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Pedrerol leaves Atresmedia for Mediaset after 13 years, and his departure is the perfect reflection of the current war between private companies

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We have seen this before: Josep Pedrerol shows up at the door of a chain at just the worst moment for the one hosting him to lose him. Well it’s happened again. Only this time the chain where it lands is already waging an open judicial war with which it is saying goodbye. The hostilities embodied in lawsuits and (future) trials between Atresmedia and Mediaset find in Pedrerol’s escape almost a symbol of the tensions that plague Spanish television. What has happened? Atresmedia and Josep Pedrerol They announced last Tuesday that end their professional relationship. There is talk of mutual agreement and a very specific expiration date: the Catalan presenter’s contract expires on July 19, and ‘El Chiringuito’ says goodbye a day later with a special dedicated to the final of the 2026 World Cup. Pedrerol summarized the balance by saying that “they have been thirteen fantastic years in which we have worked with absolute freedom.” On behalf of the chain, the general director of Atresmedia Audiovisual, José Antonio Antón, thanked in a statement the professionalism of the team and the achievements achieved. The outing is not limited to the evening program. Also closing is ‘Jugones’, the desktop news program that Pedrerol has presented on laSexta since 2013 and which, according to the statement itself, has remained a “reference for sports news at that time.” This is how Pedrerol says goodbye. The story has an almost identical precedent. Pedrerol directed ‘Punto Pelota’ on Intereconomía when the chain, in the midst of a default crisis, He terminated his contract on December 4, 2013.. By then he had already presented “Jugones” on laSexta, since September of that same year, which allowed him to land on Atresmedia shortly after: the heir to “Punto Pelota” debuted as “El Chiringuito de Jugones” on January 6, 2014 on the now defunct channel Nitro, before going through laSexta and Neox and settling on Mega since 2015. This time there are no defaults or termination, but a contract that has not been renewed after months of stalled talks. The piggyback format. For a presenter to change channels is normal on Spanish television, but it is not so normal for him to carry an entire format on his back, with equipment and production company included. The precedent most cited is that of Pablo Motos, who moved ‘El Hormiguero’ from Cuatro to Antena 3 in 2011 maintaining program and collaborators. Pedrerol starts from a similar position: ‘El Chiringuito’ is produced by Radio Sport Plus, its own production company, and according to Digital Journalist Citing sources in the sector, Mediaset is also negotiating to incorporate a good part of its usual team to transfer the format almost entirely, although under a different name. Mediaset is in a hurry. Telecinco closed the 2025-2026 season with an 8.9% average share, its worst historical record and the fifth consecutive season with a decline, while Atresmedia led the group with a 25.6% share. sharethe greatest advantage it has ever taken from Mediaset. Coinciding with the World Cup semi-finals on La 1, Telecinco signed the worst day in 36 years of history. A format with a low production cost and an already formed community of followers fits with what Mediaset needs before La Liga starts on August 15. It is still ironic, of course, that the same sport that is giving Telecinco so many headaches could serve as a rescue raft in the near future. War on. Mediaset and Atresmedia have been in litigation for years over ‘Pasapalabra’ and its final test, the Rosco: the Supreme Court forced Antena 3 to withdraw the Rosco in May, Atresmedia replaced it with a new test called AlaZ on June 19 (which has continued to triumph in hearings), and the Dutch production company MC&F and Mediaset They have announced that they will sue her considering that the new test is too similar to the original. Taking away one of its most profitable sports brands from Atresmedia would have something symbolic. No confirmation at the moment. Neither of the two networks has confirmed the signing, and there are still many pending details: whether the new program will land on Telecinco or Cuatro, with how many historical collaborators it will do so and what it will be called (a possible clue: on April 13, Radio Sport Plus record before the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office the name “Chiringuito Gol TV”). Again, August 15 and the start of La Liga can be a key date so that, around it, we know more things. In Xataka | Netflix users love to watch the first season of a series. Then they love to stop seeing it completely

The debate now is whether to preserve it or eradicate it forever

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Santa Cruz de Tenerife houses a ghost. Well, two. The first is made of bronze and stone. 10 meters on an easel, sculpted in 1966 by the original from Mérida Juan de Ávalos. Its size is intimidating (and even more so is its message, triumphalist and watered in blood). Franco’s propaganda celebrated with hysteria this flying angel that winks at the Dragon Rapide plane in which the then captain general of the Canary Islands, Francisco Franco, left to secretly begin his coup d’état. It is next to the wall of the Almeyda Fort, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and removing it is mandatory by law. So the ultimatum arrived: “If Santa Cruz does not remove the Franco monument in six months, the State will do it.” they said from the central government. The problem is that the canaries do not want. The Tenerife mayor stopped the movement, asked for his resignation. The Cultural Heritage Council of the Canary Islands had already agreed to reject it as Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC)but the solution is still stuck. Franco did not ask for it. The cartoonist Paco Roca (‘The Abyss of Oblivion’) advocated for its conservation as long as it was contextualized. Deleting it does not delete the facts, of course. In his ‘The First Murder of Franco’, historian Ángel Viñas emphasizes that this sculpture speaks explicitly of the military insurrection. And right above the cherub, mounted, goes the very happy leader. And, apparently, Franco never wanted that sculpture: to add insult to injury, recently a document was released where Franco thanked the gesture, but did not consider it necessary that “the construction of the aforementioned monument be carried out, since it has received enough evidence of support and affection from all Tenerife residents on different occasions.” Meanwhile, this week a collection of signatures by VOX to prevent the destruction of what they consider a “monument to peace.” The spearhead. This angel is the demon that is resisting the central government the most. The State Catalog of Relics, a mammoth of more than 9,300 pages, incorporated it in your file. The team was coordinated by the professor of Art History Isabel Navarro Segura, the senior professor Jesús Pérez Morera, the researcher Kumar Kishinchand López and the professor of the Department of Art History and Philosophy Yolanda Peralta Sierra. This catalog includes up to human remainswithin a very detailed list where they stand out from monuments in public spaces such as the Monument to the Fallen (1947) and the Monument to the Caudillo (1966), sculptures such as the bust of Joaquín Amigó de Lara (1986) to plaques in streets such as the General Serrador bridge (1943), Calvo Sotelo street (1936) or the Francisco Aguilar y Paz promenade (1994). Regarding the names, for example, roads such as the General Serrador bridge (1943), Calvo Sotelo street (1936) or Francisco Aguilar y Paz walk (1994) stand out, as well as neighborhoods such as the neighborhood and Plaza de la Victoria and educational centers such as the CEIP Fray Albino (1944), among others. The honors and distinctions include more than 130 people. fallen angels that don’t fall. Purging the fascist map always raises blisters. For memories, for wounds, for whatever. There are 4,000 Francoist vestiges suspected in Spain; It’s a delirium. Plates, streets, obelisks. The catalog is overwhelming, so the Executive is financing inventories that continue to grow. The Italian pyramid in Burgos dodged the hammer, but the Tenerife monument hangs by a thread. While the Tenerife Historical Memory Association claims to comply with the law with the monument, the mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife insists on resignify it. Is it worth keeping it? The debate is not a matter of History faculties since it confronts ethics and aesthetics, art and memory. In this messianic figure, many accustomed citizens see a pure beauty free of symbology. Others only see petrified fascism. Admiring the technique while ignoring the terror invites us to remember that phrase by George Santayana about the past and repetitions. More conflict than harmony. The second proposal was to eliminate the tribute by changing the original title to “Monument to Concord.” However, the studies They usually recommend being more sincere, documenting better and appealing to “more truth“, not to dilute it. Former prisons house peace museums and the best example is found in the Auschwitz Museum, which motivated the conservation of thousands of the victims’ tools. The University of La Laguna has been very clear in this regard: the whole thing offends democratic values ​​and the Canarian technical commission settled it in its report. The work “lacks exceptional cultural value”, considering that its only objective was fascist exaltation, a loudspeaker for the regime, and nothing more. And since the Cultural Heritage Council of the archipelago also struck down the idea of ​​protecting it, it seems that there is no point in continuing to resist. The mass is still standing. For those who have never seen it, the Audiovisual archive of the Franco Monument in Tenerife It serves to visually understand the architectural magnitude of this piece. And it seems that the work will continue until the deadline is exhausted, because they cannot agree. Others will be considered after the angel, such as the sculpture La Ida (due to its link with the prisoners of the Fyffes Halls), the remains of the Barranco del Hierro military battery and many others. After all, Tenerife coexists with even a monument to Simón Bolívar (son of Guanche blood) who ordered 836 Spanish prisoners to be shot in Caracas, many of them Canarian. It was February 8, 1814 and a much larger escabechina preceded it, where they even destroyed the sick people of the La Guaira Hospital. Images | Flickr (Joseph Mesa) In Xataka | After the Civil War, Franco wanted to colonize emptied Spain. So 300 new towns were invented In Xataka | In 1969, the Franco regime insisted that all homes have a classic at home: the Salvat Basic Library

“Von der Leyen is very good at giving speeches, but he is useless in promoting competitiveness in Europe”

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Michael O’Leary does not hesitate. Aim and shoot. It seems that without giving much thought to the matter, although, it seems, he has thought long and hard about what he is going to say before going out in front of the microphones. This time the target of their criticism has been Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, for the air traffic control (ATC) service. “Useless”. Or “useless”, in Spanish. This is what Michael O’Leary called Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, in an event before the media where he criticized the delays that are occurring and air traffic charges (ATC). The insult is just the latest in a long list of grievances that Michael O’Leary has dedicated to politicians of all political stripes throughout the world. In Spain we have the attack against Pablo Bustinduy, Minister of Consumer Affairs, whom he called a “clown”. The European Parliament has defined it as “a club of charlatan idiots” and Donald Trump has been called a “liar”among other cases. What has happened? In his attack, Michael O’Leary had gone before the media to point out what, for his company, is cause for complaint: Europe does nothing about the increase in airport taxes, delays due to lack of controllers and the general increase in costs. In his statements, O’Leary stated the following: “It is time for ‘Useless’ Von der Leyen to stop talking about competitiveness and start doing something about it. For many years, European airlines have been calling for effective reform of Europe’s poor air traffic control (ATC) services. At a minimum, this requires the Commission to require European ATC providers to be fully staffed for the first wave of morning flights or face real and punishing fines. We have also called for the protection of overflights during national air traffic controller strikes. Despite these repeated requests, “Useless” Von der Leyen has done nothing. He is very good at giving speeches, but he is useless when it comes to carrying out real reforms or boosting competitiveness in Europe. What is all this about? What Ryanair assures is that flights are growing but, despite everything, they are still 5% below those registered before the Covid-19 crisis. And, even so, ATC delays (those due to air traffic management) have increased according to the company that points out Spain as the second country with the most delays for this reason (11% of all those registered in Europe). Ryanair complains that airlines are being punished twice. In its statement it points out that while operating costs and rates rise, the service is worse and more delays accumulate. And is it true? From Enaire, a public company dependent on the Ministry of Transportation that manages air traffic in the country, They questioned this story last year when they claim that ATC delays were reduced in the months of July and August despite the fact that the volume of flights had increased. According to the airline, delays will grow this summer 20% if the controller workforce was not increased. A similar position defend in the Independent Professional Union of Air Traffic Controllers (SPICA) who claim that since 2010, 116 fewer air traffic controllers have been working in Spain, which increases the pressure on employees and the risk of delays. One of the problems is that the training of an air traffic controller takes two years, so it is not a quickly replaceable position. Much more than a criticism. If Ryanair is putting a lot of emphasis on this problem, it is because it knows that a good part of its business is based on punctuality. The company demands that the European Commission force countries to have the greatest number of drivers available in the early and late afternoons, fetish time slots for the company. But, in addition, the margins between flights are so narrow for Ryanair that a small delay in a first flight leaves subsequent flights out of play throughout the day. One by one, the dominoes fall, the delays accumulate and the risk of having to refund customers’ money increases. Photo | Polish presidency of the Council of the EU 2025 and Stenbocki Maja In Xataka | The big secret of Ryanair’s success is that it doesn’t make money for flying: it does so by squeezing you out of everything else.

OnePlus closes in Europe and Realme closes in China. This is the logic that explains why it is not the other way around

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Oppo has confirmed the movements that had been circulating for weeks about the future of OnePlus and Realmein an official announcement that sheds light on the future of each brand. The result is almost a mirror image between China and Europe: where one brand disappears, the other stays. And vice versa. What Oppo has confirmed. The distribution is like this: in ChinaRealme closes. OnePlus and Oppo remain. In Europe and SpainOnePlus closes. Realme and Oppo remain. Realme UIRealme’s customization layer, disappears and merges with ColorOSthe one from Oppo. Realme users will be able to voluntarily update to ColorOS, although there is still no confirmation of which model range this update will reach. The commitment to support and updates for devices already sold is maintained in both cases. The important nuance. It doesn’t matter how it was told in China: Realme does not disappear in Europe. It is an easy distinction to lose if international coverage simplifies the headline as “Oppo closes Realme” without further context, because the announcement is born in a Chinese key. In Spain and the rest of Europe, Realme continues to sell normally. The brand that is leaving our market is OnePlus, something that has already been talked about for months and that we counted a few days ago as something imminent. Between the lines. That Oppo closes different brands in each region depending on the strength they have there says a lot about its strategy. Realme has been the most aggressive brand in terms of price for years in markets such as Spain, France, Italy and the United Kingdom, with a commercial pull especially among the young public. In China, on the other hand, it is Oppo that dominates the terrain and Realme weighs less: It is the third after Huawei and Apple. Closing where it does not pay off and maintaining where it does work is a purely pragmatic and accounting balance decision. There is a second reading that the announcement has not yet clarified: it would not be strange for Oppo to distribute its brands by range in addition to geography, leaving Realme the entry and mid-range and reserving the high range for Oppo. The CEO suggests something like this, whose statement sent by the brand includes the phrase “OPPO’s European business remains stable, with strong momentum in the premium flagship segment.” On the other hand, the Realme that arrive in Spain in the coming months could be the successors of the low and mid-range OnePlus that the brand continues to manufacture in China with another logo. And now what. The announcement closes, on paper, the months-long mystery about the future of OnePlus in Europe. What remains to be seen is the fine print: what happens with Realme outside of Spain, up to what range the migration to ColorOS reaches and if the price distribution between Realme and Oppo confirms the hypothesis of the low range disguised as Chinese OnePlus. In Xataka | OnePlus 15, analysis: if the question is how long the battery of a high-end device should last, this mobile is the answer we wanted Featured image | Xataka

how it works and how to configure it to pay with it on your mobile

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Let’s tell you What is Bizum Pay and how does it work? This application created to be able to pay with Bizum in stores. The Spanish application arrives to compete with the American Visa, Mastercard, Apple or Google trying to take over our mobile payments. We will start by explaining what Bizum Pay exactly is and how it works, so that you know how to differentiate it from normal Bizum. Then, we will tell you how to install and configure the app on your mobile. Of course, I am already warning you that being able to configure it will depend on whether your bank has already implemented the service. What is Bizum Pay Bizum Pay is an application that works like Google Pay or Apple Pay, and is used to pay in card machines using your mobile. Thus, instead of carrying a physical card with which to pay, you can do so using your mobile phone, and with the extra layer of security provided by biometric identification, confirm the payment with your face or fingerprint. The operation of the application is the same as that of other paid apps. You launch it, and when you have unlocked it, you bring the mobile phone closer to the dataphone. Both will connect and you will make the payment. The difference between a normal Bizum and Bizum Pay is that the normal Bizum is made to send money to other people using your mobile number. Meanwhile, Bizum Pay is created to be used in card machines and pay in establishments, replacing your physical cards and other American payment apps. How Bizum Pay works There is a fundamental difference between Bizum Pay and other payment systems. You are not going to link a card but your bank account. All mobile payment applications work by linking a physical card to use from the device, but in Bizum Pay you use your account. Therefore, it is not a virtual card that you are going to use, but when you pay with this system you make an immediate transfer between accounts. The money leaves your bank account and goes to the establishment’s account configured in its contactless payment infrastructure. This makes sense, because Bizum itself is a service for making transfers directly from the bank account where you have set it up to someone else’s. The difference is that with Bizum Pay you no longer need to use phone numbers to send moneyand everything is done through the establishments’ dataphone. Bizum Pay also allows you to store tickets or passes, just like Apple Pay or Google Pay. Additionally, in the app you can see all the payments you have made, saving these “tickets” to consult them whenever you want. The Bizum system has the same security guarantees as the rest of the mobile payment options. You’ll have to unlock your device to pay, so it’s safer than paying with a card that others can use. Bizum currently has 39 participating banking entitiesamong them the most important banks in Spain, but also many neobanks. How to configure Bizum Pay To configure Bizum Pay, you have to download the application on your mobile. You have it available on Google Play for Android and in the App Store of iPhones. You install it like any other app. When you open the app for the first time, you will be taken to a screen where how it works is explained. You will have to slide, and in the end you will have to write the phone number to which you have Bizum linked. You know, that number that you configured in your bank app, and that is the one that your friends use to send you money through this system. This will take you to the activation of Bizum Pay in your bank’s appthe one where you have Bizum configured. When the bank app opens, you can confirm the activation of the payment app. Your bank may not yet support Bizum Pay. This will depend on each bank, and you may have to wait a few weeks until you can use the application. But the activation is as we have explained to you. When you activate Bizum Pay you will have to configure it as your default mobile payment app. The steps to follow depend on your mobile: On Android: Settings > Connected devices > NFC > Contactless payments On iOS: Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Contactless App If you get involved, use Android or use an iPhone, the best thing is use the settings search and search for terms such as “payments” or “contactless”, so that the option automatically appears. When you enter this screen you will have the mobile payment app that you usually use configured, and you will be able to change it to Bizum Pay, although only when you already have the app activated. In Xataka Basics | Bizum in 2026: everything that changes (and what does not) in transfers with this system

The best offer so far for the compact Google mobile arrives

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Waiting almost always pays off, especially when buying a device. As time passes since its launch, the price is falling little by little. Were you looking to get a Google Pixel 10? Today you have your best offer to date: is on sale at MediaMarkt up to 549 euros. Google Pixel 10, Obsidian, 128 GB, 12 GB RAM, 6.3″ Actua OLED, Google Tensor G5, 4970 mAh, Android 16 The price could vary. We earn commission from these links One of the best compact phones there is As we say, we are facing the historical minimum price for this Google phone, one of the best options if you like compact mobile phones within the Android ecosystem. Its RRP is 899 euros, so right now we have a discount of 350 euros. The offer started a few minutes ago, but it may not be active for too long. The Google Pixel 10 has a 6.3-inch screen with 3,000 nits of brightness and 120 Hz, so we will see it well even outdoors. This also tells us that we are facing a compact mobile that barely weighs 204 gramsso it is very manageable (especially with one hand). It has a 4,970 mAh battery with 30 W fast charging, far from what many phones from Chinese manufacturers already offer, but not bad if we take into account its size. Inside, this Google mobile has the Tensor G5 chip. This does not reach the performance offered by other high-end processors such as the Snapdragon 8 Elite or the A19 Pro, but it has plenty of power for everyday use. In addition, it has 12 GB of RAM and a very versatile camera system that obtains notable results thanks to AI. And to round it all off, seven years of guaranteed updates. ⚡ IN BRIEF: pixel 10 offer ✅ THE BEST Historical minimum price: It is the cheapest we have seen this mobile in MediaMarkt thanks to a discount of 350 euros. Seven years of updates: Its hardware, together with Google’s update policy, makes it a very long-lasting mobile. The purest Android experience: It is one of the best options for Android users, since you will be one of the first to receive the news of this operating system. ❌ THE WORST Your panel is not LTPO: By not having this technology, the mobile screen consumes more, something that negatively affects the autonomy of the device. Only 128 GB: This mobile only has 128 GB of storage, a somewhat short figure if you are one of those who take a lot of photos or videos. 💡 BUY IT IF… You are looking for a compact Android mobile, with many years of updates and you want to be one of the first to receive the latest updates from the operating system. ⛔ DON’T BUY IT IF… You don’t like compact phones, you prefer to have more storage or you just want a better version of this device. There it is recommended Google Pixel 10 Pro. You may also be interested XIAOMI 17 Smartphone 12+512GB Black Leica Summilux Optical Lenses The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Samsung Galaxy S26, 256GB, Mobile Phone with Galaxy AI, 50MP Camera, 12GB RAM, 4300mAh Battery, 3 Year Manufacturer’s Warranty + 1 Extra Year, Black Color (Spanish Version) 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 | Xataka, Google In Xataka | Best mobile phones 2026. Which one to buy based on use and six recommended models In Xataka | Xiaomi, Google, Samsung and Apple fight to have the best compact mobile of 2026: this is the good and the bad of each one

In the fall a new rate arrives

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On July 1, the new tax that the European Union imposed on shipments from other countries. The measure, popularly known as the ‘Shein rate’mainly affects small packages sent from China, which are the main business of stores such as Aliexpress, Shein and Temu. In addition to charging us a fixed fee of 3 euros extra for each product category that we buy, starting in the fall they will also charge a processing fee. This is how the ‘Shein rate’ works. Europe is already applying a tariff of 3 euros to all small packages coming from outside the Union, as long as their value does not exceed 150 euros. The problem is that those 3 euros are not per package, but per type of product. If, for example, we buy four t-shirts, we will be charged only 3 euros, but if we buy a t-shirt, a cat toy and some shoes, it will be an extra 9 euros, a tariff for each product. The colleagues from Xataka Móvil have done a simulation order with several varied products. The total order amounted to 14.91 euros, but when we went to pay the price was 33.05 euros. There are 18.14 euros in taxes, more than the value of the order itself. There is more. Placing an order in these stores is no longer the bargain it used to be, but the European Union has also prepared a new processing fee that will begin to apply this fall. On the page where this regulation is detailed, The European Commission indicates that in the future a customs processing fee will be applied, the amount and exact date of entry into force of which has yet to be determined. We won’t have to wait long to find out since they are talking about its application this fall. The ‘de minimis’ doctrine. It is a Latin term used in the United States that indicated that all packages under a certain value did not have to pay taxes. The US already eliminated this exemption in February of last year and months later, Europe followed in their footsteps. This mechanism has allowed online platforms such as Shein, Temu, Aliexpress and also Amazon to take advantage of the opportunity to offer very competitive prices that would otherwise have been impossible. According to the Commission, this is “an obsolete tariff exemption that is no longer justified and that, in practice, gives a competitive advantage to certain business models.” The EU expects to earn about 1 billion euros a year with this tariff. Tricks so that buying is not so expensive. We can continue buying packages from China, but if we really want to save, there is no more putting everything in the basket without looking at anything other than the price. You have to change the logic when filling the cart, grouping purchases by item type and looking for items that are shipped from Spain whenever possible. And of course, before placing an order to the other part of the world, consider whether you can get it at a local store at a competitive price. Image | Kampus Production In Xataka | €10 order, €30 tariffs: the EU has just approved the mother of tariffs for Aliexpress, Shein and Temu

In 2019 we discovered fungi that metabolize gold. There are already those who want to turn them into the key to space mining

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The story started more than five years ago in Boddington, south of the Australian city of Perth. Over there, among killer animals and gold mines, a team of researchers from the Australian CSIRO discovered something really strange: that certain strains of the fungus Fusarium oxysporum Not only could they extract gold from their surroundings and integrate it into their structure, but by doing so they managed to spread faster than the rest. It seemed like a curiosity, but in recent years the situation has begun to change. But wait, why is this something so “weird”? Good question. After all, we know for a fact that fungi “play an essential role in the degradation and recycling of all types of organic material (like leaves or bark), but also in the cycle of certain metals such as aluminum, iron, manganese and calcium.” Why would it be different with gold? Because, as Tsing Bohu, researcher in charge of the project, explained, “gold is so inactive (chemically speaking) that these types of interactions are unusual and surprising, I had to see it to believe it.” And he saw it. In fact, it published in Nature Communications. It was the first solid evidence that fungi could play a relevant role in the gold cycle in the Earth’s crust. The “mushroom” of the golden eggs. The mining industry quickly turned its attention to the investigation. Especially right there in Australia. The island continent is the world’s third largest gold producer, but the consensus among analysts was that without new deposits production was going to fall (a lot) in a short time. The direct consequence is that this has made marginal deposits profitable. Initially, the industry thought that the CSIRO investigation could be used to locate these new deposits. As we explained years agoIn Australia it is relatively common to prospect in forests of the aucalyptus family or near termite areas because they have a close relationship with the precious metal. Why not test the soil for those strains of Fusarium oxysporum? But there is one more possibility. As Eduardo Bazo explained to Eugenio Fernández in a very interesting interviewin recent years companies have appeared that work in what we could call “metabolic mining“That is, using organisms to extract gold. “And why do they want that?”, you might ask. “Isn’t it easier to identify where the gold is and extract it with industrial methods?” Yes, here on Earth, yes. But these companies have their sights set a little further: on space mining. For years we have talked about the existence of huge mineral deposits in the Solar System and, during almost the same period, we have fantasized about being able to exploit them. The problem is that, beyond current technological limitationss, to the danger of normal mining, is added the fact that we are talking about processing metal in space. But what if we use ‘metabolic mining’? The idea of ​​sending modified strains of these fungi (or other types of microorganisms) that They will process the mineral for useverything would become simpler. I don’t know if it’s more viable, but it is simpler. It is much less rare than it seems (we use this type of approach to countless products we use regularly), however taking it to the world of mining seems a little more complex for pure efficiency. However, that is ‘now’. Because there are already experiments in this sense generating platinum in microgravity conditions and ‘metabolic’ copper is moving a lot of money. What’s more, while I write (and while the era of cheap materials is over) several research groups They are growing all kinds of microorganisms with the idea of ​​being able to grow gold sooner rather than later. They are getting it. Image | Dominic Vanyi | Jaap Straydo In Xataka | The next richest person in the world will come from space: the future millionaire of space mining

Check here the duration and forecast in each municipality of Spain

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If you are looking where to see the astronomical phenomenon of the yearin Xataka have the definitive solar eclipse map. In it, you can check the percentage of the Sun that will be hidden by the Moon in your city, but also thoroughly analyze the strip of totality. Are you looking for a mountain place with skies free of light pollution? Do you prefer a small charming town? Do you want to know the exact time at which the solar eclipse will take place at your viewing location? You have everything just a click away. How does the solar eclipse map work? At first glance, our solar eclipse map is similar to most maps of this style that have been published lately. The emphasis is on marking the strip of totality, since inside it are all the locations where the total solar eclipse can be seen. However, in the legend we can mark specific details that may be of interest when observing this type of astronomical phenomena. For example, it is not the same to see the eclipse in a big city as in a small townof even less than 1,000 inhabitants. There are those who prefer the first and those who opt for the second. On the other hand, for this type of activities the ideal is to be located in points with clean skies, as free as possible from light pollution. This is accredited by the starlight certificationsince it is only granted to protected natural spaces committed to the preservation of the night sky and access to starlight. Therefore, on the map we can also see all the points with said certification. On the other hand, it should be noted that the stripe of totality is represented with a purple whose intensity increases directly proportional to the duration of said totality. This eclipse will have its maximum totality in Iceland, where it will slightly exceed 2 minutes. In Spain, however, the longest totality will be 1 minute and 50 secondsin a very small area of ​​Asturias. Other information On the solar eclipse map you can also see the time at which the eclipse will begin and end in each area. In addition, the time at which the Sun will set is included. It is important, because in many cases it will do so while still eclipsed. It is one of the facts that makes this eclipse so special. When it occurs near sunset, the Sun will already be very low and close to the horizon. The lower you go, the clearer the west should be of mountains and buildings. Therefore, the height at which the Sun will be at the peak of the eclipse is also included. This will allow us to better organize our possible observation places. It is always good to think about several options, in case an unexpected cloud ruins the first one for us. In any case, this is still an interactive map, so it is best that you be the one to tinker with all its options. Surely, if you have decided to get on the bandwagon of this eclipse, you will find it very useful. In Xataka | Leo Hernández, eclipse hunter: “I knew that whenever I could or life allowed me, I would try to travel to see more”

Brussels is already preparing an emergency team

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A decision made thousands of kilometers away could end up affecting a European factory that needs chips, magnets or processed materials to maintain its production. That is the fragility that Brussels is trying to reduce as a particularly sensitive date approaches in its trade relationship with China. For years, Europe has built industrial chains that are highly exposed to certain suppliers. Now, when geopolitical tensions interfere with supply, the European Commission is trying to prevent the next crisis from encountering it again by reacting when the problem is already on the table. China concentrates supply: The figures help to understand the dimension of the problem. China represents 66% of all rare earths extracted in the world, but its weight increases to 88% when we talk about refined supply, according to the Financial Times. This second proportion is the most revealing, because having the mineral is not enough if there is a lack of industrial capacity to process it and leave it ready for use. For Europe, dependence does not end at the mine: it continues in the plants that convert these raw materials into products that can be used by their manufacturers. October, the date that worries Brussels: China lifted a one-year ban on some exports of magnets and rare earth raw materials, but that commitment expires in October. European officials remain hopeful that Beijing will extend the truce, although they cannot rule out restrictions returning when the deadline expires. The relief also did not eliminate all controls, because China maintained a licensing system which requires European buyers to submit applications and provide information about their production processes and customers. This uncertainty explains why Brussels prepares responses before learning of the Chinese decision. A team to anticipate the crisis: According to three officials cited by the Financial Times, the Commission is preparing an emergency force whose first meeting is scheduled for September. Brussels wants to bring together those responsible for industry, commerce, financial services, economy and development aid in the same group, together with the central unit under the direct control of Ursula von der Leyen. Your goal will be to identify problems early and coordinate a common response. China will be one of its focuses, but not the only one, since the initiative also aims to respond to other economic and industrial threats. Find suppliers and mobilize European money: The strategy combines two moves. On the one hand, identify alternative suppliers and consider the use of EU funds to help maintain supply if an interruption occurs. On the other hand, change the rules with which the most exposed companies operate through a future diversification law, which would force them to reduce their dependence on a single source for certain key inputs. The Commission does not intend to replace Chinese supply overnight, but rather to better spread a risk that today is excessively concentrated. Nexperia already showed the risk: The closest precedent is not in rare earths, but in semiconductors. Last October, a dispute between the Dutch government and Nexperia’s Chinese owner caused chip supply tensions, to the point that the automobile industry warned of possible shortages. Faced with this pressure, the EU chose to temporarily relax the sanctions applied to another Chinese supplier. The episode showed how high dependency can quickly reduce Brussels’ room for action when the industry begins to run out of alternatives. Brussels is preparing for the worst scenario: The Commission is also working on measures to make better use of the resources available within Europe. The proposal planned for September would include a tax on the export of aluminum scrap, designed to keep more material in the block and encourage its transformation into new metal, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. Actions are also being studied to increase the recycling of rare earth magnets. The logic is simple: importing from more places helps, but recovering more materials within the EU also reduces foreign exposure. Images | Carl Gruner In Xataka | China closes the helium tap and the US becomes the great beneficiary of the Iran war

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