terrible

We have solved the problem of space junk by burning it. A SpaceX lithium trail just proved to be a terrible idea

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For decades, the aerospace industry has had a consensus solution to the problem of space junk: burn it. A fairly simple phenomenon that is based on the satellite reentry when it ends its useful life in the atmosphere so that it begins to suffer friction and completely disintegrates. But the reality is that we are facing a huge problemsince physics reminds us that matter is neither created nor destroyed. We have captured him. Science is realizing that we are not removing space junk, we are just vaporizing it into metallic aerosols that are changing the chemistry of our own sky. And the definitive clue to this problem was found on the night of February 19, 2025where a team of German researchers pointed a laser into the sky over Kühlungsborn. What they detected in this case at about 100 kilometers altitude, in the thermosphere, was something that should not be there, since there were large amounts of lithium. And it wasn’t there for no reason, since it just coincided hours before with the re-entry of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket which had disintegrated over the Atlantic between Ireland and the United Kingdom. Something new. The signal measured in this case was not very subtle, since was 10 times bigger to the usual concentration in that region, and this finding was collected in an article because it marks a great milestone: it is the first time that the metallic contamination released from a specific piece of space junk at the exact moment of burning has been observed “live” and from Earth. The metallic iceberg. The incident with this Falcon is not something isolated in our society, but is a symptom of the structural change we are experiencing. In 2023, a team of researchers already used different devices to be able analyze more than 50,000 aerosol particles in the stratospherewhich is the layer where our ozone layer resides, at about 15-30 km altitude. What did they see? Historically, the metals found in the stratosphere came from meteorites that entered our planet. But today it is estimated that 210 tons of aluminum per year in the atmosphere comes from the disintegration of satellites and rockets, compared to the 20 tons per year that vaporize naturally from meteors. But lithium is not the only metal in the atmosphere of our planet, since scientists have detected more than twenty elements, among which aluminum, copper, lead or silver stand out… This is something that does not fit with the normal composition of meteorites, but it does coincide with the materials that different aerospace companies use to create their rockets and satellites. There is no planning. The pace of launches has skyrocketed in recent years, and if today we are close to 10,000 objects orbiting the Earth, we have to know that only Starlink aspires to have more than 40,000 satellites in Earth orbit low. But the problem is that the useful life of these devices is short, so their inevitable fate is to end up vaporized over our heads. Its effects. Science here is quite clear that the effects of filling the stratosphere with these metals are currently unknown. But the projections suggest that we should not be calm because elements such as aluminum and copper are important catabolizers that can affect the delicate ozone layer. In addition to this, metallic particles can act as special condensation nuclei, altering the microphysics of polar stratospheric clouds. And if that were not enough, adding anthropogenic material to sulfuric acid aerosols changes their size and ability to scatter sunlight. Ironically, we are altering the reflectivity of the stratosphere, the same layer that some scientists want to use for climate geoengineering, without knowing what the consequences will be. The planetary limit. The models here suggest that, if the planned megaconstellations materialize, the fraction of stratospheric particles contaminated with aluminum from satellites will rise from the current 10% to around 50%. In other words, the load of metals in the stratosphere could grow by around 40% compared to natural levels. Here for years space agencies have assumed that disintegrating satellites was a completely harmless and clean practice. The example of the Falcon 9, which has validated the warnings of the scientific community, shows us that the Earth’s orbit and our atmosphere make up a connected ecosystem. In this way, launching tens of thousands of objects into space and then burning them on our own roof may be a solution to keep space clean, but we are dirtying the sky in return. In Xataka | Spain and Portugal have joined forces to launch satellites with a mission: to monitor catastrophes in real time

India has bombed clouds to improve its terrible air quality. They have wasted 400,000 dollars

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The sky of New Delhi is a painting. While half the world is focused on reduce your emissions and improve air quality (something that ultra-polluted giants like China are successfully implementing), the other half continues with inefficient decarbonization policies. India is one of themand the arrival of winter does not help. To combat its poor air quality, the country has “sown its clouds” about New Delhi. And there are voices that suggest that they have spent a fortune and it has not been worth anything. Crisis. The situation of the large cities of India, with the focus on a capital that has more than 28 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area and a density of almost 6,000 inhabitants per km², is really complicated. Vehicle emissions account for 40% of emissions in the city, but there are other sources such as construction dust, inorganic aerosols or industrial activities themselves that contribute a lot. ‘dirt’ in the city air. The quality is not good at any time of the year, but in the post-monsoon season, between October and November, the situation becomes critical. It is when a large amount of rice stubble and other waste is burned, which, together with the rest of the sources of particles since the arrival of cold air traps the pollutants near the ground, causes the amount of particles to skyrocket. And it’s not a joke: esteem that between 2009 and 2019 there were nearly four million deaths in India linked to poor air quality. Figures. To measure this “dirt” in the air, we turn to PM2.5. It is a measure of the amount of fine particles that are suspended in the air, specifically those that have a diameter equal to or less than 2.5 micrometers. They are so small that they can penetrate deep into the lungs, reaching the blood system and posing a serious health risk. That said, PM2.5 levels in Delhi are between 140 and 170 µg/m³, almost 12 times higher than the safe levels set by the WHO, of 15 µg/m³. Petter Ljungman, a researcher at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, analyzed the role of these particles and determined that “each increase of 10 micrograms per cubic meter in the concentration of PM2.5 leads to an 8.6% increase in mortality.” Bombing the clouds. In the face of a crisis like this, two things can be done: become aware and rethink the country’s strategy or resort to desperate measures. As we read in Reutersit seems that the Government has opted for the latter. On October 28, the Delhi government in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur carried out the first tests of cloud seeding. This is India’s first attempt at this technique and it is not about “creating clouds”, but rather making the existing ones release water. Using a series of catalysts launched from aircraft, water droplets contained in a cloud can be made to coalesce into larger, heavier droplets. In this way, and due to their own weight, they fall to the ground in the form of rain. It is not something new because, although it may seem like something out of science fiction, we have been “sowing” clouds for half a century. Negative… results. The problem is that each time we have had more and more evidence that it is something that is of little use. If clouds are good candidates, yes, showers are generated, but the big problem is that it is a very expensive practice for the results obtained and that is the reason why more and more countries have abandoned his projects related to this “creation” of rain. In the case of the Indian experiment, the cost was about $400,000 to put into operation the planes that dispersed sodium chloride and silver iodide over several districts north of the capital. Each of the flights cost about $70,000 and the person who said that it was not of much use was not an external entity or someone critical of the Government: it was the director of IIT Kanpur himself. Manindra Agarwal admitted that the results were “not as desired” because the humidity levels in the clouds were extremely low. It was a crucial error because it is estimated that the minimum for condensing these cloud droplets is 50% and the chosen ones had levels between 15 and 20%. Despite this, Agarwal commented that a reduction of between 6% and 18% was observed in certain particle measurement parameters, but they were at very localized and short-lived moments. deaf ears. And of course, faced with the investment of such a fortune without results, it did not take long for the voices to say “I told you so” to rain down. Climate activists said it, but also two other official bodies: the Indian Meteorological Department and the Air Quality Management Commission. The two organizations indicated That the technique requires specific clouds that are absent during Delhi’s cold, dry winter. Recommendations. In the end, what this action demonstrates is that, in desperate situations, desperate measures only work as a source of funds. The solutions must be considered more in the medium and short term and this is something in which China has served as an example. In the case of India, what is being proposed is control over stubble burning during this autumn season, better waste management and stricter industrial regulations. On the other hand, the country has taken giant steps in recent years in terms of transport electrification is concerned, but progress must also be made in improving urban forestry that “traps” pollution and in the use of large-scale renewable energy. Until they do that, the almost 30 million inhabitants of New Delhi will breathe air equivalent what they would inhale if they smoked seven cigarettes a day. Images | Naomi E Tesla, Submitmpsd In Xataka | The Atacama salt flat is the key on which the electric car industry pivots. And it’s starting to dry

The “best mechanic in Spain” says that leaving the car parked for a long time causes “irreversible damage.” It’s not as terrible as it seems

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Any object that uses mechanical components is something that should be used from time to time. Although we are talking about cars here, it is not exclusive to cars. If you have one bicyclesome automatic watch either photo cameras old, it is something that you most likely have in mind. And the thing is that, with the passage of time, the liquids dry out or become stuck and the components can begin to suffer from corrosion. That’s exactly what happens to a car. When a vehicle is not movingthe moving parts lose lubrication and the liquids always remain in the same places. It is also easier for corrosion to appear. In short, it is the same case as the previous ones. With the difference that a car is an object that usually weighs between one and two tons and is designed to move at high speeds on the road, leaving aside its maintenance clearly puts our health and that of the rest of the drivers we meet on the road at risk. But what should we fear and what can we not worry about? For the best mechanic in Spain in 2023, the problem is obvious: “irreversible damage may occur.” a long, long time In 2023, Javier Sendín, from Talleres Cardiocar de Salamanca, was chosen as best mechanic of Spain for The Official Workshop Community. This award delivered annually and over the years it has brought together more than a thousand participants. The winner is chosen after online tests in which theoretical questions are presented and, phase by phase, it ends up deciding who is the best in Spain. In The Vanguard They have contacted Sendín to ask him about some risks that we should not overlook when maintaining our car. Whoever was the best mechanic in Spain has remembered the importance of not forgetting of a vehicle because we cannot expect that after a long time without starting, the car will be in perfect condition. “Although it may not seem like it (leaving the car still for weeks), this can be harmful. Components such as the suspension are affected, since the silentblocks and other rubber pieces tend to dry out or warp when left in the same position for weeks or months. It is also very negative for the battery, both in thermal vehicles and, especially, in hybrids and electric vehicles (…) there is a risk of irreversible damage.” What “the best mechanic in Spain 2023” claims is undoubted. The question is how much time has to pass for the damage to be especially noticeable. The truth is that if a car remains stationary for a few weeks, the damage is still minor. For example, it is not good for tires spend a lot of time supporting the weight of the car in the same position as deformities may arise. Despite this, in less than a month you will not notice substantial changes. Of course, keep an eye on its pressure so that when you get going again everything is in the best state. The battery is the other problem that can appear when the car has not moved for a long time. Especially if its useful life is already on its last legs, it is not a good idea to leave the car stationary for a long time. Yes indeed, if only a few weeks passthe worst that can happen is that the battery is completely discharged. However, if the battery is in good condition, may take more than two months to download. If we contemplate this happening, a good idea is to unplug the battery completely. So, when should we start paying real attention to our car? The American Automobile Association recommends that we put more emphasis on car care when they pass more than 45 days immobile. In that case, you should try to keep the car indoors and in a dry place. In this way, the car is more protected from corrosion and components that suffer from changes in temperature and humidity, such as tires, are more protected. Among the advice given from RACE There is checking the levels of the car’s fluids: brakes, coolant or oil. And with the passage of time, part of them may evaporate or have dried out in some specific points. Keep in mind, however, that again we are talking about months with the car stopped and not a few weeks. In that case, do not force the mechanics excessively when putting the car back into operation since we will not be risking any breakage. In fact, it is estimated that until after three months Since the car came to a complete stop, the components will not start to cause real problems. That is why possible damage from having the car stopped is not the most common case. Yes indeed, from the RACC They also recommend paying close attention to gasoline. First of all, we should not rush the tank to the maximum since impurities always remain at the bottom of it and it is easier for them to end up damaging a component such as the spark plugs. But if the car has been stopped for a long time it is not good to leave it loaded with fuel either. Over time, it loses properties. If we have a classic car that we use a few times a year, it is best to leave some gasoline in the tank but renew it shortly after we get going. You don’t have to use up the tank but you also don’t have to leave the car forgotten with a full tank. We talked, once again, about leaving the car sitting for months. Photo | Felix Neudecker and Sten Rademaker In Xataka | The “one minute rule” or how to always keep your car ready and avoid breakdowns worth 3,000 euros

We have filled Europe with traps to combat the terrible Asian wasp. It was a bad idea

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That non-endemic species reach new territories It’s a colossal problem. It is estimated that more than half of contemporary extinctions They are the fault of invaders and there are examples of kicks (reaching the Arctic due to climate change). He coypu or the blue crab They are two of those invasive animals, but if we share something in Europe it is the “fear” of Asian wasps: a ‘bug’ that we have been fighting for 20 years and against which we are losing miserably. And the big problem is that we are killing flies with cannon shots. vespa velutina. About three centimeters long, this wasp came to Europe at the beginning of the century. Supposedly, he did so aboard a cargo ship from China, landing on the French coast and, since then, colonizing other territories. In 2010 the species spread to Spain, entering from the Basque Country, colonizing the Cantabrian coast and arriving in Galiciabut it has also expanded to Portugal, Germany and even the United Kingdom. It is already well established and, although it is true that it is not more aggressive than “our” wasp, when it gets angry and stings it can cause serious allergic reactions, causing occasional deaths. The worst thing is that it continues to expand at a rate of about 80 kilometers of territory gained each year. Invaders. It’s no longer that they can bother us, but rather that, as an invasive species, they do what they do best: destroy the native ones. And not with other wasps, but with bees. The Asian wasp is a predator of other insects, but has a predilection for honey bees. It attacks their hives indiscriminately, causing enormous damage to beekeeping. At a time when awareness about importance of bees in naturebeyond for him human consumption of honeythere are those who take matters into their own hands and have started setting traps. It moves fast Flies with cannon shots. There are several types. On the one hand, the most homemade: the typical upside-down bottle that we fill with mixtures attractive to wasps (juices, wines, fruits and sugar), creating a sticky paste in which the wasp becomes trapped. There are others that are more sophisticated and selective, with large holes for wasps to enter, but with release mechanisms for smaller animals and pheromones that attract insects. The problem is that they are remedies that can do more harm than anything else because, although commercial traps have release mechanisms for accidentally captured insects, you have to be careful and, basically, it is killing flies with cannon fire. Those who do not have to fall fall. And the main criticism is precisely that: the traps do not discriminate and damage is created to biodiversity because many insects that are not the Asian wasp are killed. Among them are moths, beetles, flies, bees and an ally that fights against the Asian invader: the European hornet. In a recent investigation published Pest Management Science has analyzed how in Galician vineyards, traps against Vespa velutina have turned out to be ineffective in controlling the damage that the insect does to grapes, but although Asian wasps are trapped, other species that have an important role in pollination are also captured. Solutions? The request of the researchers is that the Galician administration, promoter of this massive trapping, takes a step back because what is produced is a false idea of ​​effectiveness due to general captures, but without implying that the objective, which is to stop the Asian wasp, is met. What do they propose? That this elimination technique be reconsidered and look at the scientific evidence, since “environmental problems are complex and can rarely be solved with quick and easy solutions.” It is not a solution as such to the damage that these invasive wasps can cause, but it is to put an end to the indiscriminate killing of other insects that do a job in our ecosystem. What is evident is that, as we mentioned a few paragraphs ago, for a kind of outsider to arrive and establish itself so quickly in a territory is something devastating. And the Asian wasp is a perfect example. Images | Clame Reporter, Didier Descouens In Xataka | After centuries of disappearance, there are people releasing beavers into the Tagus and other rivers in Spain. The problem is that we don’t know who

Printers have been a terrible product for 30 years. The fault is Nash’s balance

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Let’s go back to 1949. A young mathematician named John Nash Find an original idea for your thesis at Princeton University. Game theory already existed thanks to the previous works (1944) by John Von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern, but the von Neumann model focused on zero -sum games (one player wins, the other loses). Nash had a spark of genius in proposing that in any game there should be at least one point where no player could improve his situation by changing his strategy unilaterally. Formalized that idea in a short two -page article (‘Equilibrium Points in N-Person Games‘) In January 1950, and with it revolutionized history. Including printers. Is the printer the worst technological product in history? And is that the printers is an almost manual example to apply the call Nash balance. These types of products have been following – at least, to a large extent – the economic model of the machin and blades: you sell cheap the first, but face the second. Consumers know that when we buy an ink printer, the price will be economical, almost ridiculous. But we also have assumed that ink and cartridges for those printers will be very expensive. And if they are not, what will end up being is Ink subscription… either to the printers themselves. Not only that: in the last 30-40 years we have seen how printers have become-probably- The worst technological product in history. It is no longer only that printers can get stuck or work erratically. The real problem is terrifying form in which manufacturers have protected their business, preventing in all possible ways that users can for example use Compatible cartridges and tonniers of third parties. Nash’s balance explains very well why manufacturers do what they do. Imagine two great manufacturers such as HP and Canon with two options: Expensive and blocked cartridges (current model) Cheap and open cartridges (which allow competition and lower prices) Given this situation, HP and Canon managers know that three types of market situations can be found: If both keep expensive and blocked cartridges: they earn a lot If one “opens” its cartridges and lowers prices and the other remains closed: the one that opens loses income and the one that is still closed earns more … or the opposite. Whatever happens, one will end up winning a lot and the other losing a lot. If both open: there is strong competition again, but both win less Given that scenario, manufacturers make an inevitable business decision: they close their cartridge technology and sell it face Because that’s what gives more benefits to everyone. Nash’s balance is fully fulfilled here: it describes a stable point for each player (company) but does not ensure that the result is the best for the whole. Collectively and from the social point of view, the optimal would be to open the technology and lower prices: companies would earn less, but the market would be larger and fair. Reality, as we know, is very different. But maybe that reality can change. We need a “Tesla printer” The printer user has therefore 30 years constant bleeding which translates into an exaggerated expense in cartridges and also in an erosion of time and productivity. What has happened with printers is something extraordinary: We have normalized that printers are almost more a problem than a solution. The Open Printer, a striking printer project “Open Source” and is based on the use of HP cartridges but accepts compatible third -party cartridges. Source: The Open Printer. And that is why we have a panorama in which there is a great opportunity for a revolution in the printers market. This segment is hungry for an ethical disruptive: the manufacturer who abandons the current Nash balance can change everything here. It is a mature field in which an innovative based on transparency and reliability could not only capture the market, but even redefine it. What the market needs is a kind of “Tesla printer”. And we refer to a printer that causes in this segment what Tesla managed to provoke in the car industry: a machine that has a great design, a reliable operation and that is also designed to last. But above all, that offers an alternative to current printers and their dictatorial philosophy with cartridges. Here are some projects underway. The project The Open Printerfrom the Parisian startup Open Tooks, is intended as A repair ink printer, Open Sourceand that focuses its operation on reparable cartridges. Its creators claim that this printer is created “with standard mechanical components and with modular parts”, which theoretically simplifies its assembly, modification and repair. Source: The Open Printer. In fact, the Open Printer works with a small Raspberry Pi W plate as an operations center. There are no proprietary firmware or cartridges with DRM. It is designed to use HP63 cartridges (HP 302 in Europe) both in black and in color but they serve both those of HP and third parties. And not only can you print on AAR or A4 folios, but even in 27 mm paper rolls. There are no details about its price or availability for the moment, but the idea will not be launched directly, and will first be launched as a collective financing project. We know for previous failures (and frauds) that such financing models It has its risksbut in this case that option seems reasonable and we only have to wait for the best of the project. That may not be the only launch in this regard, and in fact There is an even more interesting rumor. Frameworkthe company that has conquered us with its repairable laptops, seems to be considering the idea of ​​creating its own printer (modular and repairable? We expect that!). This is how at least a recent message indicates in X in which they commented on how “one of you must have sabotaged the office printer and has forced us to manufacture one. It is not possible that HP is selling printers that broken.” … Read more

If you think hospital food is terrible, science has just proved you

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The industrial aspect of the trays in which food is served in the clinics, the aseptic environment of the room, or the bad drink that generally implies the visit to the health center are factors that convert hospital food into a dish of the liking of few. Well, the problem can be even more serious. Health and environment. A team of researchers has analyzed the food served in two hospitals and three residences in Germany and He has found reasons For concern, both for the health impact of menus and for their environmental effects. The team detected, in all the institutions analyzed, shortcomings in fundamental nutrients, including folate, potassium and vitamin B6. In addition, they also detected that in residences patients failed to achieve the required provision of proteins. “We have found that meals contained insufficient plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes; and too many refined grains, added sugars, salt and saturated fats,” pointed in a press release Lisa Pörtner, co -author of the study. “This leads us to an inadequate provision of nutrients and poor dietary quality.” Not only a matter of health. According to the equipment, the diet in health centers should be model in relation to its dietary quality, but the problems detected by the study go further, and the study found that the analyzed diets had a negative environmental impact. “We find that (these menus) contribute to environmental degradation and climate change (which also threatens health),” Nathalie Lambrecht highlightedalso member of the team. Planetary health diet. How did the team reach these conclusions? The study was based on the comparison between the sampled diets and a model diet, in this case the so -called Planetary Health Diet or phd. PHD is a diet Proposal in 2019 by experts of the Eat-Lancet commission, linked to the magazine specialized in medical studies The Lancet. This diet prepares the consumption of plant foods, limiting in turn the consumption of meats and dairy (without eliminating them). The equine not only contrasted the degree of adhesion of these menus to the PHD, it also cotnrasted its nutritional qualities through the so-called Healthy Eating Index-2020 and a nutritional adaptation evaluation. In addition, they calculated the “environmental footprint” of diets through an estimate of the requirements in land use, greenhouse gas emissions, eutrophication (excess nutrients caused by waste emission), water -water acidification and expenditure. The details of the study have been published In an article In the magazine The Lancet: Planetary Health. And in Spain? The results are not directly extrapolated to Spanish hospitals, after all ingredients and cooking techniques can vary much from country to country, even in something as apparently bland as hospital food. However the situation here It doesn’t seem much betterto the point that the complaints of users and professionals took a few months ago to the ministries of health and consumption to take action on the matter. In May, the project of a new Royal Decree focused on improving the quality of menus in health centers, a framework similar to the announced months ago for the improvement of food quality in teaching centers, was announced. The process for the development of the new standard began with a public consultation announced the same May. In Xataka | How much meat is too much meat? This is how the debate about meat is changing Image | Xataka with Gemini

We are in 2025 and the Wi -Fi of the airplanes is still terrible. Starlink is demonstrating that we are at the turning point

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June 30, 2016. BBC publishes an article called: How does the Wi -Fi work in the airplanes and why is it so bad? Almost 10 years later, we are almost in the same place. The Earth has revolved for almost a decade but in terms of connecting to Internet networks from the air it seems that we are completely stagnant. Or it seemed. 2016. “Some compare their speed with that of the beginning of the Internet, when, with the soundtrack of the atrocious beep of the modem, they had to be put on patience while any page was loaded.” With this paragraph Yolanda Valery for BBC In 2016 what was the experience of trying to connect to the Internet from the air. In that same article it was explained that connecting to the Internet from a flight guaranteed a certain guarantee to do very basic connected tasks, such as sending an email. But it was also mentioned that you could already forget to see a content in streaming Or, at least, assume that it was going to be a really tedious experience. We remain the same. In 2016, the offer of a wifi on board was relatively recent. In 2013 we told you that Iberia made this service available to the client at a price of five euros … for five megas. Shortly after, Enrique Dans narrated his experience In an Iberia plane and pointed out that the option was really interesting but that the result was very bad. And even raised if he had to be offered under the conditions of that time. Already in 2017, in Xataka We wondered why we still have no wifi in all airplanes. And we could say the same right now, with a good handful of airplanes that do not offer it … and above all: those who offer it and serve little or nothing. If we enter On Iberia’s own page We verify that in its reference to the connection packages it is specified that allow “Internet navigation, messenger, email, download and sending documents”. That is, tasks that require poor discharge speed. And they emphasize that it is “it is possible that during some moments of the trip the signal can come weakened” or that it lends itself with “three different suppliers, so you can experience differences between one flight or another.” Why is it so bad? The main reason why the Wi -Fi in the airplanes is so bad is how the Internet connection is obtained. You can take “global, satellite or land coverage,” depending on the flight, they point out on the Iberia website. This means that the plane receiver can connect to telephone antennas or satellites if the latter are not available. On a transatlantic flight, that connection is more unstable since Terrestrial antennas are far away. It only remains to be connected to a satellite so that the shipment and reception of data is complicated. First because the distance is much broader than when we have our feet on the floor and, second, because the plane moves hundreds of kilometers per hour, which complicates the reception and sending of the data. The big problem is that although the bandwidths that users have to share are now the demands of applications. Not only is the Quality of the images we load on Instagramis also the huge amount of data that an application like Netflix needs to play your streaming videos. Already in 2020, in Xataka We estimated that one hour sailing on this platform consumes between one and seven GB (depending on quality). A turning point? Andrew J. Hawkins explains in The Verge that the time may have come to say goodbye to these connections. In the aforementioned article, it indicates its experience aboard an E-175 Embraer, a 88-seat narrow fuselage plane that United Airlines uses for short flights. This, specifically, lasted 90 minutes. The plane is one of the first connected to Starlink and, in fact, will begin offering on May 15. The figures collected are highly hopeful. Connected to the airport Wi -Fi, Hawkins said navigating with a 305 Mbps discharge and a load of 249. The latency was 5 ms. During the flight, the speed was 196 Mbps of discharge and 27.3 Mbps of load with a latency of 19 ms. The discharge speed is close to the experience before climbing to the plane and although the figures are remote from what it offers on land, they are notable compared to those we had so far. During the whole flight. Hawkins breaks another spear in favor of the system and United Airlines: the wifi was active throughout the flight. “The service works from the door to the door, not only above 10,000 feet, restriction under which some other systems operate. As soon as I sat, they told me to connect to the Wi-Fi using United mobile application. “ In fact, in your article to The VergeThe author reflects the speeds during takeoff (234.8 Mbps of discharge and 14.9 Mbps of load with a latency of 19 ms) and the landing (72.6 Mbps of discharge, 26.1 Mbps of load and 90 ms of latency) when the worst data was collected. The time, despite this, would be brief because as soon as the plane touched earth again offered good figures with 231.5 Mbps of discharge. Although, this time, with the worst load data with only 3.01. Well to watch movies. But not so much to work. Because Hawking himself points out that he could use Instagram and Tiktok, Disney Plus, follow the ceremony of the new Pope for CNN or watch a live match “with a crystalline image quality.” However, the result was much less impressive when loading a file on Google Drive that took him seven minutes. Explains that this is because Starlink’s own infrastructure It is designed to download content and not so much to raise it, hence the difference in figures between the two processes. Differential. How much would you be willing to pay … Read more

Let us run out of mobile during the blackout was terrible. That will happen to the government is much more worrying

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The mass blackout suffered by Spain and Portugal on April 28 left us without light, but also without being able to communicate with our mobile phones. One would think that government members would have some type of auxiliary system, but the truth is that there seems to be no for these types of situations. “Blind”. Government sources pointed out In the world that during The blackout of April 28 They were “blind” and that “mobile phones did not work, we could not communicate (…) not even among us in the complex and in the ministries.” Not only citizens. During those hours millions of citizens suffered A very irregular service in their mobile communications, and except for some exceptionsthe operators had huge problems to continue serving. That is already worrying, but even more than our rulers suffered those same problems and there is no emergency plan for this type of event. It didn’t work either The alert system, Es-Alert. Mesh b. The Government does not have an auxiliary communications system, and for years the effort was in another direction: to protect the communications of government members in the face of possible spying acts. To do this exists The call Mesh bthe Safe Strategic Communications Support System of the National Crisis Management System and the Government Presidency. The system is used not only in government fields, but also in high state institutions. The government protects from espionage. As they point out In the countrythe government decided in early 2025 to renew its encryption systems to shield communications after espionage scandal made with pegasus. The first phase will be a modernization of technical infrastructure, of which will order The Spanish company Epicom. Together with this renewal, an update of the communications encryption system will also be updated, which until now was carried out with Comsec (Indra) but that will now compete with Secret T (Telefónica). Both are National Development Technologies, a primary condition for these services. Sirdee is not (for the moment) for that. Spain has The Sirdee program (Integral System of Digital Emergency Radiocommunications of the State), which was launched in 2000 and that served more than 150,000 users in Spain. Among them are the National Police, the Civil Guard and even the presidency of the Government. There are specific contingency plans and operational continuity in ministries and strategic bodies, but government members suffered the same problems as citizens. As they point out In networks & Telecomthe Sirdee system, which was based on tetra technology of UHF radio, It is now complementing With broadband systems through EMBM technology, based on LTE/5G connectivity. Sirdee base nodes are usually equipped with backup batteries and diesel generators that allow these equipment and communications to be kept while these active auxiliary solutions can be maintained. High frequency networks. In 1988 the United States created its high frequency communications Shares program (HF, 3 to 30 MHz) with the aim of having a support for the first fixed lines, and later for mobile lines. This system, now under the Department of National Security (DHS), is composed of thousands of HF stations distributed throughout the country and belonging to different federal and state agencies. The system It was used during the 11-S attacks, but also during natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico in 2005. Satellite communication is another option. During the blackout Starlink turned out to be an exceptional alternative During the blackout, and that shows that satellite communications systems can be very useful in this type of events. Europe has been trying to launch its satellite Internet system Through the Iris2 systemwhich is expected to begin to be operational in 2030. Images |Baatcheet Films | Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo In Xataka | The Catalan Sateliot company lifts 70 million euros with a clear objective: to display the “Spanish Starlink of the IoT”

In 2026 the AI ​​will be as powerful as “10 million Nobel Awards” (and that raises a terrible dilemma)

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The CEO of Anthropic, Dario Amodei, has marked in red in 2026 in its calendar, as explained in a long interview with the Podcast China Talk. For then, The technological gap between the United States and China in artificial intelligence It could close, and that would lead to having to make a critical decision: to advance with prudence or accelerate without regard. Why it is important. The arrival of AI models equivalent to “10 million Nobel awards working tirelessly,” says Amodei, will propose an existential dilemma: if China reaches the US in capacity, no country can afford to stop the development to make it safer . “If things are matched, we will have to worry about what they build and at the same time because they dominate us with technology. That puts us in a terrible dilemma where there are no options,” says Amodei. Between the lines. True fear is not competition with China in itself, but it derives in an uncontrolled career that forces us to deploy potentially dangerous technology before being prepared to handle it safely. Some examples that Amodei points out: The development of biological weapons: Deepseek It has already demonstrated the ability to generate information about Bioarmas “that is not easily found in Google or in textbooks.” Although today the models are not “literally dangerous”, this could change “later this year or next.” The lack of restrictions: Amodei points out that The Deepseek model “He had the worst performance of any model that we have tested, without absolutely any blockage” against the generation of dangerous information. The argument against regulation: “If we stop, China will simply ahead us.” This mentality, warns amodei, makes it impossible to implement effective safety regulations. Military capacity: Advanced models will have implications “to control dwarfs or analyze intelligence information,” says the CEO of Anthropic as an example of technologies that could be deployed prematurely by competitive pressure. By the way, Google has just eliminated mention not to develop weapons with AI. In detail. Amodei proposes a strategy with two legs: Maintain a two -year advantage over China through export controls. Use part of that temporary margin to implement security safeguards. “My concern is that if the United States and China are matched in this technology, elbow with an elbow at each stage, there will be nothing that prevents both sides from continuing the technology forward,” explains the CEO of Anthropic. Deepen. The technological career raises a paradoxical scenario: American success in containing China could be the only guarantee to develop a safer AI. But that same success could accelerate an escalation that makes more dangerous technology. The main loser? International cooperation. Although Amodei does not rule out agreements with China, he acknowledges that “there has not been much interest on China” in the security initiatives proposed by the USA. Only a “really convincing danger for human civilization” could change this dynamic. The big question. Is this dilemma inevitable? Amodei suggests that no, but warns that avoiding it would require irrefutable evidence that AI is an existential risk. For now, he says, “the arguments are suggestive enough to worry and take it seriously, but not enough for two competitive superpowers to say ‘okay, let’s stop’”. Indeed, it seems unlikely. In Xataka | I have tried Deepseek on the web and in my Mac. Chatgpt, Claude and Gemini have a problem Outstanding image | Techcrunch, Wikipedia

Without the Omnibus Decree, aid from the MOVES III Plan has also fallen. It is terrible news for the electric car in Spain

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All the aid that the Government hoped to approve with the Omnibus Decree that had to pass the filter of the Council of Deputies has fallen. With 177 votes against added by the Popular Party, Junts and Vox, the Government was not enough the 171 votes in favor that he obtained to carry out his varied package of measures. Among the measures that this Omnibus Decree was found pension increase but also aid for public transport and, consequently, free or reduced transport passes and multi-trip tickets that can no longer be purchased. Only those that were purchased before January 23, 2025 or those of a regional nature whose town councils or autonomous communities maintain. And among those measures was also the extension of the MOVES III Planaid for the purchase of an electric vehicle, and the discount of up to 3,000 euros in the income tax return that can be deducted for the purchase of a car with these characteristics. The fall of some key aid The extension of the MOVES III Plan and the aid itself for the purchase of electric cars has been a huge headache for the Government in the last year. In February 2024Pedro Sánchez, President of the Government, assured in a Forum organized by ANFAC that they would review the MOVES III Plan “in the coming weeks.” Shortly after, Héctor Gómez, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, assured that they were “aware that the MOVES Plan has its strengths and weaknesses. From a temporal point of view, making the aid more flexible so that charged when the vehicle is purchased “It is a step that we are going to take, that is the commitment.” All MOVES III PLAN aid that is no longer active However, months later the situation had not changed. On the first day since the deadline to buy an electric car with aid expires (July 1, 2024), The Government extended this subsidy again, maintaining the same conditions. Until December 31, 2024, it was possible to buy an electric car with aid that starts at 4,500 euros and that in the best of cases reaches 7,000 euros in discounts if a vehicle that is more than seven years old is scrapped. Months later, as in trapped in timetwo weeks before the end of 2024 and, with it, the MOVES III Plan and its aid, we found ourselves in the same situation again: not knowing what would happen to the program. Just a few days later, on December 26, the Government confirmed that we would have Plan MOVES III until June 30, 2025 but that, again, the conditions were exactly the same. Now, with just over 20 days of the year 2025 already gone, anyone who has not had their request to receive purchase aid under the umbrella of the MOVES III Plan You may find yourself with the unpleasant news that you probably won’t receive it. Without support for the Omnibus Decree in which this extension that was already active was contemplated, everything remains up in the air. We do not know if, if a specific measure is approved in Congress (as the Popular Party has requested for an increase in pensions or transport aid), the delivery of aid will be retroactive to all those who formalized the request before its fall. but they did not have approval from the institutions. The news is terrible for the electric car in Spain. The first months of the year always They tend to be a little weaker in salesthe market accepting the last registrations from the previous year, and the electric car is growing but at a very slow pace. In 2024 it grew by 4.21% but its market share remains at 5.36% which represents a technical tie with the figure for 2023 (5.56%). When talking about the reasons for this stagnation, the MOVES III Plan continues to be pointed out as one of the big problems. In some cases The wait to receive aid has been up to three years and in July 2024 we learned that they had been granted aid worth 250 million euros for which there was no money because the fund had already been exhausted. The news coming from neighboring countries is not too optimistic either. In Germany, the largest electric car market in Europe, it has fallen by 27.4% according to ACEA data in his first year without aid for the purchase of electric cars. In Portugal, where purchase aid is direct when purchasing a car, the electric market share is close to 20%. To alleviate this situation and encourage buyers, it has been the manufacturers themselves who are providing a type of purchase aid to the new owners. To encourage sales, they show the car with 7,000 euros discount that, in reality, It is an interest-free loan. to be returned a few months later when (it is hoped) the new buyer has received the aid. The electric car market is having a hard time taking off in Spain. The lack of purchase aid means new stones on a very unpaved road. It remains to be seen what measures the Government takes, if it manages to carry out a new extension of a plan that requires direct aid for purchases or if, on the contrary, we are facing months of absence of government support. What we do know is that in Germany manufacturers trusted in a return to aid and They launched generous discounts in the first months after their subsidies fell. And, despite everything, it hasn’t worked. Photo | renault In Xataka | Norway and China have confirmed that the electric car can lead sales. With (a lot of) help, of course

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