Month: October 2025

The story of such an unusable approach that years passed by being the laughing of chemistry

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Being a student, Susumu Kitagawa read a book that spoke of an old Chinese philosopher, Zhuangzi, who defended that we must question everything we believe useless. Even if you do not contribute an immediate benefit (or we cannot see it), that does not mean that it is not valuable. Kitagawa was able to devote himself to that idea in any field of human activity. But, as the book was from the Japanese physicist (and Nobel) Hideki Yudaka, he decided to devote himself to basic science. The most useless among the useless. What is the point of working on something like that? In 92, when he presented his first molecular construction, the truth is that his work honored that uselessness: “A two -dimensional material with cavities where acetone molecules could be hidden.” The curious thing, however, is that “he used copper ions united together by larger molecules” such as pieces of a puzzle. The curious thing for us now, of course. In the first half of the 90s, no one made the slightest case. Kitagawa I wanted to continue working With this type of materials, but the answer (again and again) was always the same: No. in the following years, each and every one of the aid he asked for were denied. He, of course, did not give up. Not even when in 97 he created a stable material (capable of absorbing and releasing methane, nitrogen and oxygen without changing shape) luck smiled at him: nobody saw his appeal. Not that they were wrong, but there were already better things. What sense did it have to continue working on something like that? The desire not to need ‘luck’ The answer to that I had Omar Yaghi. In that same year 1992, Yaghi achieved his great research project under the premise that “the traditional way to build new molecules was too unpredictable.” Until that time, chemicals were dedicated to putting things in a bowl, heat them and see what happened. Yaghi aspired to find more controlled ways of creating materials. Jordano’s team began to obtain good results when he began combining metal ions with organic molecules. They had found, so to speak, their Lego pieces: the elements that kept together and stable the most diverse molecules. Are you familiar? It was just the same approach that, independently, had launched Kitagawa. And yes, indeed, nobody thought it was something very useful. At least, it did not generate very useful things. Back to the origins Then, both Kitagawa and Yaghi were traced background for this new way of chemistry. There they met A speculative article Published in 89 by the journal of the American Chemical Society. The author, Richard Robson, worked in Australia and had been spinning all this since 1974. In those years, Robson He was in charge of converting wood balls into “atomic models” with which students could create molecular structures and familiarize themselves with the world of chemistry. To do this, he asked the university workshop to pierce holes in the balls. In this way, thanks to wooden rods (chemical bonds) atoms could be built. Immediately, Robson realized that the holes could not be placed at random. Each atom, forms chemical links in a specific way and, if I wanted to do the realistic model, needed to mark where the holes should be drilled. That is what gave him the track: in the position of the links there was an incredible amount of information. Moreover, those links hid the key to building new molecular structures easily and easily. Three ways to reach the same way of building the world Johan Jarnestad/Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Metalorganic structures (which are called this type of structures) They serve almost everything: Capture carbon dioxide, separate water PFAS, administer drugs to the body or manage extremely toxic gases. Some may catch the ethylene gas from the fruit (to mature more slowly); Others may encapsulate enzymes that break down the remains of antibiotics in the environment. That is, we talk about one of the most versatile technologies of today and, for years, they were something completely useless. What he said before: pure basic science. An uselessness so enormous that the world can change. Image | Boasap (modified) In Xataka | The “Curse of the Nobel” not only affects the authors: also the publishers who publish them suffer their effects

review with features, price and specifications

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When I was little I had a calculator that did not have batteries and was recharged with sunlight or artificial light. That seemed magical to me, and years later the sensation is almost the same when trying the Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980a keyboard with a name that is as long as it is descriptive (we will abbreviate it from now on) and that has many lights (wink, wink) and few shadows. This is a keyboard that comes with a fundamental novelty: instead of using batteries that we recharge with a USB adapter, this model is recharged with its solar cells. The result is surprisingly convincing, although it is not without some limitations. One of them, important. Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980 technical sheet Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980 Dimensions and weight 142.9 x 430.8 x 20.2mm 700g Backlight No Light indicators Battery status, Easy-Switch keys Total number of keys 108 Number of programmable keys 23 Special buttons and keys Key to start AI Action key Meeting control keys Settings app Logi Tune / Logi Options+ Battery Battery rechargeable with sunlight or ambient light (>200 lux) Battery life: 10 years autonomy Up to 4 months on a full charge Connectivity Logi Bolt USB-C (receiver not compatible with Unifying) Bluetooth Low Energy Price 119.99 euros Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980 for Business, Wireless Keyboard, Discreet Typing, Secure Receiver, Bluetooth, Windows, Mac – Graphite – QWERTY The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Blessed solar cells The first thing that surprises you about the Logitech K980 is not the keyboard, but its packaging. A simple cardboard box that when opened allows us to find three things. The first, the keyboard itself, wrapped in a small case of fine padded material. The second, the instructions for use printed on the inner cover of the box. And the third, the Logi Bolt USB-C receiver, “inserted” in the center of the bottom edge of the box. In my case I didn’t even use that receiver: the Logitech keyboard includes Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity, and I quickly saw how that standard was perfectly suitable to start using it with my Mac mini M4. The keyboard detection is immediate, and from then on I started using it without paying attention to something that precisely defines this keyboard. You forget that it needs energy. The keyboard does not connect to any charger to power or recharge it, nor does it use batteries. It uses an internal rechargeable battery that is recharged in a unique way: using solar energy or even ambient light. That ambient light should be above 200 lux, meaning the room you are in should be moderately lit. In an office or classroom, for example, lighting usually ranges between 300 and 500 lux. Logitech calls this charging technology LightCharge. In my case there was no problem in this regard either: a window to my left provides a lot of ambient light, and the artificial lighting, when I have to use it, also exceeds those levels, which basically means that the keyboard is always charged. If it is not, a warning appears through a small LED in the upper right part. We can also check the battery status in the Logi Options+ application. Thus, the most notable and unique thing about this keyboard is curiously something you don’t even pay attention tobecause it is an almost invisible technology. And that’s wonderful, because it means that with very rare exceptions you will never have to worry about the battery of this totally wireless keyboard again: there are no connection ports that we can use to connect it to a computer. The keyboard in action The Logitech K980 is a striking successor to the K760, the “solar” keyboard that Logitech launched more than a decade ago. We are looking at a product that uses low profile keys (hence the “Slim” in its name and that has 108 keys, of which 23 are programmable. Thus, we have key labels that allow us to quickly identify the special Windows and macOS keys (curious that they do use macOS iconography, but not Windows) and even It has a key that allows you to “start the AI” at the bottom left, if we want to use that shortcut. That key is assigned by default to launch CoPilot on Windows computers and Gemini on computers with ChromeOS, but we can configure it so that, for example, ChatGPT or any other model opens. The keys in the function row have traditional access to quick functions (raise and lower brightness and volume, control multimedia playback, enable and disable camera and microphone, etc.) but can be programmed with other types of tasks. There are special programmable keys such as the key with a large “O” above the numeric keypad that can also be programmed to launch a macro preconfigured by the user. Here the customization is notable, and it is possible to get a lot out of these physical accesses. The configuration of all these accesses and shortcuts can be done with the Logi Options+ application, and we also have three keys that are part of the Easy Sitch area in the upper right part (above the Insert-Home-Page Up keys) with which we can switch up to three different devices so that the keyboard can be used on all of them easily. We are, however, facing a membrane keyboard, and that keyboard design island-shaped and low-profile keys makes it very similar to the experience we have on laptop keyboards. The feel of each key is slightly rough, which prevents the fingers from “slipping” when pressing each key, and the travel and pressure required are very similar to that portable experience. If you like that type of keyboards, you will feel at home. If you prefer the experience of a mechanical keyboard, of course, the feel and travel of the keys—and the sound, almost nonexistent when using the K980—is totally different. The light dominates everything, but no backlighting It is ironic that the big … Read more

The new edition of ‘Operación Triunfo’ is being criticized for elitism: it is exactly what its creators were looking for

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“I study musical theater in London, I have been living for two years in Sweden and four years in India, where I also attended an American school” or “I lived for three years in Indonesia and now I am studying a double degree in audiovisual communication and journalism” are the cover letters of some of the contestants of Operation Triumph 2025. As expected, the networks have not taken long to uncover your memes and make fun of these introductions, accusing the edition of a certain elitism. The truth is, some satire does fit in an edition in which the average contestant is 19 years old and has barely traveled around the world and learned five languages. @javierpv_26 Average OT2025 Contestant #operaciontriumph #OT2025 #otgala0 #ot ♬ Cross The Catwalk – Operación Triunfo 2023 What is quite ironic is that it is mostly Generation Z that caricatures this model of contestant, because this edition, more than ever, has put the post-millennials in front of the mirror, and not precisely because of the challenge that the participants had to read a wall clock. If we combine Prime Video’s interest in increase subscribers and the eagle eye of Noemí Galera, who has been dedicating herself to casting processes for years, we find a format that considers its greatest asset to attract this generation and turn it into its majority audience. The members of the generation millennial We are still part of the fans, but we are no longer the focus of interest of the program. Gone are those contestants from the 2000s and that “I was wrong, olé!” of Rosa de España in the middle of a performance. Now the majority of contestants They have already been through several musical competitions and they know what they undergo in the academy. Visits from famous artists, nor a possible tour, are no longer surprising, and they are more aware than ever of the place where they are. The spontaneous, more natural and the more “working class” profiles have disappeared. In Xataka The return of ‘Operación Triunfo’ starts exclusively on TikTok: it demonstrates everything that the program owes to the social network As almost all of Spain knows, Bustamante, before pursuing his musical dream,worked in construction with his father in his beloved San Vicente de la Barquera; Not to mention the case of Vero, a hairdressing assistant by training and aerobics instructor by profession. In 2025, a profile like this is almost unthinkablebecause those trajectories are no longer those sought by casting directors and become the discordant note of the edition. The clearest example this year is what happens with Guille Toledano, head chef who defines himself as an absolute fan of Atlético de Madrid; His presentation during Gala 0 and in the middle of the rest of his companions was the closest that human beings have been to time travel. Goodbye bricklayer, hello drama student That “two-thousand” essence, where profiles like Chenoa stood out for their mettle and experience on stage, no longer exists. The contestants have more training, but not necessarily many kilometers traveled with their orchestra van or nights worked in casino rooms as was the case with Chenoa herself. The everyday in this new edition, total crystallization of the process that has been subordinating the identification of the public (“I could be that one”) to the search for hyperformed virtuosoare contestants who study double degrees, musical theater, are tap dancers or graduates in Spanish dance and have traveled to countless countries. In Xataka Nobody knows what the audience is for ‘Operacion Triunfo’, but Prime Video has gotten what it wanted with the program We are not saying that these characteristics are what guarantee the success or popularity of each contestant. In fact, the latest OT winner is Naiara, an orchestra singer; and in this new edition Guille himself seems to stand out among the favorites every week. Popularity or success aside, what is striking is that the group of contestants has changed, a reflection of a large part of the generation that OT wants to target in 2025. We are talking about that young audience, mostly university students; a generation responsible for a record number of registrations in 2024, who also studies abroad, knows languages ​​and among his usual leisure is travel more or less recurrently. In this context, how could Tinet Rubira and the entire OT network not design a selection of contestants made tailored for generation Z? Gone are those first editions of Operación Triunfo where the weekly challenge fell to the colleagues who had to defend a song in English and suffered it as if it were Aramaic. And, yes, back in 2001 the public empathized or felt represented listening to Rosa’s tacky English in “It’s Raining Men”but in the middle of 2025 that has nothing to do with reality and, elitist or not, OT knows it perfectly. They want the representation of a modern and prepared generation, with standard English and twice the qualifications that they then ask for on Linkedin. Carlos Lozano giving way to a version of Bad Bunny? This turn and fine-tuning of the contest is not something new. Yes ok This year it has become more evidentthan ever, it was in 2017 when the true transformation of the program occurred, adapting to the codes of the new generations. That OT 2017 with its 24-hour channel and fuming YouTube chat revolutionized a generation that had not experienced the OT phenomenon before. It was nothing more than the beginning, because OT 2023 arrived from the hand of a streaming platform like Prime Video, sensing the facelift to which they wanted to continue subjecting the format. On a personal level, I miss Capde, an OT professor who was there until two editions ago, and who already seemed uncomfortable helping the contestants with certain urban rhythmsbut it is true that Operación Triunfo itself has reinvented itself not only from the casting. Pablo Lluch and Vic Mirallas, young, talented and on the same wavelength as the current program, now … Read more

It is now on sale and comes with a 4 month gift

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Anyone can be the target of a cyber attack, whether it is a huge company or a normal user like us. For this reason, any measure or tool that we can use to protect the privacy of our data is always useful. There are always risks that we can avoid or minimize, although the best way to protect our Internet traffic is with a VPN. There are many, although a very interesting option is offered by Express VPN: comes out 3.49 euros per month. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A fast, secure and very easy-to-use VPN A VPN is one of those tools that is always good to have installed on your PC or mobile. It is true that there are free ones and that they can work well for a specific moment. Now, These have two problems that must be taken into account.: They can be very unsafe and its connection speed is not the best. This is very important today, especially with initiatives such as Chat Control which makes more and more people concerned about their privacy on the Internet. In that sense, using a VPN is a fairly simple way to protect our Internet traffic and prevent someone from spying on us. In fact, it is also very useful if, for example, we are forced to use a WiFi network whose security we do not know at all, such as that of a cafeteria or a hotel. Right there, a VPN like ExpressVPN could be great for us. It is one of the best available right now. and stands out for offering a safe, fast and very easy-to-use service. In addition, the basic plan (which is the one with the price we mentioned above) allows 10 connections simultaneouslywhich is very useful if we want to use it on both the mobile phone and the PC or tablet, among others. This plan is priced at 3.49 euros per month, a considerable discount if we take into account that its usual price is 12.99 euros per month. That means that two years of the service cost only 97.72 euros, a very reasonable price to have this VPN with us for a long time. And be careful, because we will also receive 4 extra monthsso we will have, at that price, a total of 28 months of service. You may also be interested in these other VPNs The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Private Internet Access VPN (monthly) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Christin Hume on Unsplash In Xataka | Best VPNs: guide with the 17 best services to protect your online privacy In Xataka | Public WiFis: why they are dangerous and tips to connect safely

Iberian ham has been synonymous with the highest quality for decades. Now Guijuelo wants to blow him up

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“Race is not a parameter of quality.” With that simple idea, the Salamanca town of Guijuelo wants to open a gap in one of the flagships of our country’s gastronomy: ‘low cost’ Iberian ham. With the endorsement of the Ministry of Agriculture and the opposition of the rest of the denominations of origin (which call it “deception of the consumer”), Guijuelo’s movement has just unleash a whole Civil War in the ham sector. And it’s no wonder. What has happened? That the Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) of Guijuelo (Salamanca) approved a modification of its regulations to certify, as Iberian, “hams and pork shoulders that are 50% Iberian breed and 50% Duroc”. Until now this was something that could only be done with 75% or 100% Iberian hams. On September 1, the General Directorate of Food He has limited himself to saying that the change is legal and various communities they have supported him (although others, as we will see, have opposed it). After all, The Iberian Quality Standard (RD 4/2014) covers legally this movement; as long as it is well labeled. If this had been done by a small DOP, it would have been controversial; but it surely would not have unleashed the enormous earthquake that it has unleashed. However, Guijuelo has done it: the oldest denomination and the largest in number of marked pieces. The rest of the DOPs have come out in a rush. Let us remember that there are only four DOPs of Iberian ham in the country. Well, the other three (Jabugo, Dehesa de Extremadura and Andalucía) have denounced the change because they consider it “unfair competition” and what is worse, a “trivialization” of the DOP seal and the Iberian in general. In recent days, regulatory councils, communities (especially Extremadura and Andalusia) and professional groups have announced appeals and do not rule out going to trial if Agriculture does not take action on the matter. But if it’s legal, what’s the problem? In slightly more technical terms, the conflict is not whether a “50% Iberian” ham can exist; but whether that type of ham should carry the DOP seal. We must not forget that these seals are designed to ‘make visible’ in the market a special relationship with the territory and the product. The rest of the Regulatory Councils that want to maintain stricter racial criteria (as has been customary) believe that there is a reputational risk and that it could end up confusing the consumer. And the issue of price, of course. Guijuelo is accused of wanting to burst the market by lowering prices and moving production towards less demanding specifications. The DOPs fear that the seal and label will harm livestock farmers and dryers who have been betting on higher quality standards. In fact, as reported from the Pedroches valley, the regulatory change in Guijuelo “facilitates more intensive productions (a jump in densities per hectare in “field bait” is cited within the specifications), which threatens the pasture and the sustainability story associated with traditional Iberian. And from Jabugo they assure that “Brussels said that can’t be done.” What do they say in Guijuelo? From the PDO of Salamanca, in addition to describe many of these statements as “barbarities”focus on defending that a) the movement is legal and b) that “race is not a quality parameter, food is.” And now what? The question is whether the changes to Guijuelo’s regulatory document are indeed “normal” or require the approval of Brussels. And the most likely thing, if the regulatory councils decide to go ahead, is that it will reach Brussels. Or at least Image | Tim Sackton In Xataka | A tax on ham? There are those who already propose it as the best way to eat less meat

Mobile phone manufacturers first stopped including the charger with every purchase. Your next threat is clear: the USB cable

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There was a (wonderful) time when when you bought an iPhone, Apple not only included the cable and charger, but also included EarPods headphones. In 2020 the iPhone 12 arrived and They broke that tradition: that box It included the phone and the charging cable, but nothing else. All manufacturers released following that trail with the same speech from Apple: at that point, users they used to tell with their own headphones and some charger, so what they were doing was protect the environment although that argument was not particularly convincing. Of course, they did something else: first They saved money by not including those elementsand then they earned it when you bought them official headphones and adapters if you ended up needing them. Of course one could resort to third-party accessories, although Lumafield CT scans have been demonstrating for some time that cables, chargers and headphones from companies like Apple are expensive because they are small works of art of engineering. In fact, those same images reveal that the same you shouldn’t trust of “strange” cables, lest they be tools to hack your computers. The truth is that Apple’s decision – which other companies such as Fairphone had previously made – made a deep impact on the industryand nowadays it is very rare to find a mobile phone whose box includes a charger, much less headphones. But the thing is can go further. USB charging cables may also be about to disappear from those boxes. Do we really need the USB cable to be included with our devices? A Reddit user revealed recently how when buying his Sony Xperia 10 VII he had found a surprise: in the box There was no charger, but there was no charging cable either.. In the photo included in the post it was clearly seen how this absence was made evident on the back of the box. The Sony Xperia 10 VII does not include a charger or charging cable. It is true that Sony is no longer a major player in the field of mobility, but these types of decisions are what can begin to establish an important precedent that other manufacturers end up adopting as well. At Xataka we have contacted those responsible for Sony to try to find out the reasons behind that decision. In the absence of confirmation, it seems clear that the environmental protection and the reduction of electronic waste may once again be the clear argument, although obviously the savings for Sony may also be relevant. The European Union precisely wanted mitigate the problem of electronic waste years ago. He did it at set the USB-C connector as the standard connector to charge mobile devices, something that for example forced Apple to ditch your Lightning connector. In these years it seems clear that users We have ended up accumulating a good number of USB-C cables to charge our devices. It is something similar to what happened with chargers: a priori we all have one at home, so the need to include them in the box, as is now the case with cables, is debatable. Of course, it also happens that over time mobile phones tend to allow charging at higher power or transferring data at higher speeds, and this makes it necessary to use chargers and cables specially prepared to take advantage of these options. But even in those cases, including the charger or cable doesn’t seem to make much sense. Especially because Those accessories that manufacturers include are the “basic” models that allow you to upload or transfer data, but not at maximum speed. The usual thing here for years is that manufacturers offer that option on the mobile, but we have to buy the specific charger and cable separately, which imposes an extra cost. Will we therefore see fewer and fewer USB cables included in mobile phone boxes? It seems quite possible. Now all that’s left is for the manufacturers of those USB-C cables to solve their big problem: label them well so that we know which one to use at all times. Image | Zana Latif In Xataka | The USB-C standard promised to solve the connector chaos. The situation is worse than ever

Sora’s AI is resurrecting dead celebrities to turn them into cheap viral content: it’s technological nonsense

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What of digitally resurrect deceased public figures It’s not new, but Sora 2 by OpenAI is crossing the line from homage to pure morbid entertainment, with videos ranging from harmless humor to the most explicit cruelty. This phenomenon, which has provoked the indignation of relatives of the daughter of actor Robin Williams, raises serious ethical and legal questions. What is happening. Michael Jackson shows up at a KFC and steals a man’s fried chicken while dancing away. Pope John Paul II does some skate tricks. Albert Einstein gives an interview after a UFC fight. These are just a few examples of what people are doing with Sora 2. There’s more: Martin Luther King, Kennedy, Nixon…many videos have a humorous and seemingly harmless tone. Others, however, are in very bad taste, such as those that show a Stephen Hawking being abused brutally. And the worst thing is that no one seems to be stopping it. The Robin Williams case. Zelda Williams, daughter of the late actor, has used her Instagram account to show her rejection of this trend. “Please stop sending me AI-generated videos of dad. Stop believing that I want to see them or that I will understand them. I don’t want them and I won’t understand them,” he said in his message. Although he does not give details about whether the videos he has received are made with Sora 2, his complaint comes just a few days after its release. The cameos. They are the great novelty of Sora 2 and one of the reasons for its popularity. In fact, the app was launched with a cameo by Sam Altman that has already generated all kinds of memes. With cameos you can create funny videos of yourself or a friend, but Sora won’t let you make videos of real people unless they have given their consent. Except if those people are dead. Blurred boundaries. In it Sora security document 2OpenAI states that “only you can decide who can use your cameo, and you can revoke access at any time. We also take steps to block depictions of public figures.” However, they don’t say anything about public figures who have died, and from what we’re seeing, it doesn’t seem like these guidelines apply in the same way. According to the TechCrunch teststhe app does not allow you to create videos of Jimmy Carter or Michael Jackson (although there are published videos), but it does not cause problems when doing so with Robin Williams or Richard Nixon. defaming the dead. Although it is ethically questionable, at a legal level things change. In the United States, where OpenAI operates, legally it is not possible to open a process for defaming a deceased personso the company would not have any responsibility. In Spain it is similar; the Organic Law 1/1982 includes the right to honor, personal and family privacy and one’s own image. However, according to the article 32 of the civil codecivil personality is extinguished after death. Yes, it could be the case that heirs claim the right to honor of the deceasedbut it is a complex process and full of nuances. The new AI dump. At the beginning of the year we talked about how Junk AI or ‘AI Slop’ had flooded the networks. Were most disturbing videosof very bad tastebut they were clearly made with AI. With Sora 2 a dangerous door opens and it is that of a new AI dump more realistic than ever. If we add to this the use of the image of deceased people as if they were toys with which we can do whatever we want, no matter how legal it may be, it sets a very worrying precedent. Image | tiktok In Xataka | OpenAI and AMD have just signed more than just an AI agreement: it’s the barter of desperation

Data centers shooting the light of light in the houses

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Spain is betting very strong for the development and creation of new data centers. The AI ​​boom has infected our country, and although that attracts investment and economic capital, it can also lead to serious problems for consumers. Especially a very clear one: that we pay more for the light. Spain, care with data centers. In recent months we have seen how Data centers construction projects grow In our country. It is estimated that in the Community of Madrid there will be a power of 1.7 GW in 2030, which is paradoxical, because it is the region with greater energy deficit in Spain and the one that is staying with a good part of these projects. Aragon, in another league. Aragon has so many projects of data centers that He showed his disappointment When he knew that the reinforcement of the electricity network for those facilities throughout Spain will be 3.8 GW. Those responsible for the Aragonese government described the figure of “scarce”, especially considering that this region has projects that projects that projects that projects that They would exhaust that capacity alone. The US teaches us (worrying) future. A Bloomberg investigation It reveals how in the last five years the creation of new data centers is making the light invoice rise remarkably. Those centers, previously dedicated to expanding the cloud infrastructure and now totally focused on the AI ​​boom, are behind that increase in light invoice. Energy consumption is triggered in these facilities, and ends up affecting electricity prices in surrounding regions. Prices that almost quadruplic. In 2020 Baltimore residents paid average $ 17 per MW/h. In 2025 that price is $ 38 per MW/h. In Buffalo the thing is even worse, and prices have tripled in five years: they have gone from $ 11 to 33 per MW/h. In the areas of the United States close to large concentrations of data centers, the wholesale price of electricity has risen up to 267% In the last five years. LMP are nodes of the electricity grid that determine the wholesale price of electricity. Almost three out of four have seen price increases when they are close to data centers. Those who are in farther areas have come to see their reduced prices. Source: Bloomberg. Unequal climb. The study reveals how wholesale electricity prices in the US have increased significantly in recent years, although it is true that these increases have been applied unequally at the geographical level: certain areas have seen modest increases, but others have seen how the light of the light was fired and grew up to that aforementioned 267%, close to quadruple. The condemnation of data centers. 70% of the points at which price increases were recorded are less than 80 kilometers of data centers with significant activity. It is a fact that makes it clear that the impact of these data centers on the light of the residents is clear. And this goes to more. Current estimates, Indicates Bnefprevent the energy demand for data centers in the US will double for 2035 and will be the largest increase in energy demand since the 60s. Thus, in ten years that demand will represent 9% of the total. At the global level, the data centers are expected to consume more than 4% of the electricity consumed in 2035. If those facilities were a country, they would be the room in energy consumption, only behind China, USA and India. Perfect storm. The demand is also linked to the rise of cryptodivisas, the impulse of manufacturing in the US and the “electrification of the economy”, which includes areas such as electric vehicles or domestic heating systems. The withdrawal of traditional mining facilities in areas such as Baltimore has only aggravated the economic problem: there is less energy supply and more demand, which makes prices again increase. The world already knows what comes over and is reacting. What is happening in the US is already causing reactions in other countries. Holland: Water and energy needs made the Amsterdam City Council in 2019 imposed A moratorium for the construction of new data centers. Singapore: also established a pause for the creation of this type of facilities between 2019 and 2022, although the government made clear which would be more selective in future projects. Ireland: In 2024 the country reached a worrying milestone. Data centers They already consumed more than households. 5% of the country’s total consumption went through in 2015 to 18% in 2022 and 21% in 2023. Household consumption represented that year 18%. The solution: that the Big Tech pay that invoice. Public service companies in the US such as Dominion Power are clear that “data centers should pay the full cost of their energy consumption.” Large technological ones know very well that these facilities raise an extraordinary energy demand, and They are investigating solutions like him Use of SMR reactors for their AI data centers. The idea is interesting, But complex. Supply and demand. Spain faces a future in which energy supply and demand could be unbalanced as it is already happening in the United States. If data centers begin to impose more and more load on the network, it is reasonable to think that the cost of electricity increases and causes the least desirable effect for users: the rise in the light invoice. Renewables could help mitigate the problem, but only If the network is capable of absorbing Both the new generation and the new mass demand of the data centers. Image | Microsoft

There are fewer and fewer North Koreans fighting with Russia in Ukraine. An army has arrived with an irrefutable promise: Cubans

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For months, reports about foreign fighters in Ukraine indicated to North Korea as the main source of soldiers sent to support Russia. Then there was official confirmation by both nations. Quietly, however, that balance is shifting in surprising ways. On the board of the war in Eastern Europe, another country begins to displace Pyongyang in the role of largest supplier of troops to Moscow, an unexpected turn that reveals both the fragility of Russia and the depth of its authoritarian alliances. The Cuban front. What began as a regional invasion has transformed into a global war, in which Russia not only faces Ukraine and its Western allies, but also mobilize a network of regimes to sustain the war effort. Among them, Cuba emerges as an unexpected actor: according to Ukrainian estimates, up to 25,000 Cubans They could join the Russian front, becoming the largest foreign force in Ukraine, above the North Korean contingents. For the Kremlin, the usefulness of this formula it is evident: The casualties of foreign fighters do not generate internal protests, do not require compensation to Russian families and reduce the political cost of the conflict. In a country with more than one million estimated casualtiesattract soldiers overseas It is also a matter of strategic survival. A formula that is difficult to reject. The main motivation for many Cuban recruits is simple: economic. On an island mired in one of the worst crises in recent decades, where the average salary barely exceeds 20 dollars a month, the promises of charge $2,000 a month They fight any ideological objection. Some accept the contracts convinced, others are deceived with job offers in construction or factories, to discover upon arriving in Russia that their destination is the battle front. Analysts like Cristina López-Gottardi they point out that the economic attraction is irresistible, but they also highlight the political dimension: Havana obtains income from remittances from combatants and consolidates its alignment with Moscow, presenting it as a gesture of “revolutionary loyalty” and, incidentally, a symbolic challenge to Washington. Experts point out that the regime seeks reinforce your narrative anti-American, presenting participation as an act of internationalist solidarity, although in practice it is a source of foreign currency in times of hardship. Mercenaries, coercion and globality. The Cuban presence is part of a broader trend: the growing Russian dependence on foreign fighters. According to intelligence data, in 2025 almost half of the prisoners captured in Ukraine They were not Russian citizenswhen in 2022 they barely represented 1%. From Africans recruited under threats of deportation, until deceived students With false job offers in “shampoo factories”, including North Koreans sent as cannon fodder, Moscow turns to a whole mosaic of forced soldiers or mercenaries. In this sense, the Cuban contribution not only strengthens the Russian lines, but also magnify the image of a war waged by an international authoritarian axis that includes Iran, Venezuela, North Korea and now Cuba, sharing weapons, technology and experience on a battlefield converted into a laboratory for modern warfare with drones, electronic warfare and new combat tactics. Cuba as a diplomatic target. Cuban involvement in Ukraine has not gone unnoticed by the United States. The Trump administration has decided to use it as a central argument in his diplomatic offensive against Havana at the UN. An internal State Department cable, dated October 2, instructed US delegations to pressure allies to vote against the traditional annual resolution demanding an end to the US embargo on Cuba. Year after year, the measure has had overwhelming support (in 2024, 187 countries voted in favor and only the United States and Israel against), although Washington hopes to reduce that margin by presenting evidence that the Miguel Díaz-Canel regime has become in active accomplice of Russian aggression, with between 1,000 and 5,000 fighters deployed on the front. In the documents is underlined that Cuba “has failed to protect its citizens from being used as pawns” in the war, and the regime is accused of “undermining democracy” in the region, particularly through its alliance with Venezuela. The embargo and sanctions. Washington’s strategy seeks to disarm the Havana narrative, which presents the embargo as the root of all their evils. The diplomatic cable instructs to highlight the corruption and incompetence of the Cuban government, in addition to highlighting that the economic problems do not derive from the sanctions, but from its mismanagement. Trump, upon his return to the presidency, has hardened the restrictions: has reinstated Cuba to the list of countries sponsoring terrorism, has further limited financial transactions and has sanctioned third countries that collaborate with Cuban doctors abroad. Faced with this pressure, the Cuban regime accuses Washington of seeking a pretext for aggression and even instrumentalizing the anti-drug fight in the Caribbean as an excuse to increase tension. That said, the backdrop seems different: the combination internal collapse and military alliance with Moscow places Cuba at the epicenter of the geopolitical struggle between Washington and the authoritarian bloc. Military school. Beyond the diplomatic balances, what worries many analysts is that the war in Ukraine has become an involuntary academy for allied armies of Russia. Every foreign contingent that steps on the front learn first hand the techniques of the first great drone war in history: from swarm operations to electronic warfare. As warns Bill Colefounder of Peace Through Strength Institute“the real danger is not the thousands of Cubans or North Koreans sent, but what they learn and then export to other conflicts in Latin America, Africa or Asia.” This transfer of war knowledge turns war into a multiplier of global instability, with authoritarian regimes absorbing tactics and adapting them to their own scenarios. The Cuban paradox. The participation of thousands of Cubans in the Ukrainian war also reveals a paradox: while for the Havana regime it represents both a source of foreign currency and a reaffirmation of its anti-American identity, for Moscow it is a cheap solution and politically comfortable to internal wear and tear, and for Washington an opportunity to intensify diplomatic pressure … Read more

To Taylor Swift fans

by

Two phenomena has unleashed the launch of Taylor Swift’s new album, ‘The Life of A Showgirl’. An expected one: the top of the sales lists has been perched, taking a couple of previous records and confirming it as the main superstar pop of the moment. Another not so much: a the Swifties They have not finished convincing the product. That The specialized criticism He has Ojeriza Taylor Swift has nothing strange, but … his own fans? Is the status quo In the paradisiaca Villa Taylor? One hundred million nioles. The album arrived at the stores on October 3 and immediately beat his first records: 2.7 million copies on its first day alone in the US, beating the previous Swift record, being the second highest sales figure in a week in history (only ” of Adele goes ahead). As we havethe movie-documentary that accompanies the launch, ‘The Official Release Party of A Showgirl’ raised almost 50 million dollars in its first weekend in the US. A few criticisms. Swift’s new has been said to be “A musical thread just friendly“. That “His music has never been so unattractive“. What is a”masterpiece CRINGE“. That is full of” classic design pop songs, with standard stanza and chorus arrangements and rarely exceed four minutes “(And it’s not a praise). And that “it is more enjoyable if you do not take Taylor Swift – the artist, the character, the person— too seriously“But of course, criticism. Who pays for pitchfork at this point? Fans disappointment. The Swifties More loyal are also experiencing some disappointment. The more or less objective causes, or that enter the most conventional musical analysis are innumerable. There seems to be a certain consensus in which The letters and musical complexity It is very far Of those who are considered their best albums, ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’ (and that ‘Wood’, a song full of sexual references trying to make a kind of Sabrina Carpenter for all audiences, is a bit embarrassing). There are those who point to their fiance, Travis Kelce, It is a terrible museand has made the diva enter an era of artistic conformism far away from the music he made up when he had a six -year relationship with actor Joe Alwyn. Criticism and more criticism. In Tiktok the thing is getting, as expected, even more passionate and personal: innumerable Accounts are criticizing heroften defending that the frivolous and disconnected approach from public opinion and what happens in the world has made this new album isolated in a vacuum, In a kind of bubble that emphasizes that we are not facing a “real” artist, but before a diva, with problems outside his fans. Criticism about their way of doing business with innumerable variants and added to the album that convert the experience of launch into a Festival of microtransactions. It defends itself. After a week of criticism, Taylor Swift made an appearance in the podcast ‘The Zane Lowe Show‘by Apple Music and commented that his reaction before all this is to “embrace chaos.” He also made his version of “The bad press is also a press”: “If it is the first week since the launch of my album and you mention my name or the title, you are helping.” He added: “I respect people’s subjective opinions very much about art. I am not the art police. (…) Our goal as artists is to be a mirror.” In Xataka | The last world tour of Taylor Swift has charged a victim and is the earth: 286,000 km in private jet

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