possibility

We have covered the ISS in moss with a single objective. And now the possibility of “terraforming” Mars is closer

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Last year, scientists published the results of a study in which they told how they had covered the outside of the International Space Station (ISS) with moss. Although the study It was published in Decemberit was not a Christmas decorative strategy. They wanted to check if this primitive plant is capable of surviving the inhospitable conditions of space. The results were so positive, they could take humanity one step closer to terraforming Mars. A primitive plant to start a new life. The first plants that appeared on Earth were bryophytes, more specifically mosses. They are very resistant plants, capable of growing directly on rocks. From there, they can photosynthesize if they have the right water and nutrients. It is a process in which they capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and generate oxygen. In addition, they generate organic matter that, upon death, becomes the perfect substrate. so that other more complex plants can grow. That is why the study was carried out to see if moss can survive in space. It was proven yes, so it could be an interesting candidate for terraforming Mars or the Moon. The study. Basically, what was seen in the study is that the mosses exposed on the outside of the ISS were able to survive for 283 days exposed to extremely cold temperatures and very intense ultraviolet radiation. When they were returned to Earth after that period, more than 80% had survived. In fact, planting them made them germinate. Carl Sagan already predicted it (more or less). The dream of terraforming other planets is not something new, although it is true that for a long time it was almost a fantasy. In 1961, for example, Carl Sagan made an interesting proposal to terraform Venus. It is known that this planet neighboring Earth It is covered by a dense layer of clouds. Since clouds here on Earth are usually made of water, the famous astrophysicist proposed planting cyanobacteria inside them. These microorganisms have the ability to carry out photosynthesis, like plants. Therefore, they could consume carbon dioxide and generate oxygen. The problem is that it was later discovered that the clouds of Venus are actually made of sulfuric acid, so their proposal became unattainable. Proposals to terraform Mars. No further proposals have been made to terraform Venus, but there have been proposals to do the same with Mars. It’s also pretty inhospitable, but it has a lot more potential. In fact, last year was published in Nature a study that talked about the possibility of turning the red planet into something similar to Earth with only four steps. The first would be to melt the ice, so that it becomes an immense ocean of liquid water. For this, the temperature would have to be increased by at least 30ºC. heat is needed. The second step, therefore, is to obtain that heat. It was proposed to use solar sails that direct most of the solar radiation to these ice reserves. Aerosols could also be dispersed in the atmosphere that cause a kind of greenhouse effect, further retaining solar radiation inside the planet. A vaulted habitat. Although Mars has its own atmosphere, it would have to be reinforced with something that would allow it to create a biosphere. Therefore, it would be interesting to build vaults into which to introduce the first Martian inhabitants. Life that brings more life to Mars. Finally, it would be necessary to use genetically modified-extremophilic microorganisms. These are microorganisms capable of surviving in extreme conditions. For example, microorganisms that survive in media with high salt concentrations or very high or very low temperatures are Extremophiles. Even so, it would be necessary to genetically modify them to make them even more resistant to extremely low temperature and pressure conditions. These microorganisms would be photosynthetic, so that they generate oxygen and organic matter. Moss comes into play. Following the results of the International Space Station experiment, it is clear that moss could be a good complement to these extremophile microorganisms to terraform Mars. Unfortunately, it is estimated that to have the technologies necessary to meet all the requirements we will have to wait at least 100 years. It’s a long time, but with everything humanity has waited for, it would only be a little longer. For now, as the road safety advertisements say, the important thing is to arrive. There are already space agencies trying to date that first step. Let’s start there. Image | Julius A OBARO (Wikimedia Commons) and Freepik In Xataka | Chernobyl was filled with mushrooms after the nuclear accident. Thanks to them we discovered a “new form of photosynthesis”

The United Kingdom has just detained a Russian oil tanker in Gibraltar. The problem is the possibility that they are armed

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Spain controls one of the busiest maritime passages on the planet: for the Strait of Gibraltar More than 100,000 ships cross each year, including thousands of oil tankers. Just a few kilometers from its coasts, a good part of the crude oil that feeds Europe circulates, and any alteration in that flow has a direct impact on the Spanish economy, from the price of energy to maritime security. From sanctions to interceptions. What for months was a silent economic war you have just crossed a new visible line. The Royal Navy no longer limits itself to observing Russian maritime traffic, it now follows it, identifies it and makes it easier to approach. The case of the MV Deyna oil tanker in Gibraltar mark that change. It is not an isolated incident, it is the symptom of a strategy that is beginning to materialize at sea. And in this turn there is a key detail: for the first time, the pressure on the shadow fleet stops being just legal or financial and becomes operational. The fleet in the shadows. Russia has built a network of hundreds of opaque tankers to continue selling crude oil despite the sanctions. This includes everything from old ships to constant flag changes or business structures that are difficult to trace. All designed for keep the flow of income that fuels its war economy. This network has been for years difficult to attack because it operates on the margins of international law. But now that margin is narrowing, and every interception at key points like Gibraltar points directly to a critical vulnerability of the Russian system. HMS Cutlass stopped the tanker Gibraltar and the bottleneck. The strait, furthermore, is not just any place. As we said at the beginning, it is one of the most guarded maritime crossings on the planet. and convert it at pressure point against Russian oil has a clear logic: controlling traffic is controlling business. HMS Cutlass operations near France show that NATO is willing to use intelligencesurveillance and naval presence to stop this flow. If you will, each intervention sends a message that goes beyond the specific ship, one that announces that it is no longer safe to operate in the shadows near Europe. The problem. It turns out that this is where the story really changes. Because Russia not only wants to protect its fleet, it is considering doing so with military means. Armed patrols, fire equipment on board and even the possibility of militarizing the tankers themselves. What until now were civil ships with economic functions could be transformed into platforms with defensive capacity. And that turns any approach or follow-up into an operation with a real risk of escalation, where an inspection can turn into an armed incident. From drones to oil tankers. Ukrainian naval drone attacks against Russian ships have been the trigger of this change. They have shown that even large maritime assets are vulnerable, and Russia has responded hardening his stance and preparing an active defense. This connects directly with the current global scenario, where energy transportation has become in strategic objective. The sea, which for decades was a relatively stable highway, is beginning to look more and more like a diffuse war front. The domino effect. The paradox is quite evident. While the West try to cut Russia’s revenues, the war in the Middle East has put Moscow’s crude oil back to the center of the market global, with India and China absorbing shipments that previously found no buyer and prices rising higher and higher. And meanwhile the shadow fleet returns to be indispensable. That makes any try to stop it have global consequences, turning each interception into more than just a naval operation: a piece in a much larger battle for control of the global energy flow. A new red line. If you like, the final scenario is the most uncomfortable and dangerous. A Russian tanker detained in Gibraltar It is no longer just a sanctioned ship, it may be the first link in a chain of tensions that escalate rapidly. Because if those ships start to go armedeach interaction at sea stops being administrative and becomes potentially military. And at that point, the question stops being whether the shadow fleet can continue operating, and becomes what will happen the day someone shoots first. Image | kees torn In Xataka | The Canary Islands and Galicia have set off the Navy’s alarm bells. Russia’s ghost fleet has arrived in Spain with warships In Xataka | A ghost fleet has mapped the entire underwater structure of the EU. The question is what Moscow is going to do with that information.

For the first time in history the possibility of a Mediterranean without wine is beginning to appear on the horizon

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The same week we found out that Nabimia is flooding Europe of grapes grown in the middle of the desert, a map goes viral that says that the continent’s wine-growing areas have been moving north for decades. What’s the point of all this? Is it even possible? Let’s see it. Let’s start with the map. In recent days, the map is by Sebastian Gräff for The European Correspondent and shows how, in Europe, the “wine-growing areas” have been shifting for 60 years due to the effect of climate change. Not only has it gone viral, it has also become very controversial. Just look at the map to see that historical areas full of vineyards (such as the Jerez countryside) do not appear on it. And it is not a specific failure: there are ‘gaps’ of this type in practically all of the countries that come out. And yet, this isn’t exactly a problem. How is that not a problem? Because what the map represents is the Huglin index: one of the many indices that tries to determine the areas with optimal conditions for growing vines. It is based on a viticultural principle: that each grape variety needs a certain amount of heat to be grown successfully. The Huglin index tries to make an estimate, but (due to the nature of meteorological data) it is not useful for concrete detail. The best-known example is the slopes: having one orientation or another can change the average daily temperature of the area by more than two degrees. It is rather a tool to classify areas, predict ripening and plan the cultivation of certain varieties. But a tool that only makes sense in its context. And the map is not its context. I mean, it’s not what it’s intended for, but that doesn’t mean it’s not interesting. At the end of the day, climate change is one of the most important “game changers” in the world of vines: we must not forget that, in 2024, the harvest took place earliest of the Marco de Jerez since there are records and experts fear that, if the trend continues like this, there will come a time when it will not be viable to grow grapes. In the same way, there are huge regions of the world that they are about to be able grow vines: UK wine production has doubled in a very short time and indeed the area planted with vines has increased 75% in the last five years. They are not yet large amounts, but the harvests are getting better and the sector is moving more and more money. And the expectation is that it will go further, of course. Bad omens. All this outlines something that researchers are beginning to take very seriously: the first time, in historical times, the Mediterranean run out of useful vines for wine production. In this sense, the Jumilla disaster of 2024 serves as a warning to navigators. Wine is entering unknown territory and we are going to bear the worst part. Image | Sebastian Graff In Xataka | The oldest wine in the world is “Andalusian” and has been resting for 2,000 years. If it’s good or not, no one wants to know.

China’s “sorpasso” is now a real possibility

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2025 has been a lost year for NASA. No rockets have exploded, no spacecraft have crashed, but political instability, lack of leadership and budget wars have decimated the morale and operational capacity of the US space agency. The most absurd thing of all? self-inflicted harm has had the opposite effect whom the United States government was looking for. Nobody at the wheel. It all began on January 20, 2025, when Biden-era administrator Bill Nelson resigned as head of NASA. Janet Petro, director of the Kennedy Space Center, took over as acting administrator. In his six-month term he dedicated himself to abide by Trump’s divisive policiesstarting with eliminating the space agency’s Diversity and Inclusion office. donald trump had nominated for the permanent position of administrator to the young billionaire Jared Isaacman, who flew into space twice with SpaceX. Isaacman, who was seen as a commercial sector accelerationistpassed his confirmation hearing in April 2025. Everything seemed done. However, on May 31, shortly before Trump will exchange insults with Elon Muskthe White House abruptly withdrew his nomination. The official reason, published by Trump himself in Truth Social, was Isaacman’s “prior associations,” particularly his donations to Democratic candidates. The Duffy era. NASA was left adrift. On July 9, Trump named his Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, as acting administrator. Duffy, a former congressman with no aerospace experience, kept his Cabinet position while running NASA, and is said to have came to maneuver to integrate the historic space agency under the Department of Transportation. But Sean Duffy’s stellar moment occurred on October 20, when he set the goal of returning to the Moon while Donald Trump was president. In order to land astronauts on the lunar surface before China does so for the first time in 2030, Duffy reopened HLS contract that NASA had granted to SpaceX. Other companies such as Blue Origin and Lockheed Martin will compete with SpaceX’s Starship to transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface of the Moon in the first manned lunar landing since the Apollo era. Life takes a thousand turns. In a twist that well illustrates NASA’s lost year, and despite Duffy’s efforts to show off to his president, on November 4, Trump reappointed Jared Isaacman as administrator. The timing coincides with an improvement in Elon Musk’s relationship with Donald Trump, suggesting that donations to Democrats did not have as much to do with Isaacman’s truncated career as the Elon-Trump feud did. But even as NASA’s power vacuum nears its end, the agency faces even worse problems. The White House budgets for 2026 included a 24.3% cut to the space agency’s overall funding, including a 47% cut to the scientific budget. The lack of approval of budgets has also, ironically, had a catastrophic impact for the agency: 15,000 NASA employees (85% of the staff) were suspended without pay due to the government’s “shutdown.” The shutdown has delayed all kinds of developments, including the lunar program and the Mars sample recovery mission, in which NASA is in direct competition with China. Meanwhile, China. NASA’s comings and goings have allowed the Chinese space agency to close the gap. After becoming the first country in the world to bring back samples of the far side of the Moon with the Chang’e-6 missionChina is on track to become the first nation to bring samples from Mars with the Tianwen-3 mission. The great irony is that, with NASA’s lost year, it is also beginning to be very feasible that a Chinese astronaut will set foot on the Moon before the next American moon landing occurs, which the White House wanted to avoid with its scientific budget cuts and its improvised leadership changes. The “sorpasso” is no longer a distant prediction. US inaction in 2025 has helped put China on that trajectory. Image | Polaris, SpaceX In Xataka | Obsessed with beating China, NASA has just done the unthinkable with its Artemis II lunar mission: advance it

The dramatic is not that Aemet doubts the measurement of 43ºC in the Aragonese Pyrenees: it is that the possibility

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The heat wave is leaving us some amazing records. And worrying, such as notices, oranges and reds (due to important risk and extreme risk respectively) due to temperatures that could exceed 40º today. It is striking, but it is not the strangest case we have seen these days. Broking the 43º? Undoubtedly one of the unique views during this heat wave is that of the municipality of Torla-Aordesa. According to the data compiled by the State Meteorology Agency (Aemet), the Pyrenean municipality station was placed between the three meteorological stations with higher maximums throughout the country: 42.9º Celsius yesterday, day 10. But there is a problem: perhaps everything was an error in the measurement. The data that could be consulted this morning through the agency’s website indicated that the daytime maximum at the Torla-Aorda station had been ascending in recent days: 41.3º on the 8th, 42nd on the 9th and, 42.9º on Sunday. In Xataka The Mediterranean temperature has dropped more than two degrees in less than two months. The worst: continues above the average Something did not fit. However, something did not fit. The fact that a station located at a height of 1,076 meters in the Pyrenees Oscense offered considerably higher readings than others located in its environment was certainly strange. As a contrast, the station Sabiñánigolocated something further south already 775 m, registered a maximum of 40.3º. That of Ordesa ParadorOrdesa and Monteperdido National Park, at 1,206 meters, registered a maximum of 36.9º; and that of Torla-Aordesa, the onion He collected 30.4 to 1,905 meters above sea level. A striking record. What is happening? Something did not fit and Aemet has taken measures and the latest data of the station are not available, which perhaps does not avoid certain confusion since the data had been reproduced in numerous media. The question is now what happening. From the Twitter account The North Meteo They offered a possible explanation, a non -conjunctural but structural. Through a threadthe account pointed out a few days ago that the location of the station, near a water treatment plant (a heat source) and the vegetation of the environment, could be affecting the station’s records. {“Videid”: “X8rsa6e”, “Autoplay”: False, “Title”: “Why don’t we convert the salt water into sweet to combat drought?”, “Tag”: “Webedia-prod”, “Duration”: “294”} A heat wave. The data surprised some, but not everyone. After all, cone or without measurement errors, the province of Huesca and those of its surroundings are going through a complicated situation. We pointed out the more than 40º in Sabiñánigo, but this is not alone to exceed the temperature. As explained he HERALDO DE ARAGÓNFraga, Ballobar, or Sariñena are some of the localities that exceeded this temperature. For example, at the Cabdella Tower station, in the Leridano Pyrenees, at 1,273 meters, on Saturday, 32.8º were recorded; while In Isaba/leftto 838 and in Navarra, the maxims reached 38.4 on Friday and again on Saturday. The controversy shows us a background problem, and that is that the data has lost, at least, their ability to surprise us. In full heat wave and in a context of climate change it is difficult to be surprised by temperatures that in principle would seem crazy but that are less and less. The work of experts is doubly important in this situation, it is the human eye that allows us to realize the possible errors in the data. In Xataka | Every summer fires ravage to Spain. There is a usual guilty that goes unnoticed: old tractors Image | Turol Jones (Function () {Window._js_modules = Window._js_modules || {}; var headelement = document.getelegsbytagname (‘head’) (0); if (_js_modules.instagram) {var instagramscript = Document.Createlement (‘script’); }}) (); – The news The dramatic is not that Aemet doubts the measurement of 43ºC in the Aragonese Pyrenees: it is that the possibility It was originally posted in Xataka by Pablo Martínez-Juarez .

The possibility of a nuclear disaster

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All we know at this time is that the United States, through its president, has said that next week It will be “very important” to determine the course of war between Israel and the Islamic Republic. Meanwhile, a fear appears in the background, one that, paradoxically, even Russia has put on the table four months after Chernobyl attack: “The world is millimeters from a catastrophe”, The Ministry said of Russian Foreign Affairs. They talk about a nuclear catastrophe. Potential impact on nuclear. I counted this week The Financial Times That Israeli air attacks against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure have revived fears about a possible radiological or chemical catastrophe in the region. In that regard, the general director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, described as “Deeply worrying” The offensive, warning that military escalation increases the risk of a radioactive release with serious consequences for the population and the environment. Although for the moment It has not been registered a large -scale radiological emergency, some incidents, such as the Complex attack Natanz uranium enrichment, have caused localized pollution within the facilities, although without affecting the outside environment, according to measurements of the nuclear agency itself. Radiological contamination The Current data indicate that the detected radioactive pollution is limited to the interior of the Natanz complex and is mainly composed of alpha particles, whose health risk is considered manageable If they are not inhaled or ingested, since their reach is reduced to direct contact with internal fabrics. In the case of Natanz, I They damaged two rooms Underground enrichment and several surface buildings, including a pilot laboratory. However, the level of radiation in the surroundings He showed no changeswhich suggests that There has been no escape external As for other key facilities Like Fordow or the heavy water reactor in construction in Khondab, I don’t know They have registered damagewhile in Isfahán it has not been detected Radiation increase After recent attacks. The difficulty of a catastrophe. The Times explained that a large explosion that releases radioactive pollutants massively requires to reach materials subjected to fissionas in an operational reactor or in an atomic pump. However, not even Bushehr nuclear power plant nor the Tehran research reactor They have been attacked so far. The enriched uranium that Iran possesses is in itself weakly radioactive and only presents greater risks in very specific conditions. The release of fission products such as radioactive iodine or CESIO-137, responsible for the worst health effects after Chernobyl in 1986it does not seem likely on the current scenario. In addition, Iran’s main nuclear facilities are designed to minimize external risks: critical areas from Natanz and Fordow They are buried under tons of concrete and earth, which makes even powerful weapons have difficulty penetrating them full. Reactor 4 Aerial Photography, several months after the explosion Chemical risks. Beyond radiation, experts point out that the real danger could be in the dispersion of toxic chemicals. In the facilities attacked, Like Natanz and Isfahánis stored and manipulated Uranium hexafluoruroa compound used in the enrichment process. Although it is stable at room temperature, its contact with water (even that of air) can produce fluorhoric gas, highly corrosive and lethal if it is inhaled. The OIEA has confirmed that in him Attack to Natanz It is possible that compounds such as uranium, uranilfluoruro and even fluorhorical gas have released compounds, although contained within the enclosure. An illustrative case was the Explosion of 1986 In a conversion plant in Oklahoma, where the liberation of hexafluoruro caused a death and pollution in the environment, demonstrating the reach of this type of accidents even outside a war context. Natanz Nuclear Facilities International regulations. In the key to the international legal framework, armed attacks against nuclear facilities for peaceful purposes are prohibited. The OIEA has reiterated on several occasions that any aggression of this type violates the principles of the United Nations Charter, the rules of the agency and international law. Both Israel and Iran form part of the OIEAalthough the first is not a signatory of the non -proliferation treaty. In 2022, the precedent of the Russian attack and subsequent occupation of the Ukrainian Central of Zaporiyia It was already pointed out by the agency as a made unprecedentedwhen it occurred in a large nuclear complex. In the case at hand, Israel justifies its actions in the suspicion that Iran is developing a nuclear weapon, an accusation that Tehran denies. For its part, the OIEA declared recently that Iran has raped by First time in twenty years Its non -proliferation obligations, adding more tension to the context. And if… Then there is another substantive issue. If the Iranian regime suddenly crumbled, leaving its enriched uranium arsenal and related materials unprotected, what would happen? Although air attacks can degrade critical infrastructure, they are not enough for themselves to guarantee the total elimination of nuclear abilities if they are dispersed or hidden. Given this scenario, they remembered the The War Zone analysts that the US special forces (particularly elite units as Delta Force and Seal Team Six) They carry years preparing to intervene on the ground in nuclear emergency situations. Since 2016, El Special Operations Command (Socom) leads the mission of counteracting weapons of mass destruction (CWMD), inheriting this function of the strategic command (Stratcom). The acquired experience From the dissolution of the USSR to ensure uncontrolled arsenals serves as a model for these new contingencies. The United States Army in Nuclear Emergency Exercises The threshold of proliferation. According to the Latest Oiea reportsIran accumulate at least 400 kilograms of 60%enriched uranium, a purity much higher than necessary for civil use (3-5%), although below 90 % required For nuclear weapons. However, moving from 60% to 90% is a relatively short technical leap. The OIEA considers that with just 92.5 kg of 60% uranium it can get a nuclear bomb behind him Final enrichment. This reality worries, since the regime has prevented inspections in all its nuclear facilities. Iran has even taken “special measures” to hide its … Read more

The possibility that quantum entanglement rewrites gravity is the most shocking thing that physics proposes us

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In the exotic world of Quantum physics There are probably few strangest phenomena than entanglement. This quantum mechanism does not have an equivalent in classical physics, and is that the state of the quantum systems involved, which can be two or more, It is the same. This means that these objects, in reality, are part of the same systemeven if they are physically separated. In fact, the distance does not matter. If two particles, objects or systems are intertwined through this quantum phenomenon, when we measure the physical properties of one of them we will be instantly conditioning the physical properties of the other system with which it is intertwined. Even if it is on the other tip of the universe. It sounds for science fiction, it is true, but however strange and surprising that this phenomenon seems empirically proven. In fact, it is, together with the overlap of states, one of the fundamental principles of Quantum computing. This study suggests that gravity is a consequence of quantum information A way of defining quantum gravity requires observing it as the theory of physics that aspires to unify gravity as described The General Theory of Relativity of Einstein and quantum mechanics. It is, in short, a theory of all that attempts to explain what are the mechanisms that lead the behavior of gravity in the scale of subatomic particles. The problem is that so far gravity as we understand it from Einstein It only works well in the macroscopic world with which we are familiar. Physicists have been trying to clarify the relationship between gravity and quantum physics. In this context there is no doubt that each new contribution counts, and the one made One of the most surprising How many have emerged in recent years. And is that what he proposes in the scientific article he has published in Annals of Physics It is objectively revolutionary. Neukart argues that quantum interlocation has the ability to directly condition the geometry of the space-time continuum Its text raises the possibility that gravity is not a fundamental force, but the result of the way quantum information in the universe is organized. The reason why I have dedicated the first lines of this article to quantum interlacing is that Neukart argues that this phenomenon has the ability to condition directly The geometry of the space-time continuum. This means that gravity could be the result not only of the curvature that propitiate objects with mass or energy in space-time, but also of quantum interlocation. To reach this conclusion, this scientist has developed Einstein’s equations by adding a variable that represents quantum information. The effects of their prediction are so tiny that They are currently undetectable From an experimental point of view, but there is the possibility, if finally Neukart’s theory is confirmed, that their theoretical framework helps cosmologists to better understand the extreme phenomena that take place, for example, in The interior of black holes. In addition, this physicist suggests that quantum entanglement could explain where the value of the cosmological constant comes from. A form not quite precise but affordable to understand what this constant is is to observe it as a uniform and continuous force that stretches the space that contains everything. Anyway, Neukart’s theoretical proposal has several limitations that we should not overlook. On the one hand its effects are presumably noticeable only near the Planck scale. And, in addition, it does not solve the quantum gravity, of which we have spoken a few lines above. Even so, this proposal is very interesting for a reason: it suggests that, in reality, the space-time continuum It could be a manifestation of quantum information which contains the universe, so it invites physicists to address new lines of research. Image | Xataka with Dall-e More information | Annals of Physics In Xataka | The CMS experiment of the CERN has signed up an order: it has measured a crucial parameter of the standard model

The blackout in Spain raised the possibility of a cyber attack. The EU rules out

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He General blackout throughout Spain has caused great uncertainty about the potential causes of this “Energy zero”. One of those that are considered is that of a possible cyber attack, and agencies such as the National or Incibe Cryptological Center are investigating that option, they point out in the SER or In the country. In the last decade there has only been a great case of this type. The EU discards cyber attack. As media point out Like the worldTeresa Ribera, executive vice president for the clean, fair and competitive transition, has indicated that “there is nothing that allows us to affirm that there is some kind of boycott or cyber attack.” In his appearance before the media, Pedro Sánchez stressed that the causes of the incident are not yet known and does not rule out any option. Few outstanding cases. On December 23, 2016, the Ivano-Frankivsk region, in southwest Ukraine, He suffered a blackout as a consequence of a coordinated cyber attack that affected three of the main Ukrainian electricity companies in the region. The problem affected tens of thousands of people for a period between three and six hours. The following year a more sophisticated cyber attack caused a blackout again that affected kyiv residents, also in Ukraine. The country has been affected by blackouts after the Russian invasion after the attacks of Sandworm, a cybercrime unit associated with Russian intelligence, indicated in Tarlogic. But having them, there are. In November 2023, a series of coordinated cyber attacks affected the Denmark Energy Sectoralthough there were no blackouts but data theft. Tarlogic experts highlighted how these types of problems have increased. None, yes, has affected an almost complete country, as would have happened in this case. Usual suspects. In June 2019 A great blackout It affected 48 million people in Argentina and Uruguay. At that time there were suspicions of a potential cyberraade as the cause of the problems, but the Argentine government Indian that the cut was due to a failure in one of the transport systems from one of its hydroelectric plants in Yacryátá. It is therefore relatively frequent to associate such an event with a potential cybersecurity problem. And then, Stuxnet. What we know is how eeuu and Israel created Stuxnet malware In the second half of the 2000s. This malware managed to damage Iran’s critical infrastructures, specifically Its nuclear power plants And that showed that certain cyber attacks can be directed to critical infrastructure. The possibility is there. As they pointed out in 2019 in El Confidencial, Spain in fact already tried to prepare for this type of event. Experts like Rubén Santamarta They had warned of that risk already in 2011. During the blackout the National Cryptological Center (CNI) has indicated that the blackout could be a consequence of a cyber attack, According to the reason. Spain usually receives threats of this type. The National Center for Infrastructure and Cybersecurity Protection (CNPIC), under the Ministry of Interior, indicated in El Confidencial In 2019 that there were already “attempts at illicit accesses to this type of infrastructure.” From the country They pointed out a few months ago how Spain receives about 40,000 daily threats of diverse type. One more option, but just that. There are no data that can point to a cyber attack and therefore although the possibility is there, there is no confirmation. The blackout is exceptional and extraordinary, as indicated by Red Electrica and Spanish, which of course is also investigating what the origin of the problem has been. Image | Markus Spiske In Xataka | Another prequel of the ‘great blackout’: the solar storm that shook the world the 660 AC today would have very serious consequences

China has a possibility to unseat Android forever. One called Harmonyos

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Android supremacy on mobile devices is indisputable. So much that more than 70% of the world’s population uses a device with this operating system. The rest is configured by iOS and, in a tiny part, the rest of the operating systems. But there is a small fish starting to look at the surface: Huawei with Harmonyos. In Europe it is a minority operating system with hardly any presence, but Huawei’s commercial success in his native country He is achieving the unthinkable a few years ago: Harmonyos has surpassed iOS in China. After achieving this goal, the approach is clear: could Harmonyos be China’s weapon to completely displace Android? A little context. In case you don’t know the situation of Harmonyos, the quick summary is simple. In 2019 Donald Trump signed an executive order To veto any company that assumed “a threat to national security.” Huawei was one of them and, after the veto, Google was forced to suspend any type of relationship with the Chinese company. This left Huawei without Google applications and with an Android version without updating, Which was a debacle for the company both in Europe and its native country. While in China Google’s lack of services is not relevant, Huawei stopped having access to American companies components, facing a scenario in which they had to start building from scratch to be competitive again. Huawei’s response. From the first moment, Huawei was willing to face this situation. That same 2019 presented Harmonyosan operating system as an alternative not only to Android, but Windows, Wearos and even smart cars. If you do not let me use full android, develop a system for everything. The proposal took to arrive, landing first on PC and later on mobile phones. It should also be noted that, from the beginning, Harmonyos was an operating system focused on China. It was still based on Android and existing platforms, although with several modifications. In fact, the company’s telephones in Spain still have EMUI (Android). There is no operating system without application store, so Huawei developed its own ‘App Gallery’. Since its launch in 2018 (it was already the alternative store of Huawei before the veto) until today, it has become the third largest application repository, behind Play Store and App Store. The state of Harmonyos. Currently, Harmonyos is beginning to reach its sweet point with Harmonyos Next. An operating system created from scratch, without any code of Android, and focused on all types of technological devices. It is an ambitious objective that we have already begun to see fruits. He Avata 11Huawei electric car, use Harmonyos as an operating system. Mobile devicesthat sweep sales in China, too. Harmonyos is more than an operating system: it is a huge ecosystem that celebrates Huawei hardware, and has the potential to spread beyond the brand. Chinese hope to flee from Android. The million -dollar question is if Harmonyos has the potential to replace Android in China, and the answer is a resounding yes, but with nuances. China is a unique market, where Google applications and services have hardly any presence. This gives the system a significant advantage, although difficult (not impossible) to replicate. In fact, Huawei has already managed to migrate much of its user base to Harmonyos. According to company data, more than 300 million devices They are already using the operating system, which makes it one of the fastest growing operating systems in history. In addition, Huawei has been working in its own applications ecosystem, Huawei Mobile Services (HMS)which includes an alternative application store to Google Play, as well as maps, payments and cloud services. One of the keys to popularizing the system would go through trade agreements. Many trade agreements. Huawei needs to attract developers to App Gallery, and get a real competitor of Play Store and App Store. In other words, that a single popular app in your store is not lacking. After achieving that, it would be to enter conversations with large smartphones manufacturers. Given that in the Chinese house there are giants such as Xiaomi, Oppo, Realme or Lenovo, it is a plan that does not sound crazy. Image | Huawei In Xataka | We already know how many euros a triple folding costs. Huawei Mate XT Ultimate has opened the ban

7,000 earthquakes in recent days, 11,000 evacuated and the possibility that the worst is to come

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After evacuating more than 11,000 people, half of the island’s population, Greece has had to declare the state of emergency on the island of Santorini. For two weeks, the island has suffered thousands of earthquakes. Only on January 4, there were 1,300 with magnitudes greater than 1. Only yesterday, smoke more than 200 and 28 of magnitude equal to or greater than 4. What is happening exactly in Santorini? A swarm. That is, a succession of thousands of earthquakes in a very concrete space and in a short space of time. As explained the geologist Nahúm Méndezis the direct consequence of the complex geology in the area. It is plaque tectonics, live and live. Nevertheless, As you recognize The volcanologist of the National Geographic Institute, Stavros Meletlidis, what is happening is not normal: “It is the first time that such an activity is recorded.” Are the prelude to something greater? It can be, but it doesn’t have to. In general terms, what we are seeing in Santorini is the accumulated product of the tensions that arise from the collision of the European plaque with the African. In the Santorini area, those pressures accumulate until the rocks “can no longer and break”, releasing large amounts of energy. As we have a good record of the seismic history of the island, we know that it is possible that a great earthquake is being prepared. Not so much of the last one: the Amorgos in 1956 reached 7.7caused more than 50 dead and waves up to 30 meters high. A great earthquake is not the only possibility. In This interferogram created from the Sentinel 1 datayou can see “a slight deformation in the northwest sector of the island after the seismic swarm that is happening on the island.” That, As experts point outit could be indicative of a deformation “due to the rise and location of the magma.” However, that does not mean that we are going to see an eruption. Volcanoes are extremely complex systems and “They can return to a state of ‘quiescence’ without erupting“We have seen it many times. And that is the big problem. When we talk about geology, our prelective capacity is very limited. After the eruption of La Palma, there were many information that indicated that seismic swarms ‘They warned’ for years What was going to happen. Unfortunately, the reality is that this can only be concluded to Toro Last. What can we do? As Méndez sayswe can only prepare for the different options that are forth from the table. One of the most exasperating things in geologies is that we still know too little and it is precisely in ignorance and uncertainty where monsters grow. Image | Tânia Mousinho | INSN In Xataka |

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