idea

The last idea to include tolls on the highways of Spain

by

From Madrid to Barcelona for about 18 euros. From Bilbao to Cádiz for more than 30 euros. That is The proposal of the Association of Construction and Infrastructure Concessionaires (Seopan) and in that money there has been none of the tolls that we can find along the way and that, without a doubt, would make the journey more expensive. And it is that the employer of the road construction companies has had an idea to finance the thousands of kilometers of highways that are still free in our country. And, from their point of view, they have it very clear: that The drivers pay 3 cents/km route. The figure is much higher for heavy transport for which they propose a rate of 0.14 cents/km route. That is, multiply almost for five previous figures until we place us at almost 90 euros in Madrid-Barcelona and almost 150 euros for crossing Spain in truck. An old dream with Europe looking The proposal was presented by Julián Núñez, president of the association that covers giants such as ACS, Ferrovial, Action, Abertis, Ohla or Sacyr, among others. It indicates that the country has to invest 11,494 million euros for the conservation and maintenance of roads that have not been carried out in recent years. That game is part of the 38,447 million euros in 25 years that, according to their calculations, they are necessary to keep the roads in optimal conditions until 2050. In those items maintenance works are contemplated but also the construction of Roads 2+1 to “improve road safety” or the deployment of load infrastructure for the electric car. All this, they say, would generate income in 25 years of 143,024 million euros, a fiscal return of 35,314 million euros and a public spending saving of 41,038 million euros. Money that would be used to invest in the maintenance of the roads themselves. The implementation of payment for use is one of the great dreams of the construction companies since this would allow them to offer down construction and maintenance services, facilitating these actions and, of course, facilitating their business. However, they ensure that Spain accumulates 68% of free highways throughout Europe which total 13,674 kilometers free of tolls. A flag that the government has presumed, putting each liberalization in value while balancing with Europe. Last year, in fact, Transport Minister Oscar Puente assured that “the roads are not free, or are paid with taxes or tolls.” He did it in a forum organized by The Spanish And the words of Puente soon were read as a notice to navigators. However, just A few hours later he would defend that this was not a way to “reopen the debate” and stressed that the government had released 1,000 kilometers since 2018 on toll highways. To that measure, it has joined not imposing more tolls on roads such as AP-9, AP-66 and AP-68 where bonuses are applied. These decisions, however, collide frontally with the interest that Europe has reiterated in imposing tolls on Spanish roads. For years, institutions have put the table on the table obligation to impose a tarification For use to roads in exchange for continuing to water our country of European funds. This led the government to include it in its Recovery and Resilience Planalready presented in 2021. Since then, The equilibrium game That the Spanish Executive has maintained has made the roads remain free but a new threat has also arrived from Europe: a possible complaint if we do not correct the way. And, although the supposed payment for use comes from afar, the runrún on the payment on the roads has been increasing. Especially if we consider that in 2021 there was already talk of imposing A toll system in less than three years or that Pere Navarro, director of the DGT, has already suggested Who could and who not pay those possible tolls. What they defend from Seopan in their proposal is that, however, Spain would continue to pay cheaper tolls than the rest of Europe since, they say, the average is 0.09 euros/km route for cars and 0.018 euros/kN route for heavy transport. In The countryThey emphasize that Spain represents 21% of all kilometers of high capacity of the European Union but that, however, only 13% are payment. That is, we are an exception that Seopan seeks to reverse with a porch system To pay for use, taking advantage of the fact that the money that the State must due to the investment of the roads already exceeds 10,000 million euros. But also Europe, what For years he presses so that Spain once and for all a melon from which, in the government, He doesn’t want to take care. Remember that it is something that You have been talking since 2012. Photo | Erwin Brevis In Xataka | Hunting for “Simpa” in the tolls of Europe: the new EU system to collect fines abroad

Ukraine has borrowed the most basic idea of ​​Lego. And has transformed it into the final machine for war

by

Drones with shotguns of double cannonrobots Lanzaluelaunmanned vessels With missilesairplanes With shotgunsdevices with kilometer cables of optical fiber Looking for its goal through algorithms … The war in Ukraine became the largest war laboratory of modern contests, but in recent months that transformation has become more palpable than ever. Because soldiers are no longer recruited, they are recruited directly robots. Modular fights. They counted this week In Insider that among the key actors of this unprecedented experimentation of military terrestrial robotics is the company Estonia Milrem Roboticswhose land autonomous vehicle Themis It has been deployed by the Ukrainian forces on the front. The striking, however, is not only the presence of these systems, but the way in which Ukrainian soldiers are using them: unforeseen and highly creative. Kuldar Väärsi, founder of the company, He has highlighted that troops have managed to expand their abilities by adding modifications, adaptations and even using them to Not expected taskssuch as collection of corpses, controlled explosions, supply transport or mines. In a context where each resource can mean life or death, tactical innovation is born directly from the front. Military Lego. The Thanmis model can load up to 1,200 kgmove at 20 km/Hy wearing weapons like machine guns or launcherin addition to acting in evacuation, transport or deactivation tasks. However, its real value lies in its modularity: it is an adaptable system, almost like a set of War Legoaccording to Oleksandr Yabncanka, head of robotized systems of the Da Vini Wolves battalion. Without having specialized models for each mission, the Ukrainian units use a single type of robot as a common basis They modify according to your operational needs. This flexibility reflects a generalized philosophy in the Ukrainian army since the beginning of the conflict: improvise, adapt, survive. Fifth Generation Themis Military reinvention. Since the first year of war, Ukraine has been synonymous with reuse and Technical creativity. He has re -adapted Western lanzamisiles to Soviet platforms, mounted machine guns old in trucks, modified drones Commercial for suicidal missions and created mills such as unmanned ships and turrets with artificial intelligence. Milrem is not the only company at stake: local companies such as Roboneers either FRDMtogether with European signatures such as ARX ​​Robotics (Germany) or Isolit-Bavo (Czech), are actively collaborating in the design and deployment of new models of land robots. This confluence between foreign industry, local operators and tactical demands generates an eInnovation sew that had not been seen before on this scale. The war of the future. Be that as it may, there is a name that has risen above the other models. Bloomberg explained it With a scene: on the wooded banks of the Dnieper River, on the outskirts of kyiv, two small robotic vehicles descend towards the sand as if they were mechanized crabs. One transports food, the other sowing anti -tank mines. It is about Termit modelTangible symbol of how Ukraine, after three and a half years of total war against Russia, has become the forge of a new war paradigm: a war based on modular technology, cheap and fast to produce. In a context of scarcity, urgency and systematic improvisation, the country has managed to create an arms ecosystem that rivals (for its agility and efficiency) with the great industrial powers. Already the 40% of the armament which uses comes from National Sourcesand according to Zelenski, this autonomy can serve as model for allies of NATO that face an increasingly volatile and dangerous geopolitical future. Military production, as he says Oleksandr Kamyshin experthas become the oil of Ukraine, the resource on which its survival is constructed. Ukrainian Termit Models Robot and converted engineers. The case dE Maksym Vasylchenko embodies the metamorphosis of the country. In 2022 he worked by installing food machinery for international companies; today directs Tencorea startup that has developed The Termitthose modular robots that already use more than twenty military units in the front. With satellite connectivity Via Starlink and load transport capacity, evacuation of wounded or deployment of mines, these vehicles They have replaced to soldiers in areas of maximum risk, not only because they are more expendable, but for its lower cost: a basic termit It costs $ 20,000while the death of a soldier supposes the State a nearby total compensation at 380,000. A different company. Of five initial employees to early 2024Tencore has grown to 175 workers, six venues, and projections of 80 million dollars In annual income. All driven by direct collaboration with combatants: a chat with forty active users serves as a constant feedback channel, where every five or ten minutes suggestions are provided. This agility, impossible in the processes of acquiring Western governments, is one of the keys to the success of the Ukrainian model. An army of termit ready for operations An area of ​​death. We have coming counting: The war in Ukraine has established a new operational environment dominated by low cost drones. Approximately the 70% of the Russian team destroyed has fallen by unmanned vehicles, many of them converted commercial adaptations. These FPV units already operate in almost any climatic condition, deliver blood in trenches or attack tanks with surgical precision. The battlefield has become constant, immediate and three -dimensional, expanding the call Kill Zone At any time and place. At the beginning of June, Ukraine demonstrated its offensive capacity coordinated to the destroy bombers strategic in Russian bases that went from the north of the country to Siberia. The traditional logic of the front has been replaced by a decentralized war where the direct human risk is reduced to the minimum possible thanks to autonomous, fast and sacrifiable platforms. The Russian answer. Of course, Moscow has not lagged behind. As We have spoken For weeks, ha adapted the drones Iranian Shahed to your needs and has begun to display vehicles Fiber cable guided optics, which makes them immune to electronic interference. In May, the Russian production of combat drones increased 17% In a single month. The Russian strategy is clear: standardization, volume and industrial … Read more

As the Puerta del Sol is a tree desert, Madrid has had an idea for this summer: putting awnings

by

With the thermometer Nailing with the 40ºC of maximum and a sun of rigor, if there is something sued today in the streets of Madrid is shadow, a shelter in which to enjoy a refreshing truce before continuing on their way to the office, house or the institute. To create one of those ‘Climate shelters’ In the urban heart, a few weeks ago the City Council He started installing Toldos in the middle of the Puerta del Sol, 32 panels with which he wants the square to stop being a pan. The problem is that its installation has unleashed a considerable stirboth for the solution itself and its cost. Shadow, where is there a shadow? The Puerta del Sol is an emblematic, sculptural place, forced to Thousands of tourists Every year and central node of Madrid. The problem is that something key is missing, especially in summer: shadow. Your around 12,000 m2 They are a wasteland in which it is difficult to protect themselves from the sun, a problem when the city faces a heat wave like the one in these days. There are those pulling irony It refers to the square as ‘La Sartén del Sol’. Why is there no shadow? Because it was never considered necessary. The City Council argues that in its 163 years of history the square never had “elements of shadow”, although there are who holds that in his day he had some trees and more than a century ago he already incorporated awnings. Historical debates apart, the Consistory assures that today the configuration of the Plaza conditions what can be done or not in it: below, scarce 20 cm of the pavementrests a slab that separates the square from one of the largest subway stations in the city, in addition to galleries. And why is it important? Simple. Because what is done in the square should take into account the huge structure that opens below. Martínez-Almeida team remember That a few years ago it was studied to plant trees in the only area of ​​the square that does not have infrastructure under the pavement, but the Municipal Historical Heritage Commission ended up lying the initiative. The reason? The vegetation perhaps threw some shadow and refresh the environment, but the idea did not respond to historical or urban criteria. He simply proposed to plant trees where he could, without contributing more reasons. What if we put awnings? In the absence of trees, good are Quita and Pon, a solution that is already used in the street of other Spanish cities punished by the sun, such as The center of Seville either Malaga. That is the idea that the City Council was raised, which launched its administrative machinery to project, hire and install a system of panels that cover part of the square. They wait, but the fabrics began to settle Two weeks ago. The awnings, 32 in total, are manufactured with Microperforated PVC ivory and have been arranged in such a way that they offer shade to pedestrians that walk from Alcalá to Arenal. To hold them, anchors were installed on the facades, tensioners and stainless steel masts in some granite banks. The idea is to use a threaded tubes system to place and remove panels throughout the year, as is done in other cities in the south. Why is there debate? For several reasons. Input by the solution itself and its effectiveness. “They are not a simple ornament or a whim: they are a late and expensive response to an urban policy of the PP, which for years turned our public spaces into authentic cement plates,” criticism in The country Pedro Barrero, socialist spokesman in the Commission of Works and Equipment. To that debate contributes that the square was reformed Just a few years ago With one millionaire investment without those guaranteed works shadows in the environment. Another background debate is whether the square may or may not host trees, beyond the handicap that the subway station is underneath, or if there are better alternatives to the awnings. The City Council insists in which the configuration of Puerta del Sol dates back to the nineteenth century and this will be “the first time you have shadows in its 163 years of history.” The proposal also received the approval of the Historical Heritage Commission. The big question is … Is it used for the 12,000 m2 of the square a solution that has demonstrated useful for narrow streets? Are there more factors? Yes. The price. The installation of the awnings will require considerable investment, around 1.5 million of euros that add to the cost of the reform of a few years ago. In networks there are who questions That a million and a half are reversed to a work that, in the end, will mean the installation of about thirty PVC awnings. From the City Council they clarify that to carry out the project they have had to carry out studies and undertake works that are not appreciated with the naked eye, such as adapting the banks, emptying them and providing them with steel plates to ballast the anchor of the masts. The goal? Ensure that the canvases endure wind gusts without the foundation affecting the structures located under the square. Images | Madrid City Council In Xataka | People have started rowing to touch their ass to the statue of the bear in Madrid. Makes as little sense as it seems

In World War II, the British were looking for an antibunker bomb. So they copied a Disney idea

by

The morning of last Sunday, June 22, The United States deployed its B-2 With a mission: launch, for the first time, its new MOP pumps on Iranian bases. These mass bombs have a single function: eX PLACE IN Underground Bases And, despite being avant -garde armamentits technology began to be tested decades ago, in the Second World War. It was the British who developed a bomb capable of bursting a bunker, and their inspiration came from the most unexpected place. A Disney movie. Need. It is in the war when the brightest minds of each country gather to invent new ways of killing. Even if they don’t know what the consequences of their creations will be. The World War I It was a period of Technological Revolutionthe second more of the same and In the Cold War The Explosion of nuclear bombs (and almost that of chickens). In short: each country in conflict wants have the “fattest” bomb. In the mid -2GM, the British sought a powerful bomb, but with a more concrete objective than that of causing all possible damage: they wanted something capable of advising a blow to the bunkers heart and Nazi submarine factories. Thus, they developed the Tallboy and the Grand Slampumps of five and ten tons respectively designed to hit near the target, penetrate the earth, exploit and cause damage to the shock waves transmitted through the ground. The idea was good, but they still needed something more concrete than those “earthquake” bombs. And then, someone saw this propaganda movie of Disney: Drawing pump. Leaving aside that you could keep your mouth open because … yes, that Disney produced ithe who saw the short was Edward Terrellof the Royal Reserve of Naval Volunteers. It is said that, after watching the film, Terrell and other officers, they would ask if it would be possible to design a bomb that directly crossed the concrete and destroy objectives such as the Nazi submarinesas seen in one of the frames, instead of waiting for the expansive wave of an earthquake to damage the underground base. In September 1943, engineers got to work while the viability of the pump was discussed. There were those who opposed, but Churchill was approved and, there, the development began. Edward Terrell and two other RAF officers with a Disney bomb Promising. The Disney pump, baptized Officially as “4,500 pump assisted by rocket to drill concrete” (‘Disney bomb’ has much more stuck, where we are going to stop) it was massive not so much because of the dimensions, but because of the weight and its explosive capacity. With just over five meters long and 43 centimeters in diameter, it had a weight of 2,000 kilos. As his name indicated, he was driven by RP-3 rockets And as an explosive it was loaded with 230 kilos of ‘Shellite‘, a mixture designed during World War I. Thrown from Boeing B-17 or B-29 aircraft, its operation was simple: to boost with the rockets to reach a speed of more than 1,500 km/h, penetrate everything possible due to accumulated kinetic energy and detonate late within the installation. In addition, its maximum penetration was about 5 meters of reinforced concrete, enough to cause great damage to enemy structures. Afternoon, too late. The bomb was promising, but it took too long. They began to develop late (when they had the idea, go) and that caused that it was not ready until almost the end of the conflict. In January 1945 they carried out some tests and, although the bomb was British, it was the United States Air Force that had of it. Between February and April 1945 they launched a total of 158 Disney bombs against bunkers and submarine factories in Germany. A clear objective was Valentin, a U-Bats factory That it was about to be completed, something that the allies could not allow and managed to cause damage to the target with armor 4.5 meters thick, but had a trick: it had already been previously damaged by the Grand Slam bombs of the British. A fair shotgun. The Disney bomb was a disaster for two reasons. The first and most obvious is that it came very late and attacks on underwater bases did not mean a real difference in the outcome of the conflict in the European territory. But, in addition, they failed. During the Valentin bunker attack More than 60 pumps were launched, but only one directly impacted and, as we say, the damages caused were preceded by the explosions of the British bombs thrown days before. For more inri, in evidence during the years after World War II with controlled releases in the Helgoland Islandof 76 bombs released, it was discovered that the lighting of the rockets failed in 37% of the cases, very limiting the penetrating power of the projectile. In addition, some bombs exploited prematurely and would not serve to achieve the objectives. Yes one thing was discovered: the maximum penetration of 5.08 meters in concrete. The MOP, Disney’s legacy. In the end, between technical, tactical and temporary problems, the efficacy of the Disney pump was extremely limited, but it is clear that it represented an important technological advance in the Antibunker war. So much that he laid the foundations for future penetration weapons. And of those rains, these sludge, as they say. The GBU-57A/B. launched by the US against Iran is the latest technology of the MOP bombs, or ‘Massive Ordnance Penetrator’. The big difference with the Disney pump is that this huge 6.25 meters long projectile and the FRIOLERA OF 13,600 KILOS (2,400 of them are explosives) Yes it works, also penetrating up to 60 meters of concrete. And another difference is that it is launched from such high (12 kilometers from a B-2) that does not need engine, since it is gaining speed as it falls, being very precise thanks to its laser guidance. In short, technology that is not so much of science fiction and that shows that we are great … Read more

With the electric consumption triggered by the air conditioning, Singapore has had an idea: buildings that “sweat”

by

Fresh news: it’s hot. A lotand it doesn’t look like This summer is going to give us a break. Bet on Fans or by him air-conditioning It is a solution, but there is a problem: temperatures will continue to increase and Electricity consumed by air conditioning devices It is a problem. Urgently Find passive solutionsand Singapore may have found the key thanks to a new painting. Your secret? Makes buildings “sweat.” Short. In 2022, air conditioning represented 7% of world electricity consumption. The estimate It is that, by 2050, that electrical consumption triggers up to 20%. In order to cool buildings, there are already researchers who are experiencing with heat dissipation solutions to create fresher environments without the need for air conditioning, such as The nanomaterials or a Botijo ​​technology nut rotation. Although we are seeing how to make the air conditioners are more efficient. But there is an easier solution that could be applied to already built buildings: a layer of paint. The Insulating paint It already exists, with examples Like the ultrabrabas developed by the University of Purdue that reflects Up to 98% of the light to maintain surfaces up to 7ºC fresher than other solutions, even under direct sunlight. Now, in Singapore they have developed a painting that mimics the sweating for which we regulate our temperature. Buildings that “sweat”. As we read in Sciencenewsa group of researchers from the Technological University of Nanyang is the responsible of a painting baptized as CCP-30 and what has special is not a color, but its operation. It is developed based on cement and combines three cooling strategies: radiative, reflection and evaporative (the latter, the one that uses our skin). And it works like an organism that sweats. The porous structure of the paint can retain up to 30% of its weight in water, which slowly releases the environment. It’s like the function of air conditioning dehumidificationbut passively. By absorbing water and dissipating heat, the released steam is cooler, contributing to cool the environment. SUV. If the sensation can be similar to that produced with ultrabrabic paint, why invest resources in replicating something that already exists? The main reason is that this ultra -ABANCA painting that reflects heat does not work at all well in Wet environmentssuch as Singapore itself, but also in Thailand and other areas where the moisture percentage is important. This reflected light is trapped by water vapor in the environment, and in large cities the creation of heat spotlights is encouraged. Come on, which contributes to embarrassment. The new porous painting, when not working by reflecting light and heat, does not have this problem and allows the buildings to be correctly isolated, fulfilling that passive cooling function. Promising. To hold their arguments, the researchers painted three houses with different types of paintings. One with a common white paint, another with a commercial painting that only uses radiative cooling and another with its new “sweat” painting. After two years exposed to the sun, rain and humidity of Singapore, while the first two became yellowish, the new formula continued with its white color. That is important not so much for aesthetics, but to continue being efficient reflecting the light. In addition, being prepared to absorb moisture, it does not crack, being another advantage. On the other hand, the house painted with CCP-30 reflected between 88% and 92% of sunlight even when it was wet, and emitted 95% of the heat it absorbed. Tandem with air conditioning. CCP-30 is designed to cover the outside of buildings, not homes or interior areas, acting as a first shield to combat heat. According to the area, the use of air-conditioning It will continue to be necessary to endure high temperatures, but researchers claim that a house covered with its new painting meant between 30% and 40% less use of air conditioning. It does not stop turning the building into a botijo. In the end, as we said, the use of paintings against heat is nothing new, but renewed formulas can help not only to refresh interiors, but to eliminate those urban heat spotlights in cities with a high percentage of moisture, calls “Heat islands”And the good thing about being a painting and not something that require a new construction It can be applied to existing structures without complex reform. I only ask that this type of painting arrives soon, but it is nice to know that passive ways of refrigerating households are being investigated, such as the Cement developed by the Public University of Navarra. Images | Ibrahim Guetar, Chromatograph In Xataka | If you want to drink an frozen coffee to fight heat, science has something to tell you: better not

The Rocambolesque Idea that is feeding a fish farm in a town in France

by

The first men who traveled to the moon during the Apollo missions subsist based on lyophilized food and sweet or salty jelly -coated cubes. The thing has not gone to better over the years. But if the French succeed, astronauts from lunar missions can eat fresh fish. Lubinas raised on the moon. That is the goal of Lunar Hatcha rocambolesco scientific project that is already underway in a fish farm by Palavas-Le-Flots, south of France. The fish that raise in this small center are not any lubins, but the founding generation of the futures “Aquanautas” lunares. Its offspring will travel to space in the form of fertilized eggs in order to establish the first extraterrestrial fish farm. High quality protein. If we are going to establish a permanent base on the moon, what less than to give us the taste of dinner a fresh lubina. The brain behind this project is Cyrille Przybyla, a researcher at the French National Institute for Oceanic Research. “Fish is an excellent source of protein, because it is the animal body that we best digest and contains omega 3 and vitamins B important that astronauts will need to maintain their muscle mass,” Przybyla said to The Guardian. The question, which he poses, is not whether we need it, but “how we can produce these foods at so much distance.” Lunar Hatch. The experiment, financed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the National Space Studies Center of France (CNES), will send the eggs to the space calculating the time it takes to hatch upon reaching its destination. Although an assigned space flight does not yet have, the idea is to perform the first tests at the International Space Station, assisted by European astronauts in orbit. After observing their development, the eggs would be frozen and returned to the earth for an exhaustive analysis. If the tests are successful, the next step would be to climb the system for a future implementation on the Moon. Not the first fish, yes the first fish. We have already seen fish in space. The first were small Mummichogs in an Apollo mission in 1973. More recently, Cebra fish have helped study muscle atrophy. But this is the first time that the objective is purely gastronomic: create a source of regular and renewable food for astronauts and crew of future lunar and Martian bases. The first space fish. This is not (alone) of nutrition. The true mill of Lunar Hatch is to create a completely closed and self -sufficient ecosystem, without waste, exempt from continuously replenishing food with load flights from Earth to end eating crickets. Everything is recycled within a fish farming system that should be autonomous for at least four or five months. Of course, many “Aquanautas” will be needed. Scientists have calculated that to provide two weekly fish to seven astronauts, about 200 lubins would be needed. Image | Lfremer In Xataka | We have been growing lettuce in space for years. Now we have discovered that they are more likely to get sick

The heat arrives and you want to drink cold water. Science has a much more effective idea: drink hot water

by

Summer arrives and with it staying well hydrated becomes an imperative. The heat will surely make a glass of cold water even more appealing, but it is likely that we have ever heard that the water, better hot. Is it a myth or is there a reason behind? Drink water. Drinking water is the important, hot or cold, keeping our body hydrated is the main objective. Despite this, drinking hot water or cold water is not exactly the same: our body can react differently Before the stimulus. This is what science tells us about it. Better digestion. Hot infusions are a desktop classic. Coffee, tea or chamomile are usual choices to close the food, especially if it has been copious. When consuming these drinks we are, indeed, Drinking hot water. In doing so we are moisturizing our body and allowing water to help the flow of food in our digestive system. Part of the effect we owe it to the mere fact of being drinking water, but there are some studies that suggest that the temperature could play an important role in the digestive effect of this desktop habit. A Study published in 2016 Focused on newly operated patients, he observed that the consumption of hot water in recently operated in the colon had a “positive impact” on subsequent intestinal movements. Do you lose weight drinking water? In 2023, a group of researchers conducted An experiment in which a group of participants had to consume a certain amount of warm or hot water after meals, while the rest had to consume the same amount of water at a temperature without specifying the temperature. As reported by the team, the group that consumed hot water lost body mass more speed than the control group. This could explain why we associate drinks such as tea are associated with weight loss. The diuretic potential of some infusions and the benefits that others have on intestinal transit could be related to the mere act of drinking hot water, but the truth is that the tests we have are very limited, so we still cannot add the hot water to the eternal list of candidates for “miracle diet”. Cool ourselves with hot water. It may seem Little appealingbut hot infusions are a classic in some of the most scorching environments in the world. Our body is about 37º Celsius: if we consume something at a higher temperature, our body will absorb that heat. It doesn’t seem like a good plan. And yet it works (although not always). The key, The experts point outis how our body dissipates heat through sweat. A hot drink can activate nervous receptors by sending the signal that the temperature is greater than what is actually, which in turn does that our body begins to sweat and thus begin to dissipate heat through the water we expel by the skin. To sweat, of course, it should also be hydrated. When may not work? Drinking hot water to reduce our body heat can be a bad idea in some contexts, mainly When moisture is high. Moisture makes sweat dissipated, with it, avoiding it heat. Temperature and hydration. Hot or cold, we began by saying that the most important property of water is that it hydrates: our body needs this liquid to stay alive and drinks are the main source to obtain it. Now, we know that Not all drinks hydrate the sameDoes the water do it indistinctly of its temperature? Maybe not. A Study published in 2013 He calculated how the water temperature affected the rehydration process. A too hot water could induce sweat, causing us to lose some water at the same time we rehydrate. By contrast, water too cold or too hot can also make us drink less. The team observed that a better rehydration was achieved when consuming fresh water, about 16º, a temperature similar to that offered by tap water. In Xataka | It’s time to banish the myth of drinking “eight water vessels per day”, but we have a problem to do it Image | Pixabay

A Basque startup of AI has just lifted 189 million euros with a great idea: compress the AI

by

Before We compressed files with Zip. Now what we begin to need is to compress the AI ​​to make it more small and efficient. That is just the idea that the founders of Multivrse Computing had, a Spanish startup which is becoming the new jewel of the crown of our AI industry. Its founders, (in the image, from left to right, Román Orús, Enrique Lizaso Olmos and Samuel Mugel) and Alfonso Rubio have much to celebrate. Investment Round. Multivize Computing He has just closed an investment round of 189 million euros (215 million dollars). The round (series B) has been led by Bullhound Capital, but it has also participated HP Tech Ventures, Sett, ForgePoint Capital International, CDP Venture Capital, Santander Climate VC, Quantonation, Toshiba and Euskadi Risk Capital of Euskadi – Spri Group. Last March the company received An investment of 67 million euros by the Government of Spain. The inference AI by flag. Although the current prominence usually takes it the great technological ones that invest billions of dollars in data centers to train Great language models (LLM)there is more and more focus on the other part: the one we use users when asking things to Chatgpt, for example. It is the so -called AI inference, and the estimate is that in 2025 the value of that industry reaches 106,000 million dollars. In Multivrse Computing they want a good piece of that cake, and to achieve this, its great trick is a unique technology. Compactifai. This is the name of The compression technology of AI models developed by multivance computing. What this allows is to convert very large models – which costs a lot to “execute” – in much smaller and efficient models, which allows them to make them more manageable and save many resources (and time) during inference. How to compress an AI model. Román Orús, scientific director of the company, led A study May 2024 in which they precisely explained the concept of “tensioning networks” of quantum inspiration and that allow compressing these models. Its operation is based on decomposing the matrices of pesos from the neural networks “truncating them” and retaining only the largest and most relevant values. In essence the concept focuses on discarding the less relevant information of the model to be left alone with the most relevant. But that does not make the model less accurate? In fact, but the degree of truncation can be controlled so that there is a good balance and commitment between compression and loss of precision. Even by compressing these models, in Multivars Computing they say The fall of the models It is only 2 to 3%. Same yield in a size 95% lower. To mitigate that precision fall, this system includes a rapid resentment phase called “healing” that can be repeated several times to achieve even closer accuracy to the original version. In the end, they affirm in the company, they can compress up to 95% a model of the performance. It lowers the use of AI. According to Your dataa model as it calls 3.1 405b has an operational cost of about $ 390,000 if we want to run it at home (13 GPUS H100, 9100 W of consumption), but thanks to Compactifai it is possible to reduce that cost to 60,000 dollars (2 GPUS H100, 1,400 W). One more “thin”. The “Slim” models provided by the company – Derivatives of Llama 3.3 70b or Call 4 scout– They are compressed versions that theoretically do not lose precision. They can be executed through the AWS platform or by licenses that also allow us to use it on-premisethat is, in local/own infrastructure. According to their metrics, these models are between 4 and 12 times faster than their non -compressed versions, which translates into an inference cost that is between 50% and 80% lower. Image | Multivize Computing In Xataka | Spain is finally

We have been binding to the suitcases to identify them at the airport for years. Your employees warn that it is a bad idea

by

I do it. And you may too. Arrives with the billing zone of any airport in the world to verify that we are many, manywho tied tapes, scarves or cords to our bags to differentiate them. A striking colorful color. An old bracelet. A loop with a name. It doesn’t matter. The idea is that we can clearly identify our suitcase of those of the rest of the passengers. Mark it in an unmistakable way (or so we believe) so that according to Asome by the conveyor belt we know that it is ours. It turns out that it is not as a good idea as it seems. Well on paper … But not so much in practice. Although we are many who add tapes to our Trolleys Billed to identify them at a glance, that trick has its weak points. And the most curious thing is that it is the airport employees themselves who They are warning it. Hanging a tape or handkerchief of the ASA may help you locate your suitcase and expedite billing, but workers in charge of managing luggage can be a real complication. One that ends up lengthening the security controls of your suitcase … and affecting your Planning travel. “It can cause problems”. The warning was released recently John, in charge of luggage at Dublin airport, a huge infrastructure for which only last year they paraded near 32 million passengers. With their respective suitcases, of course. In statements To the Irish magazine RSVP Magazinethe airfield employee warns that, at least in certain cases, the signals we use to differentiate our invoiced luggage complicate the controls. To the manual. “The tapes that people bind to their bags to help identify them can cause problems when scanning them in the luggage room,” Clarifies the employee Dublin, and warns: “If the suitcase is not able to scan automatically, it can end in manual processing, which could mean that it does not reach the flight.” Result? A trick that seeks to speed up the trip and avoid losses at the airport would end up becoming the opposite: a big problem. Adds and continues of advice. It is not the only advice left by the employee of the Dublin terminal. So that the passage through the airfields is the most comfortable, fast and quiet as possible RVSP Magazine leaves three other ideas almost as easy to apply as unleashed the ties that we have been able to hang from our Trolleys. The first is in fact very simple: also remove the stickers of old flights. “They can cause confusion with the scanning process,” says John. The second is to place the wheels of the suitcase up to prevent damage while driving it. And the third, somewhat more picturesque but equally crucial: avoid the mazapanes in the travel bags, no matter how fond of these sweets based on almond. The reason? “It has the same density as some explosives, so they will remove the suitcase and call it from the plane.” Travel with luggage … and tricks. John’s is not the first advice on airports and luggage. He is not even the first to expedite the tedious process of waiting for our suitcase to appear for the conveyor belt. The newspaper a year ago The Sun published Two others to get your suitcases and other packages to appear in the luggage collection room: The first It is to place a sticker that identifies them as “fragile”, which will help them to be of the first to be discharged; The second is to make the Chek in and bill Later as possible. The latter, of course, is not suitable for cardiac … and can lead to more than one scare if the traveler does not calculate the times well. Images | Gary Bembridge (Flickr) and Friend Jad (Flickr) In Xataka | The airlines continue to charge for the hand suitcase despite the historical fine and they already warn: they will raise prices *An earlier version of this article was published in June 2024

Enroll an old car as a historical to circulate in Madrid or Barcelona seems like a great idea. He does not always work

by

If you are thinking of entering Madrid with a vehicle without sticker, we have bad news: Since January 1, 2024 You can’t move through the capital unless you are a neighbor. And, it remains to be seen, if you can do next year because the intention was to prevent it this year but the City Council ended back. Nor can you do it in Barcelona at any time. Specifically, a vehicle without environmental label cannot circulate through the Metropolitan Area of ​​Barcelona (AMB) Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. In order to do so, you must ask for an authorization with, at least 24 hours in advance and may not do so more than 24 days a year. Although there are more low -emission areas in Spain (ZBE) and, in fact, we should have restrictions on all municipalities of more than 50,000 inhabitants. The truth is that only Madrid and Barcelona apply Hard restrictions. The rest of Spanish cities barely restrict access to a small part of them. In parallel, a door was opened to those who have a car without sticker. “What if I do historical?” The reason must be sought in the new Historical Vehicle Regulation, which allows these vehicles circulating through the ZBE … although there are important nuances to take into account. A historical vehicle for my zbe … more or less When the new one was taken a few months ago Historical Vehicle Regulations It was specified that there would be no City Council or any other institution that could prevent the movement of these cars. In fact, the following was specified: “The new regulation urges the municipalities to, in the exercise of their powers for the regulation of urban roads and for the restriction of circulation to certain vehicles in these roads for environmental reasons, establish formulas in their municipal ordinances that allow circulation to those owners who make a sporadic or non -common use of their historical vehicles.” However, aware of the implications that this could have, the following was also specified: “The use of historical vehicles will be occasional and in no case as a means of daily transport to minimize their environmental impact, and the use of historical vehicles to make public transport of travelers or merchandise and for agricultural activities or works and services is generally prohibited.” For the government, that “occasional use” has a number: 96 days a year. But with this figure an obvious question also arises: how are you controlled these 96 days a year? No one knows it and the regulation itself does not collect it. Thus, there are those who have had an idea. If I can use the historical car 96 days a year It means that I can circulate eight days every month with the vehicle. It is possible that, if we do not go to the city center every day because, for example, we telework, those eight days a month are more than enough to cover our tickets to Madrid or Barcelona. In fact, if we discount the month of vacation, we almost added one more day to each month. Taking into account that, right now, cars without label They add up to 25 years in the case of gasoline, you don’t have to go much further back to have a historical vehicle. Of course, you must meet the following requirement, as specified in Motorpasion: “To have been manufactured or enrolled for the first time 30 years ago, having stopped producing its specific type and being in its original state, without having undergone any fundamental change in its main characteristics or components. As a novelty, it is also required that they are in a correct state of maintenance and conservation.” That is, whoever wants to access the city center can be made with a car that has been enrolled before 1995. A second generation Seat Ibiza, for example, but it cannot have been subjected to fundamental changes or replace its main components. That said, can we circulate with him through the great Spanish Zbe? Well, in Madrid, technically, we can because the Municipal Mobility Ordinance that includes all the information related to Madrid 360 invites us to circulate with such a vehicle. Of course, you have to take some things into account: We cannot park in regulated parking areas since no label without label can do it. If we access more than 96 times a year (access controls it) we can be playing a fine since when it comes to registering it as a historical one, a responsible statement in which we promise not to move the car more than 96 days a year. The fine for not complying is 200 euros (100 euros with soon payment) which is reflected in the Traffic law, motor vehicle circulation and road safetyin its article 76 Z3. In Barcelona, ​​the matter is more confusing. At the moment, nothing has been approved that allows the entry of historical vehicles in the ZBE of the Metropolitan Area of ​​Barcelona in the restricted schedule only to cars without stickers. It is known that has been working on it But nothing has been completed. The problem is that, as with the obligation to have a ZBE in all municipalities of more than 50,000 inhabitants, the new regulation urges the municipalities to specify in their mobility ordinances the passage to these vehicles through their restricted areas but does not establish a term or punishment If this is not carried out. When lifting Zbe’s own we have already lived what happens when this happens. A good part of the municipalities of more than 50,000 inhabitants have not carried out these changes and an important part has barely restricted access to a few streets or, like Seville, to areas of very little affectation by traffic. Photo | In Xataka | DGT tags: what sticker corresponds to me and what advantages or restrictions I will find

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.