The United States military offers an expedited path to US citizenship for lawful residents who commit to service. In 2024, while filming the US Marine Corps boot camp in Camp Pendleton, California, chief video correspondent Graham Flanagan followed one recruit taking advantage of this opportunity.Twenty-four-year-old Ralph Dahilig immigrated to the US from the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although he holds a bachelor's degree in information systems, Dahilig struggled to find a job in the tech industry, which led him to pursue a career in the Marine Corps.At 5 feet 4 inches tall, Dahilig is not what many might picture as the prototypical US Marine. He had to learn to think outside the box to make it to The Crucible, the 54-hour culminating event of the 13-week boot camp. All recruits must endure it before they receive the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor pendant, symbolizing their official transformation from recruit to US Marine.Show more

CEO Anne Wojcicki proposed making 23andMe a private company but faced pushback23andMe cofounder Anne Wojcicki said she intends to take the company private. Kimberly White / Getty Images Despite operating for nearly two decades without profit, 23andMe went public in 2021 and reached a $6 billion valuation. The company's stocks were priced at $11.13 a share, but they've fallen significantly since then. The stock price has dropped 98% over the past several years. It stood at $3.84 on January 10.Wojcicki proposed that 23andMe revert to a private company in a July 2024 SEC filing, saying she believed the company would "be best equipped to execute against this mission as a private entity, allowing us to remove certain public company costs and distractions."However, a special committee formed by 23andMe's board of directors rejected the proposal five days later."We are disappointed with the proposal for multiple reasons, including because it provides no premium to the closing price per share on Wednesday, July 31st, it lacks committed financing, and it is conditional in nature," the special committee's letter to Wojcicki said. "Accordingly, we view your proposal as insufficient and not in the best interest of the non-affiliated shareholders."The special committee said it would review a revised proposal, but a September letter indicated that members had not received a "fully financed, fully diligence, actionable proposal."A 23andMe spokesperson told Business Insider that Wojcicki still intends to take the company private. 23andMe agreed to a $30 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit23andMe agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit in 2024. ERIC BARADAT/Getty Images Privacy concerns have dogged 23andMe for years, but in 2023, worry became a reality for users when their data was compromised. That October, hackers said they accessed certain users' names, birth details, ethnicities, and photos.23andMe confirmed in December that data for almost 7 million users was accessed. A data breach notification filed in January 2024 said it took the company five months to realize hackers had accessed the data.Affected users filed a class-action lawsuit against 23andMe this March, which led to the company agreeing to pay the $30 million settlement in September 2024. The entirety of 23andMe's independent board of directors resigned in a letterFormer independent directors of 23andMe's board resigned in a letter published in September. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images One week after the company agreed to settle the class-action lawsuit, all seven independent directors on 23andMe's board resigned in a letter addressed to Wojcicki."While we continue to wholeheartedly support the Company's mission and believe deeply in the value of the personalized health and wellness offering that you have articulated, it is also clear that we differ on the strategic direction for the Company going forward," the letter said.The letter also referenced Wojcicki's revised proposal to take the 23andMe private, saying members of the special committee and board had "not seen any notable progress over the last 5 months.""The Special Committee is therefore unwilling to consider further extensions, and the Board agrees with the Special Committee's determination," the letter said.The sudden resignation spurred headlines in the media about 23andMe's unsteady footing. The company sought to address this imbalance by appointing three new independent directors to its board in October 2024."The new independent directors look forward to working closely with Anne Wojcicki and the Company's management team to best position 23andMe for the future,"Jensen said in a press release. 23andMe's reputation with consumers stalled in late 2024 over 'third-party takeover proposals'CEO Anne Wojcicki said she's no longer "considering third-party takeover proposals" of 23andMe. Steve Jennings/Getty Images/TechCrunch Some consumers grew concerned in September 2024 when an SEC filing said Wojcicki "would be open to considering third-party takeover proposals for the Company."The remarks prompted consumers to reckon with the potential consequences, which The Atlantic reported could include the sale of their personal genetic data.Wojcicki walked back her remark in a separate filing."Accordingly, in order to update my prior statement and avoid any confusion in the market, I am no longer open to considering third-party takeover proposals for the Issuer," she said in the filing.A 23andMe spokesperson told BI that Wojcicki "haspublicly sharedshe intends to take the company private, and is not open to considering third-party takeover proposals."The statement added: "Anne has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the company's mission and values, and to its customers, pledging to maintain 23andMe's strong security and privacy policies, including following the intended completion of the acquisition she is pursuing." 23andMe lays off 40% of its workforce and discontinues its therapeutics programs23andMe said in November that it would reduce its staff by 40%. Smith Collection/Gado 23andMe made a decisive pivot in November 2024 as it continued to chase stable footing. The company reduced its staff by over 200 employees."The business restructuring is expected to substantially reduce operating expenses and result in annualized cost savings of more than $35 million," the company said in a press release.23andMe also said it will discontinue its therapeutics programs and "wind down" ongoing clinical trials."In parallel with the discontinuation of its therapeutics division, the Company is actively exploring all strategic options for a limited time to maximize the value of its therapeutics programs, including licensing agreements, asset sales, or other transactions," the company said.23andMe published its most recent second-quarter financial results in November. The company said it earned $44 million in total revenue, a 12% decrease from the $50 million recorded in the same period the previous year. Operating expenses reached $84 million, a 17% decrease from the $101 million recorded for the same period in 2023. 23andMe said it had 'substantial doubt' the company could survive without more funding23andMe expressed concern over its longevity in a November SEC filing. Illustration by Avishek Das/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images In a November 2024 SEC filing, 23andMe expressed concern over its longevity. The company said it would need additional liquidity to fund its financial commitments and expenditures."The Company has determined that, as of the filing date of this report, there is substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern," 23andMe said.The filing also said that as of September 2024, the company "had an accumulated deficit of $2.3billion and cash and cash equivalents of $126.6million." A 23andMe spokesperson said the company is committed to its consumers and enforcing ethical business practicesA 23andMe spokesperson said the company is committed to consumer privacy. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images A spokesperson for 23andMe told Business Insider that it has privacy protections for its customers, and doesn't share data with third parties without consent. Customers can opt into its Research program, but it requires them to consent before joining."Roughly 80% of 23andMe customers consent to participate in our research program, which has generated more than 270 peer-reviewed publications uncovering hundreds of new genetic insights into disease," a statement said.The spokesperson said 23andMe is subject to state and federal consumer privacy and genetic privacy laws similar to HIPAA. However, the company's protocols "offer a more appropriate framework to protect our data than privacy and security program requirements in HIPAA.""We are committed to protecting customer data and are consistently focused on maintaining the privacy of our customers. That will not change," the statement said.

Since it came out last December, Marvel Rivalshas become the hot new hero shooter. A lot of that can be owed to its visuals, and PC players have since made skin mods that make the games cast into non-Marvel characters, like making Jeff the Shark into Chainsaw MansPochita, or Iron Man into Dragon Balls Vegeta. Sadly, NetEase has seemingly killedMarvel Rivalsmod skin scene with the games newest update. Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Womans recent arrivals were part of the games season one update, and players have found the update comes with asset hash checking thats disabled all mods on PC. As IGN notes, using mods violates the shooters terms of use, and NetEase is selling premium skins for each Rivals character on a regular basis. Its also more than ready to enforce its own rule, as it gave a statement to the outlet advising players to [not] modify any game files, as doing so carries the risk of getting banned. So for PC players, theyll have to stay looking like the characters as they were made for the game. NetEase probably stamped down Marvel Rivals mod skins because they wouldve killed the games revenue potential. The game reportedly made $136 million in its launch month alone, but if youre on PC, why fork over cash to look like Winter Soldier in Thunderbolts* when you could be Captain America as presidents Joe Biden or Donald Trump, or turn Black Panther into Ryan Gosling, one of our hardest working white actors? The skins took off because Rivals community is shitposting to their hearts content, and theyve been further spurred by the boom of properties likeSmileandGodzillamaking their way into Call of Duty and Fortnite. Will this fully stop the mod skin scene? Probably not, but it gives those modders a challengehopefully, things dont get to War Thunderlevels of ridiculous. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Lets play mad scientist for a second: Take a tripod, a selfie stick, and a PopSocket, and genetically fuse them with an octopus. Your insane experiment would probably yield something like the Tenikle, which you could then bring onto Shark Tank and strike a deal for seed money to spread your amazing invention far and wide.See at TenikleUnfortunately somebody has beaten you to the punch, right down to the Shark Tank deal, but the good news is you can reap the benefits when you buy your own Tenikle for 40% off and suddenly discover how easy it is to use the best cellphone, tablet, and camera mounting innovation weve seen in a very long time. Did we mention its also pocket-sized, incredibly lightweight, and made in the USA?Never Miss Another ShotFlexible cellphone mounts arent new. Ones with a 360-degree bendable arm for your device and nine incredibly powerful suction cups on the other 3 legs that can hold up to 100 times its weight? Thats a first. Finding a surface that you cant use the Tenikle on is going to be your new challenge moving forward, because all of the other problems presented by traditional mounts and tripods have been solved.A shortlist of places to deploy a Tenikle: Your laptop or monitor, walls, windows, bicycle handlebars, poles, doorknobs those silicone suction cups instantly grab onto any smooth, non-porous surface and latch on tightly to remove danger of your device falling, and so securely that your device will remain still for that selfie or video shoot. That includes glass, porcelain, fiberglass, gloss-painted wood or drywall, metal, and plastic. The completely bendable Tenikle makes shooting in landscape or portrait mode equally easy, and it comes with a Shutterbug remote control for timer-free shots.Open the Box and GoTheres no software or setup with the Tenikle take it out of the box, stick your device to it, mount it anywhere you like, and start shooting. And while we cant speak to the waterproofing of your device, the Tenikle is 100% waterproof, and its also designed to mount your device without obstructing the camera, sound buttons, charging ports, or other access points.Your next trip no longer requires fitting a rigid tripod or selfie stick in your bags, and youll come home with pictures and videos that were previously impossible to take without a stick-anywhere bend-any-way device holder like the Tenikle. The Tenikle is also backed by a lifetime warranty and 60-day money-back guarantee, and real humans manning the customer service desk ready to help you out. During this 40% off sale, one Tenikle is just $30, and a buy-2-get-1-free deal on three Tenikles is just $80 and comes with free shipping. The greatest advance in cellphone and tablet photography since the selfie stick has arrived, and you can be an early adopter with the Tenikle.See at Tenikle

By Isaac Schultz Published January 11, 2025 | Comments (0) | The Great Salt Lake in 2024. Photo: Brian Richter, president, Sustainable Waters A worrying study published last month in Environmental Challenges claims that nearly two-thirds of the Great Salt Lakes shrinkage is attributable to human use of river water that otherwise would have replenished the lake. Utahs Great Salt Lake is a relic of a once-vast lake that occupied the same site during the Ice Age. The lakes level has fluctuated since measurements of it began in 1847, but its about 75 miles (120 kilometers) long by 35 miles (56 km) wide with a maximum depth of 33 feet (10 meters). The Great Salt Lakes water levels hit a record low in 2021, which was usurped the following year. According to the recent paper, about 62% of the river water that otherwise would have refilled the lake has instead been used for anthropogenic consumption. The research team found that agricultural use cases were responsible for 71% of those human-driven depletions; furthermore, about 80% of the agricultural water is used for crops to feed just under one million cattle. The research highlights the alarming role of water consumption for feeding livestock in driving the lakes rapid depletion, said William Ripple, an ecologist at Oregon State University and co-author of the paper, in a university release.The lake is no stranger to change; One Utah State University report indicated that the lakes water levels have been in decline since the mid-19th century. As the United States Geological Surveys Utah Water Science Center reports, the lakes bisection by a railroad causeway in 1959 significantly changed the salinity levels in the newly created halves of the lake, and because the water body has no outlet rivers or inflow, its water levels change dramatically due to evaporation or substantial rain.Abnormally large snowmelt inflow during the 1980s and 1990s served to temporarily obscure the long-term decline in lake levels, and the lake actually reached its highest level in more than a century in 1987, Ripple said. But it has been dropping by roughly 4 inches per year on average since then. The researchers proposed a goal of reducing anthropogenic river water consumption in the area by 35% to begin refilling the lake, as well as a detailed breakdown of specific reductions within livestock feed production.We find that the most potent solutions would involve a 61% reduction in alfalfa production along with fallowing of 2655% of grass hay production, the team wrote, resulting in reductions of agricultural revenues of US$97 million per year, or 0.04% of the states GDP. The team added that Utah residents could be compensated for their loss of revenue. Its an easier plan to propose on paper than sell folks on as a reality, but it is a pathway towards recovery for the Great Salt Lake.As the team added, the lake directly supports 9,000 jobs and $2.5 billion in economic productivity, primarily from mining, recreation, and fishing of brine shrimp. Exposed saline lakebeds (as the Great Salt Lakes increasingly are with its decreasing water levels) are also associated with dust that can pose health risks due to its effects on the human respiratory system. For now, the Great Salt Lakes average levels and volume continue to decrease. But the teams research has revealed a specific pain point and suggested ways to reduce the strain on the greatbut diminishingwater body.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By AJ Dellinger Published January 3, 2025 By Margherita Bassi Published December 6, 2024 By Lauren Leffer Published July 6, 2022 By Molly Taft Published May 18, 2022 By Angely Mercado Published March 29, 2022 By Germain Lussier Published January 5, 2022

Lundbyskolan / D Office arkitekterSave this picture! Bert LeanderssonEducational ArchitectureTolered, SwedenArchitects: D Office arkitekterAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:15300 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Bert Leandersson Lead Architects: Ann Dalberg, Linnea Ringquist, Jacob Kodeda, Julia Kodeda More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. We have had the honor and trust of designing the new Lundby School on Hisingen for the City of Gothenburg. The school was completed and ready for occupancy in 2024 and is designed for 630 students in grades 7-9, as well as students with intellectual disabilities in compulsory school.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The building also houses a cultural school and a sports hall with associated facilities for the sports and association administration. An important starting point for the design of the school has been to create a safe and welcoming place and an environment to thrive in, both during and after school hours.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!For the exterior design of the building, it was of great importance to connect to the location and the old school (through the use of red brick and traditional material choices.), which has been partially preserved. At the same time, the building's facade was designed to reflect the modern school that it is, a building that meets the demands of contemporary society. The school's facade is characterized by large glass sections that showcase the activities of the surrounding area.Save this picture!The activities on the ground floor thus help illuminate the space to promote safe outdoor environments around the building. The interior design is characterized by natural materials such as slate and wood, combined with a subdued color scheme in dark hues, to contribute to a calm and harmonious environment where students can feel at home. The sports hall consists of an event hall with retractable bleachers for 1,000 spectators and a ceiling height of 10 meters. The hall can be divided into two full-sized halls with a curtain wall, allowing the spaces to be used in the best possible way by both the school and the community organizations.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Tolered, SwedenLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeD Office arkitekterOfficeMaterialWoodMaterials and TagsPublished on January 11, 2025Cite: "Lundbyskolan / D Office arkitekter" 11 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025573/lundbyskolan-d-office-arkitekter&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

A new mega-database of half a million mutations may flag new ways of treating genetic disease, scientists say.

Archaeologists have discovered 321 silver coins still wrapped in a cloth and lead pouch from a time in English history marked by upheaval due to the coronation of a new Anglo-Saxon king.

we photoscanned his VHS camera for the head and then hand painted the rest of the textures, PSX style graphics submitted by /u/BassPro_1996 [link] [comments]

Signal Space Lab's Human Within is undoubtedly one of 2025's more unique VR releases thanks to a well-crafted blend of engaging storytelling devices. Blurring the lines between virtual reality games and interactive fiction, Human Within shifts from choose-your-own-adventure live-action cinematics to more hands-on virtual reality puzzle sequences.