Greeting people can be awkward enough: Do you shake hands? Go in for a hug? Kiss?

But if you toss in a new culture, meeting someone can turn into a completely unseemly experience. Save yourself from embarrassment on your next trip and come prepared for an appropriate greeting. 

Here's the ultimate guide to greeting people in 19 countries around the world.

Italy, Spain, and Portugal: Kiss on each cheek

A quick kiss on each cheek — usually right, then left, though reversed in Italy — will suffice in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and much of Europe. Most of the time, rather than pecking, it's common to brush cheeks and make a kissing sound. Just don't be surprised if you find an Italian with wandering lips.

Germany: A firm handshake

Most Germans despise lippy introductions. In fact, they hate it so much they've tried to abolish it. Stick to handshakes. It’s more efficient, as is the German way.

Japan: Bow

The bow is the standard greeting in Japan. Depending on the formalities, bows differ in duration, declination, and style. Among peers, the bow may be subtle, but don't dare bow that lightly to elders.

Are optimists born or made?

We tend to think of those who see the sunnier side of life as having been blessed with a positive disposition. And it's true that some significant portion of our happiness is probably determined by our pre-set tendency towards melancholy or cheer. But according to science, positivity is also very much a skill you can learn.

Just like you can exercise daily to build your body's capacity for lifting heavy objects, it turns out you can also adopt simple daily practices that will rewire your psychology to tend more towards a positive outlook.

That's according to self-growth expert Megan Wycklendt, who recently took to Fulfillment Daily to outline ten simple but powerful habits anyone can adopt to shift their mindset and increase their happiness. Here are just a few of her suggestions in brief (along with links to additional resources backing up her claims).

SEE ALSO: A man who spent 5 years studying rich people found they share a trait anyone can adopt

1. Keep a gratitude journal

I've spoken to a good number of happiness experts and every single one of them mentions this practice in one form or another — find a simple but structured way to force yourself to count your blessings. Wycklendt endorses it too, explaining that "science has found that gratitude can significantly increase your happiness, and protect you from stress, negativity, anxiety and depression."

Why is gratitude so powerful? Apparently, being thankful literally rewires your brain to help you more easily see the positive in life.

2. Practice being rejected

This might sound like a crazy idea, but apparently plenty of famous people actually set out to do mortifying things and be ridiculed by others in order to build their self confidence. According to Wycklendt, this technique has value even if you're not hoping to host a late night show like Conan O'Brien.

"Rejection is a skill," she claims. "Chalk [up] every broken heart and failed job interview as practice because no one gets to slide through life without being rejected."

3. Avoid complainers

Complaining has memorably been described as the equivalent of emotional farting in an elevator. Would you stick around for dozens of floors with the guy who clearly ate too many beans for lunch? No, I'm guessing you would not. For similar reasons you should start making it a habit to quickly exit the situation when others around you start to whine.

"A study done at the Warsaw School of Social Psychology shows that complaining leads to lower moods and negative emotions, decreased life satisfaction and optimism, and emotional and motivational deficits," reports Wycklendt.

American millennials now represent the largest segment of the US workforce with 53.5 million workers — more than one-third of the workforce.

And ready or not, that number will increase to 75% of the workforce within a decade, according to Jason Haber, a self-described "serial and social entrepreneur" and author of the forthcoming book "The Business of Good: Social Entrepreneurship and the New Bottom Line."

Today's business landscape, Haber says, is changing rapidly largely thanks to millennials, or as he refers to them, Generation Now — a group accustomed to "on-demand instant-gratification" whose lives have been "emboldened by technology and molded by world events."

Haber asserts that there has been a surge in the development of social enterprises, companies that use business principles to achieve social change. And these "entrepreneurial magnets," or millennials, are leading the charge.

"Social entrepreneurship is a model that is changing the world," Haber writes. "It aims to fix the most entrenched problems facing mankind while building successful and profitable business for its owners. ... It relies on technology and social media to thrive." Haber points to companies like TOMS, Warby Parker, Global Poverty Project, and d.light as examples.

The millennials of Generation Now, he says, see incredible value in social enterprises, as people who staunchly believe "that profit and purpose go hand-in-hand."

In his book, Haber determines that the last 30 years of world crises, coupled with newfound interconnectedness through technology and social media, "has imbued Generation Now with six distinguishing traits ... which have powered their central role in social entrepreneurship."

Up to now, past generations have built the most successful businesses and industries in history, but the landscape is shifting. According to Haber, here are the six reasons millennials are shaping up to be history's most important entrepreneurs.

SEE ALSO: 12 entrepreneurs who are changing the world

AND DON'T MISS: Why now is the best time in human history to be an entrepreneur

They crave collaboration

Millennials believe in themselves and their peers, says Haber, and they love to work in collaborative environments. Open-floor-plan offices, entire walls of white boards, and constant teamwork are millennial-workplace mainstays.

Haber writes about a Dropbox executive who once told Forbes that when millennials create a brand, service, or product, they do so with the expectation that their consumers or customers will finish it. They're interested in teamwork at every stage. "Companies that understand this and figure out ways to engage in this co-creation relationship with millennials will have an edge," the executive said.

They're academic achievers

In the expanse of US history, millennials are considered the best-educated students to date. The number of students taking the SAT and enrolled in Advanced Placement courses, as well as the sheer number of college applications submitted, has never been higher, according to Haber.

"Millennials are serious about academic achievement," Haber writes. "Ninety-four percent of millennials believe that college is essential to succeed in life." And while they abhor failure, they don't get stuck in its hold. Instead, they make a quick recovery and set their sights on the next step.

Entrepreneurship is increasingly attractive to them

Haber points to author William Deresiewicz's assertion in The New York Times that the "culture hero" of our time is no longer "the artist or the reformer, not the saint or scientist, but the entrepreneur ... The characteristic art form of our age may be the business plan."

According to Haber's research, 88% of millennials said in 2014 they would like to work for an entrepreneur, compared to 69% in 2011. And that doesn't mean they aren't driven to be entrepreneurs themselves. In fact, Haber reports, 55% of millennials said they'd like to start a business of their own one day. 

I am so angry and I smell terrible. 

KFC, best known for their "finger lickin' good" fried chicken, defied the laws of God and man when they created a promotional SPF 30 sunscreen that smells like chicken— extra crispy chicken. 

The fast food chain only released 3,000 bottles of Col. Sanders' special sunscreen, and all of them were quickly snatched up (by fools). However, one bottle of the putrid stuff was sent to Business Insider's New York City office.

Naturally, I had to try it out because life is an adventure, and I'm dumb enough to embark on this particular one. 

Here's how KFC advertised their Extra Crispy Sunscreen.

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/NVuNcDOZGlA
Width: 800px
Height: 450px

There's a thick coat of irony covering a disgusting, greasy, gimmicky core, as I would soon discover. 

I took my bottle and went up to the roof of Business Insider's building.

It was much cooler in New York than it's been pretty much all month. Instead of a disgusting sweat box, the city was almost cool, and a nice breeze blew past me as I stood on the roof. Still, the sun was shining, and I needed to protect myself from its harmful rays. 

I was not looking forward to this!

Each of the 50 states has their own local delicacy.

In Minnesota it's the Juicy Lucy cheeseburger, and in Tennessee it's creamy banana pudding.

We teamed up with Foursquare, who analyzed menus, tips, ratings, and more, to find the foods that are most popular in — as well as most unique to — each state.

Keep scrolling to see your state's claim to fame.

Alabama: Popular throughout the South, fried green tomatoes are made with unripe green tomatoes that are fried in cornmeal.

Alaska: There are three kinds of king crab that are found off the coast of Alaska: red, blue, and golden. Red is the most sought after, and has the biggest legs.

Arkansas: The only way to eat catfish in Arkansas is fried, as the crispy breading gives the otherwise bland fish a delicious kick.

For any trooper in combat, his most important piece of gear is his gun. And fortunately for the US military, American arms makers have been for years at the cutting edge of weaponology, merging technology with practicality, durability, and accuracy to field some of the best weapons in the world.

We all know that the choice of what to ultimately put in the hands of America’s warfighters is a tradeoff between a lot of different factors — and there are strong opinions on either side of the debate. Just strike up a conversation with a bar table full of gun nuts over .45 ACP versus 9mm and let the fur fly.

But those of us “people of the gun” still harken back to some of the iconic weapons in US military history and like to think about how things might be different if the US were to bring some of them out of mothballs and hand them back to the troops fighting America’s wars.

So here’s our list of six weapons (largely) consigned to history that we’d consider bringing back to the armory:

SEE ALSO: These are 10 of the longest-serving weapons in the US military

1. The M1 Carbine

You might not know it, but more M1 Carbines were produced during World War II than M1 Garands — about 500,000 more — and it became the standard issue long gun for paratroopers and support troops like mortarmen and artillerymen.

Beloved for its short, 36-inch length and 6-pound weight, the M1 fired a fairly accurate .30 caliber rimless round that zinged at about 2,000 feet per second at the muzzle — that’s getting close to the speed of a standard mil spec 5.56 round. The M1 feeds from either a 15- or 30-round magazine, making it a killer in close quarters. So why not ditch the .300 Blackout and go retro?

And FYI, one of the M1’s original builders, Inland Manufacturing, has restarted the line and is selling these things like hotcakes.

2. The Browning Automatic Rifle

Really, all you need to say about the BAR is “thirty-ought-six.”

End of discussion.

Designed by John Browning in 1917 for the trenches of Europe, the BAR sits in a nether world of not quite a machine gun, not quite a rifle. Fed from a 20-round magazine, the BAR’s .30-06 round packs nearly 3,000 feet-per-second at the muzzle and can reach out well over 1,000 yards.

Sure it weighs a whopping 16 pounds, and never mind that a BAR gunner in World War II was estimated by some to have an average lifespan of about 30 minutes. But with the popularity of the Mk-17 SCAR and it’s .308 round these days — not to mention the Marine Corps outfitting some of its SAW gunners with the Heckler & Koch 7.62×51 HK417— maybe the BAR should be given another chance.

3. Stoner 63/M63

Sure, the Stoner 63 was a maintenance headache, but its ground-breaking modular technology paved the way for predecessors like the Sig Sauer MCX and the early concept of the FN SCAR family of special operations rifles.

Chambered in 5.56 and designed primarily by Eugene Stoner, the father of the M16, the M63 was manufactured in a range of variants, including a light machine gun version with a 20-inch barrel fed from an open bolt to an assault rifle variant that fired from a closed bolt. Either fed from a standard 30-round magazine or a belt-fed drum, the Stoner 63 weighed anywhere from about 8 pounds to 12 pounds.

Manufactured in limited quantities in the 1960s, the Stoner 63 became a favorite of SEAL teams operating in Vietnam, before it was removed from the inventory in the 1970s in favor of the M249 SAW.

Frank Ocean released his long-awaited album "Blonde" on Apple Music over the weekend, and critics are already lauding the breezy, innovative pop album as one of the year's best works.  

While "Blonde" is also reportedly on track to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart, Ocean's fans are still delving into the other media the singer has released since last Friday — including a 45-minute "visual album" and a 366-page magazine that was given out at pop-up stores in different cities.

The eclectic zine features a mix of art, photography, and written pieces, including a rambling, downright ridiculous free-verse poem from Kanye West about his love-hate relationship with McDonald's. 

As Genius points out, though, one of the best hidden surprises in the magazine is a list of Ocean's favorite songs.

The extensive, genre-bending playlist of 50 songs jumps from icons like Jimi Hendrix, Prince, and The Beatles to modern-day greats like James Blake and D'Angelo. Like "Blonde," Ocean's playlist is captivating, enigmatic, and awesome.

Listen to Frank Ocean's favorite songs of all time below: 

SEE ALSO: Frank Ocean debuts 'Blonde,' his 1st album in 4 years

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The 10 best albums we've heard so far this year

Jimi Hendrix — "Crosstown Traffic"

RAW Embed

Frank Sinatra — "How Insensitive"

RAW Embed

Simon & Garfunkel — "Scarborough Fair"

RAW Embed

Jennifer Lawrence is the highest-paid actress in the world for a second straight year.

According to Forbes' annual top 10 list, the Oscar winner banked $46 million before taxes over 12 months. 

Though that is $13 million more than the actress who landed in second place, Melissa McCarthy ($33 million), it's actually $6 million less than what Lawrence made last year. 

The bulk of her earnings this year, according to Forbes, come from the profits she earned from the final "Hunger Games" movie "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2" (which took in $653.4 million worldwide) and her upfront fee from her sci-fi movie "Passengers," which opens in December of this year.

Following Lawrence and McCarthy on the list are: Scarlett Johansson at No. 3 ($25 million), Jennifer Aniston at No. 4 ($21 million), and Chinese actress Fan Bingbing is No. 5 ($17 million).

McCarthy had the biggest increase in earnings, up $10 million from 2015. And Charlize Theron made the list with $16.5 million to land in sixth place, the first time she's been on the list since 2013.

See the full list of the world's highest-paid actresses below:

SEE ALSO: The 10 most failed super hero movies ever, ranked

10. Deepika Padukone: $10 million

9. Mila Kunis: $11 million

8. Julia Roberts: $12 million

Shyness, according to Psychology Today, is "the awkwardness or apprehension some people feel when approaching or being approached by other people."

Shy people often "desperately want to connect with others, but don't know how or can't tolerate the anxiety that comes with human interaction."

John Stoker, president of DialogueWORKS and author of "Overcoming Fake Talk," says that 40% or more of the population would classify as "shy."

That means there's a good chance you'll have to deal with shy people at the office, networking events, or client meetings – and it may behoove you to know how to approach them. 

We asked Stoker for his tips on making a shy person feel at ease, and getting them to open up quickly.

Here are the six steps he shared:

This is an update of an article written by Natalie Walters.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best jobs for introverts

1. Start with an introduction and an easy question

"Hi, I'm Jane Doe from _____. Who are you?"

While this may seem like a blunt introduction, Stoker says that you have to start with a simple, innocuous question like this to build a rapport.

"Asking questions is the easiest way to deepen or create a relationship with someone," he says.

2. Affirm the meeting

"If you make the first move by introducing yourself and taking an interest in the person, you will help to set them at ease, which will help you to establish a relationship with the person that could pay huge returns," he says.

But you'll want to go a step further and tell them how excited you are to be meeting them.

Try something like "I'm so glad we had a chance to meet today,""I'm so happy we're finally meeting!" or "It certainly is a pleasure to meet you today."

3. Use their name — often

"People love to hear their name," Stoker says.

So address them by it whenever possible.

It tells them that you really listened to their introduction and that you're engaged in the conversation.

A human-rights organization is trying to influence people living in one of the most closed societies in the world with nothing more than USB sticks.

Earlier this year, the Human Rights Foundation launched "Flash Drives for Freedom," with the goal of changing the totalitarian system of North Korea to a more free and open society by delivering information and education, instead of relying on diplomacy or military action.

Roughly 10,000 drives loaded with "subversive" content will be delivered to the country by the end of this year.

"Truth is an incredibly dangerous weapon," Alex Gladstein, chief strategy officer for the Human Rights Foundation, told Business Insider.

SEE ALSO: Here's why the supposed NSA 'hack' is unlike anything we've ever seen before

Often referred to as the "Hermit Kingdom," North Korea is one of the most closed societies in the world.

Its 24 million citizens live under the control of dictator Kim Jong Un and its myriad laws, which regulate everything from haircuts and dress to the use of electronics.

North Koreans are not supposed to have "unapproved" electronics like portable DVD players, but many get them anyway on the black market. Besides playing DVDs, many players can read USB or external hard drives.

If you're looking for the greatest amusement parks in the United States, Florida and California are your best bet.

TripAdvisor released its Travelers Choice awards for the the top 10 amusement parks in the US, and Disney and Universal parks took a majority of the top slots, with Orlando, Florida home to seven of the top 10.

Check out the list below.

10. Disney's Animal Kingdom – Orlando, Florida

9. SeaWorld Orlando – Orlando, Florida

8. Disney California Adventure Park – Anaheim, California

Spain is known to be one of the world's culinary capitals.

Its cuisine is eclectic and expansive, and the result of a smorgasbord of different cultures and regions. And while many Spanish restaurants are known for being on the culinary cutting edge, a recurring theme in Spanish dishes is simplicity: ingredients are mostly fresh and altered minimally in order to let natural flavors shine through.

From tiny tapas to pans of paella, here are 33 foods you need to try when traveling to Spain. 

Arguably the most famous Spanish dish, patatas bravas are boiled, then deep-fried chunks of potato that are crunchy on the outside and supple on the inside. The sauce varies by city, but is typically an aioli.

Tortilla Española is a fluffy Spanish omelette made with potatoes. The dish is often accompanied by "pan con tomate," or toast with a tomato spread.

Paella is a Valencian rice dish found throughout Spain. In a shallow metal pan, mixed seafood and vegetables are cooked with rice. "Socarrat," the crunchy rice that forms at the bottom of the pan, is an intrinsic part of the dish.

Steven Dessinger has almost 30 years of wilderness instruction experience. As the program director and owner of the acclaimed Boulder Outdoor Survival School (BOSS) in Utah, the oldest outdoor survival school in the world, he knows his stuff.

So we asked for his top wilderness survival tips. You know, just in case. 

Tell someone where you're going and when you plan on coming back.

"If Aron Ralston had done that, he likely would not have had as much of an ordeal as he did," Dessinger said, referencing the subject of the 2010 film, "127 Hours," who was forced to amputate his own arm when he was pinned down by a boulder.

Ralston hadn't told anyone where he was going, or that he was going anywhere at all, so it took much longer for people to realize he was missing and know where to look.

Play it safe — share your itinerary with a family member or friend.

Bring appropriate clothing for any possible situation.

Think about the changing environments you might encounter as you travel and be prepared. Just because the sky is clear when you leave first thing in the morning doesn't mean you can't get caught in high winds or rough weather later in the day.  

"One way that people get in trouble is going on a day hike, especially if they're going to be gaining elevation and they don't think about how that elevation change is going to affect the temperature... or get into a situation where it's rainy and they don't have appropriate gear, and end up getting hypothermia or something like that," he said.

Carry a bushcraft knife.

"That's one of the most universal tools to have when you're out," Dessinger said.

On the condition, of course, that you know how to use it.

"You don't want to be using a knife in a wilderness situation if you're not used to using it, because cutting yourself and getting a serious cut while you're out there would be adding an emergency situation."

Your Hair

Your Face

From the UV rays to wind, rain, pollution and more, your face has to deal with a lot in a day. And when you were younger, it could handle all of that, due to this magical protein called collagen, which gives skin its elasticity and strength. Once you pass thirty-years-old, collagen levels often start to decline. This, in turn, leads to things like fine lines and straight-up wrinkles, especially in areas where the skin is thinner such as around the eyes. Ever wonder why you look more haggard these days after a long night out? Collagen, or a lack thereof, is the culprit. So here's what you need to do: stock up on collagen-boosting, anti-age moisturizer and eye cream, and use them both every day to keep you skin fresh and new for longer. Our picks: Kiehl's Age Defender Moisturizer and Jack Black Protein Booster Eye Rescue, respectively. Oh, and a bit of SPF wouldn't hurt, either.

Your Ears and Nose

In a perfect world, your hair on your head would stay within a set of socially acceptable confines, reserving itself for places like your scalp, chin and cheeks. Unfortunately, that's simply not the world you live in and the older you get, the more likely that you're going to start seeing thick fur pop out from places you never would have expected — most noticeably, the until now-neglected depths of your nose and ears. Likewise, it's the time to invest in a solid set of tools to whack your way through the weeds. Our recommendation: an electric trimmer like this one by Philips. With a bunch different head attachments, it'll also cover a ton of other grooming needs on top of keeping your nose-bush in check. Such as your eyebrows, which, by the way, are about to come in fuller than ever. Oh, joy.

Facebook has a new app that's for teens only.

The app, which is called Lifestage, was quietly released last Friday afternoon in the App Store. It was designed by 19-year-old Facebook employee Michael Sayman and looks eerily similar to Snapchat at first glance.

Both Snapchat and Lifestage open to a camera and encourage you to take goofy videos, but the main difference with Lifestage is that it's centered entirely around high schools. You have to join a school to see videos from classmates, and there's no way to directly message someone.

Lifestage is designed for young people to "show others who they are and to find out more about the people in their school community as well as meet new people," according to Sayman, who joined Facebook immediately after graduating high school two years ago.

Even though I'm not technically young enough to use Lifestage (the app blocks you from joining a school if say you're older than 21), I decided to give it a try by pretending to be younger.

SEE ALSO: Facebook wants people to share selfies like they do on Snapchat

19-year-old Facebook product manager Michael Sayman created Lifestage as a way to explore how Generation Z wants to communicate through social media.

Facebook declined to make Sayman available for an interview with Business Insider, but the young employee did explain why Lifestage was created in a post on his personal Facebook page last week.

"Lifestage looks back at the days of Facebook from 2004 and explores what can be done if we went back and turned the crank all the way forward to 2016 with video-first," he wrote.

"Back in 2004, Facebook was all about 'who I am,'" according to Sayman. "Today as Facebook has grown into so much more, we see the opportunity to explore that concept of 'who I am' once again, but for Generation Z in 2016."

Lifestage is strictly intended for high schoolers. You have to enter your age when you first login, and if you're under 21 years old you won't be able to add a school you belong to.

From Pizza Hut commercials to appearances on "The Little Rascals" and "Zoolander," the businessman-turned-GOP-candidate has an extensive list of onscreen credits.

SEE ALSO: Donald Trump's surprising list of favorite movies, TV shows, and music

1989: "Ghosts Can't Do It"

In Trump's cameo, he and Katie Scott (played by Bo Derek) are in a business meeting where Katie is receiving help from her husband Scott, who is a ghost only she can see. Trump won the Razzie award for worst supporting actor for playing himself in the fantasy film.

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/co0aDXPTK5o
Width: 800px
Height: 380px

1989: Donald Trump Board Game

In 1989, Trump appeared in a commercial advertising his Donald Trump Board Game, which featured a cameo of Phil Hartman. "My new game is Trump: The Game," the businessman said in the 30-second advertisement.

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/dz7GRRvwCso
Width: 800px
Height: 380px

1992: "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York"

In the sequel to the original 1990 film "Home Alone," the presidential hopeful appeared in a short scene in which he tells Macaulay Culkin's character, who is lost inside New York's Plaza Hotel (then owned by Trump), how to get to the lobby.

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/n8DOL4zBM_0
Width: 800px
Height: 380px

As we say goodbye to a summer-movie season full of slumps, it's time to get into the more serious fall titles that will bring powerful performances and, perhaps, some Oscar gold. 

This fall includes anticipated movies like the all-star cast in the reboot of "The Magnificent Seven," Oliver Stone's "Snowden," and Tom Hanks playing the Miracle on the Hudson pilot in the Clint Eastwood movie "Sully."

There are also smaller films that should have your attention like the Sundance hit "The Birth of a Nation" and the powerful "The Light Between Oceans."

Here are 26 movies coming out in the coming months that you should not miss.

SEE ALSO: This startup wants to make sure you never wait in line at the movies again

"The Light Between Oceans" - September 2

Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander prove they are two of the top actors working today as they play a couple whose lives crumble after rescuing a baby adrift in a rowboat. Based on the M.L. Stedman novel of the same name, the movie is a visually stunning look at sacrifice. 

"Max Rose" - September 2

This is Jerry Lewis' first leading movie role since Martin Scorsese's "The King of Comedy" in the 80s. The now-90-year-old legend delivers an emotionally charged dramatic performance as a jazz musician who struggles with the death of his wife and the possibility that she was unfaithful to him. 

"Morgan" - September 2

In this thriller Kate Mara ("Fantastic Four") plays a risk-management consultant who has to determine whether to terminate an artificial being who was created in a lab.

One of Alphabet's most ambitious projects isn't a literal "moonshot," but it's close.

Project Loon, a part of the Google X research division, aims to spread broadband internet access with high-flying balloons. Now it's got a new leader — one who has commercial experience, moving the project away from its skunkworks roots. 

Tom Moore, who previously co-founded WildBlue Communications, will head up Project Loon, Bloomberg's Brad Stone reported on Tuesday.

He's replacing Mike Cassidy, the project's leader since 2012, who will be staying on at Google X to do different projects. 

The move signals that the company is getting closer to rolling Loon out as a commercial project. 

Project Loon is still in testing, although Google-parent company Alphabet has previously announced partnerships with telecommunications carriers in Indonesia. 

Alphabet told Bloomberg that its balloons had travelled over 17 million kilometers — the same stat it shared in October 2015. 

Google X head Astro Teller said about the change in a statement: 

"Under Mike’s scrappy, entrepreneurial leadership, Loon moved from science project to viable venture, and Tom’s valuable industry experience will help launch us into the commercial stage of this moonshot."

The technology is undeniably cool, though. According to Google, it can launch a balloon every 30 minutes from a launchpad in Puerto Rico. And Business Insider has previously reported that Alphabet could be planning to expand testing of the balloons across the US.

Here's an up close look at Project Loon that Alphabet published earlier this year:

SEE ALSO: We found Amazon's secret drone testing site hidden in the English countryside

The launchpad is called Chicken Little.

Workers in the aircraft hangar getting ready for launch.

The balloons fly 20km in the air — that's the stratosphere.

Central Italy was hit by a 6.2 magnitude earthquake at around 3.30 a.m. BST on Wednesday.

The worst hit towns are believed to be Accumoli, Posta, and Arquata del Tronto, as well as Amatrice, which was the epicentre of the earthquake.

At least five people have been killed with dozens of others believed to be trapped underneath the rubble, according to Reuters.

Rescue operations are still ongoing.

Britain's foreign office released the following statement:

"An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 struck Central Italy during the early hours of 24 August. The earthquake was also felt in Rome. If you are in the affected area, you should follow the advice of the local authorities. If you are in Italy, Civil Protection have activated a hotline 800840840 for information. To learn more about what to do before, during, and after an earthquake visit the Protezione Civile website."

Here is what has happened so far:

Here is a map from Reuters showing where the earthquake struck in Italy.

This picture provided by Italy's fire fighters shows a general view of Amatrice, central Italy — one of the towns severely devastated from the earthquake.

On the ground, it is clear how earthquake has flattened people's homes.

TimeOut US recently named Xi'an Famous Foods the second-best Chinese restaurant in the US, and now hand-pulled noodle spot is reportedly planning to expand.

According to Eater NY, the New York City-based chain (pronounced "she-ahn") has purchased a central kitchen in Queens that could help support the chain's ambitious expansion plans up and down the East Coast.

Xi'an's northwestern Chinese food has enjoyed a lot of attention since it launched as a food stall in the basement of a mall in Queens. The likes of Anthony Bourdain and Bobby Flay have given it their thumbs-up.

Since 2005 the chain has grown to 11 (soon to be 12) locations throughout New York City, and is proving to be incredibly popular. Xi'an also landed on Zagat's first "11 Hottest Fast-Casual Chains" list, further proof of its rapid rise to fast-casual stardom.

It may just be popular enough to take on a larger market and bring real Chinese fast-casual to the Panda Express fast-food market. Here's what it's like to eat there.

SEE ALSO: We visited the burger chain that's embroiled in a 'David and Goliath scenario' with alleged copycat Chipotle

NOW WATCH: How a son turned his dad’s food stall into the #2 Chinese restaurant in the US

I visited the 34th Street location, right off 5th Avenue, steps from the Empire State Building.

One wall near the register is dedicated to the numerous celebrity foodies who have visited. The chain has quite an impressive fan base.

The menu is simple yet enormous. There's an amazing assortment of meals to choose from for such a no-frills establishment.