worlds

The world’s rare earth reserves, laid out in this graph showing the brutal dominance of a single country

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The rare earths They are neither earth nor are they rare. It is a set of 17 chemical elements that have become the lever that moves both geopolitics like practically any technology and energy sector today. As important as knowing how to produce it is knowing where the reserves are, and in both things there is a name that dominates the international scene: China. And in this graph we can see which countries have the upper hand. Or “the country”, rather. China, prominent name. Prepared by Visual Capitalist from the data of the United States Geological Survey -USGS-, the graph is very clear when it comes to visualizing the estimated rare earth reserves. China has more than twice as much as the next on the list, which in turn has three times as much as the third. The Asian giant would have reserves of 44 million metric tons, Brazil with 21 million and India with 6.9 million. Far on the list are countries like Australia (5.7 million), Russia (3.8 million), Vietnam (3.5 million), the United States (1.9 million) and Greenland (1.5 million) if we take into account those that exceed one million. The crazy thing is that the world total is estimated at about 92 million metric tons, so China has approximately 50% of the reserves. Importance. Rare earth elements are present in practically anything we can imagine. From the most subtle things such as smartphone elements or the magnets in the headphones that we use every day to the most complex things such as space telescopes, aerospace technology or guidance systems for military radars and advanced weaponry. They are also crucial to manufacturing the elements of energy change: batteries both of electric cars as accumulators for renewable energy and the internal systems themselves of both solar panels like wind turbines. And there’s something important here: you can have reservations, but if you don’t process them, those reservations are worthless. Rare earths as a weapon. The problem is that these rare earth elements do not appear isolated in nature, but rather attached to other minerals. It is necessary to separate them, something that is done through an extremely expensive and, above all, polluting refining process. Due to Western environmental policies, for years we relegate that task to a China with a more lax regulation (although it has been changing recently), and with the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump To the Asian country we have seen how China has taken advantage of his position. Same as with Soy. They have the technology and knowledge for processing rare earths, and they have been responding to the new tariffs, cutting off the supply of metals and elements that the west needs to create weapons or to make that technological paradigm shift through renewables. The West, for years, financed its own strategic and technological vulnerability. Even the western mines, such as Mountain Pass in the United Statessent his material to China to refine it there. Examples of affected productions? Suzuki had to stop production of the Swift due to a shortage of components, the European automobile industry has also shouted to the sky and Elon Musk does not have the money to manufacture his robots. making friends. As China has turned rare earths into its most powerful lever of power, the West has had to move and different countries have undertaken missions to search for new rare earth deposits. It is a strategy that is bearing fruit, finding promising deposits in Spain, Norway, Greenland either Japan. It is also being studied how to restart the rare earth producing arm in the West, although the difficulties are there both due to the technique and, above all, due to the restrictions on emissions. Searching under the stones. And that is a big problem that In Spain we are experiencing first-hand. There are several deposits found in our country, but due to this problematic and polluting extraction, mining projects have encountered opposition from neighborhood platforms and city councils. An example is Torrenueva, in an important site found in Campo de Montiel. And that is why there are several projects and research underway that are not favoring the refining of rare earths, but the recycling of these elements to, as far as possible, stop depending so much on a country that has a monopoly both for reserves and production capacity and for contracts with the most powerful mines on the other side of the world. For example, that of Serra Verde that sells exclusively to China until 2027. In Xataka | Sweden believes it has the largest reserve of rare earths in Europe: one more step towards our independence from China

We already have the world’s first fast neutron nuclear reactor. We are going to use it for AI data centers

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The growth of artificial intelligence is driving global electricity demand to historical figures. The expansion of data centers, the advance of electrification and the industrial rebound are straining aging networks that are already suffering from saturation in multiple countries. In this scenario, the digital sector—a large consumer of electricity for the development of AI—faces a paradox: it needs much more energy, but it must do so without increasing its emissions. And there arises a proposal that until recently would have seemed like science fiction: data centers powered by a compact fast neutron nuclear reactor. The Stellaria–Equinix deal that no one saw coming. The French startup Stellaria, born from commissariat to the atomistic energy (CEA) and Schneider Electric, announced a pre-purchase agreement with Equinix, one of the largest global data center operators. According to the press releasethe agreement secures Equinix the first 500 MW of capacity of the Stellarium, the molten salt and fast neutron reactor that the company plans to deploy starting in 2035. This reserve is part of Equinix’s initiatives to diversify towards “alternative energies” applied to AI-ready data centers. Autonomy, zero carbon and waste management. It is a brief summary of the first reactor breed and burn intended to supply data centers. As explained by Stellariaoffers: Completely carbon-free and controllable energy, enough to make a data center autonomous. Underground design without exclusion zone, thanks to its operation at atmospheric pressure and its liquid core. Ultra-fast response to load variations, essential for generative AI. Virtually infinite regeneration of fuel, part of which can come from current waste from nuclear power plants. Multi-fuel capability, from uranium 235 and 238 to plutonium 239, MOX, minor actinides and thorium. For Equinix, this means solving one of its great challenges: operating with guaranteed clean energy 24/7 without depending on the grid. For Europe, it marks the entry into a new generation of ultra-compact reactors: the Stellarium occupies just four cubic meters. The technology behind the reactor. The Stellarium is a fourth-generation liquid chloride salt reactor, cooled by natural convection and equipped with four physical containment barriers. It operates on a closed fuel cycle, capable of maintaining fission for more than 20 years without recharging. Stellaria’s roadmap establishes that in 2029 there will be the first fission reaction and six years later a commercial deployment and delivery of the reactor to Equinix. According to the company, The energy density of this type of reactor is “70 million times higher than that of lithium-ion batteries”, which would allow a single Stellarium to supply a city of 400,000 inhabitants. As fusion progresses, fast fission arrives first. To understand why a fast neutron reactor comes to the world of AI before fusion, just compare the technological moment of each. The merger is making spectacular progress—such as the record of the French WEST reactorwhich maintained a stable plasma for 22 minutes, or the Wendelstein 7-Xwhich sustained a high-performance plasma for 43 seconds—but remains experimental. ITER will not be operational this decade and commercial prototypes will not arrive until well into the 2030s. Advanced fission, on the other hand, is much closer to the market. Reactors like Stellaria’s, with molten salt and fast neutrons, do not require the extreme conditions of fusion and can be deployed sooner. The company plans its first reaction in 2029 and a commercial deployment in 2035. The data centers of the future will no longer depend on the network. Equinix already operates more than 270 data centers in 77 metropolitan areas. In Europe they are powered by 100% renewables, but their future demand for AI will require a constant, carbon-free source that does not congest the electrical grid. According to Stellariathis agreement “lays the foundation for data centers with lifetime energy autonomy.” And, if the company meets its schedule, Europe will become the first region in the world where artificial intelligence is powered by compact reactors that recycle their own nuclear waste. The technological race between advanced fission and fusion is far from over, but, today, the first fast neutron reactor intended for AI does not come from ITER or an industrial giant: it comes from a French startup. Europe has just opened a door that could transform, at the same time, the future of energy and computing. Image | freepik and Stellaria Xataka | Google hit the red button when ChatGPT came upon it. Now it is OpenAI who has pressed it, according to WSJ

China does not want to give up ground as the world’s factory. Their plan involves deploying a legion of industrial robots with AI

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For years, looking at the label of any device, garment or charger has been almost a formality. The answer used to be the same: “Made in China“. That phrase became silent proof that the Asian giant had managed to establish itself as the factory of the world. From American brand mobile phones to small components of European appliances, much of what we use every day has come from Chinese production lines. But that reality is beginning to change. China’s industrial leadership is no longer sustained solely by abundant labor and low costs, and the model that dominated the last decades needs to be transformed. The shift is not only economic, but also social. Fewer and fewer young Chinese want to work in factoriesa phenomenon that in the United States follows similar patterns: physical jobs, long hours and little professional projection. In both cases, the industry is no longer synonymous with progress for many and is perceived more as a destiny from which one tries to escape. Even so, both China and the United States consider that manufacturing remains strategic, either to maintain global influence or to reduce dependence on foreign countries. Everything indicates that none of them are trying to recover the model of the past, but rather to build a new one based on automation and artificial intelligence. Robots and factories to avoid losing “Made in China” When the Chinese Vice Minister of Industry, Zhang Yunming, said that Adopting artificial intelligence is a necessary and not optional task, I was not speaking only in technological terms. He was referring to protecting one of the country’s great assets: its manufacturing industry, which represents around 25% of the national economy, well above the world average. China remains the world’s largest producer, but it can no longer rely solely on volume or labor. The challenge now is to maintain that leadership by manufacturing with fewer people and more artificial intelligence. In this context, China is responding decisively. The pace at which it is deploying industrial robots is unmatched. Last year alone it installed 295,000 units, almost nine times more than the United States and more than the rest of the world combined. according to the International Federation of Robotics. In some facilities there is already talk of “dark factories”, operations so automated that the plants can operate with minimal human intervention. The Wall Street Journal mentions the Baosteel caseone of the largest steel plants in the country, where workers only intervene every half hour, when before they did so every three minutes. Automation no longer consists only of mechanical arms that repeat movements, but of connected plants, capable of making decisions. The aforementioned newspaper points out how Midea uses an AI system that coordinates robots, sensors and virtual agents to detect failures, assign tasks and adjust processes without human intervention. In the textile industry, Bosideng uses AI models developed with Zhejiang University to conceptualize and design garments, reduce development times and cut costs. This type of solutions not only speeds up production, it also generates a competitive advantage over Western manufacturers that implement changes more slowly. Where China’s industrial ambition is also clearly seen is in the ports. In Tianjin, a fleet of autonomous trucks moves containers without visible human presencewhile artificial intelligence optimizes variables such as ship arrival times and crane capacity. The system, called OptVerse AI Solver, has compressed planning tasks that previously took 24 hours to about ten minutes. PortGPT, a system developed together with Huawei to analyze images and monitor security operations, has also been deployed. The American discourse is based on the idea of ​​sovereignty: manufacturing more within the country to depend less on the outside. The Trump administration has raised that strategy through tariffs on China, Vietnam and other Asian economieswith the aim of attract factories and rebuild supply chains. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick maintains that automation is not incompatible with employmentbut it can generate better-paid technical professions. In an interview he stated that “it is time to train people for the jobs of the future, not for those of the past,” and defended that these factories could support families for several generations. One of the differences between the two models is clearly seen in the ports. While China has deployed autonomous trucks, AI-based planning systems, and tools like PortGPT without significant union opposition, in the United States automation is subject to collective bargaining. The International Longshoremen’s Association and port operators they agreed to veto new automated terminals until the end of 2030, also limiting the use of artificial intelligence in administrative tasks. For unions, automation means losing jobs and bargaining power. For China, it is a national strategy. China wants to continue being the world’s factory, but not exactly the same. It is no longer about cheap labor, but about factories capable of producing more with fewer people and with more artificial intelligence. The United States seeks its own path, with more work conditions and a different rhythmbut with the same objective of not depending on the outside. What is at stake is not just where it is manufactured, but how. And it is possible that, in a few years, the label we find will not only be “Made in China”, but a different form of manufacturing where robots will no longer be accessories, but protagonists. Images | Homa Appliances | Xataka with Gemini 3 In Xataka | Nexperia China has been trying to contact the Dutch headquarters for days. The only response has been absolute silence

China has just completed the world’s tallest dam. And what stands out the least is that it is as tall as a skyscraper

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China has a beastly capacity to create pharaonic structures. Impossible roadshighways with infernal ‘knots’, very complex tunnels and one ridiculous amount of bridges so functional and essential to connect areas like ostentatious. But among all his civil engineering works, the ones that are most striking to me are the dams. And, after the largest in the world, now They have one that is as tall as a skyscraper. It is the Zhenjiang pumping stationand is key to adding even more renewable energy to your accountant. Figures. The name is “Zhenjiang/Jurong Pumping Station” and, located in Jiangsu province, it has become the latest milestone in Chinese energy engineering. The project began in 2017 and, as is customary in almost all of these infrastructures in the Asian giant, both its dimensions and construction times are surprising. In these eight years, they have built the highest pumping dam in the world, 182 meters high, equivalent to a 60-story building. Apart from the height, its volcano shape is striking, with a reservoir at the top capable of storing up to 17.07 million cubic meters of water. Context? What 6,800 Olympic-sized swimming pools have (okay, it’s equally difficult to imagine the number). Bowels. It’s not just imposing on the outside. Its engine room is 800 meters deep and has dimensions of 250 meters long, 60 meters high and another 25 meters wide. In this room are the six mixed turbines and, in total, the project has established a dozen records in the sector. Its role in renewables. It is estimated that the investment has been about 9.6 billion yuan, about 1.3 billion euros, and all to feed more than 360,000 homes. Each of the turbines generates 225 MW for a total of 1.3 GW of installed power. Thanks to both the dimensions of the turbines and the difference in level and force of the water, it is estimated that it will consume 1,800 million kWh annually during pumping and will generate 1,350 million kWh during discharge. It is a consumption/generation difference of 25% and, although it is not a figure that attracts attention, it is a milestone, since current pumping (or reversible) installations require hydraulic jumps of about 400 meters to operate under the same conditions. The turbines at the Zhenjiang plant do so with a head of less than 200 meters. That is, it is optimized for low gradient conditions, but maintaining a high volumetric flow. In summary, It’s like a giant battery, but with water. During low demand hours, the plant moves water to the upper reservoir and, during peak consumption, releases it, passing it through the turbines at high speed and generating electricity in the process. According to estimates, it will save 140,000 tons of coal per year, which represents 349,000 tons of CO₂. One more in the Yangtze. Despite everything the plant represents in terms of civil engineering and its role in renewablesthe greatest achievement of this plant is that it has been shown that it is possible to build massive storage systems if artificial elevations are created. In flat areas with unfavorable orography, Zhenjiang demonstrates that pumping structures can be created to help achieve decarbonization objectives without depending so much on wind and solar power. Wang Chenhui, director of the Development Department of State Grid Zhenjiang Power Supply Company -responsible for the dam-, assures that “at full operation it will provide approximately 2.7 million kilowatts of bidirectional power regulation capacity, relieving pressure on the electrical grid during peak load periods.” It will be more help for Jiangsu province than this summer consumed 6% more electricity than in 2024, reaching 156 million kilowatts. And also in the Yangtze are the mammoth dam of the Three Gorges and the next largest dam in the world. The one in Zhenjiang is not so huge nor does it generate as much electricity, but it is the highest in the world and, as we said, a demonstration that, if the terrain is not good, you can always build a huge pool at 190 meters high. Image | Ministry of Water Resources of the People’s Republic of China In Xataka | China has built the highest bridge in the world and has done what it must: turn it into a show

Norway promised them happiness with the world’s first megatunnel for ships. Until he saw how much it was going to cost him

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Thousands of kilometers of sinuous coasts, currents, storms and devilish geography. Norway does not make it easy for sailors who ply its coastline every day loaded with goods, fish or passengers. Hence, the country has been talking for some time about undertaking an ambitious work at one of its points more sensitive, the Stad peninsula. The idea is to cross the tongue of land with a tunnel almost two kilometers long, designed specifically for the passage of boats. The problem is that estimates of its cost have not stopped growing in recent years and that has led the Government to take a step back. His idea is to put the project in the drawer. Another thingOf course, Parliament is going to allow it. A boat tunnel? That’s how it is. It sounds strange, and it’s normal. After all the Stad tunnel It is an unusual infrastructure, the first underground road designed for boats. What Norway is proposing to do is open a large navigable canal of 1.7kmalmost 50 m high (the navigable space will be somewhat less) and more than 30 m wide to cross the Stad peninsula, in the province of vestlandwest of the country. Building it would require between four years of works. That they want to open right in Vestland is no coincidence. If the Stad peninsula stands out for something, it is because of its poor conditions for sailors: it is exposed to the inclemencies and gusts of wind of the Stadhavet Sea, with no nearby islands to cushion it, and the currents do not make it easy for sailors either. In the web of the project, it is recalled that the Kråkenes station, south of Stad, is the one that records the most stormy days: some years there are more than a hundred. And does a tunnel solve it? The same website Remember that in Stad there is intense maritime traffic, both Norwegian and foreign ships, dedicated to fishing, commerce, aquaculture, naval and tourism. With the underground canal, Norway wants to offer them several advantages: time savings and more security, with all the advantages that this can bring for anyone who depends on ships. Furthermore, supporters of the project defend that with “a safer and more efficient step” maritime transport will increase, removing trucks from the roads. Whether its promises are more or less convincing, the undeniable thing is that the Stad tunnel is nothing new. TO late 19th century There was already talk of crossing the peninsula with a subway, although the approach has not always been exactly the same. At one time they even opted for a railway pipeline. The idea has remained on the table with twists and turns in recent years until in 2013 It finally managed to sneak into the National Transportation Plan. In 2017 the tunnel seemed a little closer and in 2021 started to talk of the imminent start of the works. In fact, it is estimated that a little more than 30 million dollars in land purchases and feasibility studies to give it shape. Are you on track then? Not at all. If the work sounds ambitious it is because it really is. And that usually entails something more than technical complications: money. Big money. Millions and millions of Swedish crowns. An amount that has also increased with the passage of time, complicating its viability. Maritime Executive remember that at the time there was talk of 325 million dollars and in 2023 the figure had skyrocketed to 690 million. A few days ago NRK, the Norwegian public radio and television channel, I already needed that the estimated bill is around 9.4 billion crowns, about 780 million dollars. There are means, like one’s own Maritime Executivethat they even refer larger figures. Is that a problem? A few days ago NRK echoed some statements by the prime minister, Jonas Gahr Storewhich reveal that the Government wants to put the project in the drawer. At least for now. The reason has little mystery: its exorbitant cost at a time when the country prefers to invest in other areas. “In the budget proposal we will announce that we abandoned the Stad sea tunnel project,” the leader advanced Norwegian. “The cost will be so high that we feel it is not responsible to move forward with the project.” “We must prioritize and take care of every penny to use the money in the most efficient way possible. That is why we reject this project, we consider that it does not justify such a high expense,” insisted Støre, who cited other priorities, such as health, defense or municipal investment. “It will be so expensive that we consider it irresponsible to continue with the project.” With the option of lowering or renegotiating costs ruled out, the news soon spread to the local press and foreignerwith all kinds of reactions. What reactions? Days after the announcement the Norwegian Coastal Administration published a statement confirming that, within the framework of the 2026 national budget, the Government had decided to “suspend” the tunnel works pending Parliament’s ruling. The agency warned that, among other issues, this stoppage will also affect the bidding for works. An important notice considering that you had already received offers from three construction companies and expected to close the contract this year to start the works (five years) in 2026. The defenders of the tunnel have been more emphatic, speaking of “a hard blow” and an “irresponsible decision.” “More than 500 companies from the fishing industry and shipping to industry, tourism and aquaculture have signed the petition for the construction of the tunnel,” remember. “These represent thousands of jobs and billions in revenue.” What will happen now? Good question. Although it is not easy to answer it. Støre’s announcement was framed in the presentation of the 2026 state accounts, which left some questions raised. After all, as NRK herself recalled As the news progresses, the prime minister’s party, the Labor Party, does not have a majority in the Storting (Parliament of Norway), so … Read more

I have tried the world’s first rolled laptop. Just get back to him to realize that it makes a lot of sense

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Two years ago, Lenovo showed at the MWC a concept of roller laptop of the most curious: His screen expanded to convert a conventional laptop into one with vertical screen. We did not know if that device would see the light at some point, but as the folding laptops did, In the end he did. In the CES of this year, Lenovo confirmed that this rolled laptop was no longer a concept and became a commercial product. He was baptized as Lenovo Thinkbook plus gen 6 and today, finally, we have had the opportunity to try it first hand. Because? That is a question that is worth asking, why an enrolly laptop? The answer, luckily, is simple: having a laptop with a large screen is fine, but having a large screen with more vertical space is wonderful if we work with documents (text or spreadsheets), texts or code. The attempts to date had been shy, with laptops that left the 16: 9 format for Bet on the 3: 2. Lenovo has gone a step further. Rolled is a more or less conventional computer | Image: Xataka But unrolled is another story | Image: Xataka How is? At first glance it is a conventional portable device, only that the screen is somewhat more square than normal. When the panel is rolled, it is 14 inches and has a resolution 2,000 x 1,600 pixels, that is, 5: 4 format. By clicking a button (or gesture with the hand that does not finish going fine), the laptop is displayed up to 16.7 inches, the 2,000 x 2,350 resolution pixels and an 8: 9 format. Basically, a 50% larger screen. The third button starting on the right in the upper row is the one that goes down and uploads the screen | Image: Xataka The laptop takes about ten seconds to complete the up or down cycle. The screen, of course, is hidden under the keyboard and unwinds thanks to engines that, everything is said, are heard slightly. It is not an unpleasant sound or that will be distracted, much less, but it is there. However, I must say that the contact took place in a crowded room of people, so I had to approach a lot to notice the noise. Hypnotiza. The truth is that it is easy to get dumbfounded seeing how the screen goes up and down. I will not affirm or deny having been turned on by clicking the button every ten seconds like a child with a new toy. It is one of those technologies that attract attention and that suppose a breath of fresh air in a mature product category in which innovation usually goes inside. Even more in the AI ​​PCs era. Detail of the roller mechanism | Image: Xataka And how much does it endure? When the durability question, from Lenovo they explain that the roller mechanism endures 20,000 cycles. They are about 11 years at the rate of five daily cycles. In this case, however, it must also be taken into account that the screen is not only enroll and unwinds, but also folds when we close the laptop. Lenovo ensures that the panel will endure 30,000 opening and closing cycles. Anyway, in a contact as preliminary as this is not possible to confirm this. This is how the laptop is seen from behind when it is completely unrolled | Image: Xataka The wrinkle. One of the great evils of folding mobiles is the wrinkle of the fold. Although manufacturers make all kinds of juggling to avoid or reduce it, such as making a drop -shaped fold, the reality is that it remains visible and notable to touch. In the case of Lenovo laptop is exactly the same. The wrinkle shows and looks. Not only is it seen, but it causes flashes when looking at the screen from certain angles. In front, however, there seems to be no problem. In what angles, the wrinkle is more or less visible | Image: Xataka A system that feels robust. Although the device rises and that the part that rises is thinner the upper area, the device does not transmit a sensation of fragility. It does not give the feeling that we will leave if we put it vertically and incline it. Moreover, the thickness of the laptop, being superior to that of a conventional laptop, is not as high as one could imagine. Yes, it weighs more and is thicker, but neither as much if we take into account that inside hides an roller screen and a deployment mechanism. An interesting change. As someone who is writing and reads a lot, a lot, a lot throughout the day, this type of implementations are interesting. On a few occasions I am doing Zoom-Out to a PDF to read more content or juggling to be able to better read something than, on a vertical screen, I could read without problem. This device solves that problem of a stroke, although it does so at a price well above what any laptop costs. Image | Xataka This laptop supposes, or could assume, a paradigm shift, in the way we understand the laptops. Getting that extra space is a fantasy for those of us who use the computer for productivity (not so much to play, there does not make too much sense). However, accessing this device is not something available to everyone. The price issue. The Thinkbook Plus Gen 6 Cuesta 4,199 eurosa price that surely leaves it out of the reach of most mortals. Does it solve having to load or install a secondary monitor to have flexibility? It solves it, partially at least, but it does it at a very high cost. The technology is impressive and seeing it in operation makes it win. The device is undoubtedly unique in its kind. Now he has the challenge of convincing users, and that is a flour from another sack. Images | Xataka In Xataka | “The AI ​​is not a … Read more

The world’s largest iceberg was about to turn 40. I was already lasting too much for experts

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Almost four decades after detaching themselves from Antarctica, the iceberg colossal known as A23aa Giant of one billion tonshe is fighting his final battle against the ocean. After an epic trip and decades stranded at the bottom of the sea, whatever The world’s largest iceberg They are breaking into pieces, and scientists predict that it could disappear completely in the coming weeks. The history of Iceberg. The A23A detached from the Philchner-Ronne Ice Platform of Antarctica in 1986 and was embedded at the bottom of the Weddell Sea for more than 30 years. A great formation that undoubtedly matters by overcoming the surface of the Community of Madrid twice or doubling the London Metropolitan Area. But it was not until 2020 when his epic trip beganbeing dragged by the ‘Icerbergs Highway’ to the South Atlantic. And although it was stranded for a while, He started his journey again in 2024. A threatening size. After its journey, earlier this year its immense size came to threaten the food areas of the penguins on a remote island of the South Atlantic, but the iceberg continued on its way. Now, according to an analysis of the Agite France-Presse and taking as a source the images of the satellite of the European Copernicus programthe A23a It has less than half of its original sizealthough it remains a large mass of 1,770 square kilometers. A dramatic disintegration. In recent weeks, huge pieces of ice, some of up to 400 square kilometers, have detached themselves from A23a. In addition, the sea around it is full of smaller fragments, many of which are large enough to suppose a risk for navigation. Andrew Meijers, physical oceographic of the British Antartic Survey (BAS)has told AFP that the iceberg is “disintegrating quite dramatic” as it moves north. “I would say that it is in the process of disappearance … Basically it is rotting below. Water is too warm for it to be maintained. It is constantly melting,” says Meijers. The scientist expects the A23a not to be “identifiable in a few weeks.” It has gone too far. The route that this iceberg has had, the truth is that it has surprised the scientific community. “Most icebergs do not get so far. This is very large, so it has lasted more and has come further than others,” adds Meijers. Climate change as a backdrop. Although Icebergs detachment is a natural process That we have documented, scientists affirm that the rhythm they are being lost is a problem. And behind this acceleration in the detachment is man and climate change. This is something that we have already seen as a serious problem in the ‘alley of the icerbergs’ where there are a greater number of these formations, further altering ecosystems in its path. Other icebergs have had the same fate. In the pastother specimens, such as A-68awith an extension similar to the area of ​​the province of Alicante, he broke down from the Ice Platform Larsen C in July 2017 and began a 2,500 km route that took him north. After four years of travel, he ended up disintegrating himself on the island of San Pedro, having previously generated great expectation from scientists. In this case, scientists could see how the ways of oceanic water are stratified were altered. In this way, there was an effect of displacement towards the depths of particular matter and phytoplankton, which alters the redistribution of nutrients in the water. Phytoplankton is the basis of tens of species, and right now It is found in great concentrations in Greenland by melbergs melts. And although it can be positive for marine life and Atmospheric co -capturethere is a paste: changes in temperature, chemical composition and salinity can alter ecosystems. Effects of A23a. A23A disintegration may have beneficial effects, according to researchers. And it is that the fact of releasing nutrients to the ocean can favor biological productivity. But above all, negative effects stand out, since fragmentation also raises challenges for navigation and fishing in the South Atlantic, since smaller fragments are more difficult to track than the main block. In Xataka | Terranova has seen how an iceberg colossal approaches its coast. The show is surprising; The phenomenon, no

Windows 10 is one step away from running out of support. Almost half of the world’s computers continue to trust him, even more

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In just over 40 days, Windows 10 will stop receiving patches and security updates. Microsoft will thus mark the end of support for an operating system that still Almost half of the global market dominates (In Spain, 54%). Windows 11 It has been in the market for several years, but the change has been slower than expected. The countdown is still underway And millions of users apparently have not yet decided how to face the jump before October arrives, although those willing to pay may keep it with extra support. What real options now has the standard user The end of support does not mean that your computer stops working, but it is more exposed. Microsoft offers three main outputs: Make the leap to Windows 11. If your PC has the necessary hardware, the update is free and guarantees updates and new functions. The equipment that does not meet requirements will have to be renewed to continue protected. Pay for extended updates (ESU). With this plan they continue to receive security patches paying an annual fee. It is designed to win margin, not to stay indefinitely in Windows 10. Keep Windows 10 or explore alternatives. Install Linux or using the system without support in controlled environments is possible, but requires assuming risks and planning in the medium term. Compare the situation of Windows 11 with that of its predecessors helps to understand if this slow change is an exception or simply history that is repeated. According to statistaat three years and ten months of life Windows 11 is around 49% of the global market. Windows 10, at that same age, had reached about 57%, and Windows 7 moved in even higher figures, around 61%. At the opposite end, Windows 8.1 barely reached 10%, a reflection of his warm welcome. These data draw a clear pattern: Windows 11 progresses more slowly than its successful predecessors, but leads widely against Windows 10. Everything indicates that the hardware barrier, which leaves millions of old teams out, explains a good part of this rhythm. It is not that users resist by custom, but that the jump to the new generation implies more effort than ever, and that shows in global and European figures. The slow advance of Windows 11 is better understood when looking at the requirements imposed: TPM 2.0 and a closed list of processors leave out millions of computers that were runnings 10 without problems before. For many users, update implies renewing the equipment, and that slows the transition. There are unofficial methods to install Windows 11 on non -compatible PC, But doing so entails risks. The result is a slower adoption and a Windows 10 that is still very alive at the doors of its end. Microsoft Operating Systems Market share at a global level Europe and Spain advance to another rhythm. While the global average shows that Windows 11 is already present in almost half of the teams, in the old continent Windows 10 maintains more than 53% quota and Windows 11 is around 43.9%. Spain follows that same pattern (54% in Windows 10 and 42.61% in Windows 11), with practically traced figures. ANDThe result is a photograph other than the global: Here the version jump progresses more slowly and Windows 10 is still the protagonist at the doors of its support end. Microsoft operating systems market share in Spain Update resistance is not unpublished either, although the current context has nuances. Windows 7 reached its support end in January 2020 with a still significant presence, around 27% of the global market, but already surpassed long by Windows 10. Today the situation is different: Windows 11 leads, but Windows 10 retains almost half of the teams, just over a month of running out of patches and official support. Images | Microsoft In Xataka | If you have an old PC, there is an effective alternative against the requirements of Windows 11 and the Bloatware: Flyoobe works

Google’s new AI generates interactive worlds from a prompt. Deepmind believes it is a step to get the AGI

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The Google Deepmind team has announced its new AI model to generate interactive worlds. At the end of last year We were surprised with what Genie could do 2 And the new version is an important leap, one that for Google is an advance in the creation of the General Artificial Intelligence or AGIthat which can match the abilities of the best human. Genie 3. It is the new World Model o Deepmind world model. Allows to create interactive worlds for which we can explore, all from a Prompt of text. The previous model was very limited and could only be used for a few seconds, but with Genie 3 Deepmind promises that it can be explored for “several minutes.” In addition, the resolution has improved at 720p to 24FPS. The model is based on Genie 2 and I see 3. It has memory. It is the most important improvement of the new model. The world is generated through ia as we explore it, but if we turn around and look at something we had already seen, it remains the same. We can also change something, such as painting on a wall, and that is kept as we leave it all the time. This did not happen in previous versions and its creators say they did not explicitly schedule it to do that. As explained in an article in TechcrunchGenie 3 is able to remember what he has already generated to train himself, in this way he learns how the world and his physical works. Interactive. It also emphasizes that events can be added with Prompts additional In his article, Deepmind puts several interactive examples such as a meadow in which we can choose if a tractor, a bear, a horse or hot air balloons will appear. They call it “promptable World Events” and also allows you to change aspects such as weather. Why is it important. Worlds models are useful in different scenarios such as the creation of scenarios for real -time games, in education or in the training of AI agents. Google points to it in its blog as a key step to reach the AGI, that upper artificial intelligence that so many companies are trying to get as soon as possible. These worlds can be used as a training field for other AI, also including robots, cases in which simulating real scenarios is a challenge. In the presentation, the Deepmind team explained how they put an agent in a stage that simulated a warehouse and asked him to approach certain elements, such as a green garbage cube. In all the tests he achieved, according to the Deepmind team “the fact that (the agent) is able to achieve this is because Genie 3 remains coherent.” The competition. The largest IA competition, at least at the level of products for the end user, we see it in the chatbots and, to a lesser extent, in video or audio generators. The world models are less popular among the public and there is not a great competition. Nvidia presented cosmos at the beginning of the year And there are some companies like World Labs They offer similar proposals. We would like to finish this text with a link so you can try it, but Genie 3 is only available in Beta for a very limited group of academics. Image | Deepmind In Xataka | Some researchers created a company where all employees were AI agents. They did not make a quarter of the work

The world’s largest passenger plane does not stop breaking

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Airbus has to the, for the moment, the largest passenger plane in the world: the Airbus A380. This bug is able to transport in its entrails up to a maximum of 853 passengers (in very specific conditions). In fact, only the Antonov AN-225 He shadowed him, but he was neither produced in series nor currently exists, since It was destroyed during the Ukraine War. The A380 is, in short, a huge and very important passenger plane for certain airlines, but has a problem: it does not stop breaking. A complex machine. That is what a plane is, and more if we talk about one like this. So that Let’s get an idea Of its complexity, the Airbus A380 is made of four million individual components manufactured by 1,500 companies distributed throughout 30 countries. Inside the fuselage there are inserted 19,000 screws that join each of the three main parts, in addition to the 4,000 screws used to join both wings. It has 220 windows, 16 doors and only exterior paint weighs 531 kilos, there is nothing. Airbus A380 of Air France | Image: Maarten Visser with license CC by-SA 2.0 The problem. That does not stop breaking. According to slide from Bloombergsince 2020 (the plane flew for the first time in 2005), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency has issued 95 aircraft directives for the Airbus A380, twice as many as received by Boeing homologues: the 787, 777 and 747. Among the problems mentioned are the breakage of the axis of the landing gear, cracked joint Evacuation ramps. Some of these problems come from time to time These aircraft passed on land during the pandemic. These directives are, in a nutshell, corrections, inspections or modifications that must be carried out in an aircraft or a component to solve potential security problems. Its fulfillment is mandatory and not only can not only put the safety of passengers at risk, but to assume sanctions or the disqualification of the plane. Lufthansa’s first Airbus A380 | Image: WO St 01 With license CC By-SA 3.0 Keep it or … keep it. The Airbus A380 is 20 years old. As a general rule, airplanes usually withdraw Once between 25 and 30 years old. What does that mean? That the Airbus A380 is too young to remove it and too old to keep it at the same time. The underlying problem is that there is no alternative: The Airbus A380 ceased to occur in 2021so airlines that need a large capacity for long journeys should look for an alternative. Airbus It is not capable To produce the A350s, the largest aircraft of the Airbus catalog after the A380, with enough quickly to meet the demand. The supply chain, in particular everything related to cabins and engines, still having pandemic problems. He Boeing 777xBoeing’s proposal has not stopped having problems. The plane was going to be delivered to customers in 2020, but it has been delayed so much that the first deliveries are not expected until at least 2026. Image | KRZYSZTOF KACZALA WITH CC BY-SA 3.0 License A bottomless well. Airlines therefore have some airplanes whose maintenance will go to more. Reviewing these aircraft not only consumes an absurd amount of time (60,000 hours distributed among all workers, according to Bloomberg), but a lot of space in facilities that are not precisely abundant. That a plane like this failure is a high expense: not only have to be repaired, but to delay flights, relocate passengers, etc. All sum. Be that as it may, Airbus intends to continue operating and offering support: “Airbus undertakes to provide full technical assistance to customers to ensure that they can optimize operations with their A380 fleets, and this will continue while the plane remains in service,” they say from the company. The largest fleet. Emirates is, by far, the airline that has the most Airbus A380: 116 aircraft of which 21 are on land. The operator intends to continue using them at least until the end of the next decade (the investment has been high and few planes move so many passengers at once). Singapore Airlines and British Airways are followed from afar with 12 units each. Other operators, such as Qantas, Lufthansa and Qatar Airways also have some units, but intend to replace them with A350 at the beginning of the next decade. Cover image | N509FZ licensed CC by-SA 4.0 In Xataka | Europe has a message for tourists who are going to fly: prepare for a summer of delays and historical cancellations

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