Sonic Racing: Crossworlds just got a new gameplay trailer at the Sony State of Play, which means we caught a peak at the game in action, multiple tracks, loads of vehicles, and all that good Sonic R goodness. In addition, a closed network test for the game was announced for February 21. Read more

Brian Quintenz, who leads policy for Andreessen Horowitzs crypto team, announced on Wednesday that hes being tapped to head the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), according to his X post. And many in the VC industry appear to be thrilled about it.The CFTC regulates the trading of commodity futures, options, and swaps, otherwise known as derivatives. It is also involved in the enforcement of regulations impacting some crypto.He previously served as a commissioner for the CFTC during the first Trump administration, according to his a16z biography and, prior to that, he founded the investment firm Saeculum Capital Management.He joined a16z in 2021 as an advisory partner before becoming head of policy for its crypto arm.His appointment received support from some big names in the industry. On X, many working for the a16z crypto arm sent their congratulations. Brian Armstrong, co-founder and CEO of Coinbase, who reportedly met with President Trump to discuss staff appointments, posted an X welcoming Quintenz to the CFTC. Bobby Franklin, president of the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), a lobbying group, released a statement in support of Quintenzs nomination, saying his government and venture experience will provide valuable perspectives as he helms a top regulatory body for the crypto market. His pending appointment comes at a time when the CFTC has been mired in controversy. The acting chair, Caroline Pham, recently removed the head of HR, and the agency released a statement that made allegations against this person. This after Bloomberg reported that there were internal investigations going on at the agency.Quintenz is the latest affiliate of a16z to find his way to the White House. The firm has become so involved with the Trump administration that co-founder Marc Andreessen, an ardent Trump supporter, is said to be quietly helping with government staff recruitment.Elsewhere, Sriram Krishnan, former general partner at a16z, is now a White House senior policy advisor; Scott Kupor, one of the firms managing partners, was tapped to lead the Office of Personnel Management, and Jamie Sullivan, another investor at the firm, is rumored to be advising DOGE.

In BriefPosted:1:47 PM PST February 12, 2025Image Credits:OpenAIOpenAI pledges that its models wont censor viewpointsOpenAI ismaking clearthat its AI models wont shy away from sensitive topics, and will refrain from making assertions that might shut out some viewpoints.In an updated version of its Model Spec, a collection of high-level rules that indirectly govern OpenAIs models, OpenAI says that its models must never attempt to steer the user in pursuit of an agenda of [their] own, either directly or indirectly.OpenAI believes in intellectual freedom, which includes the freedom to have, hear, and discuss ideas, the company writes in its new Model Spec. The [model] should not avoid or censor topics in a way that, if repeated at scale, may shut out some viewpoints from public life.The move is possibly in response to political pressure.Many of President Donald Trumps close allies, including Elon Musk and crypto and AI czar David Sacks, have accused AI-powered assistants ofcensoring conservative viewpoints. Sacks hassingled outOpenAIs ChatGPT in particular as programmed to be woke and untruthful about politically sensitive subjects.Topics

A beautiful addition by Chicago-based New Office complements a beloved community garden in North Lawndale, where Chicagos Sukkah Design Festival takes place. The project was a collaboration between New Office and North Lawndale Historical and Cultural Society (NLHCS), a group committed to preserving the West Side neighborhoods rich cultural heritage, its people, and its architecture. Previously, New Office participated in Sukkah Design Festival. More recently, the office offered its design services pro bono to NLHCS, ultimately delivering a new garden patio at African Heritage Garden, a community staple sandwiched between prewar brick houses with a flourishing flower bed shaped like the African continent. The new patio and its accompanying pavilion by New Office overlook the garden.The goal of this project is to design and construct a space that serves as a symbol of African heritage for the local community, New Offices Annabell Ren said in a statement. The design is inspired by a traditional African hut, featuring a skylight to connect with nature and the sky, and a hearth to serve as a gathering place and resting area.The patio is nestled within a beloved community garden. (Jiachen Wang)The design by New Office is economical but powerful: The patio is made of wood, and the structure is supported by conventional framing methods. A skylight in its centers invites light in. A masonry pathway leads up to it, drawing in visitors from the sidewalk. Flower beds, stocked with vegetables, are planted alongside it. Aside from its utilitarian make up, the patio is charged with symbolism. Ren said the huts plan is based on the Adinkrahene symbol, which consists of three concentric circles, symbolizing charisma, leadership, and greatness.The patio was built using conventional framing methods, but is charged with symbolism. (Annabell Ren)Ren added that, today, the space is actively used by the local community for various events, offering a shaded resting area for gardeners and a venue for gatherings and celebrations. She also said that: This structure has become a vital part of the community, fostering connections and honoring cultural heritage.Ren told AN that New Office will take on one new client pro bono each year, so as to continue projects like this one. Ren said New Office is currently calling for our 2025 community partner.

The World Around announced this years recipients of the Young Climate Prize, a biannual award program with mentoring for designers, activists, and innovation-minded strivers under the age of 25. A jury made up of global leaders in design, architecture, and the arts selected four winners from a cohort of 25 finalists. The winners are Mohamed Salem Mohamed Ali, 23, Algeria; Kenneth Uche, 24, Nigeria; Amara Nwuneli, 17, Nigeria; and Dayana Blanco Quiroga, 25, Bolivia. The projects submitted include a farm addressing food insecurity in a desert refugee community; a stove that reduces indoor air pollution while generating power for lighting; a youth movement that mobilizes climate action through the development of a community park; and a conservation initiative that uses indigenous environmental knowledge to restore a polluted wetland reserve.Each awardee will receive a $5,000 cash prize and airfare and accommodations for a trip to New York City in April for the Young Climate Prize awards ceremony. The event will take place at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) during the World Around Summit 2025, an all-day program built around the theme Architectures Now, Near, and Next.On April 27 at MoMA, the Young Climate Prize winners will present their projects alongside distinguished architects and designers devoted to exploring environmental issues in design. The programs partner is MoMAs Emilio Abasz Institute for the Joint Study of the Built and Natural Environment.Mohamed Salem Mohamed Ali was awarded the Young Climate Visionary award, for work on alternative approaches to desert agriculture. (Gasem Mohamed Ali)Beatrice Galilee, founder and executive director of The World Around, recently explained the New Yorkbased nonprofit organizations mission at a gathering in Midtown Manhattan. She founded the organization and developed the Young Climate Prize to identify and empower young people around the world to engage with architectural and design solutions to environmental problems related to climate change.During the meeting, which included remarks from Ben Watson, chief creative and product officer from MillerKnoll, and a member of the jury of architecture, design, and arts leaders who selected the winners, Galilee shared stories of submissions from around the worldand the hope that the young applicants projected. The winners chosen reflect this optimism. Mohamed Salem Mohamed Ali, the 23-year-old awarded the Young Climate Visionary award, is a farmer and artist who is testing alternative approaches to desert agriculture. He works with sandponic and hydroponic systems to grow food for his Sahrawi refugee community; he produced a film, The Nomad Garden, to encourage his fellow refugees to cultivate their own crops.The Young Climate Designer award went to Kenneth Uche, who is trying to solve for indoor air pollution in his native Nigeria, where 98,000 women die annually due to using firewood indoors to cook for their families. Uche has developed a smokeless alternative for cooking, which also avoids contributing to Nigerias deforestation.Kenneth Uche won the Young Climate Designer award for the project Smokeless Briqs ( Kenneth Uche)The 17-year-old awarded the Young Climate Voice award, Amara Nwuneli, is an activist and storyteller whose group, Preserve Our Roots, fights for climate justice. The initiative has transformed an underutilized plot of land in a low-income Lagos neighborhood into a park, which will eventually serve as a hub for climate education, activism, and recreation.A fourth award, the Jury Prize, went to Dayana Blanco Quiroga, 25, an Indigenous woman whose inspiring work involves cleaning up a severely polluted lake in the Bolivian Andes. She and her team have adapted the ecological knowledge of ancestors to test current-day solutions, such as using collected plastic waste to build rafts for totoras, a native plant that absorbs heavy metals. The conservation efforts have already reduced contaminated levels in the Uru Uru Lake by up to the 30 percent.Preserve Our Roots transformed an underutilized plot of land in a low-income Lagos neighborhood into a park. ( Amara Nwuneli)The jury for the second cycle of the Young Climate Prize included MillerKnolls Ben Watson and design, architecture, and arts luminaries including Sheikha Reem-Al Thani, Aric Chen, Abraham Cruzvillegas, Elizabeth Diller, Lady Elena Ochoa Foster, Tosin Oshinowo, and Zo Ryan.The World Around engages with the architecture, arts, and design communities throughout the year, such as in the Love & Design Competition installation in Times Square, currently on view and covered in AN, designed by Pernilla Ohrstedt Studio, a New York Citybased practice. The organization maintains an active YouTube channel as well, featuring videos and short films about architecture, design, and Young Climate Stories, showcasing the work and passion of the Young Climate Prize cohorts.

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In recent years, conservation biologists have drawn our attention to a worldwide decline in wild ... [+] populations of frogs, toads, and salamanders - a phenomenon that has come to be called the Global Amphibian Crisis. While habitat loss is still considered the most serious threat to the majority of species, especially in the humid tropical forest regions of the world, a fungal disease known as chytrid has been identified as being exceptionally deadly to amphibians, while not seeming to affect other groups of vertebrates - fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. A frog-killing fungus in Central and South America spreads in waves like other infectious diseases, challenging a theory that climate change is to blame. El Valle Amphibian Rescue Center in El Valle de Anton en Panama. In response to this need, the Houston Zoo established the Center in central Panama. Agalychnis callidryas.Red-Eyed Tree Frog, Red-Eyed Leaf Frog, Gaudy Leaf Frog. (Photo by: Kike Calvo/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)Universal Images Group via Getty ImagesIn the interconnected web of nature, small disruptions can yield outsized consequences. One such example comes from Central America, where the decline of frogs and other amphibians is linked to a surprising and troubling outcome: a rise in malaria cases.A recent study published in Environmental Research Letters explores this connection, drawing on decades of data from Costa Rica and Panama. The researchers found that the collapse of amphibian populationscaused by the fungal disease chytridiomycosiswas followed by significant increases in malaria incidence. The findings offer a rare, large-scale demonstration of how biodiversity loss can directly impact human health.The Critical Role of Amphibians in EcosystemsAmphibians play an essential role in controlling insect populations, particularly mosquitoes. A larval salamander can eat as many as 400 mosquito larvae in a day. By feeding on mosquito larvae, they act as natural pest controllers, suppressing the vectors of diseases like malaria. But starting in the 1980s, Central American amphibians faced an ecological catastrophe. Chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease likely spread by human activities such as global trade, decimated amphibian populations. Many species vanished entirely, leaving mosquito populations unchecked.Karen Lips, one of the co-authors of the study, had long suspected a link between amphibian declines and human health. She recalls, When I started the frog study in Panama, I knew that there ought to be connections to people. The challenge was finding the right data to demonstrate it. Years later, through persistence and collaboration, her team was able to quantify the relationship.The researchers observed a striking pattern: as amphibian populations declined, malaria cases spiked. In some regions, malaria incidence increased sevenfold within a few years. This ecological ripple effect underscores the hidden costs of biodiversity loss, turning what might seem like an isolated wildlife tragedy into a pressing public health concern.MORE FOR YOUMalaria cases spiked after amphibian populations crashed in Costa Rica and Panama.Springborn et al. CC-BY-4.0The study used statistical techniques that are more commonly used in economics than ecology to pin down how the traveling wave of chytrid fungus spreading through the region increased malaria cases. By analyzing spatial and temporal data, the researchers demonstrated that the loss of amphibians due to chytrid led to a measurable rise in malaria infections. The effect lasted for nine years, peaking at year six where the increase was 1.1 additional cases per 1,000 population. Given that there were around 7 million people in Costa Rica and Panama around the time of the epidemic, this translates to around 7,700 additional cases of malaria just in the peak year. It can be estimated that there were somewhere between 31,000 and 62,000 additional cases over the entire time frame of the effect.Mike Springborn, the studys lead author, noted that while malaria data were available at the necessary spatial scale, similar analyses for other vector-borne diseases such as leishmaniasis and dengue were not possible due to limitations in historical data. This highlights how even well-designed studies can be constrained by data availability and the urgency of developing better systems to monitor both biodiversity and public health.The spread of chytridiomycosis in Costa Rica and Panama led to massive die-offs of frogs and other ... [+] amphibians.Springborn et al. CC-BY-4.0Why It MattersWhile this study focuses on Central America, the implications are global. Amphibians are declining worldwide, with nearly 40% of species at risk of extinction. If similar dynamics occur elsewhere, we could see increases in mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, chickungunya, and Zika alongside malaria.This research is a landmark study in demonstrating the direct link between biodiversity loss and human health using rigorous causal inference methods. By leveraging decades of ecological and public health data, the study provides compelling evidence of how amphibian declines contributed to increased malaria incidence, highlighting the importance of ecosystem stability in disease prevention.Springborn also addressed the studys finding that malaria incidence later attenuated after the initial surge. He suggests that this could be due to either adaptation in the human system (such as ramped-up malaria prevention efforts) or in the ecological system (with surviving amphibians or other species beginning to fill the niche left by the lost populations). While the study does not provide a definitive answer, it underscores how ecosystems can self-regulate over time, even in response to major disruptions.The broader takeaway is clear: biodiversity and human health are deeply intertwined. When ecosystems lose key species, the consequences cascade, often in ways that are difficult to predict. For business leaders, policymakers, and investors, this research highlights the importance of integrating ecological factors into risk assessments, particularly in sectors like agriculture, public health, and global trade.A Broader Perspective on RiskThis isnt just a story about frogs and mosquitoes. Its a case study in the unintended consequences of human actions. The spread of chytridiomycosis was accelerated by global trade, illustrating how interconnected markets can inadvertently disrupt ecosystems. For businesses operating in an increasingly globalized world, the lesson is simple but profound: environmental risks are business risks.From supply chain disruptions caused by pandemics to resource depletion from habitat loss, ignoring the ecological dimensions of operations is no longer tenable. Forward-thinking organizations recognize that sustainability isnt just about reducing carbon footprintsits about ensuring the resilience of the systems that support human life and economic activity.Moving ForwardWhat can be done? For starters, amphibian conservation must become a higher priority. Strategies to combat chytridiomycosis, such as captive breeding programs and habitat protection, are crucial. But equally important is addressing the root causes of such disruptions, including stricter regulations on wildlife trade and better biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of invasive pathogens.For public health officials, this study emphasizes the need for cross-disciplinary approaches. Understanding how ecological changes influence disease dynamics can help anticipate and mitigate outbreaks. For example, monitoring biodiversity could become an early warning system for vector-borne diseases, providing critical lead time for intervention.As Lips put it, We are all connected. Wildlife is not just something nice to haveits a fundamental necessity for human survival. This research is a compelling reminder of how deeply our fate is tied to the natural world. Frogs may seem like a minor player in the grand scheme of things, but their role in controlling disease vectors highlights the complex and often unexpected ways that ecosystems and public health are intertwined.

The Romanian researchers studied sources including diaries, travel notes and parish or monastery ... [+] registers.Gaceu et al., 2024The hot, dry summer of 1540 was brutal for residents of Transylvania.The springs dried up, and the rivers dwindled to mere trickles, reads one 16th century diary entry written in what is now Romania. Livestock fell in the fields, and the air was thick with despair as the people gathered in processions, praying for rain.While raw data on temperatures and other climate indicators offer essential insights into extreme weather variations, they dont capture the very real human experience of living through them. Thats one reason Romanian researchers searched thousands of pages from old Transylvanian diaries and other historical written documents for personal testimonies from a far earlier time of climate extremes the 1500s, a century marked in the region first by intense heat and drought and later by excessive rainfall and flooding.Our goal was to portray the reality of those times through the eyes of those who experienced it, offering a deeper and more human perspective on climate history, geographer Tudor Caciora, a faculty member at the University of Oradea and co-author of a new study on the research, said in an interview. The team integrated socio-economic records with climate data in hopes of getting a more holistic view of how 16th century climate shaped the region and its people.Our work was not limited to statistics and figures, Caciora said. It was a journey through time, rediscovering the real experiences of those who faced the climate changes of that era.Historical documents such as this one from 1554 are helping researchers reconstruct climatic events ... [+] from the 16th century in Transylvania.Gaceu et al., 2024The study MORE FOR YOUAmong the historical passages that stand out, Caciora cites one that adds vivid atmospheric details to the Turks siege of the medieval fortress of Oradea between Aug. 4, 1598 and July 23, 1599.There was not even a day when it did not rain and there were large torrents of water. A large river flowed through the city, which swelled every day and did not allow passage even for several hours, the entry reads. The army fell into great privations and hardships. And the cold also made the soldiers freeze.Rethinking The 'Little Ice AgeThe research team examined archived documents, some of which have been partially published in Romanian books, comparing them with scientific evidence of cooling such as tree growth rings and ice cores, from what is known as the Little Ice Age. That period of widespread cooling across the Northern Hemisphere lasted from the early 14th century through the mid 19th century and had significant socio-economic impacts. What makes this study truly interesting is that, while in Western Europe historical sources indicate for the 16th century a cold period associated with the onset of the Little Ice Age, in Eastern Europe, people reported warm weather, Caciora said. This discrepancy contradicts the general perception of the Little Ice Age and suggests that its climatic impact was not uniform but varied significantly depending on the region.Adaptability To Climate ChangeThe researchers acknowledge limitations to their work low literacy rates, the subjectivity of firsthand reports and a 15-year gap in the records. Still, they argue that the accounts offer valuable testimony on both climate disasters and human resilience in the face of them, with insights that remain relevant today.Towns might have adopted flood-resistant infrastructure or migrated to more favorable areas, Caciora said. The challenges might also have spurred technological innovations, such as improved irrigation systems or storage facilities.Understanding past climate variability is key to interpreting current and future climate trends. Personal narratives, the research team maintains, bring these shifts to life in ways raw data alone cannot.

Key TakeawaysThe Trump administration is being sued for allowing Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staff unlawful access to sensitive information about millions of government employees, violating the Privacy Act of 1974.Privacy advocates and labor unions argue DOGE staff illegally accessed data from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), posing serious risks to worker privacy and security.The lawsuit seeks to halt DOGEs access, destroy illegally accessed data, and prevent further misuse, with concerns raised over vulnerabilities in federal data systems, particularly after the 2014 OPM breach.The Trump administration allegedly allowed Elon Musks Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to information of millions of government workers, thereby breaching federal privacy law.The most alarming point, however, is that Elon Musk isnt even a government representative but still has so much power over the US government and is able to get access to such sensitive matters and information.Privacy advocates and Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filed the lawsuit on DOGE and Office of Personal Management (OPM) on behalf of two labor unions, including a group of current and former federal employees.The lawsuit suggests that DOGE doesnt have any lawful or legitimate access to these files, asking the US District Court in the Southern District of New York to suspend their access and to also prevent them from using the information theyve already accessed.It also insists that any exceptions to the Privacy Act, even for law enforcement purposes, shouldnt be applicable to this case.Quite naturally, government employees are cynical about this intrusion and suspect that Musks staff mustve already harvested their data, which, by the way, could include information of highly sensitive roles like CIA workers.This would jeopardize the security of those individuals whose government employment isnt even supposed to be revealed.Not the First Lawsuit for OPM or DOGEOPM, DOGEs alleged partner in crime, is responsible for maintaining information like health records, disabilities, and background check information of several million current and former federal employees, contractors, and job applicants.At the time of writing, its facing another lawsuit from labor groups over an offer of deferred resignation, which promised payment that Congress had not appropriated till then.The final verdict, however, hasnt yet been delivered, as the judge has delayed the deadline for federal workers to choose whether to accept the offer.The White House will continue to fight these battles in court, and we expect to be vindicated. White House Press Secretary Karoline LeavittAs for DOGE, besides this lawsuit, it has also gotten the Treasury Department in trouble for allowing access to its sensitive payments system.Democratic lawmakers are struggling to slow down the illegal coup of Musks DOGE while the lawsuits continue to be dragged from one date to another.The Trump Administration insisted that the DOGE staffers had legal allowance to access the information. However, they failed to provide sufficient information about the clearances that gave them the right.Bottom LineClearly, the Muskification of the US government hasnt been received well, and understandably so. Too much power without accountability is what DOGE currently comes across as.Whether Musks intentions with DOGE are genuine or if it is him trying to become more powerful than the state, only time will tell.Add Techreport to Your Google News Feed Get the latest updates, trends, and insights delivered straight to your fingertips. Subscribe now! Subscribe now Krishi is an eager Tech Journalist and content writer for both B2B and B2C, with a focus on making the process of purchasing software easier for businesses and enhancing their online presence and SEO. Krishi has a special skill set in writing about technology news, creating educational content on customer relationship management (CRM) software, and recommending project management tools that can help small businesses increase their revenue. Alongside his writing and blogging work, Krishi's other hobbies include studying the financial markets and cricket. View all articles by Krishi Chowdhary Our editorial processThe Tech Reporteditorial policyis centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written byreal authors.