• A Maldives luxury resort has opened the tropical nation's first underwater sculpture garden.
• The Sculpture Coralarium sits in the center of the largest developed coral lagoon in the Maldives, at the Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi resort.
• You have to snorkel out 100 meters to visit the submerged museum.
• Staying at the Sirru Fen Fushi resort costs between $760 and $3,838 per night.

A luxury resort in the Maldives has opened the nation's first underwater sculpture museum.

Visitors can snorkel 100 meters out from the beach to swim among the 22 otherworldly sculptures, Melanie Hoefler, a representative for Fairmont Maldives, told Business Insider.

The underwater museum, inspired by marine life, is a collaboration between British artist Jason deCaires Taylor and the Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi resort. It was created to bring attention to the threat of climate change.

Take a tour of the structure below, which the artist calls "a symbolic pathway to another world."

SEE ALSO: You can't miss these five spots in the Maldives

DON'T MISS: The 23 most relaxing vacation destinations in the world

The underwater museum is located at the Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi resort on the island of Gaakoshibee.

Source: Jason deCaires Taylor

It took five months to install the gallery on the island.

Source: Jason deCaires Taylor

'Visitors can explore it while snorkeling out from the beach to the museum, a distance of about 100 meters,' Hoefler said.

Source: Melanie Hoefler, Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi

If you're searching for an all-natural way to lift your mood, preserve muscle tone, and protect your brain against the decline that comes with aging, look no further than the closest mirror.

One of the most powerful means of reaping these benefits is exercise— and in many cases, you already have everything you need to get it: a body.

As we age, two forms of exercise are the most important to focus on: aerobic exercise, or cardio, which gets your heart pumping and sweat flowing, and strength training, which helps keep aging muscles from dwindling over time.

And most of the time, they don't require any fancy equipment or expensive classes.

Read on to find out how to incorporate both forms of fitness into your life.

SEE ALSO: 40 AND UNDER: The Silicon Valley biotech stars who are backing startups aiming to cure disease, prolong life, and fix the food system

DON'T MISS: New research suggests that a diet with key benefits for your body and brain may also shield against aging

Aerobic exercises like jogging may help reverse some heart damage from normal aging.

Many of us become less active as we age. Over time, this can lead some muscles in the heart to stiffen.

One of those at-risk muscles is in the left chamber of the heart, a section that plays a key role in supplying the body with freshly oxygenated blood.

A recent study split 53 adults into two groups, one of which did two years of supervised exercise four to five days a week while the other did yoga and balance exercises.

At the end of the study, published in January in the journal Circulation, the higher-intensity exercisers had seen significant improvements in their heart's performance, suggesting that some stiffening in the heart can be prevented or even reversed with regular cardio.

"Based on a series of studies performed by our team over the past 5 years, this 'dose' of exercise has become my prescription for life," Benjamin Levine, a professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern who wrote the study, said in a statement.

Walking, another form of cardio, could help reduce the risk of heart failure — a key contributor to heart disease.

Intense cardio activities like running or jogging aren't the only types of movement that may have protective benefits for the heart as we age.

In a study published in September in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers took a look at the physical activity levels of nearly 140,000 women aged 50 to 79 and found surprisingly salient links between walking and a reduced risk of heart failure, a condition when the heart stops pumping blood as it should. Heart failure is a key contributor to heart disease, the US' leading cause of death.

For their work, the researchers looked at data from a 14-year women's health study that documented heart failure and exercise levels.

When the researchers dove deeper, they found that the women who walked regularly were 25% less likely to experience heart failure than their peers who didn't exercise. In fact, for every extra 30-45 minutes a woman walked, her risk of a failed heart dropped an average of 9%, the scientists concluded.

"This is pretty important from a public health standpoint, given the poor prognosis this type of heart failure has once it's present," Michael LaMonte, the lead author of the study and an associate professor of epidemiology at the University at Buffalo School of Public Health, said in a statement.

Strength-training moves like tai chi are best for preserving muscles from age-related decline.

Strength or resistance training can take many forms, but it typically involves a series of movements geared toward building or preserving muscle.

Tai chi, the Chinese martial art that combines a series of flowing movements, is one form of strength training. The exercise is performed slowly and gently, with a high degree of focus and attention paid to breathing deeply.

Since practitioners go at their own pace, tai chi is accessible for a wide variety of people, regardless of age or fitness level.

Tai chi "is particularly good for older people because balance is an important component of fitness, and balance is something we lose as we get older,"I-Min Lee, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said in a recent health report called "Starting to Exercise."

• Time management can be a daily struggle for many of us.
• But there are plenty of ways to improve your productivity every day — 101 ways to be exact. 
• From grouping tasks together and writing procrastination lists to learning keyboard shortcuts and scheduling short breaks, there are methods to fit everyone's work style. 

For most of us, time management and staying productive is a daily struggle. Sometimes that's not the end of the world. But, if you don't address this sooner then later, the things you were supposed to do today get pushed to tomorrow, then the next day. Eventually, you could end-up several weeks behind.

That's not good for business or your stress-level. Thankfully, you can prevent that from happening by using these 101 time management and productivity tips. Let's start to gain yourself more time.

SEE ALSO: 5 super-successful people share the one hack they use to make the most of their time

1. Just breathe

Here's an interesting fact from Tom Evans, host of the Zone Show podcast. A tortoise's life expectancy is around 120 to 140 years, while an elephant lives for around 80 to 90 years. Even though our own life expectancy is increasing, it used to be just between 50 and 60 years.

2. Measure twice, cut once

My dad used to tell me, "Measure twice, cut once." This is actually a famous proverb for anyone involved in carpentry or building since it advises to do things right the first time around.

Double-check your work so that you don't spend the time going back and correcting your mistakes.

3. Turn off the TV

It's been found that we spend eight years and ten months of our lives watching TV— plus an additional eight months discussing plot holes and characters. Instead of watching so much television, spend that time on higher-leverage tasks.

• The North Korean state has defied all the odds and constant forecasts of its impending doom to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its founding on September 9, 2018.
• North Korea has a dark and tortured history going back millennia as regional powers like China and Japan have sought to dominate it. 
• The story of North Korea really is the story of the Kim dynasty founded by Kim Il Sung in response to Japanese colonization of Korea and its attempts to beat and break Korean identity. 
• In this slideshow, follow the harrowing story of the often brutal Kim family and how they came from starving guerilla fighters to stand toe to toe with President Donald Trump.

September 9, 2018 marks 70 years of the small, impoverished state of North Korea defying major world powers to exist as a bastion of Korean identity and revolutionary, and often brutal politics.

North Korea's story begins in earnest with the Kim family that would become the stuff of legends and propaganda alike. Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and now Kim Jong Un have proven wrong seven decades of US leaders who bet on their spectacular demise, with 2018 emerging as a banner year.

This year, North Korea — the most heavily sanctioned country on earth — managed to build powerful nuclear weapons and missiles at home that can fly halfway around the world to the shock and awe of its mortal enemy and the world's greatest superpower: The US.

But the amazing leaps of military engineering, and acts of deep spite and distrust to the US, have come at a heavy price. North Korea funnels about a quarter of its budget into the military while 18 million of its 25 million people rely on government rations to survive. Of them, 10.5 million are thought to be undernourished.

Any North Korean at any time can be imprisoned or put to death for the slightest deviation from the government's narrative, and each citizen must complete mandatory military service. 

But despite North Korea's horrific human rights record and open nuclear threats towards the US, Kim met President Donald Trump as equals this year in a truly epochal change in bilateral relations.

Scroll down to find out how the strange and mysterious history of the Kim family shaped North Korea into the land of contradictions it is today. 

Korea, a peninsula between powerful Chinese and Japanese empires, forged its own unique identity under the Chosun dynasty from the 14th to 20th centuries. Below is the first known photograph of Koreans ever taken.

Despite the strong identity and culture, Chinese influence permeated much of its culture. The rigid ideas of Confucius, a Chinese philosopher, shaped Korean ideas of loyalty and ritual as proper behavior in relationships, citizenship, and society.

In 1910, the peninsula's days of self-rule came to a brutal end when Japan forcefully colonized it and then ruled with an iron first. Japan brought to Korea its own racial purity and hierarchy-obsessed ideas.

Breakups happen — there's no getting around that. You're going to break up with every single person you're with until you find the one you'll marry (but even that might not work out the first time).

Niels Eek, psychologist and cofounder at mental wellbeing app, Remente, told INSIDER breakups leave us feeling emotionally drained and confused, and talking about something so personal can make us feel awkward.

"This is why, when we don't know how to express our feelings, we sometimes start to look for common phrases and examples to help us explain," he said.

"It is important to remember that each breakup will be different, so it is best to speak from the heart."

Because breakups are an inevitable part of life, it makes sense that some ways of going about a breakup have been passed down through time. Clichés like "things changed," or "I cut them loose," are used time and time again.

And different countries have their own versions of breakup dialogue.

"Many of the breakup idioms have a historical background — back from the days when you wouldn't break up a relationship you've had for a while, like we do now, but rather turned down a marriage proposal," Elin Asklöv, from Babbel's Didactics team, told INSIDER.

Breakup lines may vary between languages, she said, but certain themes like leaving behind, or sending away, are quite universal.

"Perhaps we like think of ourselves as moving and if something doesn't fit us any more, it can't move along with us,"Asklöv said.

Here are some of the different phrases people use to explain they broke up with someone in seven different countries:

French: Leaving someone behind

The phrase is "Larguer querlqu'un" in French.

According to the experts at Babbel, French people use the verb "larguer" for when sailors undo the ropes that attach the boat to the port, or that hold the sail folded, so that they can sail away — conveying the image of breaking free.

American: Kicking someone to the curb

Italian: Giving someone the two of spades

The Italian phrase is "Dare il due di picche a qualcuno," which translates as "To give someone the two of spades."

To the Italians, the two of spades in a deck of cards holds the least value. So if you're giving it to someone, you're effectively not giving them the time of day and rejecting their romantic advances.

Flying with a new airline can be scary if you don't know what to expect — particularly if you're shelling out on tickets.

However, it's worth a shot if it means flying direct to a location that would otherwise be a challenge to reach.

From September 15, Philippine Airlines will introduce its new Airbus A350 on its routes from London Heathrow and New York JFK to and from Manila, Philippines.

Ahead of the launch, we spoke to the airline to find out what passengers can expect from Business Class — as well as Premium Economy and Economy — on the new aircraft.

Scroll down for a look at what it's like to fly with Philippine Airlines, from beginning to end.

Philippine Airlines, founded in 1941, is the Philippines' national airline, based out of Manila. It flies to over 40 cities worldwide, and over 30 points in the Philippines.

It's the only airline that flies non-stop between London Heathrow and Manila.

From September 15, PAL is introducing its new A350 aircraft on its Heathrow-Manila and New York JFK-Manila routes. Here's what you can expect.

• Twenty Google leaders shared their summer jobs in a recent post published on Google's blog.
• They included ringing up orders at McDonald's, playing in a string quartet, and planting trees in Nova Scotia.
• While not exactly glamorous, many said they learned valuable lessons from those gigs. 

Jeff Bezos rang up orders at McDonald's. Marissa Mayer was a grocery store clerk. And Phillip Lim was a sales associate at local California kids' clothing store. 

Those business leaders aren't the only ones whose first jobs were less than glamorous. Google published the summer job sagas of 20 of their top leaders. Notably, several rang up orders at McDonald's, while other jobs were as unusual as playing in a string quartet or planting trees.

See what Google leaders were doing before they joined one of the world's most ubiquitous companies:

SEE ALSO: Teenagers are less likely to work today than any generation before them, and some say school is to blame

Jeff Dean, head of Google AI, was in a string quartet

"We weren't very good, but people were looking to do weddings on the cheap. They excused our lack of musical quality because we were young and charming."

Corey DuBrowa, VP of Global Communications and Public Affairs, worked as a grass seed farmer

"Because of this job, I had a farm license to drive a $250,000 tractor before I had my state driver's license!"

Ana Corrales, VP of Global Operations and Google Store, started her own scrunchie business

"At 15, I started a business that sold hair scrunchie to a Costa Rican national supermarket chain. My team and I covered every job from cutting fabrics, to sewing and developing final packaging, to managing the finances."

Apple's biggest hardware event of the year is only a few days away.

If past years are any indication, the event will be used to unveil a slew of new products, including new iPhones, a new Apple Watch, and maybe even a refreshed pair of its wireless AirPods. 

Based on analysts, leaks, and reports, here's what we're expecting Apple to announce at its biggest hardware event of the year. 

SEE ALSO: The biggest details about Apple's iPhone event have leaked online — here's everything we know

Apple is expected to unveil new smartphones with super-high definition OLED screens, potentially named the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max ...

According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is expected to release three new iPhones total, including two devices with OLED screens. 

The two OLED phones will come in different sizes — 6.5-inch and 5.8-inch — and will have the same nearly full-screen display and facial recognition camera as the iPhone X. 

Last month, Apple blog 9to5Mac published what it said was an actual marketing photo for two new iPhone devices. The images show two gold phones, which 9to5Mac says are called the iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max.

Read more: The biggest details about Apple's iPhone event have leaked online — here's everything we know

... along with a low-cost iPhone with an LCD screen.

Along with two pricey, high-end iPhones, Apple is expected to release a lower-cost device with a 6.1-inch LCD display. The LCD iPhone could be equipped with a single-lens camera, compared with the double-lens cameras on the higher-end iPhones. 

Estimates suggest this device would be more affordable than its brethren, with a price closer to $550 or $650. 

We're also likely to see a revamped Apple Watch.

Apple is expected to release the Apple Watch Series 4 at its hardware event. Thanks to a leak from 9to5Mac last month, we may already know the design.

The leaked image shows a gold Apple Watch with what appears to be an edge-to-edge display and a new watch face with eight complications, or special functions.

The new watch is also expected to come in two new, larger sizes, and have longer battery life, new health-tracking functions, and a faster chip. 

Read more: Everything we think we know about the new Apple Watch models that could launch on September 12

• Americans are increasingly trying to cut sugar from their diets, ditching sugary sodas and Frappuccinos. 
• Some of the most popular beverages in the United States contain more than 50 grams of sugar — the FDA's recommended maximum — in a single bottle or can. 
• Here's how much sugar the most popular sodas, coffees, and teas actually contain. 

As Americans try and cut sugar from their diets, some of the biggest culprits for carrying the sweet — but dangerous — ingredient are beverages. 

The FDA recommends consuming no more than 50 grams of sugar a day, and the World Health Organization calls for half that amount. However, many of the most popular beverages in the United States pack more than 50 grams of sugar in a single cup or bottle. 

Americans are increasingly wary of these sugar-packed beverages. Starbucks is trying to revamp its Frappuccino as sales drop. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, meanwhile, are investing in bottled water as Americans ditch sugary sodas. 

If are considering cutting sugar from your diet, here is how much sugar is actually in some of the most popular drinks in the US:

SEE ALSO: Starbucks is testing a Frappuccino with less sugar, but comparisons to other drinks reveals the change may not be enough to win back customers

Coffee

In late August, Starbucks announced it is testing a new Frappuccino with less sugar. The change took an incredible amount of effort, Starbucks executives told The Wall Street Journal. The company spent two years testing internally before coming up with a drink that has just under 50 grams of sugar. 

Colas

As Americans ditch Coca-Cola and Pepsi's namesake colas, the chains are investing in lower-calorie options. Coca-Cola, for instance, revamped its Diet Coke lineup earlier this year and has found success with its zero-calorie Coke Zero brand. 

Soda, Non-Cola

Beyond colas, other soda options are also loaded with sugar. Instead, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are increasingly investing in bottled water and other healthier options. 

• Crunch Fitness Franchise CEO Ben Midgley gave Business Insider an inside look at his daily routine.
• He wakes up early to exercise in his home gym and never skips stretching or cardio.
• At night, Midgley turns his phone off and spends quality time with his family.
• He often drinks a glass of milk with honey to wind down. 

Crunch Fitness Franchise CEO Ben Midgley doesn't just work in the fitness world.

He lives there too, kicking off every day with an intense gym session and fueling up on a nutritional lunch during the workday.

Midgley, who has been CEO of Crunch Franchise since 2010 and previously worked at 24-Hour Fitness and Planet Fitness, broke down his daily routine for Business Insider.

Here's a look inside the CEO's daily schedule:

SEE ALSO: A day in the life of a Disneyland manager who's worked there for 23 years, walks 5 miles daily around the park, and has a 'long-distance' marriage with his wife

DON'T MISS: A day in the life of a product manager at Facebook

READ MORE: A day in the life of an Amazon employee who wakes up at 5 a.m. to work out and brings her dog to the office

Midgley wakes up between 4:30 and 5 a.m. every day.

Midgley wakes up bright and early, usually between 4:30 and 5 a.m. And naturally, the fitness-franchise CEO starts his day with a workout, heading to his basement to exercise for about an hour.

Stretching is a key part of his workout.

The home gym features six cardio machines, stretching mats, and "all your traditional weightlifting equipment," Midgley told Business Insider.

"I'm pretty much a standard weightlifting-and-cardio guy," he said.

To start, Midgley uses foam rollers as part of a comprehensive stretching exercise.

"I never used to stretch when I was younger," he said. "But I've got to do a full stretching routine every day."

Along with cardio, stretching is something he never skips during a workout, he said.

When it comes to exercise, Midgley considers himself a "balanced guy."

Midgley said he typically focuses on working out a different body part each day of the week, though sometimes he'll squeeze in two leg days.

As for his favorite workout routines, he said he likes to mix things up.

"I'm a balanced guy," Midgley said. "I don't favor anything. You've got to work everything."

The only way to get Apple's MacOS operating system is to buy one of Apple's own Macs. That's pretty much the way it's always been. Or at least, that's the only official way. 

The computer pictured above is running MacOS, but it's not a Mac. It's a so-called Hackintosh — a computer built by a hobbyist, made to run MacOS on non-Apple hardware.  

You read correctly: You don't need to buy a Mac to get the Apple experience (or official Apple apps), assuming you're willing to do the work of building one. 

In a way, the reasons to buy, build, or turn your existing computer into a Hackintosh represent some of the less desirable aspects of buying a Mac from Apple — namely, that they're expensive, hard to customize, and often not exactly what you need. 

Check out some of the reasons why people build their own Hackintosh computers instead of buying a Mac from Apple, including some perspectives from tech YouTubers:

SEE ALSO: Everything that's wrong with the computers and laptops that Apple sells

With a Hackintosh, you can get the Apple experience for much less money than if you shelled out for a pricey Mac.

YouTuber Snazzy Labs made a $350 Hackintosh that "manages to hang with Apple's current lineup" as of January 2018, he says. 

Building your own Hackintosh also lets you run apps that only run on Macs, like Final Cut Pro X, without paying the premium that Apple's computers command at retail.

Something to note off the bat: Legally and ethically, building a Hackintosh is kind of a grey area.

To build a Hackintosh, you need a copy of Apple's MacOS to install on it, or else what's the point? The problem is that, generally speaking, the only Apple-sanctioned way to get a copy of MacOS is to have it already installed on a Mac. 

Most reputable Hackintosh guides advise you to take a Mac you already own, and copy the operating system off of that. But it's fair to say that this isn't what Apple had in mind for the MacOS software — and it could violate the terms of service that you agree to when you first got your Mac. 

So far, Apple hasn't taken action one way or another on the Hackintosh community, and has let it be. Just be advised that this may not always be the case. 

We've reached out to Apple for comment on its stance towards Hackintoshes, and will update if we hear back. 

YouTuber Marques Brownlee built a Hackintosh back in 2013 because Apple didn't have a computer that fit his needs at the time.

Truth be told, Apple doesn't make a computer that I'd be perfectly satisfied with.

Take my 2016 MacBook Pro, for example. I bought it because I wanted an Apple laptop with a 15-inch display. But the only models in that screen size come with a dedicated graphics chip — a chip with more power than I really need in my everyday life. Still, if I wanted the bigger screen size, I'd have to pay the price for that premium hardware. 

The same is true of the rest of Apple's Mac lineup, too. 

Apple might not always release computers with the specs that you need. Or, if a Mac does have the specs you want, it might also come with parts that you don't need. Apple's newest iMac Pro, for example, is essentially built into a 5K display —  a super-high-end display that contributes heavily to the $5,000 price tag. If you want the machine, but not the display, then you don't really have other options...apart from building your own Hackintosh. 

It's part of the reason why the popular tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee built a Hackintosh a while back:

• JD Power released its ranking of the highest-rated vehicles for the 2018 model year. 
• Millions of real car owners submitted data to JD Power, covering more than 600 models.
• Porsche dominated the list with four of the top 13 cars.
• JD Power is a consumer marketing and information company that uses data and analytics to advise its customer-satisfaction surveys.

After the purchase of a home, the largest financial investment any of us will make is probably a car.

With so much riding on this one decision, it makes sense that car buyers would want to have as much information as possible beforehand. Fortunately, there is JD Power's annual Highest-Rated Vehicle ranking. 

This year, JD Power analyzed more than 600 models and rated them on a 100-point scale. Using verified data provided by actual car owners, JD graded each car on quality, vehicle dependability, execution and layout, performance, customer satisfaction reviews, and awards and dealership ratings. 

"With nearly 600 models receiving a score of 81 or higher, car shoppers can find a high-quality vehicle on JDPower.com that suits their wants and needs," Troy Snyder, vice president of JD Power's consumer division, said in a statement. "In addition to the rating scores, car shoppers can see which vehicles won a J.D. Power award by segment, so they can rest assured that they’re making a wise purchase decision."

13 cars received top scores of between 90 and 94 points, with Porsche dominating the list with four cars, including the Porsche 911, which was the top-ranked vehicle of 2018. Hyundai's new Genesis luxury brand impressed with two cars in the top 13. 

JD Power has access to data from more than 3.2 million car ownership experiences between the 2013 and 2018 model years.  

Take a look at the 13 highest-rated cars of the 2018 model year, according to JD Power:

SEE ALSO: These are the 20 best-selling cars and trucks in America in 2018

FOLLOW US: on Facebook for more car and transportation content!

13. Porsche Cayenne (90 points)

12. Lexus GS (90 points)

11. Genesis G80 (90 points)

• McDonald's menu has changed a number of times since the chain was founded in 1955.
• Some of the menu additions have survived until 2018, but many ended up being short-lived.
• McDonald's discontinues foods for a number of reasons, whether it's because of poor sales, to make room for a different new item, or because it was a limited-edition product. 
• Regardless of the reason, you likely won't be able to try McDonald's Hula Burger, McLobster, or Cheddar Melt ever again. 

SEE ALSO: We visited Dunkin' Donuts' 'store of the future' in NYC — here's what it was like

McSalad Shakers only lasted for three years on the McDonald's menu.

Source: Insider

There were three different types: garden, chef, and grilled chicken Caesar.

Source: Insider

The Arch Deluxe, which was introduced in 1996, was one of the most expensive failures ever for McDonald's.

Source: Business Insider

SEE ALSO: A preppy apparel startup is defying J. Crew's curse and dominating the millennial market

GlamGlow

Skincare brand GlamGlow was originally created for professionals working with celebrities in the entertainment industry. It is now available for purchase online and in stores such as Macy's, Nordstrom, and Sephora. 

It's best known for its mud masks, which cost between $59 to $79, depending on size. 
 

Fenty Beauty

Rihanna's beauty brand, Fenty, which is owned by the world's largest luxury retailer, LVMH, only launched in 2017 but is already making waves in the beauty industry. Its products range from $19 for a lipstick up to $38 for powders. The collection is currently sold online and in Sephora stores in the US.

According to WWD, in its first month of operation, sales at Fenty were five times higher than Kylie Cosmetics, the $800 million beauty company owned by Kylie Jenner. 

Glossier

Operating almost exclusively online, Glossier is leading the way in beauty products. It has attracted more than $86 million in funding since founder Emily Weiss began selling beauty products in 2013. Revenues reportedly tripled from 2016 to 2017.  

According to Bloomberg, the company sells one of its popular $16 "Boy Brow" eyebrow shapers every minute, accounting for an estimated $8 million in sales per year.

• San Francisco's new four-block-long Salesforce Transit Center — and the stunning rooftop park located on top of it — is officially open to the public.
• A project almost two decades in the making, the transit center was designed to be a central nexus for local transportation.
•  Eleven bus lines stop at the station, and transit officials plan to eventually connect it to rail lines as well. 
• The $2.2 billion transit center is being hailed as the "Grand Central Station of the West," and some have compared its park to The High Line in New York.

San Francisco's highly-anticipated Salesforce Transit Center and the new park located on its roof are officially open to the public.

Located in a colossal white building that snakes its way through the city's downtown South of Market district, the transit project was almost two decades in the making and was designed as a much-needed improvement to San Francisco's notoriously clogged transportation systems. Routes on eleven bus lines stop at the transit center. In the future, so too will Caltrain, the Bay Area's commuter-rail services, and California's High Speed Rail, which will run between there and Los Angeles.

The center's urban design has drawn comparisons to New York's new Oculus transit station, while its rooftop park has been likened to The High Line in New York, a park that's located on a former elevated rail line. But its new nickname harkens back further into Gotham's history.

The center has been dubbed the "Grand Central Station of the West." It's an apt moniker, given the building's scale and $2.2 billion budget.

Take a look around San Francisco's "Grand Central Station."

SEE ALSO: There's a 'water bar' in San Francisco that will pour you shots of fruit water, not booze — take a look inside

The transit center's bulbous white facade spans four blocks in downtown San Francisco. It's hard to miss.

Its exterior is made from perforated white aluminum that was shaped into wave-like forms.

The main building consists of five levels, including the rooftop park and the Grand Hall on its ground level.

The Bus Deck is above the ground level. The structure's two other levels are below-ground floors that were designed for rail lines but aren't yet in use.

Source: Transbay Program

Superhero movies are the most dominant in Hollywood, and there is never a shortage of them in theaters.

This year, audiences have flocked to theaters for the likes of Marvel Cinematic Universe entries like "Black Panther" and "Avengers: Infinity War," as well as Pixar's long-awaited sequel, "Incredibles 2." And all of those have grossed over $1 billion worldwide.

But the year isn't over, and while we have to wait until March for the next MCU movie, there are still three more superhero movies to come in 2018.

They include two Spider-Man movies unlike any Spider-Man movie before, and a "Justice League" spin-off that is trying to distance itself from that movie.

Below are the 3 superhero movies still to come in 2018:

SEE ALSO: 'Captain Marvel' could hold the answers to the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after 'Avengers 4'

"Venom"

Release date: October 5

Directed by: Ruben Fleischer ("Gangster Squad,""30 Minutes or Less,""Zombieland")

Starring: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed

Description:"One of Marvel's most enigmatic, complex and badass characters comes to the big screen, starring Academy Award nominated actor Tom Hardy as the lethal protector Venom."

The last time Venom showed up on the big screen was in the lackluster "Spider-Man 3" in 2007. This solo film doesn't feature Spider-Man (as far as we know) so the movie may alter the character's origins a bit (in the comics and "Spider-Man 3," Venom is an alien parasite that latches onto Spider-Man and then Eddie Brock).

Watch the trailer here.

"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse"

Release date: December 14

Directed by: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman

Starring: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Nicolas Cage

Description: "Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the creative minds behind 'The Lego Movie' and '21 Jump Street,' bring their unique talents to a fresh vision of a different Spider-Man Universe, with a groundbreaking visual style that’s the first of its kind. 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' introduces Brooklyn teen Miles Morales, and the limitless possibilities of the Spider-Verse, where more than one can wear the mask."

Sony's deal with Marvel Studios allows the latter to use Spider-Man in its cinematic universe, while Sony can still develop projects of its own based on the character. That's how the studio can make "Venom," as well as this animated film that introduces Miles Morales to the big screen. In the comics, Morales is an alternate-universe version of Spider-Man.

Watch the trailer here.

"Aquaman"

Release date: December 21

Directed by: James Wan ("Furious 7,""The Conjuring,""Insidious,""Saw")

Starring: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, Patrick Wilson

Description:"From Warner Bros. Pictures and director James Wan comes an action-packed adventure that spans the vast, visually breathtaking underwater world of the seven seas, 'Aquaman,' starring Jason Momoa in the title role. The film reveals the origin story of half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry and takes him on the journey of his lifetime—one that will not only force him to face who he really is, but to discover if he is worthy of who he was born to be … a king."

The disappointing commercial and critical performance of "Justice League" forced DC and Warner Bros. to rethink their superhero film strategy. "Aquaman" is the first test to see if these movies can distance themselves from an interconnected universe that wasn't working.

Watch the trailer here.

• Coca-Colaannounced on Friday that it would buy British coffee-shop chain Costa Coffee for $5.1 billion.
• Analysts say the move is likely to have a major impact on Starbucks, especially as it looks to grow in China, a region that both coffee chains are looking to expand in to drive sales.
• Here's how the two chains compare.

Many Americans may have woken up on Friday morning to the news of Coca-Cola's latest acquisition and wondered what on earth Costa Coffee is. 

That could change soon. With a US multinational company behind it, the UK-headquartered coffee chain could be on a path to explosive growth around the world. 

So far, Costa Coffee has 3,882 stores in 32 countries. It's the UK's leading coffee chain, with 2,467 locations there alone, and it's not uncommon to spot a store on street corners, train stations, and gas stations around the country.

While analysts aren't expecting Costa Coffee to dethrone Starbucks in the US, they are expecting the new $5.1 billion deal with Coca-Cola to allow Costa Coffee to better compete in its international markets and allow the brand to break into the US with its ready-to-drink products in stores.

With this in mind, we decided to compare the two chains:

SEE ALSO: Coca-Cola just spent $5.1 billion on a massive British coffee chain, and it sets the scene for a battle with Starbucks

Both chains date back to 1971.

The first Starbucks store opened in 1971 in Seattle, the city that's home to its current headquarters.

Howard Schultz, the chain's former, longtime CEO and chairman emeritus, joined the company in 1982 before splitting off to launch his own company, Il Giornale. Schultz ended up acquiring Starbucks and taking the name for his own business.

Thousands of miles away, at around the same time, Italian brothers Bruno and Sergio were making their own coffee, which they sold to a handful of caterers in London for the first time in 1971. Several years later, in 1978, they opened their first Costa Coffee store in South London. 

The business was acquired by its current parent company, the restaurant and hotel business Whitbread, in 1995.

Schultz grew Starbucks into a giant, multinational company.

Over the course of the 1990s and early 2000s, Schultz grew the business into a massive organization, opening thousands of stores in the US and around the world.

By 2010, it had nearly 17,000 stores in total. Today, that figure has grown to over 28,000 stores worldwide, which generated $22.4 billion in total net revenues in 2017.

Costa Coffee's growth has been more modest. While it is currently the leading coffee chain in the UK with more than 2,400 stores, its reach beyond that lags behind Starbucks, especially in the US, where it has no presence at all.

In total, Costa Coffee has 3,882 stores in 32 countries. In the year ending March 2018, these locations generated about $1.7 billion in revenue. 

The two chains are eyeing global expansion.

As sales have lagged somewhat in their home markets, both Costa Coffee and Starbucks are looking at international expansion to drive growth. 

China is considered a key market here. According to GlobalData, retail sales of hot drinks in China alone will hit $34.2 billion by 2022, and hot-drinks volumes across all channels have more than doubled there in the past five years.

Starbucks, which is currently the leading chain with 2,800 locations in China, is aiming to double its store count to 6,000 locations and triple its revenues over the next five years. 

Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said in May that the company is looking to push "a coffee culture in China where the reward will be healthy, long-term, profitable growth for decades to come,"CNN Money reported.

Earlier this month, Starbucks also announced a deal with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba to expand its delivery services throughout the country. 

Meanwhile, Costa Coffee, the second-largest coffee chain in China with more than 400 locations, has its own expansion plans. 

In October 2017 Costa Coffee bought Yueda, a Chinese coffee chain with which it had operated a joint venture in China for more than a decade. Several months later, in April, Costa Coffee CEO Allison Brittain announced that the company was looking to spin off from its parent company, Whitbread, in order to facilitate its expansion plans, pointing to China as a key area for growth. 

"Costa will become a listed entity in its own right and the clear market leader in the out-of-home coffee market in the UK," Brittain, said in a statement at the time. It will be "well positioned to build further on its strong international foundations with growth expected in China and Costa Express."

SAN FRANCISCO — It's finally in the water.

For five years now, The Ocean Cleanup, an organization founded by 24-year-old Dutch innovator Boyan Slat, has been trying to create a system that can clean plastic out of the world's oceans.

There's a mind-boggling amount of plastic in the oceans, and that amount grows every day. At least 8 million metric tons of plastic pours into the sea every year — a number that's considered a low estimate, since it doesn't include commonly found debris like fishing nets.  As this trash breaks down into tinier and tinier bits, much of it is eventually carried into one of five massive ocean regions, where plastic can be so concentrated that areas have garnered names like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

On Saturday, Slat's organization began the journey out to sea with their first official 2,000-foot-long plastic cleaning array, System 001. The ship the Maersk Launcher towed the device through the San Francisco Bay out under the Golden Gate Bridge, en route to a final testing site and then — if everything goes well — they'll head to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, where the cleanup crew hopes that first system will be able to collect 50 tons of plastic in its first year.

Slat and colleagues hope The Ocean Cleanup's plastic-collecting arrays can help at least remove large debris from these swirling vortexes. They say their models show that with a full deployment of 60 arrays, they could be able to remove 50% of the garbage patch region's plastic within five years.

But so far, their technology is still unproven, and no one knows for sure whether it'll work as planned.

The Ocean Cleanup's plan is an inspiration for many, as an effort to try to confront what seems like an impossibly large and ugly problem.

But it's also received significant criticism from members of the scientific community who study plastics. Those researchers say the system may not be effective since it can't reach most ocean plastic that has started to break into tiny pieces and sink into the waters. They fear that it could have negative impacts on marine wildlife or could be broken up by harsh ocean conditions, or that it could be a distraction from stopping the overall use of plastics and the management that prevents them from getting into the ocean in the first place.

Slat says stopping plastic pollution in the first place needs to be a global priority, but that they believe cleaning up what's out there already has to be done as well. Yet he knows the world and the scientific community are watching as the system begins its first real test.

"It's still not proven technology and in the next months, it has to do what it has to do," he told Business Insider. The group has run models and simulations and they've tested systems in the water, but this is the first time a full size array will be assembled and hopefully functioning in the Pacific.

As he said Saturday, "models are models"— helpful, but still not perfect demonstrations of reality.

"It'll be an exciting six months," said Slat.

Here's what the initial deployment looked like.

SEE ALSO: The giant garbage vortex in the Pacific Ocean is over twice the size of Texas — here's what it looks like

The system was assembled in Alameda, California, in a shipyard in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Hard-walled pipe makes up the floating component of the cleanup array.

The Ocean Cleanup says the floating array is equipped with lanterns, radar reflectors, navigational signals, GPS, and anti-collision beacons.

• Jay-Z has an estimated net worth of $900 million.
• He's earned his fortune through a hip-hop career spanning nearly three decades and has also parlayed his success into several business ventures.
• They include entertainment labels, a clothing line, alcohol brands, an upscale sports club, and a $600 million streaming service.

With a net worth of $900 million, Jay-Z is one of the wealthiest musicians in the world.

The rapper has earned millions from sellout tours and chart-topping albums over the course of his nearly 30-year career.

But music is far from his only money-making venture. Over the years, Jay-Z has parlayed his success in the hip-hop world into a fortune earned as an entrepreneur. His ventures include entertainment labels, a clothing line, upscale alcohol brands, and the music-streaming service Tidal.

Read on to see how Jay-Z has earned — and multiplied — his fortune.

SEE ALSO: Beyoncé is worth $355 million — see how she spends it on lavish mansions, yachting vacations, and a private jet for Jay-Z

Shawn Carter, better known as Jay-Z, is one of the wealthiest musicians in the world, with an estimated net worth of $900 million.

Source: Forbes

But the rapper came from humble beginnings, growing up poor in the Marcy housing project in Brooklyn, New York City.

Source: NPR

"The burden of poverty isn't just that you don't always have the things you need," Jay-Z told NPR in 2010. "It's the feeling of being embarrassed every day of your life, and you'd do anything to lift that burden."

Source: NPR

• Morgan Stanley says we've entered the type of computing cycle that comes around only every 10 years, with a specific focus on data technology.
• The firm has identified 26 companies it thinks possess a technological edge, whose stocks are thereby positioned to perform well in the future.

One way to achieve success as an investor is to identify trends before they fully develop.

You load up on shares of companies at the forefront to some sort of paradigm-shifting innovation, then watch in glee as you make money hand over fist.

Morgan Stanley realizes this and says it's actually a perfect time for traders seeking such opportunities.

At the center of the firm's latest analysis are the computing cycles it says emerge once every 10 years. It argues that this particular iteration has just gotten underway, with a focus on data technologies like artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and automation.

"Following nearly two decades of underinvestment in technology, we see enterprises reinvigorating IT spend to enable productivity and believe data technologies support a secular tailwind to IT budget growth," Mike Wilson, Morgan Stanley's chief US equity strategist, wrote in a client note.

"Additionally, we see a clear mindset shift at the executive level from viewing technology as supporting the business to technology becoming the business," he added.

To that end, Morgan Stanley has identified 26 companies it says are best positioned to hold a technological edge over the coming years. By that rationale, they should make great long-term stock plays.

As the firm puts it, these companies are "at the cutting edge of a data era-driven productivity boom."

26. Extra Space Storage

Ticker: EXR

Industry: Real estate

Market cap: $13 billion

Source: Morgan Stanley

25. Spotify

Ticker: SPOT

Industry: Information technology

Market cap: $33 billion

Source: Morgan Stanley

24. MasterCard

Ticker: MA

Industry: Information technology

Market cap: $226 billion

Source: Morgan Stanley