Mobile Tech & Gadgets

They are infrasounds that are not heard but felt

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Who they live nearby of data centers in the US they are denouncing be being affected by so-called infrasound. These are low-frequency sounds that are below the limits of human hearing but can end up causing dizziness, nausea, vertigo and problems falling asleep. And the worst thing is not that: it is that these data centers comply with current regulations. The invisible enemy. Data centers are becoming recurring focus of criticism of neighbors and residents in areas where they are built. The reasons They are forceful and knownbut to all of them we now add one that is worrying for another reason: it affects our health. Damn infrasound. The new invisible enemy of those affected is low-frequency noise pollution. The problem is that unlike the noise generated by a highway, for example, infrasound is not “heard” with the ears, but is felt with the whole body and can cause anxiety, nausea or chronic insomnia. Hmmmmmm. Infrasound operates at frequencies so low that they fall outside the human hearing spectrum. The problem is that despite this, these sounds can pass through walls and travel hundreds of meters to end up reaching neighbors who live near data centers. For them, what is captured is a kind of constant vibration that cannot be turned off. Infrasound is legal, but it shouldn’t be. The local authorities that receive these complaints cannot do much, because they find themselves in a legal loophole: the current regulations They usually measure noise in decibels (dB), but since these sounds are inaudible, decibel meters mark legal levels while neighbors can develop health problems. Is it a bird? is it a plane? Those responsible for these sounds are usually industrial cooling systems that move gigantic volumes of air to keep the temperatures generated in these computing centers at bay. Not only that: many of these centers try to rely on the electrical grid and avoid supply bottlenecks. To do this, they use natural gas turbines, which are a type of modified jet aircraft engines. The bad thing is that these machines work 24/7, eliminating nighttime silence and condemning residents’ sleep. They should be in the desert. Both the US and Europe have vast expanses of uninhabited land that should be ideal for this type of facility, but hyperscalers prefer to build close to existing infrastructure because that saves them a lot of time and money when it comes to putting these facilities into operation. And what about liquid cooling? Experts point out that a potential solution would be to use liquid cooling solutions, which would significantly reduce fan noise. The problem, again, is that these systems are expensive and do not eliminate the need for the use of electric turbines. More and more projects delayed. This is the latest of the problems that is turning data centers into facilities that are especially hated by residents of the areas where they are installed. Protests are becoming more frequent, and these criticisms are combined with problems of water and energy supply. There are platforms that analyze the moratoriums and delays that these projects are suffering, and currently in the US there are 50 active blockades of projects to build data centers in different regions of the country. In Xataka | If the question is “how does having a data center next to my house affect me”, in the US they already have an answer: 267% more expensive electricity

the alternative to OLED for large format screens

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One of the few TCL factories outside of China is located just 40 km from Warsaw, so it is not strange that the brand has chosen Poland to make the official presentation of its TV range for 2026. In that presentation, in addition to knowing first-hand all the Chinese brand catalogwe have been able to test some demos on the RM9L, the brand’s first television in which a system of MiniLED RGB backlight with TCL’s new WHVA 2.0 Ultra LCD panel. I can tell you that the sensations have been really good. TCL RM9L panel RGB MiniLED 4K, 144 Hz resolution 3,840 x 2,160 sizes available 115, 98 and 85 inches image processor TSR Processor (Pentonic 800) hdr Dolby Vision 2 Max, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG sound 240 watts (RMS) Dolby Atmos, DTS wireless connectivity Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 5.3 operating system Google TV 14 price From 5,999 euros The place where the RGB MiniLED and a new LCD panel converge By placing this model in the brand’s catalog for 2026, would replace the C9K of 2025. That is, it is located within the sphere of TCL’s top range. This leadership is shared with the undisputed star of 2026: the X11L, which we could already try in China. For its part, the RM7L, with which it matches RGB MiniLED technology, is one step below as a mid-range in terms of image quality and performance. The RM9L is available in 115″, 98″ and 85″. The unit we have been able to test is the 85″ (although we had the 98″ right next to it). This diagonal has 8,736 local dimming zonesso the light control is so precise that it is increasingly difficult to distinguish its image from that of an OLED panel with the naked eye. Having such a high count of dimming zones gives these displays better control of blacks and dark areas, and better segregation of high brightness areas. There is barely any trace of a minimal halo in subtitles on a completely black background, and the representation of bright points (like a scene in space, for example) allows those bright points to be better displayed, something that OLED panels achieve very easily, but at MiniLED cost a little more…until now. Although the TCL RM9L and the X11L They mount different backlighting technologiesis the closest to TCL’s flagship, with which it shares the latest generation WHVA 2.0 Ultra LCD panel. This panel manages to reduce the distance between the rear lighting LEDs and the LCD panel, which also makes the television somewhat thinner than usual for a MiniLED. This panel also improves viewing angles, since the glass that redirects light has been redesigned, ensuring that no changes are seen in the contrast or brightness of the image when the screen is viewed from the sides. On the other hand, the change in the backlighting system means that when viewed from the right side, the colors on the screen acquire a slight reddish tint, while if viewed from the opposite side, the tint it acquires is slightly greenish. This color nuance is especially noticeable when gray patterns are displayed, but it is difficult to appreciate when watching series or other types of regular content. I was surprised by how well adjusted the FilmMaker mode, with which the full brightness potential of the panel is respected, maintaining very natural skin tones and an excellent color volume with which, using a colorimeter, we have seen that it covers 100% of the BT.2020 color space used in cinema. The mode movies Apply a slightly higher brightness setting and manage to lift more shadow detail, but at the cost of washing out those areas a little more. This behavior makes this mode adjusted by TCL suitable in situations where the television is in a bright room. The 4,000 nits peak brightness they record this. In these first tests we have also been able to change the motion interpolation setting. The preliminary results have represented a notable improvement in this adjustment, a point in which the Chinese brand televisions. However, we are not going to sing the alirón until we can analyze it with more calm and variety of content. Although the display unit we tested was using the high-end 2025 remote control, those responsible for the brand assured us that the versions for sale of this model They will come with a new controller which we already saw in our test of the Google TV 14: fluidity and ease of use The units that we were able to test in Warsaw were fresh off the TCL assembly line, so a message appeared on some of them announcing that a new firmware version existed. Still, the RM9L unit I tested came with Google TV in its version with Android 14 and the December 2025 security patch. The Pentonic 800 processor found in TCL’s high-end 2026 models moves the Google system very fluidly, responding immediately when starting new Netflix, Disney+ or Prime Video apps by pressing the shortcut button on the remote, as well as when navigating through the configuration menus. Since it is a display model, I was not able to test integration with Gemini which arrives in 2026, nor its response to voice commands. Therefore, we added it to our to-do list to see if it responds to the recognition of the content being watched like Alexa+ does on televisions with FireTV. Bang & Olufsen has tried, but you have to add a sound bar If we look at the specifications sheet, TCL indicates that the 85″ RM9L mounts a set of speakers that adds a power of 240 W. On paper everything indicated that sound was going to be a prominent aspect in this model. Reality does not always support the numbers. The Danish brand Bang & Olufsen, specialized in high-fidelity audio, is collaborating with TCL in tuning the sound system of its high-end televisions. While it is true that the audio system adjusted by the Danish company achieves a well-balanced … Read more

We knew that octopuses were very intelligent. But not to the point of having a “brain” in each arm

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Octopuses are invertebrate animals, but the absence of a central nervous system like that of birds or mammals does not make their brains less interesting than the rest. Brains, emphasizing the plural since neuronal systems of each of its extremities They have a degree of independence, which leads many to consider them as such. A nervous system not at all central. In January 2025, a group of researchers has studied the nervous systems of these cephalopods to better understand how these nine neural organs operate together and to what extent they maintain their independence. What they observed is that each of these brains had the ability to operate individually. The team responsible for the study believes that it is thanks to the unique segmentation of the nervous system of octopuses that these animals achieve the level of skill in the management of extremely flexible organs that serve these animals to move, feed, sense their environment, and even copulate. “If you are going to have a nervous system that is going to control such dynamic movement, that is a good way to organize it,” explained in a press release Clifton Ragsdale, co-author of the study. “We think it’s a feature that evolved specifically in soft-bodied cephalopods with suction cups to carry out these worm-like movements.” Studying segmentation. The study focused on segmentation of this curious neuronal system, analyzing the distribution and function of the neurons in these arms, taking as reference an octopus of the species Octopus bimaculatus. Neurons that together add up to a greater number than the neurons located in the “central brain” of the animal, which is responsible for coordinating actions that require the use of various arms. These neurons in the extremities are concentrated, explains the teaminto an axial nerve chord (ANC), which “snakes” the limb to each of the animal’s suction cups. Neural columns. The ANC analysis showed that neurons in the octopus’s limbs were grouped into “columns” that in turn formed segments that the team compared to corrugated pipes. The segments were in turn separated by gaps called “septa” from which nerves and blood vessels made their way to the muscles of the limb. “From a modeling perspective, the best way to organize a control system for this long and flexible arm would be to divide it into segments,” Cassady Olson added.co-author of the study. “There must be some kind of communication between the segments, which you can imagine attenuates their movements.” Job details can be found in an article published in the magazine Nature Communications. Much to investigate. In fact, a subsequent joint study between Florida Atlantic University and the Marine Biological Laboratory analyzed 4,000 arm movements, captured on video, from three different species and came to a surprising conclusion: although all arms can perform any movement, according to his research, the front arms are used for exploration, while the rear arms are used for everything that has to do with movement. The arms of octopuses are very versatile limbs that allow this animal to navigate the seabed, but also, through their suction cups, allow these octopods to perceive the world around them, hunt and feed on their prey. Knowing the details of the functioning of such complex limbs will still require new research. In Xataka | Octopuses are not aliens, and scientists have had to come out to explain why Image | Theasereje, CC BY-SA 4.0 This article was originally published in 2025, but we have updated it with new information

Claude has helped a man recover $400,000 worth of bitcoin he lost 11 years ago. Logged in and forgot password

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An X user named Cprkrn recently told of his odyssey with a (very) happy ending in X. In 2015 he bought five bitcoins (BTC) when the price was around $250. In a fit of university euphoria he decided that his password should be an anti-establishment manifesto and changed it to the phrase ““lol420fuckthePOLICE!*:)”. The problem is that he did it completely stoned, and when he got up the next morning he realized that his money had disappeared. He then began an odyssey to try to remember that password. One with a happy ending. Eleven years of despair. For eleven years, those five bitcoins remained lost while their value continued to increase. Today its value is around $400,000, and our protagonist has not stopped seeing how this fortune had slipped through his fingers. To try to recover the password he tried everything, especially brute force attacks to try to guess the password with thousands of combinations. He looked through old folders that he had saved without success, and then something occurred to him: turn to Claude. Claude didn’t hack your wallet, he was just a spectacular detective. What Cprkrn ended up doing was ask Claude to analyze 1 GB of iCloud backups, old Apple notes, emails, and forgotten system files saved on a computer I had used in college. The challenge was not to “crack” the password, but to find the trace of how it could have been created. Order within chaos. What Claude did was organize all that data that was scattered to turn it into a perfect structured file that could be analyzed. After evaluating all the information, the AI ​​model realized that it was trying to open the wrong file. He located a file called wallet.dat from before the password change that caused the nightmare, and crossed it with a mnemonic phrase that the user had written down in an old notebook that he had discarded. That allowed that password to be reconstructed, and in less than an hour Cprkrn had recovered his fortune and regained access to your BTC wallet. Money safe. The first thing he did after discovering that password was move those bitcoins to another secure wallet to avoid problems: every conversation we have with Claude or other chatbots is recorded on the servers of those companies in plain text, so Cprkrn covered his back to prevent that information from being used to avoid scares. Blessed Darius. The joy of having recovered those five bitcoins led this user to publish a message on Twitter telling the whole adventure. In said message promised who would name his future son “Darío” in honor of Anthropic CEO, Darío Amodei. Needles in the haystack. History shows that great language models are extraordinary tools for finding needles in haystacks. Traditional tools helped, but AI’s ability to analyze information and find patterns is once again amazing. This anecdote is linked, for example, to recent rise of models like Claude Mythos Preview to find security vulnerabilities that seemed impossible to find. Again, everything is based on the ability of these models to “understand” the data provided to them, organize them and extract what is needed from them. Being a digital Diogenes has a reward. For years the recommended practice for those changing or upgrading equipment was “delete/format the old, start from scratch with the new.” This story changes the focus, because in the age of AI, messy data from 15 or 20 years ago is not digital garbage: it can be a treasure that helps us review our past and reveal data that we no longer remember. The story, however, contrasts with that of James Howells, who for years struggled to try to recover the hard drive with thousands of bitcoins that ended up in a landfill. He ended up giving up after the court’s refusal to give him permission to search for that hard drive. Image | Kanchanara In Xataka | The NYT claims to have found Satoshi Nakamoto and the evidence is as conclusive as ever: little or nothing

go for nostalgic adults

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Fashions fluctuate, just like prices or supply and demand curves, but there is one value that is always rising in the market (no matter which one): nostalgia. As we get older, we increasingly value items and experiences that allow us to relive our childhood, which creates a huge business opportunity. It is something that the industry tech or of entertainment has understood well, is driving the creation of arcade rooms and, in general, has converted the “retro” into a valuable asset. Now that desire to relive past times is favoring an unexpected business: that of the sweets. Who eats sweets? The question seems obvious. Sweets are something for children and teenagers, right? Those of us who are between 30 and 40 years old today grew up in a world in which those who went to kiosks to buy gum, candy and other industrial sweets were basically kids. There might be some bigger fans of licorice, mint candies or toffees, for example, but they were the exception. Things today are somewhat different. It is no longer just that adults buy sweets without embarrassment, it is that in some stores they are the majority customer profile and even represent 80% of the business, as revealed a few weeks ago The Confidential in an extensive report in which he analyzes the phenomenon. Is it a novelty? Yes. And no. that the millennials and members of Generation X still eating sweets into adulthood is not exactly new. In 2004, the Spanish Association of Candy and Chewing Gum Manufacturers (Caychi) already published a study which showed that more than half of the country’s adults regularly ate candy, gum and other sweets. About 70% He also admitted that he did it simply because it was considered “a pleasure”, an experience with “a positive effect on well-being”. At that time, however, the ‘photo’ was still somewhat diffuse. Although in the group between 46 and 55 years old, 50.4% of people stated that they consumed candy with some frequency and 34.4% also chewed gum often, the survey presented their consumption with a certain utilitarian perspective: “many” indulged in sweets, it was said thento avoid other unhealthy vices, such as smoking. And now? Now the reality is somewhat different. In his chronicle The Confidential He speaks with companies and representatives of the candy sector who clarify that adults demand their merchandise for an added reason: nostalgia. Maybe they like the taste of sticks, worms, dextrose necklaces, Peta Zetas and heart-shaped lollipops, but for them their consumption incorporates an equally or even more valuable bonus: memories. It is merchandise of 2026, but also a ‘passport’ to evoke the decade of the 80s and 90s. There are even businesses dedicated to sweets whose turnover basically depends on people who already have gray hair. “Normally people think they are for children, but if we depended on them we would have to close,” recognize the commercial head of a Galician company in the sector who estimates that around 80% of his clientele is made up of adults. Your case is not unique. Other companies in the industry confirm the increase in demand for retro gummies, both in the retail channel and among businesses that, in turn, use them in dishes that incorporate ingredients such as Peta Zetas or cotton candy. Is there data to support it? The trend can be followed in two ways. One is the testimonies that are shared from the sector and confirm the change. Others are the statistics on domestic consumption of the Ministry of Food, which they confirm that the consumption of sweets is especially pronounced in households made up of adults between 45 and 65 years old who live alone. Those where young adults and couples without children reside also stand out. The statistics of the Government on domestic consumption show that, at least in November 2025, the per capita consumption of candy, chewing gum and sweets was around the 0.77 kg and, in general, the volume consumed had grown by 6.9%. In October the Produlce employers’ association I remembered that the candy and gum category is the one that grows the most in the sweet sector, with a production that was around 1,500 million euros and 311,000 tons. Against that backdrop, nostalgia-driven sales have found especially fertile ground on the Internet and networks. There you can often find items that are difficult to see in kiosks or the supermarket. In fact, there are websites specialized in that niche, such as Retro candy either Xianaand on Amazon you can also find them searching by categories such as retro sweets. Does nostalgia weigh that much? Not all sales among the adult population are explained by nostalgia, but it is undeniable that this factor has an important weight. It is assumed by Produlce himself, who points out that the fact that “many adults today return to the sweets of their childhood demonstrates the extent to which we are talking about products with strong emotional and cultural roots.” In Retrochuches in fact the catalog of jelly beans is combined with another toy from the 80s and 90s, such as four-in-a-row games, cardboard masks, spinning tops, Tetris machines, marbles, dolls trolls or plastic pendants in the shape of a pacifier, among a long etcetera. Is it something exceptional? No. It’s nothing strange. Nor exclusive to the world of snacks and sweets. The “nostalgia economy” It has reached other sectors, such as fashion, technology and entertainment, focusing its efforts on an audience with greater purchasing power than younger customers. As they explain From some companies in the sector, it is not so much that adults buy more as that they can spend much more money. In the process, nostalgia for the past works some miracles, such as making Generation Z embrace retro technologies that in reality are totally new to her (those who are in their twenties today have never enjoyed games that today are presented to them as ‘vintage’) or that the candy industry finds a new niche despite the … Read more

Madonna, Shakira and BTS are going to perform at halftime of the World Cup final. But the regulations only allow it to be 15 minutes

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For years, Gianni Infantino watched with envy the spectacle of American football breaks. This year, the president of FIFA is going to have what he has been wanting for years: the final of the July 19 World Cup in New Jersey will have the first halftime show from the history of the tournamentwith none other than Madonna, Shakira and BTS as headliners. A decision clearly conceived from the point of view of not stopping to think about the differences between soccer and American football. Elmo tells you. The most watched event on the planet debuts, 96 years after its first edition, a concept that American football has been perfecting for decades. The advertisement came in video form with Chris Martin of Coldplay, Elmo, Gustavo, Miss Piggy and other Muppets to break the news, that at one point they made a call with BTS. The tone was curiously lighthearted for the announcement of an event that handles astronomical figures. Good causes. The production of the event is carried out by the NGO Global Citizenfor which Chris Martin and Coldplay’s manager Phil Harvey are creative curators. The show is linked to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fundan initiative that wants to raise 100 million dollars to expand access to education and soccer for children around the world, and which has already raised more than 30 million. One dollar from every ticket sold is donated to the fund. There are no precedents. No World Cup final had ever included a half-time show. There are ceremonies (opening, closing, before the opening whistle), but the break was always to rest (and the corresponding commercial break). The Qatar 2022 final, between Argentina and France, had a closing ceremony before the start of the match, with performances by Gims and Ozuna, but no shows in between. What changes. The scale, without a doubt. The 2022 final reached an average live audience of 571 million viewers worldwide, with more than 1.4 billion people watching at least one minute of the match. The 2024 Super Bowl brought together, in comparison, an average of 123.7 million viewers in the United States and about 62.5 million internationally. The platform that FIFA offers to artists who appear in the intermission has no comparison with any other. The problem. The laws of the game established by the IFAB, the international body that regulates football, set the break at a maximum of 15 minutes. A rule that few people notice, but that has a physical reason, which the ESPN analyst explained Gabriele Marcotti: Professional soccer players are conditioned for that maximum recovery interval. Extending it carries real risks of players getting cold or stiff. In the Super Bowl, the break is usually extended to 30 minutes, because the NFL sport includes regular breaks and players are accustomed to long timeouts. According to FIFA has confirmedthe show is planned to last 11 minutes, which in theory would keep it within the regulatory limit. However, it wouldn’t be entirely strange to see the IFAB modify its rules to accommodate the spectacle. But then… who thinks about the players? Little risk. On the other hand, the choice of Madonna, Shakira and BTS is a safe bet. All three have more than proven experience in mass events of this caliber. Madonna’s performance at the 2012 Super Bowl set the audience record for the halftime show with 114 million viewers, a figure that Bruno Mars would surpass two years later. The 2020 show, starring Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, attracted 103 million viewers. Shakira is also already linked to the World Cup thanks to the release of two official anthems: ‘Dai Dai’ in 2026 with the Nigerian Burna Boy, and ‘Waka Waka’ in 2010. BTS, for its part, arrives in the moment of greatest visibility for the band since the group interrupted its activity to complete mandatory military service in South Korea. Your album’ARIRANG’published in March 2026, debuted with record on US chartswhich makes this concert especially suitable for the band. Since April, the group has also been immersed in a world tour. Header | Julio Gómez Braojos

Iceland has had a four-day work week since 2019. Seven years later, it delivers on all the promises of Gen Z

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Iceland was one of the first countries that dared to experiment with the four-day workday and new working day models maintaining the salary. Today, Iceland has not only managed to reduce the working hours of 86% of its population, but it is also among the most dynamic European economies. These data show that the four-day work week and the reduction of working hours are not incompatible with growth. Pioneers of the four-day work week. Between 2015 and 2019, the country implemented a pilot program in which 2,500 public employees reduced their working hours from 40 hours a week to between 35 and 36 hours. The Iceland test data indicated that productivity levels were maintained and the well-being of workers who reported lower levels of stress and well-being was considerably improved. improvements in work-life balance. The reactions were immediate and the Icelandic unions reached agreements with the companies to take this model to other sectors. According to the study monitoring of the experiment of reduction of working hours carried out by the Autonomy Institute of the United Kingdom and the Association for Sustainability and Democracy (ALDA) of Iceland, as a result of those negotiations, 86% of Icelanders already work under some form of reduced hours. “This shows that the public sector is prepared to be a pioneer in reducing the working week, and other governments can learn from this lesson,” said Will Stronge, research director at Autonomy Institute. Years of implementation are beginning to bear fruit. Monitoring of test data in Iceland has continued to see the long-term effects on the impact of the reduction in working hours both among employees and on the country’s economy. ALDA and the Autonomy Institutejust published a study in which it analyzes the impact after four years of reduced working hours available to the majority of its population. Between 2020 and 2022, for example, 51% of its workforce already had access to reduced working hours, including a four-day work week or a five-day work week with shorter days. In parallel, the study revealed that Iceland’s economy was growing faster than that of most of its European neighbors. According to the report World Economic Outlook April 2024 prepared by the International Monetary Fund, Iceland’s economy recorded growth of 5.2% for 2024 and 4.9% for 2025. Greater well-being for employment. The International Monetary Fund report points to the strength of employment in Iceland as one of the keys to its economic growth. According to the ALDA study By 2024, 78% of Icelandic workers are satisfied with their current job. 62% of those who have adopted reduced working hours claim to feel more satisfied with their working hours, while 97% have stated that shorter working hours have made their balance between work and family easier. Impact on the Icelandic economy. The authors of the study point out that Iceland had always worked more hours than its surrounding countries, obtaining lower productivity. However, they highlight that, after the change in working hours, the productivity in Iceland has increased 1.5% annually on average over the last five years. “This is a possible break with the past, when productivity was lower in Iceland than in neighboring countries.” The data provided by the study reflect a behavior very similar to that recorded in the test of the Valencia four-day week: Having more free time encourages the local economy and recreational activities. The study estimates the improvement in the internal economy at 10% after implementing reduced working hours. The key is not the reduction of working hours. The conclusions of the study reflect an idea that was also put on the table in the conclusions of the test of the four-day work week in Germany: “A probable cause of this change (in productivity) is the optimization of work and the reorganization of work shifts as strategies aimed at reducing effective work hours,” the study notes. This clarification reveals that the key to the successive successes in terms of productivity of the tests of the four-day work week would not be a consequence of the reduction of the working day itself, but of the prior optimization process that is carried out in these experiments. Happy future. Iceland’s experience is especially positive for generation Z, definitely the labor cohort that most enthusiastically embraces hybrid or reduced work formats. As we have seen in other countries, Sean Norway or Germany, and as various studies point outGeneration Z has a strong preference for the four-day week. Both socio-labor trends and cultural priorities point in that direction. And the case of Iceland is important because it underlines that the economy is not suffering. In Xataka | Germany is considering the most ambitious labor reform: it wants to eliminate the limit on eight-hour days a day Image | Einar H. Reynis

While we were looking at gasoline, the Iran crisis has skyrocketed the price of asphalt. And the roads of half the world are already suffering from it

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A few months ago we published in Xataka an article with the following title: Spanish roads have a problem in 2026: repairing a kilometer of asphalt is more expensive than ever. It was February 26, 2026. In it we analyzed the problem that Spain had encountered. Our roads, prepared for a hot and dry climate (especially in the southern half) had suffered very intense days of almost constant rain. It didn’t take long for the holes to appear and neither did the complaints in the media and social networks about the supposed poor condition of the roads. Trying to understand if this is really the case or not and why it is estimated that the State needs to invest some of 13,000 million euros to fix themwe looked to see if it had become more expensive the price of asphalt in recent years. Something that, indeed, was reflected in the aforementioned article. But this, as we said, was published on February 26. Two days later, on February 28, we woke up to the news that the Government of the United States and Israel had launched a joint bombing offensive against Iran. The rest, we already know. Crisis in oil supplya battle for open and close the Hormuz canal and fuel increases for passenger cars and airplanes. But there is something that has also risen. And that something is called asphalt. More expensive than ever (now yes) And in less than three months, which seem to have lasted a lifetime, the headline has become outdated. At the end of last month, Asefma (Spanish Association of Asphalt Mixture Manufacturers) already warned that the price of asphalt was skyrocketing. According to this association, in March alone the average price of asphalt had risen 8.2%. Nothing compared to April, when it did so by 49.3%. He overrun of the final product is due, above all, to the increase in the price of bitumen that acts as a binder for asphalt and is where the increase in the price of oil has the most impact. Asefma has come to consider that the increase in the price of asphalt was putting at risk the viability of the signed contracts or even whether they will be fulfilled or completed if the works have already begun. The truth is that, beyond the possible pressure measures of the employers’ association that defends the interests of its associates, the price of asphalt has skyrocketed inside and outside our country. To understand why asphalt has become more expensive you have to understand what makes it up. The pavement of our roads is made up of dirt and stones that are compacted. They serve as a base but also cushion the weight placed on them to delay the breaking of the asphalt. This asphalt is a bituminous mixture that uses bitumen of different intensity depending on where the road is going to be built. Those that resist heat better tend to be less flexible and those that drain better tend to be more flexible. Therefore, the latter They can melt when temperatures are very high. All components have been affected by the increase in the price of oil. To begin with, the earth and stones have to be transported by heavy vehicles with very high diesel consumption, precisely the fuel that has become most expensive. The same thing happens with the refinement of bitumen or asphalt (what we ultimately step on). If energy costs rise, the price of this product rises. But, in addition, the price of bitumen is closely linked to the price of oil. This product is made from the densest oil in the barrel, the least usable in energy terms and the most expensive to convert into fuel. This product is what is refined to obtain bitumen and, with bombs falling on Iran and the subsequent response on neighboring countries, the production and export of raw materials It has been very diminished, obviously. The American company Victory Paving figure in an increase of between 2 and 3% in the price of asphalt for every 10 dollars that a barrel of oil rises. They also argue that the shortage is greater because the rise in energy costs has an impact on a drop in the production of refineries and these usually prioritize the production of diesel and gasoline over asphalt refining because the fuels are more profitable. Richard Hudock, president of Derry Construction Co., pointed out to the American media who had never suffered a crisis so serious in the 42 years that they had been working, ensuring that the impact of the price of oil on the raw materials and fuel to be able to operate their vehicles put their job at risk this summer. In Argus They point out that the situation in Africa is no better. They point out that the bitumen that reaches countries like South Africa has become almost exclusively dependent on trade with Greece and Türkiye, once the Middle East tap has been closed. This has caused the price of each freighter to triple. If the price of asphalt has grown in the United States, South Africa and Spain, doubts have also grown about what to do in these cases. In the first of these countries It has been proposed to delay the patching of certain streets or highways. But this can cause the problem to worsen and, even if the price of oil falls again in the future, the damage will be deeper and the investment to be made would have to be larger. And the problem is that in the United States, the United Kingdom and Spain we face the same problem. The winters In all of these countries it has been very cold or very rainy, so the condition of the asphalt has been compromised. In BBC They report that the United Kingdom had already increased the budget to repair its roads but that the increase in the price of oil has put this item in check. The result, as … Read more

The super Niño of 1877 wiped out 4% of the world’s population. The one that is already beginning to form promises to be worse, but what does that mean in 2027?

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In the last week, El Niño has become suddenly real. Media like Washington Post, BBC or countless media in Spanish have begun to compare what is coming to us with El superNiño of 1877, the event that “wiped out 4% of the world’s population.” And, stated this way, it is no wonder; The story is simple: “a Child Godzilla is coming and no one knows if we are ready.” That is why it is important to know what exactly we are talking about and if, in short, “we are all going to die.” How serious is the matter? As we said a few days ago, between March and May the reliability of ENSO forecasts is usually worse than normal (because the equatorial Pacific anomalies go through their transition phase). That makes everyone go with “lead feet”; but the data is worrying. Ben Noll of the Washington Post broadcast on May 8 that the North American Multi-Model Ensemble projected “the strongest El Niño on record” between October 2026 and January 2027, with a peak of +3.1 °C in November. They are big words. Above all, because the ECMWF is along the same lines. In the words of Diego Restrepo, “El Niño is rapidly intensifying, and now 8 out of 10 models point to a super event and four project the strongest one on record.” And this looks like 1877? That is Noll’s thesis and it has been repeated a lot in recent days. However, the comparison is misleading. First, because, although the models are pointing to a historical ENSO, they are still models. That is, we still have no idea what is going to happen. And, to be strict, until the models recover their full potential in June, we will not know well. Second because, as argued by Kimberley Reid, from the University of Melbournethe intensity measured in the central Pacific does not translate linearly into impacts. Taking into account everything that has changed in this century and a half at a climate level, the impacts may be completely different. And thirdly because El Niño of 1877 was not the cause of that catastrophe. Yes, it is true that he set the conditions for it to occur but, as noted Mike Davis in “Late Victorian Holocausts”what killed throughout that quarter of a century were colonial policies. And what happened in 1877? A strange combination between a superNiño, the Indian Dipole and a tremendously warm North Atlantic between the years 1876–78 caused a global drought. The problem is that, in a world governed by imperialism, grain exports did not stop and, as local resilience mechanisms had been dismantled, a famine occurred that killed some 50 million people. But the consensus is clear: no matter how intense El Niño was, it caused the problem of its management. And that, although it may not seem like it, is good news. A few years ago the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published a report with a clear warning: “climate-related disasters” have increased since the 1970s. Specifically, they have multiplied by five over the last five decades. According to their calculations, in the 1980s, 1,400 incidents were recorded – their tables include extreme weather, climate and water phenomena – and in the 1990s, just over 2,200. In the first decade of the 21st century, 3,500 were reached and during the last decade, which spans from 2010 to 2019, it was close to 3,200. Curiously, this increase in the number of disasters has coincided with a decrease in the number of victims. The WMO data is clearalso: from more than 50,000 deaths in the 1970s (incidents basically related to climate and water are taken into account) it went to less than 20,000 in 2010. From an average of 170 a day in the 70s and 80s, it dropped in the 90s to less than a hundred a day and to 40 at the beginning of the 21st century. What will happen? As Restrepo also points out“despite having more information and knowledge, today we have warmer oceans, much more vulnerable ecosystems and collapsing biodiversity. This could generate impacts on health and risks for food, water and energy security.” However, we are more prepared and more importantly we have time to prepare. The ball is in our court. Image | Ben Noll In Xataka | There are more and more extreme weather events. In return, they are leaving fewer victims than ever

Now you can enjoy an exclusive 15% discount on your travel insurance with Intermundial

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Your subscription to Xataka Xtra It is, from now on, a little more complete. If a few days ago we announced the exclusive advantages in the Samsung online store and the 99,999 credits for AI in Magnific (formerly Freepik), today we present you a new advantage that, it must be said, could not come at a better time. From today, all Xataka Xtra members can enjoy an exclusive 15% discount on Intermundial travel insurance. But there is more, because exceptionally and during the first two months the discount will not be 15%, but 20%. If you are planning a trip abroad and want to do it with extra security, you just have to access your subscriber area. There you will find this new advantage and the instructions to take advantage of it. Travel safer (and at a better price) Image | Taryn Elliott Interworld has been offering travel insurance for 30 years. Each year it insures more than 5.7 million people, manages more than 64,000 claims and assistance and has more than 6,000 distribution points. Additionally, as a curious fact, it is the insurance provider for Civitatis. If you usually travel and like tours, it will probably sound familiar to you. Travel insurance does two things: peace of mind and coverage in case of need. A visit to the doctor in depending on what countries and under what conditions can involve an enormous outlay. A visit to the emergency room in the United States, for example, can cost around $2,000. Let’s not talk about repatriation, which I hope no one will ever have to experience, but it is an expense of up to six figures that is not covered by the embassy or the consulate, but by the user. Travel insurance like those provided by Intermundial covers all these situations, in addition to protecting us against theft or loss of luggage, delays, missed connections, cancellations or overbooking, etc. With Xataka Xtrathat peace of mind comes out a little cheaper and, for that matter, here is a real case. An example of insurance for a three-week trip to Japan | Image: Xataka In October, yours truly goes on a honeymoon to Japan for 21 days. Totaltravel insurance, which covers up to five million euros in medical expenses, 350 euros for delays in the delivery of luggage and up to 2,500 for damage, theft or loss, to name a few figures, would cost under normal conditions 163.26 euros, that is, 81.63 euros per person. With the exclusive discount of Xataka Xtrawhich in these first two months is 20%, its price drops to 130.61 euros, or what is the same, 65.31 euros. That’s 33 euros that we can now spend on sushi or, better yet, on a 30-centimeter figure of Satoru Gojo. Join Xataka Xtra and save The Xataka Xtra subscription includes this and many other exclusive benefits, from a Discord server for subscribers to a direct line with editors through El Consultorio, a monthly meeting with the editors of the house, exclusive giveaways and a growing list of discounts and advantages on digital services. You can join from just 30 euros per year and take advantage of this discount, in addition to all those already available and everything that is to come: In Xataka | Subscribe to Xataka Xtra

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