PwC — one of the world's largest professional services firms — just released its predictions for the most powerful economies in the world by 2030.

The report, entitled "The long view: how will the global economic order change by 2050?," ranked 32 countries by their projected global GDP by purchasing power parity (PPP). 

PPP is used by macroeconomists to determine the economic productivity and standards of living between countries across a certain time period.

PwC's findings show that while some of the same countries stay right at the top of the list in 13 years' time, there are a number of economies that slip down or rise up massively by 2030.

Check out which countries made the list. All numbers cited in the slides are in US dollars and at constant values (for reference the USA's current PPP is $18,562 billion): 

32. The Netherlands — $1,080 billion.

31. Colombia — $1,111 billion.

30. South Africa — $1,148 billion.

LONDON — The insidious rise of fake news has been laid bare in a survey by YouGov to mark British broadcaster Channel 4's "Fake News Week."

YouGov presented 1,684 adults with six stories and asked them to decide whether they were fake or real. Three of the news articles were legitimate, the other three were fabricated hokum.

Only 4% of those questioned could identify all the fake news stories correctly. What's more, nearly half (49%) thought at least one of the made-up stories was real.

Channel 4 shared with Business Insider the six stories that YouGov presented to the survey respondents. They were only shown the headlines when they were asked to guess the legitimacy of the articles.

The headlines are below. Try and sort the fact from the fiction yourself and scroll on for the answers.

1. Immigrants to be given £8,500 upon arrival to boost economy

2. Tourist bitten by massive crocodile after trying to take a selfie

3. Iceland to host New Year's Eve party for asylum seekers

4. Essex villages High Easter and Good Easter forced to change offensive names after complaints

5. Trump offering free one-way tickets to Africa, Mexico for those who wanna leave America

6. Donald Trump picks millionaire oil boss with close links to Vladimir Putin as Secretary of State

1. FAKE: Immigrants to be given £8,500 upon arrival to boost economy.

This fabricated story turned up on a website called BFNN in 2015. It even made up a quote from "Tory party spokesman Michael Green," which said handing cash to immigrants would help economic growth. 

"We came to the conclusion that if we gave immigrants a cash sum after arriving in the UK, it would be spent, as opposed to British tax payers, who would likely pay down their debts with it or save for a mortgage," Green said in a made-up quote.

2. REAL: Tourist bitten by massive crocodile after trying to take a selfie.

This story on The Daily Express website in January was legitimate. The woman was bitten at Khao Yai National Park, Thailand.

"It has been reported that two crocodiles had made their home in the particular section of the park where the woman was hurt, with warning signs laid out," the story said.

3. REAL: Iceland to host New Year's Eve party for asylum seekers.

A story that was a real as it was heartwarming. The Independent reported that Reykjavik council loaned space at its city hall, on the shores of scenic Lake Tjornin, for the event.

"This is an experiment in showing people that they are worth something and that they are welcome in our community," said Thorunn Olafsdottir, director of charity Akkeri, which helped organise the party.

LONDON — Stagnant wages and rising house prices have made it increasingly difficult for first-time homebuyers around the world to get onto the property ladder.

However, the situation is improving faster in some countries than others.

Relocation firm MoveHub has compiled a ranking of the fastest-improving countries to buy a first home, by cross-referencing projected salary progression against property price increases in the last year.

The property data used was the Global Property Guide and salary projections were based on the Hays Group Salary Forecast 2016.

Given rocketing house prices over the past two decades, the UK is the 16th worst country on the ranking — but there are some surprises in the top 5.

Take a look at the countries which made the list:

5. Italy — House prices fell by 0.9% last year while wages grew by 2.1%. It seems that now is a good time to invest in Italian real estate. The market has been declining for almost a decade, but investors are starting to turn towards hard assets in the wake of a domestic bank crisis and uncertainty caused by Brexit.

4. Switzerland — Property prices dropped by 0.7% in Switzerland over the last twelve months, while salaries rose by 2.5%. Despite the improving situation, properties still do not come cheap: the median asking price for single-a family home last year was single-family homes was £970,000 ($1.2 million).

3. Singapore — House prices in the southeast Asian sovereign city-state declined by 3.4% last year while wages grew by 3.7% thanks to the resilience of its open, trade-dominated economy — even while neighbouring China experienced a significant slowdown in economic growth.

A combination of changes, including: rising interest rates, a less zealous regulatory environment, tax cuts, and overall optimism among business owners will provide a much-needed profit boost for banks.

This in turn will help offset rapidly rising technology expenses and enable banks to accelerate transformative digitization of platforms and processes.

In addition, significant advisory opportunities will benefit those bankers bold enough to help clients navigate these changes in 2017.

Here are 11 major trends to watch for in the coming year and beyond.

1. Onerous C.A.R.L. (Compliance, Audit, Risk, and Legal) Costs Abate

While few are expecting a near-term full repeal of Dodd-Frank, Greenwich Associates does expect to see a regulatory environment that is less zealous in enforcement and more measured in leveling fines.

This change will provide banks with the confidence to increase focus on client-facing activities. It will also allow banks to examine and potentially curtail some of the massive infrastructure and costs put in place over the last few years to address C.A.R.L.

2. Banks’ Tech Transformation Accelerates

Midsize and larger banks are making massive investments to transform their businesses into digital service providers.

This transformative process is impacting not only legacy systems, but also decisions about which firms—including fintech vendors—they invest in, partner with, or purchase.

In the short term, banks that hesitate from taking this leap could get a bump from underinvesting in technology and maintaining a strong traditional franchise. However, at some point in the near future they will not have the wherewithal to effectively and successfully compete in key segments without digital competencies.

As it evolves into more of a tech industry, banking will become a scale business in which the largest providers will be able to invest in solutions that will differentiate their client experience. On the flip side, since scale is often the enemy of nimble innovation, partnering with and/or purchasing fintech firms will be an important part of the strategy.

Long term, banks without legacy overhangs of branch networks and heavy ties to paper-based processing will be advantaged, as those assets will be increasingly less valued.

3. Banks Get More Disciplined on Resource Allocation

Banks will become more comfortable operating in the cost-contained environments needed to fund investments in digital transformation. As a result, resource allocation will shift to more disciplined and quantitative assessments of market opportunities for growth.

“Juniorization” of staffing models and low-touch delivery channels for “lower value” clients will be the norm. Only “high value” clients will command the best and brightest resources. Resources freed up through these changes will be focused on new business development activities inside the most attractive prospects by geography, revenue potential/wallet size, likely growth, etc. New market and account opportunity analytical tools will help target and pinpoint opportunities by wallet size and potential.

CEO Evan Spiegel may be the public face of Snap Inc., but it's taken more than his hard work to turn what started as a disappearing photo app into a potentially $25 billion social network and camera company.

Since he started Snapchat with cofounder Bobby Murphy in 2011, Spiegel has surrounded himself with a team of seasoned deputies who oversee everything from relationships with advertisers and media partners to the company's planned IPO.

Here are the most important people who help Spiegel run Snap:

SEE ALSO: The fabulous life of Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, one of the world's youngest billionaires

DON'T MISS: Here's who is going to get rich from the Snap IPO

Bobby Murphy cofounded Snapchat and is now CTO.

Unlike Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy has maintained a decidedly low profile since the beginning of the company.

As cofounder and Chief Technology Officer, Murphy leads Snap’s engineering and research teams. Sources say he's also involved with a top-secret team called Snap Labs that works on projects like the recently announced Spectacles glasses.

Murphy and Spiegel each wield 44% of Snap's voting stock, giving them complete control over the company's future. While Murphy's base salary in 2016 was only $250,000, he stands to become a billionaire overnight when Snap goes public.

Murphy and Spiegel's friendship goes back to when they were both in the same fraternity at Stanford.

Spiegel, a product design student, needed someone to write the source code for the app that would become Snapchat. He recruited Murphy, a mathematics and computational science major, after the two had finished working on a failed startup called Future Freshman.

The quiet, 28-year-old engineer remains the author of much of the app's code to this day.

Imran Khan is a former banker who now leads Snap's business strategy.

Imran Khan jumped from the banking world to the tech world in January 2015 when he joined Snap as its Chief Strategy Officer. His connections quickly helped Snap land a $200 million investment from Alibaba — he was the lead banker for the Chinese retail company's IPO — and an additional $1.8 billion in funding in May 2016.

One of Spiegel's direct reports, Khan's main job at Snap is to lead its business strategy and help chart its path to a potentially $25 billion IPO. He's one of the few executives besides Spiegel to represent the company publicly at events, and he's working on telling the story of Snapchat to make it more appealing to bankers and advertisers.

While he's only been at Snap for about two years, Khan has been granted $145 million worth of shares. Those shares will likely be worth a lot more at Snap's IPO price. And he was paid a $5 million bonus last year.

Read our full profile of Khan for more on how he worked his way up to quarterbacking two of the largest tech IPOs in history.

Michael Lynton left his job as Sony Entertainment's CEO to lead Snap's board.

Former Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton stepped down from his position in January to focus on his new role as Snap's Chairman of the Board.

Lynton has been a trusted adviser to Evan Spiegel, and he's been on the company's board since 2013. An industry veteran with close ties to Hollywood, Lynton shares Spiegel's interest in the TV and music industries.

For a thrifty spender, the Chevrolet Cruze is one of the best options on the market.

Starting at $21,920, the hatchback comes with everything you would expect in a modern car with some extra touches. And considering its low price, it exceeds expectations in most categories.

Scroll down for a closer look:

SEE ALSO: I took a Chevy Cruze off-roading through the snow — here's what it taught me about winter driving

DON'T MISS: The Honda CR-V is an intuitive and comfy ride for the everyday driver

Recently, I had the opportunity to take a 2017 Chevy Cruze on a road trip from New York to Connecticut. There are two different trims: the LT and Premier. For this trip, I tried out the LT, which totaled $24,835.

The Cruze is a compact hatchback at 183.7 inches long that competes with vehicles like the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic. The vehicle is Chevrolet's best-selling car globally.

Both trims come with a 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with 153 hp and 177 lb.-ft. of torque. It also comes with front-wheel-drive. From personal experience, the car packs a surprising amount of punch.

You can also get my breakdown about how it performs in snow here.

Facebook is, by far, the largest social media platform on Earth. Nearly 2 billion people use it — just over 25% of the planet's population.

But the company's vision for the future goes beyond baby photos and shareable headlines: The $2 billion acquisition of Oculus VR in 2014 was a strong indication of what's next for Facebook.

Indeed, Zuckerberg and company see virtual reality as an integral part of Facebook's future. And that future is off to a rocky start.

Weak sales of the company's first VR headset, the Oculus Rift, are just the beginning. Two months after Facebook purchased Oculus VR, Facebook was sued for $2 billion. The company that sued, Zenimax Media, claimed that a former employee-turned-Oculus CTO took trade secrets with him. Moreover, the suit claimed that those trade secrets were integral to the Oculus Rift headset. 

A classic he said/she said litany of statements flowed from both companies, and a two-week jury trial concluded earlier this month. Zuck himself even appeared in court for questioning. The result? Facebook is paying Zenimax $500 million, but no one's to blame.

Here's what's going on.

SEE ALSO: Facebook ordered to pay $500 million in lawsuit against Oculus VR

August 2013: Oculus VR, a startup working on a virtual reality headset called the Rift, hires "Doom" creator John Carmack of id Software as its chief technology officer.

From the very first days of the Oculus Rift — when it was little more than snowboard goggles, duct tape, and wires — legendary programmer John Carmack was involved. When the Rift was first demonstrated for press, at E3 in 2012 (an annual video game industry trade show), it was demonstrated by John Carmack.

Carmack showed off a version of "Doom 3," running in the Oculus Rift headset. It would be another year before he officially resigned from id Software, which he co-founded, to become the CTO of Oculus VR. 

Of note: id Software was founded in 1991, and then sold to Zenimax Media in 2009. 

Carmack got the prototype headset from Palmer Luckey, the impossibly young face of the Oculus Rift. He was repeatedly held up as the genius inventor behind the headset.

So the story goes: Palmer Luckey was working on the Oculus Rift headset's earliest prototypes from his parents' house. Luckey was a member of several forums dedicated to the world of 3D and, eventually, virtual reality. He was a part of the "mod" community, which is notorious for taking existing hardware and modifying it into something new — a portable Xbox 360, or a GameBoy that plays Super Nintendo games, for instance.

On the journey from ski-goggle prototype to something sellable, Carmack — an idol of Luckey's and, apparently, a member of the same VR forum — got in touch and asked to be sent a prototype. Wired catalogued the exchange in a 2014 story timed to publish soon after the Facebook acquisition:

"Carmack private-­messaged him. Would Palmer consider sending him a loaner unit? Palmer, who idolized Carmack, shipped it off to Texas immediately — 'no NDAs, no signing anything,' Carmack says. 'It was one of two proto­types that he had.'

Carmack got to work on the machine, hot-gluing a motion sensor to it and duct-taping on a ski-goggle strap. But his greatest contribution came in the code he wrote for it. The Rift’s biggest selling point was its 90-degree field of view, which Luckey accomplished by slapping a cheap magnifying lens on the display. The problem was, that lens distorted the image underneath, making it warped and uneven. So Carmack coded a version of 'Doom 3' that pre-­distorted the image, counteracting the effects of the magnifying lens and making the picture appear correct to the viewer. The result was a completely immersive gaming experience, the kind that would other­wise require $10,000 in high-end optics."

March 2014: Facebook buys Oculus VR

In March 2014, Facebook announced the acquisition of Oculus VR — an independent startup. Unlike Instagram or Whatsapp, it was less obvious why Facebook would buy a fledgling startup that was, at the time, creating the first major VR headset since the technology faded from popularity in the mid-'90s. 

Zuckerberg justified the purchase as such:

"History suggests that there will be more platforms to come. Today's acquisition is a long-term bet on the future of computing."

In Zuckerberg's eyes, the folks at Oculus VR were creating "the future," and he wanted Facebook to be integral in building that vision of the future.

Mercedes-Benz changed the luxury-SUV market in 1998 with the M-Class. Never before had the automotive world seen a vehicle with such ruggedness, civility, and performance wrapped in Mercedes-Benz packaging.

But only recently did the German brand go all in on SUVs. Mercedes-Benz now offers six SUVs/crossovers for sale in the US, with a seventh model arriving early next year. At the bottom of the range is the entry-level GLA crossover; the venerable G-Wagon is perched atop the lineup.

The vehicle leading Mercedes' SUV revolution is its new compact GLC crossover. The GLC debuted late last year as the replacement for the boxy GLK crossover (and, yes, we know the whole "GL" nomenclature is confusing — we actually have a chart stuck to the wall to make sense of it). Although the GLK was an appealing vehicle, it could never quite successfully go toe-to-toe with rivals Audi and BMW.

Things have changed with the arrival of the GLC. In 2015, the Mercedes GLK and early-production GLC models accounted for 5.7% of the US market for compact luxury SUVs. In 2016, GLC sales surged more than 71.6%. 

Mercedes-Benz recently dropped off this 2016 CLC300 4Matic test car clad in a groovy matte "Magno Dakota Brown" paint job for Business Insider to drive (matte-finish cars are something of a trend now). Though the 2016 GLC300 4Matic starts at $40,950, our options-laden test car left the showroom with an as-tested price of $64,530.

Photos by Hollis Johnson unless otherwise credited

SEE ALSO: This stunning car should make Audi and Porsche worry

With the arrival of the GLC, Mercedes has a new weapon to take on the segment-leading Audi Q5 and BMW's X3, as well as Porsche's high-performance Macan.

The GLC is an upgrade from the outgoing GLK in every respect. That starts with the styling.

The GLK's Tonka-truck looks have been replaced by an elegant design based directly on the Mercedes C-Class.

Just five years ago, "The Simpsons" managed to predict Lady Gaga's performance at the 2017 Super Bowl Halftime Show in bizarrely accurate detail.

Gaga was in the 2012 episode "Lisa Goes Gaga," where the avant-garde artist flies over her fans in a space-age outfit using a harness during a concert in Springfield.

Gaga's loyal followers watching the Halftime Show quickly noticed the resemblance between her Super Bowl set and her "Simpsons" cameo.

And this wasn't the only time the writers had managed to predict the future.

Sixteen years ago, an episode of "The Simpsons" predicted that Donald Trump would one day become US president.

"The Simpsons" has been running for over 25 years, so it's inevitable that some themes that crop up in the show might occur in real life. But some of the plotlines are eerily close to events that have happened throughout the world.

We've listed some of the strangest predictions the cartoon's writers have made since the show's launch in 1989.

From Homer discovering the Higgs boson to animators drawing The Shard in London almost 20 years before it was built, here are 11 times "The Simpsons" predicted the future.

12. Lady Gaga at the Superbowl — Season 23, episode 22

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In "Lisa goes Gaga," Lady Gaga plays herself as a guest on the show, and answers a psychic calling to help Lisa find her self-confidence.

In the show, Gaga flies over concert-goers in Springfield wearing a revealing space-age outfit with the aid of a harness. This year's Super Bowl Halftime show was just as outlandish.

11. Faulty voting machines — Season 20, Episode 4

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In 2008, "The Simpsons" showed Homer trying to vote for Barack Obama in the US general election, but a faulty machine changed his vote.

Four years later, a voting machine in Pennsylvania had to be removed after it kept changing people's votes for Barack Obama to ones for his Republican rival Mitt Romney.

10. The invention of the tomacco plant — Season 11, Episode 5

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In 1999, Homer uses nuclear energy to create a hybrid of tomato and tobacco plants: the "tomacco."

This inspired US "Simpsons" fan Rob Baur to create his own plant. In 2003, Baur grafted together a tobacco root and a tomato stem to make "tomacco." Writers for "The Simpsons" were so impressed that they invited Baur and his family to their offices and ate the tomacco fruit themselves.

Tattoo designs and aesthetics come in a range of colors, styles and sizes. JonBoy of New York City's West 4 Tattoo shop has carved a place for himself in the tattoo world by focusing on minimal designs with a modern twist. JonBoy's famous clientele includes celebrities like Kendall Jenner and Hailey Baldwin, but anyone can visit the NYC tattoo shop and treat themselves to a tiny piece of permanent art. 

Keep reading for a look at 14 inspiring examples of JonBoy's small and delicate tattoo designs.

Floral inspirations make for simple but stunning tattoos.

This small feather is so well-placed that you might not even see it at first glance behind the ear.

We adore these small wishbones — a perfect tattoo idea for BFFs.

We don't lack for sports cars in this world. If you want some affordable thrills behind the wheel, you can buy a Mazda Miata for less than $30,000 (and you can buy a well-loved one for less than $5,000).

From there, the sky's the limit: the Ferrari 488 GTB, for example, will set you back $360,000. And it will be worth every precious penny.

What I'm saying is you don't lack for choice. But what if you don't feel like shopping? What if you just want perhaps the greatest sports car ever produced by human hands on planet Earth?

Well, then you should just spend $111,070 — the price of our test car — and get yourself a 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera (base price is only $89,400).

Here's why:

SEE ALSO: Here’s the stunning electric car Porsche is making to take on Tesla

The 911 Carrera arrived in Manhattan in a "Night Blue Metallic" paint job.

For some, the 911 has always been an odd-looking car, what with its bulbous rear end and bug-like headlights. But over the decades — the first 911 arrived way back in 1963 — the idiosyncratic rear-engine design has been continuously refined. The eighth generation of the sports car is perhaps the best-looking iteration, although all true 911 lovers have their favorite version.

The 911's rear is now ... well, elongated seems like the right word.

In 2017, Netflix will continue to ramp up the amount of original shows it's putting out. 

Netflix has said it will release a whopping 1,000 hours of original shows and movies in 2017 (and spend $6 billion to do so). That's up from 600 hours in 2016, and means you'd have to spend 41 days binge-watching Netflix to see it all.

41 days!

But what is Netflix actually putting out in 2017?

It's February, so the streaming giant has released a few things already, including a strange cannibal comedy starring Drew Barrymore. But Netflix has a lot more in the pipeline, from the return of hits like "Stranger Things" and "House of Cards," to new shows featuring stars like Naomi Watts or Kathy Bates, to reboots of classics like "Mystery Science Theater 3000."

To help you keep track, we've put together a list of shows Netflix has confirmed — for certain — are coming out in 2017. This excludes movies and kids' shows, and things that might not come out until 2018 and beyond.

Here are the 25 shows we know for sure Netflix is putting out in 2017:

SEE ALSO: It would take you over 41 days to binge-watch all the original shows and movies Netflix will release in 2017

'Ultimate Beastmaster' (Season 1) — February 24

Netflix description:"Each hour-long episode will feature 12 competitors, two from each country, who will take their shot at running one of the most physically demanding obstacle courses ever devised, 'The Beast.' At the end of each episode, a ‘Beastmaster’ will be crowned and in the final episode of the season, the nine individual winners from each episode will compete against each other for the chance for one contestant to become the Ultimate Beastmaster."

'Marvel's Iron Fist' (Season 1) — March 17

Netflix description:"Billionaire Danny Rand (Finn Jones) returns to New York City after being missing for years, trying to reconnect with his past and his family legacy. He fights against the criminal element corrupting New York City with his kung-fu mastery and ability to summon the awesome power of the fiery IronFist."

'Samurai Gourmet' (Season 1) — March 17

Netflix description:"The live action series 'Samurai Gourmet,' based on Masayuki Kusumi’s essay and the manga of the same title, featuring the life of Takeshi Kasumi.

Takeshi Kasumi has spent his entire life devoted to his job. Now a retired man, he finds himself with plenty of extra time on his hands. While on an afternoon walk, Kasumi discovers the joys of day time drinking and the realization that he is now free to eat and drink what he wants, when he wants. This awakens his inner persona — a wandering samurai living life freely in Japan’s age of civil wars. Thus begins his search for blissfully delectable delights to satisfy his stomach and the samurai’s soul."

The INSIDER Summary: 

• Trade your makeup products for ones with long-wear formulas that will keep your face looking flawless all day.
• From Maybelline's Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara to Benefit's Benetint Lip & Cheek Stain, these products will not wash away easily or smudge.

There's nothing more frustrating than wiping off half of your lipstick after a sip of coffee or smearing a flawless cat eye that took precious time to achieve. You'll need the best smudge-proof makeup money can buy in your stash if you can't be bothered with constantly retouching your look throughout the day.

Your beauty products have some pretty tough odds to beat at any given moment. Maybe you're plagued with super oily skin that attempts to wash away your product. Perhaps the blazing sun is your worst enemy, daring to smear your face with every bead of sweat that pops up. Even getting through a simple meal can threaten to erase your makeup. No matter the circumstances, it's obvious that long-lasting makeup products can be the difference between a flawless facade and runny cake face.

From the best kiss-proof lipstick to top rated water-resistant concealer, there are tons of products on the market that can stay put as you conquer your day. Trade out your disappointing makeup products for any of these 15 beauty buys with long-wear formulas, and you won't be disappointed.

1. MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation

Pro Longwear Waterproof Foundation in "NC15", $35, maccosmetics.com

Expect to get a full day's worth of coverage from MAC's Pro Longwear Foundation. This waterproof formula won't budge for hours, despite the elements.

2. Kat Von D Tattoo Liner

Tattoo Liner in "Trooper", $20, sephora.com

An oil-based remover is your only solution for getting rid of Kat Von D's Tattoo Liner because this eye pen has some serious staying power.

3. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick

Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in "Notte", $24, sephora.com

Cover your pout in Stila's Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick and your lips can brave it all, from a savory meal to a date-night kiss.

In a chic Manhattan office building, around 600 people work on the future.

It's the global headquarters of IBM Watson, the cognitive technology that the company says "can think like a human." You may have read that it has partnered with hospitals to help better read X-rays, or watched it win on Jeopardy in 2011. 

"It's technology that is able to look at information in a manner that's similar to us," Watson Manager Jonas Nwuke explained to Business Insider. "It can grasp nuance and context, and learns by example over time."

The same office is also the home of IBM's Cloud, which focuses on cloud computing for business.

The tech giant, which was founded in 1911 and is based in Armonk, New York, is one of the world's largest employers, with almost 380,000 workers. Business Insider visited IBM's Astor Place office to see what life is like for the teams at the forefront of the company's AI and Cloud technologies.

SEE ALSO: A look inside $23 billion LinkedIn's New York office, where employees enjoy perks like free gourmet meals and a speakeasy hidden in the Empire State Building

SEE ALSO: A look inside Kickstarter's Brooklyn office, where employees enjoy perks like a secret rooftop garden, coffee on tap, and plenty of dogs

The Astor Place workspace is open, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing employees on laptops.

Corporate communications team members Laurie Friedman and Andrea Jahanbozorgi showed us around the fourth-floor office, explaining that office's open layout allows these employees to collaborate effectively and appreciate the scope of the company.

It hums with employees at work, plugging away on teams like sales, marketing, product, and design. While Watson technically has its own team, the group works closely with the larger company, especially IBM Global Business Service, which helps other companies with their IT services.

The team has only been here since 2014. "We actually had the opportunity to fully build out the space," said IBM data and analytics tribe leader Lendy Krantz. "We really want to preserve whatever space we have on the floor for people to work."

The office's layout was created to be flexible.

The office is constantly changing, from white boards that roll around to wall off temporary meeting spaces to decor from a local graffiti office, and Krantz expects that will continue.

"Because the space is flexible, it reminds you your team is always changing, who you work with is changing," Krantz said. "It reminds you that you’re always going to be working with new people, which is really good. The space reinforces that."

For a huge company, the open office has a startup vibe.

Nwuke told us that the office tends to have a fun, off-beat vibe. Nerf guns, electronic skateboards, and candy bins aren't an unusual sight around the workplace.

"There's a buzz here," Nwuke told us. "There is a good energy in this building. It feels like kind of being back in college. You're working with some folks who view the world in the same way you do, who are on the same mission you are on, and, at the end of the day, you're friends."

For instance, IBM's design research team decorated their entire workspace with colorful sticky notes.

"The idea behind giving Watson an office was so we could co-locate the teams, so you can get more of a focus on the product," Nwuke said. "You can do all the things that contemporary development requires."

The Caribbean islands are beloved for their adventurous activities, clear waters, and stunning natural sites.

Though each island has its own unique appeal, some have advantages over the others.

We've ranked the best islands in the Caribbean, based on the costs of hotel bookings, their accessibility, and the range of activities they offer.

To rank the islands, we factored in each one's average hotel-room costs using data from Hotels.com, the flight time from New York City, the number of attractions listed on TripAdvisor, and the amount of coastline offered per square kilometer.

To read our full methodology, click here.

Melia Robinson and Talia Avakian contributed reporting on a previous version of this article.

SEE ALSO: Here's how we ranked the best Caribbean islands

DON'T MISS: Obama just took a luxurious trip to Richard Branson's private island — here's where other US presidents have vacationed

25. Anguilla

Distance from NYC: 5 hours and 7 minutes

Average hotel room cost: $468 per night 

In Anguilla, you'll find miles of white sand and pristine waters — hence its high beach-density score of 0.67. With romantic beaches like Rendezvous Bay, this is a destination where you can swim and sunbathe year-round. Its list of activities ranges from swimming with dolphins to sailing on glass-bottom boats.

24. Dominica

Distance from NYC: 5 hours and 55 minutes

Average hotel room cost: $161 per night 

Visitors to Dominica can do everything from relaxing in hot sulfur springs to swimming in the water off black-sand beaches. The island's volcanic terrain has created unique sites like the Champagne Reef, where geothermal bubbles make you feel like you're swimming in a giant bottle of champagne. Plus, there are nearly 40 incredible diving sites to choose from, despite its relatively low beach-density score of 0.2.

23. St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Distance from NYC: 6 hours

Average hotel room cost: $139 per night 

Located in the heart of the Caribbean Sea, the island chain of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is made up of 32 islands and cays. The relatively deserted islands offer travelers a combination of rainforest adventures, water sports, luxury accommodations, and miles of powder-white sand beaches. Of the 104 activities available to travelers, 60 of them are either stunning natural sites or parks. The island chain has a low beach-density score of 0.22. 

Apparently Johnny Depp is a big spender.

The actor has money troubles that his former business managers allege in a lawsuit stem from a spending habit of $2 million a month. And in September of last year, he listed his five penthouses that are in the same building in downtown Los Angeles.

Yes, you read that right. Five penthouses, same building. Together, they were listed for $12.78 million, but they have been selling individually.

One penthouse sold in October 2016, with the second in November 2016. 

As you can see in the photos of the apartments, Depp's style is anything but minimal. His colorful and bold aesthetic is just what you'd expect from the man behind Captain Jack Sparrow.

Depp made use of all five penthouses, but never bothered to connect them into one unit, so they could be sold separately.

According to real-estate agent Kevin Dees of Partners Trust, Depp had doorways installed to connect three of the units. The “Pirates of the Caribbean” star purchased the units for around $7.2 million between 2007 and 2008. 

SEE ALSO: Inside Drake's $8 million mansion with a pool that puts Hugh Hefner to shame

The penthouses are in the landmark Art Deco-style Eastern Columbia Building in downtown Los Angeles.

Eastern Columbia Building looks gorgeous in the LA sunlight.

Together, the multi-floor (and adjacent) penthouses have 9 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms, totaling 11,500 square feet.

Pity the ugly vegetable. Over 6 billion pounds of fresh produce are left unharvested or unsold every year, and much of it is wasted for a ridiculous reason: the produce is blemished.

In this case, "blemished" does not mean bruised or otherwise unfit for eating. It's just a word for fruits and vegetables that are a little to small, big, curvy, or funny-looking. As a result, they're kept out of grocery stores and food service deliveries — and tossed in the landfill.

A startup called Imperfect is trying to change the common perception of ugly produce by delivering it to your door. The service, which launched in the Bay Area in 2015 and just set up shop in Los Angeles, charges about half of what you'd pay for comparable produce at the grocery store. 

As you can see from these photos of Imperfect's "too ugly" for stores produce, these fruits and veggies aren't even that bad looking — they're just being held up to unreasonable beauty standards.

This is my personal box of Imperfect produce. As you can see, nothing looks immediately "off" about the items.

Separated out in the Imperfect warehouse, the so-called blemishes on the company's fruits and veggies become more clear. According to Imperfect, these peppers were kept out of stores due to their "smushed faces, extra appendages, and wrinkles."

These Pink Lady apples were rejected because they're smaller than the required minimum diameter of 2 inches.

I love ogling delicious recipes on Pinterest just as much as the next person. But I'm not kidding myself: I'm aware that many of my most "om nom"-worthy finds — from sea salt caramel truffles to sriracha fried chicken — are no health kick.

With that in mind, I sought out some of Pinterest's healthier fare. As it turns out, numerous registered dietitians (RDs) maintain a Pinterest page dedicated to many of their recipes. They feature everything from breakfast (cornbread waffles with spicy chicken, anyone?) to lunch, dinner, and snacks.

As the only health professionals qualified to assess, diagnose, and treat dietary and nutritional problems, RDs are dedicated to coming up with meal plans that are designed to nourish your body.

And their food photos are scrumptious. Take a look.

SEE ALSO: 13 ‘health’ foods you’re better off avoiding

DON'T MISS: We asked a dietitian what you should — ​and shouldn’t​ — do if you want to look and feel healthier in a week

Creamy tomato basil risotto with prosciutto

By registered dietitian Rachael Hartley, a South Carolina-based food and nutrition expert whose website, "Avocado a Day Nutrition," features recipes for everything from appetizers to desserts.

Get her risotto recipe here.

Miso grilled chicken sandwich

"Miso paste is one of my favorite pantry staples. It’s a condiment made by fermenting soybeans to create a salty, savory paste. It’s also a great source of those beneficial probiotics that make your tummy happy," writes Hartley. 

Get the recipe here.

Wild blueberry basil cheesecake smoothie

"This smoothie "tastes like dessert but (shhhh….) it’s actually good for you!" writes registered dietitian Kara Lydon on her website, "Kara Lydon: The Foodie Dietitian.""Packed with antioxidants, protein, and fiber, this smoothie takes just a few minutes to make. Breakfast never tasted better."

Get Lydon's recipe here.

The INSIDER Summary:

• Maureen "Marzi" Wilson draws cartoons about life as an introvert, and released a book called "Introvert Doodles."
• She writes about needing solitude and space, as well as awkward moments.
• Introverts may seem quiet or aloof, but they're attentive listeners and deep thinkers.

Being an introvert in an extrovert world is hard. When "friendly" is defined as outgoing and talkative, people who prefer to spend time alone or think through what they want to say before speaking often get left behind.

Maureen "Marzi" Wilson finally gives introverts their (somewhat reluctant) moment in the spotlight in her book, "Introvert Doodles: An Illustrated Look at Introvert Life in an Extrovert World." She illustrates awkward encounters, vents her frustrations, and shares advice and pep talks for anyone who finds the world overstimulating. 

Here are 10 of her doodles that show just how real the introvert struggle is.

Introverts generally think through what they want to say before talking, which makes thinking on their feet stressful.

Phone calls are the worst. Without any visuals, their active listening becomes awkward silence.

Long conversations are exhausting.

The INSIDER Summary:

• Collette and Scott Stohler quit their jobs to travel the world and write about couples travel.
• They've found their rhythm traveling together by overcoming challenges.
• A "romantic" trip can include daring adventures that bring a couple closer.

What could be more romantic than plummeting hundreds of feet off of a cliff on a bungee cord?

For Collette and Scott Stohler, romantic trips aren't confined to leisurely strolls on the beach at sunset. They quit their jobs in 2015 to seek out the best romantic destinations around the world, including adrenaline-fueled experiences that can bring couples closer. Now, they share their knowledge and loaded itineraries through their couples travel website, Roamaroo.

The Stohlers spoke to INSIDER from Thailand about traveling together and keeping their own romance alive on the move.

Collette and Scott met while traveling with their respective groups of friends in Las Vegas.

They did long distance for a year and a half, then made Los Angeles their home.

Collette worked in television as a writer and producer, and Scott worked as a chemical engineer.

They didn't stay for long. After listening to a podcast interview with Rolf Potts, author of "Vagabonding," they were inspired to become vagabonds, themselves.