rain

A Chinese laboratory has managed to generate electricity directly from rain, without occupying land or using metal

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Until now, the electricity from a storm came only from lightning. A Chinese team has just added another protagonist: a device that converts raindrops into usable energy. The invention comes from the Frontier Science Institute of the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) and will open a new avenue for renewable energies. Its technical name is Water-integrated Droplet Electricity Generator, or simply W-DEG. The discovery. What differentiates this generator from the rest is not its power, but its logic. According to the published article in National Science Reviewthe device floats on water and uses that same water as part of the electrical circuit. It requires no metals or heavy structures, and yet each drop of rain can release spikes of up to 250 volts. Light, cheap and efficient: a small hydrovoltaic revolution. Rain as a source of clean energy. The physical principle behind W-DEG combines two known phenomena: contact electrification and electrostatic induction. When a droplet impacts a floating dielectric film, electrical charges are instantly redistributed between the surface of the material and the water, generating an electrical pulse. Water acts at the same time as a lower electrode and structural support, thanks to its high surface tension and incompressibility: it is firm enough to withstand the impact of drops, but fluid enough to stabilize the system. To prevent pooled water from blocking new discharges, the researchers added micro-drainage holes that allow liquid to flow downward, but not upward. This design keeps the surface clean even during heavy rain and prevents loss of efficiency. A small prototype. The Nanjing team built a 0.3 square meter prototype. Floating on water, the device was able to illuminate 50 LED diodes simultaneously and charge capacitors in a matter of minutes. Its modular design allows it to be easily expanded to power environmental sensors, water quality monitoring systems or small electrical equipment in rainy areas. Furthermore, the W-DEG is a “soilless” system: it does not occupy agricultural or urban land and can be installed on bodies of water without heavy infrastructure. This makes it an ideal candidate for regions where rain is abundant and space is scarce, or where other renewable sources – such as solar or wind – are less constant. The rise of floating energies. The new Chinese generator arrives at a time when floating energy is experiencing a global boom. Floating solar panels are being installed on ponds and reservoirs around the world, from India until the swiss alpsto produce electricity and reduce water evaporation. However, a study from Cornell University revealed an unexpected effect: in small ponds, these installations can increase methane and carbon dioxide emissions by up to 27%, by altering the balance of aquatic ecosystems. Faced with this challenge, the W-DEG emerges as a more environmentally friendly alternative. By not covering the entire surface of the water or blocking sunlight, it allows energy to be generated without altering aquatic life or natural gas exchange. Will storms generate light? The technology is still in the experimental phase. The NUAA team itself recognizes that it will have to optimize the device’s response to droplets of different sizes and speeds, something essential for real conditions. But the potential is undeniable: a lightweight, economical and durable generator, capable of obtaining energy directly from the natural water cycle, without occupying land or generating waste. Researchers imagine swarms of these devices floating in lakes or reservoirs, charging environmental sensors or powering local microgrids during rain. If every storm could turn on a light or power a system, gray days would no longer be synonymous with a blackout. With inventions like this, the border between water and energy blurs, and nature begins—literally—to generate its own electricity. Image | Unsplash Xataka | China has launched its first floating solar park in the sea: panels that rise and fall with the tide

Leroy Merlin’s Black Friday has started with offers to prepare us against the cold and rain

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November is the month of Black Friday, an event where most stores (if not all) take the opportunity to launch offers of all kinds. This makes many people wait until these dates to renew or buy new devices and electronics, something that may not be good for us if we need it. The cold and the rain are already knocking at our door and we have something to protect ourselves with on offer thanks to Leroy Merlin and his Black Fridaynow available. If we take a look, we have discounts of up to 40% on items for bathrooms, kitchens, floors and yes, also in heating. The promo has many interesting offers, but to make your task a little easier, we leave you a selection of some of the most interesting: Electric towel radiator by 119 eurosideal for heating the bathroom and drying towels quickly this winter. Fluid thermal emitter by 259 eurosenough to heat medium-sized areas and with WiFi connectivity. Electronic paraffin stove by 179 eurosideal for heating spaces of up to 40 square meters without work. Quartz electric stove by 9.50 eurosa very economical solution for small rooms. Ceiling fan without light by 149 eurosan option with heat mode that we can also use in summer. Electric towel radiator If we are looking for a solution for the bathroom, this towel radiator could fit us very well. It is made of stainless steel and black, and also has 500 W of power. It has a digital screen and measures 107 x 54 x 4 centimeters. It is recommended for an area of ​​6 square meters and we can get it for 119 eurosa good discount if we take into account that Its normal price is 215 euros. Electric towel radiator NTW 11B 500W black The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Fluid thermal emitter For rooms between 15 and 19 square meters, this fluid thermal emitter may fit us well. It has 1,500 W of power and WiFi connectivityso we can control it remotely. It can be programmed, it has an electronic thermostat and a system that detects if we have any windows open in the area. Its price right now is 259 euros. Neo 1500W Wifi fluid thermal emitter The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Electronic paraffin stove This electronic paraffin stove is a good alternative for large rooms if we seek not to do work. With a 5.4 liter tank, its autonomy offers approximately 65 hours of operation. It has a timer, saving mode, electronic thermostat and several different speeds. Right now it’s coming out 179 eurosso we would be saving 40 euros compared to its usual price. TOYOTOMI LC-30 Electronic Paraffin Stove The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Quartz electric stove The most economical solution of all is given to us by this electric stove. It is ideal if we are looking to heat a small roomIn addition, it can be easily moved between different rooms in the house as needed. It has 800 W of power, anti-tip safety system and overheating protection. comes out for 9.50 euros. QUARTZ VER electric stove 800 w power The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Ceiling fan without light This ceiling fan gives us a very interesting alternative due to its versatility, since it will serve us both in the cold and in summer. It has a reverse system that helps distribute hot air in the room, which can allow us to save on heating. It is designed for rooms of approximately 20 square meters and comes out 149 euros. Arte Confort Areia Silent DC Outdoor Ceiling Fan Without Light Black 132 cm The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Leroy Merlin In Xataka | Which heater to buy: the best models based on power, use cases and price In Xataka | Best quality-price air conditioning. Which one to buy and six recommended models from just over 300 euros

For the first time in many months, there is a chance to see a truly strange event: real rain

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This story begins with a pinch of hope. In recent days, the main meteorological models were beginning to agree: the interaction of a deep trough and a subtropical low that would generate a fairly active front. In other words, for the first time in a long time, real rain could make its way to Spain. Not even Danasnor summer storms: real water. The problem? That, actually, that They were just a handful of exits. deterministic and considering that autumn has always been (and will be increasingly) infernally difficult to model, that was very little. It doesn’t mean, of course, that it won’t rain. It’s going to rain, but the doubts are enormous. Although, as the cards are dealt, it all starts to make sense. But what is going to happen? According to AEMETFrom Monday to Wednesday, the rain will be concentrated in the northwest of the peninsula. However, only in Galicia will it be persistent and there will be significant accumulations. On Thursday the situation will become more “democratic” and the rains will reach a good part of the northwest, the center of the Peninsula and the Pyrenees. The wind can be very strong. However, real rain (as “real” as it can be in this situation) in the center will have to wait until Friday. Beyond Friday everything becomes more diffuse, some rain is expected in the interior, in the south and in the Balearic Islands. And, almost certainly, a small drop in temperatures followed by another rebound. One that will leave us better than we were, yes; but with temperatures above normal. And then? In reality, everything seems to indicate that these meteorological skirmishes will be little. And, given this, many experts already they begin to put their hopes in December. That’s bad, yes. It is true that the country’s reservoirs they are much better not just last year, but the average of the last ten years. But this “water cushion” will not last forever and, although we tend to forget, autumn is a particularly important season for reserves. “in general terms, autumn usually registers higher accumulations than winter in our country as a whole”, said Yurima Celdrán. If we lose it, we will be facing the next drought with one hand tied behind our back. And going to December to wait for a ‘miracle’ is not positive at all. Image | ECMWF In Xataka | The Mayan idea with which this researcher wants to revolutionize the way we treat drinking water: artificial gardens

science has solved the mystery of plasma rain

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Although it may seem incredible, it rains in the Sun. But it is not a rain of water like the one we know on Earth. It’s a rain of incandescent plasmaa phenomenon that for decades has baffled scientists by not understanding it. Now, a team from the University of Hawaii has solved the mysteryand the answer is completely changing our way of understanding the atmosphere of our ‘reference’ star. The discovery. Published in the prestigious magazine The Astrophysical Journal, not only explains why these spectacular plasma condensationsbut also gives us new tools to predict space weather that affects our technology here on Earth. The mystery. The “solar storm“, or more technically coronal rain, occurs in the corona, the outermost and hottest layer of the Sun. There, masses of denser and relatively “cold” plasma condense and fall back towards the solar surface, creating bright arcs and loops. And although we talk about ‘cold’, the reality is that we are talking about tens of thousands of degreescompared to the millions of degrees in the surrounding plasma. Although for us it would be something unthinkable. The big enigma was speed. Solar models predicted that this cooling and condensation process should take hours, or even days. However, observations showed that rain formed within minutes during solar flares. Something didn’t add up. Now the problem has been located in the models that were used. And they assumed that the chemical composition of the corona was static and uniform, a simplification that has undoubtedly resulted in us calculating the phenomena that occur in our star much worse. The key. The key breakthrough came when the researchers, led by graduate student Luke Fushimi Benavitz, decided to abandon that old assumption. They introduced into their simulations a factor that until now had been overlooked: the abundance of chemical elements varies in space and time without being static. And this is where physics gets very interesting. The mechanism. The first thing that happens in this case is a solar flare that heats the chromosphere (the layer below the corona). This impulsive heating causes a large amount of plasma in the chromosphere to “evaporate” and rise at high speed towards the coronal loops. This ‘new’ plasma will have a composition similar to that of the photosphere, which is the surface we see of the Sun. Once the plasma was already in the coronal loop, rich in materials such as iron or silicon, it is pushed and concentrated at the highest point of the arc, creating a ‘peak’ with these elements. One property of these elements is that they can radiate a lot of energy quickly and this causes the plasma to cool. And this sudden concentration at the apex of the loop acts as an ultra-powerful radiator, causing localized and very rapid cooling. Finally, this sudden cooling causes a pressure drop. As a result, more plasma from the surrounding area is sucked into that area, increasing the density. The most interesting thing is that the higher the density, the cooling becomes even more efficient and a ‘thermal runaway’ occurs. As its name indicates, the temperature will plummet and the plasma will condense, forming rain. The importance. For the first time, this model has done something that had not been achieved before: simulate the formation of rain on the Sun. And understanding it goes far beyond solving an old riddle, but it affects us completely. Most importantly for us, it improves our ability to predict space weather. solar flares They can launch enormous amounts of energy and particles into space which, upon reaching Earth, can damage satellites, disrupt communications and overload electrical networks. More precise models of the Sun’s behavior allow us to better anticipate these events that until now gave us very little preparation time. Rewriting. This discovery forces us to rewrite a fundamental part of solar physics. The idea that the composition of the solar atmosphere is dynamic and not static opens a large field of research ahead to understand exactly how energy moves through the star. Images | Javier Miranda In Xataka | As if nothing were going on, the Sun has just caused a radio blackout with its most powerful eruption of 2025

How and when to enjoy the tears of San Lorenzo, the biggest rain of summer stars

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The most important astronomical event is approaching every summer, so we are going to tell you How and when can you see the Perseids of 2025. This is a true show where, in its peak of activity, we can enjoy the arrival of up to 100 meteors per hour. Therefore, we are going to tell you the best dates to be able to see this phenomenon, since although you can see some meteors fall there are still several days until its peak of activity. We will begin by telling you when it is the day of maximum activity, and then we will give you advice to visualize them as well as possible. When to see the Perseids 2025 Perseids are a phenomenon that will remain active between July 17 and August 24. But its moment of maximum activity It will be at dawn from August 12 to 13. That is the date on which this peak of activity will be reached in which we can observe up to 100 meteors per hour. The best time to see the Perseida will be between 22:00 on August 12 and 10:00 the next day, and the highest activity interval is expected to be between 2 and 5 in the morning of August 13, which is when the point from which the meteors seem to approach is at the highest point in the sky. However, This year there are bad news with the moonsince the rain of stars coincides with the full moon phase planned for August 9. The full moon brightness will make it very difficult to see the weakest meteors, so it will subtract spectacularity, although you will continue to see many of them. In addition, you can try to make the observation after the night peak, when the moonlight loses intensity. This is due to the orbital movement of the earth in space. This year it will be after midnight when we begin to guide on the “advance” side. This means that we will be facing the meteorites that come, and any particle in our orbital trajectory will enter the atmosphere at 11-72 km per second and will look like a meteor. How and where to see them Perseids will be able to see anywhere in Spain, both in the Peninsula and in the archipelagos. They can be seen anywhere in the skyso you do not need to look for a concrete orientation. A fleeting star may appear anywhere in the sky and at any time. The only requirement to see them clearly is to go to an elevated area and with a clear skythat is far from a city and its light pollution. The latter will make the sky look darker, improving the visibility of the stars. This year you should try to look when the moon is at its lowest points, since it is in its full phase. In addition, in any of the cases it is always advisable Look at the opposite direction to the moon in heaven. It is not because there is an area where there is more, but because there will be more darkness and it will be easier to see them. Cover image | Pxhere.com In Xataka Basics | 19 apps and tools to see and have more information about stars and constellations

Spain has received more rain than ever this spring. And yet it is unable to get rid of the ghost of the drought

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Europe is not having a good time right now. Many weeks of warmer temperatures and rainfall in historical minimums, they are helping drought tentacles expand A wide strip that goes from the British islands to Crimea and the Anatolia. This is made clear by Copernicus’s latest report, the European land observation system. And yet, none of that has affected Spain. On the contrary, we have had months of unusual rains and whole weeks of temperatures below the average. The problem? In spite of everything, the vast majority of points in “alert” by drought They are on the peninsula. A ghost that comes to stay. If drought is a ghost (as we usually say, a little impossible, journalists), the southeast of the country is a delighted house. An Indian cemetery. With the exception of the coast of Malaga and Granada and the Catalan basins, the long Spanish Mediterranean arch is full of red dots (alert) and oranges (of concern for drought). But also of blue areas, of course. According to the report ‘Droough in EuropeApril 2025, the Tagus, Guadiana and Andalusian Mediterranean basins are the only ones in the entire continent that have had a positive rain anomaly. And there are the problem and the paradox. After all, this spring has become a perfect example to understand the problems that the country is going through: the problems to manage the hydrological reserves of the system in an integral way. Some problems that create distrust at all levels. Because, a few weeks ago, it was announced that the government changed the Tajo-Segura transfer game rules; But no special emphasis has been placed on the dirty war between both basins. In fact, no one is happy: while the Tagus Chair “See the proposal insufficient“Of the government, the Murcian irrigators They prepare mobilizations. All this while the Hydrological Confederation of the Safe It is immersed in controversies on manipulated data and lack of control. In what situation does all this leave us? As we commented a few weeks ago“After the rains of March and with the reservoirs of Half Spain to overflow” another battle began, who stays that water. It will not be an easy battle because, how has it been happening for 30 yearsIn the end we lose all. Image | Copernicus In Xataka | After the rains of March and with the reservoirs of Media Spain to overflow, another battle begins: who stays that water

Where we had heat waves before, Aemet only expects rain and cold

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Although there are many areas that have not noticed, the first weekend has been starring large storms in much of the country. And, according to weather models, The thing is not going to stay there. Throughout this week, a new anticyclonic block in the British islands will be consolidated. It is not clear if this is going to open, again, the doors of the Atlantic (some models draw a ‘bridge’ between the Azores and Ireland), but right now the probability that vaguada or cold strokes will begin to get off the cold or storms is very high. So much so that Monday we already have rains. Catalonia, the north of the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands and the interior of the plateau will have rains, hailstorms and strong winds throughout Monday. During Tuesday the storms will be primarily paid in the northwest third of the country. On Wednesday, According to Samuel Bienerthe storms will be reinforced in “The East Castilla-La Mancha, Sierras de Granada, Jaén and Almería, interior of the region of Murcia, Teruel and the Valencian Community.” But, as I say, that’s just the appetizer. Because if the models get right We will have a Dana (or a cold storm, it is not yet clear) near the peninsula at the end of the week. Be that as it may, this assures us a very unstable first Miad: unstable skies, water and Reasonable temperatures – Well below normal ,. A rare spring. If we lift the view and look at a couple more weeks, the forecasts are quite clear: everything seems to indicate that a long storm period awaits us. As they explain in CazatorentasIt is a direct consequence of the blockade. That draws a spring very different from the previous ones. Different? Not so much because of the temperatures that, with nuances, are within normal in most of the country. The nuances are that, on the coasts, they will be “slightly warmer than normal” and that, at the southwest end, they will be “slightly colder than normal.” This, already, gives us a good track of the expected rains. Except the Canary Islands and the Northwest Third, The models wait that rainfall in May is more intense than normal. Everything seems to indicate that summer can more and the tap will end up closing, but all this planets interesting things. The most important is what will happen now. Change of trend or simply an extremely weird year? Image | ECMWF In Xataka | May is putting a March face: Aemet’s great question is if 2025 will definitely end the drought

The rain is back and the models say it will not leave until after Holy Week

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The Nuria Borrasca is going to continue sending one front behind another until Friday, but we will only have one day of respite. Sunday It is already expected Another storm that will leave more water in Galicia, Extremadura and Andalucía. That is, after a truce too short, the “Atlantic doors” have opened again and now the question is whether they will continue to open a long time or if (sooner rather than later) the tentacles of the summer will begin to drag us to stability, heat and clear skies. Right now there is only one more or less clear thing: there are many possibilities for the rains to accompany us until after Holy Week. Nuria: rain and a lot of wind. Before entering into the subject and seeing what the models say about the coming weeks, you have to be attentive to Nuria. In essence, this high impact storm has a structure very similar to those we have seen during the last month. From Hehco, it is fifth with a name that follows more or less the same route. That means water, a lot of water. More than 80 liters in areas of the southwest. Most likely Madrid takes the palm. The great defernecia of this storm is The wind. It has already caused red alerts in the Canary Islands and winds of more than 130 kilometers per hour are expected. On Friday the intense winds will be noticed in the peninsula (although, luckily, they will not reach the speeds of the palm). ECMWF The week of 7 to 14. The European model, as we can see in the superior image, shows a more humid trend than normal in the southern half of the peninsula. That is what green shadow means. White tells us about values ​​within the nomality and orange of a slightly more dry situation than normal. It is not uncommon: the configuration of the last weeks favors the southwest and moves away Als Borrasca from the Cantabrian cornice. ECMWF Easter week. But that is only the appetizer: the European model foresees a Holy Week wetter than normal throughout the national territory. Does this mean that it will rain throughout the week? Actually, no. So many days are missing that we cannot make reliable predictions. The European model does is draw a general trend. There is no way of knowing what will happen specifically. For example, the following week the dominant trend is the one that tells us about normality in most of Spain (with the exceptions of the archipelagos, Galicia and the Cantabrian cornice). But, of course, there is still a lot of cloth to cut. What can we expect? In the short term, intense rain and hurricane winds. Once Nuria passes, the situation is very open. The possibility that the storm hall remains open is on the table and is winning whole every day. However, we talk about deadlines too broad for our prediction systems to be reliable. At least, rain is not going to miss us. Image | In Xataka |

The question that is being asked half Spain is if the rain is over. We have some answers

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Martinho is giving His latest layers on the French coast and, although it is possible that it still affects us Some high impact storm Throughout the week, the mechanism that has made March one of the rainiest months of registration is starting to dissipate. The remains of the Borrascas train. In the next few days, some “residual activity” will still be. The Mediterranean aspect will have some instabildiad, there will be a small Dana and certain showers derived from the situation in Italy. However, the differences with the previous week They will speak for themselves: More sun, less rain and generalized rise in temperatures in most of the country. So, the rain is over? This is worth stopping and explaining it well. What seems to be over is THE BORRASCAS HORS which had been configured in the Atlantic thanks to a blocking anticyclone in northern Europe and the help of Azores. The consequence of that, like Duncan Wingen saidis that the models anticipate a dry week on the Peninsula (especially in the west). We spend between 30 and 60 l/m2 below normal for this time of year. The same rains something in the Cantabrian cornice and the east of the Balearic Islands. Does it mean that it will not rain anymore? It doesn’t have to. What we mean is that we return to a more normal situation. The intense rain is over, constant and without rest. But nothing more than that. Are spring? In coastal areas, temperatures will begin to “prevail”, yes. It will not be rare to find the thermometers above 20 degrees in the Guadalquivir and southern Galicia. However, it will not happen the same throughout the country because, without overcast skies, night temperatures are going to sink into the peninsula. We talk about three degrees lower than normal. A new March. It is true that this March is being “historical” in many ways. In fact, Peninsula soils They are practically saturated due to rainfall. But we would not be wrong if we thought it is a completely isolated fact. The Roberto Granda’s analysis tell us That, except in counted areas of the country, March is becoming increasingly rainy. That has implications for everyone. Not only are the problems that can be given in the field if we do not start recovering some sun: the impact for the health that will have is so good The pollen boom we are going to have In the coming weeks. Image | ECMWF In Xataka | Saharian dust clouds reach Spain and Europe. The other problem is what accompanies them

While Laurence hits Spain, Aemet fears another four weeks of rain

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Just a few hours ago, the high impact storm Laurence was east of the Azores. Not anymore. And on his way to the east Three fronts have already been defined that are impacting the Iberian Peninsula (or are about to do so). After the little parenthesis of the weekend, the rain is back. And it seems that he plans to stay. Three fronts? The first, the warm (a hottest mass than what we have now on the country), is entering the Gulf of Cádiz and will leave heavy rains in the Guadalquivir valley. The second will be cold and will water much more water also entering the Southwest. And finally, an occlusive one will arrive (that is, a compressed mass between two others) that will be the coup of grace and the real problem when high accumulated and heavy rains. With the aggravating thing that, after hours and hours of rain, all drain systems will begin to be collapsed. Is it dangerous? In some areas it can become, yes. For example, As Álvaro Oliver explainsthe rains that will reach the central system “will clearly exceed 50 mm and even 100 mm at many points.” If we add to that the thaw that will occur, the situation can be complicated. And, beyond that, the rains They have no heavy to send. This is what Aemet tells. And, as we say, not only Laurence is going to leave “abundant rains in large areas of our country” and will breathe “temperate air” that will boost the thaw, is that “Wednesday will be a transition day between two storms: Thursday comes another with more rain “yet. Other? How long will this last? This question has two answers: the short is that we have no idea. We already know how variable the time in spring is. The long one, however, has a lot of crumb to analyze. Because If we look at ECMWF’s weekly modelsthe European weather model, we will see that the next four weeks appear with positive anomalies in rainfall. It is true that the one that has that most accentuated trend is this that we now start, but (always according to the model) the rainfall above normal can remain much longer than expected. Image | ECMWF | Sami Ullah In Xataka | If the question is when the rain is going to end, Aemet has bad news. Especially for Andalusia

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