enemy

The startup that capitalizes our fear of an invisible enemy

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The places where we can find microplastics grow as time passes. We have already detected them in Testicles, lettuce, at seathe breast milk either even in the air. Taking advantage of this growing concern for this pollutant, there is a London company that is selling an ‘innovative’ therapy: clean the blood of microplastics in exchange for a payment of 11,500 euros the session. It is not yet known if microplastics are in the blood. Today, microplastics have been found in many parts of our body, but the fact that they are circulating in the blood is something that today is not serious for our health. Although companies have seen the opportunity to create a great business around health and this pollutant. A luxury treatment in the heart of London. In the prestigious Harley Street, known for its private clinics and its wealthy clientele, between 10 and 15 people a week they sit on a comfortable armchair to undergo the treatment of the company Clarify Clinics. The procedure, which lasts about two hours, resembles a dialysis session. Although previously we have to pay 9,750 pounds, which would be around 11,500 euros. Something that the big stars pay such as Orlando Bloom. A cannula extract the patient’s blood and introduces it into a machine that separates the plasma from red blood cells. This plasma passes through a filter designed to catch microplastics and other pollutants such as perfluoroalized and polyfluoralized substances. Once the blood is ‘clean’, the plasma is recombine with blood cells and reintroduced into the body. So comfortable that you can work during therapy. In his attempt to attract more and more patients, CEO of Clarify Clinic points out that it is a “very comfortable” technique According to Wired. So comfortable is that he acknowledges that patients make calls, gather by zoom or even watch a movie while their blood is cleaned. Indicated for patients with nonspecific symptoms. According to the company itself, customers who go to their clinic share chronic fatigue or ‘mental fog’. Although the clinic also promotes its treatments for people who take medications to lose weight such as Ozempic, couples seeking to conceive or those concerned about dementia. The result is always the same: they come out as new. Science is not clear. The scientific community has shown that microplastics are literally surrounding us. But there is no evidence of its effects on the body. WHO itselfin a report published in 2019, he concluded that there is still not enough evidence to determine if they suppose a risk to human health. We do not know if they are safe, but we also do not know the risks they could raise to create specific therapies to ‘detoxify ourselves’. If we go to the website of this clinicthe truth is that available from a section called ‘Science’. But upon entering it offers many data, but few references (if not any) of research that speak of the effects on the health of microplastics. They are limited to what we know: their presence in numerous places. But, on the other hand, they point out that they eliminate all the effects of this pollutant. More research is still needed. Although some studies have found worrying correlations, causality remains very elusive. A 2022 review associated microplastics with damage to human cells in the laboratory, but did not examine health results in living people. More recently, In a study Published in the prestigious magazine New England He found that people with microplastics in the fatty plaque of their carotid arteries had a higher risk of heart attack and cardiovascular accident. However, the study was observational and could not prove that microplastics will cause That greatest risk. There could be other factors: patients with microplastics in their arteries were also more likely to be men, smokers and to have pre -existing cardiovascular diseases. A anecdotal -based therapy. Although the evidence is very small, the CEO of Clarify Clinics sells its therapy as a miraculous thanks to the effects it has on its patients. It points to the fact that higher levels of energy or better sleep are reported, and even herself monitors her dream with The oura ring And he assures that after the treatment, his sleep score has not dropped from 90, when before 70 was a good result for her. Biohacking for rich: a booming trend. Microplastic blood cleaning joins a growing list of high -coastal treatments and with doubtful scientific evidence. From the injections of stem cells in Bahamasuntil Receive a child’s plasma injection To stay young. And in many cases these treatments have a common goal: to stay young. And for this there are many people who They can invest millions of dollars in therapies. Our obsession with this objective makes even investigations are pointing to medications that reverse human agingalthough without thinking about the consequences you have. Images | Flyd Ozkan Guner In Xataka | Telling what worries the AI was just the first step: there are already bots that are passed through collegiate psychiatrists

Sweden is investing millions of euros in a silent war. The enemy to beat: an epidemic of solitude

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Sweden has declared a war, one that seems to worry especially to its authorities, which has been speaking for years and in which it is willing to invest millions and millions of euros. The enemy to beat? The loneliness. It makes all the meaning if you take into account that A sensitive part of its inhabitants suffers unwanted isolation, especially between the younger and older layers of society, and there are who considers To Sweden the loneliest country in the world. After all, loneliness is a “Public Health Problem” And something else: complicates the efforts of the authorities for Strengthen your defense civil. The loneliness numbers. It is not the same to live alone than feeling alone. Just as not all societies face loneliness in the same way. Throughout the last years, however, different agencies have published studies that give us an idea of ​​the scope of both phenomena in EU countries, including Sweden, a nation that has declared war to unwanted isolation. In 2017 Eurostat published A study which shows that more than half (52%) of Sweden households are formed by a single person, the highest percentage of all EU countries and significantly above the community average, which is around 33%. If what we are talking about is a population, statista calculates that 26% Of the Swedes live without any company, data that only exceeds Finland (32%). Do you feel alone? The thing changes slightly if we talk about loneliness, unwanted isolation. The percentages can dance based on the source and the approach, but confirm that the sensation is present in Swedish society. CE surveys show that most or all the time feel alone in the country Between 16 and 17% of the people, while The data of 2024 of the public health agency reflect that 13% of the population claims to have that feeling “occasionally” and 6% invades “often or constantly.” “Almost two million Swedes over 16 suffer isolation. 26% of children from 3rd to 6th year say they feel alone in school. One in three young adults experiences loneliness and isolation, as well as 40% of women and almost 30% of men over 85 years old,” needed The Government in 2023. “A health problem”. Sweden is not the only one country that deal with loneliness, but there the data is consistent enough for its government to have declared that involuntary isolation is “A public health problem” And want to stand up. “It is a growing problem and the elderly experience it more frequently,” warns The Minister of Social Security, Anna Tenje. On the table the executive has reports that show that the isolation affects above all to certain groupsas elderly, young people or unemployed people. A fact: 27 million a year. Convinced of the challenge that supposes, in Stockholm they have decided to move from words to the facts. In 2023 the government activated A triennial plan (2023-2025) that is around 300 million of annual Swedish crowns (around 27 million of euros) to support initiatives that “fight and prevent” isolation. In February the Public Health Agency even presented A strategy “Against loneliness and favor of the community.” And what are you doing? Your strategy touches several sticks. The government a few months ago advertisement For example, the distribution of 49 million Swedish crowns (4.4 million euros) between organizations that work precisely to reduce loneliness. It is not the first initiative in that line. Over the last years he has allocated funds to campaigns Health -centered, promote The socialization of the elderly, their stake in sports activities or The study of the phenomenon and its approach from different areas, such as The business either The educational. “Taking care of friends”. For now, Sweden has received recognition from WHO, which He has cited it as an example for initiatives deployed in the country. A few days ago the newspaper I monde He dedicated a report to a specific one: “Vanvard” (“Taking care of friends”), which is taking pharmacies employees to dedicate part of their day to fight loneliness. At the end of 2023 the Ministry of Social Affairs also promoted the creation of A business network With about twenty companies that work with the same purpose: to end marginalization. Defense earrings. I monde Slide Another key idea: loneliness is not only “a public health problem”, it also implies an obstacle in a country that He is strengthening your civil defense system, as well as Other nations Nordic. That effort collides with a complex reality: isolation. More than half Of the Swedes they barely know their neighbors. With that backdrop, last year the Swedish Civil Contingency Agency promoted a campaign with A slogan That speaks for itself: “When we know each other, it is easier to help us.” Images | Magnus Östberg (UNSPLASH), Eurostat and EC In Xataka | Loneliness is already a matter of public health. We have more and more evidence that animals help us to placate it

satellites that are divided into more satellites to harass the enemy

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The orbit of the earth is gradually becoming A tense chess board. The last play has been starred by Russia with the deployment of an unknown object by the spy satellite Kosmos 2558. Short. On June 26, a Russian military satellite who had been chasing an American spy satellite for three years has decided to open up and release a new object. It is not the first time that this behavior is observed in a Russian ship. In fact, “it is the third time that happens in five years, and the second this year,” according to An analysis of the expert Marco Langbroek. A Russian doll in space. The protagonist of this story is the Kosmos 2558, a military satellite that Russia launched to space in August 2022. Since its orbit, its mission has been an open secret: closely and without rest the ship uses 326, a spy satellite of the National Office of Recognition of the United States (NRO). Now, almost three years after starting its persecution, Kosmos 2558 has released a subsatellite, designated ‘object C’. Langbroek’s observations in Sortrackcam from Leiden (Netherlands) confirmed this behavior. Your telescope captured the new ‘object C’more dim, the night of June 28, two and a half days after separating from his nodriza ship. It appeared 16 seconds after Kosmos 2558, already at a distance of 143 kilometers. Langbroek has compared this behaviorin which a satellite generates other satellites, with a Russian ‘matrioshka’. The orbital harassment of the levelir program. This has not been an isolated incident, but the last piece of a Russian space program known as ‘levelir’. Judging by their history, the objective of these “inspector satellites” is to periodically approach interest ships of other powers, especially American, to demonstrate certain capacities in orbit: In May 2025, Russia placed the Kosmos 2588 satellite in an orbital plane almost identical to the US 338 American satellite and began to perform periodic approaches What if they were latent weapons? Russia describes these launches as “inspection missions”, but for the Pentagon, the explanation falls short. What remains to be inspected after three years? What these satellites do demonstrate is their ability to maintain a latent system to activate it years later with some of the most important spy assets in the United States in space, something that makes US military planners nervous. If we add to these matrioshkas, potential “latent anti -attack weapons”, the intricate series of maneuvers he has been performing The trio of Russian ships Kosmos 2581, 2582 and 2583it is seen that Mother Russia is still able to check her opponents in the terrestrial orbit. Image | Toño Ortiz (CC by-C-SA 2.0), Marco Langbroek (Sattrackcam) In Xataka | Russia does not want the enemy to fit its territory. The solution is Kalina, a laser weapon to blind satellites

Its technology aims to reduce the scope of the enemy sound

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In the underwater world, noise can be a sentence. The more silent a submersible, the lower the probability that it is detected by sounding. Although artificial intelligence begins to change the rules of the gameefforts to further reduce the acoustic firm do not cease. As SCMP points outthe last advance arrives from China, where a team of researchers has developed a technology that, in laboratory conditions, has managed to significantly cut the vibration that is transmitted from the engine to the helmet. The idea starts from replacing the traditional engine rigid supports with a hybrid structure of active-peasive insulation. The system was presented at A study reviewed by pairs published in Noise and vibration control By researchers from Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, in collaboration with China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). According to the authors themselves, a reduction of only 10 decibels at the noise level of a underwater vehicle could decrease its 32%detection range. A double control system. The system combines two elements. On the one hand, a steel-gum-steel ring that acts as a passive shock absorber. On the other, a series of 12 piezoelectric actuators that surround the engine and neutralize micromovimientos with the help of precision levers. These actuators are designed to adapt to reduced assembly space. The combination allows to reduce both structural vibrations and low frequency sounds, the most problematic for stealth. The system is governed by an FX-LMS algorithm, an adaptive method that coordinates the 12 actuators and avoids interference between them. Thanks to this intelligent management, the system can adjust your response in real time, which allows you to maintain control even in the face of unexpected variations in engine behavior. The method is based on rebuilding the interfering signal to feed the noise cancellation. Promising results, but in laboratory. The tests were performed with a 200 kg simulated engine mounted on a cylindrical metal housing. The system was designed to operate with a regime of 1,500 revolutions per minute (25 Hz). At 100 Hz, the passive system managed to reduce noise by 12 dB. With the complete system, the attenuation reached 24 dB. At 400 Hz, the reduction was 26 dB. The researchers explain that the chosen frequencies correspond to the most common spectral lines of the engine. A development still with questions. The study also indicates limitations. The rigidity of the rubber used in the passive system can be affected by temperature and pressure variations, and the durability of piezoelectric actuators has not yet been verified in real operating conditions. In addition, researchers do not specify what type of underwater would use this technology or the final impact that it would have on its global acoustic profile. In fact, the term “underwater vehicle” is used throughout the study. That is, they do not speak of diesel-electrical submarines or nuclear submarines. For now, it is an experimental development with promising results. The participation of CSSC suggests strategic interest, but there is no confirmation that this system has been integrated into any operational platform. What demonstrates is that China continues to bet on advanced technologies to reinforce its underwater stealth, an important factor in the modern naval war. Images | TOOK-RANCH (Wikimedia Commons) | Jiao Tong University In Xataka | The war in Ukraine had a red line of 70 kilometers. West has just eliminated it after Russia’s last attack

Gemini balances the balance of the new enemy of the vision pro

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At the end of last year, Google and Samsung made us known the ecosystem Android XR And one of the augmented reality helmets that was going to carry this software: Project Moohan. Throughout the last months we have been able to see it closely, but not taste it first hand. During the Google I/O.we have removed that thorn we had nailed. And in addition to trying Google glasses with Gemini, we have also had the opportunity to Try firsthand the viewfinder that Samsung has prepared In collaboration with Google, who put the software, and Qualcomm, who optimize the Snapdragon of its interior. Under these lines we tell you our experience with the device. Samsung and Google enter a field known for their obstacles First of all it should be noted that what we could try was a prototype. Quite advanced that glasses with Gemini, yes, but after all a prototype of which we still do not know the release date. These demonstrations organized by Google will serve the company to have a contact on the opinion of the users about the device, so they can still change many things for the launch. Google Headset, Samsung and Qualcomm | Image: Xataka During the test I have been able to check firsthand How Android XR works and what can we expect from this new device which has reminded us a lot of Apple’s proposal. And just see it, it is impossible not to remember the Vision Pro. The exterior design follows very similar lines, although with some elements that differentiate it such as the buttons in the frame and the touch panel on one of the sides. The rear fastening, on the other hand, reminds the Quest Pro goal. One of the first surprises came just to place them: They are remarkably lighter than one could imagine. The process is very simple: you put them and adjust the pressure by means of a wheel located on the back. In addition, a very interesting detail is that the device automatically detects the separation of your eyes and adjusts the lenses without having to do absolutely anything. Viewer next to external batteries | Image: Xataka During my test, The feeling was really comfortablealthough I could not take them for hours to check if they end up causing fatigue. It is expected that, as with any device that is carried in the head, prolonged use ends up generating some discomfort, however light it is. Like the pro vision, these glasses They choose to outsource the batterywhich connects by a cable. This allows to reduce the weight in the head, something fundamental to improve comfort, but implies carrying the battery in the pocket, which is not especially practical. It seems that, for now, this is the only viable solution for this type of devices if we want to prevent them from being excessively heavy. Image | Xataka Another well -taken idea is that I could choose two ways to wear the helmet. We can put the viewfinder next to Silicone pads Located at the bottom, which is isolated completely from the outside world for total immersion, or without them, since they are magnetic and can be easily removed. Without the pads, we can see part of the environment below the glasses, mixing with what we see on the screens. This option is surprisingly comfortable and nothing annoying, being ideal for moments when we need to be aware of what is happening around us. The interface has not yet been presented in this way, but it is what Google aspires with Android XR | Image: Google The quality of the screens is frankly good, and hence the Samsung lab They feel a bit below the pro vision. The video feed it offers from the outside world has very good quality and feels fluid, although it shows a certain grain that can end up being annoying after prolonged use. We remember, it is not a finished product, so we will have to wait to have them in hand once launched to really see how they develop in this aspect. Android XR, an still tasteless sauce but with great aspirations thanks to Gemini The software is quite intuitive and works with gestures similar to those we already know about other proposals such as Quest and Vision Pro. Our hands are the controls: We sail through the interface by pinches to select applications or return to the main menu. We have not had the opportunity to share what we saw through the glasses due to limitations of the test itself, so it is another detail that we sign up for when we try the device in depth. Image | Xataka Android XR is simple and functional, although in its current state it gives the feeling that it still lacks its own personality and identity. However, it is noted that the device is more advanced than the light augmented reality glasses that Google is designing and that they remain a premature prototype, which is logical considering that this helmet It will be launched predictably during this same 2025. Without a doubt, the strong point of these glasses is the integration of Gemini. The assistant sees and hears everything we when we invoke it, which allows control the device much more comfortable through voice commands. During my test, I could see how useful it is to be able to interact with the interface without constantly using your hands. For example, when using Google Maps, I could move to different points of the map with simple vocal orders. It is also very practical to ask Gemini to perform any task or interact with any notification, as well as open and close applications. Image | Xataka This feature can make an important difference with respect to the pro vision, since using the hands and keeping the arms in motion for prolonged periods can be exhausting. I have been able to try several immersive demos on YouTube, and I have to say that the … Read more

It seemed an impossible enemy, it was actually the brightest antipyretary system in a video game

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Piracy and entertainment are two concepts that They go hand in. In video games, this has meant a kind of race between the cat and the mouse, with the video game companies pulling inventiveness to try to pay players paying for their products. At the moment, Denuo is a very safe tool – that not invulnerable -, but throughout history we have seen most imaginative antipyertería systems. And the most memorable case is that of ‘Serious Sam 3‘. The reason? A giant and implacable scorpion that was looking for you to end with you if it detected that your game was a pirate. And the players accepted the challenge. Aid! It ran 2011 when the Croatian Croteam team (their heads did not break a lot) launched the third installment of its hilarious shooting saga ‘Serious Sam’. At that time, the antipyertorous measures were so rudimentary that the game came out ‘cracking’ within a few hours of the official launch, so many users quickly made a copy. Except in some cases in which mouth to mouth causes peaks of players months or years after the launch of a title, it is usual for forums and social networks to fill out of comments on a newly released game. As a minority, there will always be players commenting on the levels, which seems to them the game and reporting problems. And shortly after the launch of ‘Serious Sam 3’, the players began to complain about something: a Red scorpion that appeared in his departure and prevented them from continuing with the game. Even recently They published Some complaints in Steam. Scorpion. These players described the scorpion as a huge, invincible, very fast entity, that shot incessantly, that it was a sponge of bullets and that did not leave you alone at any time and complained about what they believed was a bug or a programming failure in the game code. The enemy’s pint is quite terrifying, which added to his fire power and the fact that it is invincible … well, it was not a pleasant drink. The little girl is that it was not a bug, but a characteristic of the game. Croteam knew that it was impossible to put doors to the field and that his game was going to be pirated, so he scheduled the game with a special characteristic: if he detected that the copy was a pirate, the invincible scorpion appeared and it was not going to stop until he killed the player. It was impossible for the player to enjoy the game in those conditions. Praise. In the video we left for some paragraphs, we can see an example of how the community took this movement. “Simply, I adore Croteam. They are not the details that the study has added to the game. No, no, no. It is the introduction of an arachnid, immortal and very fast enemy that is part of its antipirable system. And it is the icing on the cake.” That was the description of the shared video just a month after the launch of the title, but in the comments we can see dozens of players who reacted in similar ways. Comments such as “It is the best antipirable system in history”, “The movement of the bug terrifies me”, “Do not annoy, have applied antipiría measures either for once. This is comedy in its purest form” or “This is how the DRM should be. It has no negative effects for legitimate players, but hilarious consequences for pirates” show that the system was not badly received, at all. And, among all praises, only a few commented things like “expect, that pirates have extra difficulty? That is not fair.” And there were those who accepted the challenge. And the ‘Commission’ arrived. Thekotti He is a player who has been going up for years Speedruns to your YouTube channel. It has some absolutely demential and a few years ago raised a video passing in just over half an hour ‘Serious Sam 3’. A time later, he assumed the challenge of Croteam and went up A new Speedrun of the game, this time with a brand of one hour and 14 minutes until the game is completed. Why 45 more minutes if he was already an experienced player? Because he played the version with…. Scorpion. The bug took little to appear, but Thekotti was so fast that the scorpion had to reappear in front of him every two by three. With what has been learned, he tried again, lowering his brand until the time and six minutes. Seeing the video is a show, especially because that terrifying measure is nothing: Mods to activate it in legal copies. Obviously, this is not how most players enjoy the game, but it must be said that this movement by the Croatian study liked it so much that it inspired the Creation of Mods so that players with legitimate copies of the game could introduce the relentless scorpion in their games. I have to comment that I was never interested in the saga, but when I learned about the existence of this, I downloaded the pirate game, I laughed for a while, I checked that the bug was superman and bought the game in the first Steam sales in which it was available. In this case, I can say without fear of being wrong that it is one of the best ideas to discourage piracy, unless a PROPLAYER He gets in his head play your game without care of these measures. In Xataka | ‘Don’t Copy That Floppy’: This was the most ridiculous anti-Co-Copy video of all time

A two -gun shotgun where only one points to the enemy

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Shortly before the World War Ithe name of the commander Cleland Davis, of the United States Navy, began to appear in military circles. The reason: the skill with which he had developed a weapon that would end Keeping your name. That design connected two cannons one after another, with the first targeting loaded with lead and fat bullets of the same weight as the projectile of the other cannon, acting as counterattack. In Ukraine they have remembered their figure. Drones with Davis cannons. In the vicinity of Bajmut, the 2nd Motorized Battalion of the 30.ª Mechanized Brigade of Ukraine has deployed a “novel” Air Defense System: Drones armed with double cannon shotguns able to reduce other enemy drones in full flight. Yes, the design is based on that of Davis, and of this they attest to a videos series disseminated by the unit, where it is observed how these platforms intercept and demolish Russian drones, mainly DJI Maviccommonly used for recognition or bombing missions. These actions are part of one of the greater collections Documented air duels between drones, reflecting the rapid evolution of technological war in the Ukrainian conflict, in this case with a lap to the past. The Davis cannon IGM technology. As we said, the design of these weapons, based on the principle of cannons without setback designed by Cleland Davis in 1910, allows drones to shoot from one end while a second opposite cannon It generates a counterweight that stabilizes the platform by avoiding recoil. Effectiveness lies in the dispersion of pellets More than precision, becoming an ideal solution to tear off commercial drones such as the Mavic and then get them. Apparently, although they lack automatic recharge mechanisms, these units are demonstrating to be a most valuable resource in the air wear war that is fought at low height over Donbás. Improvisation and decentralization. It We have counted in other occasions. The war in Ukraine has led to the greatest advances to date in the Drones development fighting. In the case at hand, innovation is not exclusive to the 2nd Battalion. Other units, such as Ukraine Presidential Brigade and civil organizations such as Lesiaua, have developed similar prototypes since the late 2024. Similarly, Russian manufacturers had already experienced armed drones with cannons, although always simple double direction versions. This dynamic of adaptation and counter-adapt has generated a true improvised arms racefed by Decentralization and flexibility of the Ukrainian drone industrywhere soldiers, volunteers and small businesses design, try and perfect models constantly. Strategies and a question. The use of these platforms not only shows the Ukrainian capacity to develop effective solutions with accessible technology, but also highlights a weakness of the great powers, especially from NATO. While the West has focused its efforts on the development of sophisticated and expensive weapons, Ukraine demonstrates once again than systems relatively simple and low costlike drone mounted shotguns, They can be decisive in asymmetric combat scenarios. A lesson that has generated concern between analysts that warn that technological superiority It does not always guarantee Efficacy against adaptive tactics and ingenious solutions arising directly from the battlefield. Even from World War I. Image | Sandia LabsMotorized Battalion of Ukraine, US National Archives and Records Administration In Xataka | Ukraine is capturing the drones of Russia thanks to an unexpected shield: the fishing networks of a town in Denmark In Xataka | The paradox of the huge drone industry of Ukraine: an advantage against Russia, a problem for its pilots

The greatest enemy of Perovskita’s solar panels is heat. Some researchers have found a solution: titanium

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The commercial viability of Perovskita solar panels is getting closer, thanks to the different solutions over time. However, there is still a big problem to solve to be able to install them, but a team of engineers has managed to solve using titanium. Short. Researchers from the Technological Institute of Georgia in the United States They have achieved That Perovskita’s solar cells are more stable and support high temperatures. The solution was to incorporate titanium into one of the layers. The problem. The incorporation of Perovskita panels to the market has been a challenge because they do not last long when they are exposed to high temperatures. The reason is in one of its internal layers, known as the hollow transport layer (HTL), which allows the movement of electricity within it. This layer, usually made of a material called spiro-feet, begins to crystallize and lose efficiency when the temperature exceeds 70ºC. The solution. The technique used In research is steam phase infiltration (VPI). In this process, the solar cell is exposed to a titanium gas in a low vacuum environment. This allows titanium oxide/hydroxide (Tiox) to integrate into the HTL layer of the solar cell. In this way, titanium acts as a thermal stabilizer, preventing it from crystallizing and ensuring that panel efficiency is not degraded by heat. As a result, solar cells have preserved more than 80% of their original efficiency after 200 hours of 75ºC tests. An alternative to silicon. The study of the study to continue working the Perovskita panels and not those of silicon has been for several reasons. On the one hand, a cost of costs and energy consumption because silicon cells are much more expensive than those of Perovskita. On the other hand, the study has been conducted with financing from the Office of Solar Energy Technologies of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy of the United States Energy Department, so alternatives have been sought for do not depend on Chinain a context of Tariff war. More solutions for Perovskitas. The American study is not the only one who is looking for alternatives in this line. An investigation in the United Kingdom has managed to go one step further developing a method that makes solar cells more resistant to external factors such as humidity, heat and physical wear. Forecasts Until now the technology developed by the American engineers group is in patent. Commercial implementation will be pending if researchers manage to find partners and the future of Solar energy in the United States. Image | Georgia Tech Xataka | How a new study has achieved cheaper Perovskita solar panels and more efficiently by capturing light on both sides

In 1956, the US published two maps that showed the contamination of atomic bombs. And they were key to spying on the enemy

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On July 16, 1945, it was a historic day: in Alamogordo, in the New Mexico desert, the First nuclear detonation in history. The Trinity test was a success that led to the development of the ‘Little Boy’ and ‘Fat Man’ bombs that, a few days later, They launched on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Before the test, the scientists bet on the results, with some bets that pointed to the destruction of the State of New Mexico, the ignition of the atmosphere and even the incineration of the planet. Obviously, that did not happen, but what did happen is that Each nuclear launch He sent a large number of particles to the atmosphere. And two maps published in 1956 reflected the consequences of these releases. Nuclear tests. Although the world was horrified by what happened in the two Japanese cities when the United States decided launch the only two nuclear bombs Used in combat so far, the powers continued to test the limits of the newly discovered technology. Thus, from the United States they continued with launches in Pacific Islands. Russia also quickly began to develop its nuclear program, with tests such as the ”Tsar pump‘That had about 3,000 times the power of the launched in Hiroshima. These launches by both countries were a muscle sample in full cold war, as well as a deterrent tool. ‘IVY Mike‘. One of the US test releases was that of ‘Mike‘, a bomb launched on November 1, 1952 that vaporized an island, leaving a crater of almost two kilometers and 50 meters deep. It was the first detonation of a hydrogen pump, causing a 3.3 -kilometer radio fire at the time of the explosion, with a fungus -shaped cloud that stabilized 41 kilometers high. Lookout Mountain studies immortalized the moment, adding later sound, since they recorded it without it. The rays were not part of the postproduction, but appeared just after the detonation: Disaster. The consequences for the Eneetak atolón in which it was launched were tremendous. The expansive waves devastated the vegetation not only of the objective island, Elaugelab, but of the closest. In addition, it caused a radioactive rain and ships almost 60 kilometers away saw how pieces of radioactive corals fell on the helmet. The area had remained seriously contaminated And, as we can see in these satellite images, Elfelab simply disappeared. THE ATOLON BEFORE AND AFTER IVI MIKE Atmospheric movement. With the rise of these tests, a team of researchers from the United States Meteorological Service published in the journal Science two maps that immortalized a historical fact: the trip of the radioactive particles around the globe. Declassified in 1956, the first one shows the global and relatively rapid atmospheric diffusion of radioactive particles. The explosion has a very clear starting point, but as soon as the particles enter the atmosphere, they continue their expansion through the rest of the globe thanks to the air currents. Radioactive particle dispersion. It was a very simple map, more than anything visual, but the second was much more explicit. It was a map of isoline Particles even to American and Canadian soil. In Europe, these radioactive particles had been largely diluted. Observation networks. It was not the first time that the movement of pollution had been studied, but it was somewhat reserved for great events, such as Krakatoa volcano explosion in 1883. With these maps, researchers wanted to demonstrate that, with the right tools, it was already easy to track volatile tracers in the atmosphere. And Ivy Mike’s were a good excuse to study. Researcher Sebastian Grevsmühl published the study A few years ago and comments that, apart from satisfying scientific curiosity, maps had a more pragmatic utility. On the one hand, they helped build the idea of ​​the world’s contamination on a global scale thanks to atmospheric movements, developing that everything has consequences. On the other, they were a tool that the nuclear powers had to monitor enemy atomic activities. Nuclear espionage. With these tools, Russian and American researchers could know if the opposite had detonated a nuclear artifact … even if he had not done it public, but also if they were using nuclear reactors or producing plutonium. So much so that, in 1949, the United States sought to determine the progress of the German nuclear bomb measuring Xenon-133 in the air. To do this, they used B-29 bombers and 24 land stations distributed by the planet to collect air samples that would determine if they were developing something. This is how, thanks to the collaboration with the British army, they discovered that, in 1949, the Soviet Union had successfully carried out a first nuclear test. Over the years, the tools evolved to cross radiological, seismic and sonic data that allowed to determine both the presence of radioactive elements and enemy nuclear bombs … and estimate their power. And much of that began with works like the one led to the two previous maps. Images | Sebastian V. Grevsmühl, Mit Press In Xataka | The amazing story of the man who survived the two atomic bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Japan’s biggest enemy has left a $90 billion bill in the nation’s pocket: climate change

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Few things are more accurate in understanding a problem that affects everyone than appeal to the stomach. In March of last year, Japan woke up to news that made more than one person raise their eyebrows. Wasabi was experiencing a “bittersweet” moment (curry rice tooin fact). The reasons stemmed, first of all, from international demand due to the success of the nation’s cuisine. However, there is not enough wasabi on the planet to satisfy everyone, and part of the blame lay with a usual suspect that threatens many of the planet’s crops: climate change. The last bill of the nation is an announcement to sailors. The economic catastrophe of climate change. Japan, a country with a long history of natural disasters, faces an unprecedented increase in the costs derived from climate change. Despite its recognized expertise in risk management and disaster resilience, the country continues to suffer some of the highest economic losses on the planet. To give us an idea, according to a report from the International Chamber of Commercebetween 2014 and 2023, Japan accumulated Climate-related losses totaling a whopping $90.8 billiona figure only surpassed by the United States, China and India, nations considerably larger in population and territory. Not only that. The projected future costs are even more alarming. An analysis conducted last December estimates that if current global climate policies continue, Japan will face damages worth a total of 952 trillion yen (about $6 trillion) until 2050a figure that far exceeds the nominal value of its current economy, estimated at 591.9 billion yenaccording to the Cabinet Office. The problem of not being able to stop it. As we said, Japan’s disaster history is extensive, with devastating events like the Noto earthquake in 2023, Typhoon Hagibis in 2019 either the earthquake and tsunami that occurred in March 2011. In this regard, recent warnings about a possible megaquake in the Nankai Trench have further highlighted the constant threat facing the country. In fact, the nation ranks sixth in the Disaster Risk Index of the telecommunications company Intersec, which evaluated the economic and human losses of almost 160 countries between 2000 and 2024. The country registered total economic losses of 2.35 billion dollars and 543 fatalities and/or injuriesadjusted to its population of 124 million. Image of the 2011 Tsunami The “urban” layout, another problem. Furthermore, the pattern that we see in all natural disasters such as those that occurred in l is repeated.The Los Angeles fireseither DANA in Valencia: Inhabited areas in disaster-prone areas. In the case of Japan, the combination of its extensive coastline, the high concentration of assets in densely populated urban areas and the scarcity of natural resources make it a highly vulnerable enclave to large-scale disasters. Despite these risks, Japan has managed to mitigate the loss of life by advanced risk management strategiesas early warning systemsresilient infrastructure and emergency response plans. However, the economic costs continue to increase exponentially. The price of inaction: it is urgent to take action. They told in Japan Times A week ago, the impact of climate change is also increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in the country, such as floods, typhoons and forest fires. In this regard, a study by the International Chamber of Commerce analyzed almost 4,000 extreme events that occurred between 2014 and 2023, concluding that Global economic losses amounted to 2 trillion dollars. Japan was among the most affected countries, with economic costs higher than those of Germany (although below those of India). The impact in Japan. Economic losses resulting from natural disasters amounted to 320 billion dollars worldwide last yearof which only 140 billion were insuredaccording to the report from the insurer Munich Re. This figure represents the fifth largest loss since 1980 and is significantly higher than the averages of recent decades. In Japanese terms, it is expected that Climate change will reduce the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by almost 10% annually if more ambitious policies are not adopted to mitigate its effects. In fact, an economic model from the Asian Investors Group on Climate Change estimates that Total economic losses until 2050 will reach 970 trillion yenwhich is equivalent to the loss of hundreds of thousands of yen per Japanese household annually. By then, projections indicate that Japan will be more affected than the United States and Europe. Initiatives and adaptation. It is possibly the big question facing Japan and the entire planet, what can we do to mitigate disasters or adapt? In that sense and despite the gloomy perspectives of the studies, the Times emphasized that Japan has the potential to lead the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through development of innovative technologiessuch as advanced batteries and offshore wind energy. According to a recent report, if the country adopts a net-zero emissions scenario by 2050, the economy could benefit from a boost of 13.6 trillion yen annuallyplus savings of 40 trillion yen per year compared to current climate policies. In addition, Japan has also taken a leading role in funding international initiatives to help vulnerable countries. For example, has contributed $10 million to the United Nations Loss and Damage Fundaimed at mitigating the impact of climate change in developing nations. Insurance and the Japanese pocket. It is the last leg of that global enemy, one that directly affects the nation’s pocketbook. Japanese households are already experiencing the impact of climate change through increased insurance premiums. In October 2024, the country’s four main insurers increased fire insurance rates by an average of 10%marking the fourth increase since 2019. Furthermore, Japan’s General Insurance Tariff Organization has explicitly linked these increases to the increasing risk of disasters induced by climate change. Additionally, and according to climate campaign group Insure Our Future, climate change-related disasters accounted for more than $600 billion in insured losses between 2002 and 2022. Data and more data, figures and more figures, which only highlight the urgency of more effective climate action to avoid or mitigate greater economic and social impacts of a common enemy. Image | 岩手県宮古市, … Read more

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