earths

Japan believes to have the largest deposit of rare earths hidden on a tiny island. And it is already date to extract them

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The Rare earth They are an element of great economic and geopolitical value and China stands as the greatest power. To its Japanese neighbors He didn’t make any grace have to depend on them and, after an exhaustive search, a year ago they found the treasure: A huge site of rare earths at the bottom of the ocean. Japan has already set date to start extracting them. January 2026. It is the date on which Japan will begin with the first test extraction, according to Nikkei Asia. They expected to start this year, but the delivery of the necessary duct to reach the deposit did not reach last May and delayed the project for a year. The duct, manufactured in the United Kingdom, has cost 12,000 million yen (about 71 million euros) and will allow them to reach a depth of 5,500 meters. The Chikyu. The Japanese Marine-Terrestrial Science and Technology Agency or JAMSTECfor its acronym in English, will use the chiichyu, the name received by the Japanese drilling boat with which these valuable minerals will extract. In 2022 they already did a test at 2,500 meters deep In front of the coast of the Ibaraki Prefecture, but the challenge they face now is to drill more than double deep: 5,500 meters. If they get it, it would be the first time that rare earths are extracted to so much depth. In the first phase, Chikyu will extract 35 tons of mud. It is estimated that a ton of mud contains about 2 kilos of rare earths, so, in the best case, we could be talking about 70 kilos of rare earths. A key discovery. As we said, Japan found the site almost a year ago in front of the island of Minami-Torishima, located about 1,900 kilometers southeast of Tokyo. The site is located in the exclusive economic zone of Japan, so their extraction corresponds to them. Among the minerals it contains, one of the most abundant would be gadolinio, used in the nuclear industry, and the disposium, used mainly in magnets for electric vehicles. It would also be rich in manganese, cobalt and nickel nodules, key components in the creation of batteries. The amount is not clear and is decisive. At first there was talk of a site of 16 million tons, which would place Japan in third place behind China (44 million) and Brazil (21 million). However, a Analysis of the University of Tokyo He pointed to the loot would be much more juicy: 230 million tons. If confirmed, Japan would overcome China and be placed as the largest reserve of rare earths in the world. Independence. Japan’s efforts to find rare earth date back to 2022 and had a clear goal: to be independent. Currently, Japan depends on imports to meet their needs of rare metals, with 60% of them from China. The Japanese government invested 6,000 million yen (about 42 million euros) in the first extractions and have made it a priority since then. Friction. As we said, China currently has the largest reserve of rare earth and that gives it A huge power. Just a few weeks ago something unusual happened: A combat fleet, headed by two Chinese aircraft carriershe entered the Japanese ZEE near the island of Minamitori. Japan He did not confirm If he presented a formal protest and just declared that he had sent “the appropriate message.” It is not the first time that China enters the Japanese area, nor are the friction between the two countries, But it is certainly a somewhat controversial maneuver given the economic importance of the area. Image | TNFSA In Xataka | Yonaguni’s Japanese island was known for its beauty and Bad Bunny. Now it is a military strength because of Taiwan

This city of China is the world epicenter of rare earths. The problem is that nobody thought of its inhabitants

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To get an idea to what extent It has control Of those precious minerals that form the set of rare earths, the greatest enemy that China has is not outside its borders. It is such a monopolization in the sector that the danger has in “house” through of the smugglers. And of all enclaves, one stands out greatly as an epicenter of the entire heart. His name is Baotou, and everything that shines for the surrounding inhabitants is not gold. A normal city in appearance. Baotouan industrial core of 2.7 million inhabitants on the border with the Gobi desert, seems to the naked eye a second category Chinese city like so many others: shopping centers with western chains, local restaurants overflowing and children playing late. However, a short journey to the outskirts is enough to discover His true nature: A landscape dominated by factories, smoking chimneys and an environmental legacy forged by one of the most strategic and persecuted sectors of the planet. The heart of rare earths. Yes, the enclave houses More than 80% of the Rare reserves of China. Since in the 30s they were discovered in the nearby Mining District of Bayan Obo elements such as Cerio, Lantano or Samario, its exploitation has turned the city on a chain axis on global supply on industries such as electronics, automotive and defense. We have counted before: During the 90s, China increased its production by 450%, while other countries, such as the United States, They closed their mines. This concentration made Beijin the almost exclusive supplier of these critical metals, and today, in the midst of the commercial war with Washington, its control has been transformed In diplomatic weapon. Economy vs Human Cost. The problem? The Guardian told that mineral wealth has favored the economic development of Baotou, whose GDP per capita It widely exceeds the national average. However, prosperity has Your reverse: Processing plants generate toxic (often radioactive) waste that are discharged into huge artificial rafts. The most infamous, the Weikuang dam, for years was the largest landfill of rare earth waste on the planet, without adequate coating and directly close to the Yellow River. In fact, official reports have confirmed that these activities caused a 87% decrease of ammoniacal nitrogen in a tributary between 2020 and 2024, although accumulated ravages remain visible. Yin mountains on the outskirts Cancer and poison. For example, numerous studies They have documented devastating consequences in the health of nearby communities: from bone malformations to a “Epidemic” of cancer. Exposure to these elements, capable of crossing the blood brain barrier, has been associated with motor and sensory disabilities, as well as alterations in fetal neurological development. Not just that. 2020 investigations revealed that the dust of the streets contains concentrations so high that the children of Baotou and surroundings are exposed to dangerous levels Just to breathe. Daily particle ingestion rates in mining areas far exceed the limits considered safe. A washing … halfway. Given the growing international criticism, China has tried to clean its image. In 2022, state media announced that Weikuang’s dam had been transformed into an urban wetland, now supposed paradise of migratory birds. The reality? Explained the medium British that when arriving at the place, what one is located is a concrete wall that hides a dry and desolate lodazal. Behind, ruins of ancient “villages of cancer” and oxidized industrial structures extend. New homes built for displaced are practically empty, and foreign journalists are It usually blocks actively to prevent them from talking to residents. Rural sacrifice. So things, Baotou exemplifies an uncomfortable truth: the China domain In the rare earth market it has been possible not only for its geological reserves, but for a political decision where rural communities have been allowed to support Toxic costs of a globalized economic boom. It is not an exempt problem from China, of course, the same thing happens in other sectors such as AI and its data centers (we recently counted it with the Elon Musk Supercomputer). Be that as it may, and although there are less polluting technologies to process these metals, they are rarely used: its implementation would make the low costs that have cemented the Chinese position. If you want, in a context of growing international pressure and commercial sanctions, the extractive model It reveals both the fragility of environmental balance and the rawness of contemporary geostrategic priorities. Image | 柏尔莫华, 天王星 In Xataka | The key to China’s success with rare earths are not the rare earths: it is the magnet In Xataka | China’s domain of rare earths has nothing to do with geography: it is born from 39 university programs

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

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

China has built the most elegant economic power lever in modern history: rare earths

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He Rare Earth Agreement announced last night says more than what appears to be a simple commercial truce: China has the most sophisticated geopolitical weapon we have seen. One that is capable of paralyzing entire sectors of any developed economy. And with the elegance of who closes a tap. China controls the entire ecosystem of Rare earth: The Ganzhou mines. Processing plants. He know-how technical. Specialized labor. Even the only American Mountain Pass mine Send your material to China to refine it. It is the same difference between having oil and controlling the refineries of the world. China has built a monopoly on elements that are the blood of the digital economy: Without neodymium there are no wind turbines. No Disposio there are no Tesla engines. Without Terbio there are no iPhone screens. Deng Xiaoping He saw it in 1992: “Middle East has oil. China has rare earths.” Three decades later, That prophecy is a reality and a definition of the present. And the interesting thing is that West has financed its own vulnerability. For decades, US and European companies outsourced the extraction and processing of “dirty” minerals to China, celebrating the margins that gave them that specialization. That dependence has had a strategic cost. And now… The same companies that built the supply chains to maximize their efficiency now discover that they also optimized their vulnerability. And China executes in a way we could call “civilized blackmail“. It does not close the whole tap, but it does slow down the supply with bureaucracy. Ask for forms, photos of the factories, customer listings, production details. That, in addition to a bureaucratic nuisance, is also to open a window to the industrial secrets of its competitors. Industrial espionage, but institutionalized, disguised as commercial policy. You take it or leave it. When he negotiates, he does it from a position of strength. The agreement, of only six months, works as a constant reminder. Each western company now knows that its production depends on Chinese benevolence. And if a geopolitical escalation of any kind arises, the industrial blackout can be almost instantaneous. The West now discovers that economic interdependence can become a lethal weapon, because China has shown that in the technological era, who controls critical materials controls the rules. The agreement last night postpones the moment in which the West will have to decide if he is willing to pay the price (economic and strategic) to recover his mineral sovereignty. China has won this pulse and has plenty of strength to win all the following. In Xataka | China monopolizes rare earths. An enemy has come out of home: the smuggers Outstanding image | Wikimedia Commons

China has emerged a new problem with its rare earths: smuggling

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China is deploying police, customs agents and even spies to stop the smuggling of its increasingly precious Rare earthcritical minerals on which it maintains an official embargo. Why is it important. The Asian giant The world production of these materials is obsessively controllingessential for the car, technological and military industry. Its new anti -policy campaign aggravates even more the shortage that US and European companies are already suffering, who are not finding short -term alternatives. The context. China cut legal exports of seven types of rare earths –and magnets manufactured with them– last April 4. The measure is part of a pressure strategy for the United States to reduce tariffs on Chinese products and allow the sale of sensitive military technology to China. Yes, but. Smuggling had historically been an escape valve. Chinese organized crime unions came to traffic half of the country’s annual production before 2010. Multinationals such as Boeing, Volkswagen and Toyota depended on supply chains where legal and illegal production was mixed, according to a report from The New York Times. Between bambalins. Senior customs, trade, police and intelligence services met on May 9 to Plan the offensive. Three days later, representatives of eleven national ministries and seven provinces issued a joint statement: the control of strategic mineral exports is “related to national security.” In detail. The new license system demands thorough documentation. Complete traceability. Chinese companies have to certify not only who buys the material, but how it will be used at each subsequent stage of production, including photographs of final products. This information, in addition to avoiding smuggling, can also become a detailed map of the use of rare earths abroad for the Chinese government. And that would facilitate future attacks directed against specific companies and countries: they will know who will produce what. The facts. Traditional smuggling routes have been complicated: With the scarcity getting worse outside China and prices shooting, the potential benefits for smugglers willing to assume the risk are enormous. But new security measures make the game more and more dangerous. Outstanding image | Lio voo In Xataka | China has executed three master moves to break the technological dependence of the West. The sanctions were his best gift

China’s absolute dominance over rare earths is the result of a strategy that no one else has. Not even the US

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The Rare earth They have a leading role in the commercial, technological and geostrategic war that the US and China support. These chemical elements are relatively scarce, and, in addition, they are not usually found purely in nature, but what makes them so special are Its physicochemical properties. In fact, thanks to them they have established themselves as A very valuable resource In numerous industries, especially in electronics and renewable energies. During the last year and a half the Chinese government has used its control of these chemical elements to defend their strategic interests In full confrontation with the US, Europe and its allies. The interesting thing is that it can do it because it produces approximately 70% of rare earths They are distributed in the world market, and, what is even more important, controls 90% of the processing industry to which it is necessary to submit rare earths so that they can be used. China refines 99% of the weighing land of the planet At the current US tension situation, Europe and its allies need to bet on their independence and consolidate their own supply chain. They are in it, but they don’t have it easy. The old continent in particular has been proposed to self -abuse At least 10% of rare earths He needs for 2030 thanks to the exploitation of the new deposits, such as the one he found in January 2023 the LKAB mining company near the city of Kiruna, in northern Sweden. China’s starting point is very favorable. As we have just seen, with a 70% production of the global market and a control of 90% of the rare earth processing industry this Asian country has this absolutely controlled market. However, we have not yet repaired in a figure more that is also very important: China refine no less than 99% of the heavy lands of the planet. These chemical elements are a subgroup of rare earth characterized by its greater density and lower ionic radius. Heavy rare earths are a subgroup of rare earths characterized by its greater density and lower ionic radius In addition, heavy rare earths are less abundant in the earth’s crust than the light ones. To this subgroup belongs as elusive minerals and with names as exotic as gadolinio, the terbio, the display, the holm, the erbium or the tulle, among others. How can we intuit, China does not control 99% of the processing of this kind of rare earth by chance. This absolute leadership is the result of a strategy in which teaching institutions are having an unquestionably protagonist role. And, according to the newspaper The New York Timesat the moment China has 39 university programs of chemistry specialized in rare earths. Presumably in these training programs students acquire the necessary knowledge to develop their professional career in the chemical industry specialized in rare earth processing. There is no doubt that this is one of the great strengths of the country led by Xi Jinping in this area, especially if we keep in mind that US universities currently do not offer a single specialized program in rare earths. The article published by The New York Times does not collect it, but in all likelihood European countries that have a greater dependence on rare earths, such as Germany or France, as well as Japan or South Korea are in the same situation as the US. These countries will cost a lot of time to acquire the favorable inertia that China has objectively, so it is reasonable to anticipate that in the short and medium term the rare earth processing industry will continue to be led by strong by the country headed by Xi Jinping. This Jens Eskelund statementthe president of the Chamber of Commerce of the European Union in China, clearly reflects what the US and Europe face: “Some approvals are coming (the result of negotiation with China), but they are far from being enough to Avoid imminent stops in production. We still face A great interruption in supply chains“ Image | Volker Braun More information | The New York Times In Xataka | We already know what is the best natural factory of the precious rare earths: a cosmic kilonova

Without the rare earths of China, lasers will end in Europe. Germany has found a way to do without them

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The applications of Rare earths They are potentially unlimited. To this peculiar group of chemical elements belong some metals as elusive and with names as suggestive as neodymium, promised, gadolinium, ititrium or scandio, among others. Some of them They are relatively scarceand, in addition, they are not usually found purely in nature, but what makes them so special are their physicochemical properties. Its characteristics are beyond the reach of the other elements of the periodic table, which has caused that during the last decades they are consolidated as A very valuable resource In numerous industries, especially in electronics and renewable energies. They are involved, for example, in the manufacture of hybrid and electric cars engines, batteries, semiconductors, catalysts, optical fiber, LCD panels, and even in wind turbines. Europe wants to stop being in the hands of China once and for all China dominates the rare earth industry with an indisputable forcefulness. According to him US Geological Service For many years it has produced more than 90% of this valuable resource. In 2022 its market share was reduced to 70%, but did not do so because of a decrease in production; This fall had its origin in the increase in rare earth production quota experienced Australia, Vietnam and Myanmar, among other countries. In addition, the country led by Xi Jinping also dominates the processing industry to which it is necessary to submit rare earth so that they can be used. So much so that according to Xincaifu Its quota if we expressly stick to the global processing industry ascends 90%. And with a 70% production of the global market and a 90% control of the Chinese rare earth processing industry has this absolutely controlled market. The Chinese government is using its control of rare earths to defend their strategic interests in full confrontation with the US The government of this Asian country is using its control of these chemical elements to defend their strategic interests In full confrontation with the US, Europe and its allies. In this context, the old continent needs to bet on its independence and the consolidation of its own supply chain. And it is in it. In fact, Germany has just made a very important contribution in a scenario of fundamental use of rare earths: the manufacture of lasers. These devices are used to produce medical equipment, in scientific research, in the manufacture of consumer electronics, and even in the tuning of Quantum computersamong many other industries. Rare earths are used to dopar the crystals That, very broadly, they are responsible for amplifying the light before emitting it with a fixed wavelength. The problem is that if these chemical elements are not available the production of high quality lasers is not viable. Well, it really wasn’t until now. And it is that the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, which is located in Karlsruhe (Germany), has found a way to manufacture the crystals involved in the production of lasers without using rare earths. In fact, we can see some of these crystals in the cover photography of this article. During its manufacturing process it is essential to minimize impurities and preserve the polarization properties of the crystals, but, apparently, the researchers of the Fraunhofer Institute have given in the Diana. Your plan now goes through developing production processes that guarantee the supply of these crystals that Europe requires. Image | FRANHOFER INSTITUTE OF OPTRONICS More information | Interesting Engineering In Xataka | We already know what is the best natural factory of the precious rare earths: a cosmic kilonova

The earth’s core has a “escape.” And it’s gold

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Our planet hides, thousands of kilometers under our feet, a mainly composed nucleus ironwith an important nickel concentration, and also with other intermingled elements. And among these latest elements, there is gold. Gold leak. Gold that, according to a recent study, It is leaked towards upper layers, in the direction of the surface and through the land mantle. A gold, in addition, that would have “escaped” of the earth’s core along with other precious metals. A tiny portion. Gold has been considered, since time immemorial, a precious metal and its “rarity” has been related to the value we have given to this element throughout the history of mankind. “Rareness”, quoted, since it is a contextual rarity. Gold is rare on the surface of our planet and in the most accessible areas of the cortex through mining. But this element is not universe in the universe, and it is not scarce on our planet Earth. So much that the “superficial” gold represents less than 0.001% of the total of this gold. Before and after. Someone might wonder why the gold of our planet has been distributed so capricious. It is because this cast has little or nothing capricious, and the reason is in the geological history of our own planet. When the land was still in the process of formation, about 4.5 billion years ago, gold and other metals ended up trapped in the planet’s core, due to gravity. Until now we believed that these metals would have been separated from the surface by the terrestrial mantle. The origin of surface gold, following this logic, could be for example in spacethanks to the infinity of meteorites that have reached the surface of our planet throughout its geological history. After the track of Ruthenium. This, we pointed out, not only with gold, also with other similar metals such as The Ruthenium (RU). The recent study was based precisely on this metal and a significant fact: that the Ruthenium typical of the Earth’s core presents a significant abundance of a concrete isotope, Ruthenium-10 (100ru), which distinguishes it from superficial root. The team responsible for the new study analyzed Ruthenium traces found in the volcanic rocks of the Hawaii archipelago to determine the presence of the 100ru isotope. Something that would have been impossible a few years ago, The team stands outit has now been possible thanks to new tools developed for analysis. Analysis that allowed linking the ruthenium found in these rocks with the earth’s core, which implies that this metal from the border region between the nucleus and the mantle would have risen until it sneaks into the volcanic magma. The details of the study were published In an article In the magazine Nature. Aboard the convective magma. Investigating what happens under the surface of the Earth has been over the years a task on the verge of the impossible. The propagation of the seismic waves revealed at the time very valuable information about the mantle and the nucleus, but increasingly precise measurement techniques have gone Opening new doors Over the years. In Xataka | We take centuries without understanding how gold nuggets formed in quartz. The answer was in electricity and tremors Image | Göttingen University (Openai)

In full obsession with rare earths, a fairly common metal has jeopardized the green transition: Copper foul

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The latest report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) on minerals has confirmed which He had been discussed for a long time: Today, the absolute leader is China. It is no novelty, but among all minerals there is one that runs a particular danger, and not precisely because of geopolitical control, but for the real risk of shortage. There is a problem with copper. Of all minerals, copper emerges as one of the biggest challenges. The IEA report He has warned That by 2035 there could be a supply deficit of 30 %, due to the drop in the mineral law, the lack of new discoveries and the high development costs. A set of problems. It can be explained in a very simple way In data: Only in 2024, copper demand grew 3%, mainly driven by investments in electrical networks in China. The growth of mining production has been modest, much lower than other minerals such as lithium or nickel. Further 70% of global capacity Copper processing is in the hands of China. 7% of global copper production is in regions vulnerable to floods and droughts. Is there any solution? According to Fatih Birol, director of the IEA, the challenge is serious but not inevitable. In statements to The Guardianthe need to accelerate permits and reduce bureaucratic obstacles, in addition to implementing public policies that provide guarantees of volume and fiscal incentives, is stressed. Another line of action that They have detailed It is international diversification and cooperation. Some countries have advanced technological abilities and refining experience; Others have abundant mineral resources and great geological potential. In this way, in the report They have underlined That establishing balanced alliances between both realities could unlock new productive capacities, reduce market concentration and strengthen the resilience of the entire supply chain. There are other methods. A complementary route that already begins to take shape is the recycling of copper. As the pressure on primary resources increases, recovering and reusing infrastructure metal and disused devices is outlined as another strategy. In addition, in certain non -critical applications, the partial replacement of copper is studied by other materials, Like aluminum either The Ruthenium. It’s not just about copper. The case of copper reflects a broader pattern: more than 50% of critical minerals are now subject to export restrictions. This includes from lithium to more unknown elements such as Gaul or Telurio. Chinese dominance in refining, higher than 70% in 19 of the 20 key mineralsmakes this country not only the largest producer, but the referee of the global energy future. Time is exhausted. And copper too. The paradox is clear: the more we want to move towards a cleaner and more sustainable future, the more we depend on an infrastructure that we have not yet secured. Copper has become a silent bottleneck, difficult to replace and even more difficult to climb in record time. Image | Joyce Cory and Pexels Xataka | The collapse of the AVE of Seville has shown something more serious: how difficult it is to protect copper in a 15,000 km network

NASA has revealed why no astronaut has left the Earth’s atmosphere. Not even when they went to the moon

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From time to time, NASA reminds us with some anecdote or study that things are never how they seem or, failing that, that can always be questionable or have more than one answer. Recently they gave us such a simple explanation about our inability to find extraterrestrial signs that scared. They also clarified why We hadn’t returned To the moon before. The latest: remember that, technically, no human has ever left the earth’s atmosphere. And yes, I don’t even want when we went to the moon. A technically true provocation. To say that no astronaut in history has ever left the earth’s atmosphere may sound to a joke or little less than a conspiracy theory, but, from a scientific perspective and following what atmospheric models say, it is more than us A correct statement. To place ourselves in perspective and following this line of explanation, even iconic figures Like Yuri Gagarin either Neil Armstrongor contemporary space travelers Like William Shatnerhave remained, in physical terms, within the most extreme (although diffuse) limits of the Earth’s atmosphere. The key lies in how the end of that atmosphere is defined: a more complex and expansive issue of what is commonly believed. The atmosphere does not end where we imagine. All this reasoned recently Doug RowlandNASA heliophysics expert. Contrary to the popular idea that the atmosphere ends in a finite layer that dissipates before reaching the terrestrial orbit, the reality is that the atmosphere does not have a clearly defined “roof”. On the contrary, it becomes progressively more dim, but continues to spread. As Rowland toldeven hundreds of kilometers on the surface, where the International Space Station (EEI) orbits, there is still a sufficient air density to gradually stop the station. In fact, if it were not periodically driven with rockets, the EEI would end up falling by atmospheric drag. The artificial border: Kárman. For practical reasons (such as spatial treaties or legal definitions) an international convention has been adopted: The karm linelocated 100 kilometers above sea level, which marks the point where the space begins theoretically. This line serves as a technical threshold, since 99,99997% of atmospheric mass terrestrial is below. Said that, and how Explain the space agency itselfthis definition is useful for regulations and classifications, not so much to describe with physical precision the real limits of the atmosphere. The geocorone: atmosphere that reaches the moon. In 2019, A study based on data from Soho Solar Observatory (NASA/ESA), revealed that the exosphere of the Earth (specifically, a diffuse cloud of known hydrogen atoms Like geocorone) extends to about 629,000 kilometers, that is, beyond the orbit of the moon. What happens? That on that limit there are still about 0.2 hydrogen atoms per cubic centimeter. That means that, technically, even the Apollo missions that alunizarized in the 60s and 70s did not abandon the earth’s atmosphere. “The moon flies through the Earth’s atmosphere,” Igor Baliukin came to saymain author of the study, referring to the unsuspected magnitude of this invisible layer. The sun also contains us. The thing is even more complicated when both the Earth and the Moon are Inside the solar atmosphere. This extends to the edge of the helosphere, the limit beyond which the interstellar space begins. At this point it must be remembered that between the atmosphere of the earth and that of the sun there is no emptiness, but a structure of progressive and overlapping layers that contain particles, energy and electromagnetic dynamics. Therefore, and seen thus, the concept of “being in space” is less a matter of abrupt border and more a matter of progressive gradient. So where the space begins? As Rowland explainedthe answer depends on the point of view. If you ask where the atmosphere ends in a practical sense, probably about 400 kilometers, where air density ceases to have significant effect on objects. But from a more rigorous scientific perspective, that atmosphere does not disappear: it only dissipates and dilutes to barely measurable extremes, without disappearing at all. Therefore, “exterior space” is not an empty place, but a continuous environment full of particles, fields and subtle structures. In that sense, all space trips made by humans have elapsed within that extended wrapping that is still part of the planet that launched them. Image | Jasbond007 In Xataka | The last eeuu slap to Europe has sounded up to space: NASA has just left ESA with Artemis In Xataka | NASA is being very complicated to return to the moon. Your auditor no longer trusts that it can fly over for 2025

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