usatoday24, Author at usatoday24

An unexpected salvation for the end user emerges from the memory market debacle: Chinese chips

June 18, 2026 by usatoday24

The DRAM memory industry is facing a profound structural transformation. Until October 2025 the price of memory chips evolved in a relatively stable way, but from that moment on began a dizzying climb which still continues. In fact, the consultant TrendForce expects the price of conventional DRAM to rise between 58% and 63% quarter-on-quarter before the expiration of the second quarter of 2026. And the artificial intelligence (AI) is behind all this. The three largest chip manufacturers of memory on the planet, the South Korean companies SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics, and the American Micron Technology, They have reallocated about 70% of its production lines to high-bandwidth memories (HBM) to satisfy the currently insatiable demand of data centers specialized in AI. The consequences of this movement did not take long to appear: standard DDR4 and DDR5 memories and their derivatives, which are the most used in the consumer segment, immediately began to become scarce. And its price skyrocketed. In fact, according to the consulting firm GartnerRAM has gone from representing 16% of the total cost of a laptop to 23%. And it is possible that this escalation will continue to develop in the coming months. However, users can cling to the greatest stabilizing agent in the memory market today: Chinese manufacturers. This is the great opportunity for YMTC and CXMT Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. (YMTC) is one of the largest NAND chip manufacturers in China. Its global market share is approximately 13%making it one of the main competitors of Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron, Kioxia or SanDisk. Its weight in the Chinese market is very great, especially because US sanctions They prevent American and South Korean memory manufacturers from selling their most sophisticated integrated circuits to their Chinese customers. On the other hand, Changxin Memory Technologies (CXMT) is one of the Chinese companies specialized in the production of memory chips, and, like other companies in the country led by Xi Jinping, it has chosen to compete in this very attractive market by deploying a very aggressive pricing policy. CXMT in particular has increased its DRAM chip production capacity almost five times during the last four years, which has allowed it to increase its global market share until reaching a very worthy 7.6%. CXMT has chosen to compete in this very attractive market by deploying a very aggressive pricing policy. While large foreign manufacturers maximize their margins thanks to data centers and the rise of AI, Chinese manufacturers prioritize sourcing from local companies. This scenario allows the supply and prices of memory and NAND chips in China to remain relatively stable, remaining outside the strong premiums charged by the big three (Samsung, Micron and SK Hynix). This is the context in which the Chinese memory module brands Gloway and KingBank have recently announced new DDR5 modules that stand out for using SDRAM memory chips made in China. With a standard configuration of eight chips per module, these companies can produce 24 GB modules and group them into kits of two or four modules to achieve capacities of 48 GB or 96 GB, respectively. Chinese memory chips, particularly those from CXMT, have already begun to spread beyond China’s borders. Corsair has already integrated them into some kits of its Vengeance line, while HP and Dell have begun the process of homologating modules with CXMT chips for their products. This is good news for users, there is no doubt. Even so, we still don’t know if the use of CXMT DRAM will become widespread in response to AI-induced shortages. The market demands new players, wherever they come from, and if YMTC and CXMT are able to fill the gaps left by Samsung, Micron and SK Hynix, they are welcome. Image | Intel More information | Tom’s Hardware In Xataka | China needs to develop a new type of chips immune to US sanctions. And your scientists have just achieved it

Google opens reservations for its Home Speaker, a speaker with Gemini that is not especially cheap

June 18, 2026 by usatoday24

Google has finally announced the arrival of its next smart speaker, the so-called Google Home Speaker. It can now be reserved in the official store, and be careful because it is not particularly cheap, especially if we take into account the price at which the product was launched. Nest Mini. It can be reserved in the official store for 119.99 euros. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A speaker with Gemini Voice assistants are changing. Amazon recently presented Alexa+an improved voice assistant that allowed for better real-time interaction. Now, Google has made a similar move with the Home Sepaker that features Gemini. The interesting thing about this new Google speaker is that we no longer have to learn the exact commands to interact with it, since it is capable of better understanding what we say and what we want. Furthermore, also takes into account the place where it is locatedsomething quite interesting to have greater precision when controlling the devices you have nearby. We have a good example in smart plugs; If we tell you to turn them off, you can keep in mind that we are referring to those in that same room. At the design level we also noticed quite a few changes. The speaker is larger than the Nest Mini and maintains the minimalist design that we saw in this same speaker, so it can integrate very well with the decoration of the house. As we see in other speakers, every time we interact with the Google Home Speaker we can know that it is listening to us because an LED light will illuminate located at the bottom (similar to the Echo Dot). Additionally, there are also improvements in sound quality. With the new design, Google promises that its speaker can play 360 degree surround audio in order to have a more uniform experience. Finally, it is worth mentioning that, although not necessary, two subscriptions are available that add several functions: Standard (10 euros per month or 100 euros per year), which adds Gemini Live and Help me create. Advanced (18 euros per month or 180 euros per year), which adds the functions of the Standard subscription and Search in video history and daily summaries. In addition, Google is now giving away six months of Google Home Premium if you reserve from the official store. ⚡ IN SUMMARY: Google Home Speaker ✅ THE BEST Gemini: By having Gemini, we will not need to learn exact commands to interact with connected devices. Your surround soundwhich offers a better experience. ❌ THE WORST Subscriptions– If you don’t pay month-to-month or annually, you won’t be able to access some features. 💡 BUY IT IF… You want to create a smart ecosystem away from Alexa, with the Google speaker as the center of home automation. ⛔ DON’T BUY IT IF… Your devices are compatible only with Alexa. In that case, it is more advisable to go for an Amazon Echo. You may also be interested Echo Dot (Latest generation) | Smart Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speaker, with more powerful and wider sound | Anthracite, with Early Access to Alexa+ The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Amazon Echo Spot (latest generation) | Smart alarm clock with quality sound | Black, with Early Access to Alexa+ 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 | Google In Xataka | Best sound bars in quality price (2026). Which one to buy and seven recommended models from 99 euros In Xataka | Best home theater projectors. Which one to buy and five recommended models from 299 to 18,000 euros

the initiative of a town in Huesca to make neighbors look each other in the eyes. “We’ll put the cell phone in a bag”

June 18, 2026 by usatoday24

The United Kingdom announced a few hours ago that is going to ban social networksamong other things, to those under 16 years of age. In a much more diplomatic line, the Aragonese people of Alcalá de Gurrea will soon celebrate a day without screens to enjoy the best social network: eye contact. This is an experiment that will put the entire town in “airplane mode” and, as you know, people are quite dependentthey will ensure that it is fulfilled in a very curious way. Putting cell phones in a bag with a sheriff patrolling the town. It’s much nicer than it sounds. Town in airplane mode. It will be next June 28 when, for a few hours, the Aragonese municipality will implement this measure. They will invite neighbors who want to join in to leave their cell phones aside to interact with the rest of the town and, as detailed in Chain Beingduring those hours there will only be one cell phone: the one owned by one of those responsible for the activity. “The sheriff will go throughout the town in case something happens and will call the right person if necessary,” the organizers point out. The objective is clear: to make people look each other in the eyes. “The plan is for people to do all kinds of activities but, above all, to interact with each other during those nine hours,” they say. To do this, there will be a group meal, activities such as a kayak experience and common spaces in which various types of activities and creative workshops will take place. What if you’re embarrassed? Well, they have it covered: “the organizers will be waiting for people to break the ice,” they say. The typical “do you know my friend?” of all life. to the bag. And the way to make sure people put their phones aside is to do it…literally. The event, as those responsible in Ser comment, will take place on the outskirts of the town and will be where participants will be given a bag to store their devices. “When you cross the border of airplane mode, there is no turning back: no one will be able to locate you,” they point out. “Since people are so dependent, we will put it in a sealed bag that they will not be able to open for nine hours.” As we read in Zaragoza-Citythe capacity will be very limited in this first edition, of just 200 people and the organizations defend that it is not about giving up technology, but about realizing that we can not be constantly glued to the screens. Not so original. If you are unable to put your phone down for a second (which is not the user’s fault either because applications use sophisticated tactics to ‘tickle’ our brains and that are very addictive), is a good solution. However, you should know that Alcalá de Gurrea is not the only place where this is done. On April 18, Euskadi celebrated the first ‘Family Cell Phone Free Day’ which, basically, was the same: the cell phone was left in a safe and guarded bag to experience a fun day without screens. There is an association called EsMontañas that has also driven a similar initiative in almost 60 Alto Aragonese towns and there are private initiatives such as ‘Offline Club’ that organizes meetings of the style in some cities. Others do it out of obligation. The truth is that the absence of the sound of notifications and not having the phone at hand to pick it up, unlock it and look into space simply on impulse does not seem like a bad idea to ‘detoxify’ the device. Now, it is fine as long as it is voluntary and not an imposition. In Vadgaon, India, every day at 7:00 p.m. a siren sounds which urges citizens to turn off televisions and cell phones with the aim of recovering face-to-face dialogue. And Green Bank, a city in the United States, is a municipality without mobile phones by obligation. Due to the presence of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory implies a radio-silent zone in which mobile phones and Wi-Fi devices are very restricted. Curiously, this situation is a claim for people who want a life without smartphones. In Xataka | The science of “doomscrolling”: how technology hacked psychology so we can’t let go of our phones

“It’s like acquiring a new skill”

June 18, 2026 by usatoday24

A video from the Ukrainian unit Signum showed in 2022 one of the first successful attacks with improvised FPV drones against Russian positions, a scene that many analysts consider the starting point of the tactical revolution that today armies from half the world study. That started as a homemade solution of volunteers and hobbyists. Four years later, countries like Taiwan are teaching their citizens to fly them as part of their defense. The Ukrainian lesson. The war in Ukraine has changed many things, but one of the most profound has been the way in which the drone has stopped being an auxiliary tool and has become in a centerpiece of modern combat. Thousands of daily missions, cheap precision strikes and a constant ability to monitor, correct fire and wear down the enemy have transformed the logic from the battlefield. In Taiwan, this reality is observed carefully because the conclusion is evident: if Ukraine has managed to resist a superior power for years thanks, in part, to democratizing drone warfare, the island believes that must learn that lesson before it’s too late. Convert civilians into operators. That is why Taipei has launched its first civil drone piloting training program, an initiative promoted by Kuma Academy that seeks to teach ordinary citizens something that a few years ago seemed reserved for the military or advanced amateurs. The Guardian said that, in a small room full of cones, young people, retirees and workers practice basic flights, control maneuvers and visual navigation. The important thing is not only to learn to fly, but to assume that this knowledge can have real strategic value. One of the participants summarizes it with a phrase which encapsulates the entire philosophy of the program: “It’s like giving me a new skill, something I could use one day if I needed to.” The drone as a citizen weapon. That is the most profound change: in Taiwan the drone is beginning to be seen as a species civic weaponnot necessarily offensive, but useful to survive and contribute in a crisis. The idea is not to arm the population, but to move it from a passive defense (hide and wait) to an active defense based on observing, detecting and sharing information. on a stage Chinese invasionthese small devices could be used to monitor enemy movements, locate wounded, coordinate evacuations or maintain visual links in areas where traditional communications fail. The logic is simple: not everyone can hold a rifle, but almost anyone can. learn to fly a drone. Prepare for China. There is no doubt, the backdrop is the increasing pressure from China on the island. Taiwan lives under constant threat of a possible Chinese military operation and more and more citizens seem to assume that individual preparation is part of national defense. The expansion of civil defense groupsfirst aid courses and now drone literacy They are part of that social transformation. From that perspective, preparation is no longer just a matter of the army, each citizen becomes a possible piece within a broader resistance network. Learn to fly without automation. The technical detail of these courses says a lot about how Taiwan understands future warfare: the drones are small, light, domestically manufactured and without GPS or autopilot. The reason is crystal clear. In a modern conflict, electronic warfare can disable automatic systems in seconds, so the pilot must learn to control the machine by pure sight and reflections. It is modeled on what happens in Ukraine, where the electromagnetic combat It forces you to constantly improvise and adapt. Taiwan does not want to train users of convenient technology, it wants to train operators capable of continuing to function when technology fails. Strategic autonomy. This effort also fits with another objective: reducing the technological dependence from China and build its own supply chain for drones. Taiwan manufactures part of their weaponsbut it still depends arms sales of the United States for its heavier systems. Furthermore, political uncertainty in Washington and the ups and downs in the relationship with Beijing reinforce the feeling of vulnerability. For all these reasons, for many Taiwanese, learning to fly a drone is no longer a hobby or a technical curiosity. It is more of a tangible form to prepare for an uncertain future, with the conviction that, if the worst scenario comes, every skill acquired today can make a difference in the future. Image | Wikimedia In Xataka | “Speed is not the key”: the trick against all logic of Ukrainian drones to hunt the fearsome Russian shahed In Xataka | A Ukrainian soldier spent 1,495 days imprisoned in Russia. He was saved with an unexpected weapon: the seven Harry Potter books

requirements and how to request your bonus of up to 90% on train and bus

June 18, 2026 by usatoday24

Let’s tell you how to request your travel discount of the Summer Young 2026 program, aimed at people between 18 and 30 years old. The page where you can request your code to obtain discounts of up to 90% on your train or bus trips has opened today, and we will tell you how to manage it. You have the information about the discounts in detail in this article. We are going to start the article by reminding you of the requirements to qualify for these discounts, and then we will tell you step by step how to proceed. These discounts are for travel tickets between July 1 and September 30 from 2026, therefore only for the summer. As of September 30, they will have expired. Requirements for discounts Not everyone can request these discountsand there are a series of requirements that you must comply with. These include that you have Spanish nationality or residence, and that you are of a certain age. The requirements are the following: The Young Summer is available for trips to be made between July 1, 2026 and September 30, 2026. It is necessary to have been born between January 1, 1996 and December 31, 2008, both inclusive. Have Spanish nationality or have legal residence in Spain if you are a foreigner. How to request a Young Summer 2026 discount The first thing you have to do is enter the website of this program, at the address summerjoven.transportes.gob.es. Once inside, you have to identify yourself. You have two alternatives to do it, use filling in your personal data in a form or use the Cl@ve system. If you choose the first option, you will simply have to fill in your information. But the quickest thing is to go to the Cl@ve system, which will allow you to log in with a digital certificate like him FNMT certificate either DNIethe PIN key or Mobile Key, or your Permanent Key. Regardless of the method you choose, after logging in you will go to the final application process. In it, the first step is to fill in your data, something that if you have used a certificate will have been done. Then you will go to the second step, where you must write your contact details. These are the email and telephone, and then you will have to confirm the request. And that’s it, now you will only have to wait for your data to be verified, and when you complete it you will receive an email or SMS telling you if you have been accepted, and where you will be told the personal code to use. Cover image | Yubal Fernandez In Xataka Basics | How to use Trainline to get the best and cheapest train tickets in Spain

another worrying fact that adds to a historic ENSO

June 18, 2026 by usatoday24

On June 11, after weeks of uncertainty, NOAA declared that El Niño was already here and that everything seemed to point to a progressive intensification as winter approached. It is true that the probability that the warm phase will be ‘very strong’ is still at 65%, but it is also true that the models insistently indicate that it will be one of the most intense in the last 75 years. Now, in addition, we have an incontestable fact: It is not only that the central and eastern Pacific is much warmer than the historical average, but that the temperature in El Niño 3.4 (the one used by scientists to monitor, declare and measure the intensity of the phenomenon) is at levels never seen before. What do we talk about when we talk about ENSO, El Niño and all these things? What we know as El Niño-Southern Oscillation (or ENSO) is a cyclical (although somewhat irregular) climate phenomenon that has large effects on the global climate. During the warm phase (during El Niño itself), the lack of trade winds to cool the surface causes the temperature of the Pacific waters to skyrocket. And that, precisely that, disrupts all the Earth’s weather systems, causing the thermometers of the entire planet to skyrocket. As explained from AEMET“El Niño, through different atmospheric teleconnections, gives rise to drier than normal conditions in certain parts of the world; while in others it causes more precipitation. Some countries have to deal with significant droughts and others with torrential rains.” What this record implies and what it does not imply. This fact is incontestable, but there is a catch. It is true that the absolute temperature of the equatorial Pacific is at record levels, but technically speaking that is not what defines the intensity of El Niño. In fact, this last year, The index monitored by ENSO has been changed to prevent climate change (which, ‘naturally’, raises the average water temperature in the area) from causing us to confuse “a very hot Pacific” with a “very intense El Niño.” What defines it is the anomaly between the Niño-3.4 region and the rest of the surrounding regions. Right now that anomaly is still low, but considering how quickly it has appeared, it is exactly what we would expect. And why do we tell this? Because the situation is complicated. El Niño of 2023-24 was one of the five strongest on record and contributed to 2024 breaking the global temperature record. And we are talking about a ‘normal’ event. The SuperChildren of 1982-83, 1997-98 and 2015-16 left severe global impactsvictims in the order of 24,000 people and economic losses exceeding 30,000 million dollars. It is true that we have improved a lotbut to that’s what we expose ourselves to. We must not forget that the period April 2025-March 2026 is already the warmest twelve months ever measured. Image | AMETSE In Xataka | There are more and more extreme weather events. In return, they are leaving fewer victims than ever

Carrefour is selling off this 50-inch QLED TV, ideal for small living rooms for less than 300 euros

June 18, 2026 by usatoday24

If you are looking to renew the main television in your home and your living room is small, Carrefour now has a TV on offer that may interest you. Now you can take this smart TV Hisense 50E79Qa model with QLED technology of 50 inches by 299 euros and they give you a coupon with 15% of its value for future purchases. Hisense 50″ (127 cm) 50E79Q TV with AI, QLED, 4K UHD with AI, 60 Hz, Smart TV, HDR, Quantum Dot, Dolby MS12, DTS The price could vary. We earn commission from these links AI optimization and lots of technology at an entry-level price This Hisense 50E79Q TV mounts a 50-inch panel with 4K UHD resolution (3,840 x 2,160 pixels). Its great asset in this price range is the use of Quantum Dot technology (QLED), which guarantees more vivid and precise color reproduction than traditional LED panels. Another interesting addition to this model is the integration of Artificial intelligence. Hisense’s Quad Core processor uses AI algorithms for image scaling, enhancing lower resolution sources (such as DTT channels) and optimizing color and textures in real time. It also doesn’t fall short in film compatibility, as it offers support for Dolby Vision and high dynamic range (HDR) formats. In the connectivity section, it has three HDMI ports compatible with 2.1 features (such as eARC for sound bars, ALLM to reduce latency automatically and VRR at 60 Hz). To this we must add two USB ports, Bluetooth and integrated WiFi. The operating system that gives life to this television is VIDAAa native Hisense platform that provides direct access to the main streaming apps. Finally, in the sound section it incorporates two speakers with a combined power of 20 W RMS and Dolby MS12 and DTX X decoding, to give you a feeling of immersion. ⚡ IN SUMMARY: offer for smart hisense 50E79Q today ✅ THE BEST QLED panel at a bargain price: Getting Quantum Dot technology for less than 300 euros is a rarity. The colors are much more vivid and the contrast is noticeably better than basic LED displays at this price. Modern connectivity: including HDMI ports with 2.1 features such as ALLM (auto low latency mode) and VRR at 60Hz This is excellent news for those who connect consoles. ❌ THE WORST Limited refreshment rate… It stays in the Native 60Hz. If you are looking to squeeze the most out of 120 fps from consoles like PS5 or Xbox Series X, this panel will fall short. VIDAA Apps Ecosystem… Although it has the main platforms (Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, etc.), its application catalog is more limited than that of Google Play or the Apple App Store. 💡 BUY IT IF… Your budget is 300 euros and you don’t want to settle for a screen that looks “washed out” or off, the QLED panel of this model is unbeatable for this cost. ⛔ DON’T BUY IT IF… At home you usually watch TV as a family distributed throughout the living room, those who sit on the sides will see the image with the colors somewhat distorted due to the viewing angles. Some sound bars that may interest you for this TV ULTIMEA 2.1ch Sound Bar for TV The price could vary. We earn commission from these links ULTIMEA 2.1 Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer 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 | Webedia and Hisense In Xataka | Best sound bars in quality price. Which one to buy and seven recommended models from 99 euros In Xataka | Best home theater projectors. Which one to buy and five recommended models from 299 to 18,000 euros

Tim Cook warns that the impact of AI will cause increases in iPhone prices

June 18, 2026 by usatoday24

We are in the midst of “RAMageddon.” The RAM memory crisis continues to impact the industry, and Apple knows it well. The company had weathered the storm (relatively) until now, but its current CEO, Tim Cook, is already warning customers: your next Mac, iPhone or iPad could go up in price very soon. Few surprises, many disappointments. The situation is “unsustainable”. The head of Apple granted an interview in The Wall Street Journal in which he noted that price increases are “inevitable.” The company has made great efforts to absorb the impact of the increase in costs in all types of RAM and NAND memory chips, but the limit seems to have already been exceeded, because Cook stated that the situation has become “unsustainable.” Apple prices will rise. Apple has not specified which products will be affected and to what extent, but it already warns that there will be changes to the catalog. cook already warned in April, during the conference with investors, that the shortage would end up taking its toll on them. The future CEO, John Ternus, explained the same shortly after. He who warns is not a traitor, they seemed to want to say. The iPhone, a firm candidate to increase in price. According to industry experts cited in the Financial Times, if Apple raises prices, one of the clear candidates to see that price growth is the iPhone. The company is expected to announce new iPhones in September, which will give the opportunity for these new models to have a significantly higher price than the traditional one from launch. Source: TechInsights How much more expensive? What is not clear is how much more expensive both the iPhone and the company’s other hardware products will be. In The Wall Street Journal they cite estimates from the company TechInsights, which believes that the new iPhones will have a price that will be at least $270 more expensive so that Apple can maintain its profit margin. The iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099, and therefore now the price would be close to $1,400. The situation is tragic. Data from TechInsights (in the graph above) reveals how price increases in both RAM and NAND chips in our SSDs have risen in price astronomically since mid-2025. It is estimated that RAM will do so even more in the next 12 months, although it seems that the situation will relax for NAND memories. And the manufacturers make their fortune. Meanwhile, the companies that dominate the memory market continue to do their own thing. Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron, Kioxia and SanDisk have managed to grow astronomically on the stock market (the latter two, 4,600% in the last twelve months) and have no intention of drastically increasing their production. There are plans for new production plants, yes, but almost all of them to produce HBM memory chips for AI. Meanwhile, wafers with memory chips for devices for end users will continue to be 15% below demand, they estimate at Morgan Stanley. AI is costing Apple. At the moment AI is not favoring Apple. Their strategy with this technology has been highly criticized and only now have they just launched the new Siri AI thanks to the agreement with Google. It does not seem that this is going to be a sufficient argument to accelerate iPhone sales, especially if they rise in price. It certainly has not been the case in the Android world, let alone the PC and laptop segment: the Copilot+ PCs never managed to catch on after promise a revolution that never happened. Image | European Commission (Christophe Licoppe), Arne Müseler In Xataka | The RAM crisis is so extreme that it has achieved what seemed unthinkable: Apple’s memories are “cheap”

“We have accumulated fuel and increased the probability of extreme fires”

June 18, 2026 by usatoday24

He climate change and rural abandonment have turned our mountains into powder kegs and, when a large forest fire breaks out, the problem is not only the ecological devastation, but the immense column of toxic smoke that suffocates populations located hundreds of kilometers away, as we have suffered in Spain in recent years. Faced with this scenario, researchers defend a tool that may seem quite strange to other eyes: burning the forest on purpose to create firebreaks. It is validated. A new study published in Science has put on the table the evidence that supports this practice known as prescribed burning. One of the data they collect is that carrying out low severity fires generates an immediate 92% reduction in the probability of very high severity fires occurring in that same place. Far from being a temporary patch, researchers have proven that this “vaccine effect” lasts up to 10 years and extends its protection radius up to 5 kilometers beyond the treated area. The air. One of the perhaps most important findings of the research lies in the air we breathe, since fine particles emitted by large forest fires are a serious risk to our lungs. But with this method, researchers calculate that, in the case of California, burning 500,000 acres a year can reduce the accumulated pollution of these microparticles in the air by approximately 10%. How it works. Víctor Resco de Dios, professor of Forestry Engineering and Global Change at the University of Lleida, sums it up clearly: “The fumes from prescribed burning are much smaller than those from fires.” And the key is in the continuity of the fuel, since when a forest fire that advances without control collides with an area that has been previously treated with controlled fires, its intensity plummets. The fire moves from the treetops to the ground, offering firefighting teams a vital window of opportunity to extinguish it, radically reducing the total smoke emission. In Spain. Scientific rigor requires reading the fine print, and in this case, the geographical context is decisive. The overwhelming data that we have collected comes from the analysis of the coniferous forests of California and as the expert Víctor Fernández García points out for SMC“California is not Spain.” While in the western United States or in the oak forests of Mexico, prescribed burning can be considered at a landscape scale, in Spain its use is currently “very specific” and localized. This is because in our country short and medium term burning requires surgical precision because there are native species such as the Pinus nigra or the Pinus pinaster which are very resistant to fire. But it is useful. This same expert, speaking to SMC, points out that in Spain, after several decades of rural abandonment, “we have accumulated fuel and increased the probability of extreme fires.” That is why, although we are not like California, it does offer a useful warning about these types of practices such as low-risk fire grazing or controlled burns. Images | Michael Held In Xataka | Putting out fires in summer is no longer useful: Spain has an opportunity to prevent them by betting on biomass

Jeff Bezos assures that there is a type of employee who can never be replaced by an AI: inventors

June 18, 2026 by usatoday24

With saturated selection processes (or directly broken) and the AI conditioning skills that companies demand, there is a skill that Jeff Bezos considers irreplaceable: the ability to invent. The millionaire value this skill above traditional knowledge or experience. Bezos considers that inventiveness is vital to maintaining creativity and innovation in modern companies, ensuring that he himself has applied it to bring Amazon and Blue Origin to their current situation. Lessons from his grandfather. In an interview During the Italian Tech Week 2025 conference that took place in Turin, the millionaire commented that his grandfather was capable of solving any problem on his Texas ranch by himself, without depending on outside help. “He bought a bulldozer for about $5,000 because it was completely broken. We spent a whole summer fixing it. To remove the transmission, we had to build our own crane. And that’s why he had an incredible ability to adapt. He believed he could solve any problem. And I watched him,” Bezos said during his interview. “He did veterinary work with the cattle. He made the needles himself. He took a small piece of wire and heated it with a blowtorch, flattened it, sharpened it and made a small hole in it. Some cows even survived,” he commented sarcastically. That ability to adapt and create practical solutions taught him the value of inventiveness to face difficultiesa lesson that Bezos has also applied in his life and in the management of Amazon. The “inventor” of Amazon. Bezos himself defines himself as an inventor, stating that “it is his fundamental nature. Put me in front of a white board and I can generate a hundred ideas in half an hour.” The founder of Amazon looks for those creative skills in his team members. In an interview In 2012 at the Utah Technology Council, Bezos indicated that “when I interview candidates, I ask them to give me an example of something they have invented.” Obviously the millionaire was not referring to a patent, but to a process, an idea or a solution to a problem that existed and for which he imagined a solution. “You have to select people who like to invent, think innovatively,” said the millionaire. Innovation as an antidote to fear. One of the six fears that have defined Jeff Bezos’ career is the fear of garages. Not in the literal sense of the place but of the symbolic sense of innovation that they have acquired: HP was born in a garage, just like Apple. “Two kids in a garage scare me more than the competitors I already know,” assured Bezos in an interview. The inventive capacity is a lever towards innovation and experimentation, which has been one of the pillars of the business culture that has taken Amazon to where it is today. “Someone who comes to Amazon and doesn’t like pioneering, doesn’t like exploring, doesn’t like going down dead ends that often turn out to be dead ends, will leave soon,” Bezos said in his interview. In his job interviews, Bezos asks: “How can we do A and B? What invention do we need to bring the two together?” That is, value those candidates who do not see the options in black and white, but rather look for new ways to combine and improve processes to innovate. AI has accelerated everything. More and more CEOs and senior officials at large technology companies agree that they are the skills and attitudes, and not the knowledgewhich will make candidates stand out in the age of AI. The current CEO of Amazon, Andy Jassy, pointed out that knowledge can be acquired over time, but what companies need in this era of constant innovation are people who know how to adapt to any circumstance and learn from it. “The biggest difference between the people I started with in the early stages of my career and what they are doing now has to do with how good they were at learning.” According to Jassy, the attitude and talent to innovate It has to come standard. A version of this article was published in November 2025. In Xataka | Jeff Bezos’ Koru measures 127 meters and cost $500 million. It is for sale due to an unexpected problem: parking In Xataka | If your chair limps during a job interview, it’s no coincidence: they’re evaluating more than just your resume. Image | Flickr (iafastro)

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