When it comes to Pinterest crafts, the mason jar reigns supreme.

That’s probably because there’s just so much you can do with it, from making beautiful wedding centerpieces to prepping to-go salads in a jar.

Plus, most of the crafts we discovered are simple to do too, since they only require a few tweaks to the lid of the mason jar.

Keep reading to see the 64 things you can do with a mason jar.

LIGHTING

Pendant light: Punch a hole in the top of the mason jar lid and cut it wide enough to fit a pendant light kit. Secure the lightbulb connector and the bulb on the inside of the mason jar lid, and then screw it back onto the jar. Remember to add ventilation holes, too. Here are some good step-by-step instructions.

DIY Candle: Mason jars make a crafty receptacle for a do-it yourself candle. All it takes is wax flakes, wax colorant, a wick, chopsticks or something to help hold the wick upright, and the candle-making oil scent of your choice. Check out the easy instructions here.

Lamp base: This craft is similar to the pendant light, but with the bulb facing away from the jar. Drill a hole in your mason jar lid that's big enough to slide the base of a light socket through it and secure. Here’s a good tutorial so you can see how to do it.

Chandelier sconces: Instead of the boring sconces that normally come standard on chandeliers, replace them with mason jars. Just make sure that the jars have the right opening size to fit your lightbulb base. 

Solar light: Using a few paper clips, suspend a tiny solar light inside the mason jar. Cut a big enough hole in the lid to make sure sunlight can reach the solar light before screwing the top back on, and then place in a sunny spot. These are great for lining driveways if you attach them to an iron rod.

Candle holder: Place your candle inside the mason jar, and fill the base with sand, rocks, salt, or pebbles to keep the candle in place. Easy.

Votive candles: Fill the mason jar with water, and place floating tea lights inside for a pretty, effortless centerpiece.

Oil lamp: Decorate your outdoor party with self-burning mason jar oil lamps. All you need to do is punch a hole in the top of the mason jar, fill the lamp with oil and a cotton wick, and then pull the wick through the top of the mason jar and secure. Wait a few hours before lighting so the oil can permeate the wick.

“Fairy lights” lantern: Placing a string of twinkle lights inside your mason jar can have a beautiful effect for wedding decor or children’s rooms. You can hide the battery pack with a bit of burlap or fabric at the top. Here’s an easy DIY.

Lumineers with vintage book pages or pictures: Find a page of your favorite book and mod-podge glue it onto a jar. You can then light a tealight inside and watch the pages glow.

Holiday lanterns: Whether it’s Christmas, Valentine’s Day or Halloween, you can decorate your mason jar exterior and then simply light a candle inside to illuminate your design. We especially love these spooky mason jar lanterns for Halloween.

Monogram light: This is a cool DIY that looks like an old 1920s sign. You simply paint the letter of your choice onto plywood, drill holes where you want the bulbs to go, and then drill the tops of the mason jars into the wood. String the light bulbs through the holes and then reattached mason jars to the lids. Plug it in and you’re done! See the final product here.

STORAGE

Dry goods storage: Mason jars are perfect for storing rice, flour, nuts, and pasta — whatever you can think of — in your pantry by sealing off the air. Plus they come in a range of sizes to fit your needs.

Makeup brush holder: Create a cute makeup brush holder by spray painting the exterior of your mason jar and then inserting brushes. You can also add beads, pearls, or stones to the interior if you don’t want to spray paint but still want your jar to look cute.

Under-shelf hanging storage: Attach mason jar lids with screws to the bottom of your shelf. Then you can simply twist the mason jar onto the lid and the jar and it's contents will hang from the shelf. This is great in the kitchen with things like pasta, rice, or lentils, or even in a workshop for keeping nails, nuts, and bolts in order.

Wall organizer: Take hose clamps, a piece of wood, mason jars, and picture hanging kits to create a row of mason jars you can hang on your wall for storing your small objects. This is especially good in the bathroom for cotton swabs, makeup brushes, or toothbrushes. 

Leftover paint containers: If you're stuck with leftover paint, pour the remainder into mason jars to store. Since the mason jars are glass, you’ll see what the paint looks like and the lids will seal off any excess air. Bonus points if you add labels with the brand, sheen, color, and room to the top.

Travel toiletry kit: Keep all of your travel toiletries in one place with a mason jar. You can add moisturizer, scrubs, and travel-sized versions of your favorite products so it’s always ready to go. Click here for more ideas on how to pack it.

Chalk-labeled jars: While you’re placing all of your knick-knacks in mason jars, you could add chalk labels to keep everything organized. The best part about these is that it’s super easy to make and you can keep changing the label if need be.

WEDDING 

Aisle runners: Mason jars can make beautiful aisle runners, whether they are placed on the ground, hung from the side of chairs, or dangle from a decorative iron rod. Place flowers inside the jars and decorate with some lace or ribbon for a beautiful DIY vibe. See some more inspiration on Pinterest.

Wedding escort cards: Wedding website The Knot suggests combining cocktail hour and escort cards with individualized mason jars. The guests get to keep the mason jars and a helpful tag will show them to their table. You could alternatively place utensils or party favors in the mason jars, too.

Vase: If your mason jar is large, fill it with water and then add your flowers, or a single flower if the jar is on the smaller side. If you want to get really fancy, you can make a metal grid to keep the flowers in place.

HOME

Soap dispenser: Instead of buying new soap dispensers every month or refilling your cheap version over and over again, make a cute mason jar soap dispenser. All you need is an old plastic soap dispenser, hot glue gun, a drill, and spray paint. See an easy DIY here. 

Air freshener: You can make an air freshener out of a mason jar, a cup of baking soda, and 25 drops of your favorite essential oils. Spray paint the jar so that it looks more decorative and punch holes in the top of the lid so the scent can escape. Click here for a cool how-to.

Sewing organizer kit: Not only can a mason jar hold all of your sewing necessities like needles, a thimble, and measuring tape, but the top can easily be adapted to be its own pincushion with the help of a glue gun, stuffing, and the fabric of your choice. See easy instructions here.

Twine dispenser: Twine is a handy thing to have for the garden or for crafts, so keep it organized with a nifty twine dispenser. Place your twine in the jar and loop it through a small hole that you punch in the top of the lid.

Wind chimes: If you’re feeling crafty you can turn your boring mason jar into an interesting DIY wind chime. It is a little difficult, however, requiring a few drills and bottle cutter. For full instructions, click here.

Hanging herb garden: If you live in a small space or a city apartment, having a fresh herb garden might seem out of your reach. Luckily, a mason jar can be transformed into a hanging herb garden with a little bit of wiring, some hooks, soil, and the herbs of your choice. Just make sure to hang them in a spot that gets a lot of sunlight.

Succulent planter: Succulents look amazing when planted inside mason jars. Add an inch of gravel or pebbles, potting soil, and crushed charcoal to the jar before planting your succulent.

Photo frames: An original way to display your photographs is to paste them inside a group of mason jars. Use different sized jars to keep the effect from looking too monotonous.

Toothpick dispenser: A mason jar with holes punched into the top makes a genius way to easily access toothpicks. Plus it’s simple to make.

Match holder and dispenser: The best way to store matches is in a mason jar, not only because the matches come out super easily through a hole in the top, but you can add sandpaper to the bottom or the top for easy striking. See a good instruction here.

Book ends: Spray paint your mason jars and weigh them down for handy book ends that are easy to make. See some great Pinterest examples here.

BEVERAGES

To-go cup: Everyone loves drinking out of mason jars, but you can make it even easier by DIYing a to-go cup by fitting a clean Parmesan cheese container lid to the top of the jar. Dip in a straw and enjoy, and close once you're done for zero spills.

Drinking cup: You could simply drink out of your clean mason jar — no crafting required — or you could add a hole in the top of the lid and add a rubber grommet from a home improvement store for easy straw access.

Cocktail shaker: Create a cocktail shaker in under 10 minutes by drilling holes into the top of the mason jar lid. Shake up your cocktail with a regular, closed mason jar lid on top and then replace with the lid with holes to pour out the drink. See more detailed instructions here.

Chalice: If you add a cheap glass candle stick from the dollar store to the bottom of your mason jar, suddenly you have a chalice. All you need to do is glue the candle stick to the base and wait for it to dry. Wipe off excess glue with acetone.

FOOD

Salad in a jar: Follow The Kitchn’s guide to packing the ingredients so nothing gets soggy. Start with dressing on the bottom, then add your heavier ingredients, and finally place the lettuce on top.

Pies in a jar: Mason jars make the perfect receptacle for single-serving pies in a jar. It’s really easy, too — place the pie crust in the interior first and then top with your pie filling, a small pat of butter, and leftover dough on top. See some recipe ideas here.

Recipe in a jar: This is a lovely hostess or housewarming gift idea. Place the ingredients for an easy recipe into a mason jar. Wrap it with a ribbon or twine with the recipe card attached. From beverage mixes like hot chocolate to delicious cookie recipes, click here to see some cool ideas.

Salt and pepper shakers: Paint the mason jars to your desired specifications and then punch holes in the top of the jar lids. This also works for a variety of spices and herbs if you want a whole set. If you have smaller mason jars, these can make super cute wedding favors.

Lettuce holder: Keeping your lettuce sealed up in a mason jar will help it last as long as a week, which is significantly longer than traditional storing methods.

Individual chicken pot pie: For single-sized servings of pot pies that you can freeze, use a mason jar. Place the crust inside the jar, add your filling, and then place crust on top. The serving size is for one person, and you can freeze another one for a later dinner or to bring to work.

Breakfast parfait in a jar: You can make your yogurt parfaits to eat in the morning ahead of time and store in mason jars for an easy breakfast on the go. Think layers as you build it with yogurt and fruit mixed evenly.

Peel garlic, fast: A video on Diply's YouTube channel shows a fast way to peel an entire head of garlic in a few seconds: Grab an empty mason jar, stick in the head of garlic, and shake. Pour the contents out and you'll be left with perfectly peeled garlic.

Lasagna in a jar: Lasagna can be prepared and cooked in mason jars. The best part of these mini meals is that you can freeze them and reheat when you’re ready to eat. See a good recipe here.

Storing homemade jams and salsas: Mason jars are effective food storage systems, especially if you’re making your own jam or salsa. You can learn more about canning methods here.

Perfectly poached eggs: Grease your mason jar with butter and then crack an egg inside. Bring a pot to boil and then drop in the mason jar with a paper towel on the bottom — you can decide if you want the lid on or off, it makes no difference to taste. After around eight minutes of cooking, your eggs will be perfectly poached.

KIDS

Snow globe: Glue a trinket like a tiny Christmas tree or any toy of your choice to the inside of your jar lid. Fill the jar with water, add a few drops of glycerin, and then add however much glitter you desire. Fully submerge the toy into the water and then glue the lid on tightly. Shake and enjoy.

Decorative “glow jars”: Whether for your kid's room or an outdoor party, you can DIY a cool “glow jar” that glows in the dark and lasts for five hours. All you need is a mason jar, glow sticks, scissors, and rubber gloves. See detailed instructions here.

Aquarium: Whether it’s a pico aquarium with plants or an aquarium with plastic fish, mason jars are perfect.

“Calming glitter jar”: A few moms invented these so-called “calming glitter jars” that they give to kids to look at on a time out. The swirling glitter will distract them and keep their attention, and all you need are a few types of glitter, water, and glitter glue.

LEGO man cups: For a kid’s party, mason jars look a lot like LEGO heads once they're painted yellow. They’re also easy to make — spray paint the cup yellow and add the LEGO character face of your choice with Sharpie or paint.

Pencil sharpener: All you need to do is create a hole big enough for your pencil sharpener and match the hole to the opening of the pencil sharpener before securing with glue. Then sharpen away!

Seashell holder: Pour sand into the jar and then arrange seashells on top. This is really cool for any beach mementos you have from a family trip and is a great project for kids.

Sippy cup: For any parents who want their toddler to look like a hipster, make a mason jar sippy cup with the head from the “Take n Toss” sippy cups. Cut them to fit the top of your mason jar, and secure.  

MISCELLANEOUS

Terrarium: No need to buy an expensive terrarium — make an easy and cute one on your own in a mason jar. Prep your jar, add your rocks, soil, and greenery, and then decorate with any rocks, shells, or plastic toys you may have lying around the house.

Speakers: MIT media lab invented speakers you can embed into mason jars that are powered by three AAA batteries and are compatible with an audio jack. You’ll have to be pretty savvy with electronics to make this, but if you want a cool project that looks amazing, check out their open source instructions here.

Gift card holder: Instead of simply giving a gift card, make the gift feel more personal with a themed jar. All you need are some embellishments, ribbon, and a hot glue gun. After everything dries, you can add glitter and glycerin to the water to make a snow globe effect. See instructions and pictures here.

Beekeeping: If you’re not afraid of bees, you can grow your own beehive in mason jars. All you need are 12 jars, some plywood, and the proper tools. Click here to see how it’s done.

Sugar scrub gift: Make your own sugar scrub to give to a friend as a gift. Put It In A Jar has a lot of cool recipes to try, and after you make the scrub you can decorate the jar with some ribbon and maybe a spoon to scoop out the scrub. 

Bird feeder: By attaching a mason jar to a small chicken feeder, you can make a rustic-looking bird feeder. Hang it to a tree with twine and watch all the birds come flocking.

Piggy bank: By adding a coin slot to the top of your mason jar, you can make an easy-to-use, DIY piggy bank. The best part about it is you can decorate the jar however you like, whether it’s money-themed or a little more original. Get some inspiration here.

SEE ALSO: 37 things you didn’t know you could do with vodka

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NOW WATCH: SunnyD just released a hilarious ad recreating the iconic '90s rollerblading kids — all grown up

When Aaron Budnick landed in Bangkok, Thailand, he had nothing but a backpack and a Lonely Planet guidebook.

It was the start of Budnick's five-month backpacking trip through Southeast Asia, and he didn't know where he was going.

Budnick, who was 22 at the time, hadn't really planned his trip. He graduated from Syracuse University in May 2014, and in October was offered a job with Microsoft in Seattle, but he wouldn't be starting the job till June or July the following year.

He saw the free time he had as an opportunity that not many people get, and he wanted to take advantage of it.

"The way we look at the world is you go to college and graduate, and you get a job or you go to grad school, and then by the time you get to be 40, you're like, 'Oh, wow, I wish I went and did something,'" Budnick said. "The ride is the important part."

So Budnick made the decision to go backpacking, alone, through Southeast Asia. It was his first time in Asia, and he didn't speak the language of any of the countries he would be visiting.

Budnick started in southern Thailand, made his way to Cambodia and Vietnam, then flew to northern Thailand and ended his trip in Indonesia. He got around by bus, boat, motorcycle, and plane. Throughout his trip, Budnick befriended many other backpackers from all over the world, covered 2,000 miles on a motorcycle he bought in Vietnam, stayed with locals, visited temples and beaches, and tried the local food.

Budnick started his travels in Southern Thailand. While there, he visited the Wat Arun, or Temple of Dawn, which stands on the western banks of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.

He then made his way to Cambodia where he saw the Ta Prohm Temple. Budnick said the temple is known as the tomb raider temple and is part of Angkor Wat in the city of Siem Reap. It was used by the Khmer Empire, but then abandoned, allowing trees to overtake the temple.

In order to catch of glimpse of one of the smaller, poorer villages in Cambodia, Budnick hiked up a small mountain. The homes here are built on stilts over water.

In honor of National Burger Month, we decided to find the best, juiciest burgers in the country. 

Our friends at Foursquare dug through their troves of user data to compile the list. Because the site now allows users to save and favorite venues they love, Foursquare was able to track down which burgers diners are raving about most across America. 

From New York's classic burger joint, The Corner Bistro, to an Austin spot that serves a burger that's topped with chili and Fritos, here's the best of the best in the US.

50. Bill's Bar & Burger — New York, New York

16 West 51st Street

"Classic American comfort food, beers, and milkshakes are a recipe to ensure your solo dining adventure is one that will probably lull you into a lovely food coma," The Village Voice wrote in a review on Foursquare.

49. Burger Bar — Las Vegas, Nevada

3930 Las Vegas Boulevard South

The restaurant bills itself as the "ultimate burger experience and more." Besides an extensive build your own burger menu, the restaurant also offers a wide selection of chef's burgers, such as the Hubert Keller burger (pictured here), which comes on ciabatta with blue cheese, caramelized onions, and and baby spinach.

48. The Counter — New York, New York

1451 Broadway

Reviewers rave about the options for customizing your own burger at The Counter. It's great for both picky eaters and vegetarians.

Malcolm Gladwell is probably the most famous nonfiction author alive. When a new book of his comes out, it takes over airport bookstores. 

Each of his five books has become a best-seller, thanks to his incomparable ability to marry storytelling to social-science theory. 

This is an update of an article originally written by Aimee Groth and Elizabeth Bogner.

Social movements are sparked by small sets of influential people.

In Gladwell's debut bestseller, "The Tipping Point,"he talks about the Law of the Few, which states that a select few sets of people push ideas, diseases, and fads through social networks.

There are three kinds:

• Connectors: who know everybody

• Mavens: who become experts

• Salespeople: who push ideas on others 

When these people get excited about something, it takes off.

Context shapes behavior.

Gladwell says "epidemics are sensitive to the conditions and circumstances of the times and places in which they occur."

The most controversial idea cited is the Broken Windows Theory, which posits that crime is an outgrowth of disorder. So if you clean the graffiti off of subways and the trash off the streets and repair any actual broken windows, it will create an environment in which people are less likely to commit crimes.

It's still being debated.

We make split-second judgment calls all the time.

In "Blink," Gladwell zooms in on "thin slicing," a psychological process in which we're constantly reading people's personalities within seconds of seeing them. 

Examples of thin slicing include: 

• We predict how likely someone is to get a promotion based on the person's clothes.

• We infer whether someone is gay or straight from glancing at his or her face.

• We think a woman is promiscuous if she has a visible tattoo.

As invented holidays go, Father's Day isn't half bad because the expectations are so low.

No flowers and no brunch means no scheduling headaches (unless you're expecting a bacon bouquet to show off to the guys at the office).

No jewelry means costs are relatively low (unless you're ... 2 Chainz?).

Really, all you're likely to ask for is a few hours with your kids, maybe an hour or 2 to yourself, and a simple token of appreciation.

Here are 30 such tokens you should absolutely ask your partner and kids for, running the gamut from perfect coffee to an indestructible tie, with plenty of cool gadgets and clothes thrown in for good measure. 

If You're A Sleep-Deprived Coffee Snob: Mighty Mug

If you need coffee to deal with your kid, the last thing you want is for said coffee to fall on said kid. It's a waste of good coffee and probably bad for the kid's skin.

Mighty Mug uses "Smartgrip Technology" to create a "powerful airlock" and — who cares how it works? It doesn't fall over! Ever!

$36

Oxx Coffeeboxx

The Coffeeboxx is impact-resistant, water-resistant, dust-resistant, rust-resistant, and crush-proof.

Seriously, the company claims it can withstand a quarter-ton load, which means you can safely brew a fresh K-Cup at the very ends of the earth — or just in a kitchen with a hyperactive toddler.

$299

Cold Bruer Coffee Brewer

Cold brew coffee is less bitter and acidic than hot brewed coffee, made to pair with milk, and still unknown to enough of your friends that you can be a total hipster coffee snob when they try to serve you some of that weak-sauce hot coffee watered down with ice cubes.

$80

There's no place like home. Particularly when home is built upside-down, made of shipping containers, or erected in the likeness of the Pyramids.

Some dwellings are more unique than others. From domes to caves, treehouses to igloos, people across the globe live in unconventional houses.

Here are some of the strangest.

(An earlier version of this story was written by Christian Storm. Captions by Business Insider and Reuters.)

This house in Abuja, Nigeria, is partially built in the shape of an airplane. The house was built by Said Jammal for his wife, Liza, to commemorate her love for travel.

Source: Washington Post

Not to be outdone, this house in Miziara, northern Lebanon, resembles an Airbus A380 to a T.

The village of Miziara prides itself on building residential homes in odd shapes. This house under construction imitates an ancient Greek temple like the one in Baalbek, eastern Lebanon.

If you're trying to make a difference in the world, you may want to pursue a job in education, healthcare, or public safety.

PayScale recently analyzed thousands of job titles to identify the best gigs for do-gooders.

People in these roles were most likely to say that their jobs "make the world a better place," and they typically earn more than the average US worker. 

10. Certified nurse midwife

Median pay: $87,700

Number who said this job is meaningful: 93%

Education required: Specialized, graduate nursing education

Sources: PayScale, BLS.gov

9. Director of program management, human services

Median pay: $53,600

Number who said this job is meaningful: 94%

Education required: Bachelor’s degree

Sources: PayScale, BLS.gov

8. Behavior analyst

Median pay: $56,400

Number who said this job is meaningful: 94%

Education required: Master's degree, and sometimes a doctorate

Sources: PayScale, BLS.gov

Most people dream about hitting one epic party in their lifetime, whether it's Oktoberfest in Germany, Carnaval in Brazil, or Mardi Gras in New Orleans, USA.

We've found the biggest and wildest parties around the globe. 

From dancing in a whirlwind of colors at India's Holi festival to throwing tomatos in La Tomatina, Spain's massive food fight, these are the parties that are worth traveling around the world for. 

For 16 days, you can enjoy barrels of German beer among the 6 million people who typically don their Bavarian dresses and Liederhosen for Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.

Learn more about Oktoberfest. 

Over 100,000 people gather in outlandish costumes to participate in Bay to Breakers, a debaucherous city-wide race in San Francisco, California.

Learn more about Bay to Breakers.

Thailand's wildest Full Moon Party takes place in Koh Pha Ngan every night before or after the full moon. Partiers gather on the beach to drink, dance, and test their fire-jumping skills.

People expect a lot from Bungie — they created "Halo," one of the best gaming franchises of all-time, and now "Destiny," its new blockbuster franchise that released last fall. "Destiny" is finally beginning to mature after its second major expansion, "The House of Wolves,"dropped this week.

One of the biggest aspects of this new expansion is "The Trials of Osiris," a weekly event that begins each Friday and disappears every Tuesday. It went live for the first time at 1 p.m. ET Friday — and players were happy to discover some hidden treasures, while others watched via Twitch and YouTube.

The Trials of Osiris is a competitive multiplayer event where teams of three players fight each other in elimination style rounds: win five rounds and you've won the match. Once your team has won nine matches, or lost three matches, the trials are over. You'll win various prizes if you can rack up five wins, or seven wins, or all nine wins.

But Bungie had a special surprise waiting for players that rack up nine wins without a single loss...

"Ms5oooWatts," a Destiny player who posts her work on Twitch and YouTube, played Trials of Osiris with several other Twitch gamers on Friday afternoon as a "race" to raise money for charity. Here's what she saw once she completed her ninth match.

A completely new area of the map opens up to players, for a limited time: The Lighthouse, a new social space on Mercury.

Players are even treated to a brief cinematic as they land on this new planet.

Little is known about the habits and behaviors of the six species of penguins that live in the extreme environments of Antarctica, especially in the winter when conditions are too harsh for scientists to observe them. 

What scientists do know is that some of these species are thriving while others are dwindling in numbers. 

To better understand some of these species of penguins and what's causing changes in their populations, Tom Hart, a penguinologist at Oxford University, set up cameras in 2014 in spots along the Antarctic coastline where penguins frequent.

Since then, these cameras have recorded video and snapped over 500,000 images of thousands of penguins. Although the team is still reviewing oodles of data they have collected, here's a small sample of some of the incredible pictures the team collected.

Many species of penguins spend most of their time at sea, making it difficult for scientists to study their behavior.

Most Antarctic species will migrate to the shorelines to breed during the fall. It's on these shorelines that Hart and his team spied on thousands of penguins for a full year.

One of the only ways to study penguins is to attach GPS trackers on individual birds. The team's cameras are less invasive and provide a better idea of population size.

Every small-town tough guy thinks he'd never take treatment like this.

Then when they get down to Parris Island, that small-town tough guy quickly realizes: You will take treatment like this and like it.

Welcome to a behind-the-scenes look at Marine Corps recruit training. Drill Instructors are the thing of legend — I remember, when they finally let us sleep for the first time, about 50 truly harrowing hours from the time we arrived, and those lights shut out, each of us in our racks, I heard a decent handful of grown men crying for their mothers.

I'm not even joking.

Like I said, the thing of legend. These guys spend 13 weeks crushing every undisciplined aspect of a recruit's body into dust.

Their faces are priceless, and at times it takes everything you've got not to laugh.

Showing emotion is strictly forbidden though — Marines call this 'bearing,' and they are regularly graded on it.

There's a new map that will help you chart exactly how much Manhattan has changed over the years. 

This week, the New York Public Library released an interactive website that allows users to travel back in time using the Library's historical photography database. 

The site, called OldNYC, features a digital map where users can view photos of the island dating as far back as the early 19th century.

There are photos for almost every intersection in the city, so you can see the evolution of historical landmarks and even your own address.

Here's a look at the lights of Times Square in 1920.

And here is Times Square today.

This is an intersection on 8th Avenue in 1925, 25 years before it would become home to one of the city's major transportation hubs.

With almost 1.5 billion monthly active users worldwide, Facebook is easily the world’s largest social media site.

But how much do you know about its actual users?

Marketing firm Wishpond put together 40 of the latest facts and stats about Facebook.

We’ve narrowed it down to 9 of the most interesting findings.

Facebook isn't getting too old. 87% of the class of 2014 (high school) indicated they "still" use Facebook. Almost 70% of teens are also friends with their parents on Facebook.

But Facebook may not be all that safe. 66% of teenage girls claim to have been bullied on Facebook.

Facebook post interactions shot up more than 225% on the day a user changed their relationship status. But only 28% of newlyweds changed their Facebook status within hours of getting married.

Marvel's "Daredevil" is the top-rated show on Netflix Instant!

At 4.6 out of 5 stars, it is a tenth of a point higher than "House of Cards,""Breaking Bad," and "Sherlock" (tied only with "Alive Inside," a documentary about Alzheimer's).

If it's not getting more buzz, that may be because it's a superhero show, and some people still think those are for kids. What's more, it's not blowing up box offices like "The Avengers"; it's only on Netflix, and anyway the California company doesn't release ratings.

Wake up, people: "Daredevil" is a masterpiece, and it's got a wide appeal.

Created by Drew Goddard, the 13-episode series tells the story of a blind lawyer who fights crime as a vigilante in Hell's Kitchen. Don't let the pulp plot intimidate you: Goddard, who has worked with "Avengers" mastermind Joss Whedon on projects dating back to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," knows how to keep it real.

Every episode I've watched so far is a work of art: beautiful production, tight plotting, sharp dialogue, good acting.

The latest — Ep. 5 "World On Fire"— was my favorite yet. Keep reading to see screenshotted highlights from the episode, which you should be able to appreciate even if you haven't seen the show. There are some spoilers but nothing major.

The opening scene is snappy, as Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) gets to know the vigilante, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox).

"Do you have a job or something to get to or are you one of those billionaire playboys I'm always hearing about?" she asks.

"No, I have a job."

"Damn, I thought I'd lucked out."

In a poetic exchange, the blind man describes his enhanced other senses.

"You just opened one of the cuts on your back," he says.

"How do you know?"

"The taste. Copper in the air."

...

After he touches her:

"The swelling's down. Rib fracture's only a hairline. I couldn't tell before."

"You have X-ray fingers now?"

"I can hear your bones shift when you breathe. No grinding means nothing's broken."

"What does a hairline fracture sound like?"

"An old ship."

"What do you actually see?" she asks.

Many commencement speeches are forgettable. A lot are filled with the same cliché advice. But some are so good — so inspiring and poignant — that they stick with us forever.

While certainly there's room for debate (was Stephen Colbert's speech at Northwestern really better than the one he gave at Knox College?), we've culled the best-of lists to put together a guide to our favorites.

From Steve Jobs to Toni Morrison, Kurt Vonnegut to John F. Kennedy, here are the speeches you wish you'd heard on your graduation day.

Shonda Rhimes's 2014 speech at Dartmouth College

The world's most powerful showrunner told grads to stop dreaming and start doing.

The world has plenty of dreamers, she said. "And while they are busy dreaming, the really happy people, the really successful people, the really interesting, engaged, powerful people, are busy doing." She pushed grads to be those people.

"Ditch the dream and be a doer, not a dreamer," she advised — whether or not you know what your "passion" might be. "The truth is, it doesn't matter. You don't have to know. You just have to keep moving forward. You just have to keep doing something, seizing the next opportunity, staying open to trying something new. It doesn't have to fit your vision of the perfect job or the perfect life. Perfect is boring and dreams are not real," she said.

Read the transcript and watch the video.

David Foster Wallace's 2005 speech at Kenyon College

In his now-legendary "This Is Water" speech, the author urged grads to be a little less arrogant and a little less certain about their beliefs. 

"This is not a matter of virtue," Wallace said. "It's a matter of my choosing to do the work of somehow altering or getting free of my natural, hard-wired default setting, which is to be deeply and literally self-centered and to see and interpret everything through this lens of self."

Doing that will be hard, he said. "It takes will and effort, and if you are like me, some days you won’t be able to do it, or you just flat won't want to." But breaking free of that lens can allow you to truly experience life, to consider possibilities beyond your default reactions. "It will actually be within your power to experience a crowded, hot, slow, consumer-hell type situation as not only meaningful, but sacred, on fire with the same force that made the stars: love, fellowship, the mystical oneness of all things deep down," he said.

Read the transcript and watch the video.

Robert Krulwich's 2011 speech to the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism

The acclaimed science journalist and "Radiolab" host steered clear of inspirational vagaries to offer a concretely useful speech — whether you're in media or not.

"You can’t trust big companies to keep you safe," he warned. You could once, maybe — there was a time when getting in the door at the right place meant they'd "take you in, teach you, protect you," he said. At least in journalism, though, those days are gone. 

But that doesn't mean doom for new grads. It just means a change of strategy. "Think about entrepeneuring," he urged. "Think about NOT waiting for a company to call you up. Think about not giving your heart to a bunch of adults you don’t know. Think about horizontal loyalty. Think about turning to people you already know, who are your friends, or friends of their friends, and making something that makes sense to you together, that is as beautiful or as true as you can make it," he said. It won't lead to instant success, he cautioned. But the people "who stay at it, who stay stubborn, very often win."

Read the transcript and watch the video.

One of the best parts of the current superhero movie boom is the costume design—all these wonderful, garish things proudly strapped onto super-famous actors in billion-dollar movies.

Thanks to the staggering success of Marvel Studios, we're now getting superhero movies at a pretty steady clip. But it's not until very recently that these adaptations have approached anything as inherently weird as some of the source material for "Avengers: Age of Ultron."

Marvel has a pretty well-established history of remixing and streamlining the best and most iconic of the many looks each of its characters have sported over the years for their big-screen adaptations (in a funny bit of symmetry, the movie designs usually end up influencing how a character will look in the comics afterward).

So before we move on from "Avengers" into the rest of the summer, let's revisit each of the characters' classic looks to see how they transformed to the big screen. 

Chris Hemsworth's Thor has looked mostly the same in every movie appearance.

That's appropriate, since comics Thor stayed consistent for a very long time, too—and doesn't look all that different from Hemsworth.

Iron Man is a tricky one—his armor changes every movie, but the general design is mostly the same. Below are his original suit and one of his suits from the latest film.

With graduation season rolling around, chances are high that someone you know is about to enter the real world. 

Sure, you can send a check, but why not pick out a gift that will be both practical and meaningful?

Here are 21 options that will honor this major milestone and help them get started in their new adult lives, without breaking your budget.

SEE ALSO: 5 Of The Most Lucrative College Majors For Any Undergrad

Help them stay informed no matter where they go.

Today's graduates prefer to get their news online, so a digital subscription to the New York Times or Wall Street Journal is the perfect way to help them stay current with world events. They'll have full access to everything online, and easy access to the day's headlines through apps on their smartphones.

Price: New York Times, 99¢ for the first four weeks, and $3.75 a week after that; Wall Street Journal. $12 for the first 12 weeks, $28.99 a month ($7.20 a week) after.

Make home-cooked dinners a snap.

After relying on dining halls and pizza delivery for four years, it's understandable that most recent graduates don't know how to prepare meals from scratch. A subscription meal service that delivers perfectly proportioned ingredients along with easy-to-follow instructions is a great way to ease them into cooking at home.

Business Insider's Megan Willett tested out several of the most popular services and found that Blue Apron was not only the most affordable, but also helped her to improve her culinary skills.

Price:$9.99 per person per meal.

Keep their batteries charged on the go.

Between finding a job and an apartment, new college grads are in for some long days. This tiny portable charger works as an external battery for iPhones, iPads, and Samsung Galaxy phones, so that they can keep on hunting.

Price:$12.99

What if you could chuck it all and support yourself on your own terms, doing something you truly care about?

It's possible, and we can prove it.

Here, 11 entrepreneurs share their best advice for veering off the beaten path and building an income doing something you love.

Commit yourself completely to your business.

Felicia Spahr quit her job in 2012 and became a leadership and charisma coach, teaching others to develop the skills she comes by naturally. Her business typically earns $8,000 to $10,000 a month.

She advises:

The most important aspect is committing to the idea that you want to do something like this, and seeking out the help you'd need in order to do it. In my mind, it was 'I'm going to succeed or I'm going to die,' and I think that contributed quite a bit to my success.

Read her full story.

Start small.

Danny Margulies had always dreamed of being a writer. In his second year as a freelance copy writer, despite having no experience in the field, he earned over $100,000.

He advises:

Start small. Go after simple jobs that can be done in a few hours or less, and build from there.

Read his full story.

Don't be derailed by failure.

Chandler Bolt dropped out of college in 2013 to start an online business providing guidance and resources for authors who want to self-publish. This year, he expects the business will bring in over $1 million in revenue.

He advises:

Don't be afraid to jump into it. Don't be afraid of failing. That's something I have to work on right now — being OK with failing more often. Every time you fail it's a sign you're on to something. People who are more successful than anyone else have just failed more times than anyone else.

Read his full story.

If you've been unsuccessful in your job search, it might be time to start looking in other parts of the country.

But before you pack up and go, you'll want to consider which cities have the best career opportunities, the happiest workers, and the lowest cost of living. 

To help, online careers community Glassdoor just released its latest report on the 25 best cities for jobs right now.

These metro areas stand out for having the highest Glassdoor "Job Score," which was determined by weighting three factors equally: how easy it is to get a job (hiring opportunity), how affordable it is to live there (cost of living), and how satisfied employees are working there (job satisfaction), on a five-point scale.

Click here for the full methodology.

25. Nashville, Tennessee

Glassdoor Job Score: 3.1

Number of job openings: 27,850

Median base salary: $41,600

Median home value: $176,700

24. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Glassdoor Job Score: 3.1

Number of job openings: 29,456

Median base salary: $43,000

Median home value: $124,500

Job satisfaction rating: 3.1

23. Richmond, Virginia

Glassdoor Job Score: 3.2

Number of job openings: 17,933

Median base salary: $45,000

Median home value: $186,300

Job satisfaction rating: 3.2

Germany's thriving startup scene is one of the most unique in Europe.

The capital Berlin is home to a mixture of hackers, privacy experts, scientists, and video companies that are making waves in the tech scene.

Here are some underground companies as well as more established names that are worth watching. 

17. Foundd

Foundd is a site that recommends movies based on what you like, as well as what your group of friends likes. That's different to services like Netflix, which just look at your own viewing history.

The company earns money when people click through to buy movies on iTunes — so it want to make the recommendations as good as possible.

Mashable reports that Foundd raised a $350,000 (£223,000 round) of funding in 2013 from investors including JMES Investments, Lars Dittrich, and Tao Tao (a cofounder of GetYourGuide). 

16. Crate

Crate offers an impressive technology that lets startups and companies easily set up distributed data centres. Why's that important? Well, startups don't want to put all their data in one place. With Crate, companies can spread their data around, and Crate handles all the hard work. 

Crate raised $1.5 million (£957,000) from investors, including Sunstone And DFJ Esprit, in 2014. It also beat out other companies to wn a £30,000 prize at TechCrunch Disrupt Europe in 2014.

15. Plinga

Plinga is a Berlin-based video game developer that creates social games for a wide audience. Founded in 2009, the company has launched a series of games, including Family Barn (27 million players) and Dragons of Atlantis (13 million players). 

Unlike its competitors, Plinga makes it games available to embed around the web, so they're not just playable on its own sites. That's different to how rivals like Zynga and King work.

Plinga began as a direct competitor to Zynga, featuring a game called FunCards ("Like UNO, just better!"). It received investment from Rocket Internet, the investment firm run by German entrepreneurs the Samwer brothers.