china

Drastically reduce the consumption of data centers is crucial for AI. And China has had an idea: to submerge them in the sea

by

China is About to submerge a data center In the sea, near Shanghai, as a solution to a problem that we will gradually begin to see more: Great energy consumption of the AI. The installation, which will come into operation in mid -October, is one of the first commercial projects of this type in the world and points to a new way of cooling servers without depending on traditional cooling systems that devour electricity. The background problem. Data centers are the backbone of the Internet and AI, but They generate huge amounts of heat. Keeping them refrigerated by air conditioning or evaporation of water consumes a brutal amount of energy, and with the rise of artificial intelligence, the demand of these facilities has shot. China seeks to reduce the carbon footprint of this critical infrastructure, and its commitment It goes through sinking it underwater. How it works. The yellow capsule that They have built Near Shanghai houses servers that remain cold thanks to the ocean currents, without the need for active cooling systems. According to Yang Ye, vice president of Highlander, the maritime company that develops the project with state companies, “underwater operations have inherent advantages” and can save approximately 90% of the energy for refrigeration. The installation will extract almost all its electricity from nearby marine wind farms, with more than 95% renewable energy. The technical challenges. Putting servers under the sea is not easy. They must be protected from the corrosion of salt water, for which they use a special coating with glass scales on the steel capsule. Also They have installed An elevator that connects the main structure with a section that remains on the water, allowing the access of maintenance equipment. Another challenge is to build the Internet connection between the Submarine and Tierra Firme Center, a more complex process than with conventional facilities. Universities researchers in Florida and Japan They have warned In addition to these centers could be vulnerable to attacks by sound waves driven by water. Environmental doubts. Although the project promises to reduce emissions, questions remain about its ecological impact. The heat emitted by servers could alter the surrounding marine ecosystem, attracting some species and driving others. Andrew Want, marine ecologist from Hull University, Point out That “these are unknown aspects at this time, sufficient research is not yet being carried out.” Highlander says that an independent 2020 evaluation on its test project in Zhuhai indicated that the water remained well below the acceptable temperature thresholds, but Shaolei Ren, an expert from the University of California in Riverside, warns That climbing these centers will also climb the heat emitted. There are few precedents. Microsoft tested this technology off the coast of Scotland in 2018, recovering the capsule in 2020 after declaring that The project had been completed successfully. However, he never marketed it. The Chinese project advances with the support of government subsidies: Highlander received 40 million yuan for A similar project in the province of Hainan in 2022, which is still operational. The installation of Shanghai will serve clients such as China Telecom and a state computing company of AI. What comes now. Experts agree that these underwater centers will probably not replace the traditional ones, but will complement the existing infrastructure in specific niches. According to Rencurrent projects seek to demonstrate “technological viability”, but much remains to be resolved before a massive deployment. What is clear is that, if these types of projects face all technological challenges and manage to greatly reduce the energy consumed of the data centers, it will be a great point in favor for the company that manages to provide its solution in the AI ​​race. Cover image | AFP In Xataka | China was the great pollut the planet: now it is emerging as the first “electrostate” in history

China is building more electric cars than you can sell and that announces something dramatic: a manufacturers bleeding

by

For years, China has cooked its assault on the electric car. As in other sectors, the country has put a cooked pot and has been done with all the ingredients. Little by little, it has been heating the water, browning the sauce and, with everything ready, the fire has risen. The time has come to get the dishes. And it doesn’t matter if someone stays along the way. A huge market. China is the largest electric car market. Not only that, by volume, it is the country in which more cars are bought if we add all kinds of technologies. His market is gigantic. To the point that In it, 23.5 million cars were sold In 2024. To get an idea, in the United States 16 million cars were sold and around 12 million cars. Why does an electric car have less autonomy than the announcing According to data from Carnewschinasales were slightly lower (22.9 million) but the International Energy Agency (IEA, for its acronym in English) and the specialized medium in the Chinese market agree that the barrier of more than 11 million vehicles of new energy sold (category in which plug -in and electric hybrids are included) was broken). Over low heat. Until last year, European manufacturers had been leaders in the Chinese market. Little by little, local manufacturers have gained ground … until Byd rolled Volkswagen. Among new energy vehicles, more than 60% of sales They are electric cars. And there, Chinese manufacturers have passed over Westerners. They have achieved it with a determined policy. European manufacturers were offered land and labor at balance prices. Of course, they had to associate with local manufacturers. These manufacturers have learned from the West and, in addition, They have received subsidies from the Chinese governmenteither with the creation of state companies (or partial participation in them), almost free land and facilities and soft loans. And, at the same time, the State has been taking strategic positions. China controls the supply chain of semiconductors But also the production of Rare earth and of batteries. All this has caused that the cost of producing in China for the Chinese market is much cheaper for its local producers, which has resulted in a better product at a better price than foreign competitors. Fearless. Once the State has been done with the ingredients and has put the cooker, it has not been afraid to climb the fire with the intention that their marks will eat the western ones in the country. The purchase subsidies have been focused on maintaining a constant sales yield of electric cars and new energy, where China has managed to get ahead. At the same time, a wave of nationalism well aimed from the State (for the interests of its manufacturers) has moved the purchase interests of consumers. They already see Western brands as a thing of the past. Companies that previously positioned themselves as a luxury product today are obsolete in a market that bets on a type of car without barriers. A car that is the object of mobility but is also karaoke or interactive center where to take a while surrounded by screens. Overcapacy. Or overproduction, so that we all understand each other. According to data from the Chinese Association of Automobile Manufacturers, In 2024 there were 31,282 million vehicles and 31,436 million were sold. Keep in mind that much of that production, obviously, was sent outside the borders. In fact, already in 2023 The country beat Japan as the largest car exporter in the world. The problem is that the formula has begun to give symptoms of exhaustion in this 2025. O, as little, of a certain stagnation. Last August, Byd confirmed that he had to redirect your sales prospects. The company I planned to produce 5.5 million of vehicles but its new objective is on the border of the 5 million. With 80% of its sales in China, which by the brake begins to give an idea of ​​the difficulty finding the market to absorb all the cars that are producing. An unexpected war. That difficulty in putting cars in the market has been the manufacturer himself in his meats. They explain in Reuters That in the Chinese city of Chengdu it is easy to find cars with discounts of 50%. Some of them, the Audi that are manufactured in collaboration with FAW, are sold with up to 60% discount. That war is dilapidating the margin of benefits of brands such as byd that have more muscle than rivals to lower prices and reduce stock. Because that is another of the obvious symptoms that point to a slowdown in the Chinese market. A few months ago, The concessionaires themselves asked that manufacturers stop sending cars because they were having problems selling them despite the attractive discount. In fact, The State itself has brought together manufacturers To deal with the topic of kilometers 0, which add up as a sale but then are forgotten in stores in the absence of a buyer. A private market. When China lived its previous price war, we already commented that it was a fire test for some companies. The problem of this wild competition is that manufacturers enter a downward price wheel where cars are ended up without taking out enough benefit to it. So, Tesla and Byd They were the ones that had the entire muscle to destroy the rivals. But, in addition, two peculiarities in the Chinese market must be taken into account. The first is that the launch rhythm is very high. That makes the companies themselves leave the cars they have launched just a few months or a year ago with their own innovations. This is the case of byd And the announcement that His eye of God would reach all his cars From now on. The client observes that the models and prices are renewed with each launch. Conclusion: delays the purchase, the stock accumulates and the cars are outdated. But, in addition, manufacturers … Read more

China is intractable in the electric car race, and is on its way to repeating with load trucks

by

The conquest of China in terms of electric cars has been noted over the last years, with A special thrust in Europe that has put the entire industry in suspense. But they are not the only type of vehicle with which it intends to conquer the globe. They also have a great presence their merchandise trucks. And is that Byd, manufacturer who has broken like nobody in the automobile sector, already sends electric charge trucks to Italy, Poland, Spain, and even Mexico, along with eight other Chinese companies that dominate the global market. Chinese brands monopolized 80% of the 90,000 world sales of electric charge trucks last year, according to The International Energy Agency. Why does this matter now. As they share from Rest of the WorldCO₂ emissions of heavy vehicles have grown almost 3% annually between 2000 and 2018, and trucks represent 80% of that increase. Its enormous environmental impact converts the electrification of merchandise transport into a key piece for global climatic objectives. And China has understood that there is a huge business opportunity. A domain with origin. China’s advantage does not arise from nothing. According to They share From the middle, it is born from a 15 -year government campaign in which commercial vehicles deal with as national priority, forcing manufacturers to produce electric vehicles as a percentage of their total production. Meanwhile, Western countries have limited themselves to offering tax credits to individual buyers. The result? In China, electric trucks They knead 22% of the heavy vehicle market In the first half of 2025. In Europe they represent only 1% of sales, and in India only 280 long -distance electrical trucks from a total of 834,578 commercial vehicles were sold. Profitability is no longer a promise. Chinese fleet operators report that their electric trucks cost between 10% and 26% less operate than diesel models, according to The commercial consultant Vehicle World. Catl, the largest worldwide electrical battery manufacturer, assures that its batteries reduce transport costs by 35% per ton-kilometer. These data have led to manufacturers such as Sany Group to predict That between 70% and 80% of the Chinese heavy truck market will be electric in a few years. The solution of the recharge problem. A typical load truck needs approximately a megavatio-hora of battery capacity, ten times what a Tesla Model 3. While in Europe truckers have mandatory breaks of 45 minutes every 4.5 hours (A time that can be used to load the truck), in markets such as Brazil or India commercial drivers usually drive between 10 and 18 hours in a row. China has resolved this dilemma through battery exchange technology, which they already use almost 40% of its heavy electric trucks. West goes far behind. Volvo, the main manufacturer in the West, barely has delivered 5,000 electric trucks In 50 countries. The case of South Africa illustrates its difficulties, because after two years in the market, Volvo has sold only Six unitstoo few to justify the local assembly. Importing them would have triggered prices in a country without buying subsidies. Meanwhile, Tesla promised Your semi truck In 2017, he delivered it in testimonial quantities to Pepsi in 2022 and practically It has disappeared for high component and cost failures. The global expansion is already underway. Byd It has facilities To produce electric load trucks throughout China and plan international assembly plants. Beiqi Foton already sends trucks to EU markets despite possible tariffs. In June, Chinese manufacturer Windrose announced plans to Establish a factory in GeorgiaUSA. “Chinese companies will adapt their entrance to the market strategies: supplying components where regulations require local manufacturing, establishing direct sales in other places,” Explain Ravi Gadepalli, founder of the Transit Intelligence consultant. The key is in capital. Commercial transport is dominated by small operators with very tight margins that lack capital for vehicles that cost twice as their diesel equivalents, although operating costs end up compensating. “Financing is the main obstacle in India, while in China the government invested significant capital to boost the sector,” Point out Gadepalli. However, the same expert warns that “it is very likely that Chinese electric truck manufacturers revolutionize the global cargo truck market. We have already seen it with cars and buses, and it is likely to continue.” He does not lack reason either as far as electric buses are concerned, because it is Another market in which China dominates. It still remains. The global heavy electric truck market will reach only 5,000 million dollars by 2030, a tiny fraction of the 6 billion electric vehicle market, according to The Grand View Research analysis firm. Most sales will be light commercial vehicles for urban cast, according to Share The medium, since long -distance trucks will continue to generate more emissions. Although seeing how unstoppable China is in the electric vehicle, the given estimates may underestimate the country’s growth rate in this sector. Cover image | Daniel Fikri In Xataka | China and Europe do not trust each other in electric car. And someone is taking advantage of it: Türkiye

The entire planet looks intrigued at the cars factories of China and Morocco. Meanwhile, another power grows in the shadow: Türkiye

by

The European Union has more than A year applying the “compensatory rights” to the Chinese electric vehicles. This rate really applies to all manufacturers they produce in China and then bring their cars to European soil. The goal? That companies manufacture in Europe. But if all eyes point to China, other countries make their way. Morocco is not the only one that is consolidating as the springboard Star to Europe: Türkiye is asking for a step. And it is not something that are taking advantage of Chinese brands: also European. Trampolines. The Chinese automotive industry has a simple objective: to conquer the world with its electric cars. Companies have experience, technology, ships to transport thousands of cars of a tacada and are leaders in the manufacture of the most important: The batteries. China has launched some strategies to meet that plan, such as expand its factories in Europe, associate with European companies and create Kits that are manufactured in ChinaThey are transported disassembled and remembered in the final car on European soil. But, they are also taking advantage of “empty” in those compensatory rights. The combustion car is its ‘Trojan horse’but also countries like Morocco and Türkiye. In both, the labor is cheaper than in Europe and most importantly: they have commercial treaties with the EU, which allows those ‘tariffs’ to skip. Touchstone. It is calculated that The investment in Morocco is about 10,000 million dollarsa figure that contemplates not only manufacturing, but also the exploitation of key minerals for battery production. Morocco has huge deposits and China does not want to miss another portion of a chain that dominates with iron fist. In the case of Türkiye, there are examples like Chery investing $ 1,000 million for a plant in Samsun that will have a production capacity of 200,000 electric and hybrid vehicles every year. SWM Motors too will open A plant in Eskisehir to create hybrids and gasoline, and Byd will have one of its biggest factories In the West in Manisa. Besides, Not only will they be dedicated to manufacturing: In the case of Byd we also talk about an R&D center. Not only China. But it’s not just that China looks at Türkiye: Europe does not lose sight of them either. Brands like Renault and some from Stellantis produce There models for both the local market and Europe (The new Clio, for example). Moreover, the European Union, through funds such as Horizon Europe, intended 1,000 million euros in the 2021-2027 framework for the development of the automotive sector in Türkiye, especially for electric mobility, the development of load infrastructure and initiatives such as the manufacturing and recycling of batteries. Win-Win. Obviously, the situation is beneficial for all parties. On the one hand, China wins a springboard to European soil and the possibility of introducing their cars at very attractive prices in a local market that is upwards. The estimate is that Türkiye is the Major Market Fourth of electric cars for sales in Europe during the first half of 2025, only behind Germany, the United Kingdom and France. This is something favored by the State thanks to reductions and a series of advantageous tax conditions and tax exemptions if an electric car is purchased. And Türkiye, with that money, promotes the transformation of the sector with new R&D centers and strategic agreements with Europe to further reinforce its position. Toggg. And eye, Türkiye, Following The example of Europe put an aggressive tariff on Chinese electric cars, but with a condition: if manufacturers began to invest in local production facilities, they would be exempt from that import tax. But in all this there is an asterisk: Chinese companies, with their high capitalization and strong technology, can offer advanced vehicles at very competitive prices that overwhelm local producers like Toggg. There are already those who points That this competition, instead of healthy, could suppress the growth of the local ecosystem, being a danger if, at some point, Chinese companies decide to leave the market. And the United States? Apart from this issue, it is evident that the country is playing its letters well as the “bridge” between the East and West is, also in terms of critical raw materials to create batteries –part of the rare earth that China controls-. And, if you are wondering what happens to American companies, the truth is that their giants are not investing directly in Türkiye, but they are doing it through the calls Joint Ventures. They do not want to make too much outside the United States (something that recent tariff Otosan to create cars on Turkish soil and sell them both in that market and in the Middle East. In the end, as they say, a scrambled river, fishermen’s gain. And everything indicates that Morocco and Türkiye are those fishermen. In Xataka | Family and friends keep asking me if “it is worth buying a Chinese car.” This is my answer

It is another “war” between China and the USA

by

For a few years, video games They are the entertainment means that generates more income. It is estimated that the market is greater than that of cinema and the music Together, and 2024 was a very interesting year. The global benefits of the sector were around of 185,000 million dollars and, although we have many names of games that sell millions in the head, the “unexpected” data is that China is the market that starts the cod. And this graph reflects it perfectly. Two giants. First of all, the graph prepared by Visual Capitalist has been carried out taking into account the data of Newzoo. It is a firm that analyzes the state of the industry and, although the numbers can fluctuate if we take other sources, some of the largest companies in this sector work directly with Newzoo. That said, we must highlight the two giant markets of video games. Of the estimated total of 182.7 billion dollars in 2024, more than half correspond to benefits generated only by two countries. China led with 48.8 billion dollars and a portion of 26.7% of the market. The United States followed them closely with an estimate of 47.6 billion dollars, for 26.1% of the total. They are two absolutely gigantic markets, but they could not be more different. Duality. The United States is a market more similar to European and other Western countries. There is a balance between consoles, PCs and mobile platforms, which can explain that, if we think of the world’s largest video game market, for our perception the United States would have been the leader. We constantly have news about the millions that sell traditional video games and consoles, but the matter is that the mobile has a lot, very much to say here. HE esteem That mobile games generated 51% of those US benefits, consoles 31% and 18% PC. In China, smartphone game is the standard. HE esteem That, of those 48,800 million generated in 2024, more than 32,000 million were made in mobile games. The exponents were titles like ‘Honor of Kings‘,’ Peace Elite ‘(which is the Chinese version of’PUBG‘) and other games such as the Moba or Minigions that are designed to share in streaming. And if, loaded with microtransactions. Japan. With a population much lower than that of the other two countries, Japan is the third market in discord. The figures are far from the two giants, but the 16.6 billion dollars in revenue has merit thanks to a rich culture around video games and to have some of the main companies in the industry. Not only do we talk about developers, but also console manufacturers like a nintendo that sweeps at home thanks to a Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 which are ideal for the Japanese market (desktop for those who want, but above all laptops) and PlayStation. The mobile segment is again dominant with a My dear Of 70% of the total, but the strong attachment to Nintendo, the hybrid concept of Switch and the love of the ‘great N’ franchises have weight in the total. Curiously, The PC grew during the last yearbut it is still far from the consoles and, above all, from the mobile. South Korea. And another curious case is that of South Korea. The country does not have a development industry such as Japan or the United States (although recent titles such as’Stellar Blade ‘ They show that they look more and more at the triple industry a). However, the mobile game, microtransactions and, above all, the passion they have for competitive titles on PC, caused it to be crowned as the fourth market worldwide. Video games like ‘Starcraft‘,’League of Legends‘ and ‘Overwatch‘They are religion in the country (so much that even politicians They have used them in campaign to try to get young people). They are, yes, much more aligned with the rest of the countries. The rest and perspectives. Between 2% and 4% of the cake we have European giants such as Germany, the United Kingdom or France, which remain important, but much smaller than the actors already described in the upper lines. Of course, the strength of Europe is that it is a much more united market, with titles that usually bring languages ​​such as French, German, Italian, English and Spanish; And together they represent a significant weight. With the apparent opening of China in the global video game market and the weight of whales like Tencentas well as studies that are betting on gigantic developments (‘Black Myth: Wukong‘It would have been impossible a few years ago), you have to wait to see how the photo of this market can look for a few years. At the moment, the global estimate is that the market will continue growing until it reached a figure of between 500,000 and 733,000 million worldwide. It depends greatCloud Gaming‘They will be the dominant tools in the video game segment for the next few years. In Xataka | I use my PC to play in my “local cloud” from any device. Doing it is easy, and also, free

The war between China and the United States has uncovered a technological “mercenary”: Oracle

by

While giants like Microsoft, Google or Meta The headlines monopolize Regarding the AI ​​and the rest of its technologies, Oracle has been silently positioned as the perfect intermediary in the technological pulse between Washington and Beijing. After The acquisition of Sun Microsystems In 2010 to be in charge of Java, a key piece for the operation of multiple technologies in our electronic devices, Oracle’s power was increasing. Now his record It expands thanks to the AI already its involvement in Tiktok’s agreement. THE BUSINESS OF NOT CHOOSE BANDO. Oracle has built its strategy in being the neutral provider that does not directly compete with its biggest customers. While Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure can generate friction because of their direct competition, Oracle offers infrastructure without the threat of removing the business being present. This position allows you to work with both Openai and any rival, becoming the “mercenary” that everyone needs and nobody fears. His role in the rescue of Tiktok. The White House has confirmed that Oracle will be key in the agreement to maintain operational Tiktok in the United States. The company will be in charge of security of the American version of the application, managing the data of the users from centers located in American territory. Bytedance will retain 20% of the property, but Oracle will control the critical infrastructure that reassures legislators concerned with national security. More power, less prominence. While the big technological struggle to capture the attention of the final consumer, Oracle has chosen to remain in the shadow. His Cloud infrastructure business It does not have the glamor of social networks or AI attendees, but it has become essential. And the numbers accompany, because the company He has triggered his income Futures 359%, reaching 455,000 million dollars of capitalization thanks to contracts such as Openai worth 300,000 million to materialize the famous’PROJECT STARGATE‘. The perfect intermediary strategy. Oracle has maintained a position of neutrality in recent years, which has allowed him to benefit from geopolitical tensions without taking part publicly. When the United States needs a Chinese alternative to technological infrastructure, Oracle is there. When the companies of AI They need computational capacity Without depending on direct competitors, Oracle is also available. A network of contacts has been worked from which he has taken a lot of profit. The risks of success. This strategy is not exempt from dangers. The growing dependence of great contracts such as Openai turns Oracle into vulnerable to single -client. In addition, fulfilling such ambitious commitments will require significant indebtedness and an unprecedented infrastructure expansion. Its debt ratio on equity of 427% already overcomes that of competitors such as Microsoft, which is 32.7%, according to data of S&P Global Market Intelligence. Cover image | Oracle In Xataka | Great door or nursing: “circular financing” between Nvidia and OpenAi can be the genius of the century … or the collapse

While the world desperately seeks rare earth, China has an overwhelming advantage: it’s called Wem

by

It seems clear that it has begun A race On the planet: the search for Rare earths and the essential critical minerals for many of the sectors that mark the geopolitical agenda. The problem for 99.9% of nations is the same: when they seem to have reached a deposit there are already A Chinese flag. What is not usually explained so much is how Beijing does. The miliar origin. Deep in the mountains of center of China extends A monumental installation that transforms both the landscape and the global competition for strategic resources. It is a gigantic antenna of 500 kilowatts, with lines that are deployed over 80 and 120 kilometers, originally conceived to maintain communication with underwater underwater. This electromagnetic colossus, whose extension exceeds in five times the New York surfacehas been converted into a decisive instrument for the exploration of critical minerals, projecting signals capable of penetrating kilometers in the earth’s crust and revealing deposits that previously remained out of human reach. What began as a military project has become a Scientific and Technological Weapon which gives Beijing a remarkable advantage in the race for the resources that will define the future of energy and industry. Electromagnetic exploration. A study of the China Geological Survey (CGS), published in the Geophysical & Geochemical Exploration magazine, has detailed how the country has managed to monopolize Electromagnetic systems of ultra-high power. All platforms that exceed 100 kW are in Chinese territory, while the most powerful tool in the United States barely reaches 30 kW. The difference is not trivial: this technological leap has allowed Chinese geologists to discover in recent years sites of historical magnitude, such as the Greater gold deposit of the world, reserves Lithium ultra-extends and uranium veins in depths Never achieved. The research led by Chen Hui and his team affirms That these innovations consolidate China’s world position in electromagnetic exploration theory and technology, placing it far ahead of any western competitor. The challenge. As the superficial deposits of copper, lithium, cobalt and rare earths are exhausted, the exploration has moved to what geologists call The “Second Mineral Space”: An underground strip that extends between 500 and 2,000 meters deep. In this environment, the signs issued by mineral bodies are extremely weak and are usually buried under the cultural noise generated by electricity lines, urban infrastructure and extractive operations. The Chinese response has been to redefine the scale of prospecting: multiply the transmission power by above 100 kWflooding the subsoil with signs capable of crossing interference and reaching depths of up to 3,000 meters with unprecedented clarity. Advances in the subsoil cartography. The jump is not limited to power. While conventional techniques relied on two -dimensional models not suitable for complex structures, Chinese systems use Sensors distributed networks and multidirectional field sources that allow a real three -dimensional image of the subsoil. In the Jiama copper mine, in the Tibet, a controlled audio-magnetothelúrica tensorial study (CSAMT) reached unpublished resolutions at more than 3,000 meters, subsequently confirmed with drilling nuclei. These results They far exceeded to the Magnetotheluric of Natural Source, usually ineffective in saturated noise environments. The methods. One of the most prominent advances is the Electromagnetic method wide field, developed by Professor He Jishan, which allows you to obtain reliable data even in the so -called “nearby field zone”, where the records were not very useful. At the same time, the time-frequency electromagnetic systems are expanding the available information by measuring not only the resistance of the materials, but also its polarization and permeabilityessential parameters to distinguish between different types of deposits. The Wem project. And so we reach the clearest symbol of this ambition: The Wem project (Wireless Electromagnetic Method), whose colossal structure crosses China’s heart with two antenna lines arranged almost at right angles. This system, which began as a naval communication tool, has become the First electromagnetic transmitter of continental scale used in the prospecting of resources. In a national test carried out in 2023its signs were detected from Tibet to Interior Mongolia and Guangdong, more than 2,000 kilometers away. In the area of ​​Xiong’an there were magnetic fields up to seven times higher than the natural background noise, an unequivocal demonstration of the system’s capacity to impose itself on the most complex interference. Strategic advantage. In other words, with these Beijing technologies It is placed at the head of the struggle for the essential mineral resources for the energy transition and the green technologies: lithium for batteries, cobalt for high resistance alloys and rare earths essential in modern electronics. In contrast, most Western countries lack comparable systems and, except Russia, almost none use ultra-high power instruments in terrestrial prospecting. Even the most powerful teams manufactured in the West have been designed at China, which underlines the existing technological dependence. A new geopolitical board. China’s ability to identify deep deposits quickly Not only is it a scientific advantage, but also strategic. Control over technology and data places Beijing in a position to mark the rhythm of the discovery of resources in the coming decades. If you want, in a context where the energy transition redefines the global value chains, who controls access to lithium, cobalt and rare earth will control much of the industrial future. With the deployment of Giant antennas and electromagnetic systems Of unpublished power, China is making it clear that it does not intend to participate in the race: its goal is to win it. Image | Ilo Asia-Pacific, Herry Lawford, Terence Wright In Xataka | The great covered in the War of Critical Minerals is Tungsten. The US needs it and 83% have it China In Xataka | In 1978 Chinese engineers visited two key US companies. On his return an empire began: the rare earths

stop desertification in China

by

China has found an ingenious way to give a second life to the giants who once dominated their energy landscape. The pales of the wind turbines, who begin to retire after 20 or 25 years of service, are becoming more than a difficult product to recycle: they now serve to stop an enemy that advances silently, desertification. A barrier against the sand. Researchers at Research Station of Gobi Desert Ecology and Environment, Under the Chinese Academy of SciencesThey have found a way to transform the old blades of wind turbines into porous barriers against the sand. It is a solution that takes advantage of the geographical coincidence: many of the wind farms of western China are installed in arid or semi -desert regions, just where the control of the desert progress is most lacking. A quite simple process. The turbines are cut, pierce and process until they are made into porous structures. The wind can cross them, but in a controlled way: enough to catch the sand and alter its flow. In laboratory tests They showed that these barriers They are 14 times more resistant than composite wooden boards and that support ultraviolet radiation, extreme heat and constant abrasion of the sand. After that, the experiments in wind tunnels and computer simulations They confirmed that they reduce Significantly the transport of sand at ground level. Unlike traditional methods – like straw or cane barriers, which decompose quickly – new structures are designed to resist for years in extreme conditions. A double benefit. The value of this innovation goes far beyond engineering. The new barriers offer entire communities a more stable protection in front of sand storms that destroy oasis and crops. The clearest example is Dunhuang, in the province of Gansu, which located on the edge of the Kumtag desert, just 4.5% of its surface is covered by Oasis, and its famous cultural treasures – like Mogao’s caves— They have been threatened by the sand for decades. For its part, the project responds to a more urgent need: the massive recycling of wind blades. According to China Dailyduring the 14th five-year plan (2021-2025) is expected to withdraw more than 1.2 million kilowatts of wind capacity and in the following plan (2026-2030), the figure could reach 10 million kW per year. This volume of waste poses an environmental problem, but also an opportunity to transform them into useful resources there where they occur. Looking for solutions before the residue. The challenge now is to climb the technology. Field trials They continue to adapt it To different climates and deserts, and the potential is enormous: convert an awkward residue into a key environmental management tool. China, that already leads the world renewable capacityshows with projects like this how its strategy goes beyond installing panels and mills: it is about closing the circle, taking advantage of waste and, incidentally, protecting fragile territories against desertification. The energy transition not only produces electricity: it can also rewrite the landscape. Image | Pexels Xataka | He was deported to China after co -founding NASA’s JPL. Now China has made one of his ideas come true: flying wind turbines

If the question is why the US wants to rescue Argentina with a fortune, the answer has two ingredients: China and Lithium

by

Argentina entered again in Turbulence zone Despite the drastic fiscal and monetary adjustment of Javier Milei. A bulky defeat in provincial elections, the erosion of support in Congress and a corruption scandal that splashes their surroundings fired the doubts of the investors, forced sales of reservations by More than 1 billion of dollars in three days to defend the exchange band and approached the weight to the lower limit of the corridor. And then he The United States appeared With a briefcase under your arm. American help. Yes, the reaction was a political-financial turn of Washington: the Treasury Secretary, Scott Besent, defined Argentina As “systemically important ally in Latin America” ​​and announced that “all options” were on the table to stabilize the markets, an explicit wink to the “whatver it Takes” of Mario Draghi in 2012. The message, a priori, had immediate effect on prices and expectations, but opened a greater debate about the scope, incentives and the risks of such support. What has been promised and how. The United States Treasury discusses a swap line with Buenos Aires of 20,000 million of dollars with the Central Bank and the possibility of buying sovereign debt in dollars from Argentina, in addition to making direct currency purchases if the conditions justify it. The operational tool would be the so -called Exchange Stabilization Fundwith wide discretionary margin to intervene in foreign exchange and assets, used in 1995 To help Mexico. Besent added that the treasure “is prepared” to acquire bonds and offer backup credit. Trump himself, after meeting with Milei, affirmed that will help, although he said “I don’t think they need a rescue,” framing assistance as access to “good debt” and market liquidity. In parallel, Milei sought internal oxygen suspending temporarily Grain export taxes to accelerate the flow of commercial dollars, while keeping operational, although partially activated, The swap line With the Popular Bank of China (18,000 million, of which about 5,000 are active). The small print. The announcement acted as a short circuit: The peso bounced, the 2029 and 2035 bonds recovered between 6 and 7 cents and the yield of 10 years in dollars fell from 17% to ~ 15%. Great managers They celebrated the signalunderlining that it provides a “critical window” to the legislative. However, investors requested details: effective volume, deadlines, conditions and intervention triggers. The Treasury He has suggested Absence of “conditionality” added to that of the IMF, but the practice usually imposes safeguards. In “House”, the package faces resistance: Criticism in Congress American questions to allocate emergency funds to sustain the currency and assets of a third party, with the political risk of being perceived as a lifeguard to Trump’s personal ally. Strategic reasons: why. The Analysts coincide With a clearly geopolitical reason: reduce dependence Argentina from China in financing, swaps and access to critical minerals Like lithiumand strengthen an openly government Pro-Mercado and aligned With Washington. The second It is financial: Prevent an episode of regional systemic instability due about 35% of the living support of the background on a global scale. The third may be of global signal: reaffirm the capacity of the United States to stabilize emerging markets with sovereign instruments, projecting financial power in a context of strategic competence. And the fourth, more tactical, purely electoral: Prevent short -term stress Extra ball: Meme politics. An added, less economical and more symbolic factor is politics turned into “Meme”. Just like Bukele He built prisons In El Salvador for ICE deportees as a gesture to Trump, Milei has earned a place within the magician imaginary in the United States for Your incendiary stylehis rejection of the establishment and His libertarian rhetoric. Under that prism, the current White House is willing to hold it because it embodies a political-cultural ally More than institutional, if you want to also, a kind of entry between “politically incorrect countries” that lend mutual support. If instead of Milei will govern A classic Peronista rescue of this size would have hardly been articulated, although, paradoxically, Trump shares with Peronism more related features than with the libertarian ideology that Milei proclaims. Lithium site A NAFTA as a counterpart. It We have counted before. Another angle to consider is the possibility that the financial rescue serves as prelude to an eventual Free Trade Agreement Between the United States and Argentina, a play that would fit with the interests of both parties. For Washington, it would be a way to shield access to strategic raw materials under a stable institutional framework and without the threat that Beijing capitalizes them through state investments. For Milei, a NAFTA with the world’s first economy would be political and economic support Of enormous value, with the ability to attract private capital, reduce financing and consolidate its image of “reliable partner” within the western block. The scenario, which is known, is not formally at the table, but the background of the rescue makes it a plausible possibility: the United States does not usually move chips of this magnitude without also binding long -term commercial commitments. The Argentine structural problem. The Financial Times counted This week that “shock therapy” stopped hyperinflationary drift, but the economy is still caught in A monetary duality that makes the system dependent and vulnerable to twists of feeling: each capital output realizes distrust in the peso and forces expensive defenses with few reserves. In this framework, the discussion about dollarization returns to the center: Milei champied her In campaign, then postponed it for its costs (loss of monetary policy, impossibility of adjusting by exchange rate and binding external cycles), but broad support from the United States could reopen it. Regional experience (Ecuador) and The European They teach to enter is easy and get almost impossible. Without tax reforms, productivity, exchange regime and institutional credibility, assistance can become a expensive and ephemeral patch. China and Treasures. As we said, the “nuclear” aims to remove Buenos Aires from the Chinese orbit in the dispute for strategic resources. The lithium of the “triangle” that integrates Argentina, … Read more

To build an “artificial sun” we need to be able to move the weight of ten elephants with millimeter precision. This is what China has just done

by

In Chinese mythology, Kuafu was a giant who challenged the gods when trying to catch the sun to give light and heat to their people. Centuries later, China re -pursues that same ambition, but now with avant -garde science: to create a “Artificial sun” that provides clean and unlimited energy. And in that way, the engineers have just presented a new protagonist worthy of legend: a colossal robot. The arm for fusion. The Asian giant has developed a remote manipulation platform for future fusion reactors. It is a system with three robotic arms, whose main manipulator can raise up to 60 tons – the weight of ten African elephants – with a millimeter accuracy, According to South China Morning Post. Meanwhile, the two secondary arms stand out for even more extreme precision: ± 0.01 millimeters, which makes it the most advanced remote management system in the field of fusion. Closer to the “artificial sun.” The objective of this whole project is to achieve stable nuclear fusion, that almost inexhaustible energy that mimics the process that occurs in the sun’s core. In fact, China has been breaking records for years in its East experimental reactor, which this year has achieved Maintain a confined plasma for 1,066 seconds, a world record that exceeds 403 seconds Realized in 2023. But for this energy to become commercial, it is necessary to resolve a major challenge: maintenance. The internal components of a reactor, such as coating or the diving, are constantly damaged by heat, radiation and magnetic fields. And this is where this new robot comes into play: no human being could work in these extreme conditions. The in -depth project. The robot is part of the craft (Comprehensive Research Facity for Fusion Technology), an installation in Hefei, Anhui, nicknamed “Kuafu” in honor of the mythical giant. More than 300 scientists and engineers participate in this project, According to SCMPunder the supervision of the Institute of Plasma Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. “We have developed a machine capable of meeting extremely demanding requirements by overcoming obstacles in materials, sensors and control,” explained Pan HongtaoInstitute researcher. The idea is to use craft as a test bank to develop and validate key fusion technologies, including those that will be applied in the future Chinese experimental fusion reactor (CFETR) and in the International Iter project In France. Ready to go into action? For now, we are not talking about an operational robot in a reactor, but of an experimental platform. According to China Dailythe system has already exceeded the evaluation of experts and will serve as an engineering verification platform to ensure that, when reactors enter into operation, remote maintenance is safe and precise. Craft, where it is housed, plans to be completed in the late 2025. Beyond fusion. Although the immediate objective is to maintain fusion reactors, technology is not limited to that field. According to CGTNthe advances achieved in this robot could also be applied in inspection of nuclear plants, aerospace industry, operations with heavy machinery or even emergency rescues. A global career for the artificial sun. The Kuafu robot does not arise in a vacuum. Other countries also develop remote maintenance systems, although with much lower capabilities. The most advanced arm of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan) supports only 2 tons. In contrast, the Chinese robot can manipulate 30 times higher loads. At the international level, the Iter project in France – in which 35 countries participate – will have a system Able to handle up to 45 tons. The new Chinese system already exceeds it in load capacity, although both remain development platforms rather than operating systems. The road map is clear but slow: Chinese experts They calculate that they are still 30 to 50 years to see commercial fusion reactors. And the European Union, with its Eurofusion projectdoes not expect to start testing with plasma until the end of this year. Forecasts The Chinese commitment to nuclear fusion advances with firm steps. The development of a robot capable of lifting 60 tons with surgical precision is not a simple engineering achievement: it is an essential piece for someday fusion reactors to maintain and function stable. Humanity He has been trying to replicate the energy of the sun on earth. With advances like this, China shows that it is determined to be the protagonist in that race. Decades may be missing to see fusion plants in operation, but every step we bring us a little more to that utopia to capture the sun. Image | Freepik Xataka | The largest nuclear fusion project on the planet has survived the setbacks. This is the date on which Iter should be ready

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.