tunnels

The robot with which they want to explore the tunnels of Mars is a ball bug stuffed with dandelion drones

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The human being has been sending rovers to Mars for 30 years. We know a lot about its surface, but there are still many unexplored regions. A good example is its tunnels. The red planet has the largest known network of tunnels in the solar system, but there has been no vehicle capable of entering them and exploring them from within. Therefore, a team of scientists from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology takes several years working on a most original solution: sending a ball bug robot, filled with dandelion drones, to the caves. It sounds very strange, but it makes sense. Biomimetics to enter the tunnels. Professor Mostafa Hassanalian, from New Mexico Tech, has been working on this project for several years, but recently the topic has returned to the networks after he gave statements to space. In them he tells them, in broad strokes, the objective of his research. This is based on biomimetics. That is, in the development of technologies inspired by nature. Specifically, it aims to develop two types of drones: one inspired by scale insects and another that works like dandelion plants. The mealybug, known colloquially as a ball bug, can enter small places and protect its own body by shrinking into a ball. In this case it protects its interior, because it has hidden a lot of tiny robots that spread through the air like dandelion seeds. The problem. Mars is full of tunnels of volcanic origin. Some have been found extending up to 1,200 kilometers, with lava tubes more than 250 meters in diameter. They are not exactly small tunnels. The rovers currently on Mars, such as Curiosity either Perseverancethey do not have the ability to enter these tunnels. Therefore, if there is something interesting, we will not be able to know it until humans travel to the red planet. If what is there is dangerous, it is better to see it before entering. Methods are needed to see inside those tunnels. The solution. Hassanalian’s team has come up with two types of robots. On the one hand, the one that imitates the cochineal is a sphere that can be inserted through a hole dug in the ceiling of the tunnels. Once inside these, the ball opens, like a cochineal that stops turning into a ball, and releases its contents: thousands of small, very light drones, which can travel kilometers away thanks to the wind. Limitations overcome. These types of devices would encounter several obstacles, for which Hassanalian has already thought of a solution. The first would be that we have no idea if there will be enough wind inside the tunnels. We know that Mars can be very windy, reaching 100 kilometers per hour. However, the tunnels could be guarded. Therefore, this scientist plans to incorporate a fan in the main robot to help propel the mini dandelion drones. In addition, the holes that would be made in the ceiling to introduce the robot would help propel the little seeds. On the other hand, sunlight cannot access the interior of the tunnels, so they could not be powered by solar energy. This is solved using piezoelectricity. That is to say, materials that generate electricity when subjected to mechanical pressure. Multitude of sensors. The drones will be loaded with humidity and temperature sensors that will allow the internal conditions of the tunnels to be analyzed. In addition, they would also help map the conduits and make a plan of the Martian tunnel network. All of this would be sent to researchers via radio signals. At the moment, these two types of robots have not been built or tested, but the idea is very promising. With enough funding to make it happen, we would have a very ingenious solution to look into those blind spots on the red planet. And all thanks to an animal and a plant from our own planet. Image | MagnificentDave Huth | Nex México Tech. In Xataka | Elon Musk says it will take 1,000 Starships and 20 years to build the first sustainable city on Mars

Madrid is going to sacrifice one of its busiest tunnels for months. The reason: a new exchanger

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Madrid has several gigantic projects underway. In this house we have talked about the work of the Mayritt tunnel boring machineof the burial of the A-5the improvements and transformation of Metro Madrid, the Sales Parkand countless urban works that they barely give the capital a break. On this occasion, its residents will have another area blocked for a time, as the busiest underpass in the southern area of ​​Madrid will close for ten months to allow progress in another of those great transformations: the new interchange. Why is this happening now? Madrid City Council announced A few hours ago, the Conde de Casal road tunnel would close to traffic in both directions starting at 6:00 a.m. this Friday, and will not reopen until February 2027. The delegate of Urban Planning, Environment and Mobility, Borja Carabante, confirmed it on Thursday at a press conference after the Government Meeting, explaining that the closure is necessary to continue with the works on the new transport interchange and to execute the connection between the lines 6 and 11 Metro. This is a particularly delicate blockade, since according to data consulted by El Diario, 39,000 vehicles pass through this tunnel every day, with greater intensity in the center-outskirts direction and in the afternoon time slot, especially between 3:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. What changes on the road. During the ten months of closure, traffic will be redistributed for the surface. Two entry lanes will be enabled from the A-3 towards the Plaza de Conde de Casal and one exit lane from the Plaza de Conde de Casal towards the A-3 Valencia and the M-30 North. Just before the M-30 bridge, the section entering Madrid from the A-3 will go from two lanes to one. On the other hand, the outbound link branch from the M-30 towards Conde de Casal will remain open. In addition, two turns will be prohibited in the square itself: the turn to the left towards O’Donnell towards Doctor Esquerdo, and the turn to the left from Doctor Esquerdo towards Avenida del Mediterráneo and Glorieta Mariano de Cavia. Starting in September, the council plans to progressively expand the number of surface lanes. Where to go if you want to avoid the area. The Town Hall has published Alternative routes both to enter and leave Madrid. to enter: A-3 – Plaza Conde de Casal – Glorieta Mariano de Cavia; A-3 – Plaza Conde de Casal – Doctor Esquerdo – O’Donnell; or the M-40 for long-distance routes. to leave: Glorieta Mariano de Cavia – Cavanilles – Doctor Esquerdo – surface branch A-3 towards Valencia; Doctor Esquerdo – Plaza Conde de Casal – surface branch A-3 towards Valencia; or O’Donnell – M-30 southbound – A-3. What changes in public transport. The Madrid Regional Transport Consortium (CRTM) has activated several adjustments to the EMT urban bus network. Line E recovers stops 2125 and 2126 near the square, although it stops stopping at 2127 and 2128. Line 32 deviates through Cavanilles towards Conde de Casal. Lines 63, 143 and N9 recover stops near the square. The headers of lines 20, 30 and 140 are still located in the Pavones intermodal area. The Town Hall recommended in its publication the use of public transport to reduce pressure on an area that has already been accumulating traffic restrictions since works began in August 2023. The project behind the chaos. As we have said on several occasions, the objective is to extend Metro line 11 from Plaza Elíptica to Conde de Casal, a 6.9 kilometer route that will include two new stations, in Parque de Comillas and Madrid Río, and three interconnection nodes: Palos de la Frontera with line 3, Atocha with line 1, Cercanías and AVE, and Conde de Casal with line 6. Precisely this last connection will allow, according to Carabantedecongest line 6, which moves a million passengers a day and is the most saturated on the network. In parallel, the transport interchange is being built, which will integrate the buses that currently operate on the surface underground. When it comes into operation, scheduled for the first half of 2027, it will benefit more than 65,000 daily travelers, according to data of the consistory. And meanwhile. The special mobility device activated by the City Council includes the deployment of Municipal Police officers and mobility in the surroundings during the entire works phase. Working hours are limited to between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., a limit that the delegate recalled in response to neighborhood complaints about noise and dust. Carabant recognized that the council is “aware” of the inconvenience, but insisted that the works “are necessary to continue.” Cover image | Madrid City Council In Xataka | The Madrid Cercanías have become a nest of problems and delays: their solution is new “megatrains”

The “highway to heaven” is a monster of 270 viaducts and 25 tunnels

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In the 80s, the Chinese road network had a long way forward. They had no highways, above all, because the bulk of merchandise transport was made by their Rich Railway Network. However, something began to change in the mid-decade with the Shanghai-Jiading highway, and in 2005, the Minister of Transportation was He committed to build 85,000 kilometers in the next 30 years. Of All that networka small segment is starring one of the most imposing highways in the world. The “staircase to heaven” from China. Yaxi Expressway. That of “All roads lead to Rome“In China, it is applied to Beijing. Yaxi Expresswaya section known as “staircase to heaven.” It is a 240 -kilometer segment that joins the cities of Xichang and Ya’an and that built Between 2007 and 2012 for about 3.3 billion dollars. To put it in context, the average cost Construction of a kilometer of new highway in Spain is 8.8 million euros. It depends on many things, but we are talking about an important extra cost in the case of this highway, and seeing how it is, it seems totally justified. SOBRADA. Within those 240 kilometers, the Yaxi Expressway account With 270 viaducts to save considerable slopes, but also has 25 tunnels. In total, the latter add up to 41 kilometers underground. One of those tunnels is that of Nibashan, who has the honor of being the deepest of China by descending about 1,650 meters in just 10 kilometers. Necessary? Yes, since a journey that previously took hours around a mountain is now completed in just ten minutes. But everything that goes down, must have previously upload, and it is precisely why this highway is known as the “staircase to heaven.” The reason is to rise to more than 2,430 meters, with one of the sections raising 7.5 meters per kilometer traveled. There are 51 kilometers of continuous ascent with an average slope of 3%. That ascension, as well as the complete route if you prefer, can be seen perfectly in this video: Surrounding mountains. In that video there is something very interesting that we can see: the spiral -shaped tunnels, but it is something that is also better appreciated in this image of the Maps tour: The reason is that there are two mountains that do not go through as such, but are “surrounding.” With the idea of minimizing the impact on the environment, this way of drawing tunnels was considered the ideal in a complicated area. In the images in which the relief is shown you can see sections of that ‘snail’ appearing from time to time in the mountain: Beyond muscle. This highway is interesting beyond its technical achievements. Because left the virguerías aside, the Yaxi Expressway allows to connect a mountainous and traditionally isolated area that allows the local economy to develop and that ethnic minorities such as Han, Hui or Tibetans have integration easier. Difficult. And, from the point of view of a user of the road, driving on this road is complicated. The weather is changing due to the change of height we experience, it has very technical slow curves and a great slope of both ascent and down, and that difficulty can be seen in various moments of the video that we share above. But well, beyond this, the “highway to heaven” has become a tourist attraction in the region and is another sample of the Powerful civil infrastructure in China. In addition, what most attracts the attention of all this is how the country has undertaken a lot of Extremely complex works In just two or three decades. AND If we talk about bridgesthe thing shoots. Image | Xinhuavideo/New China TV, Chinese curious In Xataka | Three highways, 20 access ramps: China has the most diabolical exchanger in the world in Huangjuewan

The M-30 tunnels are an absolute nightmare for your mobile GPS. Madrid wants to fix it using bluetooth

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If you have ever crossed the tunnels of the M-30it is more than likely that you have run out of coverage at some point. It is a more serious problem than it might seem, since the direct translation of not being clear what the correct exit ends up generating less fluidity and traffic safety. The Madrid City Council is aware of the problemand has announced the installation of a system that will allow GPS navigation systems, such as Google or Waze, to work properly within these areas. The problem. The M30 tunnels are especially extensive and thick, a terrible combination for the signal of the GPS satellites I can end up going through them. It is more than usual to lose connection when we are inside and, taking into account the importance of real -time calculations for current GPS systems, this ends up translating into a insured malfunction. The solution. From this Monday, the Madrid City Council will begin the installation of a Bluetooth electronic beacon system in order to allow guided navigation while we circulate through these tunnels. “The initiative is based on the implementation of location beacons with the objective of resolving the lack of the inviability of GPS navigation inside the tunnels as a result of the lack of visibility of satellites that allow obtaining a precise and continuous positioning through triangulation techniques.” The City Council itself admits that it is unfeasible to use GPS systems inside the tunnel. So in the absence of GPS, Bluetooth. How will it work. Madrid will locate different Bluetooth beacons inside the tunnels, with distances of 20 to 40 meters between each of them. They will be located on the sides of the tunnel by specific supports. These beacons will issue an identification signal to their own position, something that browsers can use to determine where we are. Because yes, although we are accustomed to using GPS signal, navigation apps can use Bluetooth when there is no coverage. Does not work by default. The problem of this measure is that Google Maps, the most used maps app in Spain, does not allow the default Bluetooth to use. It is necessary to navigate to the Android settings, go to “navigation”, and activate the Bluetooth beacons. In iOS the option is not available, although it is enough to activate the location functions so that it can work. Image | Xataka and Madrid City Council In Xataka | GPS locator purchase guide: tips and recommendations to succeed and seven models from 30 euros

A drawing by Leonardo da Vinci hid a hidden map. The work has revealed the secret tunnels of a castle of the 20th century

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Year 1460. Francesco Sforza, the Duke of Milanhe made a decision: he needed a real residence according to his status. Thus, the nobleman seized the ruins of a medieval fortress in northern Italy and, for several years, supervised its reconstruction until it became a huge and majestic residence. Since then, The Sforza Castle took a legend accompanied: Under its foundations, Francesco would have devised a whole secret network of passageways. We had the solution in a picture of Leonardo da Vinci. A sketch as a map. As we said, Leonardo da Vinci’s monumental work continues to reveal secret centuries after his creation. The latest: a team of researchers from the Polytechnic University of Milan, in collaboration with Codevintec and Castillo itself, discovered that the rumors were true. In other words, There is a network of hidden tunnels under the Sforza castle in Milanand have been found based on a sketch of Da Vinci himself dating from the fifteenth century. Apparently, archaeologists used advanced technology to map the subsoil of the structure, such as terrestrial penetration radars and laser scanning, so that they not only confirmed the existence of the passages documented by Da Vinci In the so -called Codex Forster I At the end of the 15th century, but also They found indications of a more extensive system of underground corridors. History and function of tunnels. As we said at the beginning, Sforza Castle was rebuilt by Duke Francesco, although subsequently embellished by his successor, Ludovico Sforzawho apparently hired and He commissioned Da Vinci for the decoration of the castle, including the room Delle Asse, and designing an equestrian monument in honor of Francesco. During that process, the artist left detailed records of a system of underground tunnels and passages that, until now, had not been physically identified. In fact, It is believed that these structures were used for military purposesalthough there were also more personal and ceremonial passages. For example, one of the discovered tunnels connects the castle with the Basilica of Santa Maria Delle Graziewhere the iconic painting “The Last Supper” is located, as well as the tombs of the Sforza family, which suggests possible private access to the mausoleums of the nobility. Plus: Historians have raised the possibility that Ludovico Sforza use this tunnel to visit his wife’s tomb, Beatrice d’Ete, buried in the basilica. Technology and future research. The truth is that the finding not only expands the understanding of the castle’s architecture, but also opens new opportunities for the digital reconstruction of the site. Moreover, with the aim of developing a “digital twin” of the Sforza Castle, researchers plan to integrate the technology of augmented reality, allowing visitors to virtually explore these inaccessible spaces and know previously unknown historical details. “The objective is to create a digital model that not only represents the current appearances of the castle but also allow to explore the past, recovering historical elements that are no longer visible,” he settled in A statement Franco GuzzettiProfessor at the Polytechnic of Milan. And all thanks to Da Vinci and his ingenuity. Image | Sailko In Xataka | Leonardo Da Vinci established “The Tree rule” 500 years ago. Now we have discovered that he was wrong In Xataka | A Saudi prince paid $ 450 million for a Da Vinci box. The problem is that it may not be Da Vinci

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