badges and a code associated with operational devices. It is an indication that we are not talking about a simple prototype and that this variant aims to operate from attancies with catapult like Fujian. It is convenient to keep the caution before the images, but everything fits with the program address. What do we know of the J-15DT. The J-15D was already shown as a Chinese electronic war platform (EW) with specialized pods and support/sead approach, According to Jane’s in its Zhuhai 2024 coverage. The DT version would go one step further to optimize to Catobar, with visible external changes and structural modifications associated with catapult operations. The most recent images hold that reading. The J-15 did not start from scratch: Beijing acquired in 2001 in Ukraine an unfinished prototype of SU-33 (T-10K-3) And he used it as a reverse engineering that later integrated plane and national systems (derived from the J-11B program). The model flew for the first time in 2009 and began operating from the Liaoning aircraft carrier from 2012, approximately. Since then, variants such as J-15T and DT for catapult environments have emerged. Electronic War in the air: the other battlefield. The J-15DT mission fits that of a “Chinese Growler”: disturb radars and communications, escort other devices and provide EW coverage to the shipped air wing. Army Collection also indicates The possible integration of YJ-91 Anti-Radiation missiles for Misiones SE (suppression of enemy air defenses), although there is no official confirmation. Will it operate from Fujian? Everything points to yes. The Fujian (Type 003)first Chinese aircraft carrier with electromagnetic catapults (EMALS), has shown in official material at the end of July 2025 indications of catapult launches with J-15T devices, and media as naval news they take for granted that the J-15DT is aligned with that platform. The entry into the Fujian service is handled by the end of 2025, a forecast subject to changes. One more piece in China’s military puzzle. The J-15DT is a gear of the modernization of the popular liberation army: “Modern” in 2035 and “world class” in 2049. In Naval, 2025 saw the commissioning of the first Type 054B frigate, while the family of Type 075 carrier has been incorporated since 2021; On the horizon, the future type 004 appears. All this reinforces the ambition of having a more capable embarked aviation. Images | Faysue6 In Xataka | The Achilles heel of the F-35: without Chinese rare earth, the US military supply chain staggers

The misuse of agricultural machinery is behind a surprising number of events

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We are in full heat wave and extreme precautions. Reminders we do not lack and one of the last ones has given the Agrarian Association Young Farmers (ASAJA), for a good reason: the danger that these days supposes The misuse of agricultural machinery. 131 fires. The use of machinery and engines, especially in the agricultural context, has been triggered 131 forest fires in Castilla y León so far this year. Are ASAJA datathat cite a letter from the General Director of Natural Heritage and Forest Politics, José Ángel Arranz, in which the increase in forest fires of agricultural origin was alerted. This implies, Asaja points out, an increase of 37.9% compared to the average of the last five years: 95 fires. In a statement, Asaja details that these fires would have burned 750.57 agricultural hectares and 52.53 hectares of forest soil. The Administration indicated that 17 causes of fire by harvesting had been identified, but that the investigation continues in other cases. One third. According to data of the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Planning of the Territory of the Board of Castilla y León, this year (on July 30, the latest data we have) have occurred in the Autonomous Community 391 fires, most of them, 313, conatos (fires in which the burned surface is of a hectare or less). This implies that around a third of the fires produced in the Castilian-Leon territory would have their origin in this type of machinery. The 17 fires caused by harvesting would represent more than 4% of the total. A double risk. This type of fire has a double impact on the agricultural sector. First, when producing in agricultural farms, these fires disproportionately affect the field, putting at risk not only harvests and facilities, but also the workers themselves. In second place, Asaja remembers that to the risk of fires must add the sanctions, which can take different, administrative or criminal. The fact that the event is accidental and even complying with the regulations does not exempt from civil liability derived from the fire caused. The last alert of the Board. In this context, the Junta de Castilla y León has made a special appeal To the citizens to extreme caution. It also published a resolution of the General Directorate of Natural Heritage and Forest Politics in which certain actions are prohibited. Among them “the use of machinery that, in its usual functioning, dismisses sparks or electrical discharges such as torch, welders and radials, both in the mountain and in a strip of 400 meters of the terrain that surrounds it.” The resolution also prohibits lighting fire in open spaces in the mountain, as well as in recreational and camping areas, “even in areas enabled for it”; also the use of barbecues located in open spaces of the mount or nearby areas; and suspend events such as fireworks, other elements of pyrotechnics, and in general, the use of fire in activities. In Xataka | Turning Portugal into eucalyptus monoculture was a disaster. And the last fires do nothing but remind us Image | Asaja Castilla y León

David Reber Jr., CSO of Nvidia, on the remote off buttons in AI chips

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What if an artificial intelligence chip could not come on if it is in the wrong place? That is the idea that begins to circulate strongly in Washington: demand that last generation GPUs include mechanisms that prevent its initialization If they have been diverted from their authorized destiny. The logic behind this proposal is simple – at least on paper -: If a chip cannot start, it cannot be used. But the involvement is much deeper. It is no secret that the United States wants to avoid at all costs that this technology ends up promoting Chinese arms development, and some legislators believe that control must be integrated directly into hardware. In that context, Nvidia, one of the main global manufacturers, has raised the voice. “They don’t have it. They won’t have it”: Nvidia’s official position The answer was swift. David reber Jr., Security Director of Nvidia, published a blunt message: “Our GPU does not have safety switches. And they should not have them. ”Reber defends that integrating such mechanisms into the hardware would be a strategic error, a risk of self -security and a direct threat to global confidence in American technology. “Permanently integrating a ‘Kill Switch’ into a chip is something completely different: a structural failure outside the user control and an invitation open to disaster. It is like buying a car and that the concessionaire is left with the remote control of the hand brake, in case one day you decide that you should not drive. That is not a sensible policy. It is an overreaction that would irreversibly damage the national interests and national security of the United States. It is not an improvised position. For Nvidia, opening the door to remote control functions is equivalent to creating permanent vulnerability, a weak point that could be exploited by hostile actors. The context is key to understanding the movement of Nvidia. During the last fiscal year, China represented 13% of company’s income, about 17,000 million dollars. However, those numbers are at stake. The successive US administrations have hardening chips export restrictions such as H100 either A100alleging national security motifs. Even so, Those chips continue to arrive in Chinamany times through unauthorized channels. And before that scenario, there are those who believe that the only way to cut the root problem is to introduce control at the silicon level. One of the proper names behind the most radical proposal is Bill FosterDemocratic congressman by Illinois and former particle. He is not a newcomer to the hardware world: he designed chips during his scientific stage and now leads a legislative proposal that I am looking formpon new technical requirements for manufacturers. Last May 6, Foster declared that his intention was Require US regulators the implementation of systems that allow tracking chips and avoiding their implementation if they do not have the corresponding export license. The bill was formally presented on May 15. Although remote deactivation does not explicitly mention, it raises the “implementation of chips safety mechanisms” as a way to detect cases of smuggling or improper use of advanced circuits. A law that does not say everything, but it hints almost everything THE PROJECT TEXT It does not come into technical details about how each mechanism should work, but it does mark a clear direction. It states that the chips covered by law – that is, those subject to export licenses— They must include “security mechanisms” able to help detect cases of smuggling or improper use. In addition, it requires that these systems cannot be deactivated or easily altered. The ambiguity of the text opens margin for interpretations, but makes clear an intention: that the control stops depending only on customs and begins to be integrated into the silicon itself. In any case, Nvidia’s position is not simple. On the one hand, it must comply with the restrictions imposed by the United States. On the other, he knows that losing the Chinese market would be a huge blow. Recently, H20 export was approved as part of a commercial agreement. However, its arrival to the Chinese market It has not materialized as expected: There are delays associated with obtaining licenses and the bureaucratic authorization process. While in the US it is discussed how to control the fate of the chips, China continues to advance in the opposite direction: develop their own. The objective is clear and not new: reduce the technological dependence of the West, especially in critical components such as GPUs. But one thing is the long -term strategy and another the current reality. And the reality is that China, for the moment, continues to need Nvidia chips, especially in full global career for artificial intelligence. Images | Nvidia (1, 2, 3) | Xataka with Gemini 2.5 Flash In Xataka | Ten Chinese companies in Chips and IA have allied with a common goal: to put an end to the domain of Nvidia

A laboratory has recreated the first molecule after the Big Bang. The result does not fit with our history of the universe

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In the beginning, God created heavens and earth. And the earth was without order and empty. And the darkness covered the surface of the abyss, and the Spirit of God moved on the surface of the waters. Then God said: Be the light. And there was light. Go if there was light. A little context. Just after the Big Bang, the universe was an unimaginably dense and hot place. But as it expanded and cooled, the matter began to organize. First, protons and neutrons formed the nuclei of the lighter elements. Three hundred eighty thousand years later, temperatures fell enough for electrons to join these nuclei, forming the first neutral atoms: mainly hydrogen and helium. And it was then, in that cosmic childhood, when chemistry was born. The first molecule. The first chemical bond of the universe was the helium hydride ion (HEH+). A simple molecule formed by an atom of neutral helium and a hydrogen core; That is, a proton. For decades, his role in the birth of the first stars was subject to intense debates and theoretical simulations. Now, a team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Nuclear Physics in Germany has achieved recreate for the first time The reactions of this molecule in conditions similar to those of the primitive universe. The result has been a capital surprise that will force physicists to reconsider what they thought they knew about how the first lights lit. The first stars. After the formation of neutral atoms, the universe entered into A period known as the “dark age”. There were still no objects that emitted light, such as stars. For a star to be born, a gas cloud had to contract until enough density and temperature to start the nuclear fusion. But there is a problem: for the cloud to contract until that point due to gravity, it needed to dissipate heat. Below the 10,000 degrees Celsius, hydrogen atoms are not able to radiate that heat. This is where the molecules come into play. Helium hydride (heh+) can cool gas in a much more efficient way due to its strong dipole moment: it radiates heat emitting photons when rotating and vibrating. Something does not fit. Physicists believed that HEH+ had been a key cooling agent in the primitive universe. The problem was that HEH+ could also be destroyed by colliding with the omnipresent hydrogen atoms. Until now, the theoretical models predicted that the destruction reaction had slowed down drastically due to the very low temperatures of the primitive universe, but no one had verified it experimentally. The results of the experiment, published in the magazine Astronomy & AstrophysicsThey are completely unexpected. To the difference of all predictions, the reaction does not slow down at low temperatures. In fact, its speed remains almost constant. What physicists call a “reaction without barrier” occurs. Image | NASA, that In Xataka | The first molecule of the universe: after decades after it, we just discovered one of the key pieces of chemistry dawn

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