success

The highest-grossing superhero movie in history returns to theaters to repeat its success with a longer version

by

In 2019, Marvel re-released ‘Avengers: Endgame’ with unreleased footage to take the title of highest-grossing film in history from ‘Avatar’. The crown lasted a year and a half. In 2026 the maneuver is activated again, this time linked to ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. It is the jewel in the crown of the Marvel team and Disney is not going to stop squeezing it. The return Marvel has confirmed that ‘Avengers: Endgame’ returns to theaters on September 25, 2026 under the title ‘Avengers Endgame Encore’. The new version includes a special introduction, additional scenes and a final scene that, for now, will only be seen in IMAX and Infinity Vision screenings, the premium screen system that Disney presented a few months ago. ‘Endgame’ continues to be the ceiling that Marvel Studios has not touched again, neither at the box office nor in the feeling of collective event that surrounded it, and that spirit is what the studio wants to evoke for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. What’s new? Joe Russo has confirmed that the scenes filmed for this re-release are set in ‘Doomsday’, and describes them as a fundamental piece to build a bridge to the new film. Marvel already used this re-release formula, almost identical, with ‘Endgame’ itself: in June 2019, just two months after its premiere, the film would return to theaters with seven minutes of extra footage and an explicit objective: to surpass ‘Avatar’ at the box office before the premiere of ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’. That maneuver worked. On July 20, 2019, during the Marvel panel at San Diego Comic-Con, the studio confirmed that ‘Endgame’ had surpassed the $2.789 million accumulated by ‘Avatar’ until then, thus becoming the highest-grossing film in history. The celebration was short-lived: in March 2021, ‘Avatar’ was released again in China and regained the title in a single weekend. Since then, the distance between both films has not stopped growing: today ‘Avengers: Endgame’ accumulates 2,799 million dollars compared to 2,923 million for ‘Avatar’. There is almost 124 million difference, much more than what separated both films in 2019. Fall without Avengers. The collections of the ‘Endgame’ films have suffered a constant decline. Let’s remember some cases: ‘Eternals’ raised 402 million dollars with a budget of between 200 and 250 million. ‘Black Widow’ stood at 379 million, weighed down by its simultaneous premiere on Disney+. ‘Quantumania’ suffered the worst second weekend drop in Marvel Studios history. ‘The Marvels’ closed that streak without achieving the financial success that the studio expected. The real goal of ‘Avengers Endgame Encore’ is no longer to recover a record that today seems unattainable, but to rebuild the feeling of an event that Marvel lost years ago: to remind the public, just before December and the premiere of ‘Doomsday’, why they cared about this story. What is played in December. ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ hits theaters on December 18, 2026, the same day as ‘Dune: Part Three’, a coincidence that already has generated friction for the distribution of IMAX screens. Ticket sales for Infinity Vision screenings of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ start right now, on July 20. Five days later, at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel will show the first official trailer for the film. Depending on how both events are received, we will see if Marvel is in a position to bottle again that seemingly unrepeatable lightning bolt that was ‘Endgame’ In Xataka | In just one month in office and with 1,000 layoffs, Disney’s new CEO dismantles the art department that built the MCU

Generation Z was told that job success was having a good salary. Having more life has become your new luxury

by

Generation Z is creating a new work scenario and we have several examples of this: they have a different concept of labor relations than previous generations had and their definition of commitment is now governed by rules that they demand reciprocity to companies. It’s not strange. This generation has seen how their parents have worked non-stop and end up just as drowning at the end of the month. Therefore, when young people talk about job success, they no longer think only about the payroll, they also think about power. leave on time and to be able to dedicate time to your personal life. The strike that marks the step. To understand this shift we must first look at the reality of this generation. According to data According to the INE, youth unemployment in Spain stood at 24.5% in the first quarter of 2026. It is almost double the average Eurostat for the European Union as a whole, slightly above 15%, but half of the 42.91% we had a decade ago. As pointed out by the ‘I Barometer Challenges and Learning. Youth positions on training and professional challenges’ prepared by the Reina Sofía Center of Fad Juventud and Banco Santander, this pressure is conditioning even decisions as important as choosing what to study. The urgency of the salary, even if it is precarious. According to data from this report, 64.7% of young people admit that they decide their future thinking about making money as soon as possible, not in the future. job you would like to do really. “I want to have a kind of stability. So I feel pressured by that, because I don’t want to live constantly as if on the edge, I want to have that stability,” said one of the young participants in the study. Six out of ten also believe that there are factors beyond their control that hinder progress in their career: precariousness, lack of opportunities and economic pressure They are among the most mentioned. And yet, 67% do not contemplate throwing in the towel despite the difficulties to prosper in their career, moving away from the stereotype of unmotivated youth. Success changes its definition. With that starting point, the young people of generation Z have changed the definition of what is considered succeed at work. Before, success consisted of moving up in rank and salary every few years. Now free time, mental health and a work environment come into the equation don’t burn. Conciliation stops being an extra and becomes be entry condition. The report Workmonitor Randstad marks a turning point: the balance between life and work already weigh more than salary when evaluating a job. More than half of those surveyed would leave their position if it prevented them from living outside the office. What they ask for: financial guidance and education. According to data from the Reina Sofía Center Barometer, generation Z does not ask for a miracle either, just a guide to develop your capabilities professionals. 75.7% want to better understand what interests them before deciding their career, while 74% demand more information about job opportunities of each training option. That is, not waste time studying a career that leaves them on a siding. And more than 73% lack basic financial training to manage their daily lives. The result of all this is that in the future we will have fewer young people willing to sacrifice time in their personal lives for a little more salaryand more companies that are going to have to offer both as an incentive if they want retain talent. In Xataka | The wealth of Spaniards under 35 years of age has plummeted by 75% in recent years. And we know the culprit Image | Unsplash (Vitaly Gariev)

Netflix’s latest big ratings success turns the formula into a phenomenon

by

Nobody expected that’I will find you‘ was Harlan Coben’s best premiere for Netflix, and in fact, it has not been. However, eleven days after its arrival on the platform, it accumulates more views than almost any other fiction of 2026 in that same period: 58.1 millionand number one in more than 80 countries. The figure reaches milestones that only a handful of productions have reached in the entire history of the platform. And that, as we say, is not even the author’s best premiere with Netflix. What is it about? The series follows David Burroughs (Sam Worthington), a man who has been serving a life sentence for five years for the murder of his three-year-old son, a crime he has always denied having committed. Everything changes when his ex-sister-in-law, Rachel Mills (Britt Lower), brings him evidence that the boy could still be alive, opening the possibility that the original investigation was manipulated. Convinced that he has been the victim of a conspiracy, David escapes from prison and, together with Rachel and while being pursued by the FBI, unravels a web of family secrets that questions everything he thought he knew about his past. The author factory. Harlan Coben is certainly no newcomer to Netflix. The platform signed an agreement with him in August 2018 to adapt fourteen of his novels, expanded in 2022 with twelve more titles, including the eleven novels by Myron Bolitar, one of the researchers who star in his intrigues (and who is actually a representative of athletes). ‘I will find you’ is the first produced by an American team, after eight years transferring the original plots to the United Kingdom, Poland, France, Spain or Argentina. Some milestones of Coben’s adaptations. ‘Wiles‘ was the most watched series globally in the first half of 2024, with 107.5 million views, which placed it in seventh place in the history of English-language series on Netflix. ‘On the Run’ generated 15.6 million views in its first week and managed to unseat ‘Stranger Things’ from number one in the United States. Astronomical figures, surpassing even this ‘I will find you’, and which attest to Netflix’s good nose for detecting a vein. One that, in addition, insistently repeats certain plot lines: disappearances, family secrets, hidden identities, all of this is grouped under the “Harlan Coben Collection“which currently has 13 films. The public praises what the critics do not. Curiously, Coben’s adaptations do not have particularly high critical acceptance. There are some like ‘Silence in the snow‘ that have very low marks on Rotten Tomatoes (34%), and others that raise the average a little, such as ‘Safe‘ and its 73% of the public and 71% of the critics. But in general, the grades are closer to passing by the skin of their teeth: this ‘I will find you’ it has 63% of the public and 61% of the critics. None of this erodes in the least the audience phenomenon that adaptations represent. What is coming. While Netflix enjoys the success of ‘I’ll Find You’, Coben’s adaptation machinery does not stop (because they are always self-contained stories that work in a single stroke, with no option for second seasons) and ‘Myron Bolitar’ is already in preparation, the series that David E. Kelley (‘Big Little Lies’, ‘Presumed Innocent’) will co-write and co-direct with Coben himself. As a novelty, it is the first adaptation designed as a long-running series and not as a closed miniseries. Good times for comfortable, effective suspense with no other ambitions than to provide an acceptable dose of intrigue and chills. In Xataka | Of course you don’t remember anything that happened in the last season of your favorite series. It’s deliberate

A year later, it has been such a success that her neighbors are already asking about her

by

Solar electricity can be generated right under the wheels of a train without posing any risk. Switzerland has just confirmed this in a project that, after a year of having startedhas shown that the idea works, and is now beginning to arouse interest in France, Italy and Asia as well. What has happened? In April 2025, the startup Sun-Ways installed photovoltaic panels between the rails of a 100-meter section in the town of Buttes, in the canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, resting on the sleepers. They claim that it is the first installation of this type in the world, and its particularity is that the modules can be easily removed when maintenance work needs to be done on the track. Twelve months later, more than 11,000 trains have passed over the panels without any incidents being recorded. “We have achieved our objectives, both in terms of railway safety and electricity production,” explained Joseph Scuderi, founder of Sun-Ways, told Swissinfo. Why is it relevant? The main obstacle to renewables is no longer just technological, but also space. And it is necessary to find land to install panels without invading crop fieldsforests or protected landscapes begins to be a complicated task. Spain knows this debate well, with projects such as the Maestrazgo renewable macroparkwhich has generated friction due to its visual impact. This proposal presents an alternative taking advantage of an infrastructure that already exists and is hardly used for anything else. In detail. The energy generated is poured into the local electrical grid and, according to data provided by Sun-Ways, the installation has produced more than 16,000 kWh since May 2025, despite a one-month break due to snow and technical work. That figure is equivalent to the annual consumption of three or four households. Extrapolated to the nearly 5,320 kilometers of tracks that the country has, discounting tunnels and sections with little sun, Sun-Ways calculates that the entire Swiss railway network could generate up to 1,000 million kWh per year, around 2% of national electricity consumption. Between the lines. Two of the biggest fears surrounding this system have been dispelled during testing. The first, the accumulation of dirt on the panels. Scuderi had initially thought of cleaning them with a brush installed at the back of a train, but discovered that the very passage of the convoys, which travel up to 90 km/h on that section, generates a current of air that carries dust. The second, the possible dazzling of the train drivers, which has not materialized either. And TransN, the public operator that manages that line, has assured that it has not received any report from its staff in this regard. The company itself also confirms that there have been no conflicts with infrastructure, maintenance or train circulation. The other plus point: installation is quick. The panels, patented by Sun-Ways, are placed using a machine developed together with the railway company Scheuchzer, capable of laying up to 300 meters of panels per hour, according to collect Electrek. And when it is necessary to remove them to repair a track or change a sleeper, disassembling a module with three panels and six meters in length takes about ten minutes, according to reports. detailed Scuderi. The pending challenge. Julien Pouget, professor at the Valais University School of Applied Sciences (HES-SO), warns that transporting the electricity generated over long distances continues to be complicated, since current technology does not allow it to be done efficiently in sections greater than 500 meters, which is why a specific electrical architecture is needed to raise the voltage, as explained to the Swiss newspaper 24Heures. Together with other HES-SO researchers and Scuderi himself, Pouget intends to present a possible solution to this problem at a conference in Paris next August. And now what. The project has caused interest internationally. And the French railway company SNCF, which manages some 28,000 km of tracks and has set the goal of covering 20% ​​of its energy consumption with solar energy by 2030, signed in February a technical cooperation agreement with Sun-Ways. In Italy, the startup is in contact with Rete Ferroviaria Italiana to organize a pilot before the end of the year, while in South Korea already there is an approved government project near the Osong station, and in Indonesia a solar engineering company is closely following the results obtained in Switzerland. Scuderi, for his part, hopes to shorten the three-year trial period set by the Swiss Federal Transport Office and obtain final approval as soon as possible, allowing, he says, his partners abroad to also advance. Images | Jean-Christophe Bott and Sun-Ways In Xataka | Spain produces so much solar energy that it is the envy of Europe. And even so, 70% of what you consume matters

Air conditioners have been wanting to reach the north of Spain for decades without much success. Until the thermometer passed 40ºC

by

Here a server is writing these lines from Vigo, with the thermometer reading 28ºC (a temperature that in a few days will fire at 35ºC) and without air conditioning or ceiling fans. My only weapons against the haze are a small table fan that is almost (almost) the same decades old as me and the assurance that, no matter how hot the heat was, the temperatures in Galicia would always be tolerable. The first (the antediluvian fan) may not have done much, but the second did. Or so it was until now. In view of the heat waves that are coming at home, we are already thinking about installing a system that allows us to cool off with dignity. And we are not the only ones. On the contrary. We are one of the many homes from the northern peninsula that already look at brochures of air conditioners and fans. Ready for the heat? In the south of Spain it’s hotter than in the north. That was true before, it remains true now, and probably not much will change in the future. As I write this I enjoy a peaceful 28ºC in Vigo, eight degrees less than what the mercury shows in Córdoba. The problem is that there they are probably much better prepared to weather the heatwave than in this northern part of the country. I’m not saying it. The INE says it. From 64% to 0.4%. Although she is almost 20 years old, the Household and Environment Survey from the INE clearly shows that acclimatization facilities are much more frequent in the Mediterranean or Levant than in northern Spain. While in 2008 54% of homes in the Valencian Community had air conditioning, a percentage that rose to 57% in Andalusia, and 64% in Murcia, in Galicia, the Basque Country, Asturias and Cantabria the indicator did not reach 2% in any case. In the Principality it actually marked 0.4%. The INE data is old, but the SER chain recently disclosed a more recent survey confirms that the air conditioning map is still clearly divided between north and south. According to that study, only 17% of northern homes are acclimatized to the heat, far from 86% of the Mediterranean coast. Another Idealista report shows a gap even bigger. Changing the mentality. If they repeated that survey in a few years, it is likely that the ‘photo’ would be somewhat different. The heat wave that has shaken Galicia, Cantabria, the Basque Country either Asturiasleaving in some cases record temperatures that exceeded 40ºC, with hospitalizations due to fainting and deceasedhas led many families to look for new ways to cool their homes. Take a quick look at the regional press to check it out. Skyrocketing sales. In May The Montañés Diary counted how the demand for fans had skyrocketed by more than 80% in some businesses in Cantabria. Installers and stores of air conditioners and portable appliances also noticed the boom. I had something similar recently The Voice of Asturiaswho has spoken with companies in the sector that have noticed a 25% increase in requests for information. The Basque Journal confirm also an increase in the sale of ceiling fans, just like The Region in Ourense. From shops to homes. The most interesting thing is that the demand for devices does not come only from businesses. Andonio Suárez, from a company in the industry, recently recognized to ‘Hoy por Hoy Cantabria’ who in their business “do not stop” touring the community to install air conditioners. Not only that. Their technicians have gone from working basically in commercial premises installations to doing so in private homes, homes of people tired of being in the heat. “It is practically 50% between homes and businesses,” resume. “Before we managed”. Patricia lives in the province of Pontevedra and is one of the people (more and more) who has begun to think about ways to cool her home, beyond the use of floor, ceiling or table fans. “We had always managed, but now we are studying switching to a portable air conditioner or air conditioner because the fans fall short,” he confesses. In mind, you have devices that do not require the installation of exterior elements, such as evaporative air conditioners or tubeless air conditioners. “We save trouble and can take them from one home to another.” Poorly prepared floors. “The summers are longer and hotter, and the heat waves are more frequent. This year we already had a month of May with a week of tropical nights in which it was difficult to sleep, another in June, and summer had not yet started. A month of July is approaching in which it does not seem that we are going to go below 30ºC on most days,” explains Patricia before remembering that many of the apartments built between the 70s and 90s in Galicia “are not prepared nor do they have good insulation.” for the heat. “It has turned against us”. His experience is similar to that of Manuel, another Galician who recognizes that his house is designed to conserve heat, something ideal in winter, but not so much for the months from June to September. “The increasingly hot summers have turned against us.” Hence, she has opted for two portable air conditioners that she places in the living room and in her daughter’s bedroom, the room that accumulates the most heat. “I had been thinking about it for a while. Years ago it was not something that compensated, since it was not really necessary; but in the last five or six years the heat has been much more intense, even reaching days of 30-35ºC continuously.” More than just heat. Both Patricia and Manuel have opted for portable devices, which, among other things, they admit, has made installation easier for them. For systems that require an outdoor unit, it is necessary something more than you want to cool off: it is important to take into account both the municipal ordinances that regulate noise, urban aesthetics and … Read more

“Do not try to become a man of success, but rather a man of value”

by

In the history of humanity (and it is not short) few people have achieved a recognition levelprestige and admiration comparable to that of Albert Einstein. His last name has in fact become a universal synonym for brilliance. When someone stands out for his intellect we call him “Einstein”, just as we refer to sharp minds as “sherlocks” or the more attractive people like “Apolos”. However, despite this universal fame, the German physicist had a very clear vision about what a man should pursue in his life if he wants to feel fulfilled. For him the secret of happiness is not so much in “success”, money and applause as in becoming a person of value. Going back to 1955 The world said goodbye to Albert Einstein on April 18, 1955, when an aneurysm ended his life in Princeton, USA. He was just 76 years old, a Nobel Prize in Physics and unanimous recognition for having revolutionized our understanding of the universe with his theories. Shortly before he died, chance would have it that Einstein received a visit at his home in New Jersey from a peculiar group of people interested in chatting with him about something quite different from the theories of relativity or the curvature of light. What his guests wanted to talk about was meaning of life. The delegation in question was made up William Hermannspoet and personal friend of Einstein; the editor of Life MagazineWilliam Miller, and the latter’s son, ‘Pat’, a young man who was beginning his university studies at Harvard. As I would later explain in the article As Miller wrote about that meeting, Pat was an admirer of the German physicist and a science enthusiast, but for some time he had been “stuck in a kind of philosophical nihilism” that threatened to ruin his career. “He wondered what was the point of human effort if the universe was dying,” Miller says in his chronicle, published in May 1955. The goal of the editor life It seems that it was not so much about getting explosive statements from Einstein for a report (in fact, Miller himself recognize that were planted in your house without warning) as offering some “inspiration” to your son. The idea must not have displeased Einstein, who spent the next few minutes chatting with the group about issues as diverse as science, religion or politics, although the conversation gradually drifted towards philosophy. —Does experience give us the truth? —asked Pat Einstein. —It is a difficult question —acknowledged the Nobel Prize winner—. You are always seeing things without being sure if you really see them. Truth is a verbal concept that cannot be subjected to mathematical proof. As the debate delved into epistemological questions, Miller took the opportunity to slide what he considered “the philosophical dilemma” that his son was struggling with: “He doesn’t find any reason to strive to achieve something.” —Doesn’t the question of the undulation of light awaken your curiosity? —Einstein replied. – Well yes. “I guess so,” Pat justified. —Then don’t stop thinking about the reasons for what you do, about why you ask what you ask. The important thing is never stop asking questions. Curiosity has its own reason for being. One cannot help but be amazed when contemplating the mysteries of eternity, of life, the wonderful structure of reality. It is enough to try to understand a little of that mystery every day. Never lose your holy curiosity. At that point, Einstein gave Pat one of his lessons more valuable. —Do not try to become a successful man, but rather a a man of value. Nowadays, those who get more out of life than they contribute are considered successful; but a man of value gives more than he receives. Before saying goodbye, the physicist gave Pat one last piece of advice: — Don’t stop marveling. Although Einstein left profound reflections throughout his life, that invitation to prioritize “value” over “success” has become one of his maxims. most popular. Perhaps the greatest of all. AND it makes sense. Science has already warned of the risks What the search for other people’s approval has for our health (both emotional and physical) or how important issues such as socialization either generosity. Images | Wikipedia Via | Pure People In Xataka | François de La Rochefoucauld, philosopher: “We are never as happy or as unhappy as we believe”

There is a million-dollar industry selling stoicism on the internet. His recipe for success is to do just the opposite of what Stoicism says.

by

“My father is hooked on stoicism.” A few days ago, a Reddit user told thatin the last six months, his father had been deep into all kinds of YouTube videos about stoicism. “He spends hours watching (…) what seems AI-generated self-help garbage, made to validate ego and increase paranoia of the people.” “The strange thing is that real Stoicism seems like it is made to teach you self-control and emotional discipline, but it has become more reactive, cynical and critical,” he explained. And, really, It’s not strange at all. ‘Stoick’ is a soccer player Shiromani Kant The truth is that, today, becoming a Stoic does not mean reading Marcus Aurelius but rather following accounts, buying books, subscribing to newsletters, watching videos and consuming content. A content that, by the way, is adjoining with pop psychology, “CIA manipulation tactics,” mind games, “reading people” techniques, and other genres of conspiracy thinking. We have been hearing for years that philosophy “is back”that masculinity is in crisis and does not stop looking for alternative options, that a handful of ideas from 2,000 or so years ago are changing the way thousands of people face their daily lives. It’s time to treat that “wave” for what it is: a huge lie. No matter where we look (and except for a small group of popularizers that fit in the trunk of a car), Stoicism is neither a real philosophical movement nor a collective practice. Modern stoicism is a niche market for content creators—books, newsletters, subscriptions, merchandising, courses—who make a living precisely from the discomfort they claim to alleviate. The boom of pop stoicism Jan Demiralp As I have told on other occasionsin 1965, during the Vietnam War, the pilot James B. Stockdale He was returning from a combat mission when he was hit by enemy fire. Passed seven years in unspeakable conditions; between torture and humiliation specifically designed to break him from the inside. But he was lucky. In his own words, the only thing that helped him overcome captivity was the memories of a small book that had been given to him during his time at the university: the Enchyridion, the best-known book by Epictetus, one of the great Stoic philosophers in history and to whom the motto “sustine et abstine“(“endures and renounces”). In it, in the EnchyridionStockdale understood that the “reflective mind” could distance itself from brute and instinctive emotion and return to what was experienced with clarity of judgment and equanimity to find peace of mind. Not only did he understand it, but he spent much of the rest of his life spreading and defending it. In general terms, Stockdale is the fundamental piece of the reconversion of classical Stoic philosophy into pop culture; the place where Epictetus connects with late US capitalism. I tell this to make it clear that the fashion for stoicism is nothing new. It has been on the rise for half a century and, at least a decade, completely out of control. What has happened in recent years is that this ‘boom’ has been consolidated as an industry. The r/Stoicism subreddir (where I got the story that opens this text) went from 840 members in 2012 to 610,000 in 2024. On TikTok, the hashtag #stoicism gathers 645,000 posts. Ryan Holiday He has sold more than 10 million copies of ‘The Daily Stoic’, has more than three million followers on Instagram and two on YouTube. And, in Spanish, we also have examples of this genre of philosophical self-help. Philosophical self-help? We might think that calling a philosophy more than 2,000 years old “self-help” is audacious on my part. However, academic criticism specialized in Stoicism has reached (it has been difficult, but it has reached) the same conclusion. Massimo Pigliucci (professor at the City College of New York and one of the most important and rigorous neo-Stoics) coined the term ‘broicism’ in 2019 to discover the ‘masculinist’ appropriation of this philosophical school. In 2022, Mark Dery published “How Stoicism Became Broicism“. This is a very interesting text (and debatable in some points) that very clearly x-rays the problem I am talking about. In 2025, in fact, the researcher Erhan Ağaoğlu published an analysis about stoicism on TikTok which makes clear the identification between this “stoicism” and the patterns of aggression, self-isolation, self-improvement and the vindication of traditional masculinity. There are those who believe that this is problematic and those who argue that it is not. What there is no doubt about is that it is not stoicism, neither classical nor modern, nor of any kind. It is, in any case, ‘ultra-processed pseudo-philosophy’ ready to consume in the context of the attention economy. A very successful one, yes: not all cultural products show that ability to scale in this marked way. Why is this happening? Jaime Spaniol Sociologists who are working on the topic agree that there are, at least, three factors that explain it. The first is the “replacement of traditional frameworks related to the in-person community (religious or not).” The hypothesis is that a sector of the population has emerged (especially young and male) that does not have ‘frameworks of meaning’ to manage adversity. Stoicism, like all the movements that are emerging around it, have become a kind of ’emotional toolbox’ without religious or therapeutic component. The second factor would be a certain “crisis of masculinity.” That crisis is what They have been trying to suture the ‘manosphere influencers’ since Jordan Peterson and it is part of the tectonic movements that are turning Stoicism into ‘pseudophilosophy’. Finally, the ‘platformization of absolutely everything’. That is, the dynamics that facilitate and promote platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube or X. Where some people want to see a renewed interest in philosophy, there is a push by algorithms for short, imperative and motivational content. And what’s the problem with all this? The first consequence of this phenomenon is that what we now understand as ‘stoicism’ is nothing like classical stoicism. But surely that is not the most important thing. Because the … Read more

IBM has made the largest quantum chemistry simulation to date. It is a success for quantum computers

by

The prototypes of quantum computers currently available are gradually breaking down some barriers. These machines have a weak point: they make mistakes. This is the reason why Ignacio Cirac, the Spanish physicist who, together with Peter Zoller, developed the theoretical basis of quantum computing, holds that the correct thing is to identify them as prototypes to differentiate them from the fully functional quantum computers that will hopefully arrive in the future. During the conversation we had with Ignacio Cirac in June 2021, the director of the Theoretical Division of the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics he explained to us who believed that quantum computers will be very valuable tools in the field of quantum chemistry to, for example, design drugs. Just five years after that conversation, a very important milestone has occurred that invites us to scan the horizon of this discipline with a very healthy optimism. And a group of researchers from IBM; the RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing, in Japan; and Cleveland Clinic, in the USA, have carried out the largest quantum-classical chemistry simulation carried out to date. It’s a very important achievement for a reason: it represents a huge leap in the way quantum computers can be used alongside classical supercomputers to study real-world chemistry problems. “This result is a dream” Dr. Kenneth Merz, the leader of this research, assures that the result obtained by the team he leads is a dream. Until now, the most ambitious simulation that had been possible in this area using a quantum computer recreated a protein with only 303 atoms. However, Merz’s team has managed to simulate two biologically relevant proteins (T4-Lysozyme and Trypsin), as well as the molecules to which they bind, in a completely realistic aqueous environment and reaching 12,635 atoms. To make this possible, they have used two quantum processors that add up to 94 qubits, executing 9,200 circuits over more than 100 hours and collecting 1.3 billion measurement results. The quantum data were subsequently processed with the Japanese supercomputer Fugaku. In this area, the calculation capacity of quantum computers makes a difference, although the merit does not belong exclusively to these machines. The strategy that these scientists have developed consists of dividing large molecules into smaller, more manageable groups. The strategy these scientists have developed is to divide large molecules into smaller, more manageable groups. Classical supercomputers solve the simpler regions, while quantum systems address the more complex and computationally demanding parts. The results are then recombined to obtain a global image of the molecule. To carry out this simulation, the researchers introduced improvements in both classical and quantum techniques. However, one of the most important innovations they have developed is the improvement of the way in which the system identifies which parts of a molecule require detailed quantum treatment, which reduces the overall computational cost. As we have just seen, we are facing a very important milestone, although we need to put it in context. And, despite its value, the strategy that these researchers have developed still does not surpass the best classical approaches. However, it demonstrates that quantum systems can already contribute to the resolution of significant scientific problems, especially when integrated with existing computing infrastructure. Image | IBM More information | Interesting Engineering In Xataka | Beyond AI, US semiconductor manufacturers face the real battle of the future: quantum chips

The success of Artemis II has lit China’s space fire. Now, your space station will be twice as big

by

All powers have embarked on the new space race and Artemis II It has been the lighthouse that demonstrates the interest that continues to arouse in sending humans outside our borders. Aside from rockets, in low orbit humanity has one of the most exclusive laboratories in the universe: the International Space Station. While the long-standing facility awaits dismantling, China has just sent a message with its Tiangong space station. Soon, it will be twice as big. Ambition. When China was left out of the International Space Station project, it got to work on its own facility. The Tiangong It began to take shape in the 2000s and launched its central module into low orbit in 2021. Other modules have been added designed for Chinese astronauts to investigate in an environment that, until now, was forbidden to them. Since then, it has become a symbol of the ambition of the Chinese space program. Also of the speed at which they are completing goalswith round trip rocket tests and plans for build, together with Russia, a lunar station. Despite everything, he has a problem. It is considerably smaller than the ISS and has a mass of just 100 tons, a pressurized volume of 340 m3 with the capacity to house a crew of three astronauts. Expanding the Tiangong. The ISS can support a crew of seven astronauts, has triple the pressurized volume capacity and a mass of more than 420 tons. If China wants to get involved in space research, it had to do something, and its response has come in the form of a project to expand the Tiangong. How has informed state television CCTV, the station will go from being a ‘T’-shaped structure with three modules to a cross-shaped one with six modules. Its mass will be approximately 180 tons and, although it will remain smaller than the ISS, it will have the capacity to equal the astronauts on a permanent mission: six. If the plans are fulfilled, the three current modules will be joined by a fourth that will have multiple docking ports that will give rise to future laboratory units, increasing the potential to six modules. At the moment, there is no date for this expansion, but it is estimated that work will begin around 2027 and will be a Long March 5B the rocket that will transport what is necessary. Since its T-shaped module was completed, astronauts have performed more than 260 experiments and 26 spacewalks. Exclusiveness. China spent 2025 launching rockets, culminating in a month of December in which they broke all their launch records in a stress test for your multiple mission points. With plans to expand their space station, they show that they are committed to this new era of research and exploration, being something that arrives just when the International Space Station remains in question. Tiangong has remained an exclusive laboratory for Chinese researchers, but if it suddenly becomes the only station in low orbit, China is the one that has the access key so that foreign astronauts can carry out their work in those special conditions. On April 22, the Chinese Manned Space Flight Agency already commented that two Pakistan Air Force pilots would be trained as reserve astronauts and one would travel to Tiangong. He will be the first non-Chinese astronaut to do so, although there are already other astronauts from Hong Kong and Macau who will perform the same process. It is something that responds to China’s intention to promote cooperation projects with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, but without forgetting that the Tiangong is Chinese and, as we say, they have the keys to the doors… and the right of admission. Scrap. While the Asian giant announces the good news around its station, on the other side of the world a dismantling process of the ISS is still scheduled for 2031. The plan is that NASA use a vehicle exclusive to SpaceX to guide the ISS to a space cemetery somewhere in the Pacific. In recent months there has been a lot of discussion about whether it is a better idea to dismantle it, turn it into scrap metal or use it as a portbut at this point, the plan continues its course and it is possible that, sooner rather than later, Tiangong will remain the only manned space station in low Earth orbit. In Xataka | Europe has grown tired of being NASA’s “supporting actor.” And that is why it is starting to work with China

The animal testing of the elixir for future warfare has been a success. Now the most difficult thing remains: making it work in humans

by

In 1667, the French doctor Jean-Baptiste Denis performed one of the first transfusions of history using lamb’s blood on a human patient, convinced that it could calm his behavior and save his life. The experiment generated such controversy that ended up being banned in several countries for decades, leaving a lesson that has accompanied medicine since then: when it comes to replacing blood, each advance opens a door… and also a risk that is difficult to foresee. An experiment that redefines war medicine. A lot has happened since that test by Denis, but now it is making strong noises again with the development of a powdered blood substituteone that marks one of the most ambitious advances in military preparation for future conflicts, where conditions no longer guarantee rapid evacuations or immediate access to hospitals. In this context, the idea of ​​transforming blood into a portable and stable resource ceases to be science fiction and becomes a solution, or perhaps an operational necessity. They counted on Insider that, for the Pentagon, what is at stake is not only improving logistics, but changing the way soldiers’ lives are saved in environments where every minute counts and medical infrastructure may not exist. The “elixir” that seeks to change war. The program powered by DARPA has managed to turn a complex concept into a potentially revolutionary solution: a powdered blood substitute that can be stored, transported and activated in a matter of seconds. This system is presented as an alternative to the current model, where fresh blood is limited, perishable and difficult to move in combat zones. The key, they say, is in its operational simplicity: mix the contents with sterile water and have a vital resource at the exact moment it is needed. Success in the laboratory. The initial results have been promising enough to generate expectations within the military and scientific field. After demonstrating its viability in controlled environments and later in animal models, the project has overcome one of the most complex phases of biomedical development. In other words, the advance suggests that the concept works in biological termsopening the door to real applications in scenarios where conventional transfusions are not possible. The great challenge. There is no doubt, despite of the advancesthe final jump remains the most difficult of all. The next step is to overcome the regulatory processes and demonstrate that the system is safe and effective in humansa long path that involves clinical trials, medical validation and approval from regulatory bodies. In fact, this is where many promising developments stall, not because of a lack of technology, but because of the complexity of ensuring that they work in real conditions without unexpected risks. A necessity. They counted in their report in Insider that interest in this type of solutions does not arise in a vacuum, but as a response to a profound change in the nature of conflicts. Conflicts have shown that air superiority no longer guarantees rapid evacuations, and the wounded can be trapped for hours without access to advanced medical care. In these contexts, the immediate availability of blood becomes a critical factor that can make the difference between life and death. Limitations of the current system. In the absence of alternatives, the armed forces have resorted to methods such as emergency transfusions among soldiers, known as “living blood banks.” Although effective in specific situations, these solutions depend on the availability of donors and cannot scale in scenarios with multiple casualties. Again, this highlights the need for a more robust solution, capable of responding to high-intensity situations without relying on improvised resources. Beyond science. The future of this technology announced by DARPA depends not only on its medical effectiveness, but also on its economic viability. The production, distribution and adoption of synthetic blood require significant investments in a sector where margins are traditionally low. Without a sustainable model that incentivizes companies and hospitals, even the most promising advances can remain in the experimental phase, never reaching the battlefield. Be that as it may, the objective set is more than ambitious: to turn development into an operational tool before end of the decade. To achieve this, almost nothing: coordinate science, regulation and industry in an accelerated process that avoids the usual blockages in such complex projects. But if successful, this sort of modern “elixir” could redefine war medicine, bringing the ability to save lives directly to where it is needed most. Image | DARPA In Xataka | Four years later, the Ukrainian war is the first war in history where humans are spectators In Xataka | In 1914, submachine guns forever changed the way war was waged. In 2026, it’s algorithms’ turn

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.