By Todd Feathers Published January 14, 2025 | Comments (0) | Allstate is accused of violating Texas's comprehensive state data privacy law. Shutterstock Texas has sued one of the nations largest car insurance providers alleging that it violated the states privacy laws by surreptitiously collecting detailed location data on millions of drivers and using that information to justify raising insurance premiums. The states attorney general, Ken Paxton, said the lawsuit against Allstate and its subsidiary Arity is the first enforcement action ever filed by a state attorney general to enforce a data privacy law. It also follows a deceptive business practice lawsuit he filed against General Motors accusing the car manufacturer of misleading customers by collecting and selling driver data. Our investigation revealed that Allstate and Arity paid mobile apps millions of dollars to install Allstates tracking software, Paxton said in a statement. The personal data of millions of Americans was sold to insurance companies without their knowledge or consent in violation of the law. Texans deserve better and we will hold all these companies accountable. In 2015, Allstate developed the Arity Driving Engine software development kit (SDK), a package of code that the company allegedly paid mobile app developers to install in their products in order to collect a variety of sensitive data from consumers phones. The SDK gathered phone geolocation data, accelerometer, and gyroscopic data, details about where phone owners started and ended their trips, and information about driving behavior, such as whether phone owners appeared to be speeding or driving while distracted, according to the lawsuit.The apps that installed the SDK included GasBuddy, Fuel Rewards, and Life360, a popular family monitoring app, according to the lawsuit.Paxtons complaint said that Allstate and Arity used the data collected by its SDK to develop and sell products to other insurers like Drivesight, an algorithmic model that assigned a driving risk score to individuals, and ArityIQ, which allowed other insurers to [a]ccess actual driving behavior collected from mobile phones and connected vehicles to use at time of quote to more precisely price nearly any driver. Allstate and Arity marketed the products as providing driver behavior data but because the information was collected via mobile phones the companies had no way of determining whether the owner was actually driving, according to the lawsuit. For example, if a person was a passenger in a bus, a taxi, or in a friends car, and that vehicles driver sped, hard braked, or made a sharp turn, Defendants would conclude that the passenger, not the actual driver, engaged in bad driving behavior, the suit states.Neither Allstate and Arity nor the app developers properly informed customers in their privacy policies about what data the SDK was collecting or how it would be used, according to the lawsuit.Texass Data Privacy and Security Act is one of dozens of state privacy laws enacted in recent years. While other states have accused and reached settlements with companies for violating their privacy laws, the Texas complaint against Allstate is significant because the company allegedly passed up the opportunity to change its practices and avoid a lawsuit. Like many other state laws, the Texas DPSA has what is known as a right-to-cure provision, which says that companies who are notified that theyre violating the law have a certain amount of time (30 days, in Texass case) to fix the alleged violations and avoid an enforcement action. Allstate and Arity didnt do that, according to the lawsuit.In its complaint, filed in federal court, Texas requested that Allstate be ordered to pay a penalty of $7,500 per violation of the states data privacy law and $10,000 per violation of the states insurance code, which would likely amount to millions of dollars given the number of consumers allegedly affected. The lawsuit also asks the court to make Allstate delete all the data it obtained through actions that allegedly violated the privacy law and to make full restitution to customers harmed by the companies actions.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Matthew Gault Published January 13, 2025 By Todd Feathers Published December 26, 2024 By Lucas Ropek Published November 17, 2024 By Matthew Gault Published September 10, 2024 By Matt Novak Published September 5, 2024 By Matthew Gault Published August 26, 2024

Rusty House / studio on the ryeSave this picture! French + TyeArchitects: studio on the ryeYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:French + TyeMore SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. Location and Background - Rusty House on the Rye is a 1950s property located in the Holly Grove Conservation Area in Peckham, South London. Situated on the corner of Bellenden Road, leading to Rye Lane, the property's prime position makes it highly visible from two main streets. Purchased 14 years ago by the owner Victoria, she was regularly approached by developers wanting to buy and build on the land. However, she decided to take matters into her own hands, opting to expand her home and make the most of the space herself. Client Vision and Brief - The project got off the ground in early 2023 and Victoria was keen to work with a local, all-female team for the design and engineering. She selected local architect Sarah Borowiecka, director of studio on the rye to oversee the process. For Sarah the brief was clear: the client wanted to add a two-storey extension while maintaining side access from the front garden into the rear. The garden was a standout feature and integral to the project. Additionally, the client sought a larger kitchen, to accommodate working from home, a snug, a utility room, and a new master bedroom. The existing home also needed updates, including resolving damp and ventilation issues and modernizing the rooms to be more energy-efficient.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Challenges and Design Approach - Located in a conservation area, the project faced tighter restrictions to preserve the characteristics of the neighborhood. studio on the rye's approach was to design an extension that would fit in with the surrounding area without resorting to pastiche. It opted for a modern idiom that would sit comfortably with both the 1950s house and the more historical buildings nearby. Avoiding the common approach of using brickdifficult to match with the existing housestudio on the rye chose weathered Corten steel for the cladding. This choice not only complemented the tone of the house's red brick but also introduced an unusual and visually striking element to the design. The steel's patina, which develops a rusty, brown color over time, was accelerated to create the desired look upon installation. This weathered appearance harmonized with both the existing structure and the conservation area. The design also focused on simple, monolithic forms. Recessed gutters and a shadow gap in both the walls and roof helped delineate the extension from the original house while maintaining a clean and modern aesthetic.Save this picture!Save this picture!Structural Changes and Key Materials - The design added significant floor space, including a kitchen/dining area, utility room, and snug on the ground floor, and a master bedroom with an ensuite shower room and walk-in wardrobe on the second floor. Inside, the project introduced new windows and doors, a revamped stairwell, and a new staircase. The kitchen was designed by studio on the rye and crafted from ash, with bespoke joinery. The floors were finished with polished concrete tiles in the kitchen/dining space and oak throughout the rest of the house. The corner windows in the kitchen and master bedroom, a standout feature of the design, required bespoke glass. The unusual angle, dictated by the boundary line of the property, meant that several suppliers had to be approached before Fluid Glass was selected to deliver the custom windows. The materials were carefully sourced, with a focus on UK-based suppliers like Havwoods for the timber, Lazenby for the concrete floor tiles, Astro for the lighting, The Rooflight Company for the roof lights, and Fluid Glass for the glazing.Save this picture!Design Challenges and Solutions - The biggest technical challenge was working with Corten Steel. Though durable, its rusting process can cause rainwater runoff to stain surrounding finishes. To avoid this, a sealant was applied to prevent further rusting and protect the concrete floor tiles below. The studio also spent considerable time collaborating with metal suppliers and contractors to develop a fixing method for the steel panels, ensuring a seamless, sleek look. In the master bedroom, the corner windows created an additional challenge for blackout conditions, as no standard off-the-shelf shutters were available. studio on the rye designed bespoke sliding MDF shutters that could be concealed in the walls, offering both aesthetic and functional solutions. Another key design consideration was how to connect the house more effectively with the rear garden, compensating for the loss of some side garden space. Large sliding doors, a glazed corner in the kitchen, and expansive windows were introduced to create a seamless transition between the interior and the garden, allowing the outdoors to feel like an extension of the home. Insulation improvements, triple-glazed windows, and an energy-efficient bioethanol stove were also added to enhance the home's sustainability.Save this picture!Aesthetic Vision - The aesthetic goal was to create a simple, calm atmosphere using natural materials to add warmth and texture. Ash window surrounds bespoke joinery, oak parquet flooring, and concrete tiles were used to create a minimalist, Scandinavian-inspired interior. Natural daylight was a key element, with roof lights over the stairwell, master bedroom, and ensuite shower room, and large windows throughout. Collaboration and Legacy - Sarah's deep local roots facilitated a smooth design and construction process for this project, from collaborating with a local contractor to regularly cycling past the site on her way to the office. Naming her practice after the area and having lived in Peckham her entire life, Rusty House on the Rye represents more than just a design projectit's a meaningful contribution to Sarah's community and a visible, lasting addition to the neighborhood. The project is a gateway into Peckham that reflects Sarah's personal and professional identity.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officeMaterialSteelMaterials and TagsPublished on January 14, 2025Cite: "Rusty House / studio on the rye" 14 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025537/rusty-house-studio-on-the-rye&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 photograph shows dogs passing by a Ferris wheel in background in the ghost town of Pripyat near the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant on May 29, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Credit: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty ImagesShareFeral dogs living near Chernobyl differ genetically from their ancestors who survived the 1986 nuclear plant disasterbut these variations do not appear to stem from radioactivity-induced mutations. The new findings are helping experts contextualize how such ecological catastrophes influence the environment around them, and how these effects ripple out over time.Chernobyls reactor meltdown remains historys worst nuclear disaster. The initial explosion killed two facility workers on April 26, 1986, but at least another 28 people succumbed to acute radiation poisoning and associated issues over the next three months. At least 9,000 cancer-related fatalities across Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia occurred in the decades since the meltdown, and a roughly 1,000-square-mile exclusion zone still exists around the facility that includes the abandoned town of Pripyat. In addition to the confirmed deaths, other longterm effects suggested by multiple studies include contaminated water, damage to plantlife, and birth defects in both humans and animals.The ecological damage remains difficult to comprehend, but the region never became completely devoid of life. Many animals survived even after undergoing radiation-based genetic mutationsnotably, a number of pet dogs abandoned by their owners during Chernobyls hasty evacuation orders. Today, several hundred feral dogs are estimated to live in the area, presenting a unique opportunity to study how these populations adapt to immense and sudden environmental degradation.In a study published last year, researchers identified stark genetic differences between the Exclusion Zones feral dogs and dogs living barely 10 miles away in Chernobyl City. These included 391 genetic outlier regions between the two populations, some specifically associated with DNA repair. But according to their follow-up investigation published in the journal PLOS One, the team now says there is no evidence that these contrasts are the result of an increased mutation rate.The researchers reached their conclusion after analyzing samples at the chromosomal level, followed by small genome intervals and differences between individual nucleotides. They were particularly on the hunt for evidence of abnormalities such as accumulated germ line DNA mutationsalterations in reproductive cell DNA passed from parents to offspring over multiple generations. Matthew Breen, an NC State professor of comparative oncology genetics and study corresponding author, likened the overall process to using your phone cameras zoom function.[W]e start with a wide view of a subject and then zoom in, Breen said in an accompanying statement on January 13th. We know that, for example, exposure to high doses of radiation can introduce instability from the chromosomal level on down.Breen noted that while the current dog population is more than 30 generations removed from the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, the team would likely still identify genetic mutations if, for example, they provided some form of survival advantage. Researchers, however, found no evidence of such abnormalities.[M]utation does not appear to be the cause of the previously identified genetic differentiation between these two geographically close populations of free-breeding dogs, the study authors conclude. Considering this, in conjunction with the previous work on breed composition, inbreeding, and comparisons to other free-breeding dog populations, we have yet to identify the definitive cause for this genetic differentiation.Megan Dillon, an NC State PhD candidate and study lead author, believes the first generation of dogs who survived Chernobyl may have done so thanks to certain genetic traits they already possessednot those conferred through radioactive mutation.So perhaps there was extreme selective pressure at the start, and then the dogs at the power plant just remained separate from the city population, she said. Investigating that question is an important next step that we are now working on.Their latest findings extend far beyond dogs, as well. Given the number of canine generations that have lived since the nuclear meltdown, Dillon likened the present-day population to humans centuries removed from the [those] present at the time of the disaster. Get the Popular Science newsletter Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.But just because todays Chernobyl dogs lack genetic mutations from radioactive fallout doesnt mean theyor the people still working on cleanup effortsare safe from health issues.Most people think of the Chernobyl nuclear accident as a radiological disaster in an abandoned corner of Ukraine, but the potential adverse health implications are much wider, added Norman Kleiman, study co-author and a professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University School of Public Health.Kleiman explained that, in addition to radiation, other toxins such as lead powder, pesticides, asbestos, and heavy metals have been released into the environment over three decades of remediation work undertaken by thousands of people.The importance of continuing to study the environmental health aspects of large-scale disasters like this cannot be overemphasized, said Kleiman.

Skip to contentReviewsEnvironmentA podcast challenges us to reassess our relationship with wildfiresUnited by Fire explores lessons from the two largest blazes in Colorado history Flames devoured pines and other vegetation in the Arapaho National Forest and Rocky Mountain National Park during the East Troublesome Fire in 2020. The blaze, the subject of a new podcast, is the second largest wildfire in Colorado history.milehightraveler/istock/getty images plusBy Nikk Ogasa1 hour agoUnited by FireDenver Museum of Nature & ScienceAvailable wherever you get your podcastsFor hundreds of millions of years, wildfires were directed solely by the weather, vegetation and terrain. But in the last century in the United States, people have sought to suppress even those beneficial fires that would otherwise clear out dead vegetation, which can fuel wildfires, and stimulate new growth. Now, catastrophic megafires erupt each year, and in some places, climate change has extended the fire season. Clearly something has to give our society must change its relationship with fire.

Nature, Published online: 14 January 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00049-8Natures survey of hiring in science has revealed a gulf between the expectations of people looking for jobs in science and those who hire.

The giant isopod has been named Bathynomus vaderi due to its resemblance to Darth Vader's iconic helmet from "Star Wars."

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This week looks like it could be a big one for Nintendo fans, as several reports have claimed that the Switch successor will be officially revealed on January 16. While this first look at the new Nintendo console is reported to be focused entirely on the hardware, several games for the system have also reportedly been leaked so far.According to Podcaster NateTheHate, a brand-new Mario Kart game will launch alongside the Switch 2, while a 3D Mario game will arrive during the holiday season. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is Nintendo's best-selling game of all time, having sold 64.27 million units as of September 30, 2024. The next game in the series has some big boots to fill, but with an established fanbase and a "new twist" on its gameplay, it's likely that there'll still be plenty of interest in it.Meanwhile, Mario fans haven't exactly been starved of games starring Nintendo's plumber, but it has been eight years since we last saw him in a proper 3D adventure. Super Mario Odyssey earned rave reviews when it was released in 2017, and since then, Nintendo has scratched the itch for 3D Mario games by remastering his older GameCube and Wii U games for the Switch, while also releasing Bowser's Fury in 2021.On Nintendo's official upcoming games page, it also lists as Metroid Prime 4, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, and Professor Layton and the New World of Steam for a 2025 release, so this looks to be a stacked year for the Switch. While these games aren't confirmed to be cross-gen titles, the Switch will be backwards compatible with Switch games, in case you purchase these titles and want to enjoy them on newer hardware.On the third-party side, Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth are rumored to be making an appearance on the Switch 2. Both games are visually impressive on PC and PS5--Final Fantasy 7 Remake was released first on PS4--so it'll be interesting to see how they run on the newer Nintendo hardware if these leaks turn out to be true. Even Konami is said to be preparing Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater for the Switch 2, so it looks like several genres will be covered.Ubisoft is also reportedly bringing several of its games to the Switch 2, starting with ports of its Switch Mario + Rabbids games and including other games like The Division, Assassin's Creed, and Rainbow Six Siege. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot previously mentioned that Nintendo suggested that Ubisoft should have waited to release the Mario + Rabbids sequel on the Switch successor, as the game reportedly had poor sales despite being critically acclaimed.The Switch 2 could also be home to even more Microsoft games, following the release of Pentiment and Grounded on the Switch recently. NateTheHate added that Microsoft will be a "very big supporter" and that games like Microsoft Flight Simulator, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Sea of Thieves, and Hi-Fi Rush will find their way onto the system. We've gathered up all the leaked games so far, but until Nintendo, Microsoft, and various third-party partners officially confirm them, you might want to remain skeptical. Assassin's Creed Mirage"There are a lot of other third-party games that are being considered or will be coming to Switch 2. One title that will be there within the launch window comes from Ubisoft, and it's going to be Assassin's Creed Mirage."Source: NateTheHate Assassin's Creed Shadows"To my understanding, Assassin's Creed Shadows is one of those in-development ports it just won't be ready for launch and probably won't be ready for the launch window."Source: NateTheHate Final Fantasy 7 Remake"I think third-parties are going to show up quite strong, and we can go to the third-party prediction speculation segment. I've already discussed some of the third party games that will be coming to Switch 2. One title coming in 2025 is going to be Final Fantasy 7 Remake."Source: NateTheHate Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth"[Final Fantasy 7] Rebirth will follow in 2026."Source: NateTheHate Halo: The Master Chief Collection"Expect a lot of Microsoft games on Switch 2 and PS5 moving forward, but Flight Simulator and Halo: Master Chief Collection are two games I have heard about that should be making their way over in 2025."Source: NateTheHate Microsoft Flight Simulator Hi-Fi Rush"Microsoft is going to be a very big supporter of the Switch 2 when it does come out, they will be porting and patching the current Switch lineup. So games like Grounded, Pentiment, the Ori games will eventually find their way to Switch 2, be patched with 4K support and I wouldn't be surprised if you see Sea of Thieves, maybe Hi-Fi Rush, also find their way over."Source: NateTheHate Ori and the Blind Forest Ori and the Will of the Wisps Sea of Thieves Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle and Sparks of Hope"[We] had already released a Mario Rabbids game [on Switch], so by doing another we had two similar experiences on one machine. On Nintendo, games like this never die. There are 25 Mario games on Switch. Nintendo [has advised] that it's better to do one iteration on each machine. We were a bit too early, we should have waited for [the next console]. Because you could play a great game. And we think it will last for 10 years, because we will update it for the new machine that will come in the future."-- Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot"There was also some consideration of doing a Mario + Rabbids collection so it would have one and two in a single package."Source: NateTheHate Rumored 3D Mario Game"We have heard stuff like a new 3D Mario [game]."Source: NateTheHate Rumored Mario Kart 9 Game"I do think they'll probably sneak in Mario Kart 9 before the end of this year."Source: NateTheHate Metroid Prime 4: BeyondCurrently scheduled to launch in 2025 for Switch. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater"Some other third-party games I have heard, include Metal Gear Solid Delta, which is coming out in 2025. Right now it lacks a release date for all platforms and I'm hopeful that maybe it is a day-and-date release when it does come to Switch 2."Source: NateTheHate Pokemon Legends: Z-ACurrently scheduled to launch in 2025 for Switch systems. Professor Layton and the New World of SteamCurrently scheduled to launch in 2025 for Switch. Rainbow Six Siege"I've been told that Ubisoft is doing more than half-a-dozen games for the Switch 2, and a lot of them are going to be late ports. These are from a range of franchises, like The Division, Rainbow Six Siege."Source: NateTheHate The DivisionNote: It's not clear yet which Division game--or games--will be headed to Switch 2.