weeks

I have measured the CO2 of my office for weeks. And now religiously vento every hour and a half

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I’ve spent a few weeks trying The Netatmo Meteorological Station In my office, a ten -square -meter cubicle where the workday passed. August in Valencia is brutal: 35 degrees and 75% moisture at noon are normal values. But what I really wanted to verify was not the temperature or moisture. It was the CO2 concentration. The first Monday I started curious. At 8:05 a.m., with an open window and door since Friday, the sensor marked 438 ppm, atmospheric level. I started working. At 9:30 a.m., 455 ppm, minimum increase. Then I closed door and window to simulate winter conditions. Effects of CO2 concentration on the environment. Image: Vobu. At thirty minutes: 802 ppm. An hour later: almost 1,400 ppm. A little later: more than 1,600 ppm. Had already begun to notice That characteristic mental fatigue, that heaviness That a few days blame for fatigue. That inability to do well what you usually do well, mixed with apathy. It is not placebo, there are plenty of studies that support it. As Este de Harvard and Syracuse of 2015: The levels between 1,000 and 2,500 ppm – manner in offices – reduce up to 15% the yield in complex cognitive tasks. In decision -making, Hasdta 23%. I opened the window but not the door. The CO2 dropped from 1,600 to 800 ppm in 25 minutes. The next day, with cross current: same descent in 12 minutes. Half. A difference that did not expect so marked. In a short time, the level returned to 450 ppm. Graph of the Netatmo application during one of the tests: all night with the empty office, beginning of the morning working with everything open. I closed door and window. And when I reached the peak of almost 1,600 ppm, I opened back and window. And the fall was even faster than the climb. Image: Xataka. This shows the Netatmo app interface the CO2 concentration, visually indicating its condition, along with other values. Image: Xataka. Another test. Only opening door or window, the fall is slower than if we open both to create a current. Something we know always, but now we can quantify and assume with greater awareness. Image: Xataka. Netatmo has an error margin of ± 100 ppm up to 1,000 ppm, ± 10% above. It is not laboratory precision, but to understand your home it serves. The important thing is not the exact number but the evolution and its correlation with how you feel. With the passing of the days, varying openings and closures, I began to detect patterns. Ventilating more frequently than usual, sporadic apathy and mental mist. They are directly correlated with air renewal. Which takes me to the next point: The air conditioning. I sensed that I would not improve the concentration of CO2. Indeed: the air moves and cools, but does not renew it. Purifiers would not help except that they have outdoor entrance. They filter particles, do not eliminate gases such as carbon dioxide. When looking at the graph in more detail it is easy to see that by a lot of ventilation and current that there is, a human breathing inevitably increases the concentration of CO2 in the stay, and in a cumulative way. Although within the appropriate values. Around 6:00 h entered a few minutes (climb), I left shortly (low) and then returned to spend the whole morning (go up) until I went to eat (low). As if he had a presence detector. Image: Xataka. Image: Xataka. I brought the netatm to bedroom. Two people sleeping with a closed window and open door: CO2 rose from 450 to 1,100 ppm. Heavy awakening, feeling of not having rested. Next night with open window: maximum 640 ppm. I woke up remarkably clearer. He has convinced me to sleep with open window even in winter. The station measures more: interior/exterior temperature (with the separate module), humidity, barometric pressure, noise. It is expandable with pluviometer and anemometer. Elegant app, indefinite historical, integration Homekit flawless. But living vertically and without garden, for me the real value is in CO2. On the integration with homekit: when CO2 went from 1,100 ppm, this notification reached me in Mac (image) and iPhone. Image: Xataka. And notification on the iPhone. Image: Xataka. I have learned that working with more than 1,000 ppm is to function at 70% cognitive. The problem: do not notice immediately. Like that second cup that you think harmless until you try to add the head account. Now a lot more. Permanently open windows or, when time prevents it, more frequent openings than before. Do you justify 110 euros This learning? If you work in closed spaces, yes. Not for the apparatus, but for the consciousness it generates. He used to ventilate when “noticed the loaded atmosphere.” Now I know that when I notice, I’ve been working badly for an hour. It is the difference between driving with velocimeter or eye. The paradoxical thing is that after three weeks, Netatmo has taught me not to need it. My body has internalized the times and signs. I recognize that very slight ocular heaviness, that subtle friction in words flow. But Without the sensor’s objective data, I would never have developed this sensitivity. It’s like learning to refine an instrument: you first need the fingerboard, then your ear learn to recognize dissonance on its own. Netatmo Wifi Interior Wireless Meteorological Station, with wall, thermometer, hygrometer, soundometer, air quality, compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple and Google, NWS-AMZ Outstanding image | Xataka In Xataka Science | Can you run out of oxygen if you get into a small room with many people? This device has been assigned to test by Netatmo. You can consult How do we do the reviews in Xataka and Our business relations policy.

After weeks of concern, the Mediterranean is very close to normal. The heat wave threatens to throw everything into the fret

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Something has changed sharply in the Mediterranean Sea: its temperature. If a few weeks ago the sea that unites Europe, Africa and Asia burning, now the surface temperature of the sea has plummeted to almost normal values, only slightly above what we could expect during these summer dates A few tenth. The latest data on the surface temperature in the Mediterranean Sea have given us good news in the form of stabilization. According to the data Of the coastal observation and prediction system of the Balearic Islands (Socib), as of August 7, the Mediterranean surface is, on average, at 26.03º Celsius. This implies an anomaly was 0.54º Celsius, that is, the sea is more than half a hot than what would correspond at this time. As a contrast, in the middle of June We reported that this anomaly was 2.26º. East to the west. The sea temperature has decreased on average, but has also changed in its distribution. A few weeks ago the focus of the heat was in the Western Mediterranean, while to the east the temperatures were warm but more moderate. Now it happens just the other way around. According to the Socib datathe average west temperature of the Mediterranean is 25.01º, which implies a thermal anomaly of 0.29º. Meanwhile, the eastern side is at 27.06º, 0.81º more than what would be normal in that area and on these dates. A very diverse sea. The data allow us to analyze the change in different regions and, perhaps the area where this change is most palpable, the Northwest Mediterranean. Here, at the beginning of July the thermal anomaly was around four degrees. Now is the most “normal” area of the sea, with a positive anomaly of only 0.17º. Another of the spotlights a few weeks ago was in the surroundings of the Balearic Islands, especially in the waters of the National Park of the Cabrera Archipelago. In these areas, thermal anomaly on June 12 was 3rd and 3.18º respectively. Now, the environment of the Balearic archipelago is only 0.36º above the average, while the waters of the Cabrera archipelago have an anomaly of 0.35º. What happened? June was an extremely warm month in Spain, but it was also hotter than normal in other areas. The absence of section of section and high insolation made the Mediterranean a boiling pot, but the month of July was different. The arrival of a time less torrid in a month of July in which the storms took the prominence in the Mediterranean basin changed this. “Thanks to the dynamics of atmospheric circulation in recent weeks, with the passage of different troughs, the surface waters of the Mediterranean already draw a panorama with a more normal spatial variability,” explained on social networks The physicist, disseminator and researcher at Aemet JJ German. Without throwing the bells on the flight. The descent of temperatures is great news: a Mediterranean too warm increases the risk of storms and copious rainfall like the ones we see in Danas and in episodes of “cold drop”. The question now is to know if this stabilization will be lasting or if we will see a new thermal rebound in marine waters. August has started with a heat wave in Spain with reach beyond the peninsula. June’s thermal rest has ended and we do not know how this change to the waters of the Mediterranean will affect. The issue is relevant due to the environmental and meteorological problems that this overheating would imply. In Xataka | “The Mediterranean already has only three stations”: the European Observatory of the drought confirms that winter is dying Image | Valentin Perret / ECMWF

He left his tesla Cybertruck plugged in and went on vacation. Two weeks later, the vehicle no longer lit

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Imagine the scene. You have a tesla and you are about to go on vacation. The trip will be by plane, so you face an immediate decision:leave the car plugged in During the two weeks you will be out or wait to connect it when returning? If you follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, the answer is clear: it is best to leave it plugged in. That was exactly what Aj Esguerra did, resident in Arizona. The official advice followed to the letter. But when he returned home after his break, he ran into an unpleasant surprise: his Tesla Cybertruck did not respond. This is what they tell in Motorpasion Mexico. What failed? We go in parts. What happened exactly to cybertruck At first glance, everything seemed in order. As the user explains in a group of Tesla ownersthe charger worked, the car had been left with 79 % battery and the Tesla app showed that the load limit It was set at 80 %. But when returning on vacation, Aj Esguerra encountered the last thing one would expect from a connected vehicle: a completely inert cybertruck. “I need help: we were out two weeks and when returning, the Cybertruck does not turn on at all,” he explained. I couldn’t even open the doors. He restarted the charger – the blue light went to flash in red – and began to consider hypotheses: “I live in Arizona and this week we have had record temperatures. Could the battery have overheated and damaged the battery?” AJ contacted the technical service through the app and, as he said, the answer was immediate. “The Tesla service is on its way. They responded quickly through the application and received a call immediately,” he explained. The technicians managed to access the interior of the vehicle, put it in a provisional way and They transferred to a service center For a more complete diagnosis. There came the final explanation. The problem was not the battery, nor the heat, nor an error when programming the load. The failure was in a key component of the Cybertruck electrical system: the Power conversion system (PCS). According to Esguerra, the technicians ruled out that the breakdown was related to having left the car plugged in. In fact, they reiterated that this is still the recommended practice. The good news: Tesla took over the reparation without any cost for the owner. Thus, the vehicle worked normally. What is the power converter and what does it do As Skill-Lync points outthe SCP plays a fundamental role: it is in charge of managing how electrical energy in the vehicle enters and is distributed. When we connect the car to a power outlet, the SCP transforms that alternating current (CA) in direct current (CC) To load the main, high voltage battery. But he doesn’t stay there. Power conversion system He is also responsible for keeping the car’s auxiliary systems – such as lights, internal electronics or sensors – through a second conversion: high voltage to a lower voltage. It is composed of several key elements: CC-CC converters, filters, electronic controllers and a liquid cooling system to avoid overheating. In the cybertruck is located in the auxiliary compartment Known as the “Ancillary Bay”, which requires the removal of some sheets to access it. The official recommendations Tesla makes it clear in the cybertruck user manual: The most important thing to preserve the high voltage battery is leave the vehicle plugged in When not used. This is literally indicated by the manufacturer, which warns that the car, even off, continues to consume energy progressively. And if the load falls to zero, damage that does not cover the warranty can occur. In addition, Tesla recommends not waiting for the load level to be low to plug the car. In fact, he affirms that the system pays better if it is kept loaded regularly, even if it is not used. And in case of a prolonged trip, it advises to calculate that the vehicle loses around 1 % battery per day, although that figure can vary depending on the temperature or vehicle configuration. The background message is clear: nothing happens to leave it plugged for weeks, provided that everything works correctly. Although, as we have seen in this case, sometimes things do not go as expected. So, is it safe to leave the car plugged for weeks? In theory, yes. It is what Tesla recommends and is what Aj Esguerra did. But the case of his cybertruck shows that, in practice, Other factors can come into play They escape user control. For example, a peak of voltage in the electricity grid, a punctual failure in the charger or overheating due to extreme temperatures can trigger a chain of errors difficult to detect if no one is there to intervene. In the absence of supervision, a minor incident may end up becoming a major problem. Esguerra himself acknowledged that, before leaving, forgot to schedule the load for the freshest hours. The Cybertruck was carrying day, in the middle of heat wave in Arizona, for several days in a row. Although Tesla did not attribute the failure to heat or continuous load, that context helps to understand how certain environmental factors can increase risk, especially in extreme climates. So, leaving the car plugged in is recommended. But it is also to ensure that the charger works correctly, that the environment is safe and that the electrical installation is protected against unforeseen events. In that balance between trust and prevention is where you should really reduce the possibilities of meeting any type of inconvenience. Images | Formulate (CC By-SA 2.0) | Tesla In Xataka | Norway has tested the real autonomy of electric cars. His verdict: Tesla and Chinese brands are ahead

We had been waiting for temperatures down weeks. Once again a price has come: hail

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The forecasts indicated that the worst Effects of the Paso de la Vaguada They would make themselves feel between yesterday afternoon and today. Forecasts that seem to be fulfilled, with abundant rainfall and located floods. However, if something has stood out on social networks of the first hours of the arrival of the storms, it has been the large hail that has been collected in some areas. Barcelona, in the center of the storm. The province of Barcelona has been the area where the passage of the trough that since yesterday sweeps the Mediterranean basin has been noticed, leaving in its path important stormy episodes with rain, hail and wind. Yesterday, the State Meteorology Agency (AEMET) He issued a notice Red for extreme risk in the area of central depression of Barcelona. The Aemet data Today show the effects of these stormy episodes in the province: as the 50 mm of rainfall collected yesterday in Prats de Lluçanès, or the 49.6 mm of Caldes de Montbui. At 11:00 today had already been collected 42.2 mm in the town of Vilafranca del Penedès. Hails. However, it has not been the amount of water that has caught the attention of the areas through which the storms have passed, but the hail. Its size, to be more concrete: they have gathered Pedriscos up to five centimeters. Cold trough, hot Mediterranean. The passage of the trough, an anomally deep trough for this time of year, has been the trigger for this situation, but to get here they have had to coaligate different factors. Factors such as Levante’s wind, loaded with moisture, which intermingle with the cold air of the trough, or as the surface temperature of the Mediterranean Sea, still high after several weeks several degrees above what would correspond. This situation has given rise to the appearance of the convective systems responsible for storms and rainfall seen in recent hours. Also of those we will see in the next. Still active warnings. The red notice activated yesterday inside Barcelona is no longer active, but Aemet keeps active A series of notices, including orange notices due to important risk, associated with rains and storms. Active notices affect much of the southeast quadrant of the Peninsula, in addition to the Balearic Islands and areas of the Catalan Pyrenees. The orange notices They concentrate today in the west of Castilla-La Mancha and the interior of the Region of Murcia. Active notices for tomorrow also include orange warnings due to rains and storms that will affect the Region of Murcia. They will be accompanied by yellow notices in a broader region in the southeast of the Peninsula, Catalonia, also the Balearic Islands. Attentive to evolution. The situation will improve only progressively. Some notices Aemet meteorlogics will still be kept active during Saturday in Catalonia, where rainfall is expected to reach 20 mm in an hour. Temperatures however will go up during the day, especially in the opposite area of the Iberian Peninsula: The forecasts The agency advances temperatures above 36º degrees in low areas of the southwest peninsular. In Xataka | The hydrological bonanza could not be eternal: drought is a real threat after an extremely warm, and also dry June Image | ECMWF / Grace Murry

Melilla has been with its collapsed systems for two weeks. Now, Villajoyosa has joined the party

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Villajosa City Council (Alicante) has suffered a very similar luck to that of the Melilla: A cyber attack has completely left ko the computer services of the municipality. In this case, the attackers have not yet attributed authorship, and from the City Council they anticipate that the recovery process will last “several days.” What happened. A cyber attack classified as ransomware The municipal computer systems has left out of the City Council itself. At the moment, the damages caused are being evaluated while trying to restore the service as soon as possible. The City Council claims to be working with the Cybersecurity Operations Center (COCS), under the National Cryptographic Center, to accelerate the process of return to normal. Meanwhile, they warn that the systems will be inactive for “several days.” How is this type of attack. Cyber ​​attacks classified as ransomware They have a very concrete purpose: Ask for a ransom. The way of operating is clear and consistent: The computer is infected Your data is kidnapped An economic rescue is requested to release them Who has the computer on, to turn it off urgently. Local media They confirm that the event began last Wednesday night, warning the City Council to its workers to immediately turn off any administration computer. The next morning, the City Council reported that its public service services were “attending manually, with the limitations that in some cases can entail.” Municipal sources point to more than 300 infected computers. A case that sounds to us. The case of Villajoyosa is important because it is the second that Spain suffers in just two weeks. Melilla has been with her collapsed computer services by a cyber attack attributed to a Russian cybercriminal group. At the beginning of this week, the figure requested by the group that assumed the authorship: 1.8 million euros in exchange for almost 4 tb of information. Among her, “all the inhabitants of the city”, tourists and information committed on public office. No solution to sight. Villajoyosa speaks of “several days” to restore the service, but there is no specific date. Melilla already has fourteen days of computer chaos, refusing to pay for the rescue and with the National Intelligence Center (CNI) working to recover the encrypted data. Studies tell us that paying an attack by ransomware increases the chances of attacking you againso the solution is not so simple. (Almost) at the head. Spain It is one of the most attacked countries in the world by cybercriminalshaving suffered a wave of cyber attacks in recent months. The last, this week, investigating a data filtration related to the president of the Government, Pedro Sánchez. Giants like Microsoft bet Por European security programs, offered without cost and in order to share intelligence on threats. Measures and proposals that do not seem enough to a growing phenomenon. Image | Denisdoukhan In Xataka | Europe and Spain are suffering a wave of cyber attacks. So Microsoft has decided to take action on the matter

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

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

Chrome has been failing to some Windows users at least two weeks. Everything points to a responsible, and it is not Google

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The world’s most used browser has been giving problems to some users of Windows 10 and Windows 11. Chromethat The global market share on computers dominate with more than 60%it is failing unexpectedly: just open it and shows no error messages. For those who suffer it, it is as if it had directly ceased to exist. No warning, without solution. In Google’s official forumsdozens of users have been warning of these sudden closures since the beginning of June. The usual solutions – Reinstall Chrome, restart the system – do not work. The problem persists and, until now, there was no clear explanation. Is Microsoft the culprit? As explained A spokeswoman for Chrome’s support team, the error is already being investigated. And the most striking thing is that the failure does not seem to have its origin in Google, but in a function of Microsoft 365 For Windows. Everything points to Microsoft Family Safety. When this function is activated, Chrome stops working. It is not clear if it is a recent change in the browser or an error in the Microsoft tool itself. Family Safety allows you to establish time limits in front of the screen and filter inappropriate content. It is an especially useful function for parents who want to supervise the use of the computer by their children. A temporary solution. For now, there is no official patch. According to The VergeMicrosoft has not spoken and Google has not given more technical details either. However, there is a way to recover Chrome: disable the filter of inappropriate websites within Family Safety. Of course, doing so implies leaving one of the key barriers to protect minors. Images | Google + Photoshop | Google In Xataka | Microsoft Edge has become the second browser after Chrome. At the expense of an almost intrusive insistence

A strange night a whistle has been listening for weeks in Vigo. They just found the culprit

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There are phenomena whose sounds They challenge not only reason, but even the very perception of reality. One of them is remembered in Scotland Since the late 90s, a low frequency buzz that is heard in different enclaves and that in recent times he has returned strongly. In Spain something similar to this part happened in an area of ​​Vigo. Weeks with acute noise when the night that had altered the dream of the neighbors. The problem is that they have just detected the “guilty”, and has a difficult solution. The mystery had wings. It The Faro de Vigo had. For weeks, the neighborhood of Vigo’s journey and Aragón Street has lived in confusion and irritation because of an acute, intermittent and persistent beep that began at nightfall and repeated every two or three seconds until dawn. The initial suspicion fell to multipable guilty: a spoiled alarm after the blackout of April 29, a port of the port amplified by the wind, or even some damaged traffic light out of decibels. The neighbors, unveiled and perplexed, mobilized to find the origin of the annoying sound, called 010, patrolled the streets in search of sound tracks and requested the intervention of the local police. In the end, neither industrial alarms nor port machinery: the author of the beep has turned out to be An unexpected creature and surprising, whose presence had gone unnoticed until then because of its historical silence and its expertise for camouflage. Small and nocturnal. Yes, apparently, the Local Police, after inspecting the area and confirming that it was not any mechanical source, identified the person in charge: a European autillo (Otus Scops), one of the smallest raptors in Europe (does not exceed 20 cm in length or 100 grams of weight) whose song remembers a high frequency electronic whistle. In fact and how I told the middle The biologist of SEO BirdLifeGustavo Ferreiro, the repetitive beep is part of the AVE mating ritual, which is in this time in an incubation phase. In other words: the autillo does not sing to bother, but to communicate its presence, claim territory and maintain the link with your partner during the breeding. Invisibility. Although common in southern Pontevedra, his nightlife and his perfect camouflage among the trees make him an almost inhabitant invisible which can only be detected by your voice. In this caseHabitat’s choice was an urban environment with dense vegetation and old trees, which surround the Matías Park and a nearby abandoned house. European Autillo Survival paradoxes. The case also offers other readings. The paradoxical is that The European Autilloonce a rural bird, it is today forced to take refuge in urban environments due to the loss of biodiversity In the field. Agricultural intensification has eliminated large trees, essential for nesting, and the massive use of pesticides has decimated insect populations that are fed. Thus, the natural habitat has degraded to such an extent that birds seek shelter in urban parks, where they can still find cavities and some food. This forced migration to the city is a reflection of the ecological decline in which the species is found, already included in The “vulnerable” category In the Red Book of the Birds of Spain 2021. Thus, the presence of the Autillo in Vigo is not an isolated anomaly, but rather a symptom of a deep change in the distribution and behavior of many species affected by human pressure on ecosystems. Endangered species. The case of the beep in Vigo demonstrates how a daily discomfort can actually be the life sign of an endangered species. What began as a sleep disturbance became an opportunity to reflect on coexistence between the city and nature. The case reminds others where the presence of cities ends up modifying the life of species. In fact, in Valencia something similar has happened With another copy. EITHER In Icelandwhen the frailecillos season begins and humans hunt them and throw them through the cliffs (by A good reason). In this case, climate change and cities lights threaten the survival of birds. With the autillo, the loss of biodiversity is what is throwing them into such Obern Like cities. That said, and if everything follows its course, the song will send for the neighbors in August, when the chicks and the priorities of the bird change from the courtship to the care. Image | Counting stars, Frank Vassen In Xataka | We have been knowing where a strange sound has been coming from. Now he has returned strongly to an island of Scotland In Xataka | In 1960 a strange sound was detected under the waters of Antarctica. Not only do we still have no response: it is multiplying

Spacex has been scratching his head for 11 weeks to relaunch Starship. Now he finally has green light to fly again

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After two consecutive explosions At the beginning of the year, Spacex has received permission from the US government for the ninth Starship test flight, which has just been announced for the night of Tuesday, May 27. The company has detailed the changes in the ship and the causes of the previous failure. To the third is the defeated? Starbase technicians have been working frantically to implement improvements in the prototype that will fly in the ninth proof mission of the Starship program. This attempt comes after two consecutive failures of a new version of the ship, known as Starship Block 2. Spacex has completed countless earth tests. After advancing in the investigation of the previous flight and with the authorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in hand, everything is ready for the world’s largest rocket to surf the skies again. If there are no setbacks, the launch window will open on Tuesday, May 27 at 18:30, local time of Texas (01:30 in the morning of Wednesday 28 on Spanish peninsular hours). Problem solved. In the two previous flights, which took place in January and March, Starship had a premature and explosive ending: the upper stage engines went out ahead, the ship lost control and ended up disintegrating itself into the upper atmosphere, spreading their remains near the Bahamas and the Turkish Islands and Caicos. A hard blow for Spacex, which had requested permission for 25 Starship test flights per year. The January flight investigation, supervised by the FAA, determined that the flight failure had originated from a liquid oxygen escape and the consequent fire in the ship’s motor compartment, caused by more intense vibrations than expected. Although Spacex made adjustments for the March flight, the ship failed again, giving rise to endless rumors about a design error In Starship version 2, slightly higher and with a new fuel feed system. The findings of the investigation, newly publishedThey reveal that the second incident was not related to the first, and that the vibrations problem had been solved before flight 8. What failed on the flight. According to the March flight investigation, supervised by the FAA, the most likely cause of the loss of the ship was a hardware failure in one of its three central raptor engines. The ruling caused an accidental mixture and ignition, which caused an explosion. Immediately after the explosion, the other two central engines and a vacuum raptor engine went out, causing Starship to lose control again. Spacex believes that the flight termination system was activated after he lost communications with the ship, ensuring its disintegration. The improvements. Since the vibrations problem had already been solved with the implemented mitigations for flight 8, Spacex has now focused on the upper stage of the upper Starship stage, which have received reinforcements in key joints, a new system of nitrogen purge and improvements in the propellente drainage system. It is a temporary solution that will cease to be necessary after the introduction of the raptor 3 engine, which has a more minimalist design with the integration of several components and includes reliability improvements to address this type of failures. Anyway, the FAA takes for good changes in the Raptor 2, highlighting that Spacex “has satisfactorily approached the causes of the mishap of flight 8”. Tuning. A few days ago, the company successfully completed a long -lasting static ignition of the six starship 35 engines, the prototype that it will use in the ninth flight. This test has been an important stumbling block for flight 9 because the ship needed several attempts to complete it. In a first attempt in early May, one of the engines issued a strong flash and part of its material came out. After the successful ignition, the Ship 35 returned to production facilities for final preparations; Presumably, the load of Starlink satellites and touch -up models in their thermal shield. How will flight 9 be. The flight profile of the next week will be very similar to that of failed attempts, but with several important milestones. The super heavy rocket that will boost the ship, the booster 14, will be The first to be reused After its previous January flight, in which it rose to the edge of the space, separated from the Starship ship and returned to the launch platform to be trapped in the air through its mechanical arms. 29 of the 33 propeller engines are “second -hand”, although they were performed exhaustive inspections and only one -use components were replaced (such as the ablative thermal shield). Of course, this time it will not be recovered: the booster 14 will maneuver directly on the sea to Try a flight profile More risky, with a quick turn after the separation of stages, a more aggressive angle in the descent and a deliberately off motor in the spareness maneuver. As for the Starship 35. The ship, on the other hand, will reach more than 160 kilometers of altitude and will demonstrate for the first time the load deployment, launching eight Starlink simulators with its system inspired by the caramels dispensers of fish. An hour after takeoff, it will resent the Indian Ocean to perform controlled ametering. Beyond overcoming the above problems, one of the pending objectives is to prove the improved thermal shield of the Starship Block 2, which will be crucial to reuse the ship. The previous failures prevented the rocket from reaching the point where this shield comes into play: the reentry. Spacex has eliminated a significant number of thermal tiles to test vulnerable areas. On flight 9 will try new metal tiles (One of them with active refrigeration) and new capture accessories for future landings. The new alerons of the ship will also be tested during the reentry. The planes will be further this time. Despite the vote of confidence in Spacex, FAA has imposed some conditions, as the expansion of aerial exclusion zonesboth in the United States and in other countries. The danger zone for aircraft will be extended … Read more

China is drowning rare earth supply and in six weeks there will be a victim: European electric cars

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China has completely stopped The export of rare criticisms. In fact, during the last year and a half this Asian country has used its dominance over rare earths as A pressure tool on your rivals. On December 21, 2023, the administration led by Xi Jinping decided to restrict the export of some of its rare earth processing technologies, and this was only the tip of the iceberg. The last kick linked to these important metals was given by China to the US on April 4. Just 24 hours after Donald Trump announced the taxes that he was going to apply to the importation of most products from abroad, the administration led by Xi Jinping replied. And he did it with forcefulness. In early December 2024 He chose to prohibit The export of some critical minerals to the US, among which were three essential metals: gallium, Germanio and antimony. The European electric car can suffer if China continues with the hand brake This story does not end here. At the beginning of last April the Chinese government added two more critical metals to its list of export restrictions: Scandio and Disposio. These chemical elements are probably less known than metals prohibited by China previously, such as Gallium or Germanio, but are at least as important as the latter because they have a fundamental role in the industries of integrated circuits, telecommunications and the manufacture of storage devices. And just two weeks later, in mid -April, the administration led by Xi Jinping did not hesitate to take another step forward with the purpose of putting in check, in addition to the industries that I just mentioned, those of electric cars, aeronautics and advanced armament. And is that, according to The New York Times, has effectively suspendedin addition to the export of the most valuable rare earths, that of the elements involved in the manufacture of high -power magnets that have a critical role in the industries that I have cited in this same paragraph. Chinese authorities are taking the high -power magnets acquired by electric cars manufacturers throughout the country Chinese authorities are retaining in ports throughout the country not only rare earths, but also high -power magnets acquired by electric cars manufacturers throughout the planet, aerospace companies, chip factories and armament companies. Many of these organizations have high -power magnet reserves made with rare earths, but possibly only allow them to subsist a few months. For many years China has produced More than 90% of rare earths. Australia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Canada, Brazil, Tanzania or the US, among other countries, also produce these metals, but the largest deposits located so far of these elements reside in China. And, curiously, the country led by Xi Jinping too The processing industry dominates to which it is necessary to submit rare earth so that they can be used. So much so that its quota if we stick to the global processing industry amounts to 90%. China’s export controls are directed mainly to the US, but Europe is not unscathed. At least for the moment. In fact, in Germany, which as we all know is the heart of the European car industry, There are already experts who assure that if China continues to retain rare earths and electric motors some essential parts of the electric cars production chain They will stop in no more than six weeks. For the European car industry this blow would be very difficult to fit. However, while still having some reservations Europe has the opportunity to negotiate with China to avoid this very difficult situation. Everything is not lost yet. Image | Xataka More information | Automobilwoche In Xataka | China is about to have the ability to make 5 Nm chips, although it faces a difficult solution problem

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