alternative

We had been looking for an alternative to cement for decades. We just found it in seashells

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The search for construction elements that move away from classic materials such as steel, concrete or cement makes sense from different fronts ranging from economics to sustainability through technical limitations. Without going any further, we can already see skyscrapers made of wood and some even compete to be the tallest in the world. Yes, wood is proposed as a serious alternative, but you can also give a twist to cement as we know it with a new old acquaintance: the shells on the beach. From waste to concrete ingredient. Seashells that are normally treated as waste can become a kind of substitute for the cement used for concrete, as a published study by the University of East London has concluded. in Construction Materials magazine. In fact, they can act both as a filling material and as a partial substitute for cement. Thus, microstructural analysis revealed that the shells, which are rich in calcium, help refine the porous structure of the concrete and promote the formation of additional binding compounds, that is, it even provides additional benefits in terms of performance. under the microscope. Scallop shells are composed by a range of 95 to 99% calcium carbonate (like limestone, the raw material for cement) presented in two crystalline forms, calcite and aragonite. The other 1-5% is the organic fraction, which serves as cement to bind the calcium crystals. The shells are a sort of biogenic limestone, chemically compatible with cement, which is still a hydraulic binder of limestone and clay. Up to 36% less cement. The process is also quite “simple”: grinding scallop shells to turn them into a fine powder suitable to replace part of the cement mixture. How much? Up to 36% without substantially altering the characteristics of the concrete. Why is it important. The partial replacement of cement with a natural waste material such as shells is an unexpected and novel solution to reduce the environmental impact of cement, currently responsible for approximately 7% of global carbon emissions. This percentage is so high not only because of the fuel required to heat the furnaces, but also because of the chemistry of the process itself. In fact, already has been experimented with ecological mortar. The person responsible for the study, the associate professor of Structural Engineering at the UEL and doctor Ali Abass contributes more context: “Concrete is everywhere and, consequently, its carbon footprint is enormous.” Regarding its applicability beyond the study, Abass is optimistic: “At moderate levels of substitution, concrete performs very well, meaning this solution could be scaled in real-world environments.” In addition, two problems are solved at once: “Millions of tonnes of shell waste are generated around the world every year, and most of it has no useful destination. If we can divert even a fraction into low-emission building materials, the environmental benefits could be significant. It’s a simple idea with real potential to transform part of the sector.” A giant step towards more sustainable construction. In short, the use of shells would allow us to cut significant amounts of CO₂ from one of the most polluting materials in the world and move towards more sustainable construction. In the absence of future industrial trials to support large-scale reliability, its adoption potential is notable, especially at a time of increasing calls for stricter environmental standards and scrutiny over carbon footprint calculations. In Xataka | Bloc is a brick that promises to lower the temperature around it by almost 10 degrees: its technology is that of the botijo In Xataka | In our battle against plastic, we have centrifuged bacteria. And its cellulose is postulated as the ideal substitute Cover | Rodolfo Quiros and Pok Rie

China sold cheap batteries for years. The problem is that in the meantime no one built an alternative

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For more than a decade, the world became accustomed to an idea that seemed unquestionable: batteries—the heart of electric cars, of renewable energies, of data centers and of modern warfare— would be increasingly cheaper. China mass-produced them, dominated the technology, controlled critical materials and accepted minimal margins, even losses. For the West, the model was comfortable: import, reduce costs and accelerate the energy transition. That normality, however, has begun to crack. A turning point in the Chinese market. In recent months, several lithium battery manufacturers have begun to announce price increases after almost three years of fierce competition and below-cost sales. According to South China Morning Postthe most visible case is that of Deegares, which reported an increase of 15%, opening a debate on whether the sector is beginning to emerge from the “involution” cycle, a dynamic in which producing more, selling cheaper and earning less had become the norm. The immediate trigger has been the rise in the price of lithium, which has risen around a 70% from its annual minimum. This rebound responds to several overlapping factors: the rise of data centers for artificial intelligence, a rebound in demand for electric vehicles in China and an increasingly explicit intervention by the State to organize the sector. The Chinese Ministry of Industry itself has gathered to the main market players and has promised to accelerate measures to stop the so-called “irrational competition”. A stressed model. Sales prices for energy storage systems in China have plummeted by up to 80% in just three years. Some companies operate with gross margins of 15% to 20% in the domestic market, a far cry from the 40% or 50% common in the United States. The real profitability, analysts cited by SCMP admitwas in exports. And exporting, China has continued to dominate. This year it has managed to sell lithium batteries worth more than $69 billion. According to the analysis of energy expert Gavin Maguire in Reutersthis milestone is explained by the voracious hunger of Germany and the United States for large-scale storage systems, essential to stabilize electrical networks saturated by renewables and data centers. In practice, every new AI data center in Europe or North America starts with a silent dependency: thousands of batteries designed, manufactured and assembled in China. The low price hid an uncomfortable reality. All this time there was a truth that no one said out loud, perhaps because it was so obvious: there was no real Chinese alternative. This new year 2026 will be marked by the massive expansion of data centers that power artificial intelligence, facilities that consume amounts of electricity comparable to that of a small city and that need large-scale batteries to guarantee a continuous supply. Google has installed more than 100 million lithium-ion cells in its data centers, while Microsoft plans to eliminate diesel generators before 2030, replacing them with batteries to meet their climate goals. The forecasts confirm that the risk is not theoretical. The International Energy Agency sums it up crudely. If in 2024 China manufactured 99% of the world’s LFP cells and refined most of the critical materials such as lithium and graphite. For its executive director, Fatih Birol, depend on a single country For a strategic technology, it is a risk comparable to that posed to Europe by its dependence on Russian gas. The Chinese adjustment. Far from retreating, Beijing now seeks to organize the sector without losing its dominance. State intervention translates to braking the most extreme overcapacity, review mining licenses, limit sales at a loss and allow prices to rise to sustainable levels. The objective is not to make batteries abruptly more expensive, but to prevent a strategic industry from self-destructing by competing with itself. Control of raw materials remains the central lever. China process around of 80% of the world’s lithium and produces nearly 90% of the anodes and electrolytes used in batteries. When the United States or Europe impose tariffs, China responds by restricting exports of critical metals. The message is unmistakable: the power lies not only in making batteries, but in controlling every link in the chain. The Western Response. In parallel, the United States and Europe are trying to react. According to Sprott’s reportWestern governments have begun to treat lithium and batteries as strategic assets. Washington has invested directly in mining projectshas multiplied the number of planned gigafactories and has included restrictions on the purchase of Chinese batteries in defense legislation. Europe is following a similar, albeit slower path, supporting local extraction and refining projects and seeking to reduce its dependence on China. Big oil companies like Exxon either Chevron have entered the lithium business, and countries like Germany finance domestic production to ensure supply and reduce geopolitical risks. Still, the consensus among analysts it is clear: replicating the Chinese model will take years. Environmental regulations, labor costs and the absence of centralized industrial planning make competing on price impossible for now. Decoupling, if it comes, will be slow, expensive and politically uncomfortable. A planned domain. It is the direct result of the plan Made in China 2025with which Beijing decided to stop being the world’s cheap factory to become a technological leader. China already dominates solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles and lithium batteries. In addition, it controls strategic minerals such as graphite and has vertically integrated the entire value chain. In fact, the Asian giant It is the first “electrostate” in the world: a power whose power is no longer based on oil, but on renewable gigawatts, electrons and batteries. This strategy has reduced its emissions, weakened petrostates and turned its energy industry into a tool of global influence. The true cost of batteries. For years, this low price allowed us to accelerate the global energy transition, but it also created a deep and silent dependency. Now that China begins to organize its market, raise prices and prioritize its own industrial strategy, the world begins to discover the real cost of having delegated the heart of its energy system. Batteries are no … Read more

What is coliving and why has it become the residential alternative of the moment

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Arriving in a new city with a suitcase is not always the beginning of an idyllic adventure; It is often the result of desperate mathematical calculation. With rental prices climbing 51.4% in the last decade while salaries barely moved 3.4%, according to the joint report by Fotocasa and InfoJobsfreedom of choice has been replaced by scarcity management. In this scenario, the coliving It is not born from a romantic desire to share a kitchen, but from a structural necessity. It is the housing response to a world where the traditional market has built walls of unpayable deposits and rigid contracts that no longer fit with anyone’s life. Opening the door to a coliving is, for many, the only way to stop being “expelled” from the system and become a resident with rights and services, even if it is at the cost of reducing one’s own square meters. What is coliving and how does it work? He coliving It’s not just sharing a flat; It is a professionalized evolution of coexistence. According to the specialized media Minutthis model is a hybrid that combines the privacy of a room with integrated services. The operational performance, as detailed by ULI experts (Urban Land Institute) and the report The European Coliving Best Practice Guide, It is based on a comprehensive management model. In other words, the resident pays a single bill that covers rent, furniture, high-speed Wi-Fi, cleaning and supplies. This ecosystem removes the “mental load” of home management. As the MIT thesis points outcoliving was born to provide resilience to an exhausted real estate market, offering “ready to move in” spaces that allow the tenant to focus on their career or personal projects from minute one. Types of coliving The versatility of the model has allowed different formats to be created according to the user’s needs: Urban and Flex Living Models: It is the commitment to density. According to Savillsthese formats will represent 16% of the new rental offer in Spain. They are large buildings with hundreds of units that revitalize the city center. Thematic Colivings: The MIT report highlights spaces where the community is filtered by interests: from “hubs” for artists selected for their work to communities of programmers. Rural Coliving: Maybe the guy more transformer. Cases can be highlighted such as Send either Anceu in Galicia, where coliving is used as a tool against depopulation, allowing digital nomads from Google or Spotify to live in villages of 20 people, injecting talent and consumption into rural areas. Collaborative housing (Senior Living): To combat the epidemic of loneliness in the elderly. The Law 3/2023 of the Valencian Community It is a pioneer in Spain by regulating these homes where mutual support is the central axis. What advantages does coliving have? The immediate advantage is affordability. From the Coliving.com portal estimates that a resident You can save up to 40% compared to a traditional studio. However, there are invisible benefits. A report from Lund University emphasizes that coliving is a sustainable urban housing strategy, reducing energy and water consumption by sharing resources and appliances. Furthermore, the psychological impact is measurable. While urban isolation grows, 71% of “colivers” affirm feel more connected. Given the return-to-office policies in cities with impossible prices, living in a coliving near the workplace is the only alternative to avoid two-hour daily commutes. How much does it cost to live in a coliving: prices In cities like New York or London, the savings are drastic, but in Spain the model is also consolidated. According to CBREinvestment in the sector Living room It reached 3,730 million euros in 2024, which allows us to offer high-quality accommodation at prices that, although they seem high at first glance, are competitive by eliminating investment in furniture, maintenance and supply charges. It is, in essence, the transformation of the rental into a transparent monthly subscription. In the main urban nodes of Spain, these are the current ranges: Madrid and Barcelona: Between €750 and €1,300 per month. The price varies depending on whether the room has a private bathroom or if the complex includes luxury services such as a gym, pool or rooftop. Málaga, Valencia and Alicante: Between €500 and €900 per month. These cities are attracting digital nomads with an offer that prioritizes community and proximity to the sea. Difference between coliving and shared apartment There is no need to confuse them. In a shared apartment, coexistence is random and management is informal. In coliving, there is professional management 24/7. As Minut highlightsthe use of technology (noise and smoke sensors that respect privacy) guarantees that coexistence is not degraded. Furthermore, the contracts are individual; If a partner does not pay, it does not affect the rest, something that the Urban Lease Law (LAU) does not always guarantee in traditional group contracts. How to find a coliving Finding these communities is now as easy as booking a hotel thanks to platforms like Coliving.com. However, unlike a hotel, the community factor is vital here. Many managers as mentioned in MIT studiesthey conduct prior interviews to ensure that the resident’s profile fits with the vibe of the building, seeking a harmony that benefits all members. The coliving business for investors For the investor, coliving is a safe haven asset. CBRE points out that Madrid and Barcelona concentrate the greatest interest due to their high profitability per square meter. However, the Uría Menéndez office warns about “limbo” legal: since there is no clear national law, coliving navigates between the Civil Code and municipal regulations that seek to organize the market. In this context, Madrid has taken a step forward with the RESIDE Plana new roadmap designed to combat “tourism” and the escalation of prices caused by vacation rentals. This regulation is key for the sector because it draws a red line: it separates buildings for residential use from tourist ones. However, the City Council will allow private public buildings that are obsolete or in disuse. they transform in colivings or affordable rental housing, as long as their restoration is … Read more

Huawei is building its own alternative ecosystem to CUDA. If it succeeds, NVIDIA will have a serious problem

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When talking about NVIDIA, almost all the focus is on the hardware: the H100Blackwell, racksenergy consumption, nanometers… It is understandable, but it is a mistake. The defensive moat – the moat– NVIDIA is not the hardware. Is CUDA. CUDA is not an add-on to the chip, it is the de facto standard upon which most of the AI ​​code on the planet is written, optimized and debugged. Changing GPUs without changing CUDA does not exist. And switching from CUDA means rewriting years of work. That is why it is a moat. Why is it important. Huawei’s big bet is not to “make a Chinese H100.” It is to build a path for the developer to reach Ascend without feeling like you are changing planets. The restrictions are accelerating it. Exports have split the world in two: An ecosystem that revolves around NVIDIA. And another that China is trying to lift against the clock. In that second, Huawei is not just playing chips: is playing “ecosystem”in AI and outside of it. And therein lies the nuance: you can be years behind in chips and still reduce dependency if you get the software to swallow. In detail. Huawei is attacking the problem on three fronts, with a pragmatically Chinese logic: not to replace everything at once, but to open shortcuts. Native stack (CANN + MindSpore). It is your “pure” alternative: your own environment and your own tools to get the most out of Ascend. The cost today is high, there are complaints of instability, the documentation is rather messy, and the community is much smaller. PyTorch support. This is the most strategic move. Huawei does not try to make the world love its framework– Try to ensure that the world doesn’t have to leave PyTorch. torch_npu acts as an adapter to run PyTorch models on Ascend, but with one problem: it is not native and suffers with every PyTorch change. If PyTorch advances and your backend lags behind, the developer notices. Portability via ONNX. Here Huawei looks for its best window: inference and deployment, not training. ONNX works as a bridge format: you train where you can (often NVIDIA) and deploy to Ascend. It’s a less romantic and more useful approach: if shortages hit, moving inference to local hardware is an immediate relief. Between the lines. The real story is that Huawei is trying to replicate the “trick” that made NVIDIA great: turning its hardware into an experience. That’s why the tactic that explains everything appears: putting engineers in the client’s home to migrate code and optimize it. It is not scalable as a business model, but it is scalable as a transition model: you buy time while you mature tools, libraries and support. And there is another derivative: if China gets enough teams to adopt Ascend out of necessity, over time that can become habit and then infrastructure. Not because it is better, but because it is already integrated. Yes, but. Huawei has two limits that cannot be fixed with marketing: Hardware improvement rate: Roadmap analysis suggests relative stagnation and a gap that could widen, not close, if NVIDIA continues to accelerate cycles. Off-chip bottlenecks: memory (HBM), tools and industrial capacity. You can add “worse” chips, but you need to make a lot of them and build a lot of systems. And now what. If this movie continues, we will see two clear signs: Less hype of chips and more real migration stories: how many computers have moved to Ascendwith what frictions, with what performance losses. Less obsession with training in Ascend and more normalization of the hybrid pattern: I train where I can, I deploy where I must. NVIDIA will continue to be CUDA. Huawei is not “a chip.” It is an escape strategy. And the restrictions are the fuel that is making it inevitable. In Xataka | With HarmonyOS NEXT Huawei has achieved something incredible. Neither Samsung, Microsoft nor Mozilla achieved it Featured image | NVIDIA, Huawei

Faced with impossible housing prices, an alternative is gaining weight: living in a motorhome

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If you consult the online dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy you will see that, at least for academics, a mobile home It is a “vehicle with its own engine conditioned to make life in it.” In the Spain of 2025, that of the housing crisishe floor deficit and the price escalationcaravans increasingly have more of the latter and less of the former. They are still vehicles, but above all they are spaces in which their tenants live: they sleep, have breakfast, cook, wash, study or spend time reading or watching movies. They do not do it out of vocation (at least not in all cases), but out of necessity. Although they work, have a stable job and a salary, the money is not enough to access an increasingly tight real estate market, so they choose to do their daily lives in the few square meters of a motorhome. Housing, impossible. that the housing is getting more expensive (a lot) is nothing new. In fact, its price is one of the issues that most take away sleep to the Spaniards and has already motivated massive protests, some with a hint of tenant strike included. However, it is good to review a few data to understand the scope of the housing crisis that the country is experiencing. According to Idealista, rents have skyrocketed 96% in just a decade, a percentage that falls short if markets such as that of Palm, Tenerife either Malaga. The situation in the purchase and sale market is not much more buoyant. The increase in the price of the square meter, which fool around now with the values ​​prior to the brick bubble, have complicated access to the market, forcing families to dedicate years of salary to pay for housing. Result: homes that exceed the “effort rate” recommended economic and young people who only have one option left if they want to become owners: inheritances or donations. What if I move to a caravan? In view of all of the above, more and more people are asking themselves the question: if the market has become so draconian, if it prevents any ability to save and requires assuming exorbitant prices, why not change apartments for caravans? There is no data to help follow the trend, but a search on Google or diving on YouTube to check that abound the news of people who moves into mobile homes. It occurs in Balearics and Canary Islandsvery places touristifiedbut also in cities like Madrid. By necessity, by strategy. Although the price of housing is (almost) always the backdrop, not everyone who moves into a caravan does so for the same reason. There are those who take the step pure necessitybecause their salary does not allow them to rent a regular home, and those who decide to spend a stage of their life living in a caravan in order to gain savings capacity and make the jump at some point (without pressure or rush) into the buying and selling market. That is the case of Antonio, a 37-year-old civil servant who I counted these days to The Country What is it like to live in a caravan in Madrid. Although he has a stable job with a salary of about 1,900 euros per month, Antonio, a native of Alcoy, has lived in a motorhome since 2020. The formula gives him flexibility when he has to travel for work, allows him to have more private space than he enjoyed when he shared a flat and, above all, it seems like the smartest option today. “I live in a motorhome right now because I want to, not out of necessity. Although obviously if housing prices were different I would move to a house, my future project. What happens is that after this satisfactory experience I have become more demanding and I am not willing to be drowned like I did for 10 years,” relates. His mobile home, a second-hand 2003 Fiat Ducato Carioca, cost him 22,000 euros and by living in it, utility costs have been significantly reduced. Right now they don’t reach 100 euros a month. Are there more cases? Of course. The profiles vary greatly from one case to another. Also from one region to another. There are those who live in motorhomes because it is “the only solution” that finds itself in a market of skyrocketing prices, who are forced to opt for that exit while they work temporarily in tourist destinations and those who prefer to enjoy “their” handful of square meters before sharing a conventional and larger apartment with other colleagues. “I have everything in four meters, but it is mine and I don’t have to share a flat,” confessed in April to The Vanguard Begoña, a 61-year-old woman who lives in a motorhome in the Balearic Islands. “Here I have my kitchen, next to it I have the oven and the refrigerator and the field. I pay for parking, but it is infinitely cheaper than renting,” agreed in 2023 during a talk with La Sexta Carlos, a 23-year-old engineer from Murcia who had a job opportunity in Madrid. When he started looking at apartments he decided that the best thing was a caravan. Is there data? One of the big problems in tracking the trend is that it lacks official data as such. The INE census shows that in Spain there are 7,200 people registered in shacks and caravans, but that category does not have to fit exactly with that of people who choose to live in motorhomes and the statistical institute itself recognizes that when preparing the census it encountered “a certain limitation”, so the overall figure is probably higher. As a reference, in 2024 the local press pointed out that in Ibiza alone there were almost about thirty of caravan settlements. Even was spoken of locals with houses who chose to move into caravans in the high season to rent their houses to tourists. The goal: get some extra income in the summer. More registrations. … Read more

Toyota was determined to make hydrogen the perfect alternative to the electric car. Hyundai has just invested 563,800,000 euros

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Time passes and the hydrogen car continues to be the great promise of clean mobility. The problem is that, little by little, time passes and hydrogen seems to be at the same point: challenges that seem impossible to solve and the eternal promise of revolutionizing transportation. Along the way, a good handful of companies said they were joining the hydrogen wave. Toyota has been one of those that has bet the most but, in the midst of a decline, it has been Hyundai that takes a new step. Reconversion. Hyundai has confirmed which has already laid the first stone of its new fuel cell and electrolyzer production plant in Ulsan (South Korea). The company has invested 930 billion won. That is, 563.8 million euros to convert the space and give it a new industrial use. According to the company, starting in 2027 they will be able to manufacture 30,000 fuel cell units per year in a space that extends across 43,000 m2. The intention is to produce systems for hydrogen-powered passenger cars but also for heavy transport services. a bet. Hyundai’s commitment to hydrogen is not new. The company has on the market the Nexusone of the few hydrogen cars that can be purchased and that has no competition since the Toyota Miraithe other great hydrogen car, is a sedan with a totally different approach. At the end of last year, Hyundai also presented Initiumthe preview of what should be a new hydrogen car that will arrive in 2025. However, the company has not launched the new model on the market. The Nexo has not been the first car powered by a Hyundai fuel cell but, for now, it is the last despite the fact that in 2021 they announced that we would have the entire range on the street with hydrogen versions in 2028. The promise. For years now, hydrogen has been proposed as the great alternative to the electric car. Although, really, it is an electric car. In its operation, a fuel cell car is a vehicle that carries out the electrolysis process inside to generate electricity that is stored in the batteries. In this process, the car does not generate CO2 and only expels water vapor through the exhaust pipe. The great advantage is that its carbon emissions are non-existent while it recharges the tanks in a few minutes to travel hundreds and hundreds of kilometers. The problems. There are many and they are difficult to remedy. When it comes to bringing hydrogen to a street car, the technical difficulties are enormous. First, because hydrogen occupies a large volume for the energy it can later generate. That’s why the Toyota Mirai is, almost everything, huge tanks. The latter is solved by turning the hydrogen into a liquid state but requires keeping it at -30ºC. It is a solution that has been designed to be used as fuel in a combustion engine and to remember the sensations of a combustion engine but generates very polluting particles such as NOx. That is, hydrogen requires huge tanks or a good amount of energy to keep it at a very low temperature. When this is achieved, it requires a complex system to carry out electrolysis or burn it in the engine itself (which generates very polluting particles). And all this without counting the complexity of producing and transporting it to the service station on duty. Non-viable. What happens at this point? That hydrogen is, at the moment, very expensive. As expensive as in Germany the cost of filling the tank was as expensive as filling it with diesel. It does not seem so strange that service stations are being dismantled in Germany and that although Stellantis offered to convert electric vans to hydrogen to gain autonomy, has ended up abandoning his plans. For now, on the way BMW too says it is developing hydrogen cars. Renault says to do the same. And Toyota continues investigating with burn hydrogen in combustion engines while turning his back on his Toyota Mirai in the United States where he faces a class action lawsuit from owners who they feel cheated. a light. In addition to light transportation, Hyundai says it wants to focus fuel cell production on heavy transportation. The company has its hopes that this type of transportation can find a true use for hydrogen. Heavy transport can find some advantages over electric transport. To charge an electric truck in a short time, enormous infrastructure is needed with chargers as fast and powerful as those from BYD. If hydrogen poles are created in dry ports or large distribution centers, it could make sense with less dispersed and therefore less costly distribution. Also the cost of filling the truck with huge tanks is lower because in percentage terms it would not eat up as much space as in a car. And, at the same time, recharging would be faster for less clean transportation than purely electric but much cleaner than current diesel engines. Photo | Hydrogen In Xataka | Renault is clear that the electric car is not the only way. Your proposal for the future: a hydrogen plug-in hybrid

Before the incursions of Russian drones, Ryanair has its own alternative to the European wall

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“Why are we not shooting these drones?” The question is from Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair. The mandamás of the Air Company verbalized its doubts about the performance of the European Union in an interview with Political. According to its point of view, Europe faces an air navigation problem derived from war in Ukraine. A problem that, according to O’Leary, should not be consent. It is not a security problem. It is a business problem, according to Ryanair CEO. To this aimed the first statements of O’Leary in which the closure of Polish airports echoed as a result of A Russian Airspace Invasion of the country. “There is a risk of continuous interruption, not security,” O’Leary said in words collected by Reuters. While Europe discussed what can be done in these cases, how to act and evaluate the danger of these incursions, from Ryanair they pointed to direct damage to their business. Hybrid war. Is The concept to define those attacks that seek the destabilization of a country and that do not necessarily have to be violent. The intention is for citizens to lose confidence in their leaders either by a feeling of helplessness or because basic services does not work. In the case of the Ukraine War, Russia has been enough to enter the Polish airspace to paralyze its airports. Danish bases They were also paralyzed. The same happened in Oslo and the last to know the effects has been the Munich airport. In addition a cyber attack left unusable or diminished for days the airports of Berlin, Brussels and London-Heathrow. A wall. The solution that has been proposed is to raise a wall in Europe. One that has no concrete or, in fact, is visible. The European Commissioner for Defense, Andrius Kubilius, opted for lift a wall of drones that protects the entire European Union. The intention is very simple: surround the entire European Union of a drone detection and inhibition system. With him we want Russian devices not attacking European space but that they cannot interfere with the daily activities of citizens. “It’s useless”. Given this idea, O’Leary has signed up for the most absolute disbelief. Of Ursula von der Leyen assured Political that “it is useless and should resign.” To recreate with a “I have no faith in European leaders, sitting there drinking tea and eating cookies.” In his day, O’Leary opted for a British permanence in the European Union but its Shocks with politicians of every sign They have been constant. The CEO of Ryanair is part of those unbelievable businessmen of politics that, in the case of the Irishman, has an invariable constant in time: If it’s bad for the business, it is criticizable. The business. According to O’Leary, the real problem of that European antidron wall is that it would not be worthless: “I don’t think a wall of drones has any effect. Do you think the Russians cannot launch a drone from within Poland?” And I set an example: “If you can’t even protect flights on France, what are the possibility of protecting us against Russia?” This criticism referred to the French strike of aerial controllers that threatens to affect more than 100,000 passengers and 600 flights Ryanair alone. And we could continue with the criticism of the Government of Spain by the Aerial rates and The fine for the collection of hand luggage. And the impact? In economic terms, there is no clear data of how much money it has been lost with Russian incursions in European airspace. What is certain is that the inconveniences of this type of activity are palpable. Only in the last sighting in Germany of drones, 23 flights to Munich have had to be divertedanother 12 have been canceled and there are more than 6,500 affected passengers. It is estimated that during the closure of the Danish and Swedish airports, Other 100 flights They also had to be canceled. And in Brussels more than 140 flights were canceled during the cyber attack of a few weeks ago. Photo | Markus Winkler and State Border Guard Service of Ukraine In Xataka | Ryanair’s paradox in Spain: while drowning small airports, he is adding 100,000 more places

If you have an old PC, there is an effective alternative against the requirements of Windows 11 and the Bloatware: Flyoobe works

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With the End of Windows 10 support Scheduled for October 2025, many users face the dilemma of Buy a new team or search for alternatives to install Windows 11 in hardware that officially does not meet the requirements. Flyoobeborn from the evolution of the excellent Flyby11is presented as an integral solution to overcome Microsoft restrictions while also adds mechanisms so that the user has greater control over the operating system. A project that covers a need. Microsoft demands specific requirements for Windows 11, including TPM 2.0, Secure Boot and compatible processors. This He has left millions of computers that, although functional, they will not be able to update from Windows 10 officially once The support is for. Given this situation, tools such as Flyobe allow the most of many of the officially incompatible teams with Windows 11. How magic works. Flyobe’s secret lies in using the Windows Server installation variant, which automatically omits the TPM, Secure Boot and CPU compatibility checks. The final result remains standard Windows 11, but without the barriers imposed by Microsoft. The tool automatically manages the discharge and assembly of the necessary ISO, simplifying the entire process. More than a simple bypass method. While the classic Flyby11 version was limited to raffling hardware restrictions, Flyobe goes several steps beyond. Its main added is the complete control over the OOBE (OUT-OF-BOX Experience), that first experience you have when you turn on a new computer. Instead of accepting Microsoft’s default values, you can customize from the predetermined browser to the elimination of unwanted applications from the first start. The latest updates improve experience. Version 1.6 From the tool, which until the moment of writing this article is the most recent, incorporates a renewed interface with four clearly defined main options. It especially highlights its improved Bloatware elimination tool, which more effectively detects and eliminates the unnecessary applications that Windows 11 installs by default. It also includes an expanded application installer and text search to find specific options quickly. It is not the only alternative. Although there are alternatives such as RUFUS To create modified installation media, Flyobe turns towards a more complete option for those users who want a whole and very useful one. We also have other outstanding options such as Tiny11born with the premise of offering a lighter and lighter windows 11 for all types of devices. Flyobe brings together in the same application both what made Flyby11 shine to eliminate the requirements of Windows 11, and its new options to eliminate the system from the system and many other very interesting options. What you should take into account. Microsoft believes that non -compatible devices “have no guarantee of receiving updates.” Although in practice the majority continue to receive monthly security patches, from Flyoobe’s own page in Github warns The risk of future updates failing or Microsoft blocks access. In addition, if your processor is not compatible with The popcnt requirement or the SSE 4.2 instructions set, it will be impossible to install Windows 11, since they are essential instructions for the operation of Windows 11 24h2 and future updates. This set of instructions was already admitted by relatively old processors today, as the first generation of Intel Core i7 (2008). In Xataka | Windows 11: 42 functions and tricks to squeeze the operating system to the maximum

Nox’s key to convert the nighttime train into the alternative to the plane

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The train is the Interior mobility dorsal spine from many countries, but although in territories such as the European there is a good international connection, Short low-cost flights They have eaten this emblematic transport. Although there are still diurnal trains operators and, above all, Night that connect those countriesbut now one that wants not only to offer an attractive option to tour Europe, but also stand up to the plane. His name is Noxand the bet is the price and private cabins. Wake up at destiny. In June of this year, He was born The German Startup Nox. Its objective is to offer an attractive solution for those who seek An alternative to the plane In a more comfortable, sustainable and, above all, private transport. Its founders are two veterans in the railway sector and consider that The night train It should cease to be that romantized experience to become a fundamental piular in Europe’s international transportation. Cabinas. They look for a change of model, replacing short distance flights with night -train journeys designed for both those who travel for work and for tourists who want to rest and dawn in the destination. The main difference with the plane (beyond airport times), and with other night trains is the system of cabins they propose. All will be private, they will have two meters and there will be Three categories: Individual loft for a single traveler. Double loft with convertible bunk. Double view with second floor bed, seats and panoramic window. The trains will have food, drink and space for bicycles, and also devoted themselves to recycle trains that are discarded every year in all countries, reconvirting them to offer this new cabin experience. Destinations. Those responsible hope to start operations in 2027, although we still have some renders of the project, and want to start with about 30 routes that will later expand up to 100 European cities. By 2035, they want to have large centers such as Barcelona, ​​Paris, Amsterdam, Budapest, Rome or Warsaw, among others, with a connection that will be central to central-city, something with which the plane cannot compete. Among its objectives, the range will be 1,200 kilometers away maximum per route for an optimal 12 -hour travel time. The price controversy. This is a crucial point and the bet is from 79 euros per individual room and from 149 euros for double and per night. It is a very interesting price, but you have to see how realistic it is. According to the German Aerospace Center, low -cost airlines They charged In 2024 an average of 79.33 euros per night tickets for journeys between 500 and 1,500 kilometers. Is aligned with the price with which NOx wants to operate, but in back on track They already calculate that those 79 euros can only be the entrance price and that the average should be exceeding 100 euros. According to the organization’s calculations, a night train with an average occupation of 75% and a maximum of 500 seats, would have a journey of 27,000 euros at the prices that NOX expects, assuming a deficit of about 9,000 euros per route to cover costs. They are not alone. As we say, several night trains operate in Europe, but Nox’s great argument is that of privacy. And apart from the fact that there are several companies offering this transport service, there is a whole movement to enhance the use of night trains. This is the aforementioned Back-on-Track, who seek to enhance this way of traveling as One of the tools that Europe has To reduce, According to themup to 3% their contribution to Climate change If used trains instead of aircraft on short and medium distance trips. In Xataka | Renfe has joined the “Slow Luxury” with a luxury alternative to visit Andalusia: Al-Andalus with tickets at 14,000 euros

The great alternative to Ozempic is LPG-1

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Despite the great promise to quickly lose weight thanks to a minimum puncture, many people still reject the idea of injecting medicines such as Ozempic either Wegovy. In response, great pharmaceuticals refine their strategies with based on pill versions In the GLP-1 receiver. However, the first figures raise an awkward question: What will be willing to sacrifice patients in exchange for not pricking? In the test phase. The Eli Lillly company has presented the results of its clinical trial with Orforglipron, a daily pill designed to induce weight loss. According to data published by The Washington PostThe participants who took the highest dose reduced their body weight on average after 72 weeks, which is equivalent to about 12 kilos, compared to less than 1 % in the placebo group. It is a clinically significant result, but lower than that reached with its strut -in -lawy -led drugs – commercialized as Mounjaro or Zepbound -, with which in a previous trial a 22.5 % weight loss was achieved in the same period. The company said it will request the regulatory approval before the end of the year and trusts that the comfort of the pill compensates its lower power. Pfizer was the first. The race for the GLP-1 pills is not exclusive to Lilly and Novo. As we collected in Xatakathe American pharmacist Pfizer has announced advances in the development of Danuglipron, an agonist of the GLP-1 receiver who, unlike Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound, would be administered only orally. The drug is in a new phase of clinical trials to evaluate its safety and pharmacokinetics, with the aim of adjusting it as a daily taking treatment. According to the company, the tests have already included 1,400 healthy adults in an open and random essay. Preliminary data promoted Pfizer’s actions 2 % in the stock market, But analysts cited by Xatakalike Uumer Raffat for Fortune, warn that advances seem “tentative” and that, in the best case, the medicine would reach the market in 2028. There are more bets. The Ozempic and Wegovy manufacturer also does not want to stay out of the transition to the pills. As we have reported in XatakaNovo Nordisk awaits an FDA decision about its oral version of Semaglutida before it ends 2025. In parallel, its candidate Cagrisema – a combination of semaglutida and cagrilintida – achieved in clinical trials an average weight reduction of 22.7 %, slightly below the 25 % that the company had announced as an initial objective. A fact that, although raised, shows that even in the new generation of oral treatments, the power can remain below expectations. Comfort against efficacy. GLP-1 medications have shown unprecedented results in the fight against obesity, but the route of administration marks differences. As they have detailed in Washington Postweekly injection of tirzepatida or semaglutida allows to reach more stable levels of the blood molecule and, with it, greater weight reductions. On the other hand, the oral route requires formulas that resist digestion and are effectively absorbed, which raises technical limitations. In the case of Orforglipron, the consequence is a weight loss lower than that of its injectable equivalents. The big question is whether patients and doctors will be willing to prioritize comfort over effectiveness. For many, a 12 % reduction in body weight remains clinically relevant and can mean substantial improvements in cardiovascular and metabolic health. But in a market in which each percentage point counts, the comparison with 20-22 % of the injections could condition their adoption. A millionaire market with access barriers. The interest in these therapies is not accidental. According to estimates collected by this meansthe global market of obesity medications could exceed 100,000 million dollars annually in 2030. In addition to weight loss, LPG-1 improve glycemic control and reduce cardiovascular risk, which expands its clinical attraction. However, the price remains an obstacle. According to data cited in this mediumOzempic costs around $ 600 per month in the United States, compared to 59 euros in Germany. So the debate for future oral versions is open. A future with more options and more questions. With Lilly, Pfizer and Novo Nordisk preparing their releases, GLP-1 pills could expand the scope of obesity treatments, especially among those who reject injections. But the transition will not be automatic. In a market where efficacy has been the main sales argument, the arrival of more comfortable but potentially less powerful options will force to rethink strategies, prices and expectations. And although the interest is evident, the question remains the same: how much is it worth, for doctors and patients, the simple fact of not having to use a needle? Image | Unspash and Unspash Xataka | If you want a “miracle” medication to lose weight, you no longer resort to Ozempic: the competition is starting to overcome it

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