Month: November 2025

China has presented its X-36 aircraft to dominate the air. And then he took him to a secret base where the real surprise was.

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The public appearance of the J-36 and later a “twin”, marks a turning point in Chinese military aviation, placing Beijing in a direct race for air supremacy in the 21st century. Until just a few years ago, the US lead in stealth fighter development seemed assured. However, the new Chinese platforms, first shown on flights captured without censorship and now visible in satellite images in a secret base near Lop Nur, indicate that China has not only advanced in technology: it has decided to demonstrate it. The sixth generation. It became official on October 31, 2025, when several videos shared on chinese social networks and internationals showed what was identified as the new J-36 stealth plane 6th generation Peking flying in formation with a J-20probably the two-seat J-20S, near the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation facilities. The disclosure deliberate imagesoperational integration with J-20S fighters already in service and the parallel deployment of two different sixth-generation designs suggest that China is not simply testing isolated prototypes, but rather building a deeply interconnected aerial ecosystem, conceived to coordinate manned fighters, heavy stealth platforms and swarms of advanced drones in penetration, supremacy and airspace control missions in highly defended theaters. Design break. The J-36the most visible and talked about aircraft, stands out for its queueless configurationa trait extremely difficult to stabilize without advanced algorithmic and computational assistance. Its wide fuselage, long chord wings and air intakes positioned both on the top and on the sides indicate an absolute priority: minimize the radar signal from any angle and operate for long periods within denied zones. This type of design, compared by analysts to a crossover between stealth fighters and bombersis not only aimed at air-to-air combat, but rather at acting as a tactical node in the air: monitoring distributed sensors, coordinating unmanned platforms and providing range and persistence in deep missions. The evolution between the prototype seen in December 2024 and the one shown in 2025 (with modifications to nozzles, landing gear and control surfaces) aims for rapid iteration and a high testing rate, characteristic features of aeronautical industries with mature design cycles. The J-20S bridge cone. He use of the J-20Sthe two-seat variant of the Chinese fifth-generation stealth fighter, as an escort and supervision platform in mixed flights with the J-36it is not a minor detail. The additional cockpit of the J-20S is optimized to manage sensors, data links and control of autonomous systems, making it the “human piece” that oversees what will, in the future, become increasingly automated. This pairing reflects the American operating concept for your NGAD programin which a very high-level fighter does not replace existing models, but rather coordinates and amplifies them. China, similarly, appears to be preparing mixed attack packages: the J-36 opens the way and establishes an information bubble, the J-20S protects and directs, and unmanned platforms execute saturation, deception or attack. Installation near Lop Nur Satellite image providing an overview of the entire facility near Lop Nur, as seen on November 3 Chinese Area 51. And after the show, the J-36 was stored in an unknown location until a few hours ago. The appearance of another prototype alongside the J-36 (the smaller but still heavy one called like J-XDS) at a remote base near the historic Lop Nur nuclear site revealed something crucial: China is transferring the testing phase from manufacturer facilities to an advanced experimentation center, similar in purpose to the US Area 51. The track of more than 5 kilometersnew hangar installations, expansions and projects under construction suggest an environment designed for intensive testing of sensitive systems, stealth operations and doctrine validation. That both models were parked outdoors, knowing that they would be captured by commercial satellites, reinforces the interpretation that Beijing seeks to show capacity and leave it to Western intelligence to fill gaps and debate roles, sizes, engines, automation levels and actual missions. Put another way, ambiguity is part of the strategy: forcing the United States, Japan, South Korea and Australia to prepare for several simultaneous scenarios, which disperses resources, planning and budgets. A future combat ecosystem. The key does not lie only in manned aircraft. China is expanding rapidly parallel programs from autonomous and collaborative stealth drones, from naval UCAVs like GJ-11/21 to operate from aircraft carriers to “loyal wingman” type CCAs of similar size to that of a light fighter, planned for accompany the J-36 such as range multipliers, sensors and ammunition. The goal is to create a spectrum of interdependent systemswhere the sixth-generation fighter acts as the aerial brain, while swarms of drones execute risky tasks, absorb fire, open access corridors and saturate long-range defenses. This, in theory, fits directly into Western Pacific scenarios, where any operation requires penetrating dense and deeply integrated networks of surveillance, over-the-horizon radars, satellites and naval missiles. A challenge for Washington. The presentation and the transfer of evidence to one top secret base They underline a reality: China is not building a single aircraft, but rather preparing a complete doctrinal architecture to contest (not just balance) American air superiority. For the United States, Japan and allies, the concern arises not only from technical progress, but from the calendar. Washington plans to deploy its first NGAD fighters towards 2030, but Beijing is already flying prototypes in experimental operational configuration accompanied by mature fighters. Yeah the J-36 or that twin pragmatic J-XDS reach levels of availability and credible doctrine sooner, the aerial map of the Pacific could undergo a profound transformation. What for decades was a question of “whether China would reach the fifth generation” has now become a different and much more pressing question: what the hell will air combat look like in the next decade. Image | Planet Labs, Chinese Social Media In Xataka | China appears to be molding a huge stealth aircraft called the J-36. This image is emerging as proof of his ambition In Xataka | We have been tying ribbons to suitcases for years to identify them at the airport. Your employees warn that it is a bad idea

these are some of the best

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If we think about LEGO®, it is very possible that our minds will almost certainly go to some of the most common sets that the brand has. That’s what it’s like to have a huge catalog to choose from, where there are options based on movies, video games and many other things. Now, there are also other sets that They are more original and uniquethese being perfect to give a special touch to any corner of the house (or to make a good gift). There are several that could fit perfectly into this description that we mentioned a few lines above, but we leave you below a very varied selection to make it easier for you to choose: LEGO® Baratie Floating Restaurant by 299.99 eurosone of the best sets from the Netflix series ‘One Piece’. LEGO® The Simpsons: Krusty Burger by 199.99 eurosthe recreation of this hamburger restaurant full of details. LEGO® How to train your Dragon: Toothless by 69.99 eurosa very nice set that even includes a repaired mount and fin. LEGO® Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 F1 Car by 229.99 eurosideal for all Formula 1 lovers. LEGO® Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory by 219.99 eurosa set of more than 2,000 pieces inspired by the iconic film. LEGO® Baratie Floating Restaurant The Danish firm launched just a few months ago some sets of the live action ‘One Piece’ and this Baratie is the most impressive of all of them. It is made up of more than 3,400 pieces and its interior is full of different spaces that we can configure however we want with the 10 minifigures it includes. If you are a fan of the work created by Eiichiro Oda, you can get it for 299.99 euros. Baratie Floating Restaurant The price could vary. We earn commission from these links LEGO® The Simpsons: Krusty Burger Many of us have grown up watching ‘The Simpsons’ and also have some sets from this animated series. Perhaps the most striking of all is this Krusty Burger, made up of more than 1,600 pieces. No detail is missing, including even a reference to the episode where Homer and Bart steal the grease from the back of the restaurant. Costs 199.99 euros The Simpsons™: Krusty Burger The price could vary. We earn commission from these links LEGO® How to train your Dragon: Toothless From the live action of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ we have this Destenao, a very nice set. Composed of almost 800 pieces, we have a figure that has several moving parts, such as the head, jaw or wings. In addition, it has some accessories such as a llama or a fish to place in the mouth. Costs 69.99 euros. How to Train Your Dragon: Toothless The price could vary. We earn commission from these links LEGO® Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 F1 Car Motor lovers also have a good variety of sets, this F1 being one of the most spectacular. This car does not lack any type of detail, such as a steering that really works, the engine block or a spoiler that even has DRS. Assembling its more than 1,600 pieces is quite a spectacle, whether we want to do it alone or with others. Costs 229.99 euros. Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 F1 Car The price could vary. We earn commission from these links LEGO® Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory We close with this Chocolate Factory set, based on the 70s movie. It’s a set that even comes with the chocolate waterfall (which can move thanks to a wheel), which includes a lot of details throughout and comes with seven minifigures. An ideal set for nostalgic people who go out 219.99 euros. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 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 | LEGO® In Xataka | Your favorite series, comics and movies also in LEGO: 15 construction kits ideal to assemble yourself or give as a gift In Xataka | LEGO constructions on another level: the Technic Series has the models that any collector would dream of

This is the new mega construction that makes it possible

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The Seat and Cupra plant in Martorell has launched a new PXL hydraulic press which will manufacture up to 4 million pieces per year mainly intended for the bodywork of the Cupra Raval and the Volkswagen ID. Polethe two electric vehicles that the factory will begin producing in 2026. As the group has shared, the installation is now operational and is stamping parts for the company’s current models. A record installation. The PXL press, which according to Seat is among the most modern in the world, has six pressing machines with a combined force of 81,000 kN (kilo-Newton). It has a capacity of up to 15 strokes per minute, allowing it to stamp more parts in less time than the plant’s previous installations. According to account Seat, the process is completely automated, allowing you to change between dies of different production series in just five minutes. The installation supports up to 15 changes per day, according to the company. Technical challenge. The installation has become a technical challenge that has required 40 months between development and construction. To support its enormous weight and force, the press sits on a 9-meter-deep pit, which in turn rests on concrete piles that penetrate 20 meters underground, the equivalent of a seven-story building. “Communication and transversal work between the process, maintenance, manufacturing, logistics, IT, prevention and finance teams has been the catalyst for the success of this mega-construction,” explains Alicia Molina, director of Production Process Engineering at Seat and Cupra. Information to continue optimizing. According to they explain From the automotive group, one of the main novelties of this press is its ability to generate information. With each stamping, approximately 3,000 data are extracted that the company intends to use to improve production and maintenance control. Seat assures that it is developing two systems to interpret this flow of information and apply it to the prediction and optimization of processes. Preparing electrification. The idea with this mega construction is that it helps to shape the new wave of electric vehicles that Volkswagen intends to promote, thus adapting to an increasingly competitive field that has given rise to the European regulations regarding emissions and the growing appearance of Chinese firms that are becoming more and more established. “We have changed the chip, literally, and we are ready for the electric present,” affirms Jose Arreche, director of the Martorell factory. The facility will prepare the plant for the production of the Cupra Raval and Volkswagen ID. Polo, the two economical electric models that the automobile group intends to produce in 2026. They will certainly be the models that test the firm in terms of offering economical electric vehicles to the market. Images | SEAT In Xataka | Plug-in hybrids have become the preferred trap for bypassing ZBEs. There are already those who propose to harness its power

We have been wondering for years if we can put an end to tobacco once and for all. Maldives is convinced that yes

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We live in 2025 and, as you have surely noticed, there are people who smoke. Many people, in fact: according to estimates that we handle, more than a billion people will smoke in the near future. And it is a bit infuriating because it not only shows the inability of our societies to put a stop to a habit that kills seven million people every year. But it shows that we don’t want to solve the problem either. The best example is what is happening in the Maldives. What is happening? Well, as just approvedfrom November 1, 2025, no one born on or after January 1, 2007 will be able to buy or consume tobacco in the Maldives. It’s something about what is being talked about for a long time: given the difficulties in prohibiting tobacco (due to the large mass of smokers there are), a large generational ban is proposed. Obviously, it is not an isolated event. In recent years, Maldives has hardened (and a lot) its tobacco policy. It has banned all electronic cigarettes, raised tariffs and increased fines for everything related to this product. It’s not a new idea. On the contrary, there was a plan like this in New Zealand (which ended up repealed) and in the UK They have been discussing it for years. However, the Maldives has become the first country to implement a nationwide generational ban. It is, therefore, the end of the road of a long social controversy about how to put an end to the tobacco industry once and for all: an imperative measure (on a health level), questionable (on an ethical level) and, until now, unviable (on a political level). That is why the Maldivian experiment is so interesting: because it is a gamble with a health, legal and tourism impact that we are only now going to begin to understand. Although that doesn’t mean we go blind. There are incontestable realities: when we talk about tobacco we are not only talking about the economic burden derived from health (cardiovascular diseases, COPD, cancer…) but also the social burden derived from the dependence of consumers and its negative effects on their quality of life (sleep disturbance, anxiety and other psychological problems). We must not lose sight of the fact that in the Maldives, for example, around half of men smoke. A radical measure that has been highly disputed for years. During the processing of the idea in UK the controversy was enormous. And it is logical: a priori, it is a measure that attacks one of the basic foundations of any rule of law, equality before the law. In this case, a social model is created with “differentiated rights” depending on the year of birth. Nobody doubts the savings and improvement in public health that it would cause; but many people believe that the proportionality of the measure, the loss of tax revenue and the difficulty of execution They turn it into a toast to the sun. Europe is not talking about any of this for now, but everyone is looking at the Malvinas… if it works, it will be a conversation we will have to have. Image | Ishan @seefromthesky | Mohd Jon Ramlan In Xataka | The two faces of the tobacco industry: This is how tobacco companies rely on technology to survive

Google and Epic Games propose a historic agreement that is an earthquake for the Play Store

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The long and costly legal war between Epic Games and Googlewhich began in 2020, is about to end. Both companies have jointly submitted an agreement proposal and a modified court order which, if approved, not only resolves all its disputes, but also redraws the rules of the Android app store for the coming years. Chronology. To understand why Google has agreed, you have to rewind. After a long trial, a jury ruled in favor of Epic in 2023, declaring that Google’s Play Store operated as an illegal monopoly. Based on that verdict, Judge Donato issued a harsh court order a year later. This forced Google to open its ecosystem and included allowing third-party stores within the Play Store itself. In addition, it prohibited Google from tying its billing system to the store, and allowing developers to link to external payments. Braking attempt. Google immediately appealed, warning that the changes would harm the “security and privacy” of users. On October 18, 2024, the judge granted the Mountain View giant a temporary suspension while the appeal was being resolved. It was just a momentary respite. Surrender. After losing appeals, the US Supreme Court rejected Google’s latest request for a suspension. This reactivated the original court ordergiving the company an imminent deadline that ended on October 22. It had to start dismantling its control over the Android software store. Image by Official GDC on Flickr New agreement. Faced with the obligation to comply with a sentence that it hated, Google has negotiated a lesser evil. This new agreement, which was presented yesterday, replaces the original order with agreed rules that will be in force until June 30, 2032. Tim Sweeney himself, CEO of Epic, rated it X as an “impressive” and “comprehensive solution.” These were the words of Sameer Samat, the president of Android, who also reacted to the news: Together with Epic Games, we have proposed changes for Android and Google Play that focus on expanding developer choice and flexibility, reducing fees, and encouraging greater competition, all while ensuring user safety. If approved, this would resolve our disputes. We hope to continue discussing the issue with the judge on Thursday. The agreement details a new maximum commission structure. Google will not be able to charge more than 20% for in-game purchases that offer advantages (such as loot boxes or improvements). For everything else, the maximum commission will be 9%. On the other hand, the developers they win the right to display their own payment systems with Play Billing. Additionally, they will be able to show different (i.e. cheaper) prices if the user chooses the alternative payment. However, the Big Tech will continue to charge your “service fee”– Even if a developer uses its payment platform, Google reserves the right to charge the service fee (the 20% or 9% mentioned). According to media such as The Vergea Google spokesperson clarified that the developer saves the billing fee (cost of processing the payment), but not the service fee. Global impact. Although the court order is limited to the US, this change to the Android operating system will have a global impact. This opens the door for third-party stores—such as the one that Epic announced with Telefónica— can be installed without any friction. Without forgetting that this pact also prohibits Google (for three years) from making payments to manufacturers or operators to pre-install competing stores or to not place them in specific places on the device. What’s coming now. The agreement is not final: it must be approved by the judge. Both parties have a hearing scheduled for this Thursday, November 6, to discuss the proposal. We’ll see how it ends, but it seems that the final agreement will not be very different from this one. Cover image | Composition with images of Sergey Galyonkin for Flickr and Xataka Android In Xataka | Google has put AI summaries where there used to be links to news. And the media is bleeding

Years ago someone dreamed of a floating megacity. The result is a 550-meter “terayate” for 60,000 people

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The ocean is full of infrastructures that once sounded crazy. With his almost 400 meters in length the ship Ever Given would surely sound like science fiction to any 19th century engineer, as would the ability of the Blue Marlin to transport infrastructure the size of an aircraft carrier or the gigantic dimensions of the ship’s engine Emma Maerskwhich at 13.5 meters high and 27 meters long looks more like a mansion than a machine. In naval engineering the limit is your imagination. Or, if the technique still does not allow you to translate the idea into reality, wait long enough. The Italian designer must have thought something similar Pierpaolo Lazzarinifrom the Lazzarini studio, who in 2009 began to think about a crazy idea: building a floating megacitya gigantic structure capable of hosting tens of thousands of people, hotels, commercial spaces, parks and even facilities for aircraft and other smaller vessels in the middle of the ocean. Breaking the mold Not only that. Already starting to dream – Lazzarini must have thought – why not give it the appearance of a terayate, a boat format so large that it surpasses the super, mega or even “gigayacht” categories. And curling the curl a little more: Why not design that mass to look like a sea turtle? It seems crazy, but that’s what came out of the workbench of Lazzarini, a studio that has already made headlines for its designs. dream vehicles, luxury boats, flying devices either architectural proposals floating. Of course, without the caliber of his latest idea. His proposal is called Pangeos and was presented as nothing more nor less than an immense “itinerant floating city”a chelonian-shaped vessel of 550 meters in length and a beam of 610 m at its widest point, measurements that would make it a true titan of the seas, much larger than the Ever Giventhe transatlantic Wonder of the Seas or even the Seawise Giant. “At the moment it’s just a concept, but it’s starting to become more than just computer animation,” Lazzarini recognizedwhich launched an online dossier with images and videos. In an attempt to go further, in 2023 its promoters promoted an NFT crowdfunding to sell “virtual spaces”. All in all, it does not seem that Pangeos will become a reality in the short term. The studio estimates that shaping its project would cost around 8 billion dollars and the work that would last about eight years. Once finished it would become “the largest floating structure ever built”, with 60,000 accommodations. Its hull will be divided into 30,000 floating cells. Its wings are designed to get energy of the resistance and the waves that break against the hull and along its roof there would be solar panels that would supply it with energy. The vessel, with a draft of approximately 30 meters, would be capable of moving at a speed of five knots. Building a record structure requires record resources. Not only because of the enormous amount of funds and work that Pangeos would need. Giving it shape will require a huge shipyard—”tera shipyard,” he points out—in which they have also thought. The idea is to have a facility with a dock that can be flooded to allow it to float once the yacht is finished. The structure designed by the studio would 650 meters wide by 600 long and would have its own access to the sea. As for where, those responsible have opted for Saudi Arabia, a location located about two kilometers from the King Abdullah Harbor. Although Pangeos is fascinating and its structure seems straight out of a science fiction movie, it is not the first floating community project. Long before Lazzari, other studios embarked on the adventure of designing their own traveling cities. One of the most recent is the MV Narrativean exclusive residential ship of 229 meters in length and 547 “residences-cabins”. The crown of the projects, however, goes to another structure worthy of the most fertile imaginations: the enormous Freedom Shipa boat designed for 100,000 passengers. Norman Nixon launched the proposal in the 90s, but so far he has not managed to put his impressive infographics into practice. They all share the same basic ingredient: ambition and imagination. Images | Lazzarini Design Studio In Xataka | This is Freedom Ship, the megaship designed to become a floating city with 100,000 passengers *An earlier version of this article was published in November 2022

that of private detectives investigating them

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In recent years, work absenteeism has ceased to be just an indicator in statistical reports and has become a serious labor problem because of the dimensions it has reached. In turn, this increase in the number of workers who, for justified reasons or not, they do not go to their workplace has caused a collateral effect: massive hiring of private detectives to investigate possible fraud in medical leave. According to industry sourcesSince the pandemic, the number of assignments from companies and medical societies has grown exponentially to account for almost 80% of the investigative work of private detectives. Work absenteeism and its meaning. Work absenteeism occurs when an employee does not show up for work Whether this absence is justified or not. However, this concept is increasingly being used as a synonym for absenteeism due to temporary disability (medical leave), something that is not correct because there is an important nuance. Medical leave is a justified absence due to temporary disability by medical prescription from a Social Security doctor, while not showing up at work without justified cause is a decision made by the employee unilaterally. The difference between one reason and another is obvious. The figures are worrying. According to data from the ReportAbsenteeism from work in the second quarter of 2025′ prepared by Randstad, warn that total absenteeism in Spain has caused the loss of 7% of agreed working hours. However, if that figure is broken down between justified and unjustified, we find that the absences due to temporary disability (medical leave) account for 5.5% of those hours. Therefore, the unjustified ones affect 1.5% of the agreed hours. Taking into account that according to the EPA the number of employed people amounted to 22.27 million contributors, the data from the Randstad study indicate that, on average, 1,558,809 people did not go to their workplace daily, of which, 1,224,778 people did not go to work be on medical leave and, therefore, for a justified medical reason. Total work absenteeism and absenteeism due to temporary disability. Source: Randstad How long does a medical leave last in Spain? It is true that it is a doctor who grants medical leave to a patient. However, the doctor It does not decide how long that leave lasts.. This calculation is estimated from a Social Security database in which factors such as the patient’s profession, age or pathology are taken into account. According to data from ‘Absenteeism Barometer for the first half of 2025′prepared by Mutua Navarra, the average number of sick days in 2025 is 31.07 days. Leaves of less than 15 days accounted for almost 73% of the total number of registered absences (representing 8.9% of the total days not worked) while those leaving for 12 months accounted for 1.85% (32.5% of the total days not worked). That is, the vast majority of absences for medical reasons They are 15 days or less. As they point out the authors According to the Mutua Navarra report, “the problem of absenteeism is not so much due to the number of people who do not go to work, but rather to the excessive duration of sick leave”, something that the worker cannot control since it is a Social Security doctor who determines whether medical recovery has occurred. Detective boom. Given the increase in times and cases of sick leave, companies have taken measures to avoid fraud, and since 2021, the hiring of private detectives to investigate their workers has skyrocketed. Jordi Briñoldirector of Brininvest Detectivesconfirms that “currently we can perfectly well be talking about the fact that, in a standard detective office, these requests represent 80% of the requests.” As highlighted from Sentinel Private Detectivescompanies and mutual societies resort to their services when they already have well-founded signs of fraud, some of which originate from “rumors, information, suspicions” from colleagues or by the anomalous extension of medical leave. “It may also be due to the attitude that the employee has maintained prior to that sick leave situation, in which he almost expressed his intentions due to internal friction,” his spokesperson told us, “many times it is almost to confirm the obvious thing that they already have, rather than the fact of investigating it, it is to obtain proof, because the company cannot proceed with a dismissal for the simple fact that a worker is on sick leave.” According to these detective offices, these previous indications already determine that a high number of cases that are investigated end up being proven to be fraud. The cost of these services for a complete investigation ranges between 1,500 and 4,000 euros depending on the case, which means that companies only investigate those cases in which it is evident that fraud is occurring in sick leave. Criticism from the unions. The proliferation of private detectives has not gone unnoticed by unions, which denounce a tendency to criminalize sick employees. Kings Solaz, national secretary of UGT of Catalonia, points out that “we are concerned that sick workers will be criminalized when what companies should do is reinforce prevention and medical care.” According to the union representative, mutual societies and companies dedicate more and more budget to private surveillance than to diagnostic tests to speed up reinstatements, “the real problem is the increase in waiting lists in public health, and that lengthens the times of diagnosis and treatment and therefore medical leaves are lengthened”, distributing responsibilities to both Social Security and medical mutual societies. Solaz criticized the mutual companies that invest part of the public resources assigned to them from the Security to hire detectives, “both workers and companies pay a part of our salaries to have that mutual company for when we have a work accident or an occupational disease. The mutual companies spend it on detectives, but then They don’t hire professionals necessary to do the tests and give you the care you need to return to work. Transparency with fraud. Although it is true that detective offices recognize that the vast majority of the cases they investigate … Read more

something has pushed him, and we think we know what

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He third interstellar object What we have discovered in the solar system continues to make people talk. As 3I/ATLAS moves away from the Sun and becomes visible again through telescopes, every move it makes sparks a tsunami of speculation. And there are still weeks of new observations. The data that is causing people to talk. The news that has unleashed the most eccentric theories is that the comet experienced a slight, but statistically significant, “non-gravitational acceleration.” Something, besides the gravitational pull of the Sun and the planets, has pushed to 3I/ATLAS. It happened last October 29. Data from the ALMA observatory, analyzed by a NASA JPL engineer, reveal that the object deviated “four arcseconds in right ascension” from the trajectory it should have followed if it were influenced only by the Sun’s gravity. The most likely explanation. The news gave free rein to those who try to see a “technological signature” in everything the interstellar object does. However, the most likely explanation is not that 3I/ATLAS be an alien ship: There is a purely natural alternative that astronomers know well. The deflection of the object, equivalent to ten times the radius of the Earth in a month, fits with a natural acceleration that occurs in very active comets as they pass by the Sun: the sublimated ice acted as a propellant. Ice rockets. The physics is simple: as the comet approaches the Sun, solar radiation heats its core. The ice on its surface (whether water, carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide) do not melt, but go directly from solid to gas, a process known as sublimation. This gas escapes violently into space through cracks or active zones on the surface, forming jets. By Newton’s third law (action-reaction), these gas jets act like small rocket engines, pushing the comet’s nucleus in the opposite direction and altering its orbit. That’s why it shines so much. Another of the newly observed anomalies in 3I/ATLAS is that it became extremely bright earlier than expected, and in an intensely blue hue. According to a study prepublished on arvix.orgthe change fits with a brightness dominated by gas emission, which would demonstrate that 3I/ATLAS is an extraordinarily active comet, which turned on its sublimation engines as it approached the Sun and began to degas material at a frenetic pace. Avi Loeb is not convinced. The controversial Harvard University cosmologist did his own calculations to determine how much mass 3I/ATLAS would have had to lose to produce that specific acceleration and discovered that, at least, it would have had to lose one-sixth of its total mass. Given that the mass of 3I/ATLAS is estimated to be at least 33 billion tons, the comet should have lost 5.5 billion tons of gas and dust ejected into space in a matter of weeks, which should lead us to observe an extremely bright cloud of gas and dust around it in the coming weeks. The key moment. 3I/ATLAS will pass the closest point in its orbit to Earth on December 19. From a distance of 269 million kilometers, the International Asteroid Warning Network and the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes will be observing it in detail. They will have the last word. If they see a colossal gas cloud, we’ll close the case: 3I/ATLAS is a natural cometalthough one of the strangest and most active we have ever seen. If they don’t see anything, the mystery of interstellar visitors will only intensify. Image | NASA / SOFIA / Lynette Cook In Xataka | It went from a supposed alien ship to definitely a comet. Now 3I/ATLAS surprises again with another possibility

Elon Musk boasted of having created an “apocalypse-proof” car. Now the Tesla Cybertruck’s headlights are falling out

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Who doesn’t know a C15, prays to any Tesla Cybertruck with this title we headed this article in July 2024. We did it because on social networks it was already common to find comparisons between a Tesla Cybertruck which began selling just half a year before for a price close to $100,000 (sometimes much higher) with the car of “a Spanish farmer flying with three bags of fertilizer and a pregnant sheep in the trunk”, as this X user described. It was no wonder. Since it was first announcedElon Musk did not stop boasting that Tesla’s future electric car was nothing short of indestructible. A story that began crack when, live, the car glass itself could not resist the launch of a steel ball that, in theory, should not have caused any scratches. Now, less than two years after the car went on sale we know that the crack has been getting bigger and bigger. Because Tesla has recalled its Cybertruck for review. This time there have been 6,200 units. It is the tenth time in less than 24 months. Now, the headlights are going out. Indestructible, when it does not self-destruct Elon Musk boasted during the Tesla Cybertruck launch event about having a car “apocalypse proof”. He was talking, we assume, about real apocalypses, not metaphorical ones like the one they are experiencing Tesla sales in Europe. Beyond the jokes, what the owner of the company wanted to show is that he had something like a “armored street car”. In Xataka We already explained why a car that does not deform is a bad idea. If the car does not absorb the impact, it is the passenger who suffers the impact against himself. We are talking, of course, about cars that are on the street, working with all the guarantees. The problem for Tesla is that it keeps call cars for inspection. In the first year he had to do five calls for review. Today it has already been 10 and there are two full months of 2025 ahead, they collect in Electrek. While it is true that some of the problems have been solved with simple software updates, on other occasions they have had to go to the workshop because they were losing pieces in progress. The problem, everything indicates, is the same as on this occasion. The Tesla Cybertruck has some unusual headlights falling out, according to the American media. That is why the NHTSA has had to activate a recall so that 6,197 Tesla cars return to facilities. And Tesla sells headlights that can be installed on the roof of the vehicle as an accessory in its after-sales network, expanding the car’s off-road characteristics. The problem is that those headlights fall out. The glue simply cannot withstand their weight and in some circumstances it ends up expiring. This It hasn’t been the first time that Tesla has problems with the glue used, which has led to calls for review because, among other elements, the decorative molding of the A pillar, the one located on the side of the windshield, fell off. Beyond the possible fun of having an indestructible car that pieces are falling off while movingTesla is experiencing an ordeal with the electric off-roader. The company had the opportunity to make it a flagship, aspirational model and always sell it at a very high price but without aspirations of turning it into a mass product. like Mercedes does with its G-Class. However, it opted for the opposite and now finds itself unable to put the promised versions on the market at affordable prices. But, above all, it does not seem to be selling the expected numbers. And the company says it has a production line ready capable of produce 125,000 units each year. Musk even boasted that they expected sell more than 250,000 units annually. Electrek They point out that less than 65,000 units have been sold since November 2023. Photo | Josip Ivankovic In Xataka | In an attempt to improve sales of the Cybertruck, Elon Musk has found an unexpected buyer: himself

the “mountain splash” that follows them

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The proverb says that misfortunes never come alone. In Ourense they are proving it in the worst of ways. In summer there were towns there that had to do with forest fires that devoured hectares, burning trees, destroying farms and even (in some cases) destroying houses. Now those same localities are with the ‘hangover’ of the fire: tons of ashes and charred remains that rain washes downhill, forming a dark sludge that threatens (or is already affecting) rivers and water supplies. There are those who even talk about “mountain chapapote”in reference to another unfortunate episode that Galicia had to experience, years ago, on behalf of the Prestige. What has happened? That the residents of the province of Ourense who suffered this summer forest fires They have encountered a new problem, one inherited from those fires and that (they regret) no institution has known how to tackle in time: the ash. During the last months, spare in rainswere not a big problem, but things have changed with the storms and downpours. What was once ashes, branches and charred trunks is now a threat. The most curious (or tragic) thing is that if forest fires are not a novelty in Galicia, neither are they the problems generated by its ashes and sediments. Why’s that? Because the rains wash away this charred ‘heritage’, creating sludge and a threat to the rivers and springs from which the towns are supplied. I described it graphically a few days ago the mayor of O Barco de Valdeorras, Aurentino Alonso, when talking about the situation of the Sil River: “Pure chocolate is going down.” Last week when spoke with Europa Pressthe core of his town was weathering the situation because it draws on a water source that was not affected by the fire. That doesn’t mean he’s calm. Neither him nor the rest of the neighbors. If at any time that water supply fails, they will have to pump from the Sil, a river that, Alonso recalls, has been affected upstream by the fires. “We would have a huge problem if the recruitment fails.” In other parts of the region the situation is even worse. Last week the councilor of O Barco assured that there are already several centers there that suffer “problems” because they are not connected to the urban network and are supplied directly from the streams. Are there more affected? Yes. In Vilamartín de Valdeorras They report a similar problem. Its mayor, Enrique Barreiro, explains that after the rains of recent weeks there are areas of the municipality that have been left without water for two, three and even four hours. When the supply returns, it also does so in conditions that complicate its domestic use. Basically, the same concern: how the drags affect the supply or even the risk of them causing collapses. “We are afraid of what could happen to the river beds, which will not be prepared to withstand the amount of water that will come down the ravines,” warns the mayor. The situation is also followed with expectation from other points, such as neighboring A Gudiña and other towns that have already made a move. And how do they respond? The first councilor of Chandrexa de Queixa explains, for example, that springs have been corrected and “straw fences” set up so that, in the event that the rains wash away remains of forest fires, they do not reach the springs. It is not so much that there are problems with the water as a matter of caution. “We have to prevent it before it happens, it can happen.” For the same reason, the City Council has decided to store 2,000 two-liter bottles of water and in O Barco de Valdeorras they have offered residents fountains and drawers with taps, in addition to mobilizing vans with jugs. In A Gudiña they also clarify that they are constantly controlling the supply, with “morning and afternoon” analysis to ensure that if at any time the water presents “some turbidity” it can be transferred from the springs to pumping from wells. The effect of the trails of ashes and mud carried by the rains, the “chapapote de monte”, as the Platform for a Galician Mountain with a Future called it, is worrying. a report recent posted by The Country. In it he says, for example, that there are villages that have seen how their water supply has not been drinkable for days. Or that in A Rúa bottles are being distributed and a pavilion has been set up so that affected families can shower. Why has it not been planned? That’s the key. The councilors not only explain what they are doing to address the situation. Some they regret also that the Xunta de Galicia and the Miño-Sil Hydrographic Confederation are doing a small part of “what they should” and they miss greater and better coordination between administrations to deal with issues such as supply or collapses. Both the regional and state governments defend that they have not sat idly by, mobilizing brigades and distributing straw to avoid drag. In the background, however, there is an intersection of competencies. As relates The Countrythe Xunta alleges that the protection of rivers depends on the central government. However, the Miño-Sil Hydrographic Confederation responds that it cannot act in the surrounding mountains. The reason: they would step on a competition that is in the hands of the Xunta. The organization remembers that there are other responsibilities, related to the supply, which depend on local administrations or the Xunta. Is that a problem? It has certainly given rise to a political brawl, as made it clear Yesterday the Galician leader, Alfonso Rueda, accused the organizations that depend on Madrid of being “especially slow” when it comes to “reacting” to “prevent damage.” “We will help and act, but each one has to fulfill their obligations and the Xunta is doing it,” Rueda insists. Meanwhile, environmentalists warn of the risk posed by trawling in areas burned by the fire: … Read more

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