usatoday24

Serbia is building the world’s first football stadium that is a garden. China is manufacturing it with surgeon precision

by

It will not be ready for the World Cup that is about to begin nor will we be able to see it at that event because the hosts are Canada, Mexico and the United States, but it is the most striking soccer stadium that will open in 2026: it is the first garden soccer stadium in the world and it is being built in Belgrade. In fact, the latest news is that the Chinese company CSCEC has completed recently the first major steel lift of the structure of the future Serbian National Football Stadium, a colossal mass of 139,000 tons. Stadium construction works are large-scale projects per se, but this one takes the cake precisely because of its dual function: it is a sports venue and an urban garden at the same time, which marks a milestone in urban planning and poses an unusual engineering challenge: hanging entire gardens from a cable structure suspended in height. The first garden stadium in the world. This pioneering garden stadium in the world has a total area of ​​about 76,000 square meters and capacity for more than 52,000 spectators. And although it is located in Belgrade (in the Surčin neighborhood), it is built by two Chinese companies and design it the Spanish studio Fenwick Iribarren Architects. The stadium aims to be more than just a sports venue: the idea is for it to be a public space open all year round, with walking areas, cafes and leisure areas in the surrounding area. The Madrid architecture team has created a very particular façade: it is made up of four suspended rings connected by cables and that house garden areas, arranged on three floors that surround the premises. The normal thing for a stadium is for the structure to be supported from below, with columns, but the Serbian National Football Stadium works as if it were a suspension bridge with cables. It is composed of 44 compression ring beams where each joint must fit with almost zero precision, as CSCEC accountthe Chinese company that is building it. However, this structure has to withstand soil, irrigation and vegetation that will grow over the years. Render of the stadium. Fenwick Iribarren Architects Why is it important. For some time now, large sports stadiums have wanted to be more than just the place where these events take place on specific days: it is now common to see them as a venue for concerts. This project takes another twist: the gardens, terraces and commercial areas are designed to function as a permanent public space, integrating the stadium into the daily life of Belgrade. And it does so by incorporating vegetation in a city where liquid trees are already being tested. As explains the European Environment Agencyurban green infrastructure has been shown to reduce heat island, improve climate resilience and public health Regarding the sporting field, when it is completed (predictably at the end of 2026), it will be the only stadium in Serbia that meets the requirements of both FIFA for World Cups and UEFA for Euro Cups. Or what is the same: without this stadium Serbia would not be eligible to organize these tournaments. Render of the interior of the stadium.Fenwick Iribarren Architects Context. Serbia has been working on the construction of its National Stadium for more than a decade: work began in 2024, but the first concrete proposals came in 2013. At that time the Serbian Football Federation with the help of the British consultancy Mace They designed the project roadmap to meet UEFA requirements and standards. Serbia has decided to become a potential host of top-level tournaments in style and without skimping on expenses: the initial budget in 2013 was 250 million and when work begins in 2024 was already around the billion euros. In detail. Behind materializing this engineering challenge are two top-level Chinese companies common in large infrastructure: the main contractor is Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina) and the specialized subcontractor is China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), in charge of the design, manufacture and installation of the steel structure. To achieve that brutal precision of just 0.43 millimeters of deviation in 719 meters of beams, they used high-precision laser trackers, 3D digital simulation and a 1:10 scale physical mockup to detect errors before building. Yes, but. The first drawback of this megaproject has already been revealed: so far it has already cost four times more than budgeted. And having a garden stadium is eye-catching, but also more expensive to build and maintain. On the other hand, also there are objections on whether it will be possible to fill the stands of the future venue regularly, something essential to guarantee its profitability. In fact, the Institute for the Study of Urgent Public Procurement and Stadium Affairs of Śrem Kamenica has carried out an analysis which concludes that it will take 420 years to pay off. In Xataka | Real Madrid invested 1,000 million euros in the Bernabéu to host concerts: at the moment it has tennis In Xataka | China begins construction of the largest football stadium in the world: 100,000 people in a gigantic lotus flower Cover | Fenwick Iribarren Architects

“Citizens will behave well because we are recording and documenting everything that happens”

by

“Citizens will behave because we are constantly recording and documenting everything that happens.” It sounds like a phrase taken from George Orwell’s 1984, but Larry Ellison said it during an Oracle financial meeting. It has been two years since he spoke those words and today we can say that this disturbing vision is closer than ever to being a reality. The hyper-vigilant citizen. In September 2024, Ellison projected a future in which mass surveillance would cause us all to behave civilly. The founder of Oracle spoke of cameras everywhere and an AI that would process everything to, if necessary, “report the problem to whoever it concerns. Whether it’s the sheriff, the chief or whoever has to control the situation.” In short, a context of hypervigilance in which any infraction would be recorded and have consequences. This, which sounds like a science fiction scenario, has been silently integrated into the reality of many citizens, and we are not talking about the China social creditbut from the West, especially the United States. The State-Technology fusion. Historically, the tasks of surveillance, security and border control fell to the public institutions themselves. However, the US government has progressively delegated these critical security tasks to technology corporations. At the same time, the militarization of Silicon Valley is a reality: OpenAI and Palantir executives have been named lieutenant colonels and the big tech companies already They do not prohibit the military use of their AI. The government seeks technological efficiency, but at the same time it is ceding enormous power to private companies, with the risk of putting commercial interests before issues such as transparency or democratic scrutiny. The privatization of the US security apparatus has already materialized on various fronts. Objective: deportations. One of the areas in which technology is being used the most is border control and the identification of undocumented immigrants. At the beginning of 2025, the New York Times It said that ICE and USCIS (the agency in charge of processing immigration applications) had spent $7.8 billion on technologies. Many of these contracts were signed under Biden, but under Trump they have been taken to an even more extreme level. Among this arsenal, systems such as ELITE, created by Palantirwhich works like a “Google Maps” to locate potential deportation targets, or the Mobile Fortify app, used by agents to scan faces and check legal status in real time. The persecution is complemented by forensic tools such as Cellebrite to unlock and extract deleted data from mobile phones, rapid DNA tests and the lucrative business of prison operator Geo Group, which forces hundreds of thousands of immigrants to wear GPS ankle bracelets and the SmartLink app to validate their location with daily selfies. Not just immigrants. The alarming thing about this infrastructure is how these tools are powered. To avoid the obligation of court orders, The government directly buys information from data brokers private companies such as LexisNexis and Thomson Reuters, which means that they have data on all citizens, not just immigrants in an irregular situation. During the protests in Minneapolis, where the murder of Alex Pretti, ICE used that same facial recognition software against American citizens who participated in the protests. What was built for deportations is becoming a mass surveillance system for the entire population. Larry Ellison was not wrong at all. The data convenience trap. We have accepted terms and conditions without reading them, installed apps, third-party cookies, shared our lives on social networks… While we gave up our privacy out of pure convenience, thinking that the worst that could happen is that we would be served personalized ads, we were feeding a much murkier machinery. There is tools like Clearview AI that feed directly from the millions of photos that we upload to social networks, or Locate X that takes advantage of apps that collect our location to know where we are. The services that promised to keep us connected are also the ones that keep an eye on us. The ideology behind the code. The leaders of the companies that create these tools promote a techno-utopian vision that quickly leads to techno-authoritarianism. We have the most obvious example with Peter Thiel, founder of Palantir, who said openly “I don’t think freedom and democracy are compatible.” Alex Karp, the company’s current CEO, recently published a 22 point manifesto full of nationalist and militarized ideas. Another defender of this ideology is the investor Marc Andreessen, who published his “techno-optimistic manifesto” in which he proclaims that technology will solve all human problems while stating that ethics, caution and democratic scrutiny are obstacles to progress. We also see it in Elon Musk and his accelerationist visionwhich means that technology must advance without ethical limits or democratic restrictions, because AI is the only tool capable of solving the great problems of humanity. In this context, Larry Ellison’s phrase was not an on-air prediction, it was a warning and a declaration of intent from an elite with a very clear agenda. Image | Oracle PR, Flickr In Xataka | In Silicon Valley no one dares to criticize Trump. Nobody except one person

220 meters in length and three giant sails of 1,500 square meters

by

When someone says “the largest sailboat in the world”, one immediately thinks of the whim of some millionaire. Jeff Bezos paid $500 million to build his schooner koru 127 meters long and the Russian oligarch Andrey Melnichenko also paid a fortune for his impressive Sailing Yatch A 142.8 meters of length. However, all those luxury sailboats pale when compared to the new titan of sailing that has just been launched in Saint-Nazaire. This is not a private yacht, but a new concept of luxury cruise for millionaires Equipped with three gigantic masts to recreate old-fashioned navigation. The Orient Express leaves the tracks. If we think about great classic luxury trips, it is inevitable to mention the Orient Express as a reference for luxury and glamor trips at the beginning of the 20th century. Now, the hotel company Accord, which also operates one of the lines of the Orient Express, has thrown away the Orient Express Corinthian in the shipyards of Chantiers de l’Atlantique, the same ones where the mythical Normandie liner. The Orient Express Corinthian is not only the largest sailing ship in existence. It is also a form of sea travel that has not been seen for a long time. This is a cruise where 110 passengers sail through the Mediterranean without rushing, assisted by personal butlers on board, with Guerlain spa and avant-garde cuisine with Michelin stars. Three sails, no anchor and an AI looking out to sea. What makes the Corinthian technically unique is not that it has the wingspan of an ocean liner, but rather its propulsion system. It carries three rigid sails of 1,500 m² each, developed by Chantiers de l’Atlantique with a technology called SolidSail. The masts of the Orient Express Corinthian rotate 360 ​​degrees and tilt up to 70º to capture the wind from any angle and make the most of its thrust force. This technology has already been tested successfully in huge freighters to reduce their emissions. Another peculiarity of this luxury supersailboat is that there is no anchor. Instead, the boat uses a dynamic positioning system that keeps it still without touching the bottom. This avoids damaging Posidonia meadows or protected reefs. It also has an artificial intelligence system that continuously monitors the water to detect marine mammals and drifting objects. As support, the sail propulsion system uses a hybrid liquefied natural gas engine. The result, according to the buildersis that it avoids about 9,000 tons of CO₂ per year compared to a conventional cruise of the same size. The luxury of slow travel, from trains to the sea. For a few years now, a part of high purchasing power tourism has turned towards what they call “slow luxury“. A simple idea that recovers all the luxury of the great voyages of yesteryear, where the important thing was not to arrive, but enjoy the journey with the calm that the fast-paced modern lifestyle steals from us every day. The legendary Orient Express train has been the symbol of that spirit of luxury on railsbut now they propose an alternative on the sea. The luxury supersailboat has 54 luxury suites spread over four decks. Each of them is decorated with leather, fine woods and marble. The service includes an exclusive personal butler and you can enjoy the best dishes of avant-garde cuisine in the five restaurants run by chef Yannick Alléno with several Michelin stars to his credit. Vacations within reach of very few pockets. You can now find combined packages where you travel on the Corinthian on routes along the Côte d’Azur, the Italian Riviera and the Adriatic. By 2027, Orient Express introduces new itineraries through Greece, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and northern Europe. To give an example, a seven-night cruise along the Adriatic coast departing from Venice and arriving in Malta in one of the Orient Express Corinthian Suites costs around 39,900 euros. If you opt for one of the most exclusive suites, such as the Agatha Christie Penthouse Suiteof 225 m2 and a 180 m2 terrace and capacity for four guests, can cost up to 198,800 euros on an all-inclusive basis. In Xataka | The latest trend among millionaires is not to buy a yacht. It’s sharing a luxury mini cruise Image | Accor

It is increasingly common to find jellyfish on Mediterranean beaches before summer. And it’s a bad sign

by

Last weekend and the one before that I tried to swim at the beach. However, upon seeing a few jellyfish I ended up deciding to spend time reading in the sand. The worst of the afternoon was not that. I found more annoying a few teenagers playing soccer a few meters from my towel. Jellyfish, after all, are in their habitat. But it is true that I had never seen in my entire life jellyfish in the month of May. I did some research and discovered that in recent years their arrival in the Mediterranean at this point in spring has become more and more frequent. They are even starting to appear in other waters in which they are not normally so abundant. Logically, the first thought that came to mind was that is related to global warming. The temperature of the Mediterranean has risen at a dizzying rate in recent years. However, I had the feeling that there must be something more. After all, the water has been warming for many years, but this boom in jellyfish populations (known as bloom, by the way) seems more recent to me. To answer my questions, I have contacted Jose Carlos Báez, Chief Program Researcher at the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, CSIC. As I feared, warming water plays a role, but there are even more factors that affect this uncontrolled proliferation that is becoming more and more noticeable. Three phases to give rise to adult jellyfish Although there are small variations between some species and others, in general the reproductive cycle of jellyfish consists of three phases. On the one hand there are the larvae, which float in the water until they find a place to cling to on the seabed. When they achieve this, they move on to the polyp phase, which can last up to a year. When conditions are favorable, the polyp fragments, releasing the ephyras, which are small immature jellyfish that, over time, become the adult jellyfish. The transition from polyp to jellyfish It is known as strobilation and depends on factors such as the temperature of the water, the oxygen dissolved in it or the availability of food. Jellyfish are only released into the water if they are going to be able to live in it. The surface temperature of the water is a determining factor. In fact, it has been observed that with an increase of 1.7°C The rate of asexual reproduction in the polyps of some species is accelerated by 20%. Therefore, strobilation normally occurs at the beginning of summer. It may vary between species. In some it occurs at the end of spring, but it is more common for it to take place from June onwards. According to José Carlos Báez, this is causing “a dilation of the reproductive period“, so we are seeing more generations of jellyfish in a single season. They arrive earlier and leave later. Not everything is going to be global warming The massive proliferations that we are seeing with increasing frequency on beaches are known as blooms. As we have seen, global warming is causing us to start seeing jellyfish earlier and stop seeing them later, but it does not seem to be the cause of the blooms. “It is difficult to affirm with complete certainty that the total biomass of jellyfish in the Mediterranean has increased due to climate change, mainly because we do not have sufficiently long and homogeneous historical series that allow us to compare the current situation with that of past decades,” says Báez. “However, there is evidence that jellyfish blooms, as well as the arrival of large swarms in coastal areas, appear to be increasingly frequent and prolonged.” The problem of overfishing “In a healthy ecosystem, teleost fish eat especially zooplankton, in which ephyras are found,” explains Báez. Among those fish that ephyras eat, sardines stand out, for example. On the other hand, adult jellyfish are typically preyed upon by turtles, but also by large fish such as tunas, to which tuna belongs. All of this, taken together, helps keep jellyfish populations more or less stable. Because of overfishingthere are fewer and fewer predators for jellyfish. There are, for example, fewer sardines being eaten in their ephyra phase and fewer tuna eating adult jellyfish. If we add to all this that more generations of jellyfish are born in a season due to warming water, we have the perfect cocktail for the appearance of blooms. The whiting that bites its tail (pun intended) In 2022, José Carlos Báez’s team published a study in which another less known relationship was described between the populations of jellyfish and sardines or anchovies. We have already seen that fish feed on the zooplankton in which ephyras are found, so they can help regulate jellyfish populations. However, what happens next is not so well known. Adult jellyfish can also feed on the eggs of sardines and anchovies. Therefore, if there are too many jellyfish, they can deplete the sardine population, so there will be fewer of these adult fish to continue feeding on the ephyras. As a result, there are even more jellyfish and we start again. The balance between one predator and another is broken and clearly leans towards the proliferation of jellyfish. Furthermore, in that study a relationship was also found between the proliferation of jellyfish and the decrease in weight of adult sardines. And, in turn, adult jellyfish also feed on zooplankton, which is why they compete with sardines and anchovies for food. If there are many, they do not allow them to feed properly. Not everything is jellyfish in the gelatinization of water With the proliferation of jellyfish, something known as water gelatinization is occurring. Logically, these animals, with their gelatinous appearance, have a great influence. But they are not the only ones who favor that aspect. Other gelatinous animals also proliferate, such as ctenophores. In addition, the water looks cloudier due to excess algae. This is because great eutrophication is occurring in the Mediterranean. … Read more

If you’ve ever wondered how much a massive black hole weighs, the answer is that the Sun next to it looks like a marble.

by

“What am I going to have for breakfast today?” when will this heat pass” and “how much does a black hole“are those three questions that you will surely ask yourself every day when you wake up. For the first two the answer is uncertain, but for the third a group of researchers from Carnegie Science in California has the answer. Because they have just measured, for the first time, the mass of an inactive black hole that dates back to the early universe and they do not give the answer in tons because it is a figure that escapes human understanding. But they do give the mass compared to the Sun and… well, it’s still not something we can assume. The weight of a black hole. The results HE they published this past Thursday in Science magazine and they are clear: a black hole located in the center of the galaxy MRG-M0138 has about 6,000 million times the mass of the Sun. The mass of our star is 2 × 10^30 kg, equivalent to 332,946 times the mass of the Earth. Does this leave you calmer? Surely not because it is like when they tell us that one company buys another for 75 billion dollars: These are such absurd quantities that it is very difficult to get the idea of ​​what it entails, but this thing about weighing bodies around the universe makes sense. Fascinatingly, MRG-M0138 is a massive galaxy whose light has traveled to our sensors from a time when the universe was only about 3 billion years old. This galaxy is no longer forming stars and the central black hole is “quiet.” The scale spacel. To achieve the measurement, the team at the Californian center used the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to track the movement of stars around the cosmic giant. It is not the first time that the mass of a black hole has been calculated, but it is the first time that it has been done with one that is so far away (10,000 million light years from Earth, 15 times further than the previous measurement record) and, in addition, it is the first time that an inactive black hole in a galaxy of the early universe. This speaks very well of the benefits of the JWST, which with its sensors allows a very defined image of extremely distant bodies, opening up a huge range when it comes to studying what surrounds us. The problem with sleeping black holes is that they are invisible. It does not emit light, so it cannot be observed directly. So, to “weigh it,” the researchers used a technique that had already been used before: stellar dynamics. Basically, they look at the speed at which stars move near the galactic center and compare that speed to that of more distant stars. In this way, they infer the mass of the black hole. So that. To continue knowing what surrounds us, basically. Because it is not just about measuring the mass of something so distant, but about understanding the formation around it. Thus, this discovery offers new clues to researchers about black holes and galaxies that were born in the early universe. A look at the future by looking at the past. Because, until not long ago, it had been difficult to prove whether there was a close relationship between the central black holes of these very old galaxies. Recent findings suggest that those denser galaxies were sites of rapid black hole growth early in the history of the cosmos. Furthermore, this research will be the basis for future work that will delve into this relationship and, above all, it will also be the basis for analyzing the data collected by the JWST in other similar galaxies. In fact, although the JWST is a good cosmic “magnifying glass”, in Chile the observatory is being expandedThe Bells‘ which is supported by Carnegie Science and will allow studying stellar movements in distant galaxies in much more detail than what JWST offers. In the end, it is about continuing to understand the universe and studies like this allow us to test theoretical methods to understand how massive black holes formed, grew, shaped the evolution of galaxies and, ultimately, became silent giants. Image | Navid Marvi/Carnegie Science In Xataka | We had always believed that galaxies preceded black holes. James Webb has discovered something else

The best offers from the El Corte Inglés online outlet in technology, today June 6

by

El Corte Inglés usually renews reconditioned devices quite frequently, so on many occasions we find ourselves facing a online outlet loaded with very competitive prices. On this occasion, we can see quite striking discounts on monitors, iPads and even MacBooks. LG Smart Monitor Swing by 424.15 eurosa monitor that you can comfortably take with you to any room. Samsung HW-S60B by 126.65 eurosa sound bar compatible with Dolby Atmos. iPad Pro M2 by 1,206.15 eurosa tablet that stands out above all for its 2 TB of storage. Samsung Galaxy Watch8 by 211.65 eurosa smartwatch with a very elegant design and a more reasonable price. MacBook Air M3 by 934.15 eurosa laptop with a configuration of 24 GB of unified memory and 512 GB of internal storage. MacBook Air M3 (24GB, 512GB) – 15.3 inches The price could vary. We earn commission from these links LG Smart Monitor Swing If you like to play video games and don’t always want to do it in the same room, there is a particularly interesting monitor at the El Corte Inglés outlet. It is about the LG Smart Monitor Swing which right now costs 424.15 euros. Its diagonal is 32 inches and it offers 4K resolution, but the most interesting thing is that it has a stand with wheels so it can be moved to any room. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Samsung HW-S60B On the other hand, if what you are looking for is a good sound bar to enjoy your favorite video games, but also movies and series, the Samsung HW-S60B is found by 126.65 euros. It is a 2022 model that stands out mainly for being compact and compatible with Dolby Atmos, which allows for a much more immersive experience. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links iPad Pro M2 El Corte Inglés also has many refurbished Apple devices, and one of the most interesting is the iPad Pro M2. Its price is 1,206.15 eurosbut be careful because it is in its configuration with 16 GB of RAM and 2TB internal storage. Its screen is 12.9 inches and offers a refresh rate of 120 Hz. iPad Pro M2 (16GB, 2TB) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Samsung Galaxy Watch8 There are also some discounted smartwatches, and one of the most attractive due to price and design is the Samsung Galaxy Watch8whose price is 211.65 euros. This is a good smartwatch that has a 40mm configuration, Its operating system is WearOSfeatures Gemini and comes with a good assortment of sensors to monitor physical activity. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links MacBook Air M3 Finally, another of the best offers at the El Corte Inglés outlet is the MacBook Air M3a laptop that 934.15 euros is available with a configuration of 24 GB of unified memory and 512 GB of internal storage. It will not be Apple’s most recent computer, but it is quite interesting due to its weight of 1.51 kg, its 15.3-inch screen and its large battery. MacBook Air M3 (24GB, 512GB) – 15.3 inches 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 | El Corte Inglés and Compradicción (header), LG, Samsung, Apple In Xataka | Best monitors to work with in terms of quality and price. Which one to buy based on use and six recommended models In Xataka | Best sound bars in quality price (2026). Which one to buy and seven recommended models from 99 euros

Geologists studied the sand on one of the D-Day beaches in Normandy. They discovered that 4% is still shrapnel

by

More than 80 years have passed since “D-Day” and yet his memory is still very present on the beaches of Normandy. And not in an ethereal and symbolic way. No. Beyond memory, the landing of the allied troops in the French region in June 1944 maintains a palpable mark on its sandy shores. One that can be touched and seen, although the latter requires an electron microscope. This was confirmed years ago by a group of geologists who collected a sample of sand on Omaha Beach. When they took it to their laboratory and studied it in detail, they discovered, astonished, that 4% were actually shrapnel remains. A microscopic memory of a historical date. Walking in Normandy. That’s what the Geology professor did one day in 1988. Earle McBrideof the University of Texas at Austin, and his colleague Dane Picard, of the University of Utah. While conducting a field study in France they decided to take a break and visit the famous Omaha Beachone of the main landing points for D-Day in Normandy. They didn’t have much luck with their Norman voyage. The day they walked along the sandy beach, which is around eight kilometers long, was unpleasant, cold and windy; But that didn’t stop McBride and Picard from taking home a souvenir that honored their training: a small sample of sand. Some time later they decided to rescue the bag with those Normandy beans and observe them under the microscope. And the surprise came. What McBride found in that sample of sand collected at Omaha Beach caught his attention. In addition to remains of quartz and other materials that he already took for granted, the geologist observed tiny metal fragments. When studying them in detail with the microscope, he found that they had a rounded shape, were rough, laminated and had a dull shine, with some spots of rust. Some pieces were around a millimeter. Others did not go beyond 0.06mm. The remains of the battle. Thus, reduced to millimeter metal beads eroded by waves and the passage of time, they may have been difficult to identify, but McBride ended up reaching a fascinating conclusion. What he had before him were vestiges of the Normandy landings. “They turned out to be shrapnel from the World War II invasion. Upon closer examination, he also saw iron and glass beads that had resulted from the intense heat unleashed by the explosions in the air and sand,” detail from the University of Texas at Austin. His discovery was so curious that, together with PicardProfessor McBride decided to prepare an article and publish it in the magazine The Sedimentary Record. Foreseeable. “Of course it is not surprising that shrapnel was added to the sand on Omaha Beach at the time of the battle, but it is surprising that it has survived more than 40 years and is undoubtedly still there today,” they commented both experts. His sample was from the late 80s and the report They published it in 2011; but everything indicates that the situation remains similar today. In 2011 the experts they calculated that corrosion would still take a century to destroy the shrapnel grains. A well-measurable footprint. If McBride and Picard’s study is surprising, it is because it has done more than just confirm that—decades after D-Day—remnants of shrapnel are still scattered along the beaches of Normandy. Equally or more curiously, experts have managed to provide a fairly precise idea of ​​what that footprint in the sands represents. After examining the sample in detail, the Texas geologist confirmed that the metals make up 4% of sand. The data is illustrative, although McBride and Picard slip that there could be variations depending on where and when the sand is collected. “Due to possible plasticization of shrapnel and heavy minerals by waves and currents on the day we collected our sample, we do not know to what extent it is representative of beach sand as a whole.” Omaha was one of the major landing points on D-Day, but there were other beaches in Normandy that the Allies reached in the Operation Neptune. Today they are known as Utah, Sword, Gold and Juno. With expiration date. Although the beads discovered by American geologists are a peculiar souvenir of D-Day and have survived decades, McBride and Picard warned years ago that they will not last forever. The shrapnel remains could resist erosion for millennia, but when studying the grains, geologists discovered rust particles, leading them to be pessimistic about their future. “The waves agitate the iron fragments, which in turn removes some of the rust and exposes fresh material, more prone to oxidation, which in turn falls away, and so on,” points out the University of Texas. A century of memory. “The result is that they will become smaller and smaller and eventually storms or hurricanes will drag them off the beach,” McBride reflected in 2011. Their calculations suggested that the 4% of shrapnel identified at Omaha Beach would be reduced to insignificance in a matter of a century. They will remain to remember the Allied landing, yes, the monuments and the memory. Image | Person-with-No Name (Flickr) In Xataka | The US landed on an empty island during World War II. In nine days it had more than 300 casualties *An earlier version of this article was published in June 2024

which cars can circulate and which rest on June 6

by

This weekend the Hoy No Circula Saturday program is launched once again, the strategy through which the Environment Secretariat of Mexico City (SEDEMA) regulates vehicular traffic with the objective of mitigating polluting emissions in the Metropolitan Zone of the Valley of Mexico. Given this, drivers who plan to make trips in their cars must verify the final digit of their license plate and the type of hologram they carry before embarking on the trip. It should be noted that these restrictive measures are not limited exclusively to the 16 territorial demarcations of CDMX, but also extend to various peripheral areas of the State of Mexico. The regulations have legal validity in the following demarcations. Atizapan of Zaragoza Coacalco de Berriozábal Cuautitlan Cuautitlán Izcalli Chalco Chicoloapan Chimalhuacan Ecatepec de Morelos Huixquilucan Ixtapaluca Peace Naucalpan de Juárez Nezahualcoyotl Nicolas Romero Tecámac Tlalnepantla de Baz Tultitlan Chalco Valley Therefore, it must be clear that if your route includes crossing any of these geographical points, you will be subject to the provisions of Today No Circula Saturday. Which vehicles and license plates are affected by Hoy No Circula Saturday? The central purpose of this initiative is to reduce the number of cars on the street to reduce pollution levels. Thus, Saturdays have a series of particular rules that complement the usual calendar. The restriction does not impact all motorists equally each weekend, since the authorization to circulate or the obligation to remain stopped is determined by the assigned hologram, the last numerical digit of the license plate and the position of the Saturday (if it is considered even or odd within the month). It should be noted that the limitations of Hoy No Circula Saturday do not remain in force 24 hours a day. The restriction period strictly includes from 05:00 to 22:00, which means that during nighttime and early morning hours transit is free for any unit, as long as the authorities do not activate an environmental contingency phase or other extraordinary measure that modifies the general conditions. For the day corresponding to June 6, 2026, the official calendar indicates that we are on the first Saturday of the monthly period, classified as an “odd week.” In this case, cars that have hologram 1 and whose license plates end in an odd digit will be strictly prohibited from moving during the designated operating hours. In this case, you must keep it parked at home until the restriction ends at 10:00 p.m. On the contrary, vehicles that have a 0 and 00 hologram can circulate completely freely. Finally, cars carrying hologram 2 have an absolute restriction and will not be able to circulate on any Saturday of the year. Beyond the restrictions described above, the regulations contemplate the following exceptions: Electric, natural gas or hybrid technology vehicles Units registered with plates for people with disabilities All those intended for urban public transport services (including funeral services) Those dedicated to school or passenger transportation Those assigned to public security and/or civil protection Drivers who fail to comply with the Hoy No Circula guidelines can be punished with a fine that ranges between 20 and 30 times the value of the Measurement and Update Unit (UMA), a figure that represents approximately 1,924.40 pesos at its lowest level until reaching 2,886.60 pesos at the highest limit. In addition, the driver risks having the car taken to the vehicle depot. Photo | Sam Kusko In Xataka | The countries that pollute the most in the world, gathered in a detailed graph

gain ground among American companies

by

Not so long ago, the idea of ​​an American company directly paying a Chinese company like DeepSeek to use artificial intelligence would have sounded, at the very least, unlikely. Not because there was a lack of alternative models, but because the enterprise AI board seemed dominated by the big names of Silicon Valley and by a growing concern around data, security and technological dependency. But the expense is starting to weigh. And when a technology becomes expensive to maintain at scale, some companies begin to look beyond the usual vendors. The data. The specific sign appears in Ramp’s monthly lista New York-based company that processes business expenses and sorts the software providers its customers purchase for the first time. In June 2026, DeepSeek ranked first in that ranking. The data was also collected by SCMPwhich introduced it as part of a move by some US companies toward more affordable AI options over alternatives like OpenAI and Anthropic. What Ramp measures. The nuance is important, because this ranking does not say that DeepSeek has surpassed OpenAI or Anthropic in total enterprise use. As we say, Ramp classifies the suppliers that its clients buy for the first time, which serves to detect early signs of interest, but not to automatically convert them into consolidated market share. In other words, DeepSeek appears as a trending provider within that spending universe, not as the new leader of enterprise AI in the United States. It’s not just open source. Ramp’s precision is relevant because it separates two very different scenarios: using an open source model within the infrastructure itself or contracting DeepSeek directly as a provider. In this case, Kharazian assures that the spending data points to the latter and summarizes it like this: “Companies are sending and receiving data directly through DeepSeek.” That nuance explains why the movement attracts so much attention. We are not just talking about companies testing Chinese technology in isolation, but about direct payments and use of the service. The underlying explanation is in the cost. Kharazian notes that companies are adopting more disciplined management of AI spending and that he expected more interest in open models or cheaper options from OpenAI, Anthropic and Google. What he did not expect, he explains, was that American companies would end up using DeepSeek. Therefore, the Chinese service remains part of a business conversation marked by invoices that are increasingly difficult to ignore. Proportion matters. DeepSeek now appears high on the monthly list of trending providers, but its previous figures within the Ramp AI Index show that we are still talking about a small phenomenon. According to Kharazian, the Chinese company went from 0.3% enterprise adoption in January 2025 to 0.1% shortly after, and in April 2026 it was still around that level. In that same index, Anthropic and OpenAI concentrated 34.4% and 32.3%, respectively. The reasonable reading, therefore, is not that DeepSeek has caught up with the leaders, but that it has re-entered the radar of some American companies. The complete photograph. According to the firm, companies are not only looking towards Chinese models, but also towards open models and model inference and deployment platforms such as Fireworks AI, fal AI and DeepInfra. In any case, the message for Silicon Valley is clear: some American companies are willing to look at alternatives that recently seemed much more difficult to imagine. Images | Xataka with Nano Banana In Xataka | France has been determined to rob Spain of its position as a data center power in Europe

This is the world’s first triple-resolution QD-OLED monitor from MSI. And he has not arrived alone

by

Computex 2026 is being the stage for many brands to present a battery of products. One of them is MSI, which has put on stage a fairly large selection of monitors where it stands out especially the world’s first triple resolution QD-OLED monitoralthough there is much more. We are going to talk a little about all of them in this article. MSI MPG OLED 322URDX36 As we have already anticipated a little above, the MSI MPG OLED 322URDX36 is the first QD-OLED monitor with triple resolution in the world: 4K/360Hz, 2K/520Hz and FHD/680Hz. This is very useful because it allows the user to choose if they prefer higher resolution and sharpness, or, on the contrary, prefer to prioritize the refresh rate for games that require fast movements (this is very common in competitive games). In addition to this, it uses technology Penta Tandemso your panel has a multi-layer structure. This, in practice, translates into more shine, better color and greater durability against burning. In addition, it has a maximum HDR brightness of 1,500 nits, HDMI 2.1a ports and a USB-C port that delivers 98 W, ideal for charging a laptop, for example. MSI MEG The MEG It is the first QD-OLED gaming monitor with Agentic AI. This internal artificial intelligence will analyze what is on the screen to automatically improve the image. This is interesting because it does not depend on the console or PC we are using, but rather it is something done internally by the monitor itself. It also learns from user habits. In addition to this, it also uses a QD-OLED panel, has 34 inches and UWQHD resolution (3,440 x 1440 pixels). It also comes with the Penta Tandem technology that comes with the monitor above and has a 360 Hz refresh rate. It will arrive in stores on August 5. MSI MPG 271KRAW18 MiniLED is also having a lot of presence in monitors and this MPG 271KRAW18 is a very good example of this. In fact, It is the first gaming monitor of its type with 5K resolutionalso offering 180 Hz. In addition, it has Dual Mode, so we can switch whenever we want to 2K/330 Hz. At the moment, it does not have a release date. MSI MAG 271KPD7 Let’s now go with a more economical and very versatile option. The MSI MAG 271KPD7 is a monitor with an IPS panel that has double resolution, although with a different approach. With 5K resolution it offers 75 Hzsomething that can be great for working with text in a very clear way (also for playing, of course). But it also gives the option to switch to 2K and 300 Hz, thus offering very high fluidity. It will arrive in stores this June. MSI MAG OLED 321UPX18 Another of the monitors presented, the MAG OLED 321UPX18, seeks to be a more affordable option for those users who want to immerse themselves in the world of OLED monitors. It has 4K resolution and a refresh rate of 180 Hzbut in this case it does not have the possibility of changing the resolution like the options above. But, despite this, it also uses the same Penta Tandem technology. Something to keep in mind is that it has a diagonal of 31.5 inchesso it is not a compact option. This one, at the moment, does not have a release date. MSI MAG OLED 271QPX32 We continue with OLED monitors with this MSI MAG OLED 271QPX32, which is 27 inches. It also uses Penta Tandem technology, although in this case it opts for a WQHD resolution. It offers a refresh rate of 320 Hz. This monitor will arrive next September and it will do so below 600 euros, which is further proof that we increasingly have more accessible options for this type of monitors. MSI PRO MAX 341QPXW14G To finish, we go with a monitor more oriented to the professional world such as the MSI PRO MAX 341QPXQ14G. This manufacturer also brings Penta Tadem technology to this type of monitors with a 34-inch screen with UWQHD resolution and a refresh rate of 144 Hz. It should be noted that it has a double USB-C port as 98 W and 15 W, respectively. MSI now has a 10% discount on its entire store All of these monitors are coming soon, but they are not available. Despite this, it is worth taking a look right now at the MSI store since right now there is a 10% discount on any device from this brand. Since we have focused on their new monitors in this article, we are going to see a couple of those that we can buy now (and cheaper). MSI MPG 264URDFW E16M: This is a 27-inch monitor that uses MiniLED technology. It has 4K resolution and a 320 Hz refresh rate, making it perfect if you usually play competitive titles. Its RRP is 549 euros, although we now have it available for 449.10 euros with the 10% coupon. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links MSI MAG 321UP: An option to consider if you prefer QD-OLED technology. In this case, we are looking at a 31.5-inch screen that also has 4K resolution. It has a refresh rate of 165 Hz and a response time of only 0.03 ms. It costs 799 euros, although now it remains at 626.10 euros with the 10% coupon. 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 | MSI In Xataka | Ultrawide monitor vs two monitors: productivity science says it’s not just inches that matter In Xataka | 144 Hz is not just for gaming: the subtle change on your screen that your eyes will appreciate after eight hours of Excel

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.