Mobile Tech & Gadgets

what it is, how it has improved and how you can use it

by

Let’s tell you what it is and how to use the function Approximate location of Android 16. This is a privacy option that helps you use applications that need to know where you are, but without giving away the exact point where you are. This is a function that in the new version of the operating system has been significantly improved so that there are no cases where they can know where you are precisely as well. We’re going to explain what approximate location is, how it has improved in Android 16, and then we’ll tell you how to use it. What is Approximate Location Your mobile applications They need to have access to a series of elements of the mobile to be able to function. For example, an app that allows you to take a photo needs you to grant it permission to access the camera, while those that need to locate you on a map ask for permission to access the location. The problem with location permission specifically is that by default you give your exact geoposition. And this creates a problem. Perhaps it is enough for the application to know the city or area of ​​the city where you live, but you don’t want it to have to know exactly the street and number where you are. On Android you have the option to disable precise location and use only the approximate one. The precise option used GPS from your phone’s sensors to triangulate your position within a range of 3 to 50 meters, and the other used A-GPS (Wi-Fi and cell towers) to give a vague estimate of the area where you are in three square kilometers. On the surface, the paroxymated location should help you hide the exact place you are, but in sparsely populated and populated areas it may fail and end up also exposing a very precise point where you are. What has been improved about the approximate location Approximate location didn’t always keep your privacy. If you are in a densely populated area it could hide you well, but in a low-density town or rural area, the approximate location could easily locate you. All this because I couldn’t hide you that much among thousands of people, there are few houses and roads, and the apps could identify your specific location as well. So that the benefits of approximate location are not so easily canceled in these specific areas, a new function called density-based coarse locations either approximate locations based on density. This allows the system to check population density to take it into account before sharing your location. This way, if Android detects that you are in a sparsely populated area will send an even less precise location than normal to the application. This way, there won’t be as much difference in the privacy you have when you are using the approximate location in a highly populated area or one that is less populated. This feature works by adding support for population density providers, which will be provided by the Google Play services that manage the location APIs. Here, the important thing is to know that you won’t have to do anything differentbecause all the procedures will be done within your mobile. How to use approximate location There are two ways you can use this feature to use the approximate location. The first is when an app asks you for permission for the first time, displaying a pop-up window where you can choose between precise and approximate location, and choose whether to always use it, not use the location, or while the app is being used. The other method is to configure it manually in the settings. You have to go to the app section, choose the one you want to manage, and click on the option Permissions. Here, you will be able to manually disable precise location. In Xataka Basics | Android 16: 17 functions and some tricks of the new version of Google’s mobile operating system

Getting a Nintendo Switch 2 or a PlayStation 5 Pro is much cheaper with 11.11 on AliExpress

by

Although there are still many weeks until Christmas, many of us choose the month of November to buy gifts early. Here come great promos like AliExpress 11.11one of the best of the year to buy devices of all kinds. This year’s is especially interesting to buy a new consolethanks to great deals that we can reduce even more with some discount coupons: Discount minimum purchase coupon 3 euros 15 euros XATAKAES03 5 euros 29 euros XATAKAES05 12 euros 69 euros XATAKAES12 20 euros 129 euros XATAKAES20 40 euros 249 euros XATAKAES40 60 euros 369 euros XATAKAES60 75 euros 469 euros XATAKAES75 85 euros 549 euros XATAKAES03ES85 It is true that this AliExpress promo will be available until November 19, but possibly the best deals will not last until then. To make your work a little easier, we leave you below a selection of some consoles that right now have a brutal price: nintendo switch 2 by 405.02 euros with the coupon ESAE75, the new Nintendo console with ‘Mario Kart World’ and ‘Cyberpunk 2077’. PlayStation 5 Pro by 747.40 euros with the coupon ESAE85, the best version of the console in a pack with ‘EA Sports FC 26’. Nintendo Switch OLED by 182.94 euros with the coupon XATAKAES20, a console that continues to be a great purchase in 2025. ASUS ROG Ally X by 718.08 euros with the coupon ESAE85, a powerful and very versatile portable console. Nintendo Switch Lite by 109.53 euros with the ESAE20 coupon, a super economical console that can still offer a lot. nintendo switch 2 AliExpress 11.11 is a great time to get one nintendo switch 2 We have been seeing how the console has been starring in different offers since it was available, although none as juicy as this one: it comes out for 405.02 euros with the coupon ESAE75 (and using PayPal as a payment method) and comes with two great games such as ‘Mario Kart World’ and ‘Cyberpunk 2077’. The new Nintendo console comes with important improvements and more power, being capable of moving games at 4K when we have it in its dock. If we prefer, we always have the option of playing their entire catalog in portable mode, which gives a lot of versatility to the console. In addition, we will have two very good titles to premiere it. Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World + Cyberpunk 2077 The price could vary. We earn commission from these links PlayStation 5 Pro As an alternative to the previous one, it is also a good time to get a PlayStation 5 Pro. This is another of the consoles that we can also find at a good price in this new AliExpress promo: we have it available for 747.40 euros with the coupon ESAE85 and using PayPal as a payment method. In addition, it comes in a pack with ‘EA Sports FC 26’. This new version of the Sony console offers improvements that will allow us to enjoy compatible video games with better quality and performance. It has 2 TB of storagewhich is a plus when installing games. It is true that it comes without a disc reader, but we can buy it separately later and attach it without problems in a couple of minutes. PlayStation 5 Pro + EA Sports FC 26 The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Nintendo Switch OLED We may prioritize spending as little as possible when getting a new console. If that is our case, then it is possible that the Nintendo Switch OLED, the best version of the previous generation of Nintendo, fits us very well. Although it already has a successor, at this price it is very worth it: it costs 182.94 euros with the coupon XATAKAES20. If we take into account Nintendo’s large catalog of exclusive games, this version of the console is a great option. Its OLED screen stands out above allone that represents a significant leap in quality with the base version and that significantly improves the experience when using its portable game. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Asus ROG Ally X Portable consoles have gained another dimension in recent years. The path was paved by Steam Deck, but now there are alternatives that offer different and even significantly more powerful experiences. That is the case of this Asus ROG Allywhich we can get right now for 718.08 euros with the coupon ESAE85 and paying with PayPal. This console offers very good performance even with the most demanding titles thanks to the Ryzen Z1 Extreme it uses. Besides, It has 1 TB of storage so we can install a good part of our game catalog. It has a 7-inch screen with 120 Hz and 1080p resolution, as well as a good battery that also charges in a breeze with its 100 W fast charge. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Nintendo Switch Lite We close this selection of consoles on offer with the cheapest of all, although that does not mean we should lose sight of it. This is Nintendo Switch Lite, a very interesting device for those who only intend to play Nintendo video games in portable mode. comes out for 109.53 euros with the coupon ESAE20. For just over 100 euros, we can have with us a portable console that still has power left for a while. Taking into account how rich Nintendo’s catalog of games is (both exclusive and third-party titles), it is a very interesting device for play without complications and without spending too much. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Xataka, Nintendo, Sony, Asus In Xataka | Best consoles and other retro hardware replicas for nostalgic gamers: which one to buy and recommended models In Xataka | The best smartwatches: their analyzes and videos are … Read more

Mercadona has become the queen of Spanish food. And in the process it is making gold for some suppliers

by

The forecast was shocking. So much so that it generated a considerable stir. In spring, during the presentation of Mercadona’s annual report, Juan Roig predicted that in a matter of 25 years, kitchens will disappear from homes because people will eat outside the home or eat ready-to-eat dishes. That conviction (which Roig preaches since at least 2019), added to the commitment to white label and local stores, has turned Mercadona into a heavy weight of the retail sector, with a market share that is close to 30%. Not only that. By the way, the Valencian firm is making gold from a few companies that have become allies of its food strategy. One figure: 150 million. Its name may not tell you much, but if you shop frequently at Mercadona (for food) it is quite likely that you have tried the products of Martinez Family. The company is made up of Embutidos Martínez, Platos Tradicionales, Cinco Tenedores and La Pila Food and is a key supplier to Mercadona, basically in its prepared food offering. The group (Also of Valencian origin) manufactures lasagna, gratins and roasts. So far nothing exceptional. The curious thing is that recently Familia Martínez revealed which will invest a whopping 150 million euros between this and next year to reinforce the Platos Tradicionales facilities and keep up with Mercadona. To be more precise, he wants a larger surface area for barbecues, for which he will gain 20,000 m2 in Buñol; and provide a 3,500 m2 logistics center in Torrent, a space for distribution and storage with capacity for 1,000 pallets. Why is it important? For several reasons. The main one is what it reveals to us about both Familia Martínez and Mercadona. And in turn what that tells us about consumer trends. The commitment of the Valencian supplier coincides with the growth of the offer of ready meals and the so-called “fifth range“, processed, cooked and packaged foods. As a reference, the Spanish Association of Prepared Dish Manufacturers (Asefapre) calculates that the consumption of its products rose 6.6% last year in Spanish homes. “These investments are not just figures, they are a sample of our commitment to accompany the growth of our great client,” confirm the CEO of Familia Martínez, Raúl Martin Calvo. And in Mercadona (around 85% of your business) the bet is clear. Juan Roig’s chain takes years expanding its “ready to eat” section, with foods already prepared for consumption. The last annual report from Mercadona shows that in 2024 the service was available in 1,200 stores in Spain and 60 in Portugal, an expansion that “has not stopped growing”. Is it a special case? Familia Martínez is not the only one that is growing thanks largely to Mercadona’s tailwinds. The Country posted this saturday an article about Ozturk Quebapa firm based in Toledo, founded in 2015 and specialized in the production of kebab and meat products. Again, its name may not sound familiar to you, but if you like the traditional Turkish meat that Mercadona sells, you have probably tasted its creations. Ozturk is a supplier for the Hacendado brand for a few years. Its history predates the pact with the Valencian chain, but as they admit in Ozturk “with Mercadona everything changes.” The company saw its activity increase and acquired a second plant. Now it also sells to countries such as the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Finland and France. According to precise The Countrylast year it had a turnover of close to 64 million and its forecasts are to exceed 75 this year, a scenario that does not seem unattainable if one takes into account that it reached 37.8 in the first semester. Add and continue of names. Familia Martínez or Ozturk are examples of companies that are growing driven by Mercadona’s strategy in food, but not the only ones. The sushi offer of the Valencian chain gave wings for example to the Norwegian Leroy Seafood Group. In May Info Retail informed that its subsidiary Leroy Processing Spain It closed 2024 with a turnover of 122.5 million euros and its objective is to reach 160 in 2025, with a growth of 30%. The firm landed in Spain more than a decade ago and began making sushi and Japanese food long before 2021, but even so Mercadona has played a strategic role the last few years. Profand, Panamar and Tarradellas. Three other relevant names in Mercadona’s food supply. The first, the Galician fishing company Profand, is an integrated supplier to the Valencian supermarket chain, which has helped it market a whopping 78 million trays of fish throughout last year, with a growth of 13%. The signature itself stood out that nuance in a statement in which he celebrated having overcome the 1 billion of cash. In 2023 Panamar too saw rebound its turnover after becoming a supplier of bread to the Valencian chain and Tarradellas House wave Estiu refrigerator They have found in it a valuable pillar. Everyone benefits from the formula that is driving the Roig chain: its ability to gain market share in a sector highly disputedthe commitment to white label and local stores and the conviction that domestic kitchens actually have the years counted. Images | Mercadona In Xataka | Action supermarkets have gone from being unknown to conquering half of Europe. In Spain they will not have it easy

The normal thing when a product is successful is that the manufacturer renews it the following year. Hello iPhone Air

by

Apple has a problem, almost a syndrome with the fourth iPhone. For years it has been trying to integrate a new variant of the “classic” iPhone into the family, but the success of these models has always been limited. It happened with the iPhone mini and then with the iPhone Plus in its different versions. And now it seems to be happening with his brand new iPhone Air. No iPhone Air 2 at the moment. As indicated in The InformationApple has warned “engineers and suppliers that they would remove the future iPhone Air (next generation) from planning without providing a new release date.” Three different sources have confirmed that Apple has no intention at the moment of relaunching a second iteration of the iPhone Air. We expected it in 2026. Theoretically, the second-generation iPhone Air should have been launched next fall alongside the iPhone 18 family and the rumored iPhone Fold. And it was going to be much better. It was expected to be even lighter than the current iPhone Air and still have a higher capacity battery. In fact, sources close to the project also reveal that Apple was working on a new cooling system that debuted with the iPhone 17 Pro and that would be adapted to those hypothetical iPhone Air (2026). It was even rumored that instead of a single camera I would have two. Bad sales. The reason for that decision seems to be sales of the iPhone Air below expectations. News had already appeared that Apple had ordered a huge production cut to just 80% of the original capacity: that ultralight model does not seem to have attracted the mass public. Minimum production. In The Information they confirm this reduction in production. According to their data, Foxconn has “dismantled all but one and a half production lines, and expect to stop production completely at the end of this month.” Apple’s other major manufacturing partner for the iPhone Air, Luxshare, already stopped its production of this model at the end of October. New release schedule. Following the news, what is now expected is that Apple will present its new family of devices in two different phases: Fall 2026: iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone Fold (unofficial name) Spring 2027: iPhone 18, iPhone 18e The other possibility. Sources close to the company reveal that the iPhone Air could simply be suffering important changes —like those mentioned— for a theoretical second generation. That would make its development process a little longer, but it is not ruled out that this model will end up appearing in spring 2027 along with the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e. The condemnation of iPhones that are liked but do not sell. we loved it the iPhone mini—like everyone else who bought it—but it didn’t sell much. The iPhone Plus also proved to be an interesting product, but it didn’t catch on either. In both cases, Apple ended up abandoning these models to focus on what worked in sales, and now seems to be doing the same, or, at least, adjusting production to demand, something that makes perfect sense from a business point of view. In Xataka | If the question is which of the big tech companies is winning the AI ​​race, the answer is: none

the Franco-Italian commitment to automated nuclear energy

by

The growth of artificial intelligence has skyrocketed global electricity consumption and put governments before an urgent question: where will the energy come from to sustain it? In an unorthodox alliance, France and Italy believe they have part of the answer with automated nuclear microreactors. Slow down. At first it sounds very grandiose, but here we are going to unpack it. The French startup NAAREA has announced a strategic partnership with the Italian company Fluid Wire Robotics (FWR), specialized in robotics for extreme environments. The agreement seeks to integrate FWR’s robotic systems in the handling, maintenance and dismantling operations of the XAMR microreactors, that NAAREA has been developing since 2020. According to the official statementthe XAMR is a fourth-generation fast neutron and molten salt reactor, capable of producing 40 megawatts of electricity and 80 megawatts of thermal power. Its particularity is that it works by “burning long-term nuclear waste” from spent fuel from other plants, transforming a storage problem into an energy source. The answer lies in robotics. Fluid Wire has designed a system that allows robotic arms to operate without vulnerable electronic components within radioactive zones. The motors and sensors are located in a remote, armored unit, from where they transmit movement through a hydrostatic system. This prevents radiation from damaging the electronics and allows precise manipulation, with force feedback, even underwater or in temperatures up to 180°C. In addition, the system supports radiation levels of up to 1.5 MGy and can work both in remote mode (controlled by humans) and in automatic mode, with programmed sequences for production or maintenance. Thanks to this, NAAREA will automate key steps in fuel production, carry out robotic inspections and carry out assisted dismantling, reducing the exposure of human personnel to a minimum. One more step of automation. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been promoting the use of drones and robots to improve safety at power plants for years. According to the organizationthese technologies already contribute to reducing risks and increasing efficiency, even in operating plants. The agency has highlighted the development of walking, flying and even aquatic robots that are already used for inspections, emergency response and post-incident evaluation. robotics, experts sayis ceasing to be a promise and becoming an everyday tool in nuclear energy. Japan: an extreme example. Last year, the Telesco robot went in to recover molten fuel from Fukushima reactor 2 for the first time. The operation, directed by TEPCOoffers unprecedented information on the degradation of materials after thirteen years of radiation and residual heat, and confirms the essential role of robotics in environments impossible for humans. Energy for a world hungry for chips. The NAAREA-FWR alliance is also part of an underlying energy crisis. The growth of artificial intelligence and data centers has skyrocketed global electricity consumption. As my colleague’s article warnedgenerative AI systems and training large models require amounts of energy that are already straining power grids in several countries. In this context, nuclear microreactors like those from NAAREA can offer a stable, clean and localized supply alternative, especially for industries with high energy demand – such as data centers or semiconductor production. In fact, in another reportwe detail how companies like Google and Microsoft are exploring agreements with nuclear energy companies to power their AI infrastructures. Atomic energy, previously associated only with giant and military reactors, is being rediscovered as a strategic engine for the new digital revolution. Robots at the service of the atom. For NAAREA, the collaboration with FWR represents a step towards a replicable and safe nuclear industrialization model. The robotic arms designed in Pisa and the microreactors assembled in France could become a symbol of a new era: miniature, autonomous plants, connected to industries or data centers, and maintained by robots that operate where no human could. In a world where artificial intelligence needs more energy than ever — and where humans seek to reduce risks and emissions — the atom is once again the protagonist, but this time with mechanical help. Image | FreePik Xataka | When we thought we had seen all kinds of rehearsals for an invasion, China makes science fiction: robots taking over an island

Researchers find a piece of ice from six million years ago. What is really valuable is the air trapped inside

by

A team of scientists has achieved something extraordinary in the frozen Allan Hills, east of Antarctica: extracting 6-million-year-old ice samples, the oldest ever directly dated. Trapped inside are air bubbles that date back to Earth’s Miocene atmosphere, when our planet was much warmer and sea level considerably higher than today. A time capsule in the form of ice. The discovery, published in the journal PNAS on October 28 and led by Sarah Shackleton of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and John Higgins of Princeton University, more than doubles the age of the oldest known ice so far, which dated to about 2.7 million years ago. “Ice cores are like time machines that allow scientists to take a look at what our planet was like in the past,” explains Shackleton. “The Allan Hills cores help us travel much further back than we thought possible.” How they found it. Between 2019 and 2023, the Center for the Exploration of Older Ice (COLDEX) team drilled between 100 and 200 meters deep into the ice sheet in the Allan Hills region, located about 2,000 meters above sea level. Just like they count From the Middle Space, this area is especially valuable because the topography of the terrain and ice flow patterns allow extremely old ice to be preserved closer to the surface, unlike the Antarctic interior where it would be necessary to drill more than 2,000 meters to reach similar ages. Dating. The researchers They determined the age of the ice measuring the radioactive decay of argon isotopes present in trapped air bubbles. This method allows ice to be dated directly, without the need to examine the rocks or soil around it. The result: 6 million years, a time when the Earth was home to now extinct creatures such as saber-toothed tigers, arctic rhinos and the first mammoths. Cooling. Analysis of oxygen isotopes in the cores revealed that the Allan Hills region has cooled approximately 12 ºC during the last 6 million years. It is the first direct evidence that quantifies how much the Antarctic climate has cooled since that ancient warm period. Ed Brook, director of COLDEX and paleoclimatologist at Oregon State University, stands out that “the team has built a library of what we call ‘climate snapshots’ about six times older than any previously reported ice core data.” Why does it matter? While Antarctica and the Earth as a whole have progressively cooled for millennia, humans are now rapidly increasing global temperatures by release large amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Studying these bubbles of ancient air will allow scientists to reconstruct past greenhouse gas concentrations and ocean heat levels, which could give us clues to what natural factors have contributed to the climate. climate change throughout the entire history of our planet. Surviving extreme conditions. “We are still discovering the exact conditions that allow such ancient ice to survive so close to the surface,” points out Shackleton. “Along with the topography, it’s likely a mix of strong winds and intense cold. The wind blows fresh snow and the cold slows the ice almost to a stop. That makes Allan Hills one of the best places in the world to find shallow old ice, and one of the toughest to spend a season in the field,” he continued. Next steps. The COLDEX team plans to return to Allan Hills in the coming months to carry out more drilling. They hope to recover even older samples and produce a more detailed record of Earth’s ancient atmosphere. “Given the spectacularly old ice we have discovered in Allan Hills, we have also designed a new comprehensive long-term study of this region to try to extend the records even further in time, which we hope to carry out between 2026 and 2031,” concludes Brook. Images | COLDEX In Xataka | What are sixth generation fires: the megafires that create their own weather

A company claims to have created the first transparent computer monitor: it has borrowed technology from aviation

by

The idea of ​​“seeing through” the screen is not new. For decades, HUDs have projected data onto the windshields of airplanes. and today many cars offer own versions to show speed or navigation without taking your eyes off the road. That principle, project or reflect information on a transparent elementis the one that Visual Instruments ensures have brought to the desktop with Phantom, a monitor that seeks to mix the digital and the physical and that adjusts its transparency in real time. Phantom does not use a panel that becomes transparent on its own, but rather an optical assembly similar to that of a teleprompter or HUD. The image is reflected in a tilted glass and thus appears to “float” over what is behind, with an opacity control that allows it to go from transparent to opaque. The company presents it as “the first transparent computer monitor.” The key to the invention is in the optics, not in a futuristic panel According to the manufacturer, Phantom is presented as a 24-inch monitor in 16:9 format with 4K resolution. The company sets the brightness in a range from 5 to 5,000 nits and places the color coverage at 100% sRGB, figures that must be confirmed when the product reaches the hands of users and analysts. As for the connection, it is limited to the most common options: USB-C with DisplayPort and HDMIwithout the need for additional software to operate. {“videoId”:”x87bool”,”autoplay”:false,”title”:”How to CALIBRATE your MONITOR for VIDEO GAMES and enjoy it to the fullest”, “tag”:”monitor”, “duration”:”230″} It is worth putting it in context. Transparent screens have been appearing in consumer markets for years. LG has been marketing a 77-inch transparent OLED TV since 2024. Lenovo, for its part, has also developed a concept laptop with a transparent panel. The difference here is key: those products use transparent base panels, while Phantom uses, as we say, HUD-type optics. They are different technological routes, with different commitments and limitations. Aspects such as contrast, color representation with different ambient lights, the presence of reflectionsuniformity or comfort in prolonged use remain unknown. It is also unclear to what extent alternating between the monitor and the background can translate into real relief from eye strain beyond the idea put forward by the manufacturer. Everything will depend on the first independent tests and the measurements that are published when demonstration units exist. In Xataka There is a cheap TV sweeping Amazon: after a week of use it became clear in which situations it can make sense Phantom arrives, therefore, as a suggestive idea that has yet to demonstrate whether it can be sustained in everyday use. The commercial status points to a very early and selective launch. The Founders Edition is limited to ten units intended for early adopters, with shipping expected in Q4 2025, 30-day returns, and a one-year warranty. The price is not final: each unit is custom configured, but the company itself compares it to an Apple Studio Display whose price in Spain starts at 1,779 euros. Images | Visual Instruments | Telstar Logistics In Xataka | Xiaomi TV S Pro MiniLED 2026, analysis: the juggling act of wanting to offer the quality of a high-end and the price of a mid-range (function() { window._JS_MODULES = window._JS_MODULES || {}; var headElement = document.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)(0); if (_JS_MODULES.instagram) { var instagramScript = document.createElement(‘script’); instagramScript.src=”https://platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js”; instagramScript.async = true; instagramScript.defer = true; headElement.appendChild(instagramScript); – The news A company claims to have created the first transparent computer monitor: it has borrowed technology from aviation was originally published in Xataka by Javier Marquez .

Insects have been traveling to space for decades. Now the ESA is studying putting them on the astronauts’ plates

by

For years, many of us have thought of insects as something foreign to our table, but they have been part of space history for much longer than we imagine. Even before the first astronauts reached orbit, these small species they had already shown that could withstand the conditions of flight. Today, with long-duration missions on the horizon, the conversation has changed. Europe wonders if these animals, so nutritious and easy to maintain, could become a real option to feed those who live far from Earth. Why insects. Although they are still a culinary rarity in Spain, insects are part of the regular diet of billions of people. The FAO estimates more than 2,000 species consumed on different continents, valued for their contribution of protein, iron, zinc and beneficial fats. Their ability to develop with few resources and transform waste into useful biomass makes them an attractive candidate for controlled food systems. That is why several European teams are analyzing its nutritional potential and its viability in environments where every gram counts. What we know about microgravity. Research with insects in space has accumulated decades of datafrom early suborbital flights to tests at orbital stations. During this journey, different species have been tested, with very different results: some managed to complete essential phases of the life cycle in microgravity and others showed sensitivity to factors such as movement or radiation. This contrast has been useful to understand what biological mechanisms remain stable outside of Earth and what processes are altered even in very resistant organisms. What the ESA is looking for. The European team work with a specific idea: to know in detail how these organisms behave in key phases of their development when they spend prolonged time in orbit. The agency has brought together diverse profiles to study their ability to recycle nutrients and produce protein under controlled conditions, a line that already has candidate species such as the common cricket and the mealworm. This research aims to clarify what biological requirements should be met before considering its production in long-duration missions. Fruit fly habitat used for scientific research in space Although there is an extensive history of testing with insects, much of the results are scattered and come from short missions. The majority of experiments did not reach times that allow the complete life cycle of a species to be followed, an essential requirement to evaluate its use in long missions. Furthermore, many of these investigations are old and used different methodologies, making it difficult to compare them. That is why ESA is preparing new studies specifically aimed at measuring changes in reproduction, development and behavior in orbit. Drosophila model. NASA’s experience with Drosophila melanogaster has demonstrated its usefulness as a model organism to understand physiological changes in space. The agency highlights that it shares a good part of the genes related to human diseases and that its accelerated reproduction facilitates the analysis of several generations. He Fruit Fly Lab, installed on the International Space Station, it allows us to follow their behavior and freeze samples for study on the ground. It also incorporates a centrifuge that helps distinguish which effects depend on gravity and which are linked to space radiation. Astronaut James D. “Ox” Van Hoften examines a bee experiment From the laboratory to the menu. For now, the food use of insects in space missions continues to be a line of study and not an immediate application. Researchers need to check how they behave in prolonged phases and what it would mean to stably grow them in inhabited modules. Added to this is the challenge of transforming this biomass into safe, manageable and acceptable products from a nutritional and sensory point of view. Everything is moving in the direction of exploring options, not automatically incorporating them into the astronauts’ menu. Images | ESA | POT In Xataka | Astronauts’ food is not appetizing at first, especially in China

The Fujian is officially China’s largest power catapult. Beijing already has a button to challenge the US Navy

by

It has been almost two years since China ended its long-awaited Fujian aircraft carrierits largest warship with cutting-edge technology for the nation. From then until now it has been going through different scenarios of tests and tests that will confirm reliability of what should be the spearhead for Beijing to compete in the same league as the United States. That day has already arrived. The naval power of the 21st century. China has made official the entry into service of Fujian, its first aircraft carrier with electromagnetic catapultsa milestone that marks a qualitative leap in the country’s naval ambition and in their direct rivalry with the United States. In a ceremony held in the port of Sanya, on the island of Hainan, President Xi Jinping performed the symbolic gesture of pressing the launch button from the ship’s control bubble, in an act that state propaganda presented as the beginning of a new era for the People’s Liberation Army Navy. Projection and vulnerability. With 80,000 tons displacement, 300 meters in length and capacity to operate nearly 60 aircraft, the Fujian becomes the jewel of the Chinese fleet, the third in service after from Liaoning and the Shandong. Its distinctive feature is the electromagnetic catapultsan aircraft launch system similar to the American EMALS that only equips one other ship in the world: the USS Gerald R. Ford. China has thus jumped directly from aircraft carriers with a “ski jump” ramp to a generation of electromagnetic propulsion directed personally, according to Beijing, by Xi. This technical advance has clear strategic implications: improves the rate of departures, reduces wear and tear on aircraft and allows the operation of drones or lighter devices, opening the door to a more flexible and modern on-board aviation. Fujian The jump and the dimension. The Fujian represents more than just a technical improvement: it is the first completely designed and built in Chinafree of the Soviet legacy that conditioned the previous ones. The Liaoning was originally a ukrainian helmet unfinished work of the eighties and the Shandong su national derivativeboth with STOBAR systems short takeoff. With Fujian, China abandons that past and exhibits its technological maturity, especially in a context of industrial rivalry with the United States, whose own EMALS program has faced years of failures and cost overruns. In contrast to the Gerald R. Ford problemsXi’s speech and the staging of the ceremony convey a message of effectiveness and national pride: that of a power capable of manufacturing its own cutting-edge ships while the adversary hesitates. The choice of the port of Hainan was also not accidental. from there, China control access to the South Sea and projects its influence towards the western Pacific and the Taiwan Strait. On that board, the Fujian is not just a ship, but a political statement about Beijing’s ability to contest global maritime dominance. Fujian Target of the future. However, the relevance of these steel colossi coexists with a paradox. While the great powers continue to invest billions in building them, the conflict in Ukraine has shown that he size no longer guarantees invulnerability. With low-cost naval drones, Ukraine has managed to disable much of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, inflicting a “functional defeat” without possessing a single aircraft carrier. The contrast is eloquent: asymmetric warfare reduces the effectiveness of the most expensive conventional weapons, but not their strategic value. In the case of China and the United States, aircraft carriers maintain their role as projection and deterrence instrumentsuseful for both combat operations and coercive diplomacy. Make fear. Washington continues to use them as pressure tool geopolitics: Donald Trump himself ordered the deployment of the Gerald R. Ford against Venezuela as a symbolic warning to the Nicolás Maduro regime. The scene, with an aircraft carrier escorted by four destroyers and armed with 70 aircraft, illustrates the extent to which these ships continue to be armed ambassadors of the superpowers, beyond their debatable military profitability. Global deterrence. Modern navies are aware that aircraft carriers are both a symbol like a target. During the Cold War, it was estimated that twelve conventional missiles to sink a super aircraft carrier. In 2005, the experimental sinking of the USS America required four weeks of sustained attacks, confirming its structural resilience, but also its exposure. In a scenario saturated with hypersonic missiles, swarms of drones and long-range anti-ship systems, its survival in real combat is increasingly uncertain. However, no other platform offers the combination of mobility, air capacity and logistical autonomy that an aircraft carrier provides. That is why China, despite investing in missiles to repel a US fleet off its coast, considers these ships essential for its own global ambitions. As pointed out analyst Nick Childsfrom the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Beijing understands them as an indispensable tool to project influence and support an eventual operation on Taiwan. Geopolitics of steel. we have been counting: the rise of Fujian is part of a broader strategy of naval expansion that has turned Chinese shipyards into the most productive on the planet. The country’s surface and submarine fleet is growing at a pace the United States can no longer match, and each new vessel reinforces the narrative of industrial self-sufficiency that Xi Jinping presents as an emblem. of the “national renaissance”. Facing eleven US aircraft carriers (ten nuclear and one conventionally powered), China has threebut with plans to build at least a nuclear one, the future Type 004which could directly rival the Fords of the US Navy. Unlike Russia, whose only aircraft carrier, the aging Admiral Kuznetsovhas been out of service for years and is headed for scrapping, China and the United States are today the only powers capable to sustain fleets with great oceanic projection. Europe, for its part, maintains a symbolic presence: the United Kingdom uses its aircraft carriers Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales on diplomatic or training missions, while France prepares its new future-generation nuclear aircraft carrier. Century of the seas and fragility. If you like, Fujian also symbolizes the meeting point … Read more

Some say Mercury retrograde ruins their life, but the planet didn’t even move from its spot.

by

Mercury retrograde season returns. From November 9 to 20, 2025, many people around the world – and especially on social networks– They will blame this curious planetary phenomenon for the argument they have had with their partner, the breakage of their refrigerator or the failure in an exam. But the question we must ask ourselves is if there is something behind this phenomenon that seems astronomical. What is ‘Mercury retrograde’. Despite its magical name, “Mercury retrograde” is described according to NASA as an optical effect: from Earth, Mercury (the planet closest to the Sun) appears to move backwards in its orbit for a few weeks. Astronomically, that “recoil” It is an illusion created by the difference in speed and position between Earth and Mercurybut nothing in the cosmos really changes, only our point of view. This is a phenomenon that occurs several times a year and has no physical effect on the Earth, our communications, travel or emotions. This is why astronomical science is clear: it is pure visual effect, not causality. Another interpretation. In the case of astrology the interpretation is very different. For this branch, Mercury is attributed powers over the communication, thought and movement. In this way, when it is ‘retrograde’, astrologers advise avoid signing contracts, taking trips or having difficult conversations. But this is something that has no scientific support behind it. A real meme. The interesting thing, according to experts in digital cultureis how Mercury retrograde has become a lifeline to cast our blame away. It is the perfect meme to explain everyday chaos: when WhatsApp crashes or the AI ​​responds strangely, the fault is not ours, but Mercury’s. In this way, everything stops being our fault, and for psychology it is something that we use as a strategy to attribute the disorder to external factors that reduce anxiety and connect us with the community. In countries like Spain, each Mercury retrograde cycle activates dozens of interactions on TikTok, Instagram and X, full of jokes, astrological advice and memes. This narrative allows us to find order (or at least, poetic meaning) in digital unpredictability. There is no relationship. Whether the computer or the refrigerator stops working or you have had a fight with your boyfriend or girlfriend has nothing to do with the position of Mercury. However, the myth and the joke will live on. Perhaps it is therapeutic to look to the sky for an answer when reality surpasses logic, even if we know that looking at the sky will not change whether our router breaks or not. Images | Wikipedia Afif Ramdhasuma In Xataka Basics | 19 apps and tools to see and have more information about stars and constellations

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.