The mAh unit is used to measure the battery capacity in portable devices, indicating the amount of charge the component can store. This metric is fundamental when selecting a new cell phone or power bank, as it points to the expected autonomy of the device when away from a power source.
However, a high mAh value does not automatically guarantee a prolonged usage time without needing a recharge, since the efficiency of the processor and operating system plays a decisive role. Elements such as screen brightness, connection activation, and how applications are optimized directly impact the real usage time in daily life.
The acronym mAh stands for milliampere-hour, which is the unit used to quantify the energy storage capacity of the battery. Theoretically, the higher this number, the longer the device will operate without being connected to an outlet.
However, a higher mAh number does not always result in greater autonomy, because the actual battery performance depends on how efficiently the hardware and software utilize the available energy. A cell with a specification of 5,000 mAh stores more charge, but the consumption generated by the screen, processor, and thermal control alters the final result.
To estimate autonomy, a simple calculation is performed: divide the battery capacity in mAh by the constant consumption of the device in milliamperes (mA). For example, a 5,000 mAh smartphone that continuously consumes 250 mA can run for up to 20 hours without recharging.
It is important to note that daily use involves alternating between periods of inactivity and intensive activities, such as watching videos or gaming, which modifies this rate in real time. Additionally, chemical deterioration caused by charging cycles reduces this margin over the years, proving that the isolated specification does not completely define the device's performance.
The direct electrical current consumption of a device varies according to the demand of daily use. Various components and technical conditions determine this fluctuation in energy consumption:
The lithium-ion battery is the standard technology in the market, using graphite anodes to store and move electricity. It establishes the mAh capacity of current devices, but it has reached a physical limit that prevents increasing autonomy without making the device excessively heavy and bulky.
In contrast, the silicon-carbon battery advances this chemistry by incorporating silicon into the anode, which provides significantly higher energy density. This innovation allows more mAh to be delivered in a smaller space, enabling thin smartphones with large capacity batteries.
A 10,000 mAh power bank will not be able to provide two full charges for a 5,000 mAh cell phone. Although the mathematical calculation may seem correct initially, the energy transfer process involves inherent losses.
Part of the charge is converted into heat during the transformation of electrical voltage at the USB port and internal circuits. Due to this physical loss, the useful mAh capacity of the accessory reaches approximately 6,500 to 8,000 actual mAh. In daily practice, the portable charger should yield about 1.5 full recharges on the device, which is why the number printed on the power bank packaging should only be seen as a theoretical capacity limit.
Yes, the device's battery undergoes natural wear and gradually loses its ability to retain energy over time. This chemical degradation, accelerated by daily charging cycles, causes the actual delivery to be lower than the values advertised by the manufacturer.
Factors such as excessive exposure to heat, the use of fast charging, and deep discharges accelerate the aging of the energy cells. Consequently, a component that left the factory with 5,000 mAh may exhibit behavior equivalent to 4,000 mAh after a few years of use.
Researchers have created a new methodology based on artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the accuracy of gene editing tools, drastically reducing unwanted modifications to genetic material.
This technology, detailed in an article in the journal Nature, employs AI to redesign gene editors and mitigate off-target alterations, one of the biggest obstacles in this science. Gene editing is a procedure that allows scientists to alter, insert, remove, or replace base sequences in the DNA of living organisms. Its applications range from correcting mutations linked to diseases to developing more advanced agricultural crops.
Tools like CRISPR act as 'molecular scissors,' locating specific points in the genome to perform these modifications. However, even with existing precision, the method faces limitations because editors can occasionally modify incorrect segments of DNA or even RNA, resulting in unintended changes.
To combat this problem, Chinese scientists developed an AI-guided platform called ContactSeek. This system utilizes the AlphaFold3 program, a tool designed to predict the intensity with which different biological molecules tend to interact. When a gene editor is inserted into a cell, it must bind to a specific DNA sequence. AlphaFold3 calculates the probability of the amino acids of the protein responsible for the edit making contact with both the target DNA and the guide RNA, which directs the tool to the correct location.
The platform then compares these probabilities between desired locations and those that should not be altered, allowing the identification of which components of the gene editor cause accidental modifications. The researchers point out that this strategy diverges from the traditional method, which focuses on analyzing the three-dimensional structures of the editor and DNA molecules. The scientists stated that ContactSeek offers a 'computational approach to improve the specificity of genomic editors,' adding that 'the probability of contact is a more sensitive result than the predicted 3D structure for distinguishing differential interactions.'
In tests conducted, researchers applied ContactSeek to an adenine base editor, used to correct single-letter flaws in DNA. The AI analyzed the points where the editor caused unwanted changes and proposed minor structural adjustments. After implementing these modifications, the optimized version of the editor managed to reduce off-target edits across the entire genome by about 83% for one of the tested guide RNAs. Additionally, the platform was applied to improve the accuracy of another type of gene editing tool: a cytosine base editor based on the Cas12a enzyme.
Despite the very positive results, researchers warn that ContactSeek is not yet ready for clinical use. The platform needs to undergo further testing in different types of cells and with various genomic targets before being used in treatments. However, the team expects the technology to have broad future applications, stating that 'we anticipate that ContactSeek... will be widely applicable to a wide range of DNA and RNA editing tools.'
When a hand is brought near the terminal, payment is approved in less than half a second. This does not require a card, mobile phone, QR code, or password. Furthermore, simply photographing the palm with a camera is not enough.
Behind this seemingly simple gesture lies a complex system capable of identifying invisible characteristics under...
Microsoft has unveiled a new line of artificial intelligence (AI) tools focused on enhancing cybersecurity. The company is investing in autonomous agents and specialized models to protect corporate networks against increasingly complex threats.
The MAI-Cyber-1-Flash model, created specifically for security tasks, and Project Perception, a platform that employs teams of AI agents to detect, analyze, and correct flaws at high speed, were presented. This announcement comes amid growing concern over the use of AI by criminals.
Recently, OpenAI reported that two of its AI systems escaped control and invaded a popular online library, an event that highlighted both the potential and the risks of these new technologies and reinforced the need for tools capable of combating AI-driven attacks.
Microsoft seeks to apply the same technology used in attacks to reinforce the defense of digital infrastructures. According to the company, the evolution of AI models has made attacks faster, more accessible, and more sophisticated, demanding a shift in the approach to cybersecurity.
Microsoft executives argue that advanced cybersecurity systems should be widely accessible to allow more organizations to protect themselves. This perspective diverges from the position of sectors of the technology industry and authorities in Washington (USA), who advocate for stricter control over advanced AI models due to the risk of their use in invasions.
Hayete Gallot, Microsoft's executive vice president responsible for security initiatives, stated that the risk is already present. David Weston, the company's corporate vice president, emphasized that the concern lies not only with the most advanced current models but with the expansion of these capabilities, telling The New York Times that many models are improving.
MAI-Cyber-1-Flash was developed exclusively for digital security activities. Its training utilized data accumulated over decades by Microsoft during the response to security incidents for its customers. The company highlights its privileged access to such information, derived from the massive use of products like Windows, Outlook, and Azure, which are frequent targets of cyberattacks.
Mustafa Suleyman, head of Microsoft's AI model development, confirmed that this vast volume of data was crucial for the new technology's performance. Although Microsoft has not subjected the model to independent testing before launch, it expects MAI-Cyber-1-Flash to achieve top performance in the CyberGYM benchmark, surpassing models from OpenAI and Anthropic.
The tool handles approximately 90% of security queries, which reduces the dependence on larger and more expensive models, needed only in about 10% of cases. Furthermore, the usage cost of the new model is about half that of competing technologies, partly because it was custom-built for cybersecurity tasks.
Project Perception is the main announcement, presented as a security system
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