measure

the world’s first system to measure time on the Moon

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The Moon is close to going from being an occasional destination to a place where many things happen at the same time, and that forces us to rethink even the most basic bases of how we operate there. When several ships are maneuvering, when you want to land accurately or when thinking about a future navigation network, it is no longer enough to use Earth time and make corrections on the fly. Time becomes an operational tool, and any gap, no matter how small, begins to matter. That is the background of the step that China has just taken. The announcement comes from Nanjing and has a very practical objective. According to Global Timesa team at Purple Mountain Observatory has developed and published LTE440a software that allows you to directly compare the weather on the Moon with that on Earth without resorting to manual calculations. The system is based on a model that integrates lunar gravity and the movement of the satellite, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences presented it officially as a usable product last December, not just as an academic exercise, with an eye toward future operations in the lunar environment. Why time doesn’t run the same on the Moon. The gap that Chinese software is trying to solve is not a curiosity, but a direct consequence of physics. By having a lower gravity, the Moon makes its clocksand move forward about 56 microseconds a day with respect to those on Earth. This difference, imperceptible in the short term, accumulates and ends up introducing increasing errors if Earth time continues to be used as the only reference for missions that last months or even years. Landings and navigation at play. This gap, however small it may seem, has direct consequences when moving from theory to operation. Jonathan McDowellHarvard astronomer and quoted by the South China Morning Postexplained that differences of just one microsecond can become relevant in navigation systems, affecting calculations even on scales of one minute. What is LTE440. LTE440 calculates the relationship between the Moon’s coordinate time and the dynamic time of the solar system’s barycenter, an astronomical reference used to describe the motion of bodies. This correspondence is one of the necessary steps to later convert lunar time to Earth time in a traceable way. A model of the “Long March 10”, the launch system that China wants to use for its first manned mission to the Moon The international framework. The pressure to sort out this problem does not come only from China. In 2024, the International Astronomical Union adopted a broad framework for the Moon to have its own temporal reference, given the prospect of multiple missions operating at the same time. In that context, the Nanjing team’s work is presented as an engineering step that attempts to turn that general idea into a usable tool. Ambitious scope. The scientific article in Astronomy and Astrophysics maintains that The method remains on the order of a few tens of nanoseconds even according to their calculations when projected out to 1,000 years. On the other hand, this technical advance comes at a very specific moment in the Chinese space program. China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) maintains its goal to take astronauts to the Moon by 2030 and has already completed preliminary prototyping of the main systems, from the Long March-10 rocket to the Mengzhou spacecraft and the Lanyue lunar module. Images | Ganapathy Kumar | engin akyurt In Xataka | Poland and Spain are the European countries that have increased their contribution to space the most. For very different reasons

What are lightning bolts and how are they formed, the impressive electrical discharges that scare and fascinate in equal measure?

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The good news is that the chance of being struck by lightning this year is less than one in a million. Even better news is that 90% of people struck by lightning survive. Even so, it is always advisable to avoid risks when we are talking about atmospheric phenomena as violent as these. Lightning strikes cause both fear and fascination, a fascination that sometimes leads us to ask questions about the nature of these immense electrical columns. What is lightning Lightning is an electrical discharge (each lightning can generate several discharges), generally of very high power, that occur in clouds. These are meteorological phenomena that, although they have its origin in the atmospheresometimes they reach the surface of the Earth. We usually associate lightning with storms and cyclones, but these discharges can occur in other contexts, for example during volcanic eruptions, during fires of a certain intensity or when nuclear weapons are detonated. How lightning is formed Lightning usually occurs in stormy conditions and, the truth is that we do not fully know how. We know that under certain conditions, clouds can go accumulating electrical charges both positive and negative. In these cases, the air acts as an insulator between areas of positive or negative accumulation, as well as between these areas and the Earth. At a certain point, the accumulation of these charges exceeds a threshold that causes this insulating capacity of the air to give way. So all that accumulation of charges generates an electric current capable of traveling long distances (even several hundred kilometers). The discharge allows the electrical charge to balance, but the charges can accumulate again until the next lightning strike. What remains a mystery to us is the beginning of this process, how positive or negative charges accumulate in certain regions. The main hypothesis suggests that the origin of this accumulation is in tiny hail particles (also called graupel) that grow as they encounter supercold water droplets (in a liquid state but with temperatures below freezing). In thunderstorms, these icy particles would frequently collide, colliding with other icy particles. These collisions would cause the charges of the different particles to gain charge of one sign or another. Difference between lightning, thunder and lightning Electrical shocks are usually invisible to the human eye and they also do not generate noise, but this is not the case with lightning. Lightning generates not only a flash of intense light, but also a significant roar. We call the zigzag luminous path of lightning lightning. As it passes through the atmosphere, the electrical discharge causes the air to heat up to exceed temperatures of 27,000º Ceslius, a temperature higher than that observed on the surface of the Sun. This causes the air to become incandescent, generating lightning. Such rapid and intense heating of the air has another effect, making it “explode” outwards. This rapid movement of air is responsible for the second element that makes up lightning, sound or, in other words, the thunder. Light and sound move through the atmosphere at very different speeds. This is what makes us see lightning even seconds before its sound reaches our eardrums. This gap gives rise to an old trick to measure the distance at which the storm is from us. If we count the seconds of lag between light and sound and divide the result by three, we can estimate the distance in kilometers at which the lightning occurred. Types of lightning Cloud flashes and cloud-to-cloud Among conventional rays we can distinguish various types depending on the location of the points they join. The first of the groups that we can distinguish is that of the cloudy flashes. Most lightning strikes never reach the ground, in fact it is common for them not to even escape the cloud in which they occur. These rays are also often called intra-cloud rays. Within the category of lightning that never reaches the ground, there are some whose path partially escapes the cloud and even some that start in one cloud and reach another different cloud. Cloud-to-surface We distinguish these cloudy flashes and rays from those that do manage to reach the Earth’s surface. These types of discharges occur from the top down, at least when they happen naturally. The rays that join cloud and surface can be both negative and positive depending on where the respective negative and positive charges are located. Negative rays are the most common rays (they represent around 95% of impacts). In these rays, the clouds accumulate a negative charge and the Earth has a positive charge. When lightning opens the channel, the negative charge moves from the cloud to the ground, hence the name. The positive rays They are less frequent but at the same time more powerful. The reason is that these originate in higher areas of the cloud, so they must travel further. This in turn means that they accumulate more energy before discharging. Other unique events However, there is a different category that we call transient light events, or TLE (transient luminous events). These phenomena are much less frequent, more difficult to observe and, as a consequence, much more mysterious. How powerful is lightning? The strength of lightning can vary considerably depending on atmospheric conditions and the Earth’s surface. As explained According to the United States National Weather Service, a “typical” lightning strike can discharge about 30,000 amperes with 300 million volts. However, we pointed out before that a positive ray can transport much more energy. According to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the organization on which the American meteorological service depends, these types of discharges can be an order of magnitude higher, discharging 300,000 amperes with 1,000 million volts. Many will wonder Why don’t we take advantage of this energy? and the answer is that, today, there are too many difficulties to make this technology a reality. First, we must keep in mind that lightning is a transitory phenomenon that can occur in different places: to obtain its energy we would have … Read more

The measure is much more restrictive than with H20 chips

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The administration of the cyberspace of China (CAC) has ordered To the main technological companies of the country, including Bytedance and Alibaba, to stop buying and testing the Nvidia artificial intelligence chips specifically designed for the Chinese market. This is another episode in the arduous Commercial War between the United States and Chinaa hardening caused by Beijing’s strategy to reduce its dependence on American technology. What happened. The Chinese regulator has banned the purchase of the RTX PRO 6000D, the most recent Nvidia chip adapted to the local market, forcing companies to cancel their orders and stop the evidence that had already begun. According to Financial Timesseveral companies had expressed their intention to acquire tens of thousands of units before receiving the approval from the government. Why now. Chinese regulators have concluded that semiconductors developed by national companies Like Huawei and change They already reach comparable performance or superior to the products that Nvidia exports to China. This evaluation has led the authorities to bet on local industry. Even more restrictive regulation. This prohibition goes one step further than the previous guidelines, which focused on advising the purchase of H20, the previous Nvidia model for China. The current measure is a direct order that leaves no room for maneuver to Chinese technology companies. The Nvidia reaction. Jensen Huang, CEO of the American company, It has been shown “disappointed” but comprehensive with the situation. “We can only be at the service of a market if the country wishes,” he said during his visit to London, where he accompanies Donald Trump on his tour of the United Kingdom. The geopolitical context. The tension comes from afar. The United States initially prohibited Nvidia Sell ​​your most advanced chips To China, which led the company to develop specific versions for the Chinese market. In July, Washington partially flexible these restrictionsbut established that Nvidia must pay 15% of the income she obtains from China to the US government. Between the lines. “The message is now high and clear. Before, a new Nvidia supply was expected if the geopolitical situation improved. Now everyone is hands to work to build the national system,” assured the executive of a technological company to the Financial Times. From the comings and disagreements between China and the United States, both countries have found a kind of Technological self -sufficiency. In the case of China, this has been another step towards this strategy promoted by Beijing. Bet on national chips. China seeks to triple its production of IA processors next year, according to information of the Financial Times. The commitment to national semiconductors is part of a broader strategy To compete with the United States in the career of artificial intelligence and reduce its vulnerability to future commercial restrictions. For Nvidia this implies the loss of a key market in a moment of maximum growth of the sector. Cover image | Nvidia and Arthur Wang In Xataka | China has the largest censorship system in the world. Now he has decided to export it and sell it to other countries

The lowest birth rate forced South Korea to a desperate measure: hire foreign nanny

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Of all the problems in South Korea, one was certainly shocking in September last year (things have changed a little Since then): they had the lowest birth rate in the world, of 0.72 children per woman. In recent years, governments and administrations have been passing, but no one managed to stop the descent, nor the super checksnor the rocambolesque idea that Girls begin the school before. The next measure was a symptom of the crisis: they are being forced to Hire foreign nanny. Nannies and visas. As part of the Government’s strategy, the hiring of 100 Philippine nannies that could work in the country since then. The measure was just the beginning, since approximately 1,200 foreign nannies for the first half of 2025and a “more affordable” program Last March. A problem without solution. Despite government efforts during the last 17 years, including An expense of 380 billion wones (Around 284,000 million dollars) In various incentives to increase fertility, the birth rate has continued to plumn. The desperate situation that in Seoul was warned that the country could be the first of the world to disappear due to this demographic decline is such. Moreover, the administration of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol recognized that drastic measures are needed to reverse this trend, and that was the first of the ideas: the introduction of foreign nannies with the aim of relieving the load of the care of children of parents who work, especially in households with double income, and ultimately increase the birth rate. The new policy. As The Government reportedthe entrance was formed between 24 and 38 years old who have the national level II certificate of care certification of the Filipino Government and who have received wide training. Their skills, according to the government, include the care of children, domestic tasks and the basic domain of the Korean language. In addition, the workers do it with an E-9 visa, which allows employment in non-professional sectors in the country, and will be part of a pilot program restricted to Seoul residents. This six -month program aims to provide affordable child care services with homes with children under 12, single -parent families and those with several children. Who pays the party. The lack of affordable nurseries is one of the main concerns among the parents who work, hence the question is more pertinent than ever, who paid the babysitters? According to the Seoul government, hire a foreign nanny for eight hours a day I could cost households around 2.38 million wones per monthalmost half of the average monthly income of Korean households. This generated many doubts about the affordability of the program for average Korean families. “We are seeing complaints about the cost burden of foreign domestic employees,” You Hye-Mi saidmain secretary of the president, in an interview. “Therefore, we are trying to explore ways to mitigate the burden it supposes for an individual home to hire them.” The controversy of the minimum wage. In addition, the program also faced criticism from work activists and immigrant rights groups. It happened in 2023, when the mayor of Seoul, Oh Se-Hoon, proposed to hire foreign nanny to A monthly cost of approximately 1 million woneswhich is significantly lower than the minimum wage in South Korea. Not just that. Deputy Cho Jung-Hun also proposed a bill that would exclude immigrant domestic employees from the requirement of the minimum wage law, arguing that the salaries of these workers should be in line with those of their countries of origin, a proposal highly criticized by human rights organizations, which argue that it violates the rights of foreign workers and violates the norms of the International Labor Organization (ILO). And birth rate? As we said at the beginning, the introduction of foreign nannies is part of a broader government effort to boost female participation in the workforce, which is considered essential to improve the country’s birth rate. The number of households with double income in South Korea has increased constantly, reaching 5.82 million in 2021. The problem is that many women end up abandoning the workforce due to the responsibilities of child care. Therefore, by offering more affordable child care options, the government expects to create a more conducive environment for young couples to have children, thus addressing, in theory, the worrying birth rate in descent. A version of this article is PUblicó in 2024 Image | Pexels, Pexels In Xataka | South Korea has taken the rivalry in the classrooms to the extreme: 84% of its children go to academies to be even more competitive In Xataka | Seoul lives an unprecedented birth crisis. The idea of ​​its mayor: set up a municipal dating program

They have had to make it to measure because it could not be

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Measure more than 2.16 meters can have certain advantages, such as having a different perspective of things, reaching high places without effort or more likely to become a NBA star that measuring 1.75 meters. However, this height also implies many everyday problems to which the great stars of the NBA face daily: choosing clothes of their size, footwear or even a car adequate to enter In it comfortably without the knees being above the steering wheel. When it comes to supercar, these inconveniences multiply because these types of cars do not stand out precisely by the space of its habitats. Shaquille O’Neal, one of the biggest NBA stars of all time, has just received the only corvette c8 z06 of elongated chassis in the world, an exclusive creation tailored to him by the Effortless Motors workshop in California. The first Corvette C8 Z06 “L” of History Like production luxury cars, they take out a variant L (from Limousine) slightly longer That the base model to give more space to the rear seats, Effortless Motors has created a Corvette Z06 that, at first glance, is exactly the same as the original model. However, in reality, it is 50 cm longer than the standard version of Chevrolet Corvette C8 Z06 that is manufactured in the General Motors factory in Bowling Green (Kentucky) and is sold in concessionaires by concessionaires by concessionaires An approximate price of $ 136,000. The Chevrolet supercard measures 4.68 meters, but the version that will lead O’Neal reaches 5.18 meters. This data matches it in size to a Mercedes Skeeping the original design of the model, which makes the modification made to adapt it to the size of O’Neal even more surprising. The Effortless Motors vehicle customization workshop, based in California, assumed the challenge of modifying the Chevrolet Corvette C8 Z06 only for Shaquille O’Neal and has published A video about it. Customization specialists have managed to stretch about 50 cm extra to give the NBA star the space it needs to accommodate after the steering wheel. This process required to manufacture from zero elements such as doors, fenders and motor lid, in addition to making the wider rear wheel steps to maintain the harmony of design, and even redesign the capota to adapt it to the new length of the cabin. However, in the workshop they failed to lower the seats, so O’Neal could have difficulty driving with the cape installed. Judging by the video, his head would touch the roof. In essence, it is as if the car had stretched in its central zone leaving larger doors, keeping the front, the rear and all its power under the hood. The modification of the doors also involved the manufacture of custom windows for them. However, the pressure that the windows could exert on them was not taken into account, so when using them for the first time, both crystals cracked delaying the delivery of the car to the sports star that assumed it with its good characteristic humor. Benefits and details of the exclusive Support Despite all the structural changes that make this corvette c8 z06 an exclusive piece, the heart of the Corvette C8 Z06 It is still the same. It has an LT6 atmospheric V8 engine of 679 hp and 623 nm of torque, capable of moving from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.6 seconds and reaching a maximum speed of 322 km/h. This level of power and performance makes it one of the more supercar exclusive and fast market. That is why O’Neal has not been able to resist the temptation to adapt a unit to its height to feel all that power under your right foot. As for the experience inside, O’Neal has shared unique moments after receiving the car: “The first big uncle in a Z06,” O’Neal exclaimed when sitting behind the wheel after several months of waiting. Even so, the modification has made possible the dream of O’Neal to handle a Z06 adapted to its exceptional dimensions and seemed fully satisfied with the fact of being able to conduct its own supercar. Although it is not very common, the Personalization of the Support O’Neal is not unique. A little less than a year ago, Mark Zuckerberg too commissioned a similar project to the television car customization workshop West Coast Customs The creation of a Cayenne Turbo GT “Minivan” so that his wife could take his daughters to school. In Xataka | Shaquille O’Neal has revealed how he managed to quadruple his fortune: applying Jeff Bezos’ investment philosophy Image | Wikimedia Commons (Techcrunch), Chevrolet

The AI is putting the US power grid in trouble. And Google has already taken a measure that shows the magnitude of the problem

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Google data centers work 24/7, processing searches, videos and now also AI models. But not everything can grow at the same pace. In several areas of the United States, electricity begin to notice the pressure: Energy demand is accelerated and In some places already exceed capacity forecasts. Given that scenario, Google moves: It will reduce the consumption of your data centers when there are peaks, prioritizing the essential and postponing what you can expect. The novelty is the focus: Machine Learning charges. Artificial intelligence progresses. The electricity grid notice. The expansion of AI is going so fast that companies receive more connection requests than they can meet in certain areas. The consequence is no longer only technique: there is an energy restriction that conditions the deployment. It’s not about turning off machines, but moving loads. The “demand response“It consists of adapting consumption to what the network can supply at all times. In practice: displace or reduce non -urgent loads – like the processing of programmable videos or tasks – outside critical hours. It is a tool used in intensive industries and cryptocurrency mining, now applied to data centers with AI. The system has clear limits. This type of flexibility is not applicable in all centers or in all situations. Google recognizes it clearly: there are services that you just can’t expect. Platforms such as Search, Maps or the cloud for critical sectors – such as health or emergencies – require continuous availability, without margin for load settings. There are no “non -urgent” tasks that can be postponed. Therefore, although the response to demand is a valuable tool, its implementation will remain partial and selective. It requires planning, previous agreements and an infrastructure designed to absorb that type of reorganization. Not all centers can do it. But where it is possible, it becomes a real way to relieve pressure on the network without compromising the essential. There is already experience, and now. It is not theory. Google tested this flexibility With the public electric of Omaha and reduced demand associated with Machine Learning in three network events last year. The next step are formal agreements with Indiana Michigan Power (Fort Wayne) and with Tennessee Valley Authority: in Indiana it will be integrated from the beginning of the new center, and in Tennessee it will be applied coordinated with the operator. From experiment to strategy. What began as a pilot becomes operational policy: Managing demand flexible helps stabilize the network and accelerates the connection of large loads without waiting for new lines or centrals. It is not a magical solution, but it wins time while the infrastructure is reinforced. Images | Xataka with Gemini 2.5 Flash | Andrey Metelev In Xataka | Google has signed the largest hydroelectric agreement in history. You no longer know where to get more energy to feed your AI

measure exactly the time they eat, according to scientists

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Overweight is no longer an exclusive problem of adults or an isolated issue in childhood. Between improvised lunches and late dinners a serious problem is emerging. To follow the current inertia, a study Posted in The Lancet He has warned that Spain could be placed as the fourth country in the world with the highest prevalence of childhood obesity in 2050. And the answer is not only in what is eaten, but when. Looking beyond the plate. For decades, the nutritional debate focused on calories, Fats, sugars and Tags. But a key question had been out of radar: does the time it is eaten? Here the discipline of the Chrononutrition. This discipline analyzes how food schedules can directly influence our health. More technically, it is about biological watches (adjusted by factors such as light, sleep, physical activity and food) are closely linked to metabolism through the so -called circadian rhythms. Therefore, dinner late, that in Spain it is a usual tonic, it could be taking its toll. Not only does digestion hinder: it can also imbue metabolism, make insulin work worse and, over time, favor overweight, even if the dish seems healthy. Under that premise. A group of researchers from the valuenut project, from the Complutense University of Madrid, It was proposed to respond to that theorybut focusing on the little ones. To do this, they gathered 880 schoolchildren between 8 and 13 years old, from five Spanish provinces: A Coruña, Barcelona, ​​Madrid, Seville and Valencia. The goal was not just to know what children ate, but also what time they did. The study focused on three concrete aspects: breakfast, dinner and the “food window”. This little known concept refers to the time between the first meal of the day and the last to know how daily intake is distributed. The criteria? They considered late breakfast that occurs after 8:53 am, and late dinner that is taken from 9:10 p.m. If the difference between the two exceeded 12 hours, there was talk of a prolonged food window. The results. Unlike what They have suggested Some studies in adults, in this case there was no direct relationship between eating late or lengthening too much time between the first and last meal of the day, and neither was a greater risk of obesity in the children analyzed. However, the metabolism did give signals of change, such as the schoolchildren who had breakfast later presented lower levels of glucose and LDL cholesterol (the one known as “bad”), and higher in HDL (the “good”). A fact that revealed the thread that had to be thrown away. There was the pattern. When the late dinners or very prolonged food windows were analyzed, a different pattern emerged: the quality of the diet got worse. Less planned meals, more improvised and with less nutritional value. On the other hand, it was also given that there were children who ate the days for more hours, that is, with a longer window. These showed unavailable values ​​at glucose and cholesterol level and indices to develop cardiovascular diseases in the future. But there is more. And to this equation an additional factor was added: the dream. The study revealed that 60 % of these children also slept less hours, which could further enhance the negative effects on their metabolism. Less rest, more mismatch in food schedules and a lower quality diet: a silent, but potentially harmful cocktail. Synchronizing times. In the light of the results, the researchers launch a clear message: it is not enough to eat well, you also have to eat on time. From the study itself has clarified that the recommendation is to shorten the daily window, that is, that all meals are concentrated in a period of less than 12 hours. Of course, in the case of Spain, where late dinners are deeply rooted to culture, so the challenge is not less. However, if you want to stop childhood obesity, the “when” must occupy a place as relevant as the “what” and “how much”. The research also raises new lines of work: what role does the child’s chronotype play? What happens if this data is combined with sleep quality? What if it is also taught to better plan meals? Understanding how the internal clock works from childhood can be key to preventing this problem from growing with them. Image | Pavel Danilyuk Xataka | Mexico has given an ultimatum to schools: they have six months to throw all the “junk” food of the menus

Japan went to South Korea as a desperate measure for the lack of rice. They have not even solved a national emergency

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To understand what is happening in Japan we must go back in time. The summer of 2024 left A perfect storm On the basis of the nation’s diet: rice. A unprecedented shortage of grains in his own fields began to leave No stock to shops. Then, the tourist boom has duplicate the problem turning it into a historical crisis reflected in a fact: 30% more expensive was being paid. Given the danger to running without a basic pillar, the decision was made “Release” tons of your reservations. What nobody could anticipate. Foreign rice. In April, La Nación opted for another unprecedented decision in 25 years: Import rice From South Korea, an unthinkable measure in a society Historically reluctant to the foreign grain, but that was forced to make its customs more flexible to the vertiginous increase in the price of the national grain. With prices that They doubled their value Regarding the previous year (reaching 4,214 yuan by 5 kg in April) and with a government response that fails to contain the climbing, consumers have begun to look beyond their borders. Not just that. The Aeon chain He also announced which will begin to sell American rice Calrose starting next month, with a price 10% lower than the Japanese grain, a decision that could mark a turning point in consumption habits. In front of national rice. The arrival of South Korean rice, sold both online and in supermarkets, although even in small volumes (just two tons with another twenty on the way), marked a point of cultural and economic inflection. The nationalist preference for local rice, which had condemned to failure Previous attempts such as that of Thai rice in 1993, has yielded to the urgency of more accessible prices. The Guardian told Cases of testimonies such as that of Miki Nihei diner, who said not to notice any difference when eating Californian rice, and revealed a change in public perception: the quality of foreign grain was no longer a sufficient reason to resist, when the pocket suffers. The rice becomes a politician. Now, a few weeks after crucial elections for the Upper House, the government of the Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru ishiba is on the edge of political collapse Given the growing discomfort by the exorbitant increase in the price of rice, central food in Japanese food. With inflation that has reached the most symbolic product in the country, citizens have expressed their frustration in surveys such as that of the Kyodo agency, which places the approval of the Ishiba cabinet in a minimum of 27.4%marking a fall of more than five points in just one month. The pressure intensifies not only from the opposition, but also from its own Democratic Liberal Party (PLD), already weakened after lose most In the lower house last fall. THE DEBATE ON THE Impost to consumption Of 10%, that the government refuses to reduce despite popular claims, is emerging as the decisive axis of the electoral contest of July, with almost three quarters of voters asking for their total or partial cuts, especially in food. A late remedy. As we said at the beginning, in an attempt to contain the crisis, the government decided to release rice from the strategic reserves In March, a normally reserved measure For natural disasterswhich failed to stop the price increase. The price price in supermarkets reached practically Double of what cost a year ago. Although the price dropped minimally after the release of the first 300,000 tons, the results were disappointing. To reinforce his strategy, the executive announced the launch of another 300,000 tons Additional until July, with the novelty that part of these items will overcome wholesalers to reach the points of sale faster. However, More than 87% From respondents believe that these actions are insufficient, and citizens do not trust that trade negotiations with the United States focused among other issues in rice imports will be resolved in favor of Japan. From there to that leap For the search for “foreigner” rice In South Korea. A political fire. The theme has become more violent in recent days. It happened when the Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Taku Eto, unleashed A political storm and socially by declare that “he has never had to buy rice” thanks to the gifts he receives from his supporters. The phrase, pronounced during a fundraising party, was disseminated by the Kyodo and quickly replicated agency by other meansgenerating a wave of indignation in social networks where thousands of citizens, faced at record prices of the Japanese basic food, demanded their immediate resignation. Eto, visibly pressed, apologized the next day before the journalists, claiming that “he had exaggerated to please the public” and that his wife, after reprimanding him on the phone, reminded him that she Yes Buy Rice When it ends at home. Thus, he avoided responding if he will present his resignation, leaving the tension generated in full countdown to the key elections of the upper house in July. A market that does not supply. In short, the Rice search Out of the nation is not (alone) a commercial turn that responds only to the registration of the national product, but (also) to the suspicion of hoarding by distributors, logistics bottlenecks and a Shot demand For booming tourism. Given this panorama, the image of ishiba as an effective manager It wobblesand its refusal to touch the consumption tax is interpreted as disconnection with the real needs of citizenship. The rice crisis is not only forcing logistics and commercial adjustments, but also raises questions about the viability of food self -sufficiency in Japan, a country that for decades has shielded its agriculture with subsidies, tariffs and a national identity speech linked to the consumption of domestic rice. Suddenly, the rice not only feeds: it also marks the measure of discontent. Image | Ilo Asia-Pacific In Xataka | Japan had used its rice reserve against earthquakes or tsunamis. Now is your weapon against the price escalation In Xataka | In Japan there … Read more

How Spain is putting aside to your favorite measure to drink beer

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We Spaniards like to practice Terraceo with friendsa skewer and a good beer, but that It does not mean That we do it the same throughout Spain. Not even what The beer jargon be the same throughout the country. Especially if we talk about tap beer. Moreover, if you move frequently from north to south it is likely that you have found that not all waiters seem to use the same terms or even how the same word can mean different things, understanding by “different” the milliliters that you will find in the glass. In case that “Babel Torre” was not enough, now (at least In part of Spain) There is an upward option: the cup, something that tells us about beer but also how we drink it and formats beyond the star measure, cane. Spain, beer land. We Spaniards like beer. And that statement has few laps because it relies on contributing data and sounds collected by the sector itself. In 2023 its consumption stood around 43 million of hectoliters, with an average intake of 55 l per person. In fact (and although demand It has ups and downs) Its consumption has been winning weight In front of the wine, also linked to the Spanish table. That we like to take a good lager or IPA does not mean that everywhere you drink (and ask for) the same. Map prepared by brewers of Spain. How do you drink in Spain? That same question was asked a few years ago Brewers from Spainthe association that groups the great producers of the country, after verifying that although a beer is a beer anywhere in Spain, the thing changes when we talk about how to serve it. “Depending on the format we want and the area, an act as simple and everyday as asking for a beer, if it is not done correctly, it can become a real challenge,” Recognize. Where is a good map … To clear doubts, Cervecer did two things: he created A glossary and a map that helps appreciate how beers usually drink) throughout the country. The graph should be handled however with some caution. For example, the association recalls that although in Salamanca or Valladolid, tap beer is usually used in vessels between 100 and 140 ml called “short”, in Galicia that same word refers to “the lifetime cane”, a major format. If you are in the Basque Country, you better call it “Zurito.” Or “penalty” in Aragon. And that’s all? No. The cane is the “par excellence” format and that word understands it in virtually all the businesses of Spain, but manufacturers warn: “While in areas such as Madrid the glass measure is 200 ml, in other places the size is superior. Thus, if a Basque wants to take the 350 of a Basque cane in Madrid will have to ask for a double, the most similar measure.” Since the cane usually moves around 200 ml, the normal thing would be that the double was 400 ml, but that logic has nuances again. In Basque Country if we want that amount of beer drink, it advises to use another term: “Canyon.” The wide brewing glossary is completed with words such as “Botellín”, “fifth” or “third”, which are the terms used for bottles depending on whether you want the fifth part or a third of liter. The thing is complicated, however, with exceptions: Asturias, Cantabria or Catalonia use terms as “average” or “median.” If you are looking for you will even find guides who speak of 25 either 30 forms To ask for beer, including “pots”, “botijos”, “tank” or “xibeca”. Complicated? There are more. In case the “photography” was not complex enough, at least in part of Spain it is being added An extra factor: The form. That is, the key is no longer how much or how we drink beer, but what we drink it. That is: glass or glass. The nuance is interesting and slid yesterday The voice of Galicia in An article in which he explains how in Santiago de Compostela it is increasingly common to see people with beers in the glass instead of a glass. The question is evident: “Why do the reeds serve as if they were a wine?” After talking with compostela hoteliers, the newspaper Slide Some practical explanations: the glasses are easier to store (they can be hung upside down) and there are those who defend that they help preserve the organoleptic properties of beer. In fact there are places that San Cups designed for the Lager. “Optimal formats”. “The crystal is quite broken and you have to replace, but it is the best form”, They argue From a compostelano store. Galicia star itself claims That each beer has “its cup” and details the differences of form and use between the flute (15-40 CL), the Pilsner vessel (15-40), the tulip (20-50), Weizen (30-50), Snifter (30-50), chalice (30-50) or the teku, used in tastings and between 33 and 50 cl. “If we leave aside its aesthetic or historical component, it cannot be denied that some formats are optimal for certain styles,” The company points out. Cup question … And something else. In the passage of the vessels to the glasses there is, however, another factor that speaks, rather than the bars or beer itself, how we enjoy it. One of Santiago’s hoteliers in fact explains that there are clients who ask them to serve the cane in a glass of wine, either because the glass is finer or for quantity. “The wine brings between 44 and 52 CL and the cane is 33,” clarifies the hotelier, who denies that the cane has less amount than a bottle. The slow decline of the cane. The phenomenon also coincides with an apparent decay of the cane and other reduced formats in favor of others of larger. Two years ago Straight to the palate I pointed Already as many bars in Madrid (and other points in Spain) were going from the standard … Read more

We do not know what the Benchmarks of Ia measure. So we have talked to the Spanish who created one of the most difficult

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Gemini 2.5 Pro is the best model in history. The smartest. At least, right now. I don’t say it, he says The Chatbot Arena classificationa platform in which they run various tests or benchmarks to try to measure the global capacity of modern AI models. According to these evidence, at this time Gemini 2.5 pro experimental, launched On March 25, it has a score of 1,440 points, well above GPT-4O (1,406), Grok 3 (1,404), GPT-4.5 (1,398) and of course an Depseek R1 that despite its fame is in seventh place with a score of 1,359 points. In current Ranking of Chatbot Arena, it places Gemini Pro 2.5 experimental as the most capable model of AI at the moment. That (probably) does not last long. Google herself presumed the capacity of Gemini 2.5 Pro experimental in the official announcement. As usually happens in these ads, companies show a table in which they compare their performance with that of other comparable models in different tests. In almost all of them Google crushed their rivals in well -known tests in this segment. Is for example the Humanity’s last exam (general knowledge and reasoning), GPQA Diamond (science), Aime 2025 (math), Livecodebench V5 and Swe-Bench Verified (programming) or Mmmu (visual reasoning). All these benchmarks try to measure the ability of these models in more or less specific fields, and all help to demonstrate that models, indeed, are improving. And yet none of them answer the fundamental question: Is the AI so intelligent Like the human being? There is the really complicated, because the definition of intelligence is not entirely clear either. There are different types of intelligence, in fact, and measuring them in humans is not simple or even possible either. And comparing the ability of an AI with the ability of human intelligence is usually not easy. Some experts wonder if IA laboratories will not be cheating with the benchmarks There are in fact who argues that the progress of AI models is misleading. It recently Dean Valentine, from the Startup Zeroopath. He and his team created an AI system that analyzes large code projects in search of security problems. With Claude 3.5 Sonnet They noticed a great leap, but from there the subsequent versions have seemed much less striking. In fact, this expert pointed out that today many of the companies that launch these models focus too much on going well on the photo of the existing and most popular benchmarks and “sound intelligent” in conversations with human beings. Wonders if the laboratories of AIs are cheating and lying: For him the evolution shown by Benchmarks does not correspond to the real benefits when using them. Frontiermath and the challenge of solving problems that (almost) nobody has solved But there are attempts to answer that question. One of them comes from the team that develops THE ARC-AGI 2 PROJECTa set of evidence derived from the Moravec paradox: They are relatively easy for human being, but very difficult for AI models. Jaime Sevilla, CEO of Epoch Ai. These tests measure the ability to generalize and abstract reasoning with visual puzzles, and are undoubtedly an interesting part of that effort to value how far we have arrived at every moment with the AI ​​models. Another of the most striking tests of recent times is Frontiermath. This benchmark created by the company COPHAI It consists of about 300 mathematical problems of different level. They have been designed by a team of more than 60 mathematicians among which Terence Tao, winner of the Fields Medal. Although there are some more affordable problems, 25% of them are qualified as especially complex. In fact, only the best experts could solve them, and It would take even days In doing so. This set of tests is also special for another aspect: these are unpublished problems and therefore have not been part of the training sets of any AI model. To solve them the machines need to be able to show a special “mathematical intelligence.” One that It helps precisely to something increasingly difficult: Assess the evolution of these models. In Xataka we have been able to talk to Jaime Sevilla (@Jsevillamol), which is precisely the CEO of COPHAI and has a very clear and personal vision on how the tests should be to measure the ability of an AI model. To begin with, he points out, “you need to have a way of measuring how the AI ​​is advancing. Interacting with it can give you perspective, but you do not have a rigorous impression of where it will arrive and in what domains it is most expert.” That, he explains, makes it necessary to have standardized test batteries that allow us to form an idea of ​​their skills. For this expert the Benchmark Arc-AGI is more representative of that other vision, making an easy benchmark for humans but difficult for AI. The models are improving in Arc-Agi, but for him that was obvious and that had to happen. With yours the tests are difficult for each other, and that the models advance and are increasingly better when solving these problems is not so obvious. Thus, with FrontierMath they wanted to “try to measure if AI can solve genuinely difficult problems.” Until now the mathematical problems that were subjected to the AI ​​models were relatively easy, so the models “saturated the benchmarks”, that is, they soon managed to overcome all these tests and achieve a 100% score. “It will be a challenge to saturate this benchmark“He stressed. Here I set an example with OPENAI’s O3-mini model, which already solves 10% of FrontierMath. It is not much, but it is brutal, he says, and has already surpassed expert mathematicians like himself. However, he says, “That the AI ​​overcomes certain benchmarks does not mean that it can operate as a human expert. You have to adjust them because they are adjusted to very specific scenarios. We are measuring those limits of that AI, and that will be a continuous process.” For Seville … Read more

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