air

One of the most hostile places on the planet is, ironically, our best “air conditioning” against the greenhouse effect

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We knew that the Southern Ocean It is, in essence, the thermal lung of the Earth that is essential to regulate the temperature of the entire planet. But what we didn’t know exactly was how it managed to process such an amount of energy. Now, science has revealed that storms play a leading role that may be key to facing the global warming. Its usefulness. To put ourselves in context we must know that the Southern Ocean It has the ability to absorb more than 75% of excess heat that is generated by the emissions of greenhouse gases that humans themselves produce. This is something that makes it a true heat sink, potentially becoming the most important in the entire world. In this way, if we remove this Ocean from the equation of current life, the temperature of the atmosphere today would be much higher. A blind spot. The climate models that we use on a daily basis have it, since when trying to predict how water heats up, the calculations did not quite fit with what was happening in reality. Clearly, some type of element was missing here that we did not fully locate. But this has come to an end, thanks to the team led by Marcel du Plessis and Sebastiaan Swart who They have found the missing piece of the puzzle: ocean mixing driven by summer storms. A phenomenon that literally allows the ocean to ‘swallow’ atmospheric heat. How is it possible? The mechanism that this ocean follows is as violent as it is efficient. During the southern summer, the sun heats the surface layer of the ocean, and if the water remains stagnant, then the heat will remain on the surface stored in the water, making it easier for it to return to the atmosphere or accelerate the melting of ice. The correct thing to do in this case would be to literally bury it in the depths. And this is where storms come in, where the intense winds and extreme waves that are produced act like a giant mixer. In this way, the energy of the storm agitates the water, pushing heat from the surface into much deeper layers. Towards the depth. In this way, storms help the surface of the ocean cool, which gives it the ability to continue absorbing heat from the air in a more efficient way. And where does all this energy go? Well literally, When you go down to the deep sea you are ‘trapped’ there for decadesslowing down immediate atmospheric warming. Although we must keep our eyes on what will happen in the future. How it has been measured. This is a practically obligatory question when we talk about the deep sea, which are truly hostile places for anyone. That is why our best ally has been marine robotics. Instead of relying on satellites that have difficulty seeing through clouds or measuring depth accurately, this technology transferred to underwater gliders and autonomous buoys are capable of measuring temperature and salinity in real time. All this while a storm is passing over them, causing the phenomenon that has now been studied. In this way, this technology has given us the ability to monitor the ocean “from within” during events that are impossible to study on ships. We care (a lot). This discovery can be compared to that of a coin with two sides. On the one hand, we already have confirmation that the Southern Ocean is a very powerful ally in the fight against climate change. But on the other hand, we have a very disturbing question: what will happen if storm patterns change due to climate change itself? If the storms move or lose intensity in this area, we could lose this “sponge” of heat that is slowing climate change. The consequences would be quite clear: a large increase in the temperature of the atmosphere that would be felt throughout the planet. Images | jean wimmerlin Chris LeBoutillier In Xataka | We have known for 25 years that we were going to exceed 1.5 degrees of temperature increase and we have not cared

China bets on liquid air to stabilize its largest solar sea on the roof of the world

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In the vastness of Qinghai province, where the Tibetan plateau merges with the Gobi desert, dust and rock they have given up their domain to a mega-project of 610 square kilometers. This “sea of ​​silicon”—the size of the city of Madrid—is home to seven million photovoltaic panels that have transformed the ecosystem: the shade of the plates retains humidity and allows thousands of “photovoltaic sheep” graze today where before there was only sand. However, this massive deployment encountered a physical barrier. As researcher Wang Junjie explainssolar and wind energy are “random and intermittent”; When the sun sets in the Gobi, the power grid shakes. To stabilize this giant, China has gone beyond conventional lithium, betting on liquid air storage. White giants in the desert. On the outskirts of the city of Golmud, a row of white tanks stands sentinel against the horizon. It is the world’s largest liquid air energy storage (LAES) project, dubbed by Chinese media as the “Super Air Power Bank.” According to the Xinhua agencythis facility of the state-owned company China Green Development Investment Group (CGDG) has entered its final commissioning phase. It is not just any battery: its capacity is 60,000 kilowatts (60 MW) and it can release up to 600,000 kWh per cycle, a discharge capable of sustaining the daily consumption of tens of thousands of homes. Physics against lithium. Why has China opted for this technology instead of its popular lithium ion batteries? The answer lies in scale and geography. While lithium is ideal for mobile devices or cars, on an industrial scale it faces cost and degradation problems. Air has an advantage that is difficult to match: it is there and it costs nothing. AND, as CleanTechnica remindswhen it becomes liquid air its density skyrockets, up to 750 times more than that of normal air, which allows energy to be stored in large quantities without dams or geographical conditions. The alchemy of cold: From gas to liquid at -194°C. The operation of the system is a feat of cryogenic engineering. As detailed by Xinhuathe process is divided into three critical phases: Load (Compression): During the day, surplus solar from a nearby 250 MW plant powers giant compressors. The air is purified and cooled to -194 degrees Celsius (-317°F). At that extreme temperature, the air becomes liquid. Heat recovery: The heat generated during compression is stored in high-pressure spherical tanks to be reused. Discharge (Expansion): When electrical demand rises or the sun disappears, the liquid air heats up. When vaporized, its volume expands explosively (750 times), driving a turbine that generates electricity again for the grid. This cycle, according to researcher Wang Junjieachieves over 95% cold storage efficiency and 55% “round trip” efficiency, harnessing what would otherwise be waste heat and eliminating the need for rare materials. A global laboratory on the “roof of the world.” China is not the only nation in this race. The United Kingdom waits to complete a similar plant in Manchester by 2026, and South Korea too has made progress in this technology. However, the Chinese scale is, again, incomparable. However, the success of these projects in Qinghai is due to centralized planning which combines three sources: solar, wind and hydroelectric. At 3,000 meters above sea level, the cold, pure air improves the efficiency of the panels, and the electricity generated is already 40% cheaper than that of coal. This energy not only illuminates homes; It powers the data centers that power China’s Artificial Intelligence, using the plateau’s frigid air to cool the servers. From the factory to the engine of the world. As Professor Ningrong Liu reflectsChina no longer wants to be just the “factory of the world”, but the “engine” of that factory, exporting its engineering and its green network model. Golmud’s project It is the symbol of a paradox: the country that emits the most CO2 is also the one that builds the fastest carbon exit. In the silence of the Gobi, between cryogenic tanks and sheep herders, China is demonstrating that the air we breathe can literally be the fuel that sustains the 21st century. Image | freepik and Bureau of Land Management Xataka | On the roof of the world, China is building the largest solar park on the planet

Mediamarkt also has its own brands in technology and cooking with devices ranging from TVs to air fryers.

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Some stores sell products from other stores, others also act as marketplace and to a lesser extent they add devices from their own brands to their catalogs. Perhaps Amazon is the clearest example with its Fire TV Stick or its Amazon Echo, but MediaMarkt also has its own devices under its brands. ok., Peak, Isy and Koenic. Therefore, in this article we are going to review five of their electronic and kitchen devices. Peaq PTV 65WQU-5025E MediaMarkt has some of its own TVs under the Peaq brand and one of the most interesting is the Peaq PTV 65WQU-5025E. It is a television that incorporates a QLED screen of no less than 65 inches. It is compatible with HDR10 and also with the Dolby Audio sound format and its operating system is WebOS Hub. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Peaq PPA 550-RW Retro If there is a most curious device, it is the Peaq PPA 550-RW Retroa Bluetooth speaker in Robbie Williams edition. Yes, the singer of very popular songs like ‘Feel’. Among its specifications, the most notable thing is that it is a speaker that offers a 60W audio power and its autonomy is about 8 theoretical hours. It also has a retro design and incorporates a button panel at the top. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Peaq MIA PRO 11 MediaMarkt also has some very interesting tablets if we are looking for something economical that we can use anywhere in the same way as at home. The Peaq MIA PRO 11 for example you have 4G connectivity and has 256 GB of internal storage. It also incorporates an 11-inch IPS screen that offers Full HD resolution and is water and dust resistant (IP42). The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Isy IDO-3000 When I bought the Mac mini M4 I missed a greater variety and number of ports, so I had to resort to a hub. He Isy IDO-3000 It would have been great for me both because of the ports and its format. It is a 15 in 1 hub with base to place it vertically and incorporates a total of 15 USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, microSD and SD card slots and more. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Koenic KAF 924224 B The store also has some kitchen gadgets and some of the most interesting ones are air fryers. The Koenic KAF 924224 B It stands out mainly for having a double basket with a total capacity (of both baskets) of 9 liters, making it ideal for cooking several dishes at the same time. Besides, The separator can be removed so that there is a 9 liter basket instead of 4.5 liters each. It also comes with eight cooking programs and a touch panel on the front. 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 | MediaMarkt and Compradicción (header) In Xataka | Best televisions in quality price. Which one to buy and seven recommended 4K smart TVs In Xataka | Best air fryers. Which one to buy and 10 recommended air fryers from 51 euros

A Xiaomi tablet for less than 95 euros, top price for the MacBook Air M4 and more in the last Bargain Hunting of the year

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The time has come to say it: we are facing the latest Bargain Hunting of 2025. Week by week we have been bringing you the best offers of the week every Friday, something that we were not going to stop doing now because we are immersed in the middle of Christmas. As usual, we are going to review the most outstanding offers on mobile phones, tablets and more that, obviously, are still available. PlayStation Portal by 168.08 euros with the MES15 coupon, the best accessory for PS5 now that allows you to play in the cloud. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra by 989 eurosthe winner of the award for the best super high-end mobile of this 2025. MacBook Air M4 by 899 eurosa great laptop that returns to one of its lowest prices. Xiaomi Pad Pro Tablet by 94.05 eurosone of the best tablets we can buy quality-price. iPhone 16e by 549 eurosa very attractive option if we want an Apple mobile but have a tight budget. Make your loved ones happy with the best purchases on these dates and don’t skimp on security when browsing with NordVPN. Only in Xataka, enjoy an extra 40% discount in its Christmas campaign, only accessible through this special link. Advice offered by the brand PlayStation Portal We start this selection of offers with the PlayStation Portalan accessory that arrived in stores to be able to play our PS5 remotely, but that, thanks to a recent updatenow allows you to play in the cloud without needing a console (if we have an active subscription to PlayStation Plus Premium). It offers an 8-inch LCD screen and a control that brings DualSense functions, such as haptic vibration or adaptive triggers. We get it on AliExpress for 168.08 euros with the coupon MES15. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra A few weeks ago, the Galaxy S25 Ultra rose like the best super high-end mobile of this yearwhich already tells us how good a phone it is. It is a device that has great performance thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which uses a 6.9-inch screen with the best anti-reflective treatment there is and has an all-terrain camera system that offers great results. Plus, it’s loaded with AI and has seven years of guaranteed updates. Costs 989 euros in its 512 GB version. Galaxy S25 Ultra (512GB) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links MacBook Air M4 Just before the year ends, the MacBook Air M4 at its lowest price in several stores. It is not Apple’s most powerful laptop, but it is one that offers great performance and is perfect for working or studying. Furthermore, thanks to the performance offered by the M4 chip and its 16 GB of RAM, it will be a computer that will be with us for many years. We have it available for 899 euros. Apple 2025 13-Inch MacBook Air with M4 Chip: Designed for Apple Intelligence, 13.6-Inch Liquid Retina Display, 16 GB Unified Memory, 256 GB SSD, Spanish Keyboard; Midnight The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Xiaomi Pad Pro Tablet Is it possible to have a good tablet for less than 100 euros? The reality is that yes, especially if we take advantage of this MediaMarkt offer to the Xiaomi Pad Pro. It is a device that, quality-price ratio, is very interesting for studying or watching movies comfortably without depending on a TV. It stands out for its 12.1-inch LCD screen compatible with Dolby Vision and a 10,000 mAh battery that will give us enough autonomy for day-to-day life. When you put it in the cart, its price automatically stays at 94.05 euros. Xiaomi Pad Pro (6+128GB) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links iPhone 16e We close this selection of offers with another mobile phone, specifically the iPhone 16e. This device is a very interesting option if you are looking for an Apple mobile, but you do not want to spend what the new iPhone 17 costs. It is a compact phone with a 6.1-inch OLED screen and good performance thanks to the Apple A18 that it has. In addition, it has a very good autonomy and, like all Apple phones, it is more than likely that it will last us for many years. We have it available for 549 euros. 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 | PlayStation, Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi In Xataka | The best mobile phones (2025), we have tested them and here are their analyzes In Xataka | Best wireless headphones. Which one to buy and 21 models from 15 euros to 470 euros

In January a SpaceX rocket exploded. Today we know the danger that an Iberia plane was in with 450 passengers in the air

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On January 16, while air traffic in the Caribbean continued its usual routine, three commercial airliners were thrust into a situation that until recently belonged more to science fiction than civil aviation: passing through a possible cloud of rocket debris in mid-flight. Iberia under a space rain. It was a JetBlue plane heading to San Juan, another Iberia plane and a private jet that ended up declaring fuel emergencies and crossing a temporary exclusion zone hastily activated after the Starship explosion from SpaceX a few minutes after taking off. Altogether, about 450 people were traveling on those planes, which ultimately landed without incident, but internal documents of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reveal that the real risk was much higher than what was publicly known at that time. When the protocol is behind. The Starship explosion caused almost 50 minutes a rain of incandescent fragments over large areas of the Caribbean, a scenario in which the impact of a single piece of debris against an airplane could have had catastrophic consequences. However, the warning chain did not work as planned: SpaceX did not immediately report the failure through the official hotline, and some controllers learned of the incident because the pilots themselves they started reporting “intense fire and fragments” visible from the cabin. The exclusion zones were activated late and, furthermore, only covered US airspace with radar, leaving out pockets of international space where, in theory, flying could continue despite the risk. The result was a extreme workload for controllers and situations of added danger, such as excessive proximity between aircraft that forced intervention to avoid a collision. Impossible decisions at 10,000 meters. In the air, theory became a practical dilemma. The pilots were raised a choice that no manual comfortably contemplates: deviate and take risks to run out of fuel over the ocean or continue through an area where space debris could fall. In at least two cases, the only way out was declare emergency to be able to land. Iberia later maintained that its plane crossed the area when debris was no longer falling, and JetBlue assured that its flights avoided the points where debris was detected, but FAA records describe a tense situation in which decisions were made with incomplete information and under extreme pressure. A structural problem. The incident set off alarms both in the airline industry and in the US Government itself, not only because of what happened in January, but because of what comes next. The FAA plans to go from a historical average of about two dozen launches and reentries annually to managing between 200 and 400 every year for the foreseeable future. A good part of this increase goes through Starship, the most powerful system ever developed, with more than 120 meters high and trajectories that, in future missions, will fly over busy air routes in the North Atlantic, Florida or Mexico. The industry’s own history reminds us that the development of new rockets involves failures: approximately one third of launchers active since 2000 failed on their first flight. Half review. After the explosion January, the FAA convened a panel of experts to review protocols for failed launch debris, an initiative that took on even more urgency after another Starship that exploded in March. That second incident was managed better from the aerial point of view, closing loopholes in exclusion zones and avoiding fuel emergencies, and the panel came to identify high risks for aviation safety, such as forced diversions or overloading of controllers. However, in August the agency suspended unexpectedly that internal review, claiming that many recommendations were already being implemented and that the issue would be addressed at another regulatory level, a decision that surprised even some group participants. The defense of SpaceX. SpaceX responded calling the published information misleading and reiterating that public safety is always its priority, ensuring that no plane was really in danger. Your address insist in which the collaboration with the FAA is close and proposes solutions such as real-time monitoring of vehicles and possible debris, so that a problematic launch can be managed almost like a meteorological phenomenon. Meanwhile, the company has moved forward with new evidence of Starship, some longer before disintegrating and others staying within the planned profile, and preparing an even more powerful version for next year. As recognized Its CEO, Elon Musk, is a radical design that will likely have “growing pains.” A warning from heaven. What happened in January was not only a specific scarebut an early warning of a problem that is barely starts to take shape: the increasingly closer coexistence between commercial aviation and a rapidly accelerating space industry. The night when pilots tthey had to choose between the fuel and a rain of space debris showed that current protocols are not fully prepared for this new scenario. The challenge is no longer just to launch bigger rockets more often, but to ensure that the price of that progress is not paid at 10,000 meters above sea level, with hundreds of passengers trapped between the sky and the sea. Image | Adam Moreira (AEMoreira042281), NARA In Xataka | China is launching more rockets into space than ever before. And the reason is very simple: not to depend on Starlink In Xataka | Google doesn’t have rockets, but it is going to install data centers in space. SpaceX and Blue Origin rub their hands

We believed that everything happened because of the new fighters. The F-16 has been in the air for 50 years and continues to sell like hotcakes

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For years we have heard that the future of air combat is called F-35a program associated with stealth, advanced sensors and a very specific idea of ​​Western technological superiority. It’s the plane that makes headlinesbudgets and strategic debates. But while that conversation progresses, there is a much quieter reality that dislodges the story: a fighter designed in the seventies not only is it still in service, but construction continues in South Carolinaand continues to find buyers in 2025. The interesting thing about the F-16 is not only that it continues to fly, but to understand why so many countries continue to bet on it when there are newer alternatives. To answer that question you have to go back to its origin, follow its evolution and look at the present with data, contracts and calendars. It is also advisable to separate promises from real capabilities, because not all air forces buy the “best”, they buy what they can operate on a sustained basis. The secret of a fighter that does not retire The F-16 was born from an internal discussion in the United States about the drift towards increasingly larger, more complex and more expensive fighters. In the early 1970s, the United States Air Force promoted the Lightweight Fighter program to see if a lighter plane could gain maneuverability and be more affordable without sacrificing efficiency. The YF-16 prototype first flew in 1974 and, in January 1975, was selected in the Air Combat Fighter (ACF) competitiona decisive step towards production. The idea was simple: operational performance before unlimited ambition. That philosophy translated into very specific design decisions. The F-16 opted for a compact cell with controls fly-by-wire that allowed finer control and relaxed stability difficult to achieve with traditional systems. The cabin was also part of the approach, with a high visibility dome, a stick side and a reclined pilot position to better withstand G forces. Over time, this approach focused on air-to-air combat expanded. The F-16 incorporated improvements in avionics, sensors and payload capacity that they pushed it towards a multi-role capabilitywith room for ground attack and increasingly demanding missions. In parallel, its international expansion was supported by cooperation, standardization and support programs between allies, which created a broad community of operators. That network remains one of the reasons the plane stays alive. Almost continuous modernization is the bridge between the original design and the F-16 currently rolling off the production lines. In its most recent standards, such as the F-16V and the new Block 70/72updated mission displays and computing, data link systems such as MIDS-JTRS, and a AESA APG-83 radar as a central part of the equipment. These newly manufactured devices are offered with a declared structural life of 12,000 hours. Almost continuous modernization is the bridge between the original design and the F-16 currently rolling off the production lines. Here the question stops being just technical and becomes operational. The F-16 continues to fit because it offers a relationship between capabilities, cost and availability that is difficult to match in many defense plans. It is a well-known aircraft, with acceptable maintenancescalable training and a mature logistics chain, something especially valuable in periods of tension and urgency. In addition, it facilitates interoperability with allies and the integration of Western weaponry in a predictable framework. Recent contracts illustrate that pattern with names and numbers, and are often channeled through government agreements and programs like the Foreign Military Sales of the United States. Slovakia has been receiving new F-16 Block 70 from 2024. Bulgaria has also opted for this modernized aircraft. Taiwan maintains an order for 66 F-16Vs approved in 2019with deliveries and testing affected by publicly acknowledged delays.Bahrain ordered 16 Block 70 and Jordan signed an offer letter and acceptance for eight units. The case of Ukraine introduces a different dimension. Here the F-16 does not arrive as part of a planned modernization, but as rexposed to an ongoing war and the need to reinforce air defense. The transfers have been materialized by the Netherlands and Denmarkand deliveries have been confirmed in phases with a limited level of detail for operational reasons. Beyond the exact figures, the jump is relevant because it introduces a platform compatible with Western doctrines, support and weapons in a real combat environment. Argentina is a different example, but just as revealing. In this case, the F-16 arrives to fill a long gap in air defense capabilities and recover supersonic flight after years without an equivalent fleet. The operation is supported by the transfer of 24 used aircraft from Denmark, with deliveries in sections, and the first batch of six devices arrived in December 2025. For Buenos Aires, the value is not just the plane, but also the training and support package that accompanies it. If we look at the current Western catalogue, the temptation is to think that the future has already been resolved. The F-35 has become the great bet of several allies and, in parallel, Eurofighter and Rafale have continued to grow with new variants, radars and weapons. The problem is that an air force is not measured only by the most advanced aircraft it can buy, but by how many it can sustain, train and deploy on a continuous basis. That’s where the balanced fleet model gains weight and the F-16 falls into place again. And if we look one step further, the conversation is already in the sixth generation. The United States works in NGADEurope pushes FCAS and the United Kingdom has allied with Italy and Japan in GCAPa proposal that aims to redefine sensors, connectivity and cooperation with unmanned systems. But they are programs with long calendars and a very high investment, in addition to the uncertainty inherent in any technological leap. In that gap, the F-16 maintains a clear space, because it offers real and available capacity while the future finishes arriving. Images | United States Air Force (1, 2, 3, 4, 5,) | Volodymyr Zelenskyy | Ministry of Defense of Argentina In Xataka | The Comac C919 … Read more

We have been fascinated for years by the geniuses who come up with revolutionary innovations out of thin air. It’s always been smoke

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We live in times in which innovation, creative genius and the search for the next technological revolution are everything. We all want to know who it is the next Mark Zuckerberg, the next Steve Jobs either the next Albert Einstein. So much so that we project our way of looking at the world onto the past and, from time to time, texts appear that talk about the past. great forgotten geniuses to whom history did not do justice. But the truth is that most of the time, those great geniuses are rightly forgotten. Contrary to what we usually think, inventors usually do not exist. At least, if they are not lucky people. Smoke (or vapor) sellers Perhaps the best example is the steam engine. Which, in fact, must be one of the machines that has been invented the most times in History. The usual version is that the steam engine was developed and perfected in England between the end of the 17th century and the end of the 18th century. And that, on the other hand and always according to this version, was the engine of the industrial revolution. It’s not exact. Although archaeologists could surely give us previous examples, the aeolipilethe first “steam engine”, was invented by Heron of Alexandria in the first century after Christ. At first, and for many years, it had a recreational purpose (it is a sphere filled with water that, when heated, rotates). The first steam engine. But Heron too created automatic doors and hydraulic fountains which allow us to affirm, without risking too much, that Roman scientists had more than enough capacity to design Thomas Savery’s steam engine without messing up. Later, a century before, according to modern historiography, Mr. Savery invented the first steam engine, Jerónimo de Ayanz, a native of Navarra, also designed an incipient steam engine. Even before that we can find works by Florence Rivault, Taqui ad-Din or Giovanni Branca in which the steam engine was there, within reach. Windmills, mops and table football The same thing happens with water mills. Traditionally, it was considered that this type of mills had been discovered in the Middle Ages because it is the historical period from which we have material remains. But it’s not true. In ancient times, hydraulic mills were known, and very well. In fact, It is known that they also began to expand throughout the 1st century AD. And so on ad nauseum. The question is clear: no, the mop It was not invented in Spain, nor the lollipopsneither the table football. As evidently, and strictly speaking, neither the Spanish nor the Vikings ‘discovered‘America. A few days ago we discussed here in Xataka who was the “creator” of injectable insulin (Nicholas Paulescu either McLeod, Banting and Best?) in a reissue of the famous paradox of “if a tree falls in the middle of the forest and no one hears it, Has it made noise? Has it even fallen?” A key lesson we can draw from this is that, well, inventing something, discovering something, or developing genius is of no use. For hundreds of years we knew how to use water to produce physical work, but it wasn’t until the implosion of the slave system that mills really became popular. For fifteen hundred years we knew everything there was to know to create a steam engine. In fact, wealthy children had small miniature engines. It was not until the specific needs of British mining introduced Savery’s gadget that the steam engine set out to change the world. You don’t get here from nowhere. (Unsplash) Mops and tiled floors, lollipops and the decrease in infant mortality, table football and the incipient improvement in the quality of life of the working classes. Victor Hugo said that “there is nothing more powerful in the world than an idea whose time has come.” And he had to be right because “without their moment”, ideas are nothing. Technology, society and vice versa The cult of innovation, creative genius and disruptive inventions is one of those characteristics of our time that permeates everything. But, in general, innovations are only of degree. Also in the world of technology where we can almost always find a proof of concept that, twenty years before, already advanced the next revolution in the sector. Basically, as we examine technological history, we realize that seeing the world as a succession of great geniuses is very attractive, but not very realistic. Undoubtedly, there are people who advance the knowledge or technology of their time by decades, but if we want to get a real picture of how innovation has worked over the centuries, the strategy is different: think of history as a very long conversation full of opportunities, misunderstandings and moments of genius. There is no need to make it more attractive. Image | Md Mahdi In Xataka | One company has made the biggest breakthrough in toilet paper in 100 years. And its sales are skyrocketing In Xataka | We have a long-term problem with concrete. That’s why someone has come up with staple bricks that don’t need it.

The MacBook Air M4 had a good price on Black Friday, but now it’s cheaper: so you can get it on sale

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During Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday we could see very good offers on some Apple devices, but in the Cyber ​​Week At PcComponentes we have found an even better deal: the MacBook Air M4 go down to the 849 euros when adding it to cart. The price difference is not very high, but if we were planning to buy this computer we can get an additional discount of 10 euros compared to the price it had in recent weeks. A powerful and light laptop He MacBook Air M4 It is one of the devices with the best quality-price ratio within the Apple brand, especially with this offer. It is a good laptop—one of the best options, even—if what we are looking for is a computer solvent both to work and to study at home or away. {“videoId”:”x9fnll2″,”autoplay”:true,”title”:”macbook-air-m4″, “tag”:””, “duration”:”55″} And in addition to being powerful, it is a very light computer, since weighs only 1.24 kg. In relation to the latter, we are talking about the model that incorporates a 13.6-inch screen along with 16 GB of unified memory and 256 GB of internal storage. On the other hand, one of the key points is that this laptop comes with the M4 chipwhich offers good performance at practically all times. It is also worth noting that the computer comes with a battery that offers a theoretical autonomy of up to 18 hours video playback. In Xataka Consum sells a V16 beacon with which you can comply with the new DGT regulations starting January 1 You may also be interested 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 |Javier PenalvaApple In Xataka |MacBook Air M4 vs MackBook Air M3: these are the main differences between the two models In Xataka |MacBook Air Vs MacBook Pro: we explain which one to choose (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 The MacBook Air M4 had a good price on Black Friday, but now it’s cheaper: so you can get it on sale was originally published in Xataka by Alberto Garcia .

There were thousands of mysterious holes lined up in Peru. We didn’t know why until a drone saw them from the air

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In the arid hills of Pisco Valleyin the south of Peru, extends a monument as mysterious as it is precise: a strip of almost a kilometer and a half made up of some 5,200 perfectly aligned cavities, known like Mount Sierpe or the Band of Holes. Discovered in 1931 by the geologist Robert Shippee and Lieutenant George R. Johnson during one of the first aerial expeditions over the Andes, the site baffled generations of archaeologists. Until now. A mysterious landscape. For decades, theories were proposed ranging from its defensive use to fog capture or water storage, but none of them quite fit. Now, a new study published in Antiquity provides a convincing hypothesis from a point of view that no one had valued: from the air. In this way, Mount Sierpe would have functioned as a accounting and barter system on a large scale, a kind of “spreadsheet” of the pre-Hispanic Andes. The geometry that speaks. The international team of researchers, led by archaeologist Jacob Bongers from the University of Sydney, used drones to map the site with millimeter precision. Aerial images revealed an organized structure into about 60 blocks or sections, each with distinct alignments and regular number patterns. Some areas show rows of nine by eight holesothers alternate between groups of seven and eight. This internal order, absent any defensive or agricultural logic, suggests an administrative purpose. Sediment analyzes extracted microscopic remains corn, totora and willow (plants traditionally used to make baskets and mats), which suggests that the cavities were lined with plant fibers and were used to store goods, possibly in packages or braided baskets. The holes of Mount Sierpe From local barter to administration. Researchers believe that Monte Sierpe was born as a space for exchange between highland and coastal communities, an organized market for balance the flow of goods in the absence of currency. Products (for example, corn, coca or cotton) could be deposited in each cavity as a visible representation of the value of one good compared to another, allowing quantities to be compared in a public and transparent manner. Centuries later, with the expansion of inca empirethat system would have been reinterpreted and expanded as an accounting tool to manage the tribute of local populations. Each block of holes would have corresponded to a different community group, and the variations in number and arrangement would reflect the contribution levels or work shifts required by the Inca State. In essence, Monte Sierpe would have been a physical data recorda stone matrix destined to organize the unwritten economy of the Andean world. A carved khipu. The most revealing finding is the similarity between the structure of the site and the Inca khipusthe rope systems with knots used to record censuses, taxes or resources. One of the khipus found near Pisco presents around 80 groups of lacesa figure surprisingly close to the 60 segments of Monte Sierpe. This correspondence suggests that the Band of Holes could have been a three-dimensional khipua monumental version of that woven numerical language, designed to coordinate the flow of goods and work between communities. Unlike the tablets or inscriptions of other civilizations, the Andean peoples turned geography itself into a support for information. Code in the desert. If you also want, Monte Sierpe redefines our understanding of pre-columbian organizational intelligence. Without writing, without currency and in a hostile environment, Andean societies managed to develop a visual, modular and mathematical method to represent their economy. Each hole would have been a cell a great living recordmanaged collectively, perhaps accompanied by ceremonies or ritual exchanges. Thus, in its apparent geometric simplicity, this “spreadsheet” carved into the rock reveals a advanced economic systembased on reciprocity and communal control of resources. What for the first explorers were simple rows of holes now emerge as the physical testimony of a civilization that, centuries before European contact, had already found its own way of turning the landscape into memory. Image | JL Bongers In Xataka | We have found 76 megatraps in the Andes. It’s amazing we hadn’t done it before. In Xataka | A secret room has just revealed how they ruled in Peru 2,000 years ago: with the help of drugs

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

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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

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