reduce

We have been looking for decades to reduce diesel pollution. The answer was in the water

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In slow progress, but with increasing momentum, new energy vehicles continue to gain ground in Europe. However, the vehicle fleet It is still plagued by diesel enginesespecially because beyond passenger cars, they continue to dominate freight transportation, agriculture and industry. Because? Well, because at the end of the day they are robust, efficient and very reliable. But they are also one of the main sources of air pollution. However, there are numerous projects and studies that seek to make diesel a much less polluting fuel. In this regard, a team of researchers from Nigeria has given it a twist to an already known technology that, well applied, can change that equation without having to redesign the engine. What is WiDE technology. Its acronym in English stands for Water-in-Diesel Emulsion, or water-diesel emulsion. The idea is to mix small amounts of water with the diesel using substances called surfactants, which act as stabilizers and keep the mixture homogeneous for up to 60 days. The result is a fuel that, on the outside, barely differs from conventional diesel but that behaves very differently inside the engine. How it works inside the cylinder. When this mixture burns in the combustion chamber, the water droplets vaporize instantly and violently. This phenomenon is called “microexplosion” and has a direct and positive effect: it atomizes the fuel into much finer particles, which improves the mixture with the air. More efficient combustion at lower peak temperatures directly translates into fewer nitrogen oxides (NOx) and less soot. Numbers. The study, carried out by researchers from the Federal University of Technology of Owerri (Nigeria) and published at Carbon Research, analyzed the results of this solution in studies around the world. After this, they detected that engines that operate with WiDE can reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 67% and suspended particles by up to 68% compared to conventional diesel. In addition, several experiments also pointed to an improvement in the thermal efficiency of the engine. Because matters. Current emissions control systems, such as particulate filters or SCR catalysts, work, but add cost and mechanical complexity. WiDE, on the other hand, acts directly on combustion and does not require modifying the engine. According to the main researcher of the study, Dr Chukwuemeka Fortunatus Nnadozie, is “a practical and cost-effective way to clean diesel engines” that opens “an immediate path to lower emissions in both developing and developed countries.” The key: surfactants. It’s not all about mixing water and diesel. The stability of the emulsion depends largely on the type and amount of surfactant used. The investigation concludes that formulations that combine several surfactants offer the best results, both in fuel stability and combustion quality. On the other hand, if this component is chosen incorrectly it can compromise both the performance and security of the system. What remains to be resolved. The authors themselves acknowledge that the technology needs more research before mass adoption. Optimal surfactant formulations remain to be defined and the long-term effect on internal engine components needs to be evaluated. The study’s co-author, Professor Emeka Emmanuel Oguzie, point which, “with proper formulation and testing, could become an important part of sustainable transport and industrial systems.” An intermediate solution. WiDE is not proposed as a substitute for electrification or renewable energies, but as an intermediate solution. The authors describe it as a bridge between the current use of diesel and a cleaner energy model, and point out that it could combine with biodiesel and other emissions control systems to enhance their effects. In Xataka | With gasoline at 2 euros per liter in France, something is happening in Guipúzcoa: French people crossing the border with jerrycans

Looking to reduce fossil fuels in transportation, Hyundai has the solution: a nuclear container ship

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About 80% of world trade is moves by sea. Although it may seem like slower transportation, something key to maintaining prices is moving a large amount of material on each trip, something that is out of the reach of trucks, trains and planes. There, the huge container ships They lead the way with the associated problem of enormous spending on fossil fuels. The industry is looking for alternatives to operate no carbon emissions and Hyundai has a clear path. A nuclear container ship. Pioneer. HD Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering is the naval branch of the company and, in 2025, they presented a model of container ship nuclear seeking to eliminate emissions of a large ship with electric propulsion powered by a small nuclear reactor. The reactor type would be an SMR with thorium-based fuel and liquid salt as a coolant. After months working on the plan, this 2026 HD and ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) they arrived to an agreement to jointly develop the vessel. This is something that is in the design and subsequent prototype phase, but the agreement between the two lays the foundations for the development of a ship that is expected to be the first nuclear container ship. 16,000 TEU class. The class of a container ship is measured by the TEU, or Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit. Basically, x number of 20-foot-long containers, 16,000 containers at a time in the case of the Hyundai ship. It is far from the 20,000 and 25,000 TEU vesselsbut it will be a step forward in the maritime mobility of the future. Furthermore, the ship will not need to be as massive as others thanks, precisely, to that nuclear propulsion. By replacing the conventional machinery of diesel engines, exhaust systems and huge fuel tanks with a nuclear compartment and electrical systems, there is free space to transport more containers while maintaining the ship’s compact size. Compact within what these monsters are. Armor. To guarantee radiological safety, what this ship must include is a double stainless steel tank shielding system designed to ensure that there are no radiation leaks to both the inhabited areas of the ship and the ocean. The liquid salt itself as a coolant will also act as a safety measure against reactors that require pressurized or boiling water. If SMR stands for ‘Small Modular Reactor‘, MSR respond to ‘Molten Salt Reactor’, and basically means that, in case of emergency, the salt mixture can solidify to stop the reaction, being another security measure. all the sense. For now, the Hyundai ship has received the approval of its partner – an advantage of being the body that is also in charge of these things – but it is a project. The next steps are development and prototype, so there is still no authorization for the construction of the ship. However, it makes perfect sense for container ships to switch to nuclear propulsion. It is something that we have already seen on large ships like aircraft carrier and submarinesand the main advantage (apart from reducing emissions) is that life on the high seas depends solely on how much food can be loaded on board. Obviously, the investment is more expensive initially because it is not cheap to change the mobility paradigm, but it would not be tied to fluctuations in the price of fuel for transportation, something that we have been seeing recurrently in recent years and that, obviously, changes the shipping price. Alternatives. Hyundai is not the only one in this race and its national competitor Samsung also has a project in the oven. China, or Norway, transport heavyweights, They also have concepts of container ships powered by nuclear reactors. In the end, the industry must move because the International Maritime Organization is regulating greenhouse emissions and demanded reductions of 20% by 2030 with the aim of achieving neutrality by 2050. A render of China’s nuclear container ship In that sense, maritime transport not only represents 80% of the transport of all goods, but is responsible for 3% of global CO2 emissions of human origin. Now, nuclear electric motors are not the only way and recently we are seeing that the industry is exploring the path of battery electrification and even the return of a technology that seemed forgotten: the candles. Image | hyundai In Xataka | The West stopped building nuclear power plants because they were too expensive: China is teaching it a lesson

what you can do to reduce what AI can do on your mobile

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Let’s tell you how to limit Gemini on your Android mobileso that the artificial intelligence Google does not have access to so much data. Gemini It is integrated into current Android phones, and you can limit access to your emails, personal information or Google searches. Although Google’s artificial intelligence is implemented in Android to help you with your content and to make everything easier for you, not all of us like that it has access to the entire system and applications such as Gmail, Google Drive and Google Calendar. There is no button to turn off Geminibut there are ways to put some limits on it. Prevent Google from accessing your applications Gemini currently has access to your Google applicationsspecifically in Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Keep or Google Tasks. Access to Chrome and YouTube is also beginning to be implemented in some countries. You also have access to third-party apps such as WhatsApp, Spotify and more. To limit Gemini’s access to your apps, go to the Google AI app and tap your profile image in the top right. In the menu you arrive at, you have to click on the option Connected apps that it will appear to you. You will go to a screen with the list of applications that Gemini has access to, and you can deactivate access to the ones you want. This way, you can control the apps that Gemini can interact with. Turn off the Gemini gesture Many mobile phones have a gesture to activate Gemini, for example by holding down the power button. You can also change this on some mobilesalthough everything will depend on each manufacturer and brand. For example, on many Androids you can go to the Gestures in the device settings, and there change the function of pressing the power button so that it does not launch the assistant. On other devices, such as Samsung, you will have to go to their Advanced Features. Each mobile can have a different route. Use Google without AI Overview Finally, if you want use the Google search engine without AI summaries For a more classic experience, this is something you can do as well. Of course, here you no longer have to make changes to the settings. What you have to do is search for what you want on Google. You will see that below the search bar and above the AI ​​Overview several tabs appear, and in them you have to click on the tab Web. When you do, you will go to a view with only the results. In Xataka Basics | The best prompts to save hours of work and do your tasks with ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot or other artificial intelligence

The V16 wanted to replace the triangle and reduce risks. They have ended up proving that they can also create them

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On January 1, 2026, it will be mandatory to carry in the car an approved V16 beacon. The introduction of this device is surrounded by a great controversy regarding its implementation, its real usefulness or the emergence of illegal devices. What has just been discovered is that more than 250,000 beacons are affected by serious cybersecurity vulnerabilities. It is the umpteenth disaster that affects these devices. what has happened. Luis Miranda Acebedo, cybersecurity expert, has published a complete and in-depth analysis of the digital security (or rather, lack thereof) of one of these V16 beacons. Specifically, the Help Flash IoT model, which is especially striking because the person who distributed it is Vodafone and the operator confirmed months ago that it had sold more than 250,000 units in Spain. The document and its conclusions are worrying. Vulnerabilities everywhere. In his analysis Miranda explains that although the analysis only focuses on this device, “the security problems found in the communications part seem to be common to all devices.” Specifically, the errors found by this expert for that part were the following: Sending data in plain text– The beacon transmits exact GPS coordinates, IMEI and network parameters without any encryption. Anyone who intercepts the signal can read them. Lack of authentication and integrity: There are no mechanisms to verify that the server is legitimate or to ensure that the message has not been modified along the way. Susceptibility to false stations– It is possible to spoof a cell tower to intercept traffic, block alerts from being sent, or inject false data. Private APN Exposure– Although this beacons a private Vodafone network, the connection commands and keys are exposed on the debug port, making the network accessible to an attacker. The V16 Help Flash IoT beacon is a real trick. Image: Luis Miranda Acebedo. OTA updates, another disaster. The problems are not only limited to that part of the V16 beacon’s communication with the APN and the servers of each provider, but are also present in the OTA (Over-The-Air) update system: Insecure update: Simply press the power button for 8 seconds to activate a maintenance Wi-Fi network. The name (SSID) of the Wi-Fi and its password are identical (HF-UpdateAP-5JvqFV), they are “harcoded” in the firmware. Not only that: Miranda tested two different units and those credentials coincided, which leads him to think that they are the same in the 250,000 devices sold by Vodafone. unsecure HTTP: To download the new firmware, the HTTP protocol is used without further ado, not the secure version (HTTPS), allowing an attacker to intercept and modify the file in transit. No digital signature: The device does not verify the authenticity of the firmware, and accepts any file sent to it, allowing the installation of malicious software. DNS Spoofing– By not using DNSSEC it is trivial to trick the device into connecting to a fake server controlled by a cybercriminal. Open debug port: The port is also physically accessible without a password, allowing you to view all the logs and extract sensitive information from the hardware. Hacking a beacon is easy and cheap. The researcher explained that it is possible to buy a device that simulates a telephone antenna (500-1,000 euros). Using a Rasperry Pi 4 or a laptop, free software can be used to “intercept and manipulate the “secure” communications of these beacons.” After running a proof of concept, he managed to hack a beacon in 60 seconds and install malicious firmware that allowed him to have full control of the beacon. With this firmware it could send false locations, access the operator’s private APN, generate massive false alarms or turn the beacon into a brick. What Netun says. The company that manufactures these beacons, Netun Solutions, has sent out a press release to try to clarify these risks. Exposed data: The signature indicates that the beacon transmits geolocation, a device identifier and some technical parameters. They admit that this data can be exposed, but they emphasize that there is no transmission of personal data such as license plates or user IDs. Logical: they are not associated with the beacons. Plain text: Netun officials explain that the decision to send plain text was made to “guarantee long-term interoperability and robustness.” Private APN: It is also noted that the beacons connect through a private APN and a VPN from the operator, but Miranda explained how the connection parameters are exposed on the serial port. Physical access and removing the eSIM are enough for an attacker to connect to that private network. Netum in turn points out that physical access means that “the impact is limited to that specific unit.” OTA problems: Regarding the OTA functionality that also shows a vulnerability, Netun states that this function has been disabled through firmware updates. Improbable mass attacksFinally, those responsible point out that massive attacks could only be carried out by compromising a large number of beacons. They also explain that the Netun platform “limits the number of frames that each SIM can send” and the frequency of sending. What Vodafone says. At Xataka we have contacted Vodafone, and one of their spokespersons tells us the following: “The V16 beacons approved and marketed by Vodafone Spain constitute an adequate system that complies with current regulations for road emergency signaling. In particular, Help Flash IoT is certified in accordance with the regulations required by the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) for connected V16 beacons, meeting the necessary technical requirements in terms of visibility (sufficient light intensity), resistance, flash reliability, signal duration, etc. These requirements also include the data communication protocols of the beacon with the servers. The V16 beacons have internal security mechanisms and the Vodafone network provides an additional layer of security with controls that ensure that communication is made from the beacon authorized by the network. On the other hand, the beacons integrate NB-IoT connectivity, which guarantees that the beacon is only used for location in an emergency by authorized entities with the user’s knowledge. The communication that passes through Vodafone … Read more

reduce the production of laser weapons and parts for electric cars to one second

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A team of researchers from China has achieved a technological leap that could alter the energy base of sectors as diverse as electric vehicles, advanced radars or even new generation defense systems. At a time when speed, thermal stability and on-chip integration have become strategic priorities for industry and militaries alike, China claims to have found an unexpectedly fast path to producing one of the most critical components in modern electronics. An industrial leap. China has presented an advance that fundamentally disrupts the production of dielectric storage capacitors, a critical component for hybrid electric vehicles, radar systems, advanced electronics and, especially, directed energy weapons. Two teams from the Metal Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have achieved reduce the manufacturing process of these devices just one second thanks to a technique flash annealing capable of heating and cooling materials at 1,000 ºC per second, forming crystalline films on silicon wafers in a single step. In other words, what previously required between three minutes and an hour now happens literally in the blink of an eye, without loss of energy density or thermal stability, and maintaining stable performance. up to 250 ºCa range that covers, for example, from the inside of a hybrid vehicle to the depths of oil exploration. The advance also offers a scalable industrial path towards on-chip storage devices, a goal long pursued by the electronics industry. A new class of capacitors. Dielectric capacitors stand out because they can charge and discharge energy with extreme suddenness, generating current peaks essential for systems that depend on instantaneous reactions. The new crystalline films created by the Chinese team not only achieve energy densities comparable to those of much slower methods, but they maintain less than 3% degradation even at 250 ºC. This guarantees its operation in severe conditions, from automotive electronics subjected to constant heat to sensors and energy exploitation equipment underground. Researchers say in your work that the rapid solidification obtained by heating by electromagnetic induction and immediately cooling in liquid nitrogen fixes the crystalline structure in a high energy state that multiplies the capacity storage, reaching 63.5 J/cm³, values ​​higher than traditional techniques such as firing in a muffle furnace or rapid thermal tempering. This combination of extreme speed, stability and density opens the door to design leaps in multiple industrial sectors. Strategic implications. As we said, the most delicate, and potentially transformative, impact is found in the military terrain: Emerging technology offers a direct solution to one of the bottlenecks of directed energy weapons, such as high-powered lasers, which require fast, stable flows of electricity to maintain sustained fire, repeated pulses, and minimal reload times. The ability to generate intense electrical pulses from denser, more heat-resistant, mass-produced capacitors with faster times drastically reduced makes this technology a key enabler for ship-borne lasers, anti-drone systems, energy saturation weapons or ground-based air defense platforms. In a scenario where thermal autonomy, stress resistance and the ability to withstand repeated thermal cycles are essential, these new dielectric films offer a decisive advantage compared to previous generations of materials. Although they still depend on improvements to close the gap with lithium batteries in total capacity, their superiority in instantaneous power is exactly what modern laser systems require. World projection. The promise of producing advanced capacitors in a second It represents a disruptive change for industries that, until now, assumed long and expensive processes to achieve similar levels of quality. The ability to extend the procedure to other ferroelectric materials and to apply the method on wafer-scale pellets makes this development in a milestone with direct implications for defense microelectronics, aeronautics and the energy sector. China thus obtains a path towards strategic components that are difficult to replicate in the short term in other countries, consolidating an industrial advantage in dual technologies whose relevance will only grow in the coming decades. For the directed energy weapons (considered the next big leap in anti-missile defense, anti-drone and anti-hypersonic platforms) this evolution in capacitors could be equivalent to missing link– Fast, robust, compact and, for the first time, truly scalable storage. Image | CCTV (via X) In Xataka | It is called Crazy Li and it is capable of cutting metal or causing blindness: China has developed an unprecedented combat laser In Xataka | China has made a science fiction dream come true: an electromagnetic cannon capable of reaching 3,000 shots per minute

Seeking to reduce emissions, ships are turning to cutting-edge technology. Punta in the year 3000 BC, specifically

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Ships long ago stopped sailing with ten guns per side. They don’t do it under full sail either, although there are a couple of companies determined to change that. The thing about the sails, not the cannons, since we have examples of great ships sailing with sails of the 21st century (and cannons are now electromagnetic). Are a bet to row against emissions of the maritime industry, and the truth is that the technology sounds good for the biggest ships that star almost all world trade. The banner is the Pyxis Ocean, an 81,000-ton ship that has been circling the oceans of half the world, showing the viability of returning wind-powered ships to the sea. And the industry is taking note: a few weeks ago the first oil tanker with sails began sailing with promising figures. Ships with state-of-the-art sails to decarbonize the oceans The maritime industry has a major challenge ahead: reducing its emissions to achieve decarbonization goals. We look at hydrogen, to methanol already electrification as ways to achieve those objectives, but the Pyxis Ocean is proving that candles can play a role in all of this too. Owned by the Mitsubishi Corporation, it is a ‘bulk carrier’. In Spanish, a bulk ship focused on the transportation of bulk cargoes such as cereals or minerals. Along with the container ship already the Ro-Roare essential ships in the global trade chainand the fact that it has sails does not prevent it from being a ship of considerable dimensions. 229 meters in length and 32 meters in width, typical for this type of boat. What is not so common are its two huge sails in the front and middle part. Each one is 37.5 meters high and 20 meters wide, and they work as you expect: taking advantage of the force of the wind to propel the boat. However, they do not ‘inflate’ like traditional sailboats. Named WindWingsare a rigid structure of steel and fiberglass that have more to do with the wings of an airplane than with conventional sails. They take advantage of wind energy, adapting in real time and automatically to maximize efficiency in different wind conditions. It works autonomously and does not require additional energy or personnel to handle it. When the Pyxis departed, not everyone was convinced the system would work, qualifying it as “a risky bet.” Two years later, we have some conclusions further. Under favorable conditions, the ship’s two WindWings are estimated to have reduced main engine power consumption by 32% per nautical mile. During the six-month testing process, the ship achieved savings of about three tons of fuel per dayand after those six months, the Pyxis Ocean continues sailing. Mitsubishi is not responsible for these sails, a credit that belongs to BAR Technologiesand the success of the pilot test has led to them expanding the sail catalog with more 20 and 24 meter models aimed at both smaller ships and ships for the chemical industry. The estimate is that each sail saves 0.7 tons of fuel per day and can be easily installed on both new and veteran boats, whenever adaptation work is done. Beyond the curiosity and interest of BAR Technologies in promoting this, it seems that the industry is considering it as an option to both electrification and traditional fossil fuel systems. In June of this year, the Brands Hatcha Union Maritime tanker that has three WindWings and departed from Rotterdam last September. It is estimated that more than a third of its propulsion was thanks to the wind, avoiding 13 tons of CO₂ per WindWing per day. The company has ordered sails for a further 34 new vessels and BAR Technologies has received another order for new LR2 tankers due to be launched in 2027. When the technology was introduced, John Cooper, director of BAR Technologies, commented that “by 2025, half of new ships will be powered by wind.” It is evident that their estimates have not been metbut the good results are encouraging the International Windship Association to calculate that there will be more than 100 large ships with the system by the end of this year and, by 2050, up to 40,000 systems installed. In the end, as has happened more than once, we look again to a technology from the past to achieve objectives in the present. We will see if sails are that agent that once again transforms maritime navigation on a global level, since neither BAR Technologies is alone in this nor are WindWings the only ones. next generation sails that are in development. Images | WindWaves In Xataka | It’s not a ship, it’s a floating “Empire State”: the ONE crush surpassing the record of containers on board

Drastically reduce the consumption of data centers is crucial for AI. And China has had an idea: to submerge them in the sea

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China is About to submerge a data center In the sea, near Shanghai, as a solution to a problem that we will gradually begin to see more: Great energy consumption of the AI. The installation, which will come into operation in mid -October, is one of the first commercial projects of this type in the world and points to a new way of cooling servers without depending on traditional cooling systems that devour electricity. The background problem. Data centers are the backbone of the Internet and AI, but They generate huge amounts of heat. Keeping them refrigerated by air conditioning or evaporation of water consumes a brutal amount of energy, and with the rise of artificial intelligence, the demand of these facilities has shot. China seeks to reduce the carbon footprint of this critical infrastructure, and its commitment It goes through sinking it underwater. How it works. The yellow capsule that They have built Near Shanghai houses servers that remain cold thanks to the ocean currents, without the need for active cooling systems. According to Yang Ye, vice president of Highlander, the maritime company that develops the project with state companies, “underwater operations have inherent advantages” and can save approximately 90% of the energy for refrigeration. The installation will extract almost all its electricity from nearby marine wind farms, with more than 95% renewable energy. The technical challenges. Putting servers under the sea is not easy. They must be protected from the corrosion of salt water, for which they use a special coating with glass scales on the steel capsule. Also They have installed An elevator that connects the main structure with a section that remains on the water, allowing the access of maintenance equipment. Another challenge is to build the Internet connection between the Submarine and Tierra Firme Center, a more complex process than with conventional facilities. Universities researchers in Florida and Japan They have warned In addition to these centers could be vulnerable to attacks by sound waves driven by water. Environmental doubts. Although the project promises to reduce emissions, questions remain about its ecological impact. The heat emitted by servers could alter the surrounding marine ecosystem, attracting some species and driving others. Andrew Want, marine ecologist from Hull University, Point out That “these are unknown aspects at this time, sufficient research is not yet being carried out.” Highlander says that an independent 2020 evaluation on its test project in Zhuhai indicated that the water remained well below the acceptable temperature thresholds, but Shaolei Ren, an expert from the University of California in Riverside, warns That climbing these centers will also climb the heat emitted. There are few precedents. Microsoft tested this technology off the coast of Scotland in 2018, recovering the capsule in 2020 after declaring that The project had been completed successfully. However, he never marketed it. The Chinese project advances with the support of government subsidies: Highlander received 40 million yuan for A similar project in the province of Hainan in 2022, which is still operational. The installation of Shanghai will serve clients such as China Telecom and a state computing company of AI. What comes now. Experts agree that these underwater centers will probably not replace the traditional ones, but will complement the existing infrastructure in specific niches. According to Rencurrent projects seek to demonstrate “technological viability”, but much remains to be resolved before a massive deployment. What is clear is that, if these types of projects face all technological challenges and manage to greatly reduce the energy consumed of the data centers, it will be a great point in favor for the company that manages to provide its solution in the AI ​​race. Cover image | AFP In Xataka | China was the great pollut the planet: now it is emerging as the first “electrostate” in history

Asturias prepares the greatest experiment in Spain to reduce the day

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When the national debate seemed focused on (still stagnant) Reduction of the working day At 37.5 hours a week, Asturias has decided to step on the accelerator. The Principality government has launched the machinery to launch an experiment on the four -day work week in the region, a movement that resurrects one of the Conversations about the future of work in our country. The first step have already taken it. From the regional government They have already tendered The study that will serve as a road map in this ‘experiment’. The objective they have is clear: analyze the viability and The economic impact to implement a 32 week weekly day in the business fabric of the region. A necessary study to be a success. This study, which will have a value of 16,862 eurosan external consultant will be held. In its content, what is going to be collected will be the similar projects that have been made in other regions, with their failures and their mistakes. In this way, we will not try not to fall into the same stone again as other autonomous communities or other regions of the European Union. In addition, it will also identify the key sectors of the Asturian economy where it would be more feasible to apply this reduction in working hours, and especially where there will really be a benefit of having a four -day day. From there, the assessment of unions, employer and company will be collected to have a complete vision of the consequences that this measure can have. When it will be launched. Once the report has been launched in tender, the manager who manages to get him will have a period of three months to be able to collect all this information, so we can easily leave the next year. When you have all this information, it will be when the Government will propose to companies the possibility of joining this initiative. The main focus will be in the private company. Sources from the Ministry of Science, Industry and Employment They have detailed To El País that the objective will be the private company in this experiment. Although they will also analyze the viability in the public company. But what is clear is that participation will be voluntary, as detailed in the agreement signed between the regional government with the employer and the unions. In these same statementsthe Ministry suggests that this model make Asturias one of the first communities to apply this labor model, aspiring to be one of the greatest experiments in Spain in this area. All this because so far the projects that have come forward have focused on very specific areas of a province or have been a failure, as in the case of the Plan of the Ministry of Industry. The great debate: how will affect salary. Logic can mark that a reduction in the number of hours worked It also carries a reduction in monthly salary. But this is something that at the moment is not clarified in the position by the Principality. As they point out, there is a “varied casuistry” and that, in the absence of a national regulation, it is an “issue to negotiate in each labor relationship.” Precisely, the study that has been in charge will be focused on shedding light on how this problem with companies should be solved. There are a history in Spain. To see similar projects we can go to Valencia in the spring of 2023, where the City Council of the capital tested the four -day week turning on Mondays. The results In this case they were very positive, since an improvement in the well -being of employees was evidenced. Although he also had a negative impact on some businesses by losing this habitual clientele of Mondays. Nationally, the Ministry of Industry launched in 2022 With a budget of 10 million euros in grants A plan to reduce working hours. But it was a disaster, since Only 41 industrial SMEs requested participatingand finally, almost two years later, only five companies were approved, reducing the investment to 500,000 euros. In Spain the regulation will still take to arrive. Although the Council of Ministers I already gave green light To the legislative text that would come true to have a 37.5 hours day in Spain, you still have to wait. His passage through Congress is being torpedored, since for the moment does not have enough support To be published in the BOE. Although the reality is that although it seems A substantial changethere are many companies that collect it in their collective agreements and Other EU countries They have a day below what is raised. Images | Annie Spratt Miguel Ángel Sanz In Xataka | Face B of the four -day week: the problems that British essay companies found

Its technology aims to reduce the scope of the enemy sound

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

Spain wants to reduce marine pollution and will start in an unsuspected place: the bathroom

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Spain adds this year 642 beaches with blue flag, four more than last year, According to the Association of Environmental and Consumer Education (Adeac). This badge, which recognizes the environmental quality, security and services of the coast, returns to place the country among world leaders. Even so, the figure represents only 18 % of the more than 3,500 beaches in the country, which shows a pending challenge. To face it, Spain has begun to move. A new plan is brewing. Rather, a new bill with The goal of reducing pollution For single -use plastics, where wet wipe manufacturers will be forced to assume cleaning costs derived from the improper use of these products. In addition, the initiative wants to prohibit citizens from discarding wipes by the toilet and release balloons in the air. With this measure, Spain seeks to align with European standards on single -use plastics and move towards the UN sustainable development objectives. A serious problem. Wet wipes, even those made of natural polymers without chemical modifications, generate an important environmental impact. Its resistance to decomposition causes obstructions in sewerage and purification systems, especially during periods of heavy rains, such as has detailed The Guardian. The microfibers that release reach rivers and seas, aggravating pollution and raising management costs for local authorities. Responsibility. The new law will force companies to take care not only for the cleaning of the waste they generate, but also of information campaigns. To control who should pay, manufacturers will have to officially register. Although biodegradable wipes would be exempt, the Ministry of Environment He has insisted In that it is best not to throw any for the wiper, to protect pipes and the environment. A very economical topic. A awareness campaign of the Spanish Water and Sanitation Supply Association I already estimated Six years ago, the withdrawal of these wipes was an annual cost of 230 million euros. Until now, economic consequences have fallen to public administrations. According to eldiario.esValencia had to invest 10 million euros in 2019 to clean a three -kilometer jam. In Badajoz, a similar athlete was a cost of 200,000 euros. Murcia encrypted in more than 250,000 euros the replacement of a damaged team at a treatment plant, while the repair of pumping equipment amounted to another 200,000 euros. Other countries already have the lead. Four years ago, both France, Germany, Belgium and England They prohibited use of single -use plastic products, following the EU guidelines. In addition, on the one hand, France a year later prohibited the use of plastic To package small fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, Germany and Belgium They have been developing A fund funded by single -use plastics manufacturers, who must contribute according to the amount of plastic they sell. This fund aims to cover the cleaning costs of public spaces and waste management, reinforcing the principle of “who pollutes, pays”. It does not start on the shore. While the bill continues its parliamentary processing, its effectiveness will depend much on the citizen response. Because the care of the beaches does not begin only on the coast, but in the daily habits of those who enjoy them. Image | Pexels and Marco Verch Xataka | If the question is whether there is an “invasion” of moths in Murcia, the answer is that of every year by these dates

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