Quantcast
Channel: Features
Viewing all 61683 articles
Browse latest View live

Big, beautiful photos of Apple's new iPhones (AAPL)

$
0
0

iPhone6SPlusbAck

Apple just unveiled two new iPhones — the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus.

Both phones come with an aluminum design just like Apple's current iPhones, new pressure sensitive technology called 3D Touch, and more.

The iPhone 6S and 6S Plus will be available starting Sept. 25. Like the iPhone 6, the new 6S will start at $199 on a two-year carrier contract, while the 6S Plus starts at $299 for the base model on a two-year agreement.

Here's a closer look at Apple's newest iPhones.  

SEE ALSO: I tried the new product Apple thinks is going to be the future of TV — here's what it was like

Here's the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S side by side. The iPhone 6S has a 4.7-inch screen, while the iPhone 6S Plus is bigger, with a 5.5-inch screen. The sizes are the same as last year's models.



The iPhone 6S comes in a new rose gold color option this year. Notice the pink trim around the home button.



Here's a closer look at the back of the rose gold iPhone.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: There is a secret US government airline that flies out of commercial airports


This new Harry Potter-themed bar is a fan's paradise

$
0
0

A Harry Potter-themed bar, The Lockhart, just opened up in Toronto — and it looks absolutely magical. 

It's happening. Can you feel it?

A photo posted by The Lockhart Bar (@thelockhartto) on Aug 29, 2015 at 5:17pm PDT on

J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers, and Bloomsbury Publishing don't appear to be affiliated with the project, so the bar owners are careful not to use the name "Harry Potter" or any other copyrighted material.

There's no butterbeer, for example, since that name of a Potter-approved beverage is copyrighted, according to the New Toronto. The references are more subtle: there's a drink called "The Shacklebolt" and a stag logo that nods to Harry's patronus. The bar name itself is inspired by Hogwarts professor Gilderoy Lockhart.

One reference, a drink called "Ludo's Debt," is so obscure, the bar owners have promised a free beverage to any customer who knows its meaning, New Toronto reported. Hint: Ludo is short for Ludovic. 

If visiting Canada isn't in the cards and you don't have any floo powder handy, don't fear. Thanks to Instagram, you can still have a look inside the new bar. 

Keep reading to take a trip inside The Lockhart. 

Here's a look inside The Lockhart, complete with "potions and elixirs."

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/7a16Syrnd4/embed/
Width: 658px

 



This is the Lockhart's twist on a Dark and Stormy. It's called the Shacklebolt and named after auror Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/7BED7mrne4/embed/
Width: 658px

 



Herbology-loving Neville Longbottom might enjoy this drink. It's called "the Botanist."

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/6_MJ7iLnYz/embed/
Width: 658px

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: Johnny Depp looks ready for an awesome comeback in this movie about Whitey Bulger

We tried the bug-filled ice cream that The Economist says is the future of food — here's the verdict

$
0
0

Ice cream 2

Enjoy your bug-free burgers and cakes now, because worm-filled ice cream is coming. 

Feeding the world's growing population is a challenge – there will be 11 billion of us by the end of the century.

The problem is compounded by the effects of climate change. More extreme weather that results from global warming, like heavy rains and heat waves, threatens the global food supply. 

Scientists have suggested for a while that we eat bugs as one way to solve looming food shortages. The Economist also made the case for bugs as a source of cheap and easy protein in an article last year.  

Bugs are full of protein, calcium, and fibre, cheap to raise, and more sustainable than livestock. The major hurdle has been getting people, mainly Western cultures, to eat them. 

According to The Economist, "not having to look at the bugs, and emphasising the environmental benefits might make the idea of eating insects a bit more palatable."

So we tried it at a kiosk in Canary Wharf in London – here's the verdict.

The giveaway, which has been running for a couple months, is part of a promotion for The Economist. You get a free book and a tub of the ice cream if you sign up for their subscription deal.



Sustainable and protein rich? You had me at "FREE."



This was the menu. They actually only had two choices available – scurry berry and nutritious Neapolitan – and were out of the chocolate and strawberry flavours.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Wall Street thinks Apple's biggest event in years was totally predictable (AAPL)

$
0
0

tim cook apple smiling waving happy

The verdict is in: Apple's biggest event in years was totally predictable.

On Wednesday, the Cupertino company held a blockbuster launch event. As well as its annual iPhone refresh (the latest device is the iPhone 6s), it also took the wraps off the long-rumoured super-size iPad Pro, and revealed a significantly overhauled Apple TV streaming top box.

Apple is also introducing new colours and apps for the Apple Watch, launching the latest version of its mobile operating system, iOS 9, and even found time to briefly show a new iPad Mini.

However, there were no real surprises: Nearly everything announced had been at least rumoured, if not leaked ahead of time.

Here's what Wall Street thought about it all.

PiperJaffray: BULLISH

Rating: Overweight

Price target: $172

Comment: "Today's Apple announcements on the iPhone 6S, new Apple TV and iPad Pro were largely as expected. That said, we believe there is substance in the new products, most notably that the iPhone 6S should have enough appeal, along with the lower price for existing iPhone 6 and Plus, to allow Apple to continue to gain share at the high end of the phone market. We are expecting 4% y/y iPhone unit growth vs. the Street at flat in 2016. Updates to Apple TV should add a little less than 1% to Street estimates in 2016 (not in our model). Finally, the new iPad Pro is incremental but does not change our belief that iPad units will be down 4% in 2016. We maintain our Overweight rating and $172 price target."

 



Stifel: BULLISH

Rating: Buy

Price target: $150

Comment: "As Expected iPhone & iPad Intros; Apple TV = Most Interesting ... Although we believe Apple’s iPhone 6s / 6s Plus feature / functionality updates again highlight Apple’s ability to leverage the competitive advantages of vertical integration, we would expect most to consider the company’s new product launch to be an as-expected event."



Citi: BULLISH

Rating: Buy

Price target: $145

Comment: "No change to our estimates. We reiterate our Buy rating on Apple shares and we note the stock trades at ~11x (including net cash of $25, or ~9x excluding cash). We believe tough comps and limited potential sales/EPS upside in the near term may cause some investors to exit the stock thereby providing an attractive entry for long term investors. We expect Apple to outperform its competition on its contribution to industry profits."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: This is what happens to your brain and body when you check your phone before bed

The life of the tallest man who ever lived is utterly fascinating

$
0
0

robert wadlow

The world's tallest man was 3 feet tall as a toddler, could carry his father at age 9, and stretched to a fantastic height of 8 feet 11 inches.

This is the incredible life of Robert Wadlow, whose hands measured a foot long and whose arms spanned 9 feet 5 inches.

Robert Pershing Wadlow was born February 22, 1918, and weighed a healthy 8 pounds 6 ounces. Soon after his birth, he began to grow at an astounding rate. In this photo, 6-month-old Wadlow weighed 30 pounds, about twice the normal weight for his age.

Source: YouTube/Top Trending



As a kindergartner, 5-year-old Wadlow wore clothes intended for a 17-year-old. Three years later, Wadlow towered at a height of 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed nearly 200 pounds. Here's Wadlow's height and weight plotted alongside the CDC's growth chart for healthy males aged 2 to 20 years old.



By the time he was 10 years old, Wadlow weighed 210 pounds, was more than 6 feet tall, and wore a size 17.5 shoe.

Source: YouTube/Top Trending



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: What Adderall is actually doing to your body

Here's what a £30 million house on London's 'Billionaires Row' looks like on the inside

$
0
0

FAIRWAYS_002

Celia Sawyer is a professional businesswoman and interior decorator who remodels expensive houses for the ultra-wealthy, many worth upwards of £10 million ($15 million), through her Channel 4 show "Four Rooms."

One house that the London native worked on is called "Fairways" and right now it's valued at around £30 million ($46 million), according to Glentree. The property is located on "Billionaires Row" in The Bishops Avenue, North London, in one of the city's most expensive addresses. 

The house measures over 17,000 square feet with eight bedroom suites, an underground leisure complex, a gigantic swimming pool, and a cinema room. As if that wasn't enough, the garden measures a further 775 square feet with staff quarters (including security posts) and a garage that can house up to four cars. 

Here is what a £30 million house on "Billionaires Row" looks like. 

The front of the house is illuminated at night. The property extends back into a large garden and includes a security booth.



The view from the back of the house looks out into the 775 square-foot landscaped garden, which has been remodelled by Sawyer to be more work-of-art than garden.



Now let's go inside. The entrance has a grand piano and two multi-thousand-pound mirrors.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: This is what happens to your brain and body when you check your phone before bed

Here's how China's aircraft carrier stacks up to other world powers'

$
0
0

china aircraft carrier

An epic military parade earlier this month showed off some of the Chinese military's new toys, unveiling heavy vehicles in maritime camo as their island-building in the South China Sea sits in US military planners' minds.

So how do China stack up to other world powers when it comes to one of the biggest factors in air and sea dominance — aircraft carriers?

Take a look at the photos and graphics below to get an idea of China's naval power:

SEE ALSO: Every surface ship in the Chinese navy, in one chart

This is China's only aircraft carrier, the Liaoning. Like much of China's military hardware, the Liaoning is a reworking of an older Russian-made model.



The Liaoning's particulars and capabilities sound impressive.

Source



The Admiral Kuznetsov is Russia's sole aircraft carrier, which the Liaoning is based on. Both ships have the same size, speed, and feature the "ski jump" platform.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: The Coast Guard seized this submarine and 16,000 pounds of cocaine — then it sank

This startup lets anyone create beautiful data maps with one click — and they just raised $23 million from Accel and Salesforce

$
0
0

Building data, weather data and home insurance in Miami

CartoDB wants to make it easy for anyone to create their own data-driven maps, and it just raised $23 million in Series B funding from the likes of Accel Partners and Salesforce Ventures to help it do just that.

CartoDB wasn't created by tech industry veterans, but rather by two Spanish scientists who were fed up with not having better ways to communicate their results to the public.

When it launched in 2011, CartoDB required that users had at least a general knowledge of statistics, but since then, the company has refocused. Now anyone who wants to can upload their data, select an option from “suggested” maps, and send out their finished map to the world with one click.

“You shouldn’t have to be a data scientist to make use of location data,” cofounder Sergio Alvarez says. “We’re building something radical and creating the easiest mapping tool.”

And that focus has impressed venture capitalists. This new investment brings CartoDB’s total funding to $31 million, which will partially be used to supercharge product development. And beyond everyday users, CartoDB has developed an impressive client list that includes the city of New York, the National Park Service, Twitter, Google Trends, and Amtrak.

It’s hard to understate the sheer amount of maps CartoDB can help you create. Here are some particularly interesting ones: 

This is what the Ashley Madison data leak looks like



The best and worst case scenarios for Alcatraz escapees



The wildfires on the West Coast in the summer of 2015



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: Ashley Madison hack reveals the states where people cheat the most


Startling images of 'unprecedented' floods wreaking havoc on Japan

$
0
0

Japan flood

Typhoon Etau has hit Japan, bringing with it torrential downpours and severe flooding across vast parts of the country.

Over the past two days, more than 100,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes after up 60 centimeters (2 feet) of rain fell in under 48 hours, AFP reports.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a meeting of ministers the rain was "unprecedented,"according to Reuters, which said it was a 50-year flood, or a flood that has a 2% chance of happening in any given year.

Towns and villages are being destroyed as houses are ripped out of their foundations and carried away. But that's not the only danger. Drainage pumps at the Fukushima nuclear plant have been unable to handle hundreds of tons of contaminated water, which is flowing into the ocean.

Reuters has documented the disaster with these devastating images of the scenes.

The floods have devastated parts of Japan. More than 100,000 people across the country have been told to leave their homes, but the prefecture of Tochigi has been one of the worst hit areas, with more than 60,000 people being evacuated.



One of the biggest dangers is the displacement of water contaminated by the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant in 2011, the largest nuclear disaster since the one at Chernobyl in 1986.



Hundreds of tons of radiation-rich waters are flowing toward the ocean as the site's drainage pumps have become overwhelmed by the downpour. The water was used to cool the nuclear reactors when they went into nuclear meltdown after the tsunami in 2011, which damaged the plant and similarly devastated large areas of the country.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here’s how to use the buzzy app that could take on Instagram

$
0
0

before and after vsco camWhen it comes to the top photo apps, Instagram, with its 300 million monthly users, seemingly has the game on lock.

But VSCO Cam— a three-year-old photo-editing app — has better filters (“presets”) and editing capabilities. And though its follower base is still peanuts compared to Instagram, more and more people are using it.

Chances are, if you have a friend who’s into taking pictures, they are using VSCO Cam. They could even be behind one of the 122 million #vscocam tagged posts on Instagram.

I’ve personally been using VSCO Cam for a little over a month now and I’m obsessed. What makes the app so special and different than Instagram is that its goal is to make your pictures look like they were taken with a real camera instead of a phone. The company says all of its presets are inspired by different types of real film stocks.

VSCO Cam also has its own photo feed and user profiles, but co-founder Joel Flory told The Verge back in 2013 it had no plans of taking on Instagram.

“[Our users] are utilizing Instagram for what it’s great at: connecting,” he told The Verge. “It’s a great communication too, and VSCO is focused on photography tools.” 

…so far.

Keep reading to see how to use VSCO Cam, the app that could unseat Instagram.

VSCO Cam is the free photo app that makes your pictures look like they were shot professionally, like this one.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/5RDeacuJXt/embed/
Width: 1200px

 



Or this one.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/5H3mHNOJVc/embed/
Width: 1200px

 

 



Or this one.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/5CjGEUuJYg/embed/
Width: 1200px

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: YouTube star reveals why people are so obsessed with cute Japanese toys

19 more bizarre Google Street View images from around the world

$
0
0

google street view

Since it launched in 2007, Google Street View quickly became known for bizarre scenes from around the globe, whether they were funny photobombing seagulls to more sobering scenes of people carrying weapons.

And while the images are fascinating to scroll through, Google Street View continually updates its database, often blurring out many of the offending images or removing them altogether. We can still look at screenshots of two scuba divers chasing the Google Street View car, but the men are now blurred out in Google Maps

So we scoured subreddits like /r/googlestreetviewfinds and /r/FunnyStreetView as well as the Tumblr Fun Google Street Views to see some of the latest bizarre finds around the internet.

Keep scrolling to see the weirdest images you can still find on Google Street View.

It's speedo season near Narva, Estonia. These two guys are working it.



Japanese pigeon people are a shocking find on a sidewalk along the Tamagawa-josui. The picture was taken close to an art school, which could explain the bizarre masks.

It's also creepy when you look back



A young kid jousts while another watches from the stands in Denmark.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: Get ready to root for the bad guys — your first look at 'Suicide Squad' is here

Russell Wilson just bought this gorgeous waterfront mansion outside of Seattle for $6.7 million

$
0
0

russell wilson lounge_edited 1

After Russell Wilson said his agent wouldn't let him buy a house until he signed a big deal, Wilson put some of his new $88 million contract to use.

According to TMZ Sports, Wilson paid $6.7 million for a seven-bedroom, seven-bathroom, lake-front house in Bellevue, Washington, across the water from Seattle.

The house is outfitted with dark wood and marble, giving it a cozy, woodsy, yet elegant feel with beautiful views of the city and the surrounding woods.

Wilson can also count Bill Gates among his new neighbors.

Check out the house below.

Here's the house from above.



The backyard with a finely trimmed garden and a long patio.



Gorgeous views of the water.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: Examples of Michael Jordan's insane competitiveness

These Brazilians are part of a program that could change the lives of transgender people everywhere

$
0
0

trans

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL — It's not easy being queer in Brazil, especially for transgender and "travesti" (basically, a genderqueer person who uses female pronouns) residents. Members of these populations are marginalized in society, and as a result, often end up as prostitutes or living on the streets.

A revolutionary program in São Paulo, dubbed Transcidadania, aims to change this fate. The program — the first of its kind in the world — offers cash, housing, psychological support, and education to 100 transgender and travesti residents for two years. By the time the program is finished, most participants will have finished high school (sometimes decades after they first left school) and will be on their way to getting jobs.

Already, government officials from Uruguay, the US, and other parts of Brazil are looking into the program to see what they can learn from it — and whether it is replicable. 

The inaugural batch of participants in Transcidadania, which launched in 2014, are now working through their first year of the program. Below, a look at their hopes and dreams.

"If I wasn't here, I'd be on the streets prostituting at night. I always wanted to come back to school, so this program is perfect for me. I want to finish my studies, and I want to work to pay my bills. I'll do any work, even cleaning. But my dream is to be a politician."— Miuky, age 32



"I left home at age 20 to work on the streets. The days were fast, but the nights came faster. Then this opportunity appeared. I was working on the street one night when a car passed by and the person inside asked me if I'd like to go back to school. They gave me a piece of paper to apply to this program. [After Transcidadania] my dream is to be a cook."— Paloma, age 48



"I stopped studying at 13 years old. If I had known school was so good, I would never have stopped. We're like a family here. My dream is to be a nurse and I'll fight to achieve it."— Sabrina, age 48



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: 'The happiest man in the world' explains what makes someone truly happy

21 tips for buying a property in Britain with the least hassle

$
0
0

curvehouse2

Buying a property is always going to be stressful but now the British market is going absolutely bonkers.

Soaring demand and a lack of supply in the housing market is creating a vortex of competition for homes and prices are rising astronomically as a result.

Things are so insane that the price of a property could rise by the thousands from the moment you put the offer up to the time you move in.

Latest data from Britain's Office for National Statistics shows that the average house price in the UK is at £277,000 ($425,957). In London it is even more astronomical at £513,000 ($788,781).

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) also added that prices are soaring because the number of new buyers coming to market rose for the fifth month in succession.

So, if you're thinking of buying a property soon, here are some top tips to not only make your life easier but also help you bag that dream property without any regrets. 

Get an IFA

Before you even set foot through an estate agent's door, you need to lay down the fundamental groundwork for buying the property — the finance.

I cannot emphasis enough how incredibly stress alleviating it is to get an independent financial advisor as a way of securing the best possible deals on the market.

IFAs can help with everything from the mortgage to the insurance related to the home. They also have access to vast platforms of mortgage options that the person on the street wouldn't. On top of that, they actually speak to humans when looking for a deal for you or working through problems you may come across when applying by yourself.

And guess what? You don't pay them commission because the law says so.



Don't get Help to Buy unless you're desperate

When you look to buy a property, always think the long term. It doesn't matter that it's your first home and you're willing to get a pokey small starter flat or a house — your mortgage can break you.

Help to Buy is a government scheme where a buyer only has to put down a 5% while the government makes up a further 15%. This sounds fantastic right? Well, you first of all have less equity in your home and secondly the mortgage products are more expensive. In other words, you could be paying more per month in interest on your home because of this scheme.

Also, if you're finding it a struggle to raise more than 5% deposit, you've got to ask yourself whether you're financially fluid enough to keep up with payments should interest rates rise.



Realistically think about whether you could afford an interest rate rise

This may sound like a boring topic but there's no point in bagging a property, only to lose it because you're too broke to keep up with payments. 

Us Brits have stayed rather comfortable since interest rates fell to 0.5% in 2009 — but this isn't going to last forever. Really think about whether, even if you get a great mortgage deal, that you would be able to cope with hundreds of pounds more a month in payments.

Realistically thinking about your financial situation now as well as your career trajectory and earning power is vitally important.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: The cheapest new Ferrari money can buy is absolutely gorgeous

NFL POWER RANKINGS: Where all 32 teams stand going into Week 1

$
0
0

andrew luck

The NFL is back!

The actual football games, that is. Between Deflategate, Jason Pierre-Paul's July 4 fireworks fiasco, and Robert Griffin III's unhappy marriage to the Washington Redskins, the NFL never quite went away this summer, but at least now we've got some real games to go with all the controversies, suspensions, and court cases.

Although a lot of big-name players and coaches found jobs in new cities over the summer, once again it's the same top dogs from past seasons that are our favorites to heading into the regular season.

Take a look at where each team stands going into Week 1.

1. Seattle Seahawks

Week 1 opponent: at St. Louis Rams

What's good: The Seahawks re-signed Russell Wilson and picked up TE Jimmy Graham in the off-season. The Hawks look primed for another deep run.

What's bad: There's still no end in sight to All-World safety Kam Chancellor's holdout. Neither side is budging and it's looking now like Chancellor will miss the regular season, if the Seahawks don't trade him first. 



2. New England Patriots

Week 1 opponent: at Pittsburgh Steelers

What's good: Tom Brady's four-game suspension was overturned, giving the entire Patriots offense a huge boost, and improving their outlook for the first month of the season.

What's bad: The defense remains a concern, particularly in the secondary where they lost Darrell Revis and Brandon Browner.



3. Indianapolis Colts

Week 1 opponent: at Buffalo Bills

What's good: The Colts two biggest offensive additions, Frank Gore and Andre Johnson, rave about Andrew Luck and seem to have already built a strong rapport with him.

What's bad: While improved, there are still lingering questions about whether the Colts offensive line can give Luck enough protection.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: This mesmerizing video of Chinese students jumping rope in unison is going viral


How a huge, abandoned New York City Post Office turned into Fashion Week headquarters

$
0
0

moynihan station post office

New York Fashion Week is associated with upscale, glamorous places like Bryant Park and Lincoln Center. But this year, the event is turning over a new leaf by centering around what used to be one of the city's most mundane structures: the Post Office.

That's right — after years of acting as the cooler, more offbeat alternative to Lincoln Center and Bryant Park, the James A. Farley Post Office on Eighth Avenue and 31st Street is now officially New York Fashion Week's central hub.

That means what while the most discerning style icons in the world are shuffling in and out the back doors on their way to fashion shows, the rest of the city will be using the front of the building to mail packages.

Here's how the massive structure across the street from Penn Station went from communication hub to fashion mecca.

Then known as the New Post Office, the James A. Farley Post Office was built from 1910 to 1913 at a cost of $5.275 million.

Source



The architecture firm McKim, Mead & White built it as a companion to the original New York Penn Station, which was originally built in 1910 and demolished in 1963.

Source



The Post Office was open 365 days a year until 1990, when the mail business started to dwindle. Now, most of the actual letter-mailing action is confined to the building's front entryway.

Source



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: 'Zoolander 2' has an epically funny trailer

How you should and shouldn't spend money in your 20s

$
0
0

friends

I've been told that how you spend your time and money in your 20s will define you and, from my personal experience, I find this to be very accurate.

Although I am still a 20-something, I am constantly learning where and how my time and money are best spent. 

Your 20s are an exciting time and you want to have fun and experience as much as you can, but it's also an instrumental period in regards to building your future.

Due to these two seemingly mutually exclusive facts, it's easy to get confused about where you should and shouldn't be putting your money.

Any big spending may be seen as somewhat foolish when you don't have a lot of money, however, you can spend foolishly ... on wise things.

Here is when to spend money foolishly in your 20s (and when not to).

 

SEE ALSO: The Best Financial Strategies For 20-Somethings

Where to spend your money



Education

Education is the most important investment you can make. I paid my way through college with student loans that I am still paying off, however, it was worth every penny. Even if you do not find formal education appealing, you can still use your money to pay for instructional books, online classes, vocational school, certification, etc. 



Travel

I firmly believe in the quote, "Traveling is the only thing you buy that makes you richer." Go see the world while you are young and still believe that you can change it. Getting away is one of the best ways to recharge your tired batteries. Traveling becomes much more expensive and difficult when you get older and have a family to take with you, so the sooner the better.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

15 Stephen Hawking quotes that reveal how a genius thinks

$
0
0

stephen hawking

Stephen Hawking was 21 years old when he was diagnosed with motor neuron disease, a rare form of ALS.

Doctors told him he would only live for a few years.

More than 50 years later, he's now 73 and one of the foremost physicists alive — a professor at the University of Cambridge, an investigator of black holes, and the author of the bestselling book "A Brief History of Time." 

Here are 15 quotes showing Hawking's approach to science and to life in general.

SEE ALSO: 25 quotes that take you inside Albert Einstein's revolutionary mind

On disability

"My advice to other disabled people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesn’t prevent you doing well, and don't regret the things it interferes with. Don’t be disabled in spirit, as well as physically."

[The New York Times, 2011]



On priorities

"My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all."

["Stephen Hawking's Universe," 1985]



On free will

"I have noticed that even people who claim everything is predetermined and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road."

["Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays," 1994] 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 7 most expensive honeymoon destinations in the world

$
0
0

Art Maisons Luxury Santorini Hotels Aspaki & Oia Castle

Okay, so we put a lot of time, thought, and money into our travel plans.

After all, as we infamously say, You can't return a bad vacation. It's true!

And no time does this ring more true than when your honeymoon is on the line — you really don't want to mess that up.

There are a couple reasons you want this vacation to go off without a hitch: one being it's your first trip as a married couple, but perhaps the most important being you spend quite a lot of cash on this getaway.

According to about.com, honeymooners dish out an average of three times more on their post-wedding trips than other traveling couples, and the honeymoon accounts for a whopping 14 percent of the wedding budget.

And while honeymooners may statistically spend more than average across the board, the way they honeymoon varies drastically.

Some stick to the classics, others go off the beaten path.Some save, and some splurge. Today, we're addressing the latter.

Here are the seven most expensive honeymoon destinations in the world — shockingly, Paris does not make the list (although it's not far off). And just for fun, we've picked out a splurge stay and a save stay for some, so even if you're jetting off to a glam locale, you can find a budget-friendly (or friendlier) hotel.

SEE ALSO: The 24 hottest honeymoon destinations right now

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's Lifestyle page on Facebook!

1. Maldives

You can assume that any destination that requires multiple, hours-long flights and bungalows over crystal-clear waters is gonna be pricey, and the Maldives takes the (wedding) cake as the most expensive honeymoon destination in the world. Once they arrive, honeymooners can expect stunning white-sand beaches, turquoise lagoons, unparalleled snorkeling, gorgeous rustic-chic villas over the water or on the sand, and fine dining.



2. Greek Cyclades

South of Athens, the Cyclades are over 2,000 beautiful Greek islands in the Aegean Sea where honeymooners can enjoy classic white-wash, blue-domed buildings, gorgeous ocean vistas, and a lively nightlife. Santorini in particular can be exorbitantly expensive, but couples find the caldera cliffs to be prime spots for taking in the world-renowned sunsets, and the quaint streets are packed with restaurants, bars, shops, and galleries.



3. Bora Bora

A stunning volcanic island, Bora Bora is often compared to the Maldives; like the islands of the Maldives, most resorts features over-the-water bungalows, and the landscape is defined by palm-tree lined beaches where turquoise waters lap the sand.

Active honeymooners will appreciate popular pastimes such as scuba diving and jeep tours, but the luxury resorts here also allow for plenty of pampering.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This growing rival to Panera Bread has a new menu for fall — here's the verdict

$
0
0

Pret a Manger Fall MenuPret a Manger, the UK-based cafe chain, is a star on the rise.

And amid swirling rumors of a public listing in the US and rising sales numbers, Pret a Manger's chefs have prepared a new fall menu to usher in cooler weather.

Pret a Manger — French for "ready to eat"— will serve the new fall offerings starting September 15.

Burritos and hot wraps are a new addition this season, focusing on more diverse flavors with spicy, smoky chilies and fresh chimichurris. Soups will also be available, but unlike the chain's summer soup offerings of gazpacho and chilled sweet pea, there are heartier options.

Business Insider managed to catch a glimpse of its new menu in Pret's secret test kitchen in New York.

Here's what we found:

Want free coffee? This is how you get free coffee at Pret a Manger — look attractive

SEE ALSO: Pret a Manger just revealed that Brits are obsessed with coffee and macaroni and cheese

Pumpkin season is here, so get those sweaters out and prepare for hearty soups and wraps at Pret.



Pushing more into the hot-food territory lately, Pret will offer four hot wraps, priced between $7 and $8.



The chicken burrito is stuffed with grilled chicken, black-bean salsa, cheddar cheese, quinoa, rice, and chimichurri, a parsley-and-garlic-based meat sauce from Argentina. The flavors meld together nicely.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: McDonald's is changing its burgers to make them tastier

Viewing all 61683 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images