Month: April 2026

turn a missile into an explosive “storm” in full descent

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In the most advanced missile defense systems, each interception can cost millions of dollars and requires seconds of decision perfectly coordinated. It turns out that these systems were designed under a key assumption: that each threat would be identifiable, unique and treatable as a single objective. Iran has found a “hole.” Multiply a missile. In the last weeks of war, Iran has found a gap in the “millionaire” shield of Israel: convert a missile into everything a “rain” of threats in the middle of the descent, in a matter of seconds and just at the moment when the defensive systems have less room to react. The key is not to launch more missiles, but to change their nature at the critical moment, transforming a single interceptable target in dozens of submunitions that fall at high speed over large areas. It is a subtle but decisive change, because it breaks the logic on which anti-missile defenses are designed: detect, track and destroy a single target before impact. The “rain” that overflows the system. The analysts counted in The Guardian that Iranian cluster warheads release between several dozen and up to nearly a hundred submunitions at high altitude, dispersing them over areas that can span dozens of kilometers. At that point, the system stops dealing with a missile and starts dealing with multiple simultaneous threatsFurthermore, each one with a different trajectory and impact point. The result is an instant saturation where what was a controllable problem becomes a chaotic scenario where the defense must decide in seconds. what to intercept and what notknowing that it can’t cover everything. Chart providing an overview of the typical trajectory of a ballistic missile compared to other missiles and hypersonic boosted glide models The structural failure. The success of this tactic lies in exploiting a fundamental limitation: the systems like David’s Sling or even the iron dome They are optimized to intercept before dispersal, not after. If the missile is not destroyed in high phases (especially in the middle phase outside the atmosphere), the window of opportunity closes quickly. Once the submunitions are released, intercepting them individually is, in practice, unfeasible even for the world’s most advanced defensive networks. The invisible cost. Beyond the physical impact, the Iranian strategy introduces a problem economic and logistic. Intercepting a missile is already very costly, and trying to neutralize dozens of submunitions it is much moreto the point that the exchange stops making sense for the defender. Each attack requires interceptors to be expended expensive and limited against much cheaper threats, progressively eroding arsenals. Thus, even when most attacks are intercepted, the simple act of forcing defense already fulfills a strategic objective. Less missiles, more effect. Paradoxically, Iran does not need to launch large salvos to maintain the pressure. The reason: its current doctrine aims to combine moderate volumes with amplified effects, relying on hard-to-locate mobile launchers and a decentralized command structure designed to survive intensive bombing. This allows you to sustain constant attacks, even if they are few, but with the ability to impact specific objectives and keep Israeli defenses active continuously, forcing them to react again and again. A preview of the war to come. As we have been seeing in Ukraine and since the beginning of the war in the Middle East, what is happening with Iran’s missiles It is not just a tactical adaptation, but a preview of how can they evolve high intensity conflicts. Turn a single system into multiple threats, saturate advanced defenses and wear down the adversary without need for numerical superiority redefines the balance between attack and defense. And if this logic is extended (and everything indicates that other actors are watching it closely), current anti-missile systems could face a challenge for which they were not designed: not stopping missiles, but stopping real storms of explosives. Image | Yoav Keren In Xataka | The US is going to end its war in the Middle East with a very uncomfortable reality: Iran had years of advantage underground In Xataka | If the question is “how close are we to an escalation in Iran,” the answer is US A-10s flying there

Take advantage of the new exclusive advantages in the Samsung online store with Xataka Xtra

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Habemus news in the subscription to Xataka Xtra. To the discounts and promotions on NordVPN, Saily, NordPass and Nextory today we add a very juicy new feature from one of the most powerful technology brands in the world: Samsung. And from today all members of the Xataka Xtra community will be able to access exclusive discounts in the Samsung online store. If you were thinking of renewing an appliance, the television, the monitor, the mobile phone or the tablet, by being members of Xtra you will be able to do it at a better price. Exclusive opportunities at Samsung for Xtra members Samsung is a technology brand with almost a hundred years of experience behind it. Its catalogue, as everyone knows, is very varied and, after a significant boost in recent years, is connected. The cell phone, the washing machine, the refrigerator, the television and even the oven, all devices are part of an ecosystem that, under the umbrella of SmartThings, makes day-to-day management (such as knowing How much is left in the washing machine or if you have to buy milk) are much easier. From this moment on, all Xataka Xtra members will find a unique and exclusive code for each user in their member area. By entering that code in the link provided you will access all the discounts, advantages and opportunities in the official Samsung store. It should be noted that this code can be used as many times as you want to access the offers, but can only be redeemed onceso use it well! If you have to renovate the kitchen, you want to update the TV now that the World Cup is approaching or you have been wanting to for some time. try a high-end smartphonenow you have a golden opportunity. Join Xataka Xtra and save The Xataka Xtra subscription It includes access to exclusive benefits in Samsung’s online store and many other things, such as an exclusive Discord server, a direct line with editors through El Consultorio, a monthly meeting with the house’s editors by video call and much more. You can join for the cost of one coffee per month and take advantage of this discount, in addition to all those already available and, small spoiler, those to come:

TSMC and SK Hynix are suffocating Samsung. To defend itself, it is already preparing a brutal weapon: 1 nm chips

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Samsung Electronics has two major competitors in the semiconductor industry: TSMC and SK Hynix. The Taiwanese company TSMC leads the market for manufacturing integrated circuits for third parties with a share close to 70%, according to the consulting firm. TrendForce. Samsung is the second largest chip producer for third parties, although with a market share of 7.2% It is positioned very far from the leader of this industry. And the Chinese company SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp) is hot on his heels in third position with a share of 5.32%. Samsung’s other big business is memory chips. In this market it competes with the American company Micron Technology, but its biggest rival is the also South Korean company SK Hynix. In recent years, Samsung has led the DRAM memory integrated circuit manufacturing market with an approximate 40% share, while SK Hynix defended a very worthy 29%. Behind both was Micron Technology, with 26% approximately. However, during the first quarter of 2025 a very important setback occurred. SK Hynix controls none other than 70% of the market of HBM memory ICs (High Bandwidth Memory), so its leadership in this sector is overwhelming. If we look at the DRAM memory chips the figures are much more even, although SK Hynix also leads. TSMC and SK Hynix. SK Hynix and TSMC. These two competitors are two big headaches for Samsung, but the latter company seems unwilling to throw in the towel. Samsung plans to have its 1nm photolithography ready in 2030 In February 2025 the Taiwan Economic Daily published a report in which he assured that TSMC plans to develop a cutting-edge semiconductor plant that will be expressly designed to produce 1nm chips. It will be housed in the Taiwanese town of Tainan, and will be called ‘Fab 25’. It will work with 12-inch wafers, have six production lines and will begin large-scale manufacturing in 2030. It may seem like there is still a lot of time, but that is not the case. In fact, according to the newspaper Korea Economic DailySamsung is making efforts to step on the heels of TSMC. And, incidentally, surpass SK Hynix. Samsung’s future 1nm production lines will benefit from the refinements that the company is going to introduce to its 2nm nodes And Samsung engineers have already been working on their 1 nm photolithography for many months with the aim of concluding the research and development phase in 2030 to be able to start mass manufacturing in 2031. There is a lot at stakebut the development of this technology is by no means a piece of cake. In fact, this company is currently trying to optimize the performance of its 2nm nodes because its Exynos 2600 processor in smartphones Galaxy S26 and S26+ suffers when we compare its performance and energy efficiency with those of comparable chips manufactured by TSMC in its 3nm nodes. Be that as it may, Samsung’s future 1nm semiconductor production lines will benefit from the refinements that this company is going to introduce in its 2nm nodes. And, above all, they will take advantage of Fork Sheet technology with which its engineers seek to leave behind the limitations of Gate-All-Around technology (GAA). Fork Sheet It will allow them, roughly speaking, to dramatically optimize the space on 1nm chips by adding a non-conductive element between the transistors with one purpose: to eliminate empty spaces and pack a higher density of transistors on the same surface. It sounds really good. We will tell you more as soon as we have detailed information about this innovation. Image | Generated by Xataka with Gemini More information | Korea Economic Daily In Xataka | We already know what the chips that will arrive until 2039 will be like. The machine that will allow them to be manufactured is close

five devices from less than 25 euros to better manage allergies this spring

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Every spring, allergies become the main protagonists of the season. If you suffer from one, surviving at home the effects of pollen and other allergens associated with daily routine can be an odyssey. Although there are some devices that can help you cope better. These are some gadgets that you can have at home and that They will help you with spring allergies. air purifier Levoit Core Mini by 49.99 euros: with HEPA filter and low consumption. Mite vacuum cleaner JIGOO J300 by 129.99 euros: with double tank and ultraviolet light. Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor by 79.99 euros: Compatible with Alexa. Medisana Medinose Pro by 24.95 euros: drug free and timer. Ultrasonic electric anti-mite Euroallergy Terminator by 42.40 euros: with ultrasonic waves. Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor (Latest generation) | Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Levoit Core Mini Air Purifier If you are looking for a purifier with which to constantly renew the air in your home, this one from Levoit is a good investment. Its price is 49.99 euros and stands out for its small size and having three-layer HEPA filter and VortexAir 3.0 technology. It is very quiet and operates at 25 dB, so you can use it at night without your sleep being disturbed. Presents a consumption very loweitheronly 7 W and offers three operating modes. In addition, it has an aromatherapy function, since you can add essential oils to create a totally cozy atmosphere at home. Levoit Core Mini Air Purifier with HEPA Filter for Allergies The price could vary. We earn commission from these links JIGOO J300 Mite Vacuum Cleaner If you are allergic, you will know that the mattress is not just the place where you rest, but it can become an ecosystem of invisible microparticles. Traditional vacuum cleaners usually only move dust, but this JIGOO J300 (which costs 129.99 euros on Amazon) it’s not just suction; is a combination of ultraviolet light, constant heat and smart sensorsbeing perfect for those who suffer from allergies in spring. Unlike the handheld vacuum cleaners cheap, this prevents the filter from becoming saturated quickly, thanks to its double tank designmaintaining 100% suction power throughout the cleaning. This way, the air coming out of the machine is filtered and does not spit allergens back into the room. JIGOO J300 Mite Vacuum Cleaner The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor Although most allergy sufferers act reactively, taking medication when they already feel bad, the approach of this Amazon monitor is proactive. Its price is 79.99 euros and it will be very useful for you measure air quality at home. This Amazon device measures temperature and humidity, although the real value in combating allergies lies in its other three sensors: suspended particles, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds. It is compatible with Alexa and his minimalist design makes it fit in any corner of the house. Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor (Latest generation) | Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Medisana Medinose Pro What differentiates this Medisana device from an inhaler that sprays particles is that this uses intranasal phototherapy. That is, it uses a pair of diodes that are inserted into the nostrils to emit red light (which inhibits histamine) and infrared light (relieves the sensation of a stuffy nose). Its price is 24.95 euros. The treatment with this Medisana device lasts exactly three minutes and a timer automatically turns off the diodes, allowing you to continue with your ruin. It is a treatment drug free and although you have to be clear that it is not a definitive cure, it is a technological assistant. medisana Medinose – Allergy Relief, Nasal Light Therapy for Allergic Rhinitis, Rhinitis and Hay Fever The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Euroallergy Terminator electric ultrasonic anti-mite This is another gadget that you can take into account to better cope with allergies at home this spring. It is about the Euroallergy Terminatorwhich you can get on Amazon for 42.40 euros in these moments. The Euroallergy Terminator, unlike purifiers that filter the air, works by ultrasonic waveswhich are imperceptible to the human ear and pets, but have a critical effect on dust mites. Euroallergy Terminator – Electric Ultrasonic Antimite 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 | Euroallergy, Medisana, Amazon, JIGOO and Levoit In Xataka | Best air purifiers: which one to buy and seven recommended models from less than 100 euros to 900 euros In Xataka | Five easy-to-install ceiling fans that will save you the cost of an air conditioner

The James Webb Telescope has finally discovered Saturn’s best kept secret

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Saturn has become a headache for scientists since the Cassini probe in 2004 took action of its rotation speed that did not coincide with the figures accepted in the scientific community. Little by little, new data has been discovered that helps explain this inconsistency, but it has been necessary for the James Webb Space Telescope to come into play to find the definitive answer. Cassini’s incoherence. In 2004, the Cassini probe took advantage of its visit to Saturn to measure some important dataas its rotation speed. Normally this is calculated by analyzing parameters that occur periodically, such as radio emission pulses. It is a very consolidated method, which has been used to calculate the rotation rate of many planets. With Cassini, it was expected to obtain a figure that would coincide with what the Voyager 2 probe had previously taken in 1981. However, to the surprise of the scientists who studied the data, the numbers didn’t add up. A mysterious push. A planet cannot speed up or slow down without an external force driving it. There should be something driving those changes in rotation speed. Or, at the very least, some unknown factor that was falsifying the results. All this was a mystery until 2021, when a team of scientists from the University of Leicester published a study in which new clues were provided. The auroras enter the scene. For a month, scientists at the University of Leicester measured infrared emissions in Saturn’s upper atmosphere. This allowed them to map a series of variable fluxes of activity in the ionosphere, the layer of the atmosphere in which ionized particles are abundant. That is, atoms that have gained or lost electrons and have acquired a negative or positive charge, respectively. These flows were related to the formation of auroras. However, there was something strange. Unlike on other planets, including Earth, a good part of these auroras were produced by the action of rotating winds within Saturn’s own atmosphere, not only by the influence of the magnetosphere. A reminder about the auroras. The auroras are formed when charged particles interact with the atoms that make up a planet’s atmosphere, exciting them and causing the emission of light. Normally, these charged particles come from solar activity, as happens on Earth, or from volcanic eruptions on nearby moons, as happens on Jupiter. Be that as it may, they are concentrated in a region external to the planets, known as the magnetosphere. In the case of Saturn, the 2021 study showed that auroras were also forming within the planet’s own atmosphere. On Earth, auroras are formed by solar activity A puzzle still incomplete. The interaction of molecules and atoms in the atmosphere with charged particles does not only cause the emission of light. It also causes the emission of radiation in other regions of the spectrum. For example, radio pulses. Let us remember that these pulses are the ones that were used to measure the rotation of Saturn. The auroras could be falsifying them. These auroras, as we have seen so far, are produced by the action of rotating winds in Saturn’s own atmosphere. But where do those winds come from? The rock star arrives. The James Webb Space Telescope is the rock star of space telescopes. A state-of-the-art instrument, capable of reaching where other telescopes could not. Therefore, thanks to him, the necessary measurements could be taken to find the origin of Saturn’s winds. Specifically, it has captured the glow caused in the infrared by a molecule in Saturn’s upper atmosphere, called trihydrogen cation. This is very useful, because it acts as a kind of thermometer. It is very susceptible to environmental conditions, so its ionization state helps to know the surrounding temperature. By carefully analyzing its state in different regions of Saturn’s northern hemisphere, it has been possible to make a map of both temperatures and particle density. The missing piece. The temperature and particle density patterns match those predicted in a series of computer models 10 years ago. In these models, these patterns originated when the auroras themselves acted as a heat source. The endless cycle. What happens is this: the auroras, with all their display of light and radiation, heat the atmosphere at a specific point. This heating causes the movement of particles between points at different temperatures, generating a wind charged with electricity. This wind, in turn, propels electrically charged particles, which cause more auroras to form. It’s a vicious circle or, as the authors of the study explaina planetary heat pump. A perfect system that feeds itself. And, of course, the mysterious external factor that upset scientists trying to measure Saturn’s rotation. Image | NASA | Bruce Waters (Wikimedia Commons) | Vincent Guth (Unsplash) In Xataka | James Webb has been detecting red dots in the universe for years: the only problem is that we don’t know what they are

There is a way to open the dishwasher incorrectly. This is bad news for your kitchen furniture.

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Practically half of Spanish homes have a dishwasher. And some of the most reputable manufacturers have had to come to the fore to explain why. it’s not a good idea Open the door as soon as the washing cycle ends. Don’t be craving. Opening the dishwasher as soon as the wash cycle is finished is not the best idea, according to the manufacturers themselves. Some, like Boschrecommend waiting for it to cool a little before opening the door so that less steam comes out of the opening. Others, such as Siemens, make exactly the same recommendation: let the appliance cool down slightly after the program ends before opening the door. Because. Opening the dishwasher at the end of the cycle is not particularly dangerous, but it can cause problems in your kitchen in the long term. Manufacturers point out that excess steam when opening the door when it is still quite hot can end up damaging kitchen furniture. Similarly, dishwashers use their own residual heat to help the correct drying process. All this without taking into account the most obvious detail: if we open the appliance when it is full of high-temperature steam, we run a greater risk of suffering a slight burn. How the dishwasher works. To understand why the dishwasher generates so much steam at the end of the cycle, it is worth doing a brief review of how it works. Basically, it is a closed circuit that allows hot water to be pumped into rotating arms. When you choose the program, the door closes. Water enters its base and the dishwasher heats it. When the water is hot, the pump pushes it under pressure into your arms. The water hits the dishes and drags away the dirt. The detergent is released and begins to break down grease and food debris. The residual heat dries the dishes little by little. The heat problem. Aware that opening the dishwasher as soon as it is finished is common practice in homes, manufacturers have been devising solutions for years to prevent excess steam. Some appliances of this type have an automatic opening system. The door opens just a few centimeters to let the steam out little by little, so that when we finish opening it manually we avoid that initial blow. Other systems, even more advanced, they use zeolites. Zeolites are microporous aluminosilicates (of mineral or synthetic origin) that have a crystalline structure with a huge internal surface area. When they absorb water molecules the process is exothermic, that is, they release heat. This allows part of the steam to be collected and used as waste heat for drying. Increasingly advanced solutions to address a problem as simple as it is common. In Xataka | A user bought a next-generation connected dishwasher. That’s where his nightmare began

“Nothing in life is to be feared, only understood”

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If I knew anything Maria Salomea Skłodowska (Marie Curie), even more than Physics or Chemistry, two disciplines in which she won two Nobel Prizes, is one of uncertainty. And how to face it. Curie was not only a pioneer in the field of radioactivity (at that time full of unknowns) and discoverer, together with her husband, Pierre, of the chemical elements polonium and radium. He also had to live a world war and make their way in a territory dominated by men, something that makes clear the very famous photo of the fifth Solvay Congress, in 1927, in which she poses as the only woman among almost thirty men. That is why almost a century later his reflections on how to confront fear, uncertainty and their multiple causes are a crucial part of his legacy. Curie’s example. We were talking about it not long ago: the history of philosophy is full of round phrases of uncertain origin. There are plenty of them, even reflections attributed to two authors at the same time, such as it’s about procrastination that some sources put in mouth by Leonardo Da Vinci and others of the 18th century French moralist Joseph Joubert. The Marie Curie phrase that concerns us today and with which we head this post is also of confusing origin. Some historians have traced its origins until 1952 and the truth is that since the 60s it has been replicated in countless essays, books and articles, which makes it one of the most popular phrases attributed to Curie. Does it make sense? A lot. Basically because, unlike what happens with other famous proverbs of uncertain origin that clash diametrically with the thoughts of the authors to whom it is attributed, this one in question summarizes Curie’s life. What does the phrase say? The sentence It’s simple. Rotunda. With an almost magnetic force. And above all it is loaded with meanings. “Nothing in life should be feared, only understood. When you understand, fear disappears.” In those two sentences Marie Curie addresses several questions that philosophy has been asking for centuries, issues that date back long before the time of the Polish scientist and still continue to obsess us today: What exactly is fear? What produces it? Is it good or bad? How should we act before him? What is the best way to approach it to avoid it paralyzing or limiting us? From the outset, what Marie Curie tells us is that we should not deny fear. On the contrary. That something makes us afraid, especially if it is new to us, is totally understandable. The key is how we react to that sensation. Our attitude, the Polish scientist encourages usit must be rational, not visceral. If we really want to face fear and escape its radius of action, we will have to stop and try to understand what scares us. More than words. That this phrase has been captivating us for more than half a century has nothing mysterious. To a large extent it is explained by two factors: what it says and above all who says it. Regarding the first, time has proven Marie Curie right. Today psychologists recognize that fear is not a negative emotion in itself, it is part of our most basic toolbox to survive. In fact it is a natural reaction to the unknown. If something is disconcerting to us, it is not strange that it frightens us. It’s that simple. The problem is that this feeling ends up being disabling or leads to rejection. If that happens we run the risk of closing doors. As they explain our colleagues Trendsmany times we find it difficult to move forward or we feel limited not because we encounter an objectively high risk, but simply because we do not take the time to understand it. That’s when Curie’s voice resonates: “When you understand, fear disappears.” Setting an example. The other reason why the phrase has been fascinating us for decades is because in a way it summarizes the vital and intellectual position of the scientist. If there was one thing Curie explored throughout her life, it was the new, and if there was one thing she had to manage, it was uncertainty (and probably the fears that accompanied it). First because he had to deal with a turbulent historical moment. Marie was born in a Poland controlled by the Russian Empire, experienced hardships in Paris during her early years of training and, as an adult, faced a world war, the premature death of her husband and the misunderstanding from his colleagues. If the above were not enough, Curie strove to expand the horizons of science, facing precisely the new: together with her husband she discovered two chemical elements, radium and polonium, and was a pioneer of radioactivity, which she soon actively took advantage of to help wounded soldiers. All this in an academic sphere basically dominated by men. Current in the 21st century. Curie’s words also have a scope that goes from the individual to the collective. His advice on how to approach fears and the value of understanding to scare them away serves as a personal guide, but also makes for interesting reading in a world increasingly polarized. “When you understand, fear disappears,” insists Marie Curie. That of course has its toll: understanding requires effort, leaving the comfort zone, giving up the most visceral responses and exercising reason. Images | Wikipedia In Xataka | What did the philosopher Marcus Aurelius mean when he wrote: “Receive without pride, let go without regrets” Via | Trends

resurrect the energy tax

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The war escalation produced by the Third Gulf War has caused a crisis in the price of energy that inevitably evokes the ghosts of what was experienced after the Russian invasion of Ukraine four years ago. Faced with this scenario, five heavyweights of the European Union have decided to step forward to prevent history from hitting them again. In short. On April 3, the economy ministers of Spain, Germany, Italy, Austria and Portugal sent a formal letter to the European Commissioner for Climate Action, Wopke Hoekstra. The request, advanced on social networks by the Spanish vice president Carlos Body, is direct: they demand exploring “an instrument of temporary solidarity so that energy companies contribute with the extraordinary profits obtained during the war.” A double reading. The movement of this block of five countries is understood from two positions: economic and political. On the one hand, they seek to protect the citizen’s pocket and public coffers. to alleviate the cost of the crisis and curb inflation falls on business margins and not exclusively on “consumers (…) without overloading public budgets,” as the original letter states. On the other hand, from a political focus, the letter seek to send a message of unity. The measure would demonstrate to citizens that Europe is “united” and capable of “acting.” Furthermore, he sends a serious warning to the market: “those who benefit from the consequences of war must do their bit to alleviate the burden that falls on the population.” The mirror of 2022. To speed up procedures and avoid legal labyrinths, the five ministers propose using a formula that has already proven effective. The proposal is based in resurrecting Regulation (EU) 2022/1854the same emergency tool that was activated in the Ukrainian crisis. The signatories maintain that this precedent provides the tax with the “solid legal basis” that is necessary to act immediately before the current market volatility. However, as might be expected, it will not be an exact copy. There is a technical nuance to take into account: Spain and its allies have asked the Commission to study “if and how” the profits that these oil multinationals obtain abroad can also be taxed. This would allow for more targeted and effective taxation on surpluses generated globally. Despite the intentions, the fine print still needs to be outlined. The text sent to Brussels is still a declaration of intentions that “does not offer details on what percentage should be applied to extraordinary profits or on which companies said tax would fall.” While Europe decides, Spain assumes the bill. In parallel to this European debate, the Spanish Executive has already deployed a shock package that reduces VAT on fuel from 21% to 10% and reduces the special tax on hydrocarbons. The results are tangible: the price of gasoline has dropped to 1,557 euros per liter and the March CPI has been cushioned to 3.3%. However, the bill for this “relief” at the pumps costs the State coffers 5,000 million euros. Precisely, the budgetary pressure that the new European tax seeks to alleviate. The ball, on Brus’ roofandthe. The letter is already on the table of the European Commission. The main demand of those responsible for the economy of Spain, Germany, Italy, Austria and Portugal is that this measure be addressed “as quickly as possible.” Now the diplomatic and technical countdown begins. The barrel of crude oil maintains its upward trend due to instability in global supply routes, which is why technical services in Brussels are expected to evaluate the legal basis of this possible instrument in the coming weeks. Europe faces the challenge of demonstrating whether its fiscal reflexes remain as sharp as in 2022. Image | Unsplash Xataka | The tyranny of 24/7: how the insatiable hunger of algorithms suffocated the power grids of the 20th century

the fatty liver epidemic that escapes routine analysis and that science seeks to stop

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For decades we have relied on annual tests to know if our liver was healthy, since there are several values ​​that tell us if there is any damage that we are not ‘feeling’. The problem is that science advances, and the last major liver study has put on the table that the liver can become ill without symptoms for years, and the main culprit is not alcohol consumption or hepatitis viruses, but a major metabolic disorder. A silent epidemic. Right now, fatty liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction, known as MASLDhas become one of the main threats to public health globally. And it is no wonder, since its danger lies in its invisibility, since the initial phase and progression towards liver fibrosis can be completely asymptomatic. Although it may seem silly, fibrosis must be taken seriously. In this case, fibrosis occurs when the liver suffers injuries that it cannot repair properly and, instead of generating new tissue, it ends up with different scars that alter its functioning. But it is not that the liver functions at a lower percentage than normal, but rather that this fibrosis can progress to cirrhosis or liver cancer associated with high mortality. The data. Science suggests that we are not facing an isolated problem that should be ignored, since a macro study published this year in Lacent With a total of 7,764 studied, it indicates that the prevalence of this disease is 38.9%. Something that, adjusted to the world population, leaves us with a fibrosis rate of 2.4% globally. In the context of Spain and Europe, the figures are no less alarming. During the recent congress of the Spanish Association for the Study of the Liver (AEEH) in 2026, was alerted that the prevalence of significant fibrosis in our country is around 3.6%. The most worrying thing is that these are people who live their normal lives, without pain or apparent symptoms, while the liver suffers from these scars. A lethal cocktail. Although you may think that alcohol is the only enemy of the liver, the reality is that the lifestyle we have influences it much more than we thought. In this case, type 2 obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia are the main risk factors for this disease. The problem is that alcohol consumption in people who have obesity or diabetes causes the damage not only to add up, but multiplymaking the progression towards fibrosis, cirrhosis or even liver cancer more rapid. Medical checkups. Traditionally, liver health has been assessed by transaminase levels in a simple blood test. But the scientific literature suggests that normal blood tests should not make us breathe easy, since the vast majority of cases of fibrosis are not seen in a routine analysis. This means that a patient with severe fibrosis has perfect transaminases in some cases. What can be done. With all this data, changes must be made in the strategy and some voices point to the need to implement population screening programs directly in primary care centers. To this end, it is proposed to monitor those patients with more risk factors using two very simple tools: The index IBF-4: a simple mathematical formula that uses the patient’s age and three basic parameters from a blood test to identify the risk of fibrosis. Perform an elastography: Ultrasound techniques are here to stay because of how easy they are to do and also because they are accessible, since you can have an ultrasound machine almost in your pocket. All this means that the strategy of an ultrasound per consultation can be a very appropriate strategy. What is clear is that you cannot sit around waiting for the liver to hurt or fail, which is why, given this increase in cases, early diagnostic tools must be implemented to be able to better control a disease that can have devastating consequences. Images |julos stefamerpik In Xataka | Fatty liver advances silently, but science has found unexpected allies: coffee and green tea

OpenAI is the most successful company on the planet. Also the one that plans to lose 85,000 million dollars in a single year

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Something special is going to happen in 2026: both OpenAI and Anthropic are going public. This will finally mean that individual investors can invest in them and bet on their future with their money. It will be the definitive exam for the credibility of companies that have grown exceptionally in recent years but also They have burned the money as if there were no tomorrow. But be careful, because there is a compelling reality here: they are going to continue burning it in an even more astonishing way. The two sides of the IPO. The Wall Street Journal has had access to the financial documents submitted to investors before the IPOs proposed by both OpenAI and Anthropic. They reveal extraordinarily striking data that have two sides. Amazement and concern with OpenAI. For example, OpenAI has indicated that it will almost double its revenue this year. According to their forecasts, they could become profitable in 2026 if one excludes the cost of training their models (which are stratospheric, of course). But there is the other reality: OpenAI expects to spend $121 billion on computing power in 2028, so even doubling revenue it will lose, attention, $85 billion. No company has ever lost this amount of money and survived, but OpenAI not only promises that it will survive, but that those losses will end up being almost anecdotal. I tell you the truth, but only part of it. Both companies wanted to show two different versions of reality when talking about how they present their profitability. In one, the very expensive model training processes are included, and in others in which these costs are excluded under a heading called “computing for research.” Excluding those costs, OpenAI is on track to achieve a small pre-tax operating profit this year. Anthropic also promises to achieve this if its most optimistic scenario comes true. Excluding the cost of training models, both OpenAI and Anthropic could be “profitable” this year. Source: WSJ. Until 2030, no real profitability. If the costs and investment in model training are included, OpenAI indicates that it will end up being profitable in 2030, a fact that They had already planned a long time ago and that could not hide a forceful reality: the company has not only not stopped spending money until now: it is going to continue spending it, but to an even greater extent with projects like Stargate to the head. Saying that in 2026 they will be profitable if we do not consider training costs is like an airline telling us that it is profitable excluding the cost of fuel. Anthropic, by the way, expects to be fully profitable in 2028. Revenues growing fast, costs even faster. In addition to those training processes, both OpenAI and Anthropic are spending billions of dollars every year in inferencea section that is beginning to be even more important at an operational and strategic level. Currently, these inference costs represent half of each company’s revenue, although inference technology is expected to becomes cheaper and therefore the costs too. Here, however, there are two big differences between both companies: OpenAI: most ChatGPT users do not pay to use the service, so OpenAI assumes these inference costs without making them profitable. According to OpenAI, this facilitates adoption and will allow users to become subscribers in the future, something that is not happening too much at the moment. Anthropic: This startup has managed to win over many companies that pay to use their models, and it is evident that the company is absolutely focused on making you pay to use their models if you want to use them. And if not, Tell OpenClaw. Betting on the future. The companies and venture capital funds that have invested billions in OpenAI or Anthropic have made a bet on the future. They have blind faith that these companies will end up taking over the world, so the fact that today they are still not profitable does not scare them… or not enough to withdraw from this expensive race. Both have experienced spectacular growth that serves as an argument for investors. In addition, the growing interest of companies in integrating AI solutions by paying for them has boosted Anthropic and even caused OpenAI to reorganize and change its strategy. Less fireworks and hypemore focus in what makes money. The IPO as a trick to survive. Both companies are going to continue burning money like there was no tomorrow in the coming years, but now they hope that investors will be the ones to sustain their businesses. The amount of money they will need has made even the Nasdaq make things easier: It will allow newly listed companies to join its renowned index more quickly, giving them access to larger capital reserves. Now it will be the public market and to a large extent the individual investor who will decide whether they want to bet on that future or not. A small survey. Would you invest in OpenAI or Anthropic if it went public? It is evident that both companies generate different impressions, and although their strategies and ways of doing things are different, it is clear that this public sale offer is going to be very striking when it occurs. So, it is a good time to find out a little about what you, the xatakeros, think about this financial movement of these companies. Image | TechCrunch | Wikimedia Commons In Xataka | NVIDIA has so much money that it is becoming something different: the largest startup incubator in the world

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