running

China will bring together more than 300 humanoid robots in a half marathon. The goal goes beyond running

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Seeing more than 300 humanoid robots preparing to run a half marathon in Beijing has something of a futuristic image, yes, but also quite a declaration of intentions. The appointment, scheduled for April 19 within the framework of The Beijing Yizhuang Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon in 2026 is not presented as a simple flashy exhibition, but as an event in which China will bring together dozens of brands, teams and systems to test them before the public. What we have before us is not just a race: it is another way of showing us to what extent humanoid robotics has become an area that the country wants to take very seriously. New edition. Last year, Beijing had already held a half marathon of humanoid robotsbut now the leap is evident: preparation has mobilized dozens of teams and has forced the organization of large-scale night tests to check that everything works on the ground. Xinhua reported that more than 70 teams participated in the last comprehensive test held between the night of April 11 and the early hours of the 12th. More than resistance. The interesting thing about this appointment is not only in seeing which robot can withstand the distance better, but in observing how it travels it. Both autonomous navigation and remote control equipment participated in the previous tests, which will allow different technical architectures to be shown. That nuance matters a lot, because it shifts the focus from the simple spectacular image to something more useful for reading the moment of humanoid robotics in China. What is at stake is not only completing the journey, but also checking what degree of autonomy and what type of control can be sustained in an open environment. The names of this edition. If there are robots that help to better read the level of this appointment, those are the ones that arrive with clearer objectives and a more recognizable profile. The Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center has confirmed the participation of Tiangong Ultra and Tiangong 3.0, with three units of the former competing completely autonomously, without human navigators or external guidance signals. Unitree has also confirmed the return of the H1, in a version adapted for long distances. Added to this is the presence of Lightning and Yuqi Boy, the two models with which Honor enters this race. What China wants to teach. This race can also be read in a much broader way. It is not only about seeing dozens of humanoid robots facing a half marathon, but also about interpreting the message that China projects with that image. Humanoid robotics has become one of the areas in which the country wants to make its position clear.. And few formulas are as effective to do so as taking that bet out of the laboratory, turning it into a public event and showing it on a stage capable of attracting attention inside and outside its borders. Images | Beijing Government In Xataka | Anthropic was the “don’t be evil” of AI for developers. Now he’s squeezing them all

is running out of room to store oil

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At this point, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz due to the war in Iran is a reality that the world assumes with resignation. But while the West looks askance at the geopolitical tables, in Iraq the situation has gone from concern to financial panic. The phenomenon. As you point out oil priceUnlike neighbors such as Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates, Iraq does not have alternative routes to avoid Hormuz, nor does it have a sovereign wealth fund to serve as a cushion. Its dependence on oil revenues is absolute. Today, cornered and with water up to its neck, Baghdad has had to swallow pride and look north to resurrect a problematic and rusty infrastructure as the only way to survive. A country without space to store its own crude oil. As detailed Reutersproduction in the main fields in southern Iraq – the country’s true economic engine – has plummeted by 70%. They have fallen to just 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) simply because oil tankers cannot leave the Gulf and storage tanks are overflowing. As pointed out by an analysis in Argus MediaIraq has had to turn off the tap of about 3 million bpd, completely stopping giant fields such as West Qurna, Majnoon or Halfaya. Faced with this scenario, the emergency solution has been to dust off the old oil pipeline Kirkuk-Ceyhanwhich connects the north of the country with Türkiye. This is a route that had been inactive due to damage since 2014 and that has been a constant target of sabotage since the 2003 invasion. From propaganda to damage control. Facing the gallery, the official speech is triumphalist. According to a statement collected by state agency Iraqi News Agency (INA)the reopening of the Sarlo pumping station has been celebrated by the North Oil Company as a resounding “technical and administrative success”. For the Iraqi authorities, recovering this export route represents a “strong return to the forefront” that demonstrates, they say, the country’s iron will and the ability of its engineers to resurrect a strategic infrastructure paralyzed for years. However, the reality behind the government window is much more precarious. Does this mean that Iraq has solved its problem? At all. Faced with institutional optimism, geopolitical analyst Bachar el Halabi offers a harsh reality check: “This is not a recovery of exports, it is damage control.” El Halabi explains that this pipeline will initially provide about 200,000 or 250,000 bpd of federal flow from Kirkuk. A figure that is useful for the heads of the state agency, but that is a tiny fraction if we compare it with the 3.4 million barrels that Iraq usually exports from the south in peacetime. The global market has barely blinked. According to oil pricethe news of the reopening caused Brent crude to drop slightly from $103 to $101 per barrel, but warns that this volume will not make any real difference to global supply. The final diagnosis of El Halabi is blunt: “Iraq’s oil system has been totally exposed. This agreement is for stabilization, it is not a resolution.” The historic pact (and the call from Washington). To ensure that crude oil flows again to Türkiye, Baghdad has had to sit down to urgent negotiations with its historical internal rivals: the Kurdistan Regional Government (Erbil). In this unprecedented pact, federal production from Kirkuk will travel alongside that from Kurdistan through the same tube, the revenue will go directly to federal coffers in Baghdad, and a joint committee has been created to oversee it. But this agreement has not emerged from nowhere. The United States has pulled the strings in the shadows. So much Reuters as analyst Bachar el Halabi confirm that there was a direct intervention from the White House: a phone call between President Trump’s envoy, Tom Barrack, and the Kurdish Prime Minister, Masrour Barzani, was the key that managed to break the historic blockade between Baghdad and Erbil. The shadows of the agreement. Despite the handshake, the pipeline is surrounded by threats. The first major obstacle is physical security: pro-Iran militias have been attacking energy infrastructure in Kurdistan for some time. Can Baghdad really guarantee international oil companies that their facilities will be safe from “mistakes” or deliberate attacks? Furthermore, the political wounds remain open. lTensions had recently escalated because Baghdad attempted to impose a new electronic customs system, something Erbil saw as a frontal attack on its autonomy. For its part, Kurdistan had been accusing the federal government of imposing a “suffocating economic blockade” on them. And hanging over all of this is a diplomatic humiliation that no one wants to mention out loud. Baghdad, being the Arab capital politically closest to Tehran, had to wait until the 18th day of the war to dare to ask Iran for permission to move some of its own oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. Hostage to its own geography. Iraq has managed to save a match point critical short-term financial. Thanks to emergency diplomacy and strong pressure from Washington, the country will be able to enter the minimum dollars necessary to pay public salaries and avoid an imminent social collapse. However, this crisis has exposed its greatest weakness. Lacking alternative infrastructure and economic diversification, Iraq is confirmed as the great hostage of the war in the Middle East; an oil giant that, to survive, has had to entrust its destiny to an old patched pipe. Image | Photo by SELİM ARDA ERYILMAZ on Unsplash Xataka | By bombing Ras Laffan, Iran has done something else by retaliating: it has unlocked the ultimate energy crisis

TSMC is running out of capacity on the N3 node. And that’s going to affect everything you buy.

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There is a bottleneck that conditions everything in the technology industry and it has a very specific name: TSMC’s N3 node. AI has devoured 3nm chip manufacturing capacity faster than anyone anticipated, and right now there aren’t enough wafers to go around. Why is it important. The N3 node is not just the process where the most advanced AI chips are made. It is also where the iPhone, Macs, iPads, Qualcomm Snapdragons and Intel laptop processors live. When that capacity disappears absorbed by the demand for data centers, the impact does not remain in the server area: it reaches mobile phones, computers and any device that depends on the latest generation chips. Therefore, it reaches all of us. The context. For years, the N3 was almost the exclusive territory of consumer electronics. Apple was its first big customer with chips M3, M4 and M5 for Mac, and the A17, A18 and A19 for iPhone. Qualcomm uses it in its Snapdragon 8 Elite. MediaTek, in its most advanced Dimensions. That balance in which everyone was reasonably happy has been blown up in 2026. According to the analysis of SemiAnalysis (forgive the redundancy), in this exercise the AI ​​accelerators are going to absorb about 60% of all TSMC’s N3 production. In 2027, that figure could reach 86%, leaving mobile and PC manufacturers with hardly any access to the node. Between the lines. What has happened is a confluence that no one has managed in time. TSMC was slow to expand its capacity: Although the big AI investment cycle began in late 2022, with the bombshell arrival of ChatGPT, TSMC’s capital spending did not surpass its previous all-time peak until 2025. By then, demand had already caught up. The result is that TSMC today acts as an involuntary arbiter deciding who can build what and when. NVIDIA secured the N3P wafers for its new Rubin architecture before anyone else, displacing other clients. Google and Broadcom They got to the N3 even before NVIDIA, with the v7 TPUs already in production during 2025 and a big increase in volume this year. amd, AWS with his Trainium3and Goal with his MTIA They also compete for the same node. AND Apple, Qualcomm and Intel They are, in this new distribution, those who stand in line. The big question. Can anyone stand up to TSMC? In the short term, the answer is no. Intel Foundry has the political backing of the Trump administration and could capture assignments that add points to him. Samsung has landed some big contracts (including Tesla chips and, according to SemiAnalysisan entry in NVIDIA’s supply chain), but its technology remains behind. Foundry diversification is more of a strategic desire than a real alternative, at least for now. Yes, but. There is one nuance that should be remembered: the shortage of N3 is accelerating the transition to node N2the next step in TSMC’s roadmap. Some mobile manufacturers that planned to stay in N3 are moving ahead of schedule, not by technical choice or because the timing be the most logical, but because they have no other option. The shortage not only redistributes the present, it is also rewriting the product calendars of half the sector. In Xataka | Chinese memory manufacturers are no longer secondary players: they are the lifeline of the consumer market Featured image | Igor Shalyminov

Running clubs have become Gen Z’s favorite dating app

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Dawn breaks and the parks begin to fill with runners. The alarm clock has rang early, it’s time to lace up your sneakers and go out to add kilometers. At the end of the route, still with heavy breathing and sweat on the forehead, the modern ritual demands to open the phone. But the goal is no longer to swipe profiles on a dating app from the comfort of the couch, but to upload the workout to Strava accompanied by a selfie or a clever title. Those who do it know perfectly well that there is someone on the other side paying attention. As a young runner confessed In a report published by the magazine ellethe intention to be seen is undeniable: “One hundred percent. Whether it’s a long run or a pretty outfit, there have been times when I’ve thought: he’s going to see this.” This scene, which is repeated every morning and afternoon in any city in the world, illustrates a massive paradigm shift. In a world where love seemed to have been trapped in algorithms, paywalls and cold screens, Generation Z has decided to return to the streets, the asphalt and the sports clubs. At first glance, Strava is a tool purely technical: GPS maps, average paces and gradients. However, the data confirm a sociological phenomenon. According to the Year in Sport: Trend Report from 2025 issued by Strava itselfone in five Gen Z respondents said they have gone on a date with someone they met through a club running. The same document reveals that the creation of new clubs on the platform multiplied by 3.5 in the last year. The transition from miles to romance has its own mechanics. As the German edition of Runners Globalgive a Kudo (the equivalent of a “like” on Strava) has become the new super-like. Tyler Swartz, founder of the Endorphins running club, points out that “Having multiple points of contact with someone is a great way to build trust.” After a group run, following each other on the app allows you to stay on each other’s radar without the pressure of an exchange of phones. The platform itself has witnessed (and facilitated) this shift. When Strava introduced direct messages (DMs) at the end of 2023 Intended to “coordinate flings,” it took younger users just a couple of hours to turn it into a new avenue for flirting, coining icebreakers like, “At your pace or mine?” Unlike Tinder’s visual catalog, seduction here is behavioral. A report from Trail Info highlights that in this network “People observe before they speak.” Knowing that someone runs four times a week at 6 in the morning says much more about their lifestyle, their discipline and their perseverance than an empty 150-character biography. The collapse of dating apps and the search for the authentic This exodus towards asphalt cannot be understood without analyzing the collapse of the previous model. Young people are tired of swiping profiles. According to a survey of Forbesmore than 75% of Generation Z suffer from burnout by using dating apps, feeling like they are not making genuine connections. Even Spencer Rascoff, CEO of Match Group (parent of Tinder and Hinge), admitted that these applications They are perceived today as a “numbers game” that prioritizes metrics over experience. The financial consequences are palpable. Tinder has experienced a decline sustained in its paying users, falling below the 10 million barrier, dragging Match Group shares into a free fall from their 2021 highs. The exception to the rule, paradoxically, It’s Facebook Datingwhich is gaining traction among 18- to 29-year-olds, primarily because it is completely free compared to its competitors’ subscription models. In contrast, the social sports business is flourishing. A report of Financial Times details how Stravawhich closed the year with 180 million users worldwide, is preparing its IPO on Wall Street under the leadership of its new CEO, Michael Martin, with a valuation that already exceeded $2.2 billion in previous rounds. The British media Guardian frame this phenomenon in the rise of calls Hobby Apps (hobby apps). Platforms like Letterboxd (for movie buffs), Goodreads (for readers) or Strava itself are absorbing users who are fleeing the toxic public square of X (formerly Twitter) or TikTok. They are friendly spaces, strongly moderated by their own common interests, where the debate focuses on passions and not on cultural wars. All this has changed the rules of seduction. Today, asking for a face-to-face date terrifies a generation paralyzed by the fear of rejection. We live in what is defined as the “paradox of preparation”: 80% of Gen Z want to find true love, but only 55% feel ready for a relationship. They are terrified of “public failure”, preferring the eternal groping on Instagram or the soft launch (announce a couple ambiguously on social networks to avoid giving explanations if they break up). Serena Kerrigan, content creator, sums it up perfectly: the apps dating dan cringe (grima) because they feel “like a job interview.” In real life, traditional flirting is mutating into absolute pragmatism. In fact, a trend on the rise is the choremancing (the union of chore —task— and romance). New dates no longer consist of going to a candlelit dinner, but rather going to the supermarket together or assembling an Ikea piece of furniture. It’s the ultimate filter: seeing how the other person manages stress, logistics, and teamwork in the real world. In this context, running clubs fit perfectly. As one attendee relates for the magazine MensXPshowing up sweaty and out of breath instantly breaks the ice. There are no Instagram filters to help when you’re trying to catch your breath; the façade disappears and authenticity takes over. Wellbeing as a new rebellion: the natural ecosystem of Gen Z It is quite complex to decipher Generation Z (and even more so from the perspective of an editor millennial), but there is a common thread that explains everything: well-being has replaced the culture of the night. Strava’s annual report sheds devastating information for the traditional leisure … Read more

in a 34 gram running watch

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The Huawei Watch GT Runner 2 arrives with two great arguments under its arm: It is the clock running in titanium, lightest in its categorywithout direct competition from Amazfit or Garmin in that material. And it debuts a completely redesigned GPS antenna architecture that promises 20% more precision compared to the GT6. With all this, Huawei aims directly at the high-end of the category, with models such as the Garmin Forerunner 970 or the Coros Pace 4. Technical data sheet of the Huawei Watch GT Runner 2 HUAWEI WATCH GT RUNNER 2 DIMENSIONS 43.5 × 43.5 × 10.7mm WEIGHT 43.5g (with strap) / 34.5g (without strap) SCREEN AMOLED, 3,000 nits GLASS Kunlun Glass 2nd generation CASING Aerospace grade titanium alloy BATTERY 540 mAh / up to 14 days normal use / 32 h outdoor training GPS Dual band, all systems (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS) HEART RATE Continuous, 99% accuracy vs. chest band HEALTH ECG, arrhythmia detection, continuous HRV (including sleep), SpO2 BELT AirDry Nylon + Fluoroelastomer (22mm standard) COMPATIBILITY iOS and Android APP Huawei Health (AppGallery, App Store, Galaxy Store) PAYMENTS Independent NFC PRICE 399 euros Titanium where no one else uses it The decision to build the case in aerospace grade titanium alloy has a clear logic in the watch segment. running pure: neither the Garmin Forerunner 970 nor the Coros Pace 4, the rivals it targets, offer titanium at this weight level. Garmin does use titanium in its Fenix ​​range, but they are larger, thicker and heavier watches, aimed at multisport adventure. The result is a weight of just 34.5 grams without the strap, which with the included nylon strap rises to 43.5 grams, compared to the 56 g of the Forerunner 970 or the 50 g of the Coros Pace 4 with their respective straps. To maintain that weight without sacrificing durability, Huawei has replaced the sapphire glass of previous generations with its own Kunlun Glass second generation. It’s a trade-off that not everyone will like, although the 3,000-nit AMOLED screen more than makes up for it in outdoor visibility. Image: Xataka. The 44mm case and 10.7mm thickness, 2.2mm thinner than the Forerunner 970, are deliberately unisex decisions: this watch can be a little small for some and a little big for othersand it is a risk he takes to try to get closer to a middle point. Standard 22mm interchangeable straps allow compatibility with virtually any accessory on the market. The nylon strap incorporates AirDry technology, with more holes to improve breathability by 25% and accelerate drying. Sweat and shower are not usually friends of this type of straps and Huawei believes that with this jump it will be somewhat more bearable. The big leap: a GPS antenna that comes out of the motherboard The most ambitious technical change in the GT Runner 2 is in the GPS. Huawei has removed the antenna from the motherboard and created a 3D floating antenna on the outside of the watch, with a dielectric bezel under the titanium bezel acting as a signal polarizing element. The system, which they call sunflowermaintains a simultaneous connection with two GPS signals. Image: Xataka. Image: Xataka. The real-life result is a 20% improvement in accuracy over the GT6, with coverage even in tunnels, and a 10% improvement in distance and pace data. The comparative graphs against the Forerunner 970 (Huawei has become obsessed with it in its comparisons) in dense urban environments, the worst possible scenario for any GPS, show a trajectory noticeably more faithful to the real route. Health and metrics: this is for very methodical runners Heart rate monitoring reaches, according to Huawei, 99% accuracy compared to chest bands in training, a figure that they themselves support with internal tests on a sample of more than 42 people. The watch includes 5-second ECG, arrhythmia detection, and continuous heart rate variability, even during sleep. There are two new metrics that deserve special attention: The first is the racing powerwhich combines terrain resistance via GPS, air resistance estimated through the weather app and resistance by inclination. It is an estimate, not a direct measurement, and should be taken into account. The second is the real-time lactate threshold detection using an algorithm developed with the Beijing Sports University. This is a metric that in real time normally requires laboratory blood analysis. AI training and marathon mode The GT Runner 2 relies heavily on personalized training plans generated by AI, which dynamically adjust based on the results of each session, sleep status and stress. If one day you train more or less than planned, the app automatically reorganizes the entire planning. Image: Xataka. The so-called marathon mode (although the distance is configurable to any race) allows you to record a specific event, such as the Barcelona Marathon, and The app generates a week-by-week plan with days of running, strength and legs, synchronizable directly with the mobile calendar. During the race, the watch acts as a coach on the wrist with mileage pace guidance and refueling strategy. Good detail that we will try later. Something unique is the integration with Kotcha, the AI ​​training app used by Eliud Kipchoge’s team. Also compatible with Intervals.icu, Strava, Komoot and import of GPX routes. Price and availability of the Huawei Watch GT Runner 2 Each box includes two straps, AirDry nylon and fluoroelastomer. All colors are unisex. The price in Spain is 399 euros, although there are some stores that are already selling it for 379 euros. HUAWEI Watch GT Runner 2 Black Featured image | Xataka In Xataka | Huawei Mate X7, analysis: a powerful camera for a foldable that doesn’t need Google for (almost) anything

The panic of technology companies about running out of chips has broken the RAM market. Manufacturers have said enough

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The RAM market is completely broken. In November of last year we talked about a 300% increasewas the result of the perfect storm caused by AI and data centers. Faced with brutal shortages, large companies are trying to get hold of as much memory as possible, which further destabilizes the market. Now manufacturers are taking matters into their own hands. No hoarders, thank you. In an extensive report published by Nikkei Asiatalk about the big three DRAM manufacturers (Samsung, Micron and SK Hynix) implementing stricter rules for their customers in order to prevent them from hoarding memory. The measures are aimed at ensuring that demand is real, that is, that the chips are not going to end up collecting dust in a warehouse “just in case.” Manufacturers are asking for details about who the chips are for, the quantities and what they will be used for. OpenAI’s dirty deal. We go back to October 1, 2025. OpenAI signed an agreement with Samsung and SK Hynix to a potential demand for 900,000 DRAM wafers per month. The figure is equivalent to 40% of all world production, absurd, but what is striking is the “potential.” As they point out multiple users on Xare securing a critical product for data centers that have not yet been built, with money they do not have. Some analysts called this agreement “The dirty DRAM deal”whose hidden objective seemed to point to a rather dirty move: to create a moat by preventing its competitors from accessing critical technology. Open orders. The AI ​​race is not going to stop because chips rise in price and big technology companies have done what they had to do: everything possible to get chips. At the end of last year, Reuters He said that some companies such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta had even approached Micron with open orders, that is, they were willing to accept all the memory they could supply, without a price cap. A full-fledged preventive hoarding. Compulsive shopping. AI companies are not the only ones that have tried to secure their chips, PC manufacturers such as Asus, MSI, Dell or HP also began to buy RAM compulsively at the end of 2025 for accumulate inventory before what was coming. Manufacturers are aware of overorders and that is why they are now demanding data on the end customer. The winners. While everyone is fighting to get their chips, Samsung is getting rich. It is not only that has tripled its profitsFurthermore, it is the technological more has appreciated in 2025ahead of Alphabet and TSMC. For its part, SK Hynix has doubled its profitsmainly due to the boom in demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), of which it is a key supplier. In Xataka | There is a lack of RAM memories and Micron is going to spend 1.8 billion dollars to produce more. but not for you Image | Unsplashedited

they are running out of copper

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This beginning of the year has shaken the foundations of the global economy. Between the capture of Nicolás Maduro by the United States and unprecedented geopolitical volatility, copper—one of the key minerals for the energy future—has climbed to an all-time high, exceeding $13,000 per ton. This escalation is not a passing fluctuation. As Bloomberg detailswe are facing a “perfect storm” where a severe adjustment in supply combined with an unbridled risk appetite. The market has entered a phase of backwardation (where the immediate price is higher than the future), a technical signal that, according to analysts, points to a real and desperate physical shortage. Data centers: the black hole of metal. While construction and energy have always been the pillars of copper consumption, artificial intelligence has changed the scale of the problem. According to an analysis by businessman Frank Holmesa conventional data center consumes between 5,000 and 15,000 tons of metal. However, a “hyperscale” center—necessary to train AI models—can require up to 50,000 tons per facility. In addition, it highlights an uncomfortable reality for 2030, a year in which data centers could devour more than half a million tons of copper annually. Here lies the big problem, since the demand for technology is absolutely inelastic. As Holmes explainsthe silicon giants don’t care if copper costs $10,000 or $20,000 because the metal represents less than 0.5% of the total cost of an AI project. They will pay whatever it takes, emptying warehouses and leaving the rest of the industries (construction, appliances, motor) without supply. An offer that falls apart. While demand flies, production is in crisis. According to a Financial Times reportthe price has risen almost a third since October driven by disruptions at key mines such as the Grasberg complex in Indonesia. Added to this is the Mantoverde strike in Chile, which has been the final trigger. Although it only contributes 0.5% of world production, its gradual closure has reminded the market that there are no longer safety “mattresses.” The situation is structural. As Reuters has pointed outhe breakeven to develop new mines already exceeds 13,000 dollars per ton. Without record prices, there is no incentive to dig. Citi analysts estimate a deficit of 308,000 tons for this year, while ING Group projects that by 2026 the gap will reach 600,000 tons. The geopolitics of the “bottleneck”. The world board shows a dangerous fracture. China has played a master card because it only has 4% of the world’s reserves, but controls 49% of global refining. Beijing is buying concentrates from Chile and scrap from the US to process them and return them to the market as finished products. Whoever controls refining will control the technological transition. On the other side, Donald Trump’s administration has introduced chaos with tariffs. According to Bloombergfear of imminent liens has led to a “disjointed inventory.” US warehouses are at record levels with 450,000 tons, while stocks on the London and Shanghai stock exchanges have plummeted by more than 55%. copper is in the wrong place for the rest of the world. The “Venezuela Effect”. The recent capture of Nicolás Maduro by US forces added a layer of geopolitical uncertainty. Although Trump’s attention has focused on oilthe CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies) wonders if Venezuela it’s a goal of critical minerals. The country has potential reserves of gold, coltan and bauxite. However, as the expert Luisa Palacios explainsthe Venezuelan mining sector is devastated by illegality and lack of investment. CSIS warns thatDespite current US control, the “legal overload” of past expropriations and the state of the infrastructure will prevent Western capital from rebuilding the industry immediately. However, for the copper market, the seizure of Venezuela is the definitive message: Washington has moved on to direct action and is willing to ensure by force the supply of strategic resources. A decades-old problem. The industry faces to an insurmountable physical reality. The average time to start up a new copper mine is 17 to 19 years, so there is no quick fix that can respond to the exponential growth of AI in the next two years. Given this, companies are looking for alternatives. Glencore and Schneider Electric are driving the “circularity of copper” through recycling. For its part, the International Energy Agency suggests using aluminum for less critical applications, although its efficiency is lower. Other attempts are more exotic, such as data centers under the sea that tests China or the facilities in underground caves to save cooling, although the need for copper cables remains the same. The return to matter The paradox of our era is total. In the century of quantum computing, the fate of the global economy depends on the ability of miners in Chile or Indonesia to extract metal from increasingly poorer rocks. The “cloud”, however ethereal it may seem, is tethered to the earth by a copper wire. As the Benchmark analyst points outAlbert Mackenzie, it is possible that speculation has inflated prices, but the underlying trend is unquestionable. Without copper, the green transition stops and artificial intelligence is left without a “body”. The digital future, ultimately, remains analog and reddish. Image | Unsplash and Unsplash Xataka | The price of copper reached highs due to a tariff that was not. The result: the biggest drop in almost 40 years

We thought we’d seen ‘Doom’ running on all types of devices. Until someone tried it with a ticket printer

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We’d seen ‘Doom’ run on almost every device imaginable: from a Texas Instruments calculator until a modified pregnancy test, passing through the Touch Bar of a MacBook. The community has been proving for years that if something has a screen and some kind of processor, someone will try to run Doom. We thought the bar couldn’t be raised any higher, until someone decided to do it in an unexpected place even for this challenge: a ticket printer. Beyond the technical, this challenge has something almost philosophical: it is not about seeing if ‘Doom’ works, because we know that the game can run on very limited hardware. The question is whether we can do it on devices that, in theory, were not designed for that. Closed devices, with a very specific function, that suddenly become small gaming platforms. This transformation of the everyday into something unexpected is what keeps alive the question “what if you can also execute it?” A printer with the soul of a computer. The device chosen by the channel Bringus Studios It is not a conventional ticket printer. It is a solution created for small businesses, capable of printing receipts and running typical point-of-sale terminal applications from the same computer. That integration explains why it includes an embedded operating system, USB ports, its own connectivity and even an original Windows 7 Pro Embedded sticker. For those who used it back in the day, it was simply a point of sale terminal. For those who find it today, it is much more than that. When the creator decides to open the machine, the exterior appearance gives way to a metal structure more typical of an industrial computer than a receipt printer. Under the cover appear screws, SATA cables, internal USB ports, a motherboard and even a small integrated speaker. There are hardly any concessions to the design, everything is ready to function for hours in a commercial environment. Instead of a peripheral accessory, what you find is a complete computer, hidden under a functional and robust chassis. Play Doom on a paper screen. Once it was discovered that the machine could behave like a complete computer, the next step was inevitable: running ‘Doom’. The content creator turned to software rendering, adjusted the brightness and contrast to suit thermal printing, and turned the paper into the game’s visual output. Each frame was printed as a monochrome image, creating a sort of roll-up screen at its feet. The result was neither comfortable nor efficient, but it was extraordinarily ingenious. Too hot for a normal game. The system was capable of printing ‘Doom’, but was not prepared to do so for minutes at a time. Many scenes generated a lot of black, causing the thermal head to get hotter than intended. There came a point where the printer would pause printing or output messy and unintelligible sequences. The author used an external fan to prolong the session, while the paper piled up on the floor and the behavior of the game became so unpredictable that one almost had to play by pure intuition. The experiment did not end with Doom. When testing ‘Half-Life,’ the result was different: the game’s visual style seemed to fit better on thermal paper and produced clearer images. The author began to print scenes that did allow hallways, doors or characters to be distinguished with a certain clarity, to the point of wanting to save them. He even replicated one of the classic moments of the game, the microwave in the laboratory, and confirmed on paper that the pot ended up exploding. Despite the lag of several seconds between what was happening in the game and what appeared on paper, the scenes were still legible enough that I wanted to keep them. It was no longer just playing, it was documenting it. What started as a simple printer ended up being a reminder of why this challenge continues to fascinate so many people. It doesn’t matter if the result is impractical, illegible or full of paper: the important thing is that it worked. The game was run, the printer printed the images and it was demonstrated that even a routine device, designed to work silently behind a counter, can end up becoming an experiment worth telling. Images | Bringus Studios In Xataka | The Internet has been filled with videos with the new trailer for ‘GTA VI’. The only problem is they have all been made with AI

The biggest barrier to improving your running times is not your body: it is your worn-out shoes.

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I don’t want to put pressure on anyone, but there are 24 days left until the Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Zurich 2025 Marathon. It is, probably, the most important event of the year for marathoners on the national scene. Valencia has become a reference inside and outside our borders for the most advanced runners. But it has also become the perfect showcase to continue gaining followers in a world where groups of runners for all levels multiply, specialty coffee shops with running clubs and, phone in handthe new followers of a religion that seems not to reach its ceiling. New faithful who are bombarded with new training plans, with the benefits of the Norwegian methodclothing brands that have understood the concept with a clear turn towards design and fashion or with YouTube channels in which the latest shoe, the latest revolutionary foam and the most complex carbon plate are analyzed. And among numbers that already exceed three figures, the next generation GPS watch and the t-shirt that weighs 35 grams, sometimes we forget that running, which is running, is run with our feet. And what we wear is key to avoiding injuries. This is what Marta Molina, a doctor in traumatology, maintains, who in statements to ABC warns: we must change shoes every 700 kilometers. A big “it depends” “Each runner has different biomechanics. Detecting imbalances or poor support technique can prevent future injuries (…) The most frequent injuries that we see in consultation during these weeks (prior to the Valencian appointment) are Achilles tendinopathies, overloads in calves, plantar fasciitis or discomfort in the knee and hip derived from excessive training or inappropriate footwear” As a runner with a decade under my belt, I will say that I have gone through each and every one of those concepts at some point. In the form of injuries or discomfort, but I have not missed any of those diagnoses along the way. And what’s worse, I have the feeling that most of those who start in this sport go through some type of discomfort of this type. It shouldn’t be like this but usually we don’t realize the mistake until we have hit the wall. Molina talks about inappropriate footwear and change it after 700 kilometers. And yes, it is a common problem. Either for investing little initial money or for wanting to stretch the gum of a product (that of running shoes) whose RRP has settled above 150 euros in a good part of the market. Dani Navarro, a worker at Bikilaone of the most renowned stores in the country. “Our feedback from customers is that training shoes usually last between 700 and 900 kilometers. There can always be exceptions due to pure biomechanics, runners who do not reach that mileage or who, due to having a very refined technique, far exceed them.” In Runneaa media specialized in this sport, echoed a study in which they pointed out that training shoes began to lose part of their properties and effectiveness after 400 kilometers but that runners did not perceive the decrease in performance until 640 kilometers. The problem is that the first warning is usually discomfort. Navarro also points out two important details. The first thing is that it talks about “training shoes”. The second thing is that it puts the focus on the foams. “The mileage could be extended a little if the shoes are rotated, especially for those who run daily. This way the materials don’t wear out as much and they don’t crush the materials as much.” These two points are key, especially with the arrival of the new foams that offer a much softer and more reactive touch but whose useful life is also in question. The so-called “training shoes” are recommended for people who are starting out in sports because they are the ones that protect the muscles the most and are the most comfortable for going at slow paces. They are also used by experienced runners when they want to accumulate kilometers in preparation. The lower the weight and the better the technique, the more kilometers you can get out of the shoes. The catalog is very wide and varied, from the classic Saucony Triumph or Brooks Glycerin with a slightly firmer feel to the ubiquitous and very soft Nike Invincible, which have earned a place in hearts for their endless padding. But both Molina and Navarro agree on the same point: exceed mileage of shoes increases the risk of injury. The shoe is more likely to become more unstable and the joints and muscles will face a greater challenge. In addition, you have to take into account what you buy and why. Navarro remembers that there are “mixed sneakers” designed to run a little faster, face training plans with series or changes of pace (the famous fartleck). These shoes are predicted to have an average useful life of about 600 kilometers. Sneakers among which we find classics such as the Adidas Adizero Boston, the legendary Nike Pegasus or the more modern New Balance Fuelcell Rebel. At the higher end in price and muscular demand are “competition shoes”, items designed to perform to the maximum of our possibilities but with a very short useful life “of 300 or 400 kilometers” estimates the Bikila expert. The maximum representative of this last option were the Adidas Adizero Pro EVOsneakers weighing 138 grams with which Tigst Assefa breaks the women’s marathon world record and that the German company itself warned of a useful life of a single competition and the prior filming for the adaptation of the runner. Starting price: 500 euros and limited units. A category that was previously dominated by aggressive flyers with half-toe midsole and where now foams of wild sizes reign and carbon plates, a new trend that was inaugurated by the Nike Vaporfly and that competitors have replicated with the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro, the Saucony Endorphin Elite or the most striking Hoka Cielo X or the galactic Puma Fast R Nitro Elite. … Read more

The Opus schools decided to keep up with the government and continue segregating by sex. His students are running away

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When it came into force in January 2021 the new education lawno one missed that in its provisions there was a direct missile to the waterline of dozens of schools and institutes throughout the country: segregation by sex was prohibited; Only mixed schools could continue to be chartered. What we discovered a couple of weeks later is that the missile came with a timer. Five years later, the timer is reaching zero and many centers are preparing to stop being chartered. Immediately afterwards, a wave of students are trying to leave those schools. What did the law say? The LOMLOE, which is what the law is called, demanded that educational centers that receive public funds “develop the principle of coeducation in all educational stages.” That is, they were prohibited from “not separating students by gender.” However, as competition is regional and each place has different regulations, many of the attempts to apply this point they have been delayed. In Catalonia, for example, when the ERC department tried to eliminate agreements with differentiated education centers, the courts stopped the measures until the agreements were renewed. That period begins at the beginning of 2026. And why does it affect Opus Dei? Strictly speaking, talking about “Opus schools” is a bit inaccurate. It is true that there are many centers in that orbit, but the relationships between them are complex and that means that they are not a uniform whole. However, this group of centers (which in Catalonia number a dozen and receive 35 million each year) are the spearhead of the “anti-coeducational” movement. Thus, many Catalan schools linked to the Prelature are doing the math. Continuing to be concerted would mean losing one of its hallmarks; Not losing it means becoming private (with the increase in fees that this entails). For this reason, the steps they were taking in two schools in the Sant Cugat/Bellaterra area (La Vall – for girls – and La Farga – for boys) were seen as the great privatization experiment. The area is one of the richest and most exclusive in all of Catalonia and, in that sense, it seemed logical to think that they would be two of the schools that would suffer the least from the jump. But the flight of students has begun. El País requested in July (through a complaint to the Commission for Guarantees of Access to Public Information) the data from the official pre-registration process and what these data show is a complete leak. 63 students from La Vall and 96 students from La Farga tried to go to other schools. Finally, only 38 of the first and 74 of the second achieved it; but it is a warning to sailors. Applications for admission also decreased (between 10 and 14%). All this, while a group of families try not to abandon the concert. However, the decision seems firm. Last week, two schools in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat also linked to the Prelature (Xaloc – for boys – and Pineda – for girls) announced that they were going to begin preparing for a more than possible non-renewal of the agreement and the problems that this will entail. According to data from El Paísonly those two schools (with more than 2,800 students) receive seven million euros from the Generalitat. And what situation does all this leave us in? In recent years, the debate about whether single-sex or mixed education it has become more intense. In fact, in some countries like the US, differentiated education It has been experiencing a real boom for a decade. However, the current conversation makes it clear that research on the topic is the least of it. The opposing positions at an ideological, economic and social level They make these investigations become ammunition with which to attack the opponent. For this reason, what everyone in the sector is wondering is how long the legislature will last and what will happen if, eventually, a government of the opposite direction arrives. Meanwhile, what is clear is that differentiated education is going to verify, for the first time in many years, the commitment of its families to the project. Image| Vazovsky In Xataka | The generation of parents who feel guilty because their children spend a lot of time looking at screens

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