works

What is, how it works, main novelties, and when will it be available

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Let’s explain What is Sora 2 and what are its main characteristics. We will also tell you what differences with the previous version this new step forward in the creation of videos by artificial intelligencethat comes from the hand of the same creators of Chatgpt. Let’s start remembering you What is Soraso you know what we are referring exactly. Then, we will tell you the main characteristics of its new version, as well as the differences with its predecessor and some other things that you should take into account, such as When will it be available To be used in Spain. What is Sora 2 and how it works Sora is an artificial intelligence model developed by Openai. Just as this company has created Chatgpt to answer your questions already by text Dall-e To generate images through your Prompts, Sora creates videos from your text requests. Come on, it is an AI to create videos from scratch. This artificial intelligence is very similar to the models that create images, and at the same time is based on the technology of language model such as GPT. First is capable of Understand what you ask with a natural languagesince it has been trained to understand the way we talk and express ourselves. After understanding what you have asked in a prompt, Sora will proceed to create videos in which what you have asked for is seen in motion. And what is more will create videos with synchronized audio From the text instructions that you give. With this new version of Sora you will be able to upload an image that you want, then create a video from it. Besides, you are also going to Be able to use your own face and your voice To create videos with her. Sora 2 is accompanied by a social applicationsomething like a kind of Tiktok specialized in creating, sharing or mixing videos that have been generated from artificial intelligence. Main characteristics of Sora 2 As expected in the new version of an artificial intelligence model, Sora 2 has improved his realism When creating images. The physics of their compositions has also improved, making object movements and interactions more realistic. With these improvements there is a real step forward in the creation of videos by AI, with much more realism. Sora 2 too Add synchronized audio to videos. Come on, that in your prompt you can add a script, so that AI can make that if you believe a person speaking to hear her with her voice. In addition to this, You can also add sound or ambient sound effects To improve the atmosphere of the scenes you generate. This artificial intelligence has also added a characteristic called Cameos. With her, You can use your own photo and your voice To create videos in which you appear speaking. Come on, just as with those of creating images you can use your face, with Sora you can also use your face and voice to make the videos. When you do this you will have to verify your identity so that Sora makes sure that a face and a voice with consent is being used. Of course, you can also give permission to other people or friendships so they can insert you into their creations. Varied visual styles have also been added, so that you can specify that the videos have a realistic, cinematographic, anime, and some others. Thus, you will better understand the type of video and the way you expect to see. Sora 2 also improves your ability to create videos with complex instructions, which include several shots, changing styles or that maintain common elements between the scenes. When will it be available Sora 2 is currently in the test phase, and is only available in the United States and using an invitation. There is still no concrete date For the arrival of its final version, or for when it begins to be available in countries like Spain. At the moment, if you are going to use Sora in Spain You will have to settle for the previous version. Sora 2’s application is not yet available in Spain. At the moment its initial deployment has been carried out in the United States and Canada, and only in the iOS operating system. Openai has also promised to extend it to more countries, but there are still no dates. This service starts free of charge but with limits in its use, which depend on the computing capacity you have at all times. Come on, how many people are using it. But as evident, if you have chatgpt payment plans you can use it with higher image quality and less limits.

Pleasure, homosexuality and STDs in the animal kingdom. A specialist dismantles myths on how sex works outside our species

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Forget about the idea that animals only have sex to reproduce. Dolphins, bats, rams, bonobos or lions show that homosexual pleasure and behaviors are also part of nature. And not only that: there are species that change sex, that transmit diseases such as chlamydia or that transform their body to imitate genitals. All this composes a panorama as unexpected as fascinating. Science and apartthe Xataka section that was born to look at science with magnifying glass and do it in the company of experts, Return with a new episode in Our YouTube channelalso available on Spotify and Ivoox. On this occasion, Ángela Blanco interviews Ricardo MoureBiologist and Doctor in Biotechnology, with a very clear purpose: to explore what biology has discovered about sex in animals and leave aside the myths that we still drag. One of the points of the conversation is homosexuality in the animal kingdom. Moure clarifies from the beginning: “To be correct at a technical level, in animals we cannot talk about homosexual individuals or homosexual animals. We talk about homosexual behaviors“And add concrete examples:” Among the rams, one in five has sex with both males and females, and one in 10 only with other males. “ Another of the issues raised by the interview is that of pleasure in animal sex. Moure recognizes the difficulty of measuring it: “In the case of whether animals feel some kind of sexual pleasure, this is complicated because, of course, we cannot get into the mind of an animal and know its subjective perception, but it is true that it has been investigated if there are species in which there is sexual pleasure.” The clearest examples appear in social species, from primates to cetaceans, where relationships do not always seek offspring. Among the most graphic examples mentioned by Moure is the relationship between sexual behavior and the size of the testicles. “The size of the testicles depends a little on this,” he says. The contrast is striking: “Gorillas can reach 200 kg, they have testicles that are like two olives (…) but instead bonobos (…) They have very large testicles”The key is in sperm competition, which favors species where females maintain relations with several males. It also stops in the biological mechanisms that allow some species to change sex. “When a male clown fish is widowed, it changes sex and becomes the female,” Moure details, remembering that all these fish are born males and that their role depends on the structure of the group. But there are more factors that alter the proportion of sexes: “humans also greatly affect the distribution of sexes because of climate change,” he says. The interview also addresses a less known aspect: sexually transmitted diseases in animals. “A case that draws a lot of attention is that of the Koalas. The Koalas in Australia have a CLAMIDIA EPIDEMIA that the species is being loaded, ”says Moure. The problem is serious because it causes infertility and is very difficult to treat. What we have advanced here is just a fragment of an episode loaded with data, anecdotes and explanations that show this aspect in the animal kingdom. In Science and apartRicardo Moure provides keys that invite you to think otherwise the relationship between biology and sex. The chapter is now available. Choose the platform you want to enjoy it. Images | Xataka In Xataka | Zoophilia is the last great sexual taboo of our societies. And there are voices that want to discuss it

This is how the Samsung service that repairs your mobile at home works

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The mobile phone has become a Extension of our daily life. Each person uses it in their own way, but in all cases it concentrates key functions: from WhatsApp or Telegram to social networks, online banking or even the work tool of many professionals and content creators. We rarely stop to reflect on the importance of this device, nor is it necessary to do so. Technology is there to be useful and we take it for granted while everything works. The problem comes when it stops doing it: a serious breakdown is enough to alter that perfect gear and force us to spend time, money and effort to find a solution. In that context, home repairs have gained ground, a service that responds to two growing needs: Avoid displacements and minimize time without mobile. In big cities they are already common, but now Samsung wants to go one step further with his own proposal. Is called Galaxy Premium repair And I have seen how it works. Galaxy Premium repair: When the workshop comes to your door The service is designed for users of the company’s most advanced models. It offers several advantages: the flexibility of schedule repair, the use of original parts and the option of receiving a replacement phone so as not to be incommunicado during the process. Compatible models are: For now, Galaxy Premium repair andStá Available in Madrid (Postal codes 280xx), Alcobendas (28100, 28108, 28109) and San Sebastián de los Reyes (28701, 28702, 28703). To request it, just contact Samsung Electronics Iberia customer serviceeither by chat on the official website or by phone (91 175 00 15). Galaxy Premium Repair coverage zone They will ask for details of the fault and agree on the appointment. The indicated day we can continue in real time by WhatsApp the location of the van and the exact hour of arrival. Thus samsung money earns: the secret is on the iPhone The Galaxy Premium electric van repair In my case, the appointment was a Friday at 10:00. The electric vehicle arrived on time and, inside, it looked like a Authentic portable workshopl. That is the key: official repairs, but at the door of your house. Inside, the repair laboratory vehicle First the technician reviews the device, prepares it for intervention (maintenance mode, SIM withdrawal, etc.) and, if we want, give us a temporary terminal. The repair takes an average of an hour and a half, according to Samsung, which ensures that they perform “all kinds of repairs both inside and out of warranty.” Specialized equipment for screens repair At the end of the repair, the technician Returns the device in a black case With the Samsung Customer Service logo blank. It is a bag with cord closure at the top, simple but with a careful finish, which brings an extra presentation to the service. The technician repairing a mobile in Samsung’s vehicle The displacement of the van has a cost of 100 euros. However, customers of the Z range do not pay anything and those of the S range with guarantee enjoy a 90% discount. In out -of warranty repairs, a previous budget is issued that, in case of acceptance, is discounted from the final amount. Samsung’s final detail when delivering the repaired mobile The strategic side behind the initiative During the demonstration I talked with Alberto Luengodirector of Customer Service at Samsung Electronics Iberia, to know firsthand how this idea arose: We already had experience in our range of televisions (…) That was what made us think of extending it to the mobile range mobiles, so that a customer who invests on the phone can assess the additional services he obtains when buying a device of that level. Alberto Luengo, director of Customer Service at Samsung Electronics Iberia One of the points that most caught the attention was precisely the type of vehicle chosen to carry out repairs. Asked about it, Luengo explained: The first was the van; We were very clear that it should be electric to access any point in Madrid (…) is crucial, from the point of view of human resources, that the technician’s work space complies with all occupational safety and health regulations so that it works at ease and sits as if it were in a normal laboratory. This helps the reliability of the repair to be equally high. The new Samsung service does not intend to replace the repair centers, but add an alternative designed for those who value speed and comfort. It is a movement that expands the possibilities within the post of the brand, where The usual routes also are still available: Go to a center, ask for home collection or use the delivery points. Images | Xataka In Xataka | Nothing is the most fascinating mobile phone mark for years for a very simple reason: it does not sell mobile phones

The human brain works as a predictive machine. The question is if a Cyborg future awaits us: 1×22 crossover

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We have a new episode of Crossover, the 1×22, and attentive because this time the topic is so interesting and has given so much that we have dedicated the entire program. Thus, this time we have been able to interview the Dr. José Sánchezneuroscientific and disseminator, which investigates How the brain worksemotions and Intelligence. In this interview of just over an hour Sánchez makes us an introduction to his experience with this area and then start with a unique idea: that the brain is a predictive machine. It also speaks to us, of course, artificial intelligence – the generative is of course A predictive machine– And with human emotions, but then the thing gets interesting. And he does it because with him we chat of the impact, present and Neuralink future and brain chips of other rivals. How will that impact our future? Will we end up being something like Cyborgs? We do not know, but before that happens, there is another debate we are talking about: that of social relationships and how these advances can affect mental health. Without a doubt, a spectacular episode that we hope you enjoy as much as we have enjoyed seeing it. Do not hesitate to comment, please, both here and in the YouTube channel itself. On YouTube | Crossover

How it works, inconveniences and how to activate it to combat spam calls

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Let’s explain What is the call filter works of iOS 26with which you are going to have one more measure to protect yourself from stolen or telephone spam. These types of calls are a growing problem against which He is legislatingwith measures such as Force Use certain prefixes. However, none of these measures seems to be working, and the process of record and report spam calls It is a bit long, so many prefer or bother. Apple’s new method is not perfect, We will tell you some inconveniencesbut it is an extra layer of protection. How the new iOS filter works The new call filter of iOS 26 is specifically thought for the robollala. They are those calls that no human makes you, just a answering machine who sends you a message and then hangs, or even for the telephone advertising made by humans. What this filter does is that Siri acts as your answering machine. When it calls you an unknown number, instead of picking up the phone, Siri will ask you to say the name and reason for the call. And when the other person responds, then the call will arrive and you can read who he is and what he wants to decide whether you are interested in taking the call or not. This filter It will be activated with all the numbers you do not have on your agenda. Come on, if you call you a relative or friend whose number you have saved, the phone will usually sound, but if not, the protection with the answering machine of Siri will be applied. Another thing that is important is that The call will not sound to you from the beginning. First it will be Siri who answered asking the reason for the call, and only when the other person answers the call will come to you. This has inconvenience Apple’s idea is good, but it has a great inconvenience: if you call you a legitimate person I might think that the telephone bot is youand then you could lose an important call from someone you don’t have on the agenda. For example, it can be The call of a deliveryman That brings you the package of an online purchase. He thinks he calls you to tell you if he can happen, and instead of answering a person, Siri answers. The normal thing is that I hang thinking that your number has bad. In these cases, his call will never come to you, you will not even know what they have called you, because initially it does not sound. This can also happen with calls from the public administration, or simply with someone you know but whose number you do not have on your telephone agenda. How to activate this call filter To activate this call filter you must have an updated phone to iOS 26. Once you have it, enter the settings, and go to the section Apps. Here inside, click on the application Phone To enter your configuration. Once in the APP configuration options Phonego down to the section of Call filteringwhere can you Activate the option Request call To activate the filter. Cover image | Chatgpt In Xataka Basics | Customize your iPhone with iOS 26: How to take advantage of the new icon design and lock screen

how it works and how to avoid this scam to steal money by earning your trust

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Let’s explain What is the Like Scama new type of online deception that already Police and Civil Guard have warned. It is a scam that is being given in instantaneous messaging applications such as Telegram and social networks, and that will lead you to steal money after earning your trust. We are going to start the article explaining the mechanics and the procedure of this deception with which thieves earn your trust before Timing you. Then we will give you A series of tips To avoid falling into the trap. How is this scam First, scammers are going to contact you through different platforms, from Telegram to social networks. There, they will propose to you perform simple online tasks in exchange for moneysomething apparently easy that will not take you long. These tasks are things like Give and receive likes on social networksfollow profiles, etc. In exchange for this, they promise you small economic amounts for your time. With this they will feed both your trust and your greed. The tempting of all this is that At first they may pay you In exchange for what you are doing, they will give you small amounts of money. That is when your trust will be gained. When they have already convinced that they can help you earn money with little effort, they will rise to “higher groups”, where they will propose make investments in exchange for a lot of money. When you make these investments, cybercounts will simply disappear keeping your money. In addition, they will also stop paying for any task. And what is worse, the personal data you have given them to make the first payments are also possible to use them to Open bank accounts in your name and get more money at your expense. In addition, there are times when they can ask for money in exchange for continuing with these methods of winning, money that will also take. How to avoid falling this scam The first thing you should always do is distrust any method to earn fast moneysince everyone is usually deception online. It is sweet to be able to win some euros with simple tasks such as giving likes in accounts, but it is also a very common deception. Besides, suspect you who are asking for money or perform major actions. It doesn’t matter if you have been paid something, they are still people who do not know, so if you easily ascend in their ranges to be able to do greater actions, you have to suspect. Another important thing is Never give bank or personal dataand if they ask you right away you must be alert. Finally, no one with good intentions will ask you for money to continue working, even if it is an alleged “bargain” job. You must also suspect est. In Xataka Basics | Scam of the false winner on Facebook: how this scam works when you participate in competitions and how to avoid it

His essential works to enjoy a real roller mountain macabra

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It is, without the slightest doubt, one of the most venerated names of the current Hollywood. His filmography is full of success and commercial failures, but it is undeniable that his peculiar aesthetics, as well as the very recognizable of his visual designs and his themes have made him a venerated author with all the letters. The recent box office success of ‘Bitelchús Bitelchús‘, in which for the first time he has returned to one of his most beloved creatures, and the success of’Wednesday‘In Netflix they invite us to review their filmography. These are the best films of Tim Burton’s long career. Pee Wee’s great adventure (1985) Shared authorship for the debut as director of Tim Burton, even today one of his most irresistibly strange films. Shared because it is a Burton movie, but also by Paul Reubens, aka Pee Wee Herman, the unclassifiable comic whirlwind that tirelessly seeks his stolen bicycle in this film where the protagonist works as an alter ego of the Burton that we will see growing in successive films: a big child in perpetual state of wonder before the extravagances of the world. Frantic and unpredictable, and that is especially enjoyed in the double program with the lysergic television program presented in the eighties. Bitelchús (1988) When the budgets that Burton managed were still modest, the director was already able to stand an absolutely personal and overflowing world of the issues that would give him fame: sinister humor, strident pop aesthetics, marginalized characters and heard … Winona Ryder in a story that toys with a runaway vision and hooligan of the beyond and how to interact with him with a curious investment of roles: the living are more scary than the dead. Batman (1989) The film that gave the starting gun to the cinema of modern superheroes and the current vision of a hero with multiple faces, such as Batman. Today he has a naive Camp point that makes it endearing, but continues to endure the passage of time thanks to the undisputed quality of his designs, his very well chosen cast and his abundance of iconic moments. A true foundational milestone. Eduardo Handijeras (1990) After the success of ‘Batman’ and before shooting the sequel, Burton returned with an entirely own film, he is much more restrained and romantic than ‘Bitelchús’ (although he would repeat with him Winona Ryder, who for a while became a symbol of his filmography to the same extent as spiral graphics or marginalized characters). Here the story of a monster of great heart and unable to love was supported by extraordinary designs, as well as in purely Burtonian venom traces: of tributes to the cinema of monsters of the universal symbolized in Vincent Price to the indisged criticism of the American residential life through another Camp icon: Tom Jones. Batman Reto (1992) Another founding film, in this case of the cinema of Superheroes “Author”: Burton used the volatile template of Batman to introduce his particular obsessions about the characters outside the society and the misfits, thus coimo to propose a specially dark and expressionist Gotham, and the result is one of the most impressive villain galleries of the superhero cinema. Danny de Vito’s penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer’s catwoman are so complex and fascinating that they are still considered the definitive versions of the characters in the cinema. Ed Wood (1994) Burton took as a starting point a delicious excuse (the crazy biography of the one that was considered as “worst director of the history of cinema”) to consider, precisely, an ode of love to the environment and the enthusiasm necessary to stand up a film, however horrendous. Presenting Wood and his cohort of Freaks (a Bela Lugosi in the last, Tor Johnson, the seer Criswell, vampire) as authentic anti -system virus infiltrated involuntarily in the industry, has its main virtue and its greatest defect at the same point: its absolutely dyed vision of rose of the time and its protagonist. However, a unique biopic and a memorable route of entry in the sewers of the Z fifties. Mars Attacks! (1999) Recovering the Bitelchús hooligan vein and with an absolutely coral and overflowing of stars (to mention only a few: Jack Nicholson, Glenn Clones, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Danny Devito, Sarah Jessica Parker and many others), Burton took as a start Fifty to get your most satirical and destroying vein for a walk. The result is an acidic comedy full of gore and humor that is visually not as characteristic as other films of its filmography, but spiritually yes. Sleepy Hollow (1999) Up to this point, Tim Burton’s career was unstoppable: more or less moderate box office successes and the appreciation of criticism, which would stop when he signed one of his worst films, the remake of ‘The planet of the apes’. But before, he signed this splendid tribute to Hammer’s horror cinemaoverflowing of unforgettable images and again with an excellent cast in which only a something excessive joins a little. In any case, winks to Bava and Fisher and a great Gothic atmosphere for an absolutely delicious film. Sweeney Todd: The Diabolic Barber of Fleet Street (2007) ‘The planet of the apes’ was the departure gun for a much less interesting burton stage. Although he has his fans, ‘Big Fish’ is not up to his classics, and despite his popularity, ‘Charlie and the chocolate factory’ is very far from both Roald Dahl’s novel and previous adaptation. Where he did partially trace the flight was in ‘Sweeney Todd’, an ambitious version of the 1979 musical that maintains all the great, excessive, excessive gothic charm of the original, with His touch of cloudy romanticism. A wonder of morbid dementia with an absolutely fabulous timeless halo. Alicia in Wonderland (2010) Here this adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s immortal novel does not convince us too much: its flashing aesthetics and its freedoms with the text place it very far from more memorable versions, such as Disney’s own animated. However, their errors (some horrible designs, … Read more

Amancio Ortega has built a second brick -based empire. The funniest thing is that Pontegadea hates to do works

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Amancio Ortega founded one of the world’s largest textile multinationals: Inditex. The Dividends of this empireits founder has created Pontegadea: a International Real Empire with assets valued at more than 20,000 million dollars. However, according to The published by Digital economyin recent months the real estate arm of the Spanish millionaire has carried out two very unusual operations: sell two buildings. A rental -based strategy. Pontegadea has become the Major Inmobiliaria de España for the value of its assets. Its portfolio has been built by investing the annual dividends that Amancio Ortega receives for his inditex actions, which gives him a strategic advantage with respect to his competence because every year he receives a millmillionaire injection of capital to invest without issuing debt. The buildings that has been buying Amancio Ortega’s investment arm have a very diverse use: high -end apartments, strategic commercial premises, office buildings, hotels, Logistic centersetc. However, they all have something in common: solvent tenants who already pay their income even before Amancio is interested in it. That is, unlike other real estate companies, the Pontegadea business is not the sale of real estate, but the Purchase and long -term rental of its properties. It is not usual to sell. The Amancio Ortega real estate business has surprised in recent months with an unusual decision. However, Pontegadea has chosen to get rid of two outstanding buildings in just under six months. The objective of these divestments has been to avoid expensive Reform works that the properties required. One of the properties was actually divided into two buildings, and was used, for more than 20 years and until the end of 2024, as one of the headquarters of the Bank of France in Paris. The offices occupied an area of ​​6,724 square meters, but after the exit of the banking entity it needed a deep reform. That has made the investment group choose it for an amount of 80 million and recover the surplus value. The key: ensure profitability, minimize expenses. More paradoxical is the Sale of the second asset. It is an office building of 15 plants in Manhattan that has recently been put up for sale for the same reason as Paris: I needed A deep rehabilitation Before rented again. However, in this case the sale has been announced for a price of 50 million dollars, which represents 57% less of the 115.5 million dollars that the investment fund paid in 2006 for the property. The sale of these two buildings responds to a strategy mainly oriented to maximize profitability by obtaining an immediate investment return through rentals, avoiding large update expenses in old real estate. Pontegadea usually operates under the principle of maintaining almost the entire portfolio occupied with Tenants of maximum solvency. Assets sales, especially those that imply a devaluation of their purchase price, are very anecdotal. The expansion does not stop. Despite these sales, Pontegadea investments have not stopped in recent months. Among the latest acquisitions, the purchase of an offices building in Paris, which will go to house the group’s offices in the neighboring country, and reinforces its presence in Europe. In addition, Pontegadea He bought recently A 163 -room hotel in Amsterdam for 85 million euros, and a logistics distribution center in the nearby city of Hofddorp for about 145 million euros. In Xataka | Amancio Ortega: the billionaire who lives as one more neighbor. Except for private jets and superyates Image | Gtres, Flickr (Daquella way)

It works in a mine and cools with water from a fjord

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In western Norway, an old mine has become the home of the most powerful machine in the country. Between galleries excavated in the rock and with the ice water of the fjord as ally, Olivia is already underway. This national superordinate, managed by Sigma2, It is presented as A key tool for the country’s researchers. Its design seeks to reduce energy consumption compared to previous generations and make the most of the security offered by an underground installation. Norway wanted to strengthen its computation capacity without depending on other countries. Although it does not belong to the European Union, is part of the European economic space. According to Sigma2Olivia is designed to open up to all academic and scientific institutions in the country, regardless of its local infrastructure, and become a shared platform for data science, simulations and development of language models in Norwegian. Underground Technology, Fjord and Technological Sovereignty Water The machine is a Hpe Cray Supercomputing Ex system with 252 nodes equipped with processors AMD Epyc Turin and a total of 64,512 CPU nuclei. Incorporates 304 last generation GPU and 5.3 Storage Petabytes In a HPE Cray ClustersTor E1000 system. With this configuration, the capacity for available in national systems is multiplied by 17. All this, as the images that accompany this article suggest, occupy just 14 square meters and weigh about 15 tons, which shows a remarkable power density in a small space. Efficiency has been an objective from the beginning. Olivia uses direct liquid cooling and benefits from the infrastructure of Lefdal Mine Data Centerswhich, according to Sigma2, works 100% with renewable energy and Use fjord water to cool the systems. According to the same source, energy consumption has been reduced by more than 30% compared to Betzy Supercomputerwhile the calculation power is more than three times higher. As of June 2025, these characteristics have earned him the 22nd position in the Green500 list, which measures energy efficiency, and 117 on the top500 of faster supercomdators. In the number one position is The Captain of the National Lowrence Livermore laboratory, in the United States. The data center where Olivia is installed is unique. Located inside an abandoned olivine mine, eitherFrece Physical security and natural thermal stability. The name of the Superormer is a tribute to that mineral that was extracted in the area for years. The project has been an investment of 225 million Norwegian crowns, around 20 million euros, and has been designed for future extensions without replacing its main structure. The project has followed a precise calendar: the room transfer was completed in December 2024 and acceptance tests began in February this year. The official inauguration was held on June 17, 2025 And this summer has served as a pilot period to validate the system before its general opening, scheduled for autumn. Sigma2 points out that the equipment is working to adjust the last configuration details and guarantee stability before opening full access to the research community. Olivia is emerging as a central resource for health, marine and climatic research projects. According to the operator, it will allow progress in the development of language models in Norwegian. Open availability for all universities and research centers seeks to democratize access to high performance computing, key in fields where data grows at an exponential pace. Norway, as we point out, It is not part of the European Union. In this context, the Nordic country invests in its own technological capacity: reinforcing its autonomy and reducing the dependence of external infrastructure. As you pass from the test period to be fully operational, it will be a reference point to measure how a small population can have one of the advanced computer infrastructure on the planet. Images: Sigma2 In Xataka | The undisputed winner of the aggressive competition of TSMC, Intel and Samsung is a European company: ASML

There is a renewable energy source that works 24 hours a day, and Japan has opted for it: osmotics

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Omnipresent wind and solar energies have the same problem: intermittency. The wind does not always blow and the sun does not always shine. This dependence on weather conditions It forces us to look for storage solutions OA depend on a 24/7 available source to have a constant supply. But what if that other source was also renewable energy? Japan bets on osmotics. In August, the Japanese city of Fukuoka launched the First osmotic energy center in the country. It is just the second installation of this type in the world and represents more than a pilot test for a technology that promises to revolutionize the energy mix. “I hope it extends not only in Japan, but throughout the world,” said Akihiko Tanioka, an expert in the field of the Tokyo Science Institute. The plant will generate about 880,000 kilowatts-Hora a year to feed part of the desalination plant that supplies fresh water to the city. Although it may seem like a modest figure, equivalent to the consumption of about 220 Japanese homes, its true value is that it works continuously. It is not affected by the weather or time of day, and does not emit carbon dioxide. The power to mix fresh and salted water. Osmotics is a new generation renewable energy based on A natural phenomenon that we all study at the institute: osmosis. When two solutions with different salt concentration are separated by a semipermeable membrane (which lets the water pass, but not the salt), the water of the less concentrated solution flows naturally towards the most concentrated to try to balance the mixture. Fukuoka’s plant places fresh water (treated wastewater) on one side of the membrane, and salt water (sea water) to the other. Fresh water crosses the membrane to the salt water side, increasing volume and pressure on that side. The conression is used to move a turbine that, connected to a generator, produces electricity. Therefore, this renewable source is also known as saline gradient energy or “blue energy”. From the initial promises to the first problems. This technology is not exactly new. Already in 2017, in Xataka we echoed its enormous potential: The studies suggested that it could generate up to 40% of the world energy demand if it would be used in the mouths of all rivers. The challenge was the efficiency of the membranes and the cost of the facilities. The first systems, such as delayed pressure osmosis, suffered bioincructing problems: bacteria blocked membranes, drastically reducing their effectiveness. Other systems, such as “inverse electrodialysis”, were more durable but generated very little energy. The Fukuoka plant, like the first in the world inaugurated in Denmark in 2023 by the Saltpower company, demonstrates that progress in membrane technology is allowing to overcome these obstacles. Nanotechnological membranes. In France, the company Sweetch Energy has developed Much more efficient nanometric size membranes, capable of generating between 20 and 30 watts per square meter. In comparison, the most advanced systems to date generate 12.6 watts. The company seeks to install its first real -scale generator, Osmorhône 1, at the mouth of the Rhone River. The potential of this unique river would reach 500 MW, equivalent to mid -nuclear reactor capable of supplying two million people. And it would be just the beginning. All deltas and estuaries in the world release 30,000 energy from each year, a figure similar to world demand of electricity. Salina bachata in Fukuoka. In addition to the friction of the membranes, the osmotics also loses energy in water pumping. But, as he explains The Guardianthe new Fukuoka plant uses the concentrated brine that remains of the desalination process to increase the salinity difference and, thus, the energy potential available. The inauguration of the Japanese plant and the advances of companies such as Sweetch Energy mark a turning point for the osmotics. They are the first steps to stop being a laboratory promise and become an industrial reality. In a clean, permanent energy, which does not depend on the climate and that can be integrated into existing infrastructures such as ports, desalination makers or locks. Japan has made its bet: the mixture of fresh and salted water will be part of its energy mix. Image | Umi-No-Nakamich Desalination Plant (Obayashi) In Xataka | Japan has just made a monumental bet for Perovskita’s solar panels: they are his best chance against China

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