The Houses of Parliament are collapsing — literally. Damage built up over almost two centuries of intensive use has left the Palace of Westminster in urgent need of structural repairs.

Business Insider was given an exclusive tour through the winding tunnels under the Palace where the repair works are already underway, and interviewed the people responsible for saving the world's second-most photographed landmark.

It was a claustrophobic trip behind the scenes (and the walls) of British lawmaking, revealing both the incredible work of those who have had the job of maintaining the building over the years and the scale of the challenge that they now face.

Dr Richard Ware, programme director for the Restoration and Renewal Programme, and Mel Barlex, parliamentary director of estates and technical director for the programme, are leading the rescue effort and they gave us their prognosis of the future of this iconic building.

From the outside, parliament looks as glorious as when it was built, between 1840-60.

But close up, the cast-iron roof is rusting and eroding...

...and over the years leaking pipes, antiquated wiring and everyday wear and tear have taken a severe toll inside the Palace as well.

Most of us have heard of Google's well-publicized moonshots: Self-driving cars, smart contact lenses, internet-bearing balloons, and more. Last week, the company's unveiled its newest initiative, in which it will try to use nanoparticles to search your blood for disease. 

While those products and services sound amazing, you can't use them right now. But the company actually has a bunch of other ones that are incredibly useful that you might not even know existed. 

For example, did you know that Google can guide you through your wedding?

Google Keep is a killer notes and reminder app that works across both desktops and smartphones.

Watch the YouTube video here. 

You can set a timer on Google (and get an alarm to sound when time is up) by Googling any amount of time followed by "timer."

Source. 

Google.com/sky lets you explore the far reaches of the universe using images from NASA satellite, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and the Hubble Telescope.

The Russian economy is in dire straits. Growth is flatlining, the government's budget is being squeezed, and international sanctions over the country's role in the Ukraine crisis are combining to squeeze Moscow.

However, the reasons for Russia's decline predate the country's current crisis and have as much to do with long-term trends like an aging population and declining labor productivity as with the recent collapse of the oil price (and with it the ruble).

The choices faced by Russian policymakers are stark. They can either attempt to fight the decline by spending the country's precious foreign exchange reserves. Or they can let the currency float free and risk financial instability that could crush businesses.

So far they have opted for the former. The central bank burned more than $15 billion last month in an attempt to soften the ruble's fall. But it has failed to instill confidence either domestically or internationally.

The Russian economy grew at an average rate of 7% a year between 1998 and 2008. This was expected to slow somewhat ...

... but not this much.

So what's going on? The crisis in Ukraine and the international sanctions against Russia that followed are a large part of the explanation.

Tired of your old job? Looking for a new environment? There are a lot of reasons to leave your home country behind in search of greener pastures, but picking where to go can be an overwhelming decision.

There are a lot of conflicting factors: job opportunities, salary considerations, quality of life, safety, and childcare are just a few. HSBC has made the decision a whole lot easier with its latest annual Expat Explorer survey. 

The survey ranks the best places to go based on experience, economics, and raising children abroad, with subcategories for each group. We've picked out the top 20 places overall. (But you can also personalize the rankings based on which factors matter to you.)

20. Belgium

Belgium ranked highly for raising children abroad, healthcare, and learning a new language.  

The country was below average for overall experience and economics categories but ranked especially low for sports and healthy diet — unsurprising when you consider the beer, chocolate, and waffles.

Belgium is also relatively free of violent crime, though muggings and pickpocketing are common in the country's larger cities.

19. Malaysia

Adventurous expats are likeliest to head to Malaysia. Forty-nine percent told HSBC that the need for "a new challenge" motivated their move.

Those who make the move seem to love it, with expats in Malaysia scoring highly for learning the local language, traveling more, and exploring Malaysia's fascinating culture. 

Malaysia tends to be very affordable, ranking highly for accommodations and local shops and markets.  

The country is only middle of the pack, however, in economic measures and raising children abroad. Education is decent but expensive, and the quality of childcare is not good.

18. Japan

Japan's stagnant economy has it ranking low in economic measures, but the country makes up for it with its exceptional healthcare, travel options, and local culture. It doesn't hurt that the food is healthy and delicious, ranking first in both diet and local food.

In addition, Japan ranks highly in raising children abroad, thanks to its high-quality, affordable education.

One expat described the people in Japan as such:

"The people here are so friendly and go out their way to help you, even if they speak limited English. I feel welcome here."

Alongside San Francisco and New York, London is one of the world's most innovative cities. After all, the Brits did invent the World Wide Web.

There's a celebrated cluster of technology companies in east London, known as Tech City. It is all centered around the Old Street roundabout, giving name to the government's "Silicon Roundabout" initiative. 

But the UK's tech industry is not limited to a section of east London. Many of the people on the list are based outside of London. Some have factories and distribution centers to manage; others spend time in universities and labs. 

This list features some of the most interesting startup founders, CEOs, and investors in the UK tech industry. Within our ranking, we prioritized startup founders over the UK's PR heads, VCs, and tech consultants. However, there are plenty of people without "CEO" in their job title on this list, too.

50. Nick D'Aloisio

Founder, Summly

Twitter: @nickdaloisio

D'Aloisio is only 18 but already sold his news-summarization app, Summly, to Yahoo for a rumored $30 million, in 2013. The young app developer is now a student at Oxford University, having started undergraduates course in computer science and philosophy in September.

Summly started in 2011 as a simpler version under the name Trimit. It quickly caught the attention of billionaire Li Ka-Shing, who invested $300,000 in the app. After relaunching as Summly, D'Aloisio attracted further investment from Yoko Ono, Ashton Kutcher, and Stephen Fry. Summly was eventually sold to Yahoo, and D'Aloisio worked on the new Yahoo News Digest app. He remains a product manager on the new app, while he studies for his degree.

49. Robyn Exton

CEO and cofounder, Dattch

Twitter: @robynexton

Dattch is a dating app for lesbian and bisexual women that connects users based on location. Exton created the app after realising that existing lesbian dating sites were simply reskinned versions of other sites. Using her experience of working with a dating site at a branding agency, she set about making a dating app specifically created for lesbians.

Unlike many dating sites and apps, Dattch has been praised for its positive approach to LGBTQ dating, and the app has won countless awards, including the Best Design award at the 2013 LAUNCH conference. The business brought its operations to the US in 2014, and plans on expanding to Android in the near future. 

48. Emily Brooke

CEO and founder, Blaze

Twitter: @buzzbrooke

The Blaze laser light is a green laser that attaches to the front of a bicycle. The laser then projects the image of the bike several metres in front of the rider. The bright images keeps cyclists safe on the road by helping drivers to see them.

Over 3,000 laser lights have been sold so far, after devices began shipping in early 2014. Blaze has raised £500,000 from Richard Branson's family and Index Ventures.

With dropping temperatures, we’re all about to start spending a lot more time indoors — why not have a good book to read?

Amazon Book’s editorial team has unveiled the new must-reads for November, from fan-favorite authors like Stephen King to stories that are sure to be a hit. Whether you enjoy historical biographies or prefer gripping novels, there's a book here for every reader.

Below are the 11 books you should pick up this month.

“A Backpack, A Bear, And Eight Crates Of Vodka” by Lev Golinkin: In this autobiography, Golinkin describes his family’s journey to escape the final decade of the Soviet Union during the late 1980s as well as his trip back as an American man. We follow him as he both comes to terms with his past and the hatred he felt as a Jewish man in the Urkarine and thanks the strangers that made his escape possible. 

“Fields Of Blood: Religion And The History of Violence” by Karen Armstrong: From the best-selling author of “A History Of God,” “Field Of Blood” explores the connection between violence and a variety of faiths, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Judaism. Armstrong tries to understand if religion truly does lead to violence, as well as if peace among all believers could ever be achieved in our time.

“The Happiest People In The World” by Brock Clarke: Danish Cartoonist Jens is forced to relocate after he draws a cartoon of the Prophet and becomes an assassin’s target. After being saved by the CIA, he’s plopped down in a small town in New York state and given a new name, job, and background — but that’s when the story truly takes a turn. 

“The Laughing Monsters” by Denis Johnson: A mixture of “Heart Of Darkness” and the post-9/11 world, this novel follows Roland Nair as he reunites with his friend Michael Adriko in Sierra Leone. Their friendship is pushed to its limits as the two men and Michael’s gorgeous fiancé travel ever deeper into Western Africa to search for Michael’s lost village.

“Let Me Be Frank With You” by Richard Ford: This is the fourth installment in Ford’s celebrated series on Frank Bascombe (including “The Sportswriter,” “Independence Day,” and “The Lay Of The Land’). Bascombe is now 70 and easing into retirement, but the novel places him in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. For fans of the series, Ford is at the height of his game.

“Lives In Ruins” by Marilyn Johnson: Johnson interviews the modern Indiana Jones-type archaeologists who travel around the globe finding people, places, and clues that no one else has seen in centuries. They track down the small pieces of history that shape our culture, and reflect on what it means to uncover these stories that have been buried or lost. 

“Napoleon: A Life” by Andrew Roberts: Napoleon is perhaps the most famous soldier-statesman in history. He is remembered not only for his battles and military mind, but his leadership as well. With thirty-three thousand newly recovered letters that he wrote, Roberts’s biography is an important new volume that illuminates Napoleon’s psyche.

“Nothing Is True And Everything Is Possible” by Peter Pomerantsev: This book delves into the modern Russia that emerged when the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 90s. From reality television and big business to Putin as the ring leader of it all, Poverantsev proves why everything you think you know about Russia is wrong.

“Revival” by Stephen King: King's most recent thriller spans five decades and focuses on the rock n' roll obsessed Jamie Morton and the small town reverend Charles Jacobs. Both men are haunted by tragic pasts and share a secret obsession, so they are naturally drawn together into a partnership as they search for answers — and find terrifying conclusions. 

“There Was A Little Girl: The Real Story Of My Mother And Me” by Brooke Shields: Actress and model Brooke Shields recounts her relationship with her single mother Teri, a woman who was not only her manager and confidante, but also a struggling alcoholic. Shields shares how Teri influenced her own experience as a mother and the pair’s mother-daughter relationship.

“Us” by David Nicholls: Douglas Petersen is thrown for a loop when his wife Connie asks for a divorce. It couldn’t come at a worse time as the couple and their 17-year-old son Albie are off on an adventure across Europe. The believable family relationships and complicated ending will keep readers invested in the Petersen clan.

SEE ALSO: 20 New Books We Can't Wait To Read This Fall

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It's widely recognized that American inventors such as Alexander Bell, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford helped turn the American dream into a reality.

But these days, many inventors are coming from a different economic juggernaut — China. According to China Daily, 210,000 invention patents were given out in the country last year, a 25% increase over 2011.

In this slideshow we've included pictures from China's DIY inventors: industrious men and women inventing in their backyard.

(An earlier version of this story was written by Rebecca Baird-Remba and Adam Taylor.)

He Liang took ten years modifying this suitcase vehicle which has its own motor and can reach speeds of over 12 miles an hour. It can travel 30-40 miles on one one charge.

Tao Xiangli, a self-taught inventor, built this remote controlled humanoid robot out of scrap metal and electronic wires that he bought from a second-hand market for $49,037. Tao ran into a problem, though, when he realized the robot was too big to get out of his front door.

This 7.8 feet tall home-made motorcycle cost its creator, Abulajon, $1,300 to create. It weighs 600 pounds and can reach speeds of 25 miles per hour.

I don't know how to cook. 

Well, that's not true. I know how to make chili. But it's San Francisco summer right now, and a hot bowl of chili when it's 80 degrees outside does not sound too appetizing. 

That's why I decided to give Plated a try. 

(Click here to see what Plated is like.)

Plated is like a do-it-yourself food-delivery service, much like Blue Apron. You go to the website and enter your ZIP code. You can also let Plated know whether you have any dietary restrictions, or if you simply just don't like something. Which days your food gets delivered depends on where you live. 

Each week, there are seven menu items created by Plated chefs: four meat and fish dishes, and three vegetarian options. 

It costs around $12-$15 per plate, and you need to order a minimum of four plates. If you spend $50, however, you get free shipping (shipping costs around $6). So it's worth tacking on a dessert for around $4 so you don't have to pay the extra fee.

You can order a la carte, or you can sign up for a weekly subscription, which comes with its own perks, such as 20% off all plates. You even get a couple bonus plates if you refer a friend.

And that's it; a box full of portioned ingredients lands on your doorstep, and you're able to start cooking.

Nick Taranto, the co-CEO of Plated and former Goldman Sachs employee, said he started the company because he was feeling depressed about gaining weight and being unhealthy. 

"When I was living on West 14th Street and taking the E train to Goldman Sachs it got so bad that a homeless man handing out papers in the train station would look at me and say, 'cheer up young man'," he told Business Insider in an interview in February. 

He and his friend Josh Hix started Plated in 2012, and since then it has grown to making deliveries in 80% of the continental US, according to the Plated website. And it's raised more than $21 million from investors. 

The site makes it easy to opt in or out of some foods. My family doesn't eat meat, so we opted to skip the beef.

You can choose how many plates you want delivered, as well as what days you want the delivery to be sent. If you have a subscription, you can let Plated know if you want to skip a week altogether.

This was my order for the week. For the purposes of this story, I decided to tackle the squid ink pasta with calamari and the bread pudding for dessert.

Even if you know nothing about astronomy, you've likely heard the name Hubble in reference to the Hubble Space Telescope.

This telescope, which uses a series of high-resolution cameras to observe the visible universe, has captured the hearts of the public with its stunning images and the hearts of the scientific community with its wealth of data collected over the last 24 years.

Many wonders of our universe, including the nature of dark matter, formation of stars, and atmospheric composition of exoplanets, have been observed either indirectly or directly by Hubble. Here is a series of beautiful Hubble images that also taught us something about the incredible, mysterious, and unique universe in which we live.

Eric Goldschein contributed to an earlier version of this post.

In 2006, Hubble set its sites on the mesmerizing Orion Nebula and discovered 16 planets nuzzled within its beautiful confines. Before the Kepler Spacecraft launched in 2009 and began searching the galaxy for exoplanets, the number of known planets outside of our solar system was limited. This Hubble discovery was a momentous find that strongly hinted at the prevalence of planets throughout our universe.

What you're seeing at the center of this Hubble image is a very important type of luminous star called a Cepheid variable. Before Hubble, astronomers had only a vague idea of the age of the universe. But by using the patterns by which these stars brighten and dim over short periods of time, astronomers obtained extremely accurate distances to these objects, which helped them pin down the 14-billion-year age of the universe.

We can't see dark matter, but we know it's there thanks to Hubble. The is a real Hubble image of a galaxy cluster with false coloring superimposed on top. The false blue indicates where most of the cluster's mass is located but also where few galaxies lie. This suggests that there is a large clump of dark matter at the center of the cluster.

Mark Cuban got into entrepreneurship at age 12, going door to door selling garbage bags. 

His technology companies made him a millionaire at 31 and a billionaire at 40.

He then became a public figure as the outspoken owner of the Dallas Mavericks and a leading investor on ABC's hit show "Shark Tank."

But Cuban didn't know all of this would happen when he was just a kid trying to make a buck.

Looking back at his life, we can see how he smartly seized all these opportunities.

1978: Cuban puts himself through college.

Cuban skipped his senior year of high school and went straight to the University of Pittsburgh. 

He transferred to Indiana University after his freshman year. 

But there was one problem: He had to pay for school. 

Cuban, ever the social butterfly, relied on his charisma to get his tuition and rent paid — he gave dance lessons, threw massive parties, and opened up a bar called Motley's Pub, where nights regularly got crazy. 

"Hey,"he told Deadspin, "it was the '70s." 

1981: After school, Cuban heads back to Pittsburgh to work for Mellon Bank.

He helped the bank join the just-starting digital revolution.

"Back then a lot of smaller regional banks still did everything on paper," Cuban told Forbes. "Mellon had a department that went in and converted them to computerized systems. That's what I did. A lot of my peers at Mellon were just happy to have a job. I wanted to be more entrepreneurial."

1982: Cuban leaves Pittsburgh for Dallas.

"Some college buddies of mine had told me to come to Dallas — that the weather was great, that there were jobs, and that the women were amazing," Cuban told Forbes. 

Dallas would become the base of Cuban's enterprises, from founding companies to bringing a championship to a previously bottom-rung pro sports franchise. 

But first he tried his hand at tending bar — and realized that he wasn't that great at working for people. 

Five years ago, Dalene and Peter Heck were toiling in cushy, lucrative corporate jobs in Alberta, Canada. Life was good, if monotonous. Then came a deluge of personal trials, family illnesses, and tragic accidents.

The Hecks had a realization: Life is short and you have to make the most of it.

The two made the radical decision to quit their jobs, sell their possessions, and embark on a life of travel.

They booked a flight to South America with no real plan, except that they would start by using their savings to fund their travels. They had no idea how or if they would be able to make their hoped-for life of 24/7 travel sustainable.

Five years later, they’ve taught English in Turkey, lived near a volcano in Ecuador, kayaked in Scandinavia, and nearly been swept off a mountain in Peru.

They started a blog along the way, Hecktic Travels, which is bursting with gorgeous photos of the many places they’ve been and fun anecdotes from their tribulations on the road. While they initially thought travel blogging might be a way to fund their adventures, they quickly it to be time-consuming and poorly paid.

So they started Hektic Media, which connects travel brands with travel bloggers. The new enterprise has been a far more lucrative endeavor.

“Travel blogging is the wild west in many ways. We know a lot of people that do good work and we meet a lot of companies that want to work with them, but they don’t know where to start. We help connect the two and help manage entire campaigns,” explains Dalene Heck.

The couple was recently named the Travelers of the Year by National Geographic.  

The Hecks spent their first year traveling all over South America and making the classic first-time traveler mistake of trying to do too much, too fast. After the year, they were exhausted. They were offered a job house-sitting in British Columbia for a few months. They accepted the gig. 

The house-sitting turned out to be perfect for them, giving them the chance to fully experience a place, recharge their batteries, and travel slow. Ever since, they've picked their destinations based on where they get house-sitting gigs, including Ireland and Turkey. This is Connemara, Ireland. 

One of their favorite house-sitting trips was for three months in Turkey. They loved it so much that the family they house-sat for offered for them to do it again the next year. They accepted.

While in Turkey, they stayed in Burhaniye, a coastal town in the South. They visited schools where they helped Turkish youth practice their English. Many had never met a native English speaker before.

The Hecks frequently take short trips to visit different areas of the country while house-sitting. In Turkey, they visited Pamukkale, which Dalene called "one of the most unique places" they've ever visited. The city's name literally means "cotton castles," named after the many travertines (terraces of white carbonate minerals) that dot the landscape.

House-sitting has allowed the couple to spend less money and have a deeper travel experience, becoming embedded in local culture for months at a time. They house-sit about half of the time they travel. When they are not house-sitting, they use AirBnB to book apartments for short periods of time.

In Greenland, the couple did a nine-day kayaking trip up the eastern coast. Dalene called it "one of the most challenging experiences we've had."

One of their favorite trips was a week-long tour through Jordan. Dalene described nights spent listening to Bedoiun music, while sitting amongst candles.

The Hecks say that they see no end in sight for their travels. "We are addicted now. We need to wake up and explore new places, meet new people, and try new foods. The thought of ever sitting somewhere scares us a bit," says Dalene.

For aspiring travelers, Dalene gave this piece of advice: "Go slow. Most people start out by going to each place for two or three days, but when you go slow, you don't burn out as quickly and you get a richer experience. You understand a place, rather than just grabbing a selfie and moving on."

SEE ALSO: The 20 Best Places To Live Overseas

Join the conversation about this story »

There's arguably nothing more impressive than founding a company and turning it into a billion-dollar business before you turn 35. 

And in tech, millennials are taking over. We scoured top CEOs, talent, and billionaires for impressive leaders who were born after 1980.

Here are the youngest people making the biggest impact in technology today.

Ben Silbermann and Evan Sharp, co-founders of Pinterest

Ages: 31

What they've done: Silbermann left Google to found Pinterest, a photo and inspiration platform that some believe will eclipse Facebook, Twitter and even Google in  revenue. He co-founded it with Evan Sharp, and their company is now worth more than $5 billion.

Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos

Age: 30

What she's done: Holmes is the youngest female billionaire in the world who is entirely self-made. Holmes dropped out of Stanford to create Theranos, a company that could revolutionize modern medicine by creating better blood tests.

Theranos' company is working on a way to gather a ton of information from just a drop of blood (think a fingerprick) as opposed to a collecting vials and vials of it through needles in the arm.

Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, cofounders of Instagram

Age: 29 and 28

What he's done: In 2010, Systrom and Krieger cofounded Instagram. Instagram quickly became the most popular mobile photo app and now has nearly 230 million monthly active users, which is roughly the size of Twitter.

It was acquired for $1 billion by Facebook in April 2012. Systrom and Krieger are still at the helm of Instagram.

Michael Jordan is pretty much universally recognized as the greatest basketball player ever. And rightfully so. During his 15-year NBA career, he averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game while winning six NBA championships. So he is, without a doubt, the best player in Chicago Bulls history. There has never been—and never will be—a better Bulls player than MJ.

Who are the G.O.A.T.s for the NBA's 29 other franchises, though? For some teams—like the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have their prodigal son LeBron James back in the mix—the answer is obvious. But for others, you have to do some digging through the history books in order to make a compelling case for one player over everyone else. With the NBA season now in full swing, we decided to do just that and came up with our list of The Best Franchise Players in NBA History. Scroll down to see the 30 faces of the NBA's 30 franchises.

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Atlanta Hawks: Bob Pettit

Years Played for Team: 1954-65
Career Stats: 26.4 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 3.0 APG (BPG was not an official stat when he played)
Accolades: 2-time NBA MVP, 11-time NBA All-Star, 10-time All-NBA First Team, NBA champion
Runner-Up: Dominique Wilkins

We very easily could have slid 'Nique into this slot, and we doubt that anyone would have argued with us. But it's hard to ignore the impact that Pettit had on the NBA back in the 1950s and 1960s when the Hawks played in Milwaukee and St. Louis. The 6-foot-9 forward/center was the first player to ever win the NBA MVP award. He also made the NBA All-Star team during every single season he played in the league. And he was an integral part of the Hawks' 1958 championship team. He was later elected into the Hall of Fame in 1970 and named to the NBA's "50 Greatest Players in NBA History" team in 1996. So he gets the nod over The Human Highlight Film here.

Boston Celtics: Bill Russell

Years Played for Team: 1956-69
Career Stats: 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG (BPG was not an official stat when he played)
Accolades: 5-time NBA MVP, 12-time NBA All-Star, 3-time All-NBA First Team, 11-time NBA champion
Runner-Up: Larry Bird

The Celtics franchise has been filled with great players over the last 60 years or so. From Bird to Bob Cousy to Kevin McHale, there's been no shortage of talent within the organization. But despite that, it's pretty easy to pick Russell as the best of the bunch. He won 11 NBA championships during his career, averaged a ridiculous amount of rebounds, and is one of the few players to ever play the game of basketball who could make a claim to Michael Jordan's "G.O.A.T." title and not sound crazy.

Brooklyn Nets: Jason Kidd

Years Played for Team: 2001-07
Career Stats: 12.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 8.7 APG, 1.9 SPG
Accolades: 10-time NBA All-Star, 5-time All-NBA First Team, 5-time NBA assists leader, NBA Champion
Runner-Up: Buck Williams

Julius Erving only played for the Nets during their time in the ABA. So we didn't include him here (not to worry, he'll show up later). But even if he had played for the Nets in the NBA, J-Kidd still probably would have won out. He has the second most assists in NBA history (behind only John Stockton).  He ranks third all-time in regular-season triple-doubles with 107. And back in the early 2000s, he led the Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals trips and, even though he didn't ultimately lead them to a title, he did help them dominate the Eastern Conference for quite a few years before getting traded to the Mavericks in 2008. He won a championship later with Dallas, but the best years of his career were spent running point for the Nets in New Jersey.

As 2014 draws to a close, it's time to examine the tech industry's trajectory and predict which trends will explode in the upcoming year.

Experts from market research firm Gartner, the IEEE Computer Society, MIT, and other sources have named the tech trends they thought were super hot for businesses in 2014 or are going to become hot in 2015.

We've sifted through that information, and have thrown in a few of our own picks to come up with this list of the nine technologies companies will go nuts for in 2015.

No. 9: 3D printing

Breakthroughs in 3D printing are coming in 2015, which will make this form of manufacturing attractive to nearly any business.

One such technology is something known  "micro-scale 3D printing," according to MIT.

This is where "inks" of different materials can be loaded into 3D printers, allowing them to print a huge range of objects.

No. 8: Wearables at work

In 2015, wearable computers will start to trickle into the workplace.

Smartwatches will keep employees plugged in without constantly looking at their phones.

Health wrist devices will encourage employees to participate in group wellness programs.

Companies will also start experimenting with smart glasses with custom apps such as repair guides, video conferencing, training videos, and the like.

HR software company Kronos and The Workforce Institute recently polled 9,000 people worldwide and found that 73% said they think wearables would be helpful at work.

No. 7: Ultra-private devices

Computer security is entering a new phase. Passwords won't exactly die in 2015, but our devices will become more secure and private. More devices, including and beyond smartphones, will get fingerprint sensors.

(A company called Nok Nok, for instance, offers technology that turns touchscreens and touch pads into a finger print sensor.)

While hackers aren't going away, your work software will be wrapped in layers of security. So when a hacker breaks into one app, other apps will know it and guard themselves. The hacker will get limited info and won't get the data stored in other apps.

"Every app needs to be self-aware and self-protecting,"Gartner says.

With over a million apps out there and more launching every day, it can be tough to keep up.

To help you find some apps that are fun and make your life a little easier, we've collected the best apps of the past month.

From apps that scan your proportions and send you a custom shirt to an app that will introduce you to your own international pen pal, you're bound to find something you'll enjoy.

"Wayfare" pairs you with an international pen pal.

People don't keep pen pals very often anymore, but "Wayfare" is trying to fix that. The app pairs you with someone from another country, who you'll get to know over the next seven days through photo challenges and some good old fashioned conversation.

Price: Free (iOS, Android)

"MTailor" is an easy way to order a custom-fitted shirt.

Using your iPhone's camera, "MTailor" scans your body's proportions and sends you a custom-fitted shirt right to your doorstep. Shirts start at $69, and you choose the fabric and style of the collar.

Price: Free (iOS)

See what news stories your friends are reading with "Nuzzel."

"Nuzzel" is a news reader for viral news. The app plugs into your Facebook and Twitter accounts so you can see what your friends on social media are reading about in the news.

Price: Free (iOS)

Sandwiches may be the most perfect food ever created.

With infinite varieties and ingredients, the possibilities are truly endless — and endlessly delicious.

But not all sandwiches are created equal. There can be sloppy sandwiches, soggy sandwiches, and sandwiches that fall short of their true potential.

In honor of National Sandwich Day, here are some simple tips and tricks that will up your game and take your sandwich-making skills to the next level.

Did we miss your favorite sandwich hack? Explain it in the comments!

Put your sandwich condiments like mayonnaise in condiment holders so your sandwich doesn't get prematurely soggy by lunch time.

You can buy it here for $10

To keep wraps and burritos from falling apart, warm your tortilla before you start rolling everything together. Just for 10 seconds on each side in a pan, or quickly in the microwave — you'll be surprised how well your wrap stays together.

Get bored easily? Try making the PB&J 2.0 sandwich with strawberry jam, honey, marshmallow fluff, two kinds of peanut butter, and Nutella. It's a different flavor with every bite!

On Saturday, Lithuania became the first country in the EU to ban the selling of energy drinks to anyone under the age of 18, according to the Agence France-Presse.

The law, which was first adopted by Lithuania's parliament back in May, will make selling to minors punishable by a fine of up to 400 litas (or roughly $150).

"It's a revolutionary development the world over: We didn't find a single other country to have this kind of ban," health ministry official Almantas Kranauskas told Agence France-Presse. "Most countries only have recommendations. We are the first."

The Baltic state placed the ban in reaction to research showing how popular energy drinks were among minors. In 2013, a study by the European Food Safety Authority found that 68% of European youths aged 10 to 18 years old were drinking them. In Lithuania alone, the AFP reports that roughly 10% of school-aged children say they consume energy drinks at least once a week. 

Numerous studies have pointed out the risks posed by the consumption of energy drinks, especially by adolescents. Heavy consumption of energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster have been linked to heart problems, depression, hypertension, convulsions, and palpitations. The World Health Organization has even warned that energy drinks could cause a public health problem if their use among young people is not addressed. 

Lithuania is the first European country to enact this kind of ban, but the United Arab Emirates banned the sale of energy drinks for children under the age of 16 in 2012. The UAE was even considering raising the age limit to 20 years old in September, according to World.Mic.

There have been similar efforts in the US and Europe to regulate minors’ consumption of energy drinks, but none as bold as Lithuania's ban. The Baltic state hopes to set an example for other countries to follow suit. 

"We hope that some countries of the EU that don't have a clear position will follow the Lithuanian way," Kranauskas told the Wall Street Journal.  

SEE ALSO: How Monster Energy Became The Military's Favorite Beverage

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Some trips offer more than just the chance to see the sights, but also valuable life lessons and insights into other cultures. On a recent trip through Germany where I focused on exploring Berlin Wall history, I experienced just this.

For me, Germany’s rich history alone made it a truly special place to visit, the type of destination that constantly shifts your perspective. As the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall approaches on November 9, 2014, I thought it would be relevant to share these lessons, and allow you to further understand the country and its heritage for yourself.

Without further adieu, here are 10 lessons I learned traveling through Germany.

1. There’s More To German History Than WWII

When people talk about German history, it’s inevitable the discussion shifts to WWII and the Holocaust; however, there’s so much more to it than that. My first time visiting Germany in 2011 I visited Dachau Concentration Camp, the Holocaust Memorial, the Jewish Museum and the Topography of Terror Museum. This time, however, I decided to focus on another important aspect of the country’s history: the Berlin Wall.

As stated above, November 9, 2014, marks the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the catalyst to Germany’s re-unification — the Berlin Wall had separated the country into East and West for 28 years — and a unified Democratic government.

What’s great about Germany is the majority of the museums will fascinate even the most skeptical museum-goer. There was not a single Berlin Wall-related museum or memorial that I visited that I did not find absolutely fascinating. While Leipzig captivated me with it’s Forum of Contemporary History, complete with life-sized rooms and displays that made me feel like I was walking through history, the Stasi Prison Museum in Berlin took me through the actual once-prison to show exactly what these prisoners went through. Sites like Checkpoint Charlie’s Black Box, the Palace of Tears and the Berlin Wall Memorial & Museum further told the story of Germany’s tumultuous past.

2. There’s More To The Food Than Beer & Sausage

While I highly recommend partaking in the beer and sausage on a trip to Germany, there’s much more to the cuisine than just that. Regional dishes like seasoned beef dumplings (Frikadelle) in Bavaria, Labskaus in Northern Germany and Veal Rouladen rolls in Baden are just a few delicious examples.

Moreover, Germans love wine, mainly because Germany is a world-class wine producing country, especially from regions like Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Rheingau, Rheinhessen, the Pfalz (formerly Rheinpfalz) and Württemberg. Top varietals coming from the country include riesling (aromatic with notes of apricot and honeycomb), gewürztraminer (aromatic and sweet with lychee notes) and müller-thurgau (low acid and fruity) for whites, as well as spatburgunder (pinot noir), blauer portugieser (light and acidic), dornfelder (fruity and good acidity) and trollinger (light and slightly sweet) for reds.

If you like wine, here’s a fun tidbit for you: not all riesling is sweet. In Germany, you’ll find a variety of dry rieslings, as well, so ask your server/bartender for a recommendation if this is what you enjoy.

3. The Power Of The People

While the Berlin Wall’s ultimate demise was caused by a series of events, the catalyst was actually a non-violent protest — known as the Peaceful Revolution — in Leipzig. Despite there being armed Stasi police officers watching, 70,000 people circled the streets to protest the Wall. Miraculously, no shots were fired that night. And one week later, the Wall was taken down.

Like I said, this is just one of a series of events that took place that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall, but it’s a truly inspirational happening that shows just how important it is to stand up for what you believe it, and how change can happen, even if it takes awhile (in this case, 28 years).

4. It’s Okay For Adults To Ride Tricycles

I’m not talking about the type of tricycle with a woven basket adorned with flowers and ribbons. I’m talking about the eTrike. Offered by Berlin on Bike, this funny-looking three-wheeled stand-up “trike” is thumb-operated and provides a fun way to see the city. Some of their top tours for culture carnivores include Street Art Berlin, Berlin Wall and East Berlin Unplugged.

5. There’s A Bit Of Brooklyn In Every City

 In Hamburg I found it in the Ottensen neighborhood of Altona. In Berlin I found it in Kreuzberg. As a Brooklyn local, it’s nice to go abroad but still find reminders of home: ironic fashions, Masor Jar cocktails, organic dishes, slow-drip coffee, gourmet food trucks, indie bands galore, sandwich board jokes you don’t quite understand and reclaimed spaces that retain an industrial or urban farm feel. I should also mention I saw Brooklyn Brewery beer served at more than one location.

6. Silence Is Powerful (But We All Want To Be Heard)

During the time of the Berlin Wall people in East Germany were scared into silence, never speaking their minds and not able to express themselves through their choice of art or music. But that didn’t stop people from expressing themselves underground. In Leipzig I visited Galerie Eigen + Art, a contemporary art gallery that’s been around since 1983, during German Democratic Republic. Moreover, if today you look at the east side of the Berlin Wall — called the East Side Gallery — you’ll find 101 inspiring murals dedicated to themes like freedom and democracy. Not even 28 years of silence can stop people’s desire to express themselves.

7. You Can Play Music With Electricity

During Leipzig’s annual Festival of Lights this year, they went all out to mark the Peaceful Revolution’s 25th anniversary. During times of GDR people weren’t allowed to fully express themselves or enjoy the art forms of their choice, especially alternative music.

To celebrate the fact that in modern times there is no limit to the forms of expression that exist, performers played unique forms of music in Richard Wagner Platz. This included something I had never seen before — the creation of music using electricity. At first I thought the female musician was playing air piano as she poked and scrunched her fingers. That is, until she demonstrated how her “instrument” worked. Two transmitters sat on either side of her, sending electricity waves to each other, which she could then manipulate with her hands to make sounds. Interesting.

8. Things Always Sound More Exotic In Other Languages

Anyone who reads Epicure & Culture knows my love of chocolate and desserts. When I arrived in Berlin, I was told by numerous locals that I had to try a Berliner, a local specialty pastry. With a name like Berliner, how could it not be a Berlin specialty?

When I finally found time to hop into a bakery at the end of the trip, my anticipation for the treat was akin to a child on Christmas. I didn’t even try to look at the counter to see what a Berliner was before ordering.

Confidently I walked up to the bakery counter and stated, “I’d like a Berliner, please.”

“Cherry or plum?”

“Cherry.”

Oh! There she went, reaching into the case, pulling out my gooey, sugary, delicious Berliner. I threw the paper bag hiding it from view away manically, taking a giant bite.

Huh?

I knew this pastry. It was a jelly donut. Don’t get my wrong, it was delicious and I’m glad I tried it in Berlin, where apparently it’s a specialty, but… it was exactly like a jelly donut.

Later on when I saw my local guide, I couldn’t help but share my findings.

“I had a Berliner today. So delicious. Back in New York we call that a jelly donut.”

“It’s not a donut,” he replied. “There’s no center hole.”

“Well, I guess you’re right. But, we still consider it a donut.”

“It’s not a donut. It’s a Berliner.”

Okay then.

9. To Value My Freedom

As I explored Berlin Wall history, I heard so many personal stories. One went like this: On May 23, 1962, a 14-year-old boy named Winfried Tews ran for dear life. Scrambling over the walls and jumping into a canal, desperation propelled him forward. Despite the dangerous situation, despite the people he was leaving behind, despite the guard who was killed in the crossfire, despite the East German border guards shooting at him — hitting their target 17 times, including in his lungs — Tews didn’t stop until he made it to the other side. The Western side of the Berlin Wall. He made it, albeit badly wounded, but he made it.

Another was the story of a baby boy crossing secretly with his family. When the baby started to cry, the mother pressed her hand over the baby’s mouth, not realizing he had bronchitis and couldn’t breath through his nose. Both parents survived and succeeded in reaching the West; however, the infant was accidentally suffocated and died.

While I’ve certainly had my fair share of (at least what I consider) hardships in life, not a single one could at all compare to these stories. As we’ve seen throughout history — and even in today’s newspaper — freedom isn’t always given as it should be. Just because something is your “God given right” doesn’t mean those in power will grant it.

Value what you have — especially if you’re lucky enough to have freedom — as you never know what will happen tomorrow. Because while the Berlin Wall technically wasn’t built in a day, the oppressive barbed wire perimeter that people woke up to without warning was.

10. The Joys Of A Clean Transport System

NYC is the land of opportunity. You have the chance to do and be anything you want. Any interest you may have can be pursued here. Amazing restaurants, innovation, shopping, theater, museums, art, cultural centers, bars, festivals can all be enjoyed.

But, with that comes a decreased quality of life in other ways, mainly rent prices, living spaces, the (non-)niceness of employees and the cleanliness of the transport system. I can’t tell you how many horrors I’ve seen on the train, from projectile vomitting to a woman selling bows made of cat hair — with the cat in a stroller beside her! I’ve been harassed, sat in spilled coffee, sweat nearly to death, overheard death threats and had someone call me a “C-U-Next-Tuesday” for asking for subway directions.

Well, you at least you can count on New Yorkers to always speak their minds.

In Germany the train was a different experience. Not only were staff helpful and nice, but the seats were comfortable and clean. Nobody wheeled their baby grand piano on then barked at you for not tipping them. Nobody called their cousin and threatened to kill them. Nobody cursed out their girlfriend. People sat quietly, chatting with smiles and reading the paper.

I did encounter one rude and inebriated guy who was quickly reprimanded by train staff.

For once, the train became something I enjoyed rather than something I loathed.

SEE ALSO: Why Hipsters Are Obsessed With Kreuzberg, Berlin

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A home that has just come on the market for $39 million is now the most expensive listing in San Francisco, Curbed SF reports.

The home belongs to chef Roxanne Klein and serial entrepreneur Michael Klein, who founded and sold three telecommunications companies before starting a guitar manufacturer called Modulus Guitars.

The Kleins' mansion may be pricey, but it is very chic. There's beautiful molding, lots of antique fireplaces, and plenty of space situated over five floors. 

The home is located on Broadway, in San Francisco's ritzy Pacific Heights neighborhood.

Enter the home through a door in an ivy-covered wall.

Built in 1910, the home was restored in 2002 and has lots of beautiful, traditional places to sit.

London's Victoria-era sewer system is at its breaking point.

Structurally, there's nothing wrong. The web of underground pipes is holding together well more than 150 years after it was first constructed.

But every time it pours, the system overflows. The result: Millions of tons of raw sewage empties into London's Thames River each year, with at least one spillover every week.

To address the problem, London is building a new £4.2 billion "super sewer," which will keep waste out of the riverbank by directing it to other treatment plants.

The project is controversial. Most are concerned about the exorbitant cost, which will be funded largely by the private sector. There are some environmental worries, too. 

But the Thames Tideway Tunnel is forging ahead regardless. In September, Britain's largest water utility, Thames Water, received the green light from the government. Construction is expected to start in 2016 and take seven years to complete.

London's 160 kilometers of intersecting sewers were introduced in the second half the 19th Century. At that time, the project was hailed as an engineering feat.

Before that, the Thames was a disease-ridden dumping ground for cesspools, dead animals, garbage, and raw sewage.

This practice went on for hundreds of years, until the summer of 1858 when an unusually intense heatwave resulted in a horrendous smell. The river waste was roasting.