avoid

The prices of RAM and SSDs are skyrocketing everywhere, but there are alternatives to avoid spending a fortune

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It’s no longer just that the price of RAM memory is through the roof (which also): that of SSDs has followed the same path. Upgrading a PC right now is complicated if you don’t want to spend a fortune trying, but there are alternatives to spend less. The AliExpress Summer Promo has very powerful offers (on mobile phones especially), but also in PC components: you have this 1 TB Netac SSD for 114.80 euros if you use the coupon ‘XATAKAES20‘and pay with PayPal. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Speaking of coupons, AliExpress has right now lots of assets to save on your purchases. We leave them here so that you have them on hand in case you want to make any additional purchases (remember that the coupons cannot be combined). Discount minimum purchase coupon 1 coupon 3 coupon 4 COUPON 3 euros 15 euros XATAKAES03 WEBEDES03 ESSS03 SSES03 6 euros 39 euros XATAKAES06 WEBEDES06 ESSS06 SSES6 10 euros 69 euros XATAKAES10 WEBEDES10 ESSS10 SSES10 20 euros 139 euros XATAKAES20 WEBEDES20 ESSS20 SSES20 30 euros 209 euros XATAKAES30 WEBEDES30 ESSS30 SSES30 45 euros 319 euros XATAKAES45 WEBEDES45 ESSS45 SSES45 65 euros 459 euros XATAKAES65 WEBEDES65 ESSS65 SSES65 110 euros 650 euros XATAKAES110 WEBEDES110 ESSS110 – Upgrading a PC without spending a fortune is still possible Is it a good price? Let’s analyze how the price of SSDs is currently with this one from the Forgeon brand as an example, similar in features. The lowest price for it, also with 1 TB capacity, was 61.95 euros last September. Since then it has done nothing but rise and right now it costs 189.95 euros (reduced from 234.99 euros). In that sense, it is clear that we are looking at a good price with this one from the Netac brand. It is about a NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD able to reach speeds of up to almost 7,400 MB/s read. Of course, a small note: it is necessary that your motherboard is compatible with it. If your board only has PCIe 3.0 connectors, you can also use it, although it will not take full advantage of all its speed. The SSD is sold by the brand itself through AliExpress and shipping is free (delivery is estimated between June 7 and 15). It should also be noted that it is an SSD also compatible with PlayStation 5. DDR4 RAM can still be an interesting solution What if what you need is RAM memory? DDR5 RAM has very inflated prices, but we can find DDR4 RAM at good prices, which remains an interesting option for many usersespecially if your processor and motherboard are a few years old and you don’t want to change them. This Netac RAM memory can do you very well there: two modules of 8 GB of RAM each come out 75.45 euros with the coupon ‘XATAKAES10‘. DDR4 Netac RAM memory at 3,200 MHz (2 modules of 8 GB) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links As we say, they are two separate modules, so we will have a total of 16 GB of RAM in total. If we take a look at PcComponentes and look for something similar, it is difficult to find the same amount of memory with similar characteristics below 120 euros. 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 | Andrey MatveevAliExpress In Xataka | DDR4 or DDR5? What RAM to choose so as not to pay even more than necessary in the middle of the price crisis In Xataka | Faster (and more expensive) is not always better: the big difference between buying an SSD and an HDD for backups

“Slaughterbots” are no longer science fiction in Ukraine. Russians wear masks to avoid the drone that aims at their heads

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A few years before the start of the war in Ukraine, a Berkeley computer science professor presented at the UN a short called “Slaughterbots”a piece where small drones with facial recognition chased people autonomously. Many saw it then as another technological exaggeration in the style of the Black Mirror series. A few years later the short… has fallen short. Drones that search for tanks, search for people. For much of the Ukrainian war, drones were seen as a support weapon intended to destroy armor, correct artillery fire or monitor enemy movements. That phase has gone disappearing quickly. What is now emerging is something much more disturbing: cheap drones, produced by the millions, designed specifically to hunt down and kill soldiers. individually. They counted in Forbes that the Russian military channels themselves they are warning of Ukrainian FPVs equipped with thermal vision, reconnaissance systems and munitions capable of firing explosive projectiles at a distance directly against a human body. The detail that is generating the most fear is not the weapon itself, but the possibility that these drones are already learning to identify Where to hit to maximize lethality. The idea of ​​small autonomous devices “hunting” specific people no longer belongs to technological dystopias or viral YouTube videos: it is beginning to form part of the front line’s routine. A gigantic aerial hunting area. The most profound consequence of this revolution is that huge parts of the front have been transformed in “kill zones”those corridors where any human movement can be detected and destroyed from the air in a matter of minutes. Ukraine has especially perfected this model around cities like Kostyantynivka or Chasiv Yarwhere small Russian groups are identified long before approaching the defensive lines. The result has been devastating for classical Russian doctrines: large armored columns and mechanized assaults have become too visible and vulnerable. In response, Moscow is trying to create their own “drone racers”infiltrating small teams of operators hiding in basements, destroyed buildings or tree lines to build temporary bubbles of local air dominance. In other words, war is no longer just about controlling the terrain, it is about controlling the sky just a few meters above each soldier’s head. The true technological leap. The most important thing about these new systems is not the size of the explosive charge, but intelligence that begins to guide them. Many Ukrainian FPVs already integrate autonomy modules capable of continuing the attack even when the operator loses signal due to electronic interference. Western companies and civilian developers have created relatively inexpensive kits that turn commercial drones into smart munitions capable of automatically locking on and pursuing targets. Until recently, that autonomy was mainly used against vehicles; now the focus shifts to the infantry. Some models use EFP loadsformed explosive projectiles that do not need to hit directly to penetrate protection and kill the target from a distance. That eliminates many of the defenses improvised measures that had proliferated on the front, from metal nets even the famous Russian “turtle tanks”. The problem for soldiers is that hiding no longer guarantees survival: the drone can continue observing, wait for the exact moment and attack when it detects vulnerability. “Slaughterbots” stopped seeming over the top. We said it at the beginning, in 2017 Professor Stuart Russell launched the short film “Slaughterbots” as a warning about autonomous drones with facial recognition capable of murdering specific people. At the time it seemed like a futuristic hype designed to open ethical debates about military artificial intelligence. Nine years later, the parallels are beginning to be uncomfortable even for those fighting on the ground. Russian soldiers develop countermeasures that seem straight out of a science fiction movie: using masks to confuse recognition systems, throwing helmets as decoys, hiding their heads behind obstacles or remaining completely still to avoid thermal tracking. Obsession reflects a huge psychological change. For centuries, a soldier could attempt to protect himself from enemy fire using cover, armor, or distance. Many fighters now feel that there is a camera constantly watching them from above, capable of deciding when to attack and possibly where to do it to ensure death. The industrial and algorithmic battle. The great Russian fear is that Ukraine will manage to combine mass production, autonomy and precision on an unprecedented scale. kyiv aims to manufacture millions of FPVs a year, and that completely changes the mathematics of combat. Whether a relatively cheap drone can chase soldiers with hit rates close to 80%human wear and tear begins to take on industrial dimensions. That is why Russia is desperately trying to build its own drone racersdeploy interceptors and saturate local airspace before moving larger troops. However, Ukraine maintains an advantage in both quantity and technological sophistication, especially in optics, autonomous navigation and aerial interception. What is being seen in the Donbas is not simply a tactical evolution of drone warfare: it is rather the birth of a new form of combat where thousands of semi-autonomous machines continually compete to detect, pursue and eliminate individual human beings. And the most disturbing thing is that this transformation is just beginning. Image | Defense Ukraine In Xataka | Satellite images reveal how much Russia fears Ukraine’s drones. 7,000 km away they are covering their nuclear missiles In Xataka | Ukraine has resurrected one of the oldest tactics of warfare. And he is isolating Russian cities without the need for soldiers

Ozempic’s great challenge is the rebound effect. Science already has two promising solutions to avoid it

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The rise of medications such as Ozempic, wegovy o Mounjaru has completely transformed the clinical and social landscape of the weight lossmaking many people do not hesitate to ask their family doctor to prescribe it in order to lose weight and also regulate blood sugar. The results during treatment are undeniable, but the big question it raises about medical consultations is what exactly happens when the medication is stopped. What we know. One of the most feared points of this type of treatment is the ‘rebound effect’ which causes that, at the time of stopping the treatment and if eating habits have not been adjusted, a large weight gain will be seen. This is something that causes many people to see that this treatment only gives a few months of ‘thinness’, but science is now trying to avoid this effect. The rebound. An exhaustive analysis published in The BMJ finally put exact figures on this phenomenon so that you can speak appropriately to patients. And what has been seen after analyzing 9,300 participants is that patients recover an average of 0.4 kilos per month after stopping treatment. At this rate, the return to the initial weight before starting therapy occurs in just 1.7 years. But this is also accompanied by a loss of cardiovascular shield at 1.4 years. The solution. one of them it involves taking a pill daily known as orforglipronwhich is nothing more than a non-peptide GLP-1 receptor agonistwhich means that it can be taken orally and not through subcutaneous injections. The idea here is to use the injectable treatment, which is more powerful, for the first few weeks and then transition to this daily pill to consolidate the results without the rebound effect. This not only greatly improves patient comfort, but facilitates mass production by not relying on problematic ‘pens’ containing semaglutide, and helps maintain satiety signaling at the brain level without the invasive impact of the needle. A bacteria. The second line of research points to the intestinal microbiome, by analyzing supplementation with the bacteria Akkermansia muciniphila MucT pasteurized as a tool to avoid the rebound effect after a low-calorie diet. A bacteria that is long known in the field of nutrition for its role in the integrity of the intestinal barrier. After doing the analysisit was seen that the group of patients who received the bacterial supplement recorded a weight recovery of only 13.6%, compared to 32.9% in the control group. But beyond the scale, it has been seen that this bacteria shows a notable preservation of insulin sensitivity, a crucial factor to avoid the development of type 2 diabetes and keep lipid metabolism under control. The future. We are undoubtedly at the beginning of a paradigm shift, since the medical narrative is moving from the short-term “war against kilos” to chronic and sustainable management. But logically, for this to reach the market, we must wait (and not a little) for better results and above all for it to be tested in humans. Images | stefamerpik in Magnific In Xataka | We thought Ozempic was only for weight loss. Science is seeing that it can end alcoholism

The biggest problem with living on the Moon is its nights. NASA believes it has found the solution to avoid running out of electricity

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If we want to build bases on the Moon or on Mars, we must work on the development of technologies that make the lives of lunar colonists easier. For example, it is important to think about ways to obtain energy. In the case of Mars, there are already scientists working on methods to obtain electricity using carbon dioxide from your atmosphere. But the ideal would be to be able to use batteries. They would have to be rechargeable batteries, since there are no containers for batteries on the Moon (on Earth there are, throw them away where they belong). The problem is that lunar nights are very long, so solar energy cannot be used to obtain electricity to recharge them. Therefore, NASA scientists they are already working in rechargeable batteries that generate and store energy in a very original way. Only two ingredients. The battery in question, called a regenerative fuel cell, contains hydrogen and oxygen gases, which combine to give rise to water. In this reaction, heat and electricity are generated, which can be used to supply the devices necessary for astronauts’ daily lives. Once no more energy is needed, the water molecules break down, giving rise to hydrogen and oxygen, which are saved for when it is necessary to start again. Thus, the fuel is not wasted. It regenerates. Big as a human being. Let’s not think about small batteries like the ones we use at home. Not even in batteries like those in a car. This regenerative fuel cell is much larger. It is practically the height of a human being and the length of a sedan car. First tests. In 2025, the basic components were tested to verify that the previous design technology was viable. Right now NASA scientists are doing more advanced tests, with the aim of analyzing whether the fuel regenerates properly. In a test cell, the system can be operated remotely. Furthermore, once the test has started, it can continue autonomously, without intervention from the researchers. Learnings. Everything is expected to go well in the tests. But, in any case, there will be learnings that serve to perfect the device. After five years of development, the prototype has advanced a lot, but these types of experiments are what really help to perfect a technology of this caliber. Heading to the Moon. Once the tests are completed, the goal is to repeat them in an environment that simulates lunar conditions. Theoretically, the battery is designed to withstand the extreme temperatures of the Moon, even on its cold two-week Earth nights. If all goes well, the technology would be ready to be used. in the Artemis program. This is the objective with which this battery of 270 sensors and 1,000 components was designed. There will be time to think about Mars. At the moment, the closest target on the horizon is our satellite. We need energy to stay on its surface. Image | NASA/Magnific In Xataka | We have not yet colonized the Moon and we have already filled it with garbage: there are even abandoned golf balls

They already know how to avoid the norm

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After the USB-C victorythe European Union has set its eye on another aspect of our mobile phones and He wants batteries to be easily removable by 2027. The objective behind this change is twofold: to extend the useful life of the devices and, in the process, reduce electronic waste. The deadline for the change is February 18, 2027, just over nine months, and it is striking that The big mobile brands haven’t said a word. There is a reason for his silence. Open consultation on exemptions. The Commission has proposed adding more products to the list of exemptions, including smartwatches or activity bracelets and electric toys. At the end of April, The European Commission opened a public consultation so that whoever wishes can express their opinions about the standard, which includes citizens, companies, academics or public authorities. Total silence. This consultation, which closes on May 26, is an opportunity for manufacturers of affected products to present their complaints and thus avoid applying the standard. Returning to removable batteries would mean profoundly changing the designs of the majority of mobile phones that we use today, which is why the silence of smartphone manufacturers is striking. Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO… so far no one has raised their voice to oppose the measure. Because? The small print. There is a reason why there are no complaints from mobile phone manufacturers, and it is that they have already found a way to not have to apply it. In the fine print of the new law, it contemplates two conditions by which the devices are exempt from applying the standard: Battery Durability: if it retains 83% of nominal capacity after 500 charge cycles or 80% after 1,000 charge cycles. Water resistance: devices that have an IP67 certification or higher. High-end mobile phones (and many mid-range ones) already meet these conditions, so they will not have to make big changes. In addition, manufacturers have the ability to ensure that their devices have longer-lasting batteries, as well as waterproof designs, even in the low ranges. Who has complained?. The consultation has collected complaints from other types of manufacturers that are dedicated to small accessories such as wireless headphones and other wearables. Companies such as Shenzhen Baseus Technology and Conduction Labs state that making certain products with removable batteries is “technically infeasible without destroying the product.” They refer, above all, to devices such as headphones or rings, which are not currently part of the list of exemptions. What does the norm say?. The European Commission recently detailed what he means by removable battery and what standards electronic devices must comply with from 2027. They are as follows: The battery must be “easily removable.” This doesn’t mean that cell phones are going to be like your old Nokia, but that the battery has to be removable with “commercially available tools.” If a specific tool is needed, the manufacturer is obliged to supply it free of charge. The user must not use, under any circumstances, heat or solvents to disassemble the mobile phone, so the use of glue is restricted. Manufacturers will be required to provide clear instructions so that anyone can remove and replace the battery. The software cannot hinder the battery replacement process, for example blocking it because the change was not made at an official service. Manufacturers must sell replacement batteries for at least five years after the product is removed from the market. The price of batteries must be “reasonable and non-discriminatory.” Image | Apple In Xataka | The European Union regulates too much. We are not saying it, the European Union itself has just admitted it

Three settings for iOS and Android that are more effective to avoid straining your eyes if you have presbyopia than changing the text size

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If you are already a few years old and presbyopia is starting to make an appearance, don’t limit yourself to making the text on your cell phone bigger. Let’s tell you others three most effective adjustments to avoid straining your eyes that you can turn to, and that are available on both Android and iOS. These are three fairly simple adjustments that are not going to be as disruptive in terms of showing less content on the screen as when you increase the font size. However, they are going to be even more effective in helping you read. The key is contrast, bold and white balance. Expands screen contrast In the accessibility options of your mobile you have an option to increase contrast or high contrast text. By doing so, there were no more pale grays or blues that are difficult to read, the mobile will force the apps to show the maximum contrast in your texts to make them easier to read. You can combine this option with reducing transparency on iOS or disabling blur effects on Android, to eliminate some translucent effects that can make content difficult to read. Turn on bold text On iOS, within the text display and size section in the accessibility options you will have the option to activate bold text. With this you will make all the letters of the operating system, from the clock to the notifications, appear in bold. This will make all text easier to read without having to make it larger. In Android 16 you will have an even more advanced option, which is outlined text, within the Screen and text size section in the accessibility options. This will add a small border to each character to make it much easier to read, even when there are complex backgrounds behind it. Adjust the white balance The third setting that I recommend you try is the white balance. In iOS the option is called Reduce white pointand it’s in the display and text size settings in the accessibility section. On Android the equivalent is in the screen tone settings, within the section Screen. With this, what you will do is reduce the intensity of pure whitesnot the brightness in general. By doing so, the screen will be less bright, and it will be more comfortable for your eyes to read, especially when you are using your mobile at night or in poorly lit areas. In Xataka Basics | How to create a podcast from a text to study, research or simply listen to if you don’t feel like reading

How much coffee can you drink a day? Science has a very clear limit to avoid its harmful effects

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For many of us, the starter motor in the morning It has a dark color and a roasted aroma that characterize coffee so much. A drink that is one of the most consumed in the world, but with a popularity that has been accompanied by alarmist headlines about how bad it is to ingest it and the effects it can have directly on the organs. But the truth is that there are lights and shadows. There is good news. For those who love coffee, it will undoubtedly be a relief to know that the literature indicates that consumption is not as catastrophic as they want to sell. But, as in everything, excesses of something can always lead to problems, even if it may seem like something super healthy, such as water. And coffee, obviously, is not exempt. The limit. When it comes to establishing a red line for safe consumption, the clinical reference is not in the WHO, but in the FDA and the EFSAwhich are the food safety regulatory agencies in the United States and Europe, respectively. Here both point to the same figure in coffee consumption: 400 milligrams of caffeine per day. A very relevant figure, since for the vast majority of healthy adults, consuming up to 400 mg daily is not associated with harmful health effectshighlighting that this amount can be part of a perfectly healthy diet and lifestyle. How many coffees is this equivalent to? This is where things get complicated since talking about “cups” is an analytical error, because not all coffees are the same. That is why for the FDA a 355 ml cup, which is a standard size, can contain between 113 and 247 mg of caffeine. But all this depends on the type of preparation, the extraction time or the coffee used, because Robusta coffee has more caffeine than Arabica, for example. But generally speaking, that 400 mg is equivalent to about 3 or 4 cups of standard filter coffee per day. Organic damage. It is easy to see different alarming messages warning that coffee can damage our entire interior if a specific dose is exceeded. But the reality is that the WHO does not send this message to society, since it is too alarming and does not correspond at all to reality. What is true is that excessive daily coffee consumption has important effects on our body, but it will not ‘rot’ our internal organs. Among these stand out insomnia, nervousness, irritability, palpitations, muscle tremors, intestinal irritation, headache… This means that, although we talk about coffee not being contradictory for the population, logically, if there is an underlying problem, it may be better not to drink it, and even less so if it is taken in great excess throughout the day. It has benefits. On other occasions we have talked about coffee and its benefits, because it has more than just keeping us awake in the morning. Here different studies have already pointed out to us the cardiovascular benefits it can have or even improves sports performance. But the metabolism of each person is quite involved here, since there is no single metabolism. In this case, there are people who process caffeine very quickly and its effect disappears quickly, but there are other cases where they metabolize it slowly, so its effects remain in the body and they may, for example, have more problems with insomnia, nervousness or palpitations because they are more “sensitive” to caffeine. This is the explanation, for example, that a person can boast of having a coffee at night and being able to sleep perfectly. There are exceptions. Although we talk about a limit of 400 mg of caffeine, there are people who logically cannot reach this limit, such as pregnant women, where a maximum of 200 mg per day is recommended, since excess caffeine can cross the placenta and affect fetal development. But it also influences, for example, the cholesterol level, since here the Mayo Clinic points out that the consumption of unfiltered coffee, such as Turkish coffee, can raise cholesterol levels due to compounds such as cafestol. Images | Dragana_Gordic in Magnific In Xataka | If the question is “how much caffeine is in each cup of coffee or tea,” this graph offers insightful answers.

A new study reveals how they manage to avoid cancer

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Reaching 100 years old is a statistical feat, but do it while avoiding diseases as serious as cancer or surviving a serious infection is almost a superpower. For decades, science has been asked what makes centenarians biologically special to reach where few reach, and the clearest answer we have right now is that your immune system ages at a completely different rate than the rest of us mortals. The passage of time. As we age, our body deteriorates at a more or less rate depending on how much we have taken care of it with the lifestyle we have wanted to follow. But something that cannot be skipped is the generation of a low-grade chronic inflammation called ‘inflammation‘ which is the perfect breeding ground for cells to deteriorate, cardiovascular problems and tumors to appear. An exception. But as a recent review points out published in Nature With Spanish participation, it has been seen that centenarians have an extremely efficient system for “cleaning” damaged or senescent cells before they cause problems, something that is very efficient in young people, but becomes less so with the passage of time. But in addition, compared to the impoverishment of the intestinal flora common in old age, centenarians preserve a spectacular microbial diversity, also lacking the pro-inflammatory obesity that affects a large part of the population. But not everything is natural genetics, since the habits one follows and the environment in which one has lived shape part of the genetics by activating or deactivating genes, protecting them from accumulated damage. The paradox of cancer. One of the most fascinating data that medical research reveals is the relationship between centenarians and cancer. Although the risk of suffering from tumors increases with age as more genetic errors accumulate, when the 100-year barrier is exceeded, the curve falls sharply. This means that the incidence of cancer in people over the age of one century is less than 4%. And again the question is: why? Here, science suggests that centenarians have very high selective cytotoxicity, that is, cells with problems inside are destroyed before they get worse. Here the protagonists are the immune cells that maintain relentless anti-tumor surveillance, eliminating malignant cells with the efficiency of a young adult, but maintaining a high tolerance towards their own healthy tissues to avoid autoimmune diseases such as the famous rheumatoid arthritis that is quite common in older people. We are moving forward. The study does not remain only in the laboratory, but compiles evidence about the “real world” such as the famous ‘Blue Zones’ of Okinawa (Japan) where great longevity among its inhabitants stands out. Here the autopsies on the corpses indicated that their coronary arteries were obstructed by age but that they had only suffered massive fatal heart attacks. Here the body had found ways to adapt and survive. During the worst waves of COVID, there have also been cases of centenarians in residences who managed to survive the virus even without being vaccinated. This fits with the published data in 2023 by Nature Aging on supercentenarians in Boston, who revealed an “elite” immune system, trained by a lifetime of environmental exposures that formed a profile highly resilient to infections. For the future. Although genetics are important, what we can control much better are lifestyle habits and their effect on how certain genes are expressed. In this way, it is about investigating the people who survive the longest with the aim of ‘copying’ what they do to find the Holy Grail of longevity. Images | freepik In Xataka | The promise of 120 years is dismantled: biology sets a life ceiling that is quite difficult to break

A bakery accepted an order for 2,000 cakes for Tesla. Elon Musk had to mediate to avoid bankruptcy

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Large companies are not only a pole of job creation or direct wealth for those who work in them, but, indirectly, they are also a driver of indirect development for other companies in the area. Sometimes, they can also be your downfall. In early 2024, a small artisan bakery in San Jose, California, nearly went bankrupt when it tried to fill a huge order for cakes for Tesla’s offices. A last-minute change of heart left the small business on the brink of bankruptcy and in debt. As and how they counted in The Guardian, Elon Musk had to intervene. Laura’s sweet request Voahangy Rasetarinera, owner of the Giving Pies bakery, was challenged to handle an order of 2,000 mini pies for a Tesla employee event. This request represented a great economic opportunity for small businessbut it also represented a significant logistical challenge given its magnitude and the bakery’s limited resources. Rasetarinera consulted his staff and they agreed to accept the order by sending the invoice to Tesla. Delivery dates would be Tuesday and Thursday of the following week. Elon Musk’s company diverted payment for the cakes to a third-party supplier called City Flavor, which did not respond to payment requests after delivering the first round of cakes. “I remained optimistic as I waited for the payment on Thursday. However, when it didn’t materialize, I became concerned.” That same day, Laura, Rasetarinera’s contact at Tesla, called the bakery to apologize for the delay in payment for the first round, citing the inexperience of the suppliers. On that same call, Laura requested to double the cake order. In total, the bill already amounted to $16,000 for 4,000 cupcakes that Giving Pies was to deliver. The bakery was forced to redouble its efforts paying overtime to staff, purchasing more ingredients that he had not yet charged for, and, most importantly, rejecting other orders to meet Tesla’s enormous demand. After consulting with the employees again, everyone agreed to go ahead, so Rasetarinera sent a new expanded invoice to Tesla with the new amount and they got into trouble with the new shipment, but not before sending a message to Laura, to demand payment for the first batch of cakes. “I’m sorry to bother you again, but I’m a small business. I don’t have the luxury of infinite resources, so I really need to get paid to insure my staff,” the businesswoman wrote to Tesla, as published the local media Kron4. Tap on the image to go to the original message However, the joy was short-lived. Just a week before the delivery date, Tesla canceled the order without notice. Just like Rasetarinera explained on the bakery’s Instagram account, “we received an email saying they were canceling the order. There was no explanation. Just a message saying, ‘Hey, I’m so sorry, I don’t think we’re going to need this order anymore.’” Unpaid bills and 2,000 cupcakes in the oven The cancellation of the order had serious consequences for Giving Pies. The pastry shop He had already invested in ingredients, increased his staff and rejected other orders in order to fulfill Tesla’s order. What was shaping up to be a great opportunity to work with a great company had turned into a nightmare of unpaid bills. Rasetarinera explained on his social networks that “we had to buy additional ingredients, hire extra staff and schedule overtime.” All of this represented a considerable expense for a small business. “I had invested time, resources and effort based on Tesla’s guarantees, only to be left in the lurch,” declared the owner to Guardian. The news spread quickly on social networks and local media that echoed the bad trick that Tesla had done to this small merchant, generating outrage among users due to Tesla’s lack of consideration for a local business. The word spread through social networks, even reaching the ears of Elon Musk himself. Elon Musk and the unexpected solution When Elon Musk found out about the situation, he decided to take matters into his own hands. From your X accountMusk apologized for what happened to the bakery and promised to resolve the problem. “I just found out about this. We are fixing it immediately,” the billionaire wrote. Tap on the image to go to the original message Musk’s solution was simple but effective: Tesla would buy all the pies Giving Pies could produce, and he also invited the owner on a tour of the factory. “People should always be able to count on Tesla to do its best,” Elon Musk wrote in his X message. A Tesla representative would later confirm to KGO-TV that there had been a communication problem and that Laura did not have the capacity to authorize payments. For Giving Pies, this experience ended up being positive. Not only did they overcome the financial hardship due to the investment made in the order, but they also gained publicity and support from the community. As shown on your websitetoday, Giving Pies sweetens the holidays for some of Silicon Valley’s biggest tech companies. In Xataka | An Englishman named his restaurant “Tesla.” He was immediately left without a name and with a fine of 14,000 euros thanks to Musk In Xataka | Tesla has been suing buyers and journalists for criticizing its cars in China for some time. And he’s winning Image | DVIDS (Justin Pacheco), Giving Pie A version of this article was published in February 2025

His plan to avoid it is to use AI

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I throw a question into the air: what would you say is the main problem with trains in Spain? There will be those who say that unpunctualityother people who complain about the price and also about those stations in emptied Spain where the train stopped passing a long time ago. It could be worse: it could be elephants being run over. It may sound like an exotic excuse, but it is a reality that affects a giant like India: between 2019 and 2024 alone, 81 wild elephants died on trains throughout the Asian country, according to official figures of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). One of the most notorious was in December 2025, when the Rajdhani Express ran over a herd of about 100 elephants, causing seven deaths and an injured calf. Five cars and the locomotive derailed and fortunately, there were no human victims, as reported by CNN. So they have a plan to avoid it: a very technological one that involves using artificial intelligence. The plan. In fact, the problem is so serious that a few days ago they had a conference titled “Policy Implementation for Minimizing Elephant Mortalities on Railway Tracks” (something like Implementing policies to minimize elephant mortality on railway tracks). It consists of an early warning system with AI and uses a network of 12 cameras mounted on towers equipped with thermal and motion detection technology. Thus, when an elephant is less than 100 meters from the tracks, the system automatically alerts forestry and railway personnel, so that the train can reduce speed, thus allowing the animals to cross safely. They have already tested it in Madukkarai, Tamil Nadu. Why is it important. Because it is the first time that automated detection replaces the old human factor at a critical point: a train driver cannot see an elephant at night on a curve, but this system can. In addition, it can raise alarms with enough time to act and avoid disaster. Thus, it turns late detection into real prevention Context. Elephants in India die so much from railway accidents that It is already the second cause of unnatural mortalityonly ahead of electrocution and ahead of poaching or poisoning. and India houses approximately more than 60% of the world population of Asian elephants. However, habitat fragmentation and the expansion of railway infrastructure in elephant areas have caused an increase in mortality of these pachyderms, especially in states such as Assam, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh or Jharkhand. How are they going to do it?. To address the increasing increase in wildlife mortality on railway tracks, the (MoEFCC) along with the Wildlife Institute of India and the Ministry of Railways have identified hot spots for two animals that are National Animal Heritage: 110 sensitive stretches in elephant-inhabited areas and 17 stretches in tiger-inhabited areas. There are many sections and a lot of distance: 3,452.4 km, of which they prioritized 77 sections that comprise 1,965.2 kilometers. Among the package of measures there are others without AI such as ramps, bridges, underpasses or fences that can fulfill the function of avoiding accidents and facilitating safe passage. They have one more technological tool, called “Intrusion Detection System (IDS) based on Distributed Acoustic System (DAS)” with acoustic sensors that Indian Railways has deployed on 141 kilometers of the Northeast Frontier Railway to detect the presence of elephants on the tracks, generating alerts for train drivers, station masters and control centers. The East Coast Railway of India will adopt this system soon. AI has already arrived on the Indian railway. In fact, India has already incorporated artificial intelligence systems to improve safety and maintenance. The measures include the TRI-Netra system, which combines optical, infrared and radar cameras with AI to help drivers in conditions of reduced visibility, and the MVIS systems, capable of detecting loose or damaged components in moving trains. In Xataka | There are roads in India that suddenly turn red: the reason is to save you from running over a tiger In Xataka | AI is bringing back into fashion something that we thought was only for geeks: the command line Cover | Kishore V and Sean Foster

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