Doctor Who wouldn't be Doctor Who without its Christmas specials. Since the show returned to television in 2005, we've been getting them yearly. The tradition continues this year with the self-contained episode Joy to the World. From the look of things, we'll all be taking a trip to the Time Hotel, where two Doctors, dinosaurs, and a whole bunch of craziness await.Ncuti Gatwareturns as the Fifteenth Doctor and is joined by Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan, who plays Joy in the episode. The cast includes Steph de Whalley, Jonathan Aris, Joey Fry, Peter Benedict, Julia Watson and Niamh Marie Smith. Stephen Moffat wrote the episode, and, most importantly, Russell T. Davies returned as the showrunner.I'm not saying this will be an excellent addition to the show's 20-year run of Christmas specials. But considering the team involved in front of and behind the camera, it sounds like it'll be an episode to remember.Read on to find out when to watch Doctor Who: Joy to the World and why a VPN could be a helpful tool.Read more: Not Into Charlie Brown? Get Into This Offbeat Kids' Christmas Special Instead Ncuti Gatwa is the Doctor and Nicola Couglan is Joy in the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas Special. Disney PlusHow to watch Doctor Who: Joy to the WorldDisney Plus will stream Doctor Who: Joy to the World on Wednesday, Dec. 25, at 12:10 p.m. ET (9:10 a.m. PT) in all regions except the UK and Ireland, where it'll air on the BBC. Sarah Tew/CNET Sign up for a standalone Disney Plus subscription with or without ads, or choose one of its bundle options. The service costs $8 to watch with ads, or $14 for the commercial-free version. Disney also packages its streaming services together Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN at a discount, letting you bundle two or three platforms in a single subscription. There are four bundles available now: Duo Basic, Duo Premium, Trio Basic and Trio Premium. See at Disney Plus

Data breach notices tell us that our personal data was compromised. In 2024 alone, major data breaches occurred at National Public Data, Change Healthcare and Ticketmaster, putting millions of consumers at risk of financial fraud and identity theft."On average, we have seen eight to nine data breach incidents every day," said Weiqing Sun, director of master's programs in cybersecurity at the University of Toledo. "More frequent and more significant data breaches will occur and keep affecting every one of us."If you receive a data breach letter in the mail, don't ignore it. It will inform you that an unauthorized party has gained access to internal company data and may possess your personally identifiable information like your name, phone number, Social Security number and more.Here's everything you should know about data breach notices.What's in a data breach notice?Data breach notices usually include the following information:Details about how and when the breach occurredA list of your personal data that might have been leaked to hackersAn explanation of what the company is doing to protect your data in the aftermathTips to help you keep your identity safeCompanies will regularly pay for free identity theft or credit monitoring services for affected customers. Activation codes are provided in the letter, but you must create the account yourself to take advantage of the offer. Depending on the severity of the breach, the free coverage lasts up to two years in most cases.Identity theft protection services help monitor your sensitive data on the dark web. Sometimes, these services can alert you that your data has been compromised before you even receive a notice. Most importantly, they come with identity restoration services if your identity is stolen."Try to take advantage of those services to get the protection," said Sun.When and how will a company send me a data breach notice?All states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands have passed laws requiring companies to notify customers of data breaches. The length of time varies by state, but notices are usually sent within 60 days after the data leak is discovered. Data breach notices come in the mail. If you receive a notice by email, text or phone call, it's likely a scam. If you have any doubts about the legitimacy of a notice claiming your sensitive data has been compromised, contact the company directly or search online for coverage of the breach, Sun said.In addition to impacted customers, companies that suffer a cyberattack may alert state attorney general's offices, law enforcement, the three major credit bureaus, and the Securities and Exchange Commission, depending on the severity of the breach or state regulations.What should I do if I receive a letter in the mail?If you receive notice of a data breach by mail, follow the advice in the letter and take it seriously. You should be on the lookout for phishing attacks and regularly check your Experian, TransUnion and Equifax credit reports for unauthorized accounts opened in your name.If the company offers free identity theft protection, sign up for it. After the membership expires, you'll need to decide whether to pay to continue with the service or subscribe to another provider. Protect your personal data and get peace of mind withCNET's top pick for identity theft protection. See at Aura If your data is involved in another data breach in the future, you may sign up for additional free services offered to you later. What are some steps I can take to protect my data?Even if you aren't using an ID theft protection service, here are four things you can do for free to protect yourself:1. Change your password on the breached account, along with any other accounts with the same login credentials.2. Review your credit card and debit card statements at least once a month and look for any abnormalities3.Freeze your credit so that nobody can apply for a line of credit in your name (you'll have to unfreeze it yourself if you want to open a new account)4. Remain vigilant of phishing attacks by cybercriminals using your leaked information to trick you into sharing financial account information or other sensitive data

December 24, 20242 min readWikipedia Searches Reveal Differing Styles of CuriosityAre you a hunter or a busybody?By Gary Stix edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Amanda MontaezThe website Wikipedia describes curiosity as a quality related to inquisitive thinking, such as exploration, investigation, and learning, evident in humans and other animals. But there is a lot more to this prime motivator for so much of human behaviorand Wikipedia, as the worlds largest encyclopedia, is now helping social scientists deepen the definition of curiosity.Tracing how Wikipedia searchers flit among topics and lose themselves in Wiki rabbit holes revealed three different styles of human inquisitiveness: the busybody, the hunter and the dancer.Curiosity actually works by connecting pieces of information, not just acquiring them. Dani Bassett, University of Pennsylvania On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.In this lexicon, a busybody traces a zigzagging route through many often distantly related topics. A hunter, in contrast, searches with sustained focus, moving among a relatively small number of closely related articles. A dancer links together highly disparate topics to try to synthesize new ideas. Curiosity actually works by connecting pieces of information, not just acquiring them, says University of Pennsylvania network scientist Dani Bassett, cosenior author on a recent study of these curiosity types in Science Advances. Its not as if we go through the world and pick up a piece of information and put it in our pockets like a stone. Instead we gather information and connect it to stuff that we already know.The team tracked more than 482,000 people using Wikipedias mobile app in 50 countries or territories and 14 languages. The researchers charted these users paths using knowledge networks of connected information, which depict how closely one search topic (a node in the network) is related to another. Beyond just mapping the connections, they linked curiosity styles to location-based indicators of well-being, inequality, and other measures.In countries with higher education levels and greater gender equality, people browsed more like busybodies. In countries with lower scores on these variables, people browsed like hunters. Bassett hypothesizes that in countries that have more structures of oppression or patriarchal forces, there may be a constraining of knowledge production that pushes people more toward this hyperfocus. The researchers also analyzed topics of interest, ranging from physics to visual arts, for busybodies compared with hunters (graphic). Dancer patterns, more recently confirmed, were excluded.Princeton University psychologist Erik Nook praised the studys dazzlingly large scope. The authors, he says, brought together expertise from a range of fieldstopology, psychology, cognitive science, affective science, clinical science, sociology and computational modelingto reveal a host of insights into human behavior.The seeds of this work were planted in 2016 when Bassett and their twin brother, Perry Zurn, a professor of philosophy at American University, noticed that plenty of academic research had examined creativitybut relatively little had gone to its requisite precursor, curiosity. Zurn emerged from a deep dive into 2,000 years of Western historical and philosophical literature with descriptions of various curiosity styles, including the three investigated in the recent paper. Wikipedia then provided the real-world test bed to confirm this busybody-hunter-dancer typology, drawn from the work of philosophical greats. Heidegger and Nietzsche could never have imagined that their work would one day influence the network science of Wiki rabbit holes.

Eurogamer's headed off for ChristmasBut there's plenty to look forward to!Image credit: Eurogamer Blog by Tom Phillips Editor-in-Chief Published on Dec. 24, 2024 Phew. You know how people say 'I can't believe it's been a year since...' Well, this year it really feels like it's been a year. 2024 has been another turbulent 12 months for the video games industry, with fresh challenges and unexpected changes for many. But as I'm sat here reading through the responses to our Reader's Top 50 vote, I'm reminded how much we've still had to be thankful of. The list you've voted for is bursting with creative brilliance, and some of the responses for why you've voted for them are truly touching. You describe experiences which have connected us with others, evoked nostalgia for games of old, and sparked memories of playing alongside people or pets no longer with us. And you have also mentioned games that have now forged fresh memories - sharing our favourite past-time with our own next generations.Eurogamer is headed off on its Christmas holiday after today, but we'll have daily treats to share with you until we're back on 2nd January. As well as your top 50, we'll share our staff picks and our Game of the Year. There's our annual Newcast Quiz of the Year, a festive What We've Been Playing, and we've already begun our Games of 2024 feature series, celebrating some of our favourite gaming moments of the past 12 months.Thank you for all of your support this year. 2025 looks utterly bonkers, and if half of what we're expecting to arrive actually makes it, things are certainly looking bright indeed.Until then, I'll wish you all a safe and happy end of the year - and thanks, as always, for reading.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereFortnite collabs have been growing each day ever since the latest Chapter 6 was released. Whether its Big Hero 6 and Godzilla skins that are included in the latest Battle Pass, or the newly added Cyberpunk collab, theres something for each fan in the game.Since the new season is Japanese-themed and brings Demons and Ronins to the Battle Royale island, most of the collaborations are centered around turning more and more iconic characters into Samurai, like Batman Ninja. One more iconic franchise, Star Wars is getting a Samurai-themed twist with two new skins released in the game soon.Next Fortnite x Star Wars crossover brings Samurai Stormtroopers and Darth Vader skinsLatest Fortnite leaks have revealed that an upcoming Star Wars crossover will bring a Samurai-themed Stormtrooper skin and a Samurai Darth Vader skin to Chapter 6 Season 1. The leaked images were spotted on digital promotional boards where a white Stormtrooper in a samurai costume was seen.The Imperial Fleet is getting a Samurai makeover in Fortnite. Image by HYPEX.Alongside that, a similar Darth Vader skin, with a glowing red Katana, resembling the iconic characters lightsaber was spotted as well. Since players have been asking for a Lightsaber pickaxe in Fortnite ever since the arrival of a Star Wars collab, seems like its finally happening in the form of a glowing sword.A similar red katana is also a pickaxe in the Cyberpunk 2077 set with a cosmetic named Silverhands Katana. Regardless, players are also hoping to see the return of mythic Lightsabers in Fortnite since they were first released with Winterfest 2020.Now since Winterfest 2024 is already underway, a Star Wars crossover would add more OG callbacks to the very first collab that happened between the iconic film franchise and Fortnite. If youre still tuning in to Winterfest, check out all the quests and rewards the game has brought to the Battle Royale island. FortnitePlatform(s):Android, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XGenre(s):Action, Massively Multiplayer, Shooter9VideoGamerRelated TopicsSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

Culture + LifestyleThe 47 Most Beautiful Beaches in the WorldFrom stateside dunes on Lake Michigan to exotic lava sand enclaves on the Galpagos archipelago, these awe-inspiring beaches should be on your bucket listBy Katherine McLaughlinArchitectureThe 10 Most Beautiful Luxury Cruise Ships in the WorldTraveling to destinations as dazzling as the vessels themselves, these ships combine relaxation and adventureBy Rebecca Shinners Culture + LifestyleThe Best Coffee Table Books to Gift This Year, According to AD StaffersWhether youre adding to your own collection or elevating someone elsesBy Jessica ChernercelebritiesDecorate for Christmas with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley & MoreAs Christmas approaches, AD joins Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Derek Blasberg, and more as they decorate and cook in preparation for the holiday season. Level up your hosting game as you learn how to set the perfect holiday table with interior designer Noz Nozawa and make a delicious meringue tumble with Chef Jeremy Lee.architectureInside a Legendary Modernist Home Designed to Flow Like a WaterfallToday, AD travels to Vancouver, Canada, to tour Eppich House II. Designed in the 1980s by renowned Canadian architect Arthur Erickson for businessman Hugo Eppich, this home uses rigid materials to create soft, organic forms. Curved steel layers cascade down the landscape like a waterfall, while an abundance of windows flood the home with natural light. Everything in the house, from the landscape to the furniture, was designed by Ericksons collaborators and has been beautifully preserved. This home is a feat in modernist architecture and is considered one of Ericksons best designs.celebritiesTouring the Doctor Odyssey Set With Joshua JacksonToday AD joins Joshua Jackson and production designer, Jamie Walker McCall, to tour the set of Ryan Murphys Doctor Odyssey. Bringing The Odyssey cruise ship to life was no mean featfrom a fully functioning pool on the leisure deck to the most stylish infirmary a doctor could ask for, this set creates a luxurious backdrop for all the shows medical drama.interiorsInterior Designer Answers Your Top Design QuestionsToday, AD100 designer David Netto joins Architectural Digest to answer your burning interior design questions. What color combinations should you avoid? Should you hang your TV over the fireplace? Netto shares his expertise to help solve any interior design problems you may face.Special thanks to EllsworthKellyFoundation and Gemini G.E.L. LLCcelebritiesInside Kendall Jenners Home at ChristmasToday, AD is welcomed back by Kendall Jenner to tour her LA home while its decorated for Christmas. Over the years, the Kardashian-Jenner clan has become known for their flamboyant Christmas decorations but Kendalls approach to holiday decorating is much more traditional. With the help of florist to the stars, Jeff Leatham, green garlands, a classic tree, and vintage decorations lace the halls of her home creating a nostalgic atmosphere. Much of this nostalgia stems from decorations from Kendalls childhood handed down from her mom Krismost notably her collection of Christopher Radko tree ornaments. Growing up with [those ornaments] every year, they became so special to me, she says. And I cant wait to share that with my kids one day, but I love sharing this with my friends. I love entertaining, I love hosting, and so these decorations get used really well.2024 Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New YorkArchitecture + DesignInside a Richly Layered, Family-Friendly Colonial Revival in LAWest Haddon Hall created moody moments and plenty of room to entertain in the 1931 homeBy Lindsay TalbotShopping68 Best Gifts for Women (and Everyone Else in Your Life)Skip the gift cards and get them something theyll actually loveBy Shoko WangerMagazineTadao Ando Realizes a Fashion Mavens Architectural DreamThe inimitable architect fulfilled Lorenzo Hadars wish for a Los Angeles house that whispers beauty and restraintBy Mayer RusHomes + Decor17 Midcentury-Modern Living Rooms That Prove Why the Style is TimelessThough the look was popularized in the 1940s and 50s, its still one of the most sought-after design aestheticsBy Lindsey Mather

In the film, Hitchcock uses these architectural details intentionally: The lead character Roger Thornhill spies on the films villains from outside of the floor-to-ceiling windows, hanging from the cantilevered edges, then once inside the reflection in the TV and the open floor plan are crucial to the subsequent events. This entire sequence skillfully deploys these architectural attributes for narrative purposesit would have been entirely different had the events taken place in a home of a different architectural style.Though not all of the films buildings are midcentury modern; others do appear, including 430 Park Avenue, which was converted to a modern-style building in the mid-50s and memorably appears in the opening credits. The United Nations General Assembly Building, which was completed in 1952, also appears in the film.Hairspray (2007)John Travolta as Edna Turnblad in HairsprayPhoto: New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett CollectionCaptured with the giddiness that only a musical can offer, the sets of Hairspray employ color and midcentury design motifs to match the energy of the romance and strife of the 60s-set narrative. The sequence for Welcome to the 60s, led by the characters Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) and her mother Edna Turnblad (John Travolta), who hasnt left this house since 1951, emphasize the aesthetic and temperamental difference between the beginning and middle of the midcentury-modern era. The primacy of the space race, and its impact on the visual culture of the time, is acknowledged in the final number, You Cant Stop the Beat, when Tracy descends in a floating rocketship platform onto the stage, above which Sputnik chandeliers hang.The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (20172023)Caroline Aaron as Shirley Maisel, Marin Hinkle as Rose Weissman, Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam Maisel, and Justine Lupe as Astrid Weissman in The Marvelous Mrs. MaiselPhoto: Philippe AntonelloAmazon/Courtesy Everett Collection

Understandably, these have become collector's items and adoring fans anticipate new announcements.AD100 designer Ken Fulk used Pendleton blankets to form these game-room curtains at Instagram founder Kevin and Nicole Systroms Lake Tahoe home.Douglas FriedmanPendleton Blankets in Design TodayPendleton has been woven into the costumes of your favorite film stars (think The Dudes full-zip Westerley Mens Sweater in The Big Lebowski). Spend even a little bit of time scrolling through page after page of vintage Pendletons on Etsy and youll start noticing them everywhere. And you can certainly find them on the pages of AD: Take Instagram cofounder Kevin Systroms home, for examplehis Lake Tahoe manse has a game table surrounded by curtains made from vintage Pendleton blankets. Another creative use can be seen in this Aspen house, where the textiles serve as curtains for a set of bunk beds. Pendleton blankets have a place far outside the stretches of the home, as well. For example, glass artist Dale Chihulys Blanket Cylinders series was inspired by Pendleton and Indigenous textilesa collection that he spent 20 years collecting blankets for.How to Find Vintage Pendleton BlanketsIt can be surprisingly tricky to figure out whether your Pendleton blanket is vintage or notits about far more than finding examples that look old or worn in. The secret lies in the brand tag: Like most brands, Pendleton updated its branding from time to time, and the product tags reflect this. For example, they began using a Woolmark to highlight products made with 100% virgin wool around 1965, but stopped in 1994.Looking to pinpoint the age on that Pendleton blanket you scored at the flea market? Start with the tag.Bloomberg/Getty ImagesAside from the tags, the stitching can give you a clue. According to a blog on the Pendleton website, the company made the move from satin stitching to overstitched binding in the 1960s, with the color of the latter being stronger. Between 1994 and 2009, the typeface on the tags became a bit more streamlined and utilitarian in vibe, and a yellow box in the design was removed. The most recent change happened in 2009 when the name Pendleton was taken off its angle and the typeface got a slight modernization. The National Park blankets also feature fun Easter eggs on the tags, oftentimes featuring park-specific wildlife or flora.Keep in mind that many of the really popular designs have gone through periods of hibernation before being re-introduced. This can cause some confusion if you dont know what to look for, but taking careful note of the product tag should let you know if you have a new or vintage Pendleton wool blanket. Whatever you do, dont throw them in the washing machineonly the (newer) Pendleton Eco-Wise Wool designs are washable. When in doubt, bring it to the dry cleaner.

YouTube is taking a tougher stance on clickbait, saying it will remove content with titles or thumbnails that promise viewers something that the video doesnt deliver, as spotted earlier by TechCrunch. This change will slowly roll out in India first, according to YouTubes blog post, but will expand to more countries in the coming months, YouTube spokesperson Jack Malon says in a statement to The Verge.YouTube says the policy will combat egregious clickbait that misleads viewers, with a particular focus on videos related to breaking news or current events. The companys examples of egregious clickbait include a video with the title the president resigned! that doesnt actually address a resignation or a top political news thumbnail attached to a video with no news content.As the policy rolls out in India, YouTube will remove content that violates the rules without giving a strike to creators, at least at first. And as we continue to educate creators, our enforcement efforts will prioritize new video uploads moving forward, YouTube says.

Zombies OriginOne of the most beloved Call of Duty games, and a unique shooter from the X360 era, are seemingly coming to Game PassGame Pass continues to amass a large library of classic Call of Duty games, and it appears the list will be gaining one major addition next year.Image credit: Activision, Treyarch. News by Sherif Saed Contributing Editor Published on Dec. 24, 2024 It looks like one of next years Game Pass updates will be bringing us some classic bangers, particularly those of us who grew up playing shooters on the Xbox 360/PS3 generation. The latest leak is yet another thing that points to Microsofts continued interest in expanding the services line-up with classic, back-catalogue titles from the many studios it owns.This time, Xbox is pulling from the deep Activision Blizzard well.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. According to insider and eXputer writereXtas1s, Call of Duty: World at War, as well as Singularity are both on their way to Game Pass. EXtas1s does have a decent track record when it comes to these sort of leaks.The insider shared a screenshot of World at War on the Microsoft Store, which is how PC games are made available when theyre part of PC Game Pass. It is very unlikely that Activision simply intends to start selling the PC version through the MS Store. The more likely scenario is that its preparing for a Game Pass announcement.Seeing as the line-up between console and PC is near identical, it stands to reason that World at War will also be arriving on Xbox Game Pass at the same time. Interestingly, the listing does not show Achievement support, though that could just be missing at this time.World at War, off course, is well remembered for introducing Zombies mode to Call of Duty. The co-op survival mode started out as something of an Easter Egg intended to be played by a small number of people, but has since grown to become a major part of Treyarchs games. Zombies has also made its way to non-Treyarch-developed Call of Duty games, too, and is considred a core pillar of the series today.The other classic Xbox 360 shooter part of the same leak is Singularity, Raven Softwares 2010 sci-fi shooter that is much more appreciated today that it ever was when it came out. The bad news? The two games apparently wont be joining the line-up until May. Thats close to halfway into 2025. Its likely we may even see some other Call of Duty in Game Pass before then, but thats what we have to go on for now.