Month: April 2026

It is the key day if you do not want a tree to ruin the August eclipse

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Can you imagine preparing everything to see the solar eclipse this August 12 and that right at the moment of truth there is a tree that blocks your views? This is more common than it seems, but don’t worry: it can be prevented with a simple drill. This April 30 is the ideal time to do it. a symmetrical orbit. Due to the symmetrical orbit of our planet, the Sun describes exactly the same arc in the sky on two dates of the year with the same separation from the solstice. You could say that they are twin dates when it comes to the location of the Sun in the sky. The date symmetrical to August 12 is April 30. That’s why, from the official website of the Trio of Eclipses They recommend that this Thursday we go to the place we have chosen to see the eclipse and check that we have good visibility of the Sun. We must do it at 8:30 p.m., as that will be when the occultation occurs in August. This way, we will avoid disappointment when push comes to shove. If the place is bad. If at 8:30 p.m. there is an obstacle that makes it difficult for us to see the Sun, we have time to change the location. Just walk around the area and look for that place where you can see the Sun directly, with nothing in the way to prevent it. If you can’t that day: In case you cannot go to the chosen place on April 30, don’t worry. Two days before and after also good results are obtained. Always at the same time, of course. The bad thing is having to travel. Unfortunately, the eclipse will not be seen equally throughout Spain. It will only be observed in its entirety in a strip that goes from the north of Galicia to almost all of the Balearic Islands, passing through Asturias, Cantabria, La Rioja, the north of Castilla y León and the Valencian Community, La Rioja, and a part of the Basque Country, Navarra, Madrid, Aragon, Catalonia and Castilla la Mancha. In the rest of the country it will be a partial eclipse. For this reason, many people will travel far from their homes on August 12, in search of a luckier environment. Some music and art festivals have even been organized around this astronomical phenomenon.. In case you have decided to travel far, it will not be so easy to do a drill. There you will only have to trust that the locals have done it and can give you a hand when the time comes. More eclipses. The one on August 12 will be the first of what is known as Iberian Trio of Eclipses. And in mainland Spain we will enjoy three consecutive years with a solar eclipse. The dates will be August 12, 2026, August 2, 2027 and January 26, 2028. Those in 2026 and 2027 will be total. That of 2028, cancel. Since they will be seen in different parts of the country, almost all of us will have a more or less close point to which we can travel to see it. And, of course, there will always be a symmetrical date on which to carry out the drill. For now, let’s go step by step and start with the rehearsals on April 30. Even the first Spanish woman astronaut, Sara García Alonso, has echoed these advice. If you have the opportunity, be sure to take the test. You will avoid having to run on August 12. Image | POT In Xataka | The trio of eclipses that await Spain on the horizon: an unprecedented and historic chain between 2026 and 2028

We paid for the most expensive tomato in the last decade and farmers claim that they can’t pay the bills. They are right

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“I’d rather throw away the harvest than pay us 80 cents per kilo of tomatoes.” Almost a year ago, Riojan farmer Clara Sarramián gave an interview to Jaime Gumiel that still kicking. Above all, because it explains in a simple and accessible way the last five years of tractor units. And yet, no matter how much it is repeated, Sarramián’s speech and that of other farmers never ceases to surprise: “they wanted to pay me half as much as the previous year. I preferred to throw it away. If we all go through the hoop, we are going against ourselves,” he says. We have heard it many times, yes; but does it make sense? Are they right in their complaint? That is the first thing to clarify and the truth is that if we look at the data, it is difficult to say no. The origin-destination commercial margin of tomato reached in 2025 81.1% (second highest in a decade)according to data from the Observatory of the Junta de Andalucía. In fact, without leaving aside the case of the tomato, a 2020 study by the Institut Cerdà on the value chain pointed out that the total cost of tomatoes is €0.61/kg (labor 0.258; seeds 0.081; structure 0.078; fertilizers 0.059; others) compared to the €0.57/kg paid to the producer. And this is data from 2017: the situation has only worsened since the war in Ukraine. It doesn’t seem like the best business in the world. In fact, it seems like a pretty bad one. Above all, because although we have been developing regulations for years that allow us to limit the impact of these problems, they all end up in a dead letter. Furthermore, the external pressure (especially from Morocco for the tomato issue) is enormous. And many of the main market players play “double agents” because they are conglomerates with investments on both sides of the Strait. Why should we care? I imagine that the simplest data to understand how this impacts the consumer is this: we are paying for fresh tomatoes. the highest price in the last decade and, at the same time, the farmer who grows it in Spain affirms that it does not pay him to harvest it. And, anyway, as we have just seen, he is right. And, under these circumstances, why would they want to throw away the harvest? That is to say, it is worth paying below cost; But something will always be better than nothing, right? And that idea makes sense, but it ignores some important things. To begin with, that between 25 and 30% of agricultural costs They occur in collection, packaging, transportation and wholesale sales (with possible associated losses). If they are not collected, the farmer loses what he has already invested, yes. But it does not incur more costs that it cannot recover. Furthermore, as we have seen in situations like lemon either the bananaletting part of the harvest be lost prevents prices from collapsing. It is not an easy strategy to implement (because there are always people with incentives to sell as the price rises), but it is a rational strategy. Tick ​​tock Tick ​​tock All this happens in a very specific context: in June it begins the negotiation of the post-2027 CAP and that is what makes the key question not “why does Clara Sarramián throw away her tomatoes?” but “how do we ensure that one of the central industries of the Spanish economy (the only one that supports the emptied Spain) does not die in a matter of a few years?” Image | Rachel Clark In Xataka | We have a problem with pesticides in agriculture. And a bigger one with the panic they generate

2026 marks the end of growth for years

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A year ago, ask for a pay rise It had a certain linear logic: more experience, seniority and a higher job category were equivalent to having access to a higher salary range. The salary comparison guide for the technology sector that Manfred published in 2025 With five large technology companies, it offered a fairly predictable structure, where junior, mid and senior employees followed an upward and uniform trend between companies. Moving up a category guaranteed, almost automatically, that the payroll also improved. However, the 2026 update From that same study it comes with data from more companies, greater detail in the data and a very different reading of the technological labor market today: salary bands are expanding, categories are multiplying and the gap between what one company or another pays for the same profile is widening. This year, the size and type of the company you work for matters more than the category and seniority of the employee. Cycle change: from rises to stagnation. One of the most striking changes that emerge from the data provided in the 2026 study Manfred’s view is that some of the participating companies practically copy the previous year’s salary structure. Cabify maintains its salary ranges in line with those of the previous comparison, with levels ranging from 27,000 euros at entry level L1 for the most junior, to 138,000 euros at L6 for senior employees with positions of responsibility. For its part, the corporate health platform Alan has also offered data to February 2026 date. Its thirteen-level salary structure allows it to achieve small progressive rises in place of large salary jumps with an entry base that has changed little in the last year, but in which it is easier to advance since they are smaller sections. For example, a level A0 (internship) starts with a salary of between 35,000 and 41,000 euros and a Junior (C0) receives a base salary of between 65,000 and 76,000 euros plus company shares. A senior employee (D) is in a range of between 79,000 and 91,000 euros plus a supplement in shares. The highest levels such as Principal (I) remain between 160,000 and 203,000 euros. In this sense, the health company continues to pay well above the Spanish market average, and that position has not changed one bit compared to 2025. AI moves the market…and salaries. Although Cabify and Alan remain the same, Factorial goes in the opposite direction and makes the most relevant change in the entire comparison. In 2026, the company has renamed all of its engineering roles by adding “AI” to the job title: Junior AI Engineer, AI Engineer, Senior AI Engineer. It is the first Spanish company to make this move and it is not just a change for posture, it will also be associated with a salary increase in those stripes. For example, a Staff AI Engineer now charges between 82,300 and 106,950 euros in total gross compensation, compared to between 86,000 and 98,000 euros the previous year. For the Distinguished AI Engineer category it rises from 180,000 to 198,000 euros, now equal to the VP of Engineering. This cape represents a declaration of intentions from Factorial, in which grow as a specialist In AI you have the same salary ceiling as managing teams. More companies, more context. The main difference between the 2025 study and that of 2026 is that in the previous edition five technology companies were analyzed, but in 2026 their number doubles, incorporating Buffer, Revolut, Datadog, Amazon, New Relic and JOIN to the database. This incorporation radically changes how the technological labor market is read, because the salary differences between the extremes are now much larger than in 2025. That is, salaries do not change, but rather the analysis data is expanded, making it closer to reality. JOIN, the recruitment platform, has shared its salary ranges with Manfred. So it becomes a new useful reference for the current market. A Senior Engineer on this platform earns between 67,000 and 85,000 euros in base salary. At the other extreme, Datadog places its Senior SWE with an average of 135,000 euros in annual compensation, and Buffer makes public salaries starting at the L3 level with an entry floor for Spain of 129,000 euros. The company weighs more than the experience. In 2025, moving up from junior to senior almost automatically implied a relevant salary jump, and that logic was consistent between companies. The 2026 study dilutes that pattern. A mid profile can range from 39,000 euros in the lower part of Factorial to more than 80,000 euros in Glovo (its L3 charges 82,800 euros). For senior profiles the dispersion is even greater: from 60,000 euros in the low band of Cabify to 135,000 euros on average in Datadog, with salaries at two speeds that AI only amplifies. The practical result is that career progression no longer guarantees the same salary jump that it guaranteed in 2025. As indicated in the report 11th Adecco Salary Monitorchanging companies (to a multinational) has more impact than moving up within it. For a Senior profile, the difference between work in a Spanish company and in a multinational with a presence in Spain it can exceed 50,000 euros annually. More salary transparency imposed by Europe. Behind the new data of this comparison there is an important change that has not gone unnoticed by Manfred experts: the European Salary Transparency Directive (2023/970)which forces companies in Spain to offer salary transparency publishing the salary ranges of their profiles to avoid discrimination, putting end to salary secrecy. Meanwhile, the Spanish tech ecosystem continues to operate with little salary transparency. According to the report Labor Market Guide 2026 prepared by Hays, the IT sector will see salary increases of 6% in 2026 in Spain, but this average hides the same story as Manfred’s study: the increases are not uniform, and this salary increase will be more noticeable depending on the type of company and the relationship of the position with the development of AI. In Xataka | Working … Read more

China’s largest solar park is doing much more than generating energy: it’s greening a desert

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more than a year ago we had in Xataka how a huge solar park in the Chinese province of Qinghai, in the heart of the Tibetan plateau, served as an ecological experiment: under the panels, the shade retained moisture and made vegetation sprout in the middle of the desert. Now, that same place – the Talatan Solar Park – has become something much bigger. It is the largest clean energy facility on the planet, a “blue sea” of silicon that already covers more than 600 square kilometers at three thousand meters above sea level. Where before there was nothing, China is lifting an energy ecosystem without comparison in the rest of the world. The scale has multiplied. Where last year there was talk of a 1 gigawatt solar park, today a complex extends that reaches 15,600 and 16,900 megawatts and continues to expand. Its area – between 420 and 610 square kilometers – is seven times that of Manhattan. Furthermore, it is not alone since 4,700 megawatts of wind energy and 7,380 megawatts of hydroelectric dams are deployed around it, completing an unprecedented hybrid system. The result: enough renewable energy to supply almost all of the plateau’s needs, including the data centers that power China’s artificial intelligence. According to CleanTechnicaevery three weeks China installs as many solar panels as the entire capacity of the Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric project in its history. A global clean energy laboratory. The Tibetan plateau, with its pure, cold air, has become the most ambitious energy laboratory in the world. There, China is experimenting with an electricity production model based exclusively on renewables. Electricity generated in Qinghai—40% cheaper than coal, according to the NYT— powers high-speed trains, factories, electric cars and data centers. In fact, the region is home to new computing centers dedicated to artificial intelligence, which consume less energy thanks to the altitude and low temperatures. “Hot air from servers is used to heat other buildings, replacing coal-fired boilers,” explained Zhang Jingang, vice provincial governor. In the words of Professor Ningrong Liu, in his column for the South China Morning Post: “China is not only leading the transition to green energy; it is building the 21st century energy scaffolding that sustains its industrial leadership in electric vehicles, batteries and solar technology.” Three sources that beat in unison. The magnitude of the project is only possible thanks to centralized planning that combines three main sources: solar, wind and hydroelectric energy. During the day, Talatan panels capture more intense solar radiation than at sea level; At night, thousands of wind turbines collect the cold breezes that sweep across the plains. When both systems fluctuate, hydroelectric dams balance the grid. Also, from the New York Times They described a system reversible pumping: excess solar energy during the day is used to raise water to reservoirs located in nearby mountains, which release that water at night to generate electricity. And under the panels, life returns. The shade of the plates reduces evaporation and soil erosion. According to China Dailythis year the vegetation has recovered up to 80% and 173 villages have benefited from the associated livestock farming. A local shepherd, Zhao Guofu, said: “My flock has grown to 800 sheep and my income has doubled since I grazed between the panels.” The perfect geography for the sun. No other country has taken solar generation to similar altitudes. The altitude plays in favor of physics, at 3,000 meters the air contains fewer particles that block light and the low temperatures reduce the thermal loss of the panels. This efficiency is multiplied in Qinghai, one of the few areas of the Tibetan plateau with large plains, where it is possible to build without the limits of the mountainous relief. The Talatan Desert, once an arid and worthless land, has become an energetic jewel. local authorities offer symbolic leases and have developed roads and high-voltage lines connecting the plateau with the industrial centers to the east. That energy travels more than 1,600 kilometers to factories and cities. According to CleanTechnicaChina already operates 41 ultra-high voltage transmission lines, some longer than 2,000 miles and up to 1.1 million volts. The global scale: no one comes close. Other countries have tried to generate clean energy at altitude, but with modest results. Switzerland, for example, inaugurated a small solar park in the Alps, at 1,800 meters, with barely 0.5 MW. For its part, in the Chilean Atacama Desert, a 480 MW project operates at 1,200 meters. By way of comparison, the Talatan complex multiplies the capacity of the Bhadla Solar Park in India, and for more than seven that of the Al Dhafra Solar Park in the United Arab Emirates, which until recently held records. The superpower of clean energy. China produces and consumes more renewable energy than any other country on the planet. In 2024, was responsible of 61% of new solar installations and 70% of global wind power. That same year, it achieved the capacity targets it had set for 2030. In the first six months of 2025added 212 GW solar and 51 GW wind, and the country’s carbon emissions fell for the first time. In this context, Talatan Park is both a symbol and an infrastructure. China is exporting its renewable technology around the world, from Asia to Africa, following the logic of Belt and Road Initiative. For the academic Ningrong Liu: “China wants to stop being the world’s factory to become the engine of the world’s factory.” It is not just about manufacturing panels, but about selling the complete model: engineering, financing and know-how to build green networks in other countries. The less visible side of the miracle. It’s not all clean energy and pastoral harmony. In its report, The New York Times recalled that access to Tibet remains strictly controlled by the Communist Party, and that Western media were only allowed to visit Qinghai on a government-organized tour. There are also human and environmental costs. CleanTechnica documents how the giant power lines that transport energy … Read more

Airlines have found in the fuel crisis the best argument to cut your benefits as a passenger

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If you are thinking of traveling by plane in the coming months, you should be alert, since your flight is susceptible to cancellations. It’s not that we want to ruin your plans, far from it, but the truth is that the kerosene shortage generated by the conflict in the middle east has given European airlines a political lever that they are not hesitating to use. Crisis. He blockade of the Strait of Hormuzthrough which a substantial part of the world’s oil and kerosene supply transits, has sent aviation fuel prices soaring. On April 16, the International Energy Agency warned that Europe could have reserves for just six weeks. Just like share Financial Times, airlines such as EasyJet, which has announced larger than expected losses; Lufthansa, which has already canceled more than 20,000 flights; or Virgin Atlantic, which has acknowledged to the media that it will be difficult for them to close the year positively, are examples of what monster we are facing. What they are asking for the airlines. The sector has activated an offensive against Brussels and London. And according to they point From the FT, sector associations are pushing to delay or eliminate a long list of measures that they have been fighting for years: from the rule that would allow passengers to carry a second piece of hand luggage for free to changes in the compensation policy for canceled flights and modifications in airport slots (the time slots that airlines adhere to when operating flights). ANDl hand luggage. The European Parliament is studying whether passengers should have the right to take on board, at no additional cost, a second larger piece of luggage in addition to the usual handbag. For airlines like Iberia or British Airways this does not represent any change, because they already allow it. But for low-cost companies, which have built their business model precisely on charging for that additional luggage, it is something that directly affects their profitability. Disadvantage. Just like share FT, the airlines’ position is that these regulations already put them at a disadvantage compared to competitors from other regions of the world, and that a crisis like the current one aggravates that imbalance. “I have not started a war in Iran. Why do I have to accept its consequences?” counted Wizz Air CEO József Váradi, in the middle. Their argument is that governments should exempt airlines from paying compensation when a fuel supply problem prevents them from operating. What they have already achieved. Some requests have already begun to find answers. The UK Government has announced which will allow airlines to request an exemption from the ‘use it or lose it’ rule (which forces them to use airport slots or lose them) if fuel shortages prevent them from flying. In Brussels, the Commissioner for Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, has promised “temporary changes in legislation” if the situation worsens, and included in that list slot rules, anti-tank rules (which prevent airlines from filling tanks with cheaper fuel before entering the region) and passenger rights. However, Tzitzikostas also noted that he has no intention of telling people to travel less: “There is no need to intervene in how people live, work or travel.” The “temporary” trap. The key word in all European concessions is ‘temporary’. Regulators are aware that these measures, once in place, are difficult to reverse, and the sector knows it. The precedent of slots during the pandemic (when the rule was suspended and it took years for airlines to return to normal in terms of regulation) still resonates in the offices of Brussels. Cover image | Suhyeon Choi In Xataka | Commercial aviation is based on very old aircraft. The Iran war is going to make it even worse

Unintentionally, the war in Iran has dynamited the great oil cartel

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The energy earthquake that caused the Third Gulf War has just claimed an unexpected victim: the unity of the oil cartel. As of May 1, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will no longer be part of OPEC and its OPEC+ alliance. As reported by the state news agency WAMin Abu Dhabi consider that it is time to prioritize their “national interest.” After spending almost six decades making “great sacrifices”, the Emirati Government considers that stage over and prefers to fly alone, guided by its own “strategic and economic vision” far from the limits of the group. The context could not be more volatile. The Strait of Hormuz—through which a fifth of the world’s crude oil normally transits— is submerged in operational chaos due to Iranian threats and attacks, in addition to the US blockade of Iranian ports. As explained Reutersin this scenario of suffocation, the Emirates has decided that its energy future needs to maneuver without the ties of Vienna. The beginning of the end of quotas. The impact of this exit is tectonic for the oil market. As analyst Saul Kavonic warns in the BBCthis breakup could be “the beginning of the end for OPEC.” With the departure of Emirates, the cartel loses approximately 15% of its total capacity and one of its most rigorous members, leaving the organization weakened and with only 11 core members. The key to this divorce lies in production, since the Emirati authorities had been complaining for some time that the cartel’s quotas unfairly limited their exports. As detailed by Robin Mills, analyst consulted by the cnnOPEC kept the Emirates restricted to a production of 3.2 million barrels per day, when the country has invested aggressively to reach a real capacity close to 5 million. The Emirates “have been eager to pump more oil for some time,” notes David Oxley of Capital Economics in the same medium. The economic consequences are already being felt. The World Bank, which classifies this crisis as the largest supply loss on record, predicts a 25% increase in energy prices. Brent crude oil has experienced extreme volatility, fluctuating between $104 and $119 per barrel since the start of hostilities. Looking ahead, Jorge León, from Rystad Energy, explains in Guardian that Saudi Arabia will be left alone to shoulder the heavy burden of stabilizing the market, which predicts much greater volatility in the long term. The Arab fracture. Beyond barrels and dollars, the departure of the UAE is a direct symptom of a deep geopolitical fracture accelerated by the war. Emirates feels abandoned. The disappointment of the Gulf: As highlighted Al Jazeerathe decision comes shortly after harsh statements by Anwar Gargash, diplomatic advisor to the Emirati president. Gargash openly criticized the “historically weak” response of Arab countries and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to the Iranian attacks. According to Euronewsthe Emirates have had to absorb much of the impacts of missiles and drones, feeling that their OPEC allies have not provided them with political or military support. Direct tension with Riyadh: The departure has not been agreed with the de facto leader of the cartel. UAE Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed al-Mazrouei confirmed to Reuters who made this “political” decision without consulting Saudi Arabia. The relationship between both powers has been deteriorating for months due to economic competition and recent military disagreements, such as the collapse of their coalition in Yemen in December. An unexpected triumph in Washington. Curiously, this regional fracture represents a diplomatic victory for the American president. Donald Trump had been accusing OPEC of “scam the world” manipulating prices, while the United States paid for the military defense of the Gulf. The departure of the group’s third largest producer weakens exactly the structure that Trump had criticized so much. Towards a “new energy era”. Paradoxically, the flood of Emirati oil will not reach the markets tomorrow morning. As long as the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked by war, the impact on global supply will be limited in the short term because ships simply cannot leave. However, the message is sent. When the waters of the Persian Gulf calm, the world will find itself with a market flooded with Emirati crude oil, operating freely. The Emirates has decided to embrace a “new energy era”, the geopolitical map of the Middle East is being redrawn in the heat of the bombs, and OPEC, as we knew it, seems to be one of its first major collateral victims. Image | Emiel Molenaar Xataka | By blocking the Strait of Hormuz blockade, the US is dragging an unpredictable actor into the war: China

wants Gemini to stop being the only AI with privileges on Android

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The European Commission has published their preliminary conclusions on how Google manages artificial intelligence on Android. According to the organization, the operating system favors Gemini over the rest of its competitors, which is why it requires the company to apply measures to promote interoperability between other AI alternatives in its ecosystem. As might be expected, Google, for its part, is not willing to accept it without a fight. Another chapter in the Digital Markets Law. This law (DMAfor its acronym in English), is the one that forces large technology companies considered “gatekeepers” (including Alphabet) to guarantee fair conditions of competition on their platforms. Google has been subject to this legislation since March 2024 and because of this has had to introduce changes in Europesuch as showing screens so that the user can choose other search engines apart from Google on Android, or allowing alternative payment methods in its application store. Now Europe has knocked on the door again, this time over questions about Google’s AI, and it is the next chapter in this tug-of-war between regulation and private companies. Gemini rules Android. When you turn on an Android mobile with Google services, Gemini It’s already there, integrated at the system level. It can be voice activated, access screen context, interact with other apps, and generate proactive suggestions based on your activity. Applications like ChatGPT or assistant Claude They can be installed, but they do not have the same level of access. The European Commission points out specific cases where Gemini is the only way available: sending an email from the default email app, ordering food at home or sharing a photo with contacts. That, according to Brussels, is not fair competition. What the EU proposes. Preliminary measures published last Monday they point in several directions. Third-party AI services should be able to be activated using custom wake words or physical buttons on the device. They should also be able to access screen context when the user opens them, and query local device data to provide suggestions and summaries, something only Gemini now does. In addition, the Commission proposes that other AIs can control apps autonomously, such as Gemini is already starting to do (although the result still leaves something to be desired in some cases) and that external developers have access to the hardware necessary to run local models with comparable performance. Finally, Google could be forced to create new APIs and provide technical support to other AI developers who want to integrate into Android, all at no cost to third parties. Google’s response. The company was quick to react. Clare Kelly, Senior Competition Advisor, described the proposal as an “unwarranted intrusion” that “would require giving access to sensitive hardware and device permissions, unnecessarily increasing costs and undermining critical privacy and security protections for European users.” Google defends that Android is already an open ecosystem and that device manufacturers have full autonomy to customize the AI ​​services they offer to their users. What’s coming now. The process is not over. The Commission is opening a public consultation until May 13, after which it will review the input they have received (including from Google) before issuing a decision by July 27. If Google does not comply with the measures or an agreement is not reached, the company is exposed to fines of up to 10% of its global annual turnover. Just like share from Ars Technica, although Google would not have to open its systems all at once, implementing these changes would take time and doing so in a hurry could create security risks. Furthermore, as is often the case with DMA decisions, any changes that finally occur would be, at least in principle, limited to the European market. Cover image | José García and François Genon In Xataka | A developer went to sleep with a $10 alert on Google Cloud: he woke up to a bill of more than $18,000

the space spider that assembles structures

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When we say that China steps on NASA’s heels In your space race we are not kidding. It is not just about the missions to the Moon or the launch of your own space station. The Asian country has been able to recover one of NASA’s frustrated dreams: creating a robot that assembles large constructions directly in space. A space spider. China has replicated and improved the SpiderFaba robot designed by NASA to weave structures with carbon fiber thread, directly under microgravity conditions. In very rough terms, it is a kind of spatial 3D printer that behaves like a spider. At the moment an antenna has been woven in a terrestrial laboratory, so it would be necessary to check if it is equally viable in space. However, the results have been very promising and have also overcome several of the obstacles that NASA encountered at the time. Obstacles overcome. The idea for SpiderFab came from NASA, although the project was launched together with the company Tethers Unlimited. Although at the beginning everything seemed to be going well, during the process they encountered two obstacles so big that the project ended up being archived. These were related to the fit of the pieces in space and the resistance of the structures. Therefore, China has added some changes to the process. For starters, they use carbon fiber composite reels, rather than pure carbon fiber. These more complex compounds are stronger, but also lighter. Ideal for spatial structures. On the other hand, the robot makes assembly joints so that the pieces can fit together without the need for screws or glue. In the most extreme cases, if necessary, fusion using laser rays could be used. A much needed robot. In reality, the use of a robot like SpiderFab is very necessary to continue advancing in the space race. Spaceships have a load limit that cannot be exceeded, both for a simple matter of space and for the necessary investment in fuel. With respect to space, sometimes we resort to placing the necessary structures very well folded into orbit, and then opening them at their destination or even along the way. This is precisely what was done with the mirrors of the James Webb Space Telescope. However, this is not always feasible. That is why it is so useful to resort to strategies like this robot, capable of weaving antennas or solar panels as if it were a spider manipulating silk. Challenges still remain. At the moment, China has already gone further than NASA with its own SpiderFab. However, there are still other challenges to overcome. For example, the assembly of the robot itself must be tested in microgravity conditions. It will also be necessary to check that it adequately resists other spatial elements, such as cosmic radiation. They are on the right track, but the bells cannot yet be launched into the air. Also, thinking about it, instead of throwing the bells into the air, it would be better to weave them directly into place. Images | Tethers Unlimited In Xataka | Astronauts’ food is not appetizing at first, especially in China

giant trains with 1,900 seats that are already being tested

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Madrid is immersed in the renewal of its Cercanías. The Autonomous Community has been demanding greater investments for years to modernize infrastructure and expand its capacity, suffering from overcrowded trains and recurring breakdowns. Part of these renovations will come with 79 new trains that significantly expand the capacity of the lines. And some have already arrived for their tests. The Cercanías in Madrid. It has become a political battle between the central and regional governments. One more. But the truth is that Cercanías Madrid has been suffering continuous delays and overcrowded trains on many of its lines for years. For testing, In 2018, Fomento already had reports that the regional network was saturated and needed urgent modernization. That same year, it was announced Comprehensive Improvement Plan for the Madrid Cercanías Nucleus 2018-2025 with a planned investment of more than 5,000 million euros. It includes various improvement actions such as the actions in Atocha or Chamartín (which remain ongoing) but as far as is palpable for the average user, the improvement has barely stopped at the improvement of the Recoletos tunnel between Atocha and Chamartín. On the horizon there are various expansion actions, both in the north and south of the region. This lastIn fact, it is associated with the comprehensive renovation of line C-5the one that moves the most passengers in Spain and which will be improved to accommodate new 200-meter-long Stadler trains that, right now, do not have enough space for their journeys. New trains. Taking into account the saturation of the lines in large urban centers, In 2019 Renfe puts out to tender the purchase of 211 new trains. The text already states that there is the possibility of purchasing another 120 additional trains. The value of the contract is 2,270 million euros. This contract anticipates the arrival of 176 100-meter trains and 35 200-meter trains. Among the 100-meter-long trains, 79 of them correspond to high-capacity models. Stadler, who won the contract together with Alstomis responsible for supplying its T100 and T200 models. In both cases they are trains that have already arrived in Madrid but, at the moment, they are in the testing phase in Aranjuez. The objective is that “at the end of summer” they are already in operation the first units in Madrid. five trains. It is, for the moment, the forecast proposed for that first landing on Madrid’s roads. The fleet renewal project involves the incorporation of three Stadler T100 trains and two T200 units, which are currently in the testing phase for homologation. Once they join, The capacity will grow by 20% compared to the current Civia. In the case of the T100, the increase in passengers is limited because both models (the existing ones and the new ones) have around 900 seats but the T200 increases the capacity to 1,884 passengers. The T100 model has a mixed height since two of the four cars are double-deckers. In addition, a fifth car can be added and provide the same service as the T120. For their part, the T200 are larger volume trains with two floors in all their cars, but their size can be reduced to 160 meters, which facilitates their versatility and can be used on lines where larger trains do not enter the stations. The new trains will be able to move from eight to 16 bicycles inside What improvements will we see? Both train models have Greater interior space for travelers with a more open layout and specific spaces to transport bicycles (eight in the T100 and 16 in the T200) and strollers. Improvements in Wi-Fi and an increase in available sockets for charging your phone are also promised, as well as improvements in car air conditioning. In addition, of the 10 doors of the T100, six of them will not have steps (12 of 20 in the T200) so the Ministry of Transport promises safer and faster ascents and descents. A new passenger information system has been added, they will have a new interior surveillance system and can reach up to 140 km/h maximum speed. When and where? As we say, at the moment the project involves the incorporation of three T100 trains and two T200 units late summer 2026. Renfe assures that these trains can operate on all Madrid routes except for line C-9, which is the one destined for Cotos and due to its high mountain characteristics, they cannot accommodate trains of this size. What is not confirmed is which lines will be the first to receive the new Cercanías trains nor on what date the fleet of 79 trains that must arrive to the Madrid service will be fully available. For now, the Ministry of Transport promises that before the end of the year we will see 17 new trains on Madrid’s tracks (nine Stadler T100 and eight T200). The remaining deliveries should arrive gradually but there is no definitive date for their arrival. Photo | Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility In Xataka | Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo were wondering how much money we would pay for the AVE. They found out the hard way

Barbacid’s promising cancer study has been withdrawn. The reason is not science, it is a “hidden” spin-off

by

Last December, the team led by the prestigious researcher Mariano Barbacid filled the headlines of the main media with great news: had found a triple therapy to eliminate pancreatic tumors in animal models. Very relevant news because of how deadly pancreatic cancer is and how it affects our society, but now this euphoria has hit a wall after the decision of the US National Academy of Sciences to remove the item from PNAS magazine. The context. The original article, published on December 2 of last year, was not just another publication, but described the results of administering three drugs in 45 mice who had pancreatic cancer. And although it was a preclinical study that had not been tested in humans and was the expected next step, it generated great expectation. The promise of a cure, even if it was in the animal phase, propelled intense fundraising campaigns to be able to start a clinical trial with humans as soon as possible. In this way, foundations such as CRIS against cancer achieved raise 3.7 million euros in the heat of these advances and thanks to the media showcase that was given to them. And now they withdraw it. The first thing to keep in mind when faced with so many alarmist headlines is that it is not removed from the PNAS magazine because the results have been invented or exaggerated, but rather the reason lies in the omission of important information regarding to conflict of interest. In this case Mariano Barbacid, taking advantage of his status as a member of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States, used a “fast track” of publication that is reserved for academics of this institution. The problem is that this privilege requires scrupulous and impeccable transparency. Data omission. As detailed by El Paísthe alarms went off in February 2026, when the academy received notices about possible conflicts of interest that have now led to the sudden retraction of the article. The problem is that Mariano Barbacid, along with researchers Carmen Guerra and Vasiliki Liaki, are co-owners of Vega Oncotargetsa spin-off which was born in the ecosystem of the National Cancer Research Center (CNIO) with the aim of developing and marketing therapies against pancreatic cancer like this one. This is why informing the journal that the authors had a direct economic and business interest in the success of the study is a violation of the most basic transparency regulations in scientific publication. It always happens. When a researcher wants to publish the results of his or her research, a lot of data must always be provided, both about the method that has been followed and everything behind it, such as the source of financing or the conflicts behind. For example, if a researcher owns shares of a large pharmaceutical company and studies one of its drugs, logically good results will benefit him because the value of the company will increase. And this is something that should always be reported so that anyone reading the research knows if the researcher may have been influenced by an economic component. And in this particular case, the fact that there is already a company that will commercialize the future therapy that is being investigated is logically something that must always be specified, because if the study goes well, it logically benefits the company enormously. There are already answers. As we say, PNAS sanctions bad practice when it comes to being transparent, but in no case does it indicate that the research is poorly done. Along these lines, Carmen Guerra has already admitted the error, as El País points out, and has confirmed that the team has resubmitted the article with this correction, detailing that they do have participation in Vega Oncatargerts. The problem is that now they are going to have to go through the entire standard review process and the republishing will not be fast. Images | UPV brgfx on Freepik In Xataka | Mice today, hope tomorrow: researchers have managed to attack pancreatic cancer before it forms

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