size

The true size of the microplastics that populate our life, exposed in this disturbing graphic

by

We have a gigantic problem with microplastics. These elements seem to permeate everything that surrounds us: From tap water, lettuce either Even in the testicles and in Archaeological elements with centuries behind them. The difficulty in fighting them is that we would have to Put our consumption habits up to deal with this almost invisible enemy. And this graph prepared by Visual Capitalist It allows us to put the size of microplastics in context when comparing them with more everyday elements. In short: small. Talking about microplastics, it really encompasses very diverse particles. The larger ones measure about 5,000 microns, which are five millimeters. They are small, but perfectly identifiable to the naked eye. At the extreme are those who measure a micra, and there the identification is complicated because we are talking about 0.001 millimeters. In the graph (which takes data From agencies such as the EPA, the United States Environmental Protection Agency) we can see an expanded comparison that allows us to put a microplastic of a microphone with a particle of dust, the diameter of a human hair (about 80 microns) or a grain of sand (90 microns). If a hair seems ‘fine’ and is 80 times thicker than one of the smallest microplastics, imagine the size of that particle. The nanoplastic. There is another category: nanoplastic. Here we are talking about those particles that measure less than one micra and that enter a totally different scale. Nanopathic They are the result of the breakage of larger plastics such as food containers, Plastic utensils or any element produced with this material that we use in our day to day. As they break, they become more and smaller pieces that enter the Nanoscale when they measure less than one micra. There they cannot be purchased with more family elements such as a grain of salt, but directly with particles such as the Coronaviruswhich measures between 0.1 and 0.2 microns. Problem. Its dimensions make microplastics be omnipresentbeing the most tiny particles those that are even together with other suspended particles, Like the dust we aspire. The estimate is that an adult can ingest between 39,000 and 52,000 microplastic particles per year only for the diet, but other sources such as that air exposure should be taken into account. And there are more and more studies that alert other sources of microplastics. For example, packages we all use like tuppers. Also those who detach when cutting food into a plastic table are “easy” to identify and even correct with a change in our habits, but there are other microplastics that already They are finding in bottled water. Spain is one of the European countries that More bottled water consumesso throwing accounts seems bleak. Health. For now, more than damage there are worrying indications. Blood microplastics, lungs, placenta, heart, brain and in the aforementioned testicles have been found. There are already associations between these particles and conditions such as conical inflammation, oxidative stress or immunological alterations. It is investigated whether the presence of microplastics in the capillary vessels can increase the risk of heart attack or cardiovascular problems, but something that adds more spicy to the equation is that these nanoplastic could penetrate The biological barriers. As? Crossing cell membranes as a virus would do. And ecosystems. And, obviously, they are particles that are present in virtually any corner. There are agricultural soils, lakes and The oceans. Apart from the conditions similar to the human that could have other organisms, we are what we eat and Animals feed on elements containing microplasticsso those particles then end within us. As we say, there is increasingly a greater concern about the state of microplastics around us, but the big problem is that eliminating them seems especially complicated when, we look where we look, there are microplastics. The positive note? How to change large -scale habits seems complex, there are already those who are investigating Filters to reduce the amount of microplastics That come to us. In addition to much more invasive practices, as filtered with human blood… if you have a money. In Xataka | Japan has found a formula to overcome one of the biggest environmental problems: plastic that falls apart

Two years ago, an asteroid exploded over France with unusual violence. What saved the French was their size

by

February 13, 2023. It was 4:59 in the morning when a violent explosion illuminated the skies of Normandynorth of France. It was not a ray, nor a missile. It was the end of a travel of millions of kilometers for a small asteroid called 2023 Cx1. Seven hours of notice. The 650 -kilogram rock had just a meter in diameter, so it had been detected only seven hours before impact. But the most disturbing thing was not his surprise arrival, but his behavior when entering the earth’s atmosphere. An exhaustive analysis published two and a half years later in Nature Astronomy He has revealed that, if the asteroid had been larger, the consequences of his extraordinary explosion could have been devastating. A high -risk meteor. Most meteorites are fragmenting as they descend through the atmosphere, but 2023 CX1 endured intact until it reached a distance to the ground of only 28 kilometers. At that point, the pressure made it explode like a pump. After traveling through space for about 30 million years, the asteroid released 98% of all its kinetic energy in a second fraction. And in a very concentrated region of the atmosphere, when it reached a dynamic pressure of 4 megapascal. It does not compare with Cheliábinsk. The 2023 CX1 behavior was radically different from that of the car whose explosion of 500 kilotons He broke windows and caused hundreds of injured in Russia in 2013. The one in France generated a spherical shock wave instead of cylindrical, concentrating much more energy and greatly increasing the area of ​​soil affected by overpressure. According to researchers, this type of abrupt fragmentation could cause much more damage than the progressive fragmentations of similar size bodies. The French were lucky that it was so small. More firewood for planetary defense. The analysis was based on an unprecedented number of observations after mobilizing the scientific and citizen community in those seven hours of margin. The prediction of the fall by ESA and NASA had a margin of error of less than 20 meters between the planned and observed trajectory, which in turn facilitated the recovery of more than one hundred fragments of the meteorite in the commune of Saint-Pierre-Le Viger. According to the CSICwhich participated in the investigation, this event confirms the existence of a new population of asteroids, type L chondrites, capable of these violent explosions. “These asteroids must be taken into account in the Planetary Defense Strategiessince they represent a higher risk for populated areas, “says Auriane Egal, first author of the study. With what we know today, perhaps the authorities activate evacuation plans the next time an asteroid of this type threatens us. Provided that detection systems do not fail, and detect the threat in time. Image | THAT In Xataka | Tunguska: the explosion of 12 megatones that reminds us that space is full of wonders, but also of horrors

A neutron core of the size of a bus

by

In the Ukraine War, nuclear It is not a purely arms issue. Among the most devastating scenarios that beat about the contest is the possibility of an error that leads to an unprecedented environmental disaster. We already knew that the Chernobil plant He had a hole And continue Without being able to repairbut the reach is much broader than the sadly famous plant. Under constant threat. The truth is that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has not only transformed the military map of Europe, but has put at risk an extensive network of nuclear facilities that were never designed to resist bombings. Although international attention has focused on Zaporiyia Centralthe largest in Europe and in Russian hands since 2022the country houses multiple reactors, research laboratories and spent fuel deposits that make up a delicate risk mosaic. Among them stands out Institute of Physics and Technology from Járkov, where is the known device as Neutron Sourcewhich contains several tens of kilos of enriched uranium capable of polluting vast areas if they were dispersed. Located just 14 kilometers from the front, the building has suffered More than 70 impacts Russian ammunition confirmed, which fears that Moscow’s goal is not accidental, but deliberate. Járkov, military white. The Institute, which in Soviet times contributed to the design of The first atomic bomb From Moscow, he agreed in 2010 withdrawing his uranium suitable for armament and sending it to Russia under pressure from the United States, in a non -proliferation effort. However, still custody materials of enormous danger, such as high radiation uranium contained in Neutron Source, built with US financing in exchange for that resignation. The installation combines a core of the size of a school bus with a particle accelerator about 30 meters, surrounded by metal shields, but the building that houses it It lacks protection in front of attacks. The bombings have left cracks, have dropped plaster of the walls and reached destroy a transformer In 2022, plunging the complex in blackout months and forcing scientists to improvise heating systems to avoid irreversible damage to fuel bars. Ukraine accuses Russia of echocideclaiming that a direct impact could release radiation on an area inhabited by 640,000 people. The nuclear installation of Neutron Source in Járkov on April 4 Chernobil’s spectrum. We have gone counting. Since the beginning of the invasion, the nuclear catastrophe scenarios have been present. In February 2025, A Russian drone pierced The steel structure covered by the reactor 4 of Chernobil, the most contaminated area of ​​the planet, breaking its hermetic seal, although without immediate leaks. In Zaporiyia, repeated attacks have put the cooling of the six reactorsespecially after destruction in 2023 on a dam that forced to depend on an emergency pond and two electric lines vulnerable to artillery. Each incident envives the fear of a radiological accident that, even without being of the Magnitude of 1986could disperse contaminating materials by large areas of Eastern Europe. The mere synchronization of certain attacks, such as Chernobil’s On the eve of the Munich Security Conference, it is played by kyiv and its allies as strategic messages of the Kremlin, which uses nuclear risk as a weapon of political intimidation. Collateral effects Plus: Not only Ukrainian facilities are in danger. At the end of August, remains of an intercepted Ukrainian drone They damaged a station Transformer in the immediate vicinity of the Kursk Central, in Russian territory, forcing to reduce its production. The episode illustrated how war turns civil nuclear infrastructures into collateral damage to a military confrontation in which drones, missiles and artillery operate increasingly closest to high -risk objectives. The experts Remember That no central or research laboratory in Ukraine was built to withstand direct impacts of modern ammunition, so the prolongation of the conflict multiplies the probabilities of an accident. Between resilience and constant threat. Had the New York Times In a wide report that, despite the daily danger, the Ukrainian scientists of the Járkov Institute They continue with projects of nuclear fusion and experiments with radioactive hydrogen, collecting data that they expect to present in international conferences. The paradox of continuing to investigate under bombing reflects both the resilience of the personnel and the fragility of a country that, in addition to resisting militarily, must guard materials whose release would have devastating consequences. In the words of one of the center engineers to the TimesRussian attacks seem to lack logic, but their repetition suggests a pressure strategy through radiological risk. Until now the catastrophe has been avoided fortune and technical contingenciesbut every day of war prolongs a pulse in which radiation could become involuntary or deliberate weapon, with effects that would overflow the borders of Ukraine. Image | Ministry of Defense of UkraineEnergoatom.com.ua In Xataka | The US has spent so much time developing its F-35 that has lost the career of the future: that of combat drones In Xataka | Ukraine has found the antidote to the Russian Kamikaze drones in World War

It is not that China seriously in the Pacific, is that the space has revealed the size of a vertiginous naval domain

by

The satellite images From the rehearsals in Changjing, near Beijing, they are showing the magnitude of what China prepares for The military parade of September 3: an exhibition that coincides with the 80th anniversary of the end of the war against Japan and that is emerging as a demonstration of naval and strategic power directed against the United States and its allies. Because China goes very seriously If we expand the focus. A missile showcase to deter. They counted the Insider analysts that among the images include the presence of mobile systems, advanced drones and, above all, a complete line of Antibheque missiles that It covers from Furtive subsonic models to hypersonic projectiles of great maneuverability, conceived to deny the access of the US Navy to the Western Pacific. Among the systems: The YJ-18Csubsonic and stealthy missile, The YJ-15Ramjet propulsion and supersonic speed, and The YJ-21capable of launching from ships or aircraft with hypersonic capacity against whites in motion. An even more advanced projectile would be added to them, The YJ-19of hypersonic planning superior to Mach 10. This missile deployment, which covers all possible categories, far exceeds what is necessary to face the Taiwanese navy and directly points to US and allied forces in the region, reinforcing the Power perception capable of controlling nearby seas. Unmanned platforms. Next to the missiles, the parade will include unmanned war systems. In the preparation zone, combat drones have been observed as The GJ-11 and the GJ-2as well as vehicles designed to transport naval surface drones. One of the most striking elements is the appearance of a small submarine drone to the Russian Poseidonpossibly destined for long -range oceanic surveillance or even attack missions. Although it is not clear if it is nuclear or if it can carry eyebrows, its mere presence indicates that Beijing explores the strategic weapons path unconventional In the maritime domain. The image of the place of the parade, taken on August 25, shows the complete extension of the vehicles parked in the testing place ICBM, missiles and scope. The deployment is not limited to the naval stage. In another section of the enclosure, at least 16 vehicles are appreciated carrying what would be intercontinental ballistic missiles Dongfeng-41solid fuel and with a range of up to 15,000 kilometers, capable of carrying multiple nuclear heads. They could also present land attack cruise missiles such as The DF-100designed to achieve targets at great distance at supersonic speed. With these weapons, Beijing projects the image of a power with the ability to hit not only in Asia-Pacific, but against objectives in US territory, including Guam or even the west coast. The sea as an instrument of ascent. I remembered this week The BBC In an extensive report that, in just two decades, China has transformed its naval industry into the most powerful in the world, absorbing More than 60% of the global orders of ships and producing at a rhythm 200 times higher than that of the United States. This domain is reflected in its navy, which already has 234 ships compared to 219 of the American fleet, although the American advantage still lies in the tonnage, in the large aircraft carriers and in the technological superiority of its submarines. For Beijing, the sea is The basis of its development economic (with seven of the ten most active ports on the planet) and the springboard to project Geopolitical ambitions increasingly explicit in the South China Sea and beyond. A new Chinese naval base with six nuclear submarines Dual shipyards and fusion. The key to this growth lies in the fusion between shipyards civil and military. Dalian, Guangzhou, Jiangnan and Hudong-Zhonghua produced between 2019 and 2024 almost 550,000 tons of military ships, more than the British Navy Royal displaces. The “military-live” model driven by XI Jinping allows large commercial facilities to manufacture war or support their maintenance, which provides China from multiply assets In case of prolonged conflict. Thus, even without even having a fleet of aircraft carriers comparable to the American, Beijing has a strategic advantage in the speed of replacement and In versatility of his shipyards. Extended bases. The qualitative leap is reflected in the expansion of bases such as Yulin, in Hainan, where in recent years they have Added five docks To house Jin nuclear submarines capable of carrying twelve strategic missiles each. In fact, recent trials and social networks material show that the popular liberation army is incorporating submarine drones capable of deep surveillance, detection of cables and covert operations in international waters. Although much of these technologies remains experimental, the investment rate suggests a clear will of shortening distances With Washington in high sophistication areas. The historical memory. In addition, the Chinese naval project is loaded of political symbolism. Xi Jinping links its strengthening to the “humiliations” suffered between 1840 and 1949, when China suffered 470 invasions and lost its regional power position. In The military paradeswhich exhibit hypersonic missiles and antisatellite weapons, the idea of ​​a country that resurfaces after centuries of submission is transmitted. Thus, the slogan “we defend our ocean dream”, present In naval theme parks and in walls of port cities, seeks to instill national pride and legitimize the enormous military expense before the population. The Taiwan factor and tensions. With this “Naval” Map of Beijing, the biggest question is how the nation will use The growing power. Although he says he does not want to interfere in other countries, he holds the promise of “gathering” Taiwan, without ruling out The use of force. United States, forced by law to assemble Taipéi, perceives the risk of an open conflict dragging the region to a greater war. Chinese naval trials near Japan and the circumnavigation of Australia show that the Navy is no longer limited to its nearby waters. Meanwhile, the Pentagon Try to revitalize a naval industry weakened after decades of divestment, although recovering the initiative will be A titanic task. The decisive issue for the Pacific balance, therefore, seems clear: who can put … Read more

We can reach a black hole with a billion euros and a nave of the size of a clip

by

The boldest ideas are those that often drive the greatest jumps in human knowledge. AND bold It is the best way to describe this study supported by the National Foundation of Natural Sciences of China. The objective: travel to the darkest secrets of the universe. Short. A astrophysicist from Fudan University, in Shanghai, has designed a plan to send a micronave the size and weight of a clip to the black hole closest to the Earth. The propulsion method? A potent system of lasers fired from our planet. Led by Cosimo Bambi, the exotic proposal intends Test the limits of Einstein’s relativity theory in one of the most extreme environments of the cosmos. Although technology to carry it out is not yet developed, advances in nanotechnology, laser propulsion and detection of black holes could come true in the coming decades. A black hole to discover. The mission of reaching a black hole has two huge challenges. The first is to find a viable goal. The nearest black hole we know, Gaia-Bh1is 1,560 light years. However, our cosmological models tell us that there could be a much closer black hole, “only” 20 or 25 light years of us. “There are new techniques to discover black holes”, Bambi says in a statement. “I think it is reasonable to expect that we can find a nearby one in the next decade.” An odyssey of a century: Once the objective is located, the second challenge will be to get there. Current spacecraft, chemical propulsion, are too slow. The solution proposed by Bambi are nanonaves at a scale of a few grams that only contain a microchip and A solar candle 10 square meters. A set of high -power lasers from Earth could point towards the candle, accelerating the ship to a third of the speed of light. Even at that rate, the trip to a black hole to 20 light years would last for about 70 years. The data to be collected would take another two decades to return to the earth, which places the total duration of the mission around 80 or 100 years. Many reasons to try. If the mission is successful, the experiments that these probes can perform near the black hole would answer some of the deepest unsolved questions of modern physics. Is there really a horizon of events? You could try if the non -return border of a black hole behaves how the theories predict, observing the probe signal while falling towards it. Is Einstein’s general relativity valid? Nanonave’s orbit would be used to detect any Minimum deviation of Kerr’s predictionswhich describes the spacetime around a black hole in rotation. Does the fundamental constants change? The mission could verify whether constants such as fine structure vary in such an intense gravitational field. It would not be cheap. The plan is tremendously speculative. Only the laser system would cost around a billion euros. “It may sound really crazy and, in a sense, closer to science fiction,” admits Cosimo Bambi. However, milestones such as the detection of gravitational waves or the photograph of the shadow of a black hole also seemed impossible in its day. Image | Event Horizon Telescope In Xataka | We have dedicated six years to process images of a black hole to reach a conclusion: Einstein was right

The Hubble has just taken the best picture of the interstellar comet. Makes it clear that we were totally wrong about its size

by

When astronomers announced the finding of an third interstellar object In the solar system, the first thing that caught attention was its size. There was talk of a core of up to 20 kilometers in diameter, colossal dimensions that fed all kinds of hypotheses, including that it was an extraterrestrial ship. Now, the most clear image of the kite, obtained by the old Hubble space telescope, has reduced expectations. It is much smaller than it seemed. The detailed new image of 3i/Atlas, Published by NASA Hubble teamhas allowed astronomers to limit the size of the comet with much greater precision. According to an analysis presented to The Astrophysical Journal Lettersthe icy nucleus of this object of another star system has a maximum diameter of 5.6 kilometers, but it could be much smaller, just about 320 meters. This new estimate is between four and 60 times smaller than the initial figures. The reason for the initial confusion is that, even for the Hubble, the code core is invisible. What we see is a brilliant “comma”, a dust and gas -shaped gas envelope that is expelled from the nucleus as the first observations from the earth could not distinguish the small nucleus of the huge halo of dust that surrounds it. It is getting rid of on the one hand. The image of the Hubble space telescope not only corrects the size of the kite, but also reveals important details of its behavior, such as an asymmetric dust ejection. The kite expels most of the material from the side that looks towards the sun, forming a kind of bright fan. This is a typical behavior in the comets of our own solar system: the heat of the sun causes the surface ice (pass from gas solid to gas) with more force on the daytime side of the nucleus. In addition, a very weak dust tail is distinguished in the direction opposite to the sun, formed when solar radiation pressure pushes the finest particles. This structure confirms that 3I/Atlas behaves as A classic cometand not as an anomalous object. According to the study, the kite loses between six and 60 kilograms of dust per second, a rate that, although it seems high, is consistent with that of other comets observed at a distance to the similar sun. Goodbye to speculation. This drastic readjustment in the size and behavior of the comet has important implications. A smaller core, similar to that of the other known interstellar comet, 2i/Borisovit fits much better in the cosmological models than one of 20 kilometers, which helps to explain that we have not yet seen more than three objects of other solar systems in our neighborhood. As for its shape, the brilliant cloud of gas and dust makes it impossible to detect if 3i/Atlas has an elongated shape as 1i/’oumuamuathe first known interstellar object. What we do know is that this traveler, which moves at the incredible speed of 209,000 km/h, will continue to be a priority objective for more modern telescopes, such as James Webb. Each new observation helps us better understand these fascinating cosmic tourists and, as it has been clear, to correct some precipitated hypotheses. In Xataka | NASA ignores Harvard’s study on an alleged extraterrestrial ship: “It is an interstellar kite”

OpenAI is already generating GDP size benefits from a small country. Follow light years of being profitable

by

Winning 12,000 million dollars a year seems somewhat prodigious for any company, but not when that company is called Openai. The evolution of income is being remarkablewithout a doubt, but both her and others – and here Anthropic is another good example – something serious happens to them: that they continue to spend more than they win. 12,000 million for OpenAi in 2025. As indicated In The Informationa new estimate that Openai’s “annualized” revenues will be 12,000 million dollars in 2025. The figure is a projection, but it is significant taking into account that in 2024 the estimated revenues were according to various sources of 3.7 billion dollars, although In Reuters They talked about the fact that they had actually reached 5.5 billion dollars. And 4,000 for Anthropic. The same media also recently indicated how the estimate in the case of one of its great rivals, Anthropic, has also risen and now It is 4,000 million dollars. Just two months ago that figure had already been checked and was 3,000 million, which means one thing: both are growing in number of subscribers. 700 million “Chatgpteros”. Another of the data to which the information article points out refers to the number of weekly active users. According to their data, 700 million people use chatgpt at some point in the week, which marks a unique milestone for the company. It is true that the vast majority of them are users of the free version, but that base is what allows part of those who use the service for free They end up pointing out to any of the chatgpt subscription plans. Income growth is being unusual in OpenAi and Anthropic, but both companies are spending absolute fortunes to end up being profitable. Source: Reddit. It will win 12,000 million, how much will it spend? In Reuters indicate that the internal estimates of the company also point to higher expenses. According to those projections, OpenAI will spend 8,000 million dollars, but that figure is dentra on direct operational expenses. There are many more associated expenses – investments, infrastructure, other financial obligations – and that makes OpenAi not profitable for now. We do not have estimated spending data for Anthropic, but it has an identical problem: Spend more than you earn. Spectacular, but. Although this growth in income is certainly extraordinary, it must be taken into account that to achieve this, these companies carry “Burning money” for years. The investment rounds that Anthropic and especially OpenAi have captured have allowed them to have a lot of room for maneuver to lose huge amounts of money without that at the moment that worries too much. And they will continue to spend as possess. Especially in the case of Openai, which thanks to SoftBank support It has great plans that will make it necessary to spend true fortunes. They have done it to Buy the Jony Ive design study for 6,500 million dollars, but above all they will do it with the project Stargatewhich still seems like very difficult to complete. But no profitability until 2029. Those responsible for OpenAi do not seem too worried, and we knew what the company’s financial road map was known weeks. They will continue losing money until 2029when supposedly – all is a free estimate, not a promise – will earn 100,000 million dollars. It will be then when the company will begin to be really profitable, but again, All this is a promise (or maybe a hope). It could not perfectly be fulfilled … and even ending up falling short. Image | das | Fortune Brainstorm Tech In Xataka | Chatgpt takes the step to conquer students and teachers: their new mode does not give the answer, I build it with you

Ryanair will expand the size of the hand suitcase “in the coming weeks.” Its real objective is another

by

“It will begin to apply in the coming weeks.” That has been Ryanair’s response, consulted about the company’s new hand luggage policy. The company, signed to the Airlines For Europe Association, accepts the agreement that its members have reached to establish minimal measures in the hand luggage that, in this case, will be more beneficial for passengers. 40 x 30 x 20 cm. Those are the new measures that Ryanair will begin to apply for his hand luggage “in the coming weeks”, as confirmed to Xataka. This new measure slightly expands the Current measures 40 x 25 x 20 cm which are included with the company’s basic ticket. This means that passengers can carry a slightly size bag this summer. In BBC They point out that the change will mean a 20 -liter backpack to a 24 -liter capacity. The maximum allowed limit will continue to be, yes, 10 kg. “In the coming weeks”. As for the implementation of the new measure, the Irish company has not given us a specific date. They point to questions from Xataka That “this change will be implemented in the coming weeks, as the sizes in our airports are adjusted.” That is, it will not be until the airports have updated their containers to measure the size of the hand suitcases they use next to the shipping doors when the new measure will begin to be applied. At the moment, we will have to continue conforming to the “Ryanair backpack”. Why this change? The change comes after the Airlines For Europe (A4E) association, which Ryanair is a member, will sign an agreement so that the minimum of the suitcases admitted as hand luggage is 40 × 30 × 15 cm. This forced the Irish company to increase its width by five centimeters and, at most, reduce the height by five centimeters. Ryanair has decided to apply only the first change. This decision can be read as a message of good will against the European Union that in its institutions is discussed if this should be the minimum size allowed on continental flights. For the moment, The European Union Council has approved The change to these new measures 40 × 30 × 15 cm. But for its application, the European Parliament must also support it and, subsequently, ratify the agreement. However, this last institution He has rejected it And the application of this measure is in the air. So what is the situation? Right now, on the legal level everything remains the same. That is, the European Union forces airlines to admit a handbag to transport the “essential” but there is no specific size on it. This has led to a legal battle in Spain, With confronted resolutions giving the reason to consumers or the airline depending on the court. On the practical level, who travels with Ryanair will now be able to carry a slightly wider backpack once they apply the changes in the luggage. However, the change is minimal and is far from the majority of small “cabin suitcases”. Is it the only one? No, Ryanair is not the only company. Wizz Air, another of the companies sanctioned in Spain, will also apply these new measures of 40 x 30 x 20 cm, As confirmed on their website. Like Ryanair, the company is subscribed to Airlines for Europe (A4E), so it will also apply what is agreed. Photo | Niels Baars and Erik McLean In Xataka | In the war between Spain and Ryanair for hand luggage, the airline has found an unexpected ally: the European Union

The size of the submerged economy of all countries in the world, exposed in this developer map

by

It is said that, each one does what they want with their money, but in the future there is the question of whether each one You can pay as you want. Cash is still a important part of day -to -day paymentswhat has generated an unequal career in half the world and a problem: the submerged economy, which in many countries is a good percentage of GDP. And on this map prepared by Visual Capitalist It is perfectly reflected, although we must bear in mind that the percentages … they deceive. In the shadow. There are countries that have A crusade against cashand that is why you are promoting payment in digital and tools such as Digital euro. The map is based on the Global Report of Economy in the 2025 shadow of Ernst & Young and reflects which part of the GDP of each country escaped to fiscal control in 2023. Complicated. While this informal economy represents a significant loss of tax revenues for governments, it is really complicated to obtain an exact figure. That is because they are all those economic activities that are not declared and, therefore, regulated. For example, payments without invoice to avoid VAT, but also not declared and without contract, Rentals without contract or something that seems as innocent as some private classes in which no invoice is issued. Depending on the study, percentages of GDP by country or others are handled, but there is something that does not usually vary, and it is the difference between hemispheres. North. Worldwide, it is estimated that the submerged economy is equivalent to 11.8% of GDP and, although there are exceptions, there is a clear line that divides the world into north and south if we get carried away by that percentage of GDP that would correspond to money from the submerged economy. In Europe, countries such as Poland, Spain, Portugal, Italy or Greece have higher levels of submerged economy. Countries like Greece, Romania or Ukraine raise the average, and in others as Albania we talk about more than 27% of its economy belonging to the submerged economy. Canada and the United States remain at 4.5% and 5% respectively, Saudi Arabia has 5.2%, Japan 6.7%, Mexico 18% and in Central America we see that the level of submerged economy is increasing. South. Australia with 5.7% is one of the exceptions of countries in the southern hemisphere with a submerged economy contained, since in most of the rest, the percentage is overwhelming. Latin America It has a high level of submerged economy, but nothing is left if we compare it with what we see in Africa and some Asian countries. Africa takes the palm and it is estimated that, if Sierra Leone had a GDP of 6,400 million dollars in 2023, it had another 4.1 billion dollars, or 64.5% compared to GDP, in submerged economy. It is not an isolated case, since Nigeria, Ethiopia or Burundi are also cases in which the submerged economy is 50% or more of its GDP. And Asia. In Asia, the film is not so dramatic, but it is also not the region with the more transparent economy. India submerged would be comparable to 26% of its GDP, in Iran and Iraq it is similar, in Nepal it rises to 51% and then we have the case of China with 20%. It is not much if we compare it with the rest of the territory, but taking into account the amount of population that hasWe talk about important quantities. The same happens in Indiawith 26% that is much less than what is seen in many African countries, but that in total numbers, is much more. The percentages deceive. Because here there is something to take into account, 64.5% of Sierra Leone GDP has nothing to do with 5% of the United States. The higher an economy, although the percentage of submerged economy is lower, the total will be astronomical. In This other graph It can be seen perfectly, since that 20% of China translates into a total of 3.3 billion euros and the United States, with that “scarce” 5% submerged economy, translates into the largest economy in the shadow of the planet with 1.3 billion euros. Cash safety. As we said, there are countries trying Face this economy In the shadow. Portugal, for example, has converted invoices into lottery ticketsbecause not all activities that are not declared are illegal and the objective is that there are higher tax revenues. Paying with a card or digital media seems to the solution and, although it raises doubts about its operation without internet or electricity, the recent April blackout showed that There were TPV terminals prepared for it And that the future digital euro … It is too. If it arrives one day. In Xataka | The sudden enthusiasm for a society without cash or physical portfolio: the geek and the accommodation, a drama for the poor

China has ships the size of buildings that sail on mountains. All thanks to the largest elevators in the world

by

China is the cradle of record mega -structures. They build in all dimensions (they have unnoticing skyscrapers in the world and deeper oil well) and, on many occasions, they are extremely complicated works, such as the Gaoligongshan tunnel or that of Huajiang Great Canyon Bridge. Something that also abounds in China are pharaonic dams, being the Three throats The biggest in the world. And something that these dams need are elevators, but not for people: for ships. And the elevator systems of both dams are so imposing that they allow ships of up to 3,000 tons to “sail” through the sky. The classic solution. There are dams and prey. When one of these structures is built, the river navigation flow. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter too much because that river was not a key communication route for trade, but other times it is necessary to devise a solution to have a prey without interfering in the activity of the ships. The solution is the one used in channels like Panama or Suez: huge and sealed cameras that are filled with water when a ship enters so that it can overcome the unevenness and continue its path. Or vice versa when you want to “go down.” The problem is that it is a system that requires a lot of time and transit is resent. And the revolution. The solution to this? Elevator systems such as those we use daily, but for ships. A close example is that of the Falkirk wheel in Scotlanda rotating elevator with a combined capacity of 600 tons that allows the barges of the channel to follow its course. Each of the drawers has the capacity for two ships up to 20 meters in length and seeing it in operation is most curious because it is like a fair attraction: Now, as we say: 20 meters of length is the maximum and 600 tons is not so much weight. They are the dimensions for passenger ships that navigate a channel, but China needed the Commercial ship traffic He did not stop at two of his great dams. And the solution they found is the one we used to see in the country’s constructions: bombastic elevators. Before the elevator (in the most focused part), in the dam of the three throats there was only one system of locks The three throats. The three throats dam is imposing in every way. Located on the Yangtsé River, it has an installed power of 22,500 MW for hydroelectric energyhas a height of about 185 meters and a total length of 2,335 meters. It is the Great Chinese Aquatic Wall. To maintain an annual traffic of almost 30,000 ships, including Cruises and Portenerosomething had to be done, and in 2016 they finished the Huge elevator. It is a vertical elevator that is how we imagine that it should be an elevator for ships: a huge bathtub of 120 meters long and 18 wide, tens of steel cables and a powerful pulley system that have the ability to displace ships up to 3,000 tons. The total lifting weight, including chamber and water, is 15,500 tons. It covers 113 meters high and, three hours of total journey, it is passed to about 40 minutes. It is something that is sought to expand to increase the movement capacity of 18 ships daily to a larger amount and here you have it in operation: That of the Goupitan dam. Now, although imposing due to its dimensions and load capacity, its design is more functional than aesthetic. However, the elevator system of the Goupitan dam It is another song. Located on the WU River, which is a tributary of Yangtsé, has a length of 430 meters and a height of 232 meters. It stands out not so much for its installed energy capacity of 3,000 MW, but for its channel -shaped elevators system. Unlike the three throats, to save the unevenness caused by the dam, engineers devised a system of three vertical elevators connected by channels. The maximum boat capacity is 500 tons and the camera is much smaller (40 x 12 meters), but the relevant is the total height of those 199 meters that save the ships. And the times? About two hours in total for the entire route, but its design channel design reduces bottlenecks. Tourist point. The system of channels and elevators of the Goupitan dam ended in 2021 and was a technical headache by connecting several small elevators with each other, as well as a system of channels that, in some case, surrounds one of the mountains. It was a way to demonstrate the technical capacities of the country, but it has also become a tourist point that goes viral in networks due to how attractive it is to see a ship sailing on the mountains. And, although the elevator of the three throats can be boring, it is also a tourist claim, with cruises that include the elevator on your route. Australia, heat what you go out. But, if something is teaching us the Battle of the towers between Saudi Arabia and Arab Emirateswe are in a constant search to overcome ourselves when we talk about megaconstructions, and it is already under construction that will be the new largest stocks for ships in the world, at least by weight: the Darwin Ship Lift Facity. It will be in Australia and it will be an elevator 103 meters long, 26 wide and capacity for vessels of up to 5,500 tons. It is designed to serve fishing vehicles, cruises, border defense, energy and container. Now, the distance to save is just … six meters. Much less impressive than the other great elevators that are worldwide because it will be a maintenance platform, not something to save a height between two sections of a river. Images | Google Maps, Fredlyfish4, Le Grand PortaGederIVATIVE In Xataka | NASA has made the calculations: China can slow down the earth with a filling of the three throats

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.