Mobile Tech & Gadgets

This is one of the best ways to quickly collect the suitcase at the airport

by

A year ago my Magnet colleagues published an article that focused on the opinion of an airport employee and that I mentioned whether or not to tie ribbons, place stickers or use keychains for Recognize the suitcase When traveling by plane. Are they effective? Yes. Are they recommended? Not so much. The problem is that these stickers, ribbons and other accessories can cover the stickers that airports provide to identify suitcases with our data and reach their destination. If these stickers are covered, the suitcase can be lost. It is not necessary to complicate too much to find a simpler and more effective solution to recognize our suitcase and have it located at all times. The locators of the different brands are very useful for those moments when we leave the plane and want to collect the suitcase. Airtag is one of the best known, But there are many more that are also very practical. AIRTAG by 31.99 eurosthe Apple locator for iPhone users. Samsung Galaxy Smarttag2 by 20.99 eurosan AirTag alternative for Samsung mobiles. Tile mate by 60.29 eurosa game of three locators compatible with iOS and Android. Eufy Security SmartTrack Link by 19.99 eurosa much cheaper alternative to Airtag that is compatible with iOS. Ugreen Finetrack Smart Finder by 13.99 eurosanother alternative even cheaper to Airtag that is also compatible with iOS. AIRTAG He AIRTAGwhich currently has a price of 31.99 eurosit is one of the locators par excellence, although it should be remembered once again They are only compatible with Apple devicesas is the case of iPhone. Are integrated into the Search networkthey have a very good autonomy and the pile can be changed comfortably and easily, thus allowing the accessory to reuse. * Some price may have changed from the last review Samsung Galaxy Smarttag2 If the AIRTAG is the Apple locator, the Galaxy Smarttag2 It is Samsung’s. Its price is currently 19.31 euros in Amazon and it is convenient to know that it is about A locator that can only be used with Samsung devicesas is the case of its mobiles. It includes a hole to be able to place it in different places, it offers an autonomy of up to 500 days in normal mode and its pile can also be exchanged. * Some price may have changed from the last review Tile mate The most versatile locator of this list is the Tile matewhich can be found in a pack with three units per 60.29 euros. And it is the most versatile because It is compatible with both iOS and Android. In addition, it also includes a hole to place it in different places, it includes a speaker to find the suitcase, offers IP67 certificationits autonomy is approximately three years and, in this case, the battery cannot be changed. Tile Mate (three units pack) * Some price may have changed from the last review Eufy Security SmartTrack Link If we are Apple users and want to use a locator with the iPhone or the iPad, the Eufy Security SmartTrack Link It is a cheaper alternative to Airtag, since it costs 19.99 euros. It is a locator manufactured by the Anker submarine that allows you to find an iPhone even in silence mode. It also offers alerts of lost objects, they are integrated into the search, it offers a one -year autonomy and its pile can be replaced. Eufy Security SmartTrack Link * Some price may have changed from the last review Ugreen Finetrack Smart Finder On the other hand, if we are also Apple users and what we are looking for is a locator even cheaper than EuFy’s, the Ugreen Finetrack Smart Finder It is an interesting purchase option considering that it currently costs 13.99 euros. It is integrated into the Search Network of Apple, its battery offers an autonomy of up to 24 months (the battery can be replaced) and includes a hole to place it in different places. In addition, it is able to send reminders if we separate a lot from the locator. Ugreen Finetrack Smart Finder * Some price may have changed from the last review Some of the links of this article are affiliated and can report a benefit to Xataka. In case of non -availability, offers may vary. Images | Freepik (header), Apple, Samsung, Tile, Anker, Ugreen In Xataka | GPS locator purchase guide: tips and recommendations to succeed and seven models from 30 euros In Xataka | Six gadgets that I never thought I would need and have improved my daily life in 1000%

An old island has been discovered by accident under the sea full of rare land. The problem is that it has no owner

by

We are approaching a point where to say that rare earth moves the world in general, no Only the technological oneno longer sounds so hyperbolic. It happens that a single nation has most of the cake right now. We already said it, China has built The most elegant economic power lever in modern history with those desired minerals. Hence, the rest of the nations strive to find the new “gold” where there is a track, however small. An underwater island has emerged as possibility, the problem is for whom. An accidental finding. The story began when an international team of scientists discovered that a part of the known underwater highlands Like Rio Grande Riselocated about 1,200 kilometers from the coast of Brazil, it was actually A tropical island Tens of millions of years ago. Although training was already known by the scientific community as a chain of volcanic mountains submerged from The late cretaceousthe New research revealed that their western part was once above sea levelforming a terrestrial ecosystem that gradually disappeared under the waters due to tectonic activity and the weight of the accumulated volcanic rock. Revelation not only transforms the understanding of the paleoclimatic geography of the region, but also opens the door to a possible International dispute for its valuable mineral resources. The keys of the past. The discovery began in 2018 when British and Brazilian scientists noticed that certain rocks in the marine bed of the Rio Grande Rise They showed an unusual composition, more similar to lava deposits and terrestrial red clay than to marine formations. Published subsequent studies in Scientific Reports They confirmed that this clay (rich in kaolinite, hematite and goetite, typical tropical soil minerals) was not only a rarity in the oceanic background, but an unequivocal evidence that this segment of the high plateau was emerged between 44 and 47 million years agoduring The Eocene. With a very high chemical alteration index (93), these clays reveal an intense subaéreal weathering and a warm and humid climate, with implications that go beyond geology: the island could have been a stop point For migratory birds Between South America and Africa, offering one more piece in the puzzle of the biological exchanges of the past. A mineral treasure. But there is more, of course. Beyond its scientific value, the Rio Grande Rise houses an invaluable economic wealth. Their Ferromanganese scabs contain high levels of Essential metals As cobalt, nickel and lithium, all fundamental for the global energy transition, from batteries for electric vehicles to wind and solar energy storage. However, what attracts the most attention is your rare earth concentrationespecially the ititrium, a whitish and soft metal used in strategic technologies: aerospace alloys, superconductors, industrial lasers, LEDs and precision lenses. In a context where China overwhelmingly dominates the extraction, refined and manufacture of these materials (with Up to 90 % of world production), any new source acquires critical geopolitical importance. It is no accident that the Brazilian interest in this area has intensified after Beijing’s decision to restrict export. The dilemma of sovereignty. And here lies the big problem. The Brazilian government He has shown A clear intention to claim the Rio Grande Rise as part of its continental platform, based on the argument that training He was united to the continent in the past. However, the highlands is 652 nautical miles from the coast, very outside the limit of The 200 established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to delimit exclusive economic zones. This raises a challenge legal and diplomatic Complex, in which Brazil will seek to strengthen its exploration rights without violating international agreements. At the same time, warnings arise on the impact that an eventual mining exploitation could have little studied in depth ecosystems. Thus, the tension between the economic use of these resources and the need to preserve marine biodiversity appears as unresolved background dilemma. Global competition. In this way, the ancient island of Rio Grande Risetoday hidden under kilometers of water and centuries of geological oblivion, has reappeared as a Unexpected actor in the race for the strategic resources of the 21st century. Fosilized red soils, formed under disappeared tropical jungles, now lie next to metal scabs coveted by industries around the world. If you want, the finding not only highlights the scientific value of oceanic missions, it also exposes the growing global competition for those critical minerals in so many areas. In that new power map, where the control of raw materials marks the border between technological independence and structural dependence, even a sunk island millions of years ago can tip the balance of the future. Or at least that Think Brazil. Image | Pexels In Xataka | What are the rare earths, the elements that move the technological world and separate China from the West In Xataka | The great promise of Deng Xiaoping: China has waited more than 30 years to control the world economy with rare earths

China has been so close to dying with its solar panels that has made the only logical decision: manufacture less

by

China is a colossus in the photovoltaic industry segment. They are not just installing huge parksbut dominate production with iron. So much that they have made The whole world depends on its technology and collapsed the price of the panels, drowning European and American manufacturers. The result of the crazy expansion was An internal price warbut after years of losses in the domestic market, they already propose a solution. Manufacture fewer panels. Storm. In 2020, China presented a zero emission plan Net for 2060. The goal is reduce your considerable carbon footprint and pollution and, for this, They marked That in 2030 there should be at least 1,200 GW of solar and wind capacity installed. The energy began to act, but companies from other sectors saw that there was a lucrative opportunity and got into the business. The result? Market saturation and such a beast production of the modules that were drowning foreign companies, but also to the domestic market. If 1,200 GW of renewables installed in 2030 were needed, only the solar installed in 2024 already surpassed The 880 GW. To the search for solutions. Production folded world demand And prices crashed, with huge companies in the sector asking the State for help To be able to continue in business. In that unsustainable situation for your own industry because They lost money with each salea kind of OPEC For Chinese photovoltaic, the Chinese photovoltaic industry association, or CPPO, with 33 of the main manufacturers signing a self -control commitment. The meeting was held in December last year and its executives are still looking for solutions after years of price wars. This week the Snec pv & is expo 2025 In Shanghai, in which manufacturers and companies around the world have met to evaluate the global situation. And, although we have to wait to see what measures they take, the Asian association of the photovoltaic industry – one of the organizers of the event – is clear that it cannot be followed in this situation. Or we refer to one or sink. As we read in South China Morning Post“The solar industry is not a zero -sum game,” said Zhu Gongshan, president of the association, in the inauguration speech. “We are in this together and the extreme cost of costs and fierce competition are not different from drinking poison to calm thirst,” he said. China installed About 278 GW of solar capacity last year, a figure that represents almost 60% of the new facilities worldwide. And it was the result of an overcapacity that contributed to a fall of 60% of the prices of the solar modules between 2020 and 2024. At the December meeting, one of the measures agreed by the main manufacturers was to respect a minimum recommended price to preserve the margins, and had a moderately positive result in early 2025, with a price rebound. But they don’t loosen the accelerator. The Cpia estimated Between 215 and 255 GW for this year, a cut in front of the amount of last year, but the accounts do not leave and the rhythm of facilities that are being kept is still very high: until April 30, 105 GW had been added, 75% more than what was installed in the same period of the previous year. It is estimated that it was because in January a large number of facilities were carried out and that they will fall 44% in the second half of 2025. One of the measures driven By the Government to reorganize the industry, it entered into force on June 1: sell production at market price instead of a guaranteed rate in the new solar plants. The antidote. “Instead of waiting for a cyclical recovery, we must face a disruptive restructuring in the sector,” said Zhu. And what are the proposals? Several are handled, such as focusing on improving collaboration between the government and companies to confront the offer through regulations or mergers. Another is that I know Bet on technological innovation for both panels and production chain, which will allow sustainable growth and higher benefit margins. That is, not to make the crazy panels that anchored to a technology that can be quickly outdated, but is cheap, but to improve quality and make fewer panels, maintaining a higher price and avoiding saturation. Change of mentality. Another problem is that there are too many things to consider. Those 33 Chinese companies of the CPPO are not the only ones that manufacture panels and there are those who may not respect self -control agreements. But, in addition, these internal problems are added tariff manids imposed by the United States. In the case of panels, Trump’s administration He imposed tariffs of More than 3,500% to the importation of panels from China and 60% to materials such as polisilicio, wafers and Chinese solar cells. China’s response, according to the president of one of the local businesses, should be internationalization. “Due to tariffs, it is no longer enough to export: we must locate production abroad,” said Gao Jifan, president of Trina Solar. We will see what happens, but try to stop that saturation of the market is significant, and that they talk about democrating production can generate a new battle from Western countries that we have already seen with the Chinese car: the one that try to attract the attention of manufacturers. Image | Huasun In Xataka | Solar panels that clean other solar panels: the photovoltaic industry has entered its self -replicant phase

France is building a high security megacárcel for its most dangerous prisoners. 7,000 kilometers from France

by

In 2024, 110 people They died In France for reasons linked to drug trafficking and another 341 were injured in accidents or account adjustments. Although they are lower figures than those of 2023 —139 dead and 413 injured – in the Ministry of Interior they consider that they remain unacceptable. Your solution: attack the problem at the origin. 7,000 kilometers … and with a jail. The plan. Gérald Darmanin is the Minister of Justice of France and, a few weeks ago, advertisement The opening of 2028 of a new maximum security prison. As we say, curiously it will not be on European continental soil, but in the French Guiana on the other side of the Atlantic. In an interview, Darmanin commented That the goal of this third high security prison in France is to “leave out of the most dangerous drug trafficking profiles.” And, precisely, that those drug traffickers are at that distance from continental France will contribute to “take them away lasting their mafia networks.” Cocaine route. French Guiana is a overseas territory in France. Previously a colony -but abolished as such after the French revolution -, this French territory has established itself as a key platform for cocaine traffic from Brazil and Surinam Towards Europe. The figures scare: esteem that between 15% and 20% of the cocaine that enters France does it through the French Guayana-Paris route. It is done through “mules”, person (young and single mothers, especially) who are pushed by situations of extreme poverty to accept about 7,000 euros per successful trip to Europe carrying the merchandise. And the estimate It is that, on each flight from Cayena (the capital of the territory) to Paris, they travel between 20 and 30 mules, of which one third manages to pass without attracting attention. The jail. France’s goal is to build the new prison in the commune of Saint-Laurent-Du-Maroni. It will be about seven kilometers from the urban center and very close to the border with Surinam, one of the hot points of that cocaine route. The budget My dear It is about 450 million euros and the intention is that the complex, in addition to the prison itself, includes a court to expedite all judicial processes and procedures associated with inmates. It will have capacity for 500 inmates, of which 60 will be classified as “maximum security” and another 15 as “terrorists”, with a wing especially destined for those more dangerous inmates and will not only serve to fight drug trafficking, but to give a respite to the other prison of the French Guiana, a Rémon-Montjoly that has a capacity for 614 inmates and houses almost a thousand. And that inmates nickname “Dry guillotine“ Past ghosts. It may seem like a fissure plan to build a maximum security prison in the heart of drug trafficking towards your main territory, but far from it. The problem, or one of them, is all that it entails … and the historical precedent. Inspired by chow the British used AustraliaNapoleon III established a criminal system in the French Guiana that served as the main overseas criminal colony of the country from 1852 to 1953. In that century, especially the Salvation Islands and the Diablo Islandthey became the point where both common criminals and political prisoners shared space. They performed forced labor, severe punishments and there was a very high mortality rate: 75% in the blackest points. The few who could return to France told their stories in the place, making public opinion promote the gradual closure of the facilities that are currently Tourism focus. And fear. And how we read in BBCthe idea of ​​returning to the French Guiana that condition of ‘overseas prison‘He has outraged his population. A local deputy, Davy Rimane, considers that it is a unilateral decision by France, since they have not had the deputies of Guayana and that “transferring criminals from high level to Guayana, people who France do not want, return us to a terrible past, painful and full of suffering.” Because they are not only drug traffickers, but also Islamist terrorists who will be relocated to this prison. Rimane points out that they are not “the France dump.” Also in statements to BBC, the criminologist Marion Vannier of the University of Manchester considers that it is “a bad idea” to go from wanting one jail to relieve the other present in the country to devise a new system in which there are dangerous prisoners and high -level drug traffickers. “ As we say, the idea is that France has its new overseas prison from here to three years, but we will see if the plans are fulfilled because the Francaguayans do not seem happy with the idea of ​​returning to that dark past 70 years later. Image | Ministry of Justice In Xataka | That crazy occasion we wanted to fix Europe by dividing it into 24 radial cantons

In 2021 a volcano spent three days in eruption without anyone finding out. Now it helps us ahead of the silent volcanoes

by

Knowing how to read the signals that a volcano gives before erupting can make a difference between a scare and a tragedy. Some volcanoes make it easy for experts who know how to read these clues but others erupt without prior notice. Or maybe just we couldn’t decipher your signs. At least until now. A new tool. A team of researchers He has devised A new mechanism to model the behavior of some volcanoes. This tool, its creators stand out, will serve to more effectively monitor the eruptions of some volcanoes reducing the risk associated with these natural phenomena often so violent. Some special usefulness in the case of “silent” volcanoes. “Despite great advances in monitoring, some volcanoes erupt with minimally detectable or even without them precursors, significantly increasing the risk of nearby populations,” pointed in a press release Yuyu Li, co -author of the study. As explained by LI herself, some of these volcanoes are located not only near communities, also near important air traffic routes. Silent volcanoes. For the development of its tool, the team resorted to the Veniaminaf volcano, located in the North American state of Alaska. This is one of the so -called “silent” volcanoes, volcanoes whose eruption is not preceded by the signals that are generally associated with an imminent or close eruption, such as earthquakes or the deformation of the soil in the surroundings of the Magma Chamber. Veniaminof’s is just an example that We can find In this family of silent volcanoes that also includes some closer such as Stromboli in Italy or Popocatepetl in Mexico. Looking inside the volcano. But among all of them, the Veniaminof volcano is perhaps the most paradigmatic. Not because only two of the 13 rashes that have leaded since 1993 have been planned, but because in 2021 he achieved the milestone of erupting without anyone noticing Until three days later. The team responsible for the study analyzed the internal conditions that make it a silent volcano. Factors such as a slow supply of magma and a warm host rock are key in this regard. The monitoring of the volcano was carried out for three summers prior to one of the silent eruptions of the volcano, that of 2018. A model to get ahead of the eruption. The result, a model that conforms to the state of different variables that can condition the probability of the burst of the magma, such as the volume of the reserve, flow conditions of the magna, depth of the reserve or the form that it acquires is. Thus they could estimate what kind of conditions could be linked to a silent eruption and which ones were not. The team found that soil deformation could help prevent some eruptions of the volcano but that the relationship between underground magma and rashes were somewhat more complex than it might seem. The details of the study have been published In an article In the magazine Frontiers in Earth Science. The following steps. Monitoring the numerous silent volcanoes distributed throughout the world will not be an easy task. For now, the resolution gives a clue to what are the volcanoes to monitor more closely: volcanoes with small and warm reserves and slow magma flows, explains the team. In Xataka | In 2021 a volcano spent three days in eruption without anyone finding out. Now it helps us to unmask the silent volcanoes Image | Alaska Volcano Observatory Photo Gallery

Hollywood is using AI in absolutely all aspects of films production. And it is fatal to hide it

by

Each new news about the advances of AI in Hollywood is received with a mixture of expectation and fear. How many jobs will it cost? How much work will you save? Is it the result of a sensible analysis of the needs of the U industry Another form of producers to chain cuts In all the links of the chain? What we know is that this arrival is inevitable. What perhaps we did not know is that it has long come, and Hollywood is trying to keep the secret as long as possible. Studies for AI. Currently, According to Vulturethere are a hundred studies in Hollywood that work exclusively with AI. He has especially called the attention of the press, for having a popular name on board, Asteria Film, co -founded by actress and producer Natasha Lyonne, protagonist of ‘Poker Face’. which will direct a first film generated entirely by Ia. Der time, their backs are covering: They assure that they are an “ethical” study and that all the material with which they train their artificial intelligences is licensed. That is, they are working on tools that through a Prompt They generate images, but to feed only on material for which the corresponding rights have been paid. The authors. Little by little, Hollywood is turning to these tools. Darren Aronodsky He reached an agreement with Deepmindfrom Google. James Cameron, with Stability ai. And that is the following point that Hollywood has to reach: convincing the public and the ecstptics that AI can also be a tool for authors, and not just the industry. In Vulture, Lyonne said that “I am a filmmaker who does not want technicians to decide the future of the environment. We need a kind of 95 dogma for the AI ​​era”, referring to the movement led by Lars von Trier in the nineties, who talked about undressing the cinema of every artifice. Lyonne states that he wants to delve into the “idea that the artist is the first, before he becomes an industry rule not to do so.” The clash between artists and studies can be monumental, but it is clear that we will attend something that will determine the future of entertainment. How much money is saved? This is one of Hollywood’s most important issues, in the end we are talking about production and limiting expenses. According to Industry experts like Abe Rose or as has been spoken in Tables of specialists in the subject in CannesHollywood could save between 20% and 50% in traditional productions, and up to 90% on projects very supported by AI, especially in visual effects. The potential savings for the film and TV industry in the US is estimated at 15,000 million dollars between 2024 and 2026, only in terms of production and post-production. James Cameron himself He talked about a 50% cut of budgets in the blockbusters. The beginnings of AI. Already in the last decade, AI began to be used as a tool that attended very specific aspects of production: optimization of the planning of filming schedules, allocation of resources and equipment management … in general, it helped reduce dead times and improve efficiency. At the same time, in the editing department It was used To select Tomas automatically and for simple but very laborious tasks such as synchronizing audio and video. The preambles. In the last five years, the use of AI has increased exponentially, especially in the technical section and in all phases of production. For example, in preproduction: There is a long list of tools that attend or directly replace humans. LTX Studio It is able to make a complete pre -production combining very different tools on a platform. But there are also specialized ones: Filmustage Plan the movie, Boards does the Storyboards and Long.ai Analyze the possible impact of the film, which facilitates production tasks. Filming In this phase are the ingredients that are most known: control of cameras and drones, intelligent lighting and, above all, virtual sets with Tools such as StageCraft that generate real -time scenarios, integrating real actors and digital funds, often projecting the scenarios and their modifications for the interpreters to react. It is where the most colorful revolutions are taking place and what the media dedicates the most, but they are only the tip of the iceberg. After Effects. Also in postproduction AI is replacing many tasks that were previously routine or repetitive. There is much talk about how tools such as Deepmotion or Ziva Dynamics are entering the effects and animation section as an elephant in a pot, but there is much more: audio and video synchronization, color correction with tools such as tools such as Colourlab.Aidubbing (even in his first steps, but with tools such as Deepdub and his Imperceptible Lip synchronization work steps are being taken in directions that are not precisely free of controversy) and, of course, the soundtracks that Platforms As amper Music they cover in more modest budget productions. Legal issues. But … we hadn’t remained that Much of the strikes In Hollywood they had been convened to combat these types of uses that put the work of creators and jobs at risk? Yes and no. Between 2023 and 2024, Hollywood lived one of the greatest labor crises in its recent history due to the advance of AI. The main unions (WGA, of screenwriters, and SAG-AFTRA, of actors) collided against the Alliance of Film and Television Producers (AMPTP). The WGA began its strike in May 2023, to which The actors joined in Julyparalyzing Hollywood For six months. The agreement that was reached significantly restricted the use of AI, especially taking into account the claims of the producers: with it the generative AI is prohibited so that the producers generate a script without the contest of a screenwriter, or replicate the image of an actor without permission, but its use is allowed as tools that assist the technicians. To put it otherwise: as long as there is a human union, the tools can … Read more

How to predict the next epidemic? For researchers the solution is very simple: using AI

by

It arrives with heat, sneaks without invitation and leaves its trace on the skin: a red mark, an insistent itching, a sleepless night. The mosquito does not need a presentation; His buzz is part of summer. Now, we share our life with another invisible being: artificial intelligence. Silent, precise, without wings or sting, has begun to fight a battle with the old enemy. And in this story, only one can stay. The battle. A team of researchers from the University of Southern Florida, led by biologist Ryan Carney and computer engineer Sriram Chellappan, They have developed An intelligent surveillance system that uses artificial intelligence to identify, track and combat the most dangerous mosquito of the moment: Anopheles Stephensian urban vector of malaria that has already begun to expand in Africa. A unique method. The project key is to join advanced technology with citizen participation. On the one hand, they are developing intelligent traps equipped with artificial intelligence, capable of attracting, capturing and automatically identifying mosquitoes. On the other hand, the project relies on mosquitodashboard.orga global platform released in 2022 that collects photographs of mosquitoes sent by people from their mobile phones. Thanks to a visual recognition system, the panel identifies the species and generates in real time an interactive map that helps scientists follow the trail of the most dangerous vectors. And why? Chellappan team has developed unique algorithms capable of identifying a mosquito with only one photo, automatically recognizing its head, thorax, abdomen, wings and legs. This anatomical classification allows to distinguish species with great precision, even in challenging conditions. As He explained To Reuters, the advance in AI has allowed to identify where the diseases carrying diseases are because then the public health authorities can go there and launch control efforts to prevent new outbreaks. A global alert. Behind this technological deployment there is a real urgency, since mosquitoes such as the malaria transmitter are adapting and surviving in urban environments. However, there is a solution, because researchers have estimated for Reuters that smart traps could be manufactured for less than $ 150, which would facilitate their massive distribution as an early warning system in vulnerable regions. A war with many fronts. Although artificial intelligence promises to revolutionize the fight against mosquitoes, it is not enough by itself. “It will require more than one strategy,” He has warned Entomologist Tom Mascari in statements to Reuters. Technology is a key ally, but does not replace traditional measures such as the use of repellent. What is coming. In the next five years, the Carney and Chellappan team has planned to improve its algorithms, incorporate more species into the system and train a new generation of African scientists. The idea is that the fight against mosquito does not depend only on technology, but also on international knowledge and collaboration. And, perhaps, for the first time, the buzz of summer is not only a nuisance, but an opportunity to anticipate the enemy. Image | USF Xataka | Elche has proposed to release 2.4 million tiger mosquitoes in his city. He does it for a good reason

Every year millions of packages are lost during shipments. So there are companies that are selling them to weight

by

Only in the United States They lose or steal 1.7 million packages every day. In Spain the latest data from the TDI logistics group They revealed that more than two shipments were lost per minute. The curious thing is where at least part of them end: they are shown to weight. Millions of lost packages. According to They indicate to EFE From the employer of the logistics sector one, in Spain more than 3.3 million packages are sent per day, and the cases of loss involve a tiny fraction of 0.001% (about 3,300 per day). A simple error on the label or lack of centralized information can cause these problems, and that is where some companies recover them to resell them. Reversing weight. Services such as Crazy Day Factory, My Mystery Package, Merkandi, LotesDevolutions, or King Colis are dedicated exactly to the same thing: acquiring those lost packages to often resell them as part of surprise boxes that are sold to weight. As they point out in the confidentialin Kink Colis for example they establish a price of 1.99 euros per 100 grams in standard packages and 2.79 euros in the premium type. A lot of noise and few chollos? In King Colis FAQ, a French startup, they explain that buying this type of surprise packages can be very profitable, because one “can contradate state -of -the -art technological devices to clothing or accessories of recognized brands.” However, they also warn: “Not all lost packages necessarily contain treasures. There is a part of chance!” You don’t know what you buy. One acquires these packages to weight, but does not really know what he is buying. As they revealed in the nationalin stores such as my mystery package open ephemeral stores throughout the year in different municipalities to give out these packages, but there is a key requirement: the package cannot be opened until after buying it. And that implies risks. These lost packages are not checked and therefore can be damaged, be defective or have a much lower price than the buyer ends up. In Lotes Devolutions they explain that those products that put on sale – which are returns, not lost shipments – do not go through a previous check, which can end up causing a disappointing surprise effect. Packages are sold repaired without visible brands to eliminate commercial references, turning the purchase into a riddle … or a bet. The psychology of surprise. The surprise boxes such as those offered by all these businesses take advantage of known phenomena of human psychology. Several researchers published in June 2024 A study in which they revealed how the stimulus-organism-response (Sor) causes that impulsive purchase out of curiosity without intervening conscious thinking. We think quickly instead of thinking fast, as the Nobel Prize Daniel Kahneman in his famous’ stood out in depth.Think quickly, think slowly‘. Previous experience. In Xataka we were able to meet this type of business last year, when we went to an old warehouse on the outskirts of Madrid to try to locate some cholt between the chaos of Amazon returned products that a company put on sale. There was no surprise effect here and the proposal is something different, but the conclusion was already clear: we had no luck and after hours of search we went out empty. Finding chollos, whether by surprise or not, is not easy. Image | Chuttersnap In Xataka | The end of free online returns: Zara, Pull and Bear and more stores begin to collect them

The key to China’s success with rare earths are not the rare earths: it is the magnet

by

The response of the Chinese administration to the tariff pressure to which the United States wanted to submit in early April was immediate: significant restrictions on the export of rare earths. A measure that ended up relaxing this week, with the granting of licenses of export for six months. A truce to which the United States accessed by lowering another of the key elements in this commercial war: The admission of Chinese students in American universities. These are one of the most important pieces of the geopolitical board: they are scarce chemical elements, difficult to extract and refine, and a key resource For the technological, automotive and energy industry, among many others. China is controlling access to these elements to defend their interests, but the key is not just to isolate its rivals of this precious material: is in the disability outside China to take advantage of them. China is the fundamental piece in its prosecuted. China controls rare earth production by 70% and 90% processing them. In the case of heavy strange earth, a subgroup of them even more scarce, their participation in the refining is 99%. According to the newspaper The New York TimesChina has up to 39 university programs so that its students can train and develop their career in the chemical industry specializing in this field. It is just a sample of the importance it has for the country led by Xi Jinping to continue controlling this geopolitical weapon. This graph is the best visual test of China’s domain in rare earths. The access toll. Although the focus on how they are affecting the restrictions on the export of rare earths to the supply chain is currently, there is a key that has gone unnoticed: the real problem is not access, it is the difficulty of working even in the case of obtaining them. When the Ministry of Commerce of China and the General Administration of Customs They imposed access controls for the export of medium and heavy rare earthsthe supply chain staggered. From their entry into force, all exporters were obliged to obtain specific licenses for each shipment, even if they are products in which they have already been refined, such as magnets. Why touch the rest. These licenses are a complex bureaucratic process, slow and studied case by case. Although the primary political objective is the United States, European companies that need heavy land (or materials manufactured with them, such as magnets), are seeing supply interruptions. Suzuki has already arrested swift production in Japan Due to the scarcity of pieces, Musk You are having trouble building your robots and, in Europe, the secretary general of CLA (European Association of Automation Suppliers) made an urgent call: production is entering the paralysis phase. “With a deeply interconnected global supply chain, China’s export restrictions are already paralyzing production in the European supplier sector.” The magnet as geopolitical treasure. William Huo, ex-intel and one of the most prominent figures in the critical analysis of Western industrial policy, summarizes it in the best possible way: West has been focusing on optimizing spreadsheets instead of factories, And now he is not able to manufacture a single magnet. The industry depends on the Chinese refining of rare earths to manufacture high performance magnets. Without them, there is no competitiveness in electric cars, defense, nuclear or consumer technology. The rest is not prepared to refine rare earths. “Middle East has oil. China has rare earths.” They are words of Den Xiaoping in 1992, who was the top leader of the People’s Republic of China. The country has been acquiring the necessary knowledge to extract and refine these materials, while the rest of the world enjoyed a comfortable (and economic) dependence. West has tried to self -abuse with at least 10% of the remaining rare lands. Countries like Norway and Sweden are finding new deposits, and have confirmed the intention of exploiting them not beyond 2030. None of this is enough. Refining is the main bottleneck for the use of rare earths in industry, an expensive, sensitive process and with complex waste management. In Xataka | China has built the most elegant economic power lever in modern history: rare earths

Spain has presumed for decades of consuming more fish than anyone in Europe. Now that has entered into crisis

by

Spain is surrounded by almost 8,000 kilometers of coast, it has a profuse cuisine in dishes based on fish and maricos and its fishing sector generates every year tens of thousands of jobs and billions of euros. Not to count on how weird the town (at least in the coastal areas) that does not have a market in which to buy a hake, a golden, trout, mussels or a good fresh lubina. Despite all that, Spain is less and less a country of fish. Its weight on the refrigerators is descending. A lot. And for a long time. A percentage: -4.3%. He last report of the government about fish consumption does not leave good news. In March we Spaniards have bought 2.9% less than during the same month last year, a bad fact that really hides another worst: what has “punctured” really is the consumption of fresh fishing, which has fallen 4.9%. In fact, that percentage has been softened in part due to an increase in frozen fish, which has grown around 4%. The thing does not improve when we expand the focus. If we analyze The last mobile year (from April 2024 to March 2025) The consumption of marine products in general has fallen 2.7% and that of fish in particular 4.3%. The behavior of frozen products during that period was somewhat better than that of fresh merchandise, but still both have lost weight in purchase baskets. The protagonists: cod and gold. The report allows you to go further and take a look at how the different products have responded throughout the last year. And there are some that go particularly poorly stopped. Golden purchases have collapsed 23.5% and mackerel and cod around 21%. In general it has also been a bad year for seafood, molluscs and frozen and fresh crustaceans, although more cooked varieties have been bought. “They click” the preserves and win other products, such as salmon or smoked trout. One question: Is it a punctual fall? No. And that is the big problem. The sector It takes time Seeing how fish consumption falls, which has already taken him to claim to institutions measured to reverse that trend. Under the “fishing products” label enters a range of foods that range from fresh or frozen fish to the seafood or preserves and not all evolve the same, but statistics show that, together, consumption is going back. According to government data, in 2003 the per capita consumption of products related to fishing touched the 27.8 kilos per year And in 2009 he even reached stroke the 30 kg. In 2013 that same data was already in 27.2 kgbefore the pandemic had fallen to 22.5 kgin 2023 marked 18.9 And last year that same average had descended to 17.9. Now the last map report with the March values ​​lead to think that the trend will remain this exercise. A figure: 19 million. Those of the Ministry are not the only data that account for the fall in fish consumption in Spain. In October the statista portal published Another report which reflects the same trend from a somewhat different perspective: that of tons of fish consumed in the whole country. Its tables reflect that if in 2023 consumption amounted to 887.4 million kilos, last year that data had already descended until it was 868.3, which reflects a fall of 19 million In just one year. The consumption curve has been descending since 2009, with a slight rebound in 2020, coinciding with the pandemic. The great unknown: Why do you go down? The million dollar question. And it does not have a simple answer. One of the possible keys is the price. The statistics Officers also show that, on average and in general terms, fresh fish comes out more expensive than meat of the same type. The latest map report also reflects that throughout the last year, between April 2024 and March, the average price of fish -related products had increased 3.5%. The technicians of calculating that in March fresh fish increased 4.9% compared to 2024. Another key: education. Fish is not, however, the only thing that has become more expensive. In recent years he has also done it (and sometimes clearly) The meat. Hence, when explaining the trend It is indicated Often other factors, such as changes in consumption habits, a certain ignorance of the product, the search for more comfortable options or the loss of habit, especially among the youngest, to go to the markets to buy fish. A report On the subject elaborated a few years ago by the Ministry and AECOC in fact identifies four profiles of young people in front of the fish: that of those who reject it flat, who are inclined to other options such as meat, a more “pragmatic” profile that is not willing to invest the time it requires buying and cooking fish and the “distrustful”, with doubts about the origin or conservation. A notice: “It is essential”. With that backdrop a long time ago that the fishing employer demands to institutions that promote fish consumption. In 2023 the Secretary General of Cepesca insisted that it is “essential” to promote healthy eating and support sea food. “We still do not understand why the consumption of fishing products with VAT reduction,” I cried. In his favor the guild has the advice of the health experts, which They advise Eat between three and four rations every week. Images | Grupo Eroski S.Coop (Flickr) and Doğan Alpaslan Demi̇r (Unspash) In Xataka | There is so many demand for fish in China that has opted for drastic measures: two “aircraft carrier” as a hatchery

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.