• Tech and electronics are some of the most asked for gifts during the holiday season, but they can be expensive.
• To help the bargain shoppers out there, we've rounded up our favorite tech gifts under $100, including everything from fun phone cases to affordable tablets.
• Still shopping for more gifts? Check out all of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides for 2019 here.
• You can also check out our guide to the best tech gifts under $25.

Tech doesn't have to be super expensive.

You can find amazing accessories, fitness trackers, tablets, and even phones for less than $100 — if you know where to look.

Have no fear — you won't have to stumble around Amazon, Target, and Best Buy to find the deals; we've done it for you.

We wracked our brains to think of all the very best tech we've tested or read about to bring you the ultimate gift guide to tech gifts under $100. We included a number of gifts in every price range, so you're bound to find the right gifts for your loved ones.

Here are the 5 best tech gifts under $100:

1. An Amazon Echo
2. A pair of wireless earbuds
3. A Fitbit fitness tracker
4. A Philips Hue smart light starter kit
5. A fun PopSocket phone grip

Check out all 40 tech gifts under $100:

A smart speaker with Alexa

Amazon Echo, $99.99, available at Amazon

The new Echo is the best smart speaker you can give as a gift this holiday season. Alexa can answer all your giftee's questions, play music, and control any smart home devices.

A pair of wireless earbuds

1MORE Stylish True Wireless Earbuds, $89.99, available at Amazon

These wireless earbuds are cheaper than AirPods, but they sound even better.

A fitness tracker

Fitbit Inspire HR, $99, available at Amazon

Fitbit's affordable Inspire HR tracker has no shortage of useful features to track your giftee's fitness metrics. The tracker has a heart rate monitor that helps improve the accuracy of tracking calorie burn, resting heart rate, and heart rate zones.

A Philips Hut smart lighting starter kit

Philips Hue White Starter Kit (4 bulbs), $98.99, available at Amazon

Philips Hue smart light bulbs can be controlled remotely, set to go on at specific times, and controlled by voice commands if you have a smart speaker.

A swimproof Bluetooth speaker

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom Speaker, $80, available at Amazon

The small-yet-mighty Bluetooth speaker can go swimming in the pool or ocean. It's also dustproof and therefore suitable for hikes and other outdoor adventures. 

A PopSocket grip

PopSocket Grip, $10 and up, available at PopSocket

PopSockets Grips stick to the back of your phone and can expand whenever you need a grip or a stand. Use one to take photos, text, hold a large device, watch movies, and video chat with ease and comfort. Many cost less than $10 and they come in a variety of colors and patterns to fit your personality.

An earbud organizer

Bluelounge Cableyoyo, $9.95, available at Amazon

The Cableyoyo is a $10 rubber and metal spool, around which you wrap your earphones (or any other smallish cable) for safekeeping.

A 4K streaming stick

Roku Streaming Stick+, $49, available at Amazon

Anyone who likes to stream video in 4K on their TV needs a Roku Streaming Stick+. Roku's media streamers are the best in the business, and the Stick+ can stream TV shows and movies from all the major streaming platforms, including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and many more.

An ebook reader

Amazon Kindle, $89.99, available at Amazon

The entry-level Kindle is a great gift for book worms who want to have a digital library of ebooks to take with them on the go.

A smart herb garden

Click and Grow Smart Garden 3, $99.95, available at Amazon

With the Click and Grow Smart Garden, your loved one can grow fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, or thyme in a matter of weeks.

A phone case that's built to last

Otterbox case, $50 and up, available at Otterbox

Otterbox cases are built to protect phones and withstand a lot of drops, but that doesn't mean the brands' cases are ugly. In fact, Otterbox has tons of super fun cases with Star Wars, Disney, Pixar, and Marvel characters on them as well as some stylish designs.

A smart display

Amazon Echo Show 5, $89.99, available at Amazon

The Echo Show 5 is an affordable smart display that has Alexa built-in. Your giftee can watch recipes and videos on it, see the time at a glance, and ask Alexa questions. It can also play music and control smart home devices.

A fun case for the Echo Show

Otterbox Echo Show 5 Den, $24.95, available at Otterbox

If you are getting your loved one the Echo Show 5 mentioned above, you may also want to get them this hilarious Toy Story case.

A cleaning kit for your phone

WHOOSH! Cleaning Kit, $16.99, available at Amazon

Phones are breeding grounds for germs, so a good cleaning kit is both a thoughtful and practical gift. This one from Whoosh! leaves your phone clean without leaving any streaks behind.

A great pair of headphones

Sennheiser Bluetooth Wireless Headphones, $79.95, available at Amazon

Sennheiser makes some of the best over-ear headphones, and these $80 ones are comfortable, deliver outstanding sound quality, and have a long battery life. 

A waterproof phone case

Lifeproof Fré Case, $50-$90, available at Amazon

The Lifeproof Fré iPhone case is perfect for people who love to be in or near the water all the time and for those who always drop their phone in some kind of liquid. This case is fully submersible in water that's up to 6.6 feet (2 meters) deep for 1 hour. It's also fully sealed with its built-in screen protector and port covers, so it's safe from the elements.

Tech-friendly gloves

L.L.Bean Touchscreen Gloves, $29.95 and up, available at L.L.Bean

Protect your loved ones' fingers when it's cold outside and they still want to text their friends. These touchscreen gloves are super warm and work well on screens.

A custom-designed iPhone case

Casetify Custom iPhone 11 Pro Max Case, $29 and up, available at Casetify

Casetify's easy to use tool lets you turn your favorite photos into a custom iPhone case. There are three case styles and dozens of templates, so you can turn your friend's best Instagram photos into a unique way to protect their phone.

A durable, weighted iPhone charging cable

Native Union Night Cable, $39.99, available at Amazon

Native Union makes some of the most attractive phone accessories around. The Night Cable is the best long lightning charging cable for the iPhone. It has a 10-foot cord and a handy weight to hold it in place while your phone charges.

A desk lamp with a wireless charger

TaoTronics LED Desk Lamp with Wireless Charger, $39.99, available at Amazon

If your giftee has a phone with wireless charging built in, the TaoTronics Desk Lamp is a great gift. It has a built-in wireless charger and a USB port so you can charge your devices wirelessly or with a cable. The lamp is also well made and fully adjustable. It has multiple brightness and color temperature settings so you can make it your own.

A sleek leather iPhone case

Nomad Leather iPhone Cases, $34.95 and up, available at Nomad

Nomad uses genuine Horween leather to craft gorgeous, durable iPhone cases that age beautifully. We can't recommend the brand's cases enough. Nomad also makes a few Samsung and Google Pixel cases.

A set of screen protectors

InvisibleShield Screen Protectors, $39.99 and up, available at Zagg

Smartphone and tablet screens are fairly fragile and often shatter or get scratched, so it's a good idea to gift the klutz you love a screen protector from InvisibleShield. The brand makes excellent screen protectors that offer special features like blue light blocking and privacy shielding in addition to protecting your screen.

An Echo Dot

Echo Dot, $49.99, available at Amazon

The new Echo Dot is a great way to incorporate a smart assistant into any home without spending a ton of money. Amazon improved the sound quality, too, so now it's better than ever. Alexa can do everything from answer questions, play games, and play music, to control smart home devices.

A Google Home Mini

Google Home Mini, $29, available at Walmart

If your giftee isn't into Amazon's products but still wants a smart speaker, the Google Home Mini is a great alternative. The smart speaker is great at answering queries, can control smart home gadgets, and play music with good sound.

A beautiful wireless charger

Native Union Drop Wireless Charger, $59.99, available at Amazon

Native Union always impresses with its stylish tech accessories. If your giftee hates boring black and white tech, get them Native Union's attractive wireless chargers, which come in a nice rose or graphite color.

An instant camera

Fujifilm Instax Mini 9, $49.95, available at Amazon

Instant cameras are the perfect gift for shutterbugs who wish they'd lived during the age of the Polaroid. Fujifilm's Intax Mini 9 comes in cute colors and takes fun, retro pictures that are printed right after they're taken.

A light for better smartphone photography

Lume Cube Air, $69.95, available at Amazon

Any smartphone shutterbug will love having the Lume Cube Air in their mobile photography kit. The little light helps illuminate the subject of a photo when the lighting is subpar.

An iPhone USB memory stick

SanDisk iXpand and Flash Drive 128GB for iPhone, $39.99, available at Amazon

Even though iPhones now come with more storage built in, it's still easy to run out of space. For people who take too many photos, download tons of music, shows, and games on their phones; the SanDisk iXpand is the perfect gift.

An iPhone dock

Native Union Dock+ with Lightning Cable, $41.99, available at Amazon

An iPhone dock looks nice on any desk, nightstand, or table, and it gives your giftee a good place to charge their phone. This Native Union Dock+ comes with a lightning cable for iPhone owners, but can just as easily be used with a USB-C or Micro USB cable.

A pair of blue-light blocking glasses

Felix Gray Glasses, $95 and up, available at Felix Gray

Blue light can interfere with sleep patterns and cause eye strain, so your giftee is sure to love these blue-light-blocking glasses.

A set of Tile trackers

2 Tile Mate Trackers with Replaceable Battery and 2 Tile Slim Trackers, $45.98, available at Amazon

Tile trackers are one of the most practical tech gifts you can give. This pack comes with two Tile Slims, which are thin enough to slip into a back or wallet, and two Tile Mate's, which have loops, so they can fit onto key rings. Once they're paired with your giftee's phone, the trackers will send them a notification when it's lost contact with the tracker, and show them its last known location on a map.

Basically, you're giving four people in your life the gift of being able to digitally retrace their steps.

A temperature-controlled mug

Ember Temperature Control Ceramic Mug, $71.95, available at Amazon

It seems like everything is high-tech these days and a lot of it seems pointless, but this is not one of those things. Ember's smart mug can keep your loved one's drink at the perfect temperature so that they never burn their tongue again. It uses a smart heating coaster and an app to help you decide how hot you want your drink to be every time.

The Fire HD tablet

Fire HD 8, $79.99, available at Amazon

You don't have to spend a lot to get a great tablet, and the Fire HD 8 proves that. This 8-inch tablet has a 1,280 x 800-pixel screen, 16GB of storage built in, and room for expansion via a Micro SD card slot.

A light-up alarm clock

iHome Zenergy Light Alarm Clock, $69.99, available at Amazon

No one likes waking up to a blaring alarm, so a light therapy alarm clock that tries to awaken you with a gradual, sunrise-like increase of light is a nice gift. The iHome Zenergy offers a number of great light alarm features, but it also has a pretty great Bluetooth speaker built into it, so your giftee can play music, too.

A waterproof Bluetooth speaker

JBL Flip 4 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker, $79.95, available at Amazon

JBL's Flip 4 is still the best waterproof speaker we've ever tested; it survived completely underwater for 10 minutes and continued to work perfectly fine. If you're shopping for someone who's planning on a warm vacation — or lives someplace nice all the time — this speaker will let them rock out without worrying about dropping it into the pool or ocean.

A phone sanitizer

PhoneSoap Smartphone Sanitizer, $79.95, available at Amazon

If your loved one hates germs, they'll love this phone sanitizer. PhoneSoap kills 99.9% of common household germs, including bacteria that lead to E.Coli, Salmonella, Staph, the flu, and the common cold — without harming their phone.

A high-end, clip-on smartphone lens kit

Olloclip Lens Kit, $89.99, available at Olloclip

Olloclip makes great lenses that you can attach to many different phones so that you can get a wide-angle, fish-eye, or macro effect on your photos. 

A 4K media streamer with HDR

Roku Ultra, $88, available at Amazon

The Roku Ultra is the best media streaming device with its easy-to-use interface, 4K video streaming, voice control, and simple remote. It can transform your so-called dumb TV into a smart one that plays shows and movies from Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, Prime Video, and other streaming services.

A record player

Audio Technica Turntable, $99, available at Amazon

Whether you're shopping for someone who's getting into vinyl for the first time, or wants to resurrect a collection they haven't touched in years, they'll need a turntable. Audio Technica's has a built-in preamp, so they'll be able to plug it into any pair of powered speakers or stereo receiver, drop the needle, and enjoy.

A kid-friendly Fire tablet

Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet, $99.99, available at Amazon

Kids love tablets, but they can also be destructive fiends when it comes to tech. Luckily, Amazon's Kids Edition of the Fire 7 tablet is here to save the day with its protective case, warranty against damage, and tons of kid-friendly content.

• The best tech gifts for Mom are the ones that make her life easier and happier.
• We've rounded up some of our favorite tech and electronics that moms will love.
• If you don't find what you're looking for here, you can check out all our Holiday Gift Guides for 2019 for more gift ideas.
• You can also scan through our more general gift ideas for Mom and our gift ideas for new parents. 

The stereotype goes that moms are tech-illiterate, but as tech goes more and more mainstream, that's not the case anymore. Any mom, tech-savvy or no, can appreciate a good gadget that makes her life easier and happier.

Whether the mom in your life is a bookworm who loves to read, a fitness fanatic who enjoys a good workout, or a new mom who wants the best for her baby, we have a tech gift for her.

The 5 best tech gifts for moms:

1. A mobile printer for her phone
2. A pair of blue-light-blocking glasses
3. A fitness tracker
4. A smart picture frame
5. An ebook reader

SEE ALSO: 51 unique holiday gifts your mom actually wants to get this year — for every budget

An alarm clock that uses light to wake her up gently

Philips Light Alarm Clock, available at Amazon, $149.95

Moms work hard and they often have to wake up early. Just because she has to wake up before the sun rises that doesn't mean she has to awaken to the blaring of an obnoxious alarm clock.

Philips makes a lovely alarm clock that gradually lights up to mimic the sunrise and wake her up naturally. The light alarm clock also displays the time and has customizable sounds so she can wake up feeling rested and ready for the day. This clock is the top pick in our buying guide, so you can be sure she'll love it.

A fun grip for her phone

Shop all PopSockets grips for $10 and up

Tech products can look and feel generic until we put our stamp on them, and PopSocket grips are a great way to add personality to a boring phone or case. PopSockets has hundreds, if not thousands, of fun phone grips in all kinds of materials, colors, and patterns. No matter what your mom likes, you're sure to find a style that will match her taste and personality.

In addition to looking super cute, PopSocket grips make it easier to hold a large phone comfortably, give a better grip, and also double as a kickstand for watching video or sharing photos with others. These grips are among the best iPhone accessories I've tried.

A piece of smart jewelry

Bellabeat Leaf Urban and Leaf Chakra, available at Amazon, $93.90

If your mom cares more about style than high-tech features, but she still wants a piece of tech to track her activity, she may love a piece of smart jewelry. Bellabeat makes our favorite smart jewelry hands down. Both the Leaf Urban and the Chakra are lovely pieces of smart jewelry that can be worn as pendants on a necklace or as a clip on clothing. If your mom prefers bracelets, the Leaf Urban can also be worn as a bracelet.

Both models track activity and sleep quality. Your mom can also use the app to keep tabs on how much water she drinks, her period, and her mindfulness minutes. The app even has a cool meditation feature to give your mom a few minutes of tranquility each day.

A pair of blue-light-blocking glasses

Shop all glasses at Felix Gray for $95 and up

These days, we all spend a lot of time looking at screens that display harsh blue light, which can lead to eye strain and disrupted sleep patterns. Luckily, Felix Gray makes incredible blue-light-blocking glasses for people who don't need glasses at all, as well as those who need reading or prescription glasses.

The company uses special lenses that filter out blue light. Its regular pairs look like normal glasses without any visible yellow tint, but the special sleep glasses have a yellow cast to their lenses. However, they block even more blue light, making them ideal for nighttime reading. We've tried Felix Gray's glasses and we love them— we think Mom will, too.

A mobile printer for her phone

HP Sprocket, available at Amazon, $99.95

Most moms are shutterbugs who love to take photos, and most shutterbugs also want to print their photos. In the age of smartphone photography, a mobile printer that prints photos directly from a phone is a great gift. HP's Sprocket is the best one you can buy, because it's easy to use, not too expensive, and produces nice prints.

A cool device to turn old photo negatives and slides into digital photos

Kodak Mobile Film Scanner, available at Amazon, $39.99

If your mom is anything like mine, she's got tons of old photos, negatives, and slides lying around from the days of physical photography. You can help her digitize her old negatives and slides with this nifty device from Kodak. Using her phone's camera and an app, she can capture the images stored on negatives and slides and get them onto her phone as normal digital pictures.

A customizable phone case

Casetify Custom Case, available at Casetify, $65

Casetify's easy to use tool lets you turn your mom's favorite photos into a custom iPhone case. 

A smart picture frame

Aura Smart Picture Frame, available at Amazon, $299

Moms love nothing more than looking at pictures of their children. The Aura smart picture frame lets you send Mom new photos to look at all the time.

A smartwatch

Apple Watch Series 5, available at Apple, $399

Kate Spade Scallop 2, available at Kate Spade, $295

Some moms are total tech geeks, and there's nothing more appealing to a geek than a nice looking smartwatch. If Mom is an iPhone user, get her an Apple Watch. If she's on Android, you have a lot more choices. We really like the Kate Spade Scallop 2 watch, but you can check out all our favorites here. Both will buzz with notifications, track activity, and more.

A watch that looks like a traditional timepiece, but has a lot of smarts

Withings Steel HR, available at Amazon and Withings for $179.95

If your mom isn't crazy about smartwatches with screens, but she still wants a watch that has some smart features, she'll love the Withings Steel HR. It looks like a normal watch, but it has a heart rate monitor and other sensors to track activity and sleep. The Steel HR also buzzes with notifications from select apps. The watch has a tiny screen at 12 o'clock, so when she presses the button on the side, she can see the date, time, her metrics, and incoming notifications.

A smart mug that keeps her drink the perfect temperature

Ember Mug, available at Amazon, $79.99

Not all tech has to be super techy. Ember's smart mug is a great gift for moms who love to drink piping hot tea, coffee, or other hot drinks. The ceramic mug syncs with an app on her phone to show how much she has drunk from the mug and also the preferred temperature of her drinks. The mug comes with a coaster that can reheat her drink and keep it at the optimal temperature. We tired this mug and we loved it.

A smart speaker with a screen that will show her favorite photos

Google Nest Hub, available at Walmart, $99

Although a smart speaker may sound like a super techy gift, it's actually a very intuitive and easy-to-use product. The Google Nest Hub doubles as a smart speaker and a smart display to show Mom the weather, her calendar, her commute, her favorite photos, or any number of videos on YouTube with a simple voice command. She can also ask the Google assistant any questions that pop into her head. It's one of our favorite smart displays.

A long charging cable for her phone

Lightning Native Union Night Cable, available at Amazon, $39.99

USB-C Native Union Night Cable, available at Amazon, $34.99

One of the most frustrating things is losing your only charging cable for your phone. Everyone can use an extra charging cable, and having a long one like Native Union's Night Cable is a great idea. The cable is 10-feet long, so Mom won't have to struggle with a short cable anymore. It also has a weighted knot that can be moved up and down the cable to provide enough ballast to keep the cable and the phone it's charging in place.

A simple security camera

Logitech Circle 2 (wired version), available at Amazon, $151.99 (originally $179.99)

Logitech Circle 2 (wireless version), available at Amazon, $109.99 (originally $199.99)

Although we may joke that Mom's got eyes in the back of her head, she can't very well see her home if she's not inside it. That's where a security camera comes into play. Logitech's Circle 2 is easy to use and it monitors all activity that happens in Mom's house when she's out and about. She'll get alerts when motion is detected, she can check in on things to see a live feed in the app on her phone, and she can even talk to whoever is in the house be it the family dog, cat, a known person, or an intruder. You can get it in either a wired or wireless version.

An ebook reader

Kindle Paperwhite, available at Amazon, $129.99

Although some people swear they'll never love an ebook reader because they're die-hard print fans, no one should knock the ebook until they've tried it. If Mom loves reading, but hates holding heavy hardcovers or travels a lot, an ebook reader is a great gift for her. The Kindle Paperwhite is the best ebook reader for most people's needs and budgets. It can hold thousands of ebooks, it's waterproof, and it's fairly affordable.

A robot vacuum cleaner

iRobot Roomba 690, available at Amazon, $349.99

Shop all robot vacuums from iRobot

Although everyone will tell you not to buy your mom an appliance for any holiday, a robot vacuum cleaner is one she'll love because it'll do the cleaning for her. We've tested a lot of robot vacuums, and although the iRobot Roomba 690 is a few years old and not the most high-end model, it works extremely well. It can clean rooms on its own, it avoids obstacles, and it goes back to its charging base when it's done. You can also check out more options in our buying guide to robot vacuums. Cleaning without any effort on Mom's part is priceless.

A smart baby monitor

Nanit Plus Smart Baby Monitor, available at Amazon, $299

If you're shopping for a new mom, there is an endless selection of baby products you can get her and her baby. One of the most high-tech and pricey purchases for new parents is a nice video baby monitor.

The Nanit Plus Smart Baby Monitor is one of our favorites because it's a system that learns a baby's movement patterns and sleep trends and lets the parents know when things seem off. It gives Mom and Dad a nice birds-eye view of the baby in its crib, so both parents can see the baby clearly in the app.

A smart herb garden

AeroGarden Harvest, available at Amazon, $160

If Mom loves herbs, she'll love having the low-tech AeroGarden Harvest herb garden. It uses hydroponics to grow delicious herbs and more in a matter of weeks without much effort on her part. All she has to do is pop the seed pods in the planter, give the garden water regularly, and add the included plant food. The planter does the rest, providing light on a schedule, moving the water, and alerting her when it needs more. In our tests, we had great success with this garden, and we're sure she will, too.

A hybrid watch

Fossil Q Carlie with Interchangeable Bezels, available at Fossil, $215

If Mom doesn't like smartwatches, but she still wants to feel connected to her phone, a smart hybrid watch is a great gift to give.

The Fossil Q Carlie looks like a normal analog watch, but it can buzz with notifications, adjust to different time zones, track fitness, and wake her up with a vibrating alarm. This gift set also comes with interchangeable bezels, so she can decide which one suits her look best each day.

A fitness tracker

Fitbit Inspire HR, available at Amazon, $99

If she wants to stay fit or get fit, the Fitbit Inspire HR tracker is a great option. It's a simple fitness-focused tracker with an easy-to-use app that makes it fun for Mom to see her activity goals and workout metrics.

A pair of wireless earbuds that just work

Apple Airpods, available at Amazon, $149.99

The problem with most wireless headphones is that they're hard to use: Bluetooth pairing is a pain, they disconnect from the phone, or they have too many controls. Apple's AirPods are the easiest wireless earbuds to use, making them perfect for moms (and their tech support staff — i.e. their kids) everywhere.

• The annual Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards highlight hilarious photos of animals in the wild.
• The contest aims to raise awareness about wildlife conservation.
• The overall winning photo, entitled "Grab life by the..." and taken by Sarah Skinner, shows a young lion cub in a poorly aimed pounce.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

The annual Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards compile the most hilariously candid photos of animals in the wild, from dramatic facial expressions to perfectly timed coincidences.

But the contest is about more than just silly photos. Founders Tom Sullam and Paul Joynson-Hicks started the competition to raise awareness about wildlife conservation. They hope the pictures encourage people to shop responsibly, be mindful of their water use, and speak out about environmental issues— in addition to making people laugh.

This year's winners were chosen from a pool of 4,000 entries from 68 different countries and whittled down to 40 finalists. From there, a panel of judges determined the most hysterical winning photos.

Here are the 19 funniest photos of animals taken this year. Captions have been condensed and edited for clarity.

Highly Commended: "Chest Bump" by Thomas Mangelsen

"It was impossible to know what the disagreement was about, but this king penguin and antarctic fur seal argued quite vocally for several minutes. The amazing thing is that the fur seal didn't use its considerable size advantage to put a quick end to the fight."

Highly Commended: "Space Man" by Roie Galitz

"This sweet little Japanese snow monkey ran around after he had rolled in the snow. 'I've got a space suit and a helmet and one day I'll fly the moon. But only when it's banana shaped!'"

Highly Commended: "Waltz Gone Wrong" by Alastair Marsh

"These two females were actually having a scrap with each other, clearly not happy with being close. People keep saying to me that the series of photos makes them look like they're doing the 'waltz' dance. This image always makes me smile given the pose!"

Highly Commended: "Who would like a peanut? Squirrels at the University of Michigan" by Corey Seeman

"Fox squirrels on an early spring day in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan. Got my little buddy in the cavity nest over in the Law Quad. I asked who would like a peanut — I think he understood me!"

Highly Commended: "Surfing ... South Atlantic Style!" by Elmar Weiss

"A gentoo penguin jumping in front of a wave."

Highly Commended: "Laid Back" by Thomas Mangelsen

"This photograph is of a 10-month-old chimp named Gombe, grandson of a chimp that Jane Goodall studied and knew well. Gombe was leaning against his mother, Glitter. This image speaks to the similar behaviors between our closest relatives in the animal world."

Highly Commended: "Warning: territory marking. Follow at your own risk" by Tilakraj Nagaraj

"One beautiful Sunday morning, my family drove to Nairobi National Park. We came across a group of white rhinos walking together and grazing. While we were watching them, we saw an egret behind this rhino following it impatiently. Little did the egret know she would be rewarded with a surprise shower."

Highly Commended: "Squirrel Wishes" by Geert Weggen

"A red squirrel with dandelion seeds."

Highly Commended: "Dancing ... yeah" by Martina Gebert

"People think us Austrian marmots are shy inhabitants of the Alps. Eating herbs, living in caves and hibernating during winter. We do these things, but there is a secret life of marmots too! If no one is watching us we like to party."

Highly Commended: "Inconspicuous" by Eric Keller

"Either penguins are working on a new form of jet propulsion, or someone has a little gas. This penguin was standing in the water all by himself when the water started churning, then turned to splashing and then full eruption. When it was all done, the penguin looked around and carried on with the rest of his day."

Highly Commended: "Deer? What Deer?" by Mike Rowe

"Shooting the red deer rut in Richmond Park, I noticed this deer covered in bracken. It's not unusual for them to adorn themselves with bracken and grass, but this one's taken it to extremes."

Highly Commended: "To be or not to be?" by Txema Garcia Laseca

"This snow monkey was looking at me when I took this picture. I think that he thought, 'What an ugly guy!' He was taking a bath in the hot thermal water while the temperature outside was -15 degrees."

Affinity Photo People's Choice Award: "Oh My" by Harry Walker

"Unlike most other marine mammals, sea otters have no blubber and rely on exceptionally thick fur to keep warm. As the ability of the fur to repel water depends on utmost cleanliness, sea otters spend much of their time (while they are not sleeping or eating) grooming, offering photographers an unlimited number of anthropomorphic opportunities."

Amazing Internet Portfolio Award: "First Comes Love ... Then Comes Marriage" by Elaine Kruer (part 1)

"The four photos depict stages of courtship: bringing flowers, first kiss, joyful dancing, then ending with a wedding ceremony (tongue in cheek, obviously)."

Amazing Internet Portfolio Award: "First Comes Love ... Then Comes Marriage" by Elaine Kruer (part 2)

"First kiss."

Amazing Internet Portfolio Award: "First Comes Love ... Then Comes Marriage" by Elaine Kruer (part 3)

"Joyful dancing."

Amazing Internet Portfolio Award: "First Comes Love ... Then Comes Marriage" by Elaine Kruer (part 4)

"The wedding ceremony."

Spectrum Photo Creatures in the Air Award: "Family disagreement" by Vlado Pirsa

"A couple of birds have family disagreements."

Creatures of the Land Award and Overall Winner: "Grab life by the..." by Sarah Skinner

"As the heat started to rise, one of the two dominant adult male lions of the pride decided to move from his position to seek shade. As the male stood and started walking off, one of the young cubs who is blind in one eye ran toward the male, leaping up toward him. Rather than leaping onto his back as we expected, the cub's focus instead appeared to be directed toward the adult male's nether regions, with claws fully protracted! Fortunately for the cub and the male, he narrowly missed his 'crown jewels' and the male walked on, with all body parts unscathed!"

• • Read more:
  • 50 stunning wildlife photos that will make you see animals in a whole new light
  • A Michigan deer infamous for sneaky photobombs ate a bride's bouquet during the couple's wedding photoshoot
  • 17 animals that have broken world records

• The latest technology can help your teen stay connected with you and their friends and nurture their favorite hobbies.
• We found the 30 best tech gifts for teens that fit all budgets and interests.
• If they like music, you can gift wireless earbuds, a portable Bluetooth speaker, or an Otamatone musical instrument. If not, there are gift options like gaming systems, LED backpacks, and instant cameras. 

Growing up in the Information Age has exposed teenagers to a broad range of interests. They have many more opportunities to enjoy a wide array of experiences. This freedom is exciting for these youngsters, but it makes it hard for us older folks to figure out which gifts will inspire versus end up forgotten under the bed.

Fortunately, I was able to consult with a teenager — my 16-year-old son Jerome — and asked him what items he was geeking out on. The holiday gift guide also includes tech and electronics that Jerome is constantly borrowing from me and gifts that both you and your teen will love.

The teen in your life is sure to enjoy one of these 30 tech gifts during the holidays. As you'll see, there is a broad range of ways to nurture their interests with the vast universe of tech products flooding the market.

The 5 best tech gifts for teens:

1. A Nintendo Switch
2. A notebook that sends their notes to the cloud
3. A unique electronic musical instrument that's big in Japan
4. A beanie with built-in headphones that pair with their phone
5. A power bank with enough juice to charge a phone five times

Check out all 30 tech gifts for teens:

A 3D pen with plastic refills in 15 different colors

3Doodler Create+ 3D Printing Pen, available at Amazon, $79.99

I didn't know anything about 3D pens until Jerome introduced them to me. You plug the pen into a wall outlet, load up the plastic color of your choice, and once the pen heats the plastic, you're ready to extrude. It comes with an app that provides step-by-step interactive instructions that help you complete custom art projects.

An instant camera with a selfie mirror and flash

Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera, available at Amazon, $46.99

Several manufacturers have taken the classic Polaroid camera experience and ran with it. The Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 is one of the top alternatives. It features an LED flash for low-light photos and a small mirror by the lens for taking selfies. It takes pictures that are 2.4 inches by 1.8 inches. You'll need to buy film for the camera, which is reasonably priced at about $0.50 per picture.

A unique electronic musical instrument that’s big in Japan

Otamatone Deluxe Electronic Musical Instrument, available at Amazon, $64.99

This was another one I knew nothing about until Jerome clued me in. You press the middle part of the Otamatone and slide your fingers up and down it to create higher and lower tones. You can also create a "wah" sound by opening and closing its mouth. It takes 3 AA batteries (included) and can connect to speakers, amps, and headphones.

A smartwatch that tracks activity and fitness goals

Apple Watch Series 5, available at Amazon, $384

If you have a little extra to spend on your teen, consider getting them a smartwatch. The Apple Watch 5 is like a smartphone, fitness tracker, and music player all in one. Your teenager can choose how to display the time and other widgets. And, there are countless apps to pick from, including social media.

A PC gaming controller with wireless connectivity

Valve Steam Controller, available at Amazon, $84.96

This is a must-have for any teen who enjoys PC gaming. With the Valve Steam Controller, they can play their favorite Steam games from the comfort of a couch without the need for a mouse or keyboard. This will give them better control and comfort during long sessions. They can also customize the controller on their own or use one of the many mappings available in the Steam Community.

A mini projector with a built-in speaker system

Elephas Mini Movie Projector, available at Amazon, $99.99

Kids today are moving away from classic television and toward the versatility and convenience of projectors. The Elephas Mini Movie Projector turns any wall into a TV or computer monitor. This allows your teen to watch movies, sports, video games, and more just about anywhere. Also, Elephas offers a lifetime warranty.

Wireless earbuds with a portable charging case

Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Earbuds, available at Amazon, $129.95

The Melomania 1 Earbuds can play for up to nine hours on a single charge. And, the charging case holds four extra charges. So, your teenager can listen to tunes, podcasts, or audiobooks in style for longer. These earbuds pair with PCs, tablets, and smartphones that use a variety of operating systems, including iOS and Android.

A drone with 1080p video capabilities

DJI Spark Mini Drone, available at Amazon, $329

This is an impressive drone for the price point. The camera has automatic stabilization and can recognize objects and track them for impressive sports videos and images. Plus, your teen can use the DJI Go 4 app to edit videos and share them to social media. The drone recognizes hand motions so they can take selfies or control the movement of the drone with a simple gesture.

Winter gloves with touchscreen-capable fingertips

Achiou Winter Knit Gloves, available at Amazon, $9.99

Teens aren't going to stop using their phones just because it's freezing outside. They need to stay in touch. So, a lot of the time, they'll take off their gloves so they can rub and tap on a touchscreen. With these gloves, they can protect their digits while catching up on social media. And, at this price, you might want to buy a few pairs for when they inevitably lose them.

A handheld gaming system with multiplayer capabilities

Nintendo Switch, available at Amazon, $299

Jerome has wanted a Switch since it came out and has enjoyed using his friends' systems. What makes it great? According to Jerome, "Anything by Nintendo is available on this. You can easily switch from its docked mode — where you charge it and play on a TV — to handheld. It's just super-versatile and portable. Can we get one? Please!"

A build-your-own computer kit for beginners

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 4 Starter Kit, available at Amazon, $79.99

If your teen likes to take things apart and put them back together again, this is the perfect gift. Raspberry Pi has taught basic computer science in developing countries and schools since 2012. Pi 4 is the latest version. The kit comes with an easy-to-follow quick start guide. The computer doesn't come with accessories, such as a monitor, mouse, keyboard, or cooling fan. So, you may want to pick those components up as well.

A portable Bluetooth speaker with a hardshell carrying case

JBL Flip 5 Portable Speaker, available at Amazon, $119.95

I've had the JBL Xtreme 2 speaker for over a year and love it. However, at $350, it's a bit much for a Christmas gift. The Flip 5 is like a miniature version of the Xtreme 2. It features IPX7 waterproof protection so it can go in up to three feet of water. And, the rechargeable battery provides 12 hours of continuous playtime. This is a great little speaker for any situation.

A backpack with customizable digital graphics

Pix Digital Customizable Backpack, available at Amazon, $259

I have this backpack, and wow, it's a lot of fun! It features a 16-by-20-pixel grid that can show any graphics you create. Plus, the app comes with a library of preloaded images, GIFs, turn signals for bicycling, and even video games. The backpack has a 27-liter volume with plenty of compartments for sundry school items. I've found it's perfect for overnight trips. Be sure to pick up a power bank since the backpack needs it but doesn't come with one.

A power bank with enough juice to charge a phone five times

RAVPower Portable Charger 16750mAh Power Bank, available at Amazon, $29.99

I had a power bank once, but I rarely used it, and Jerome ended up permanently borrowing it because he's constantly on his phone and didn't want to be tethered to a wall outlet. I've since purchased the popular RAVPower charger for myself, and it performs impressively.

A beanie with headphones that pair with their phone

Tenergy Wireless Bluetooth Beanie Hat, available at Amazon, $24.95

This was Jerome's favorite Christmas present last year. He seemed to wear it 24/7, though I'm sure he had to take it off occasionally to charge it since the battery offers about six hours of run time. The headphones pair with a tablet, Apple watch, or smartphone, and the Bluetooth range is up to 33 feet. There are even built-in controls for adjusting the volume, skipping songs, and pausing/playing music.

A smart lightbulb that changes colors

Bulbrite Solana A19 WiFi Connected Color Changing LED Smart Light Bulb, available at Amazon, $17.99

When you think of the perfect gift for teens, you probably don't think of lightbulbs, but Jerome loves his smart lights. With the Bulbrite Solana, your child can customize the look of their room. And, it's awesome for dads because you can set the bulbs to turn off when no one is in the room.

A subscription to the best audiobook service

Audible Subscription, available at Amazon, $15 per month

With a gift subscription, your teen will get an audiobook and two Audible originals each month. They will also get 30% off any other audiobooks they choose to buy. And, they will own the audiobooks even after their subscription expires. This is an excellent solution for students who learn better by listening than reading.

An alarm clock that doubles as a Bluetooth speaker

Anker Soundcore Wakey Bluetooth Speakers with Alarm Clock, available at Amazon, $99.99

This is the alarm clock I use, and it's packed full of features. It pairs with your child's phone over Bluetooth and plays audio from any of the apps. Or, they can listen to FM radio or any combination of the 10 sleep-inducing ambient sounds. My wife and I fall asleep to waves and the crackling of a fire. There are 10 different alarm sounds. Plus, it even wirelessly charges Qi-compatible devices.

A Bluetooth speaker that teens can use in the shower

iFox iF012 Bluetooth Shower Speaker, available at Amazon, $29.99

As I've found out when Jerome inexplicably decides to take a shower at 3 a.m., teens need to have their music everywhere at all times. Sure, the JBL Flip 5 mentioned above will work in the shower, but for a quarter of the price, you can get your teen a dedicated shower speaker. iFox backs this with a 12-month, no-risk, money-back guarantee. What have you got to lose?

A microphone that plugs into a USB port

Blue Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone, available at Amazon, $49.99

This is another item Jerome and I battle over. Technically, his mom and I gave it to him as a Christmas present years ago, and now, he uses it to talk to friends and record on his Twitch channel. I sneak it out of his room occasionally so I can conduct recorded interviews over Skype. It's an outstanding plug-and-play microphone solution.

A gaming headset with a detachable noise-cancellation microphone

HyperX Cloud Alpha Gaming Headset, available at Amazon, $92.99

The HyperX Cloud Alpha works with just about any gaming console, VR, PCs, and more. It's made with a durable aluminum frame so it might survive your teen stepping on it. The over-ear headphones are super comfortable, and the braided cable has in-line audio control. The noise-cancellation microphone is removable so your teen can use the headphones on their own.

A VR headset that doesn’t require a PC, phone, or anything else

Oculus Go Standalone Virtual Reality Headset, available at Amazon, $199

Oculus is the top name in VR, and this is their most popular headset. The crystal clear, 3D graphics make for an outstanding experience that your child can enjoy with friends. It comes with intuitive controls, built-in spatial audio drivers, and 32 GB storage. Or, for $50 more, you can double the storage.

A hoverboard with a built-in Bluetooth speaker

Lamborghini TwoDots Hoverboard, available at Amazon, $259

There are dozens of no-name companies that sell hoverboards. They tend to break easily, and the customer service is hard to contact. This is not the case with Lamborghini. The ultra-luxury sports car manufacturer has lent its name to an outstanding hoverboard featuring 6.5-inch rubber racing tires, water resistance, and shock-absorbing pedals. It even has a built-in Bluetooth speaker with impressive sound quality that seamlessly connects with smart devices.

We want to remind parents that hoverboards can be dangerous, and if used improperly, they can cause serious damage. We suggest buying pads and a helmet to go with this and strongly encouraging your teen to wear this protective gear.

A bike helmet with built-in turn signals

Lumos Smart Bike Helmet, available at Amazon, $179

This is the perfect helmet to pair with a hoverboard. I have the newer (and more expensive) Lumos Matrix and love it. The helmet pairs with the Lumos app as well as the wireless handlebar remote so you can let drivers know when you're turning. This is a helmet that I can get Jerome to wear, and I rest easier knowing he's safer.

A sunglasses camera with full HD 1080p video quality

Kamre Full HD 1080P Sunglasses Camera, available at Amazon, $64.97

Whether your teen is into sports or just likes making videos, this is a fun gadget to gift them. Not only do the UV polarized lenses protect their eyes, but the glasses can film up to 90 minutes of video at a time. It features has only one button control and is compatible with Windows and Mac. We recommend picking up a micro SD card so your young adult can use the glasses right away.

A percussive massager with ergonomic handles

Theragun liv Percussive Massager Muscle Stimulator, available at Amazon, $249

We have four percussive massagers in our house, and this is the most affordable while still providing effective relief. Jerome is the biggest user of the massager. At 6-foot-4 and growing, his body is always in pain. He just grabs the stimulator and holds it over problem areas for a minute or two and feels better. This is the ideal gift for athletes.

A smart outlet plug with voice control

ConnectSense CS-SO-2 Smart Outlet² Plug, available at Amazon, $59.95

When I was a kid, the Clapper was the height of technology. Today's smart plugs are like the Clapper on steroids. Teens can control their lights, fans, and more from anywhere with the free app that works on both iOS and Android devices. This is another one that dads will also like since it might reduce the number of lights we have to turn off. At least, we can hope.

A trimmer that cleans up after your teen

Wahl Vacuum Trimmer Kit, available at Amazon, $68.30

Okay, so this is another gift that also helps parents. My son's face is starting to get hairy, and before we got this trimmer, he would leave his trimmings around the sink for his mom or me to clean up. It was gross. With the Wahl Vacuum Trimmer, the clippings collect in the built-in chamber, which we end up having to empty, but it's much more convenient than before.

A notebook that sends their notes to the cloud

Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook, available at Amazon, $21.06

I've gifted this smart notebook to several students, and it's always a hit, especially for those who are environmentally conscious. It's simple: Your teenager takes notes using the included Pilot Frixion pen, scans the pages using Rocketbook's AI technology, and then uses the included microfiber cloth to wipe the pages clean. They can use the Rocketbook app or upload notes to Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, OneNote, or other cloud services.

A laptop with great durability and battery life

Acer Chromebook 11, available at Amazon, $282.87

I've owned a couple of Acer Chromebooks, and they can handle a surprising amount of abuse. In the last five years, my Chromebook 15 has been dropped several times and is the main computer for my 5-year-old, who doesn't go easy on it. Yet, we haven't had any trouble with it. At this price point, you won't find a better laptop.

• A new survey by OneStudy and Robitussin found that 78% of respondents feel pressured to power through the workday when they're sick. That's because of the stress of calling out — 42% said that stress created a "mental wall."
• In fact, one in three respondents feared that their boss wouldn't consider sickness a valid reason to stay home.
• But coworkers disagree. Four in 10 respondents would rather take on more work than have to deal with a sick coworker.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

No one really wins when they're sick — especially workers.

Ladders have covered the ins-and-outs of workers going to work despite being sick in the past. Seventy percent of parents in the UK said they were guilty of sending their kids to school sick because of work, while a separate study found that 38% of workers still enter the office despite feeling unwell.

But what are some of the motives behind the American workforces' inability to just take a sick day? They feel pressured to go to work, according to a new study.

A OnePoll study conducted with Robitussin found that 78% of employed respondents said they felt pressured to power through a workday when they were feeling sick due to the stress that comes with calling out sick.

The survey, which polled 2,000 Americans, found that 42% of respondents said the stress from attempting to call out created a mental wall from them being able to take a day. That's probably why 69% of respondents said that a bad cough wasn't a valid reason for them to stay home from work — due to one in three fearing their boss wouldn't consider it a valid reason to stay home from work either.

Going to work sick might seem like a necessity in some places due to the fear of falling behind on work and being out of the loop for a few days, but your coworkers would appreciate it if you just stayed home.

Eighty-two percent of respondents said they'd be annoying if someone showed up to work at the office with just a cough. If that number isn't enough of a warning sign, consider this: Four in 10 respondents said they'd prefer to take on extra work than deal with a sick coworker.

While it's basically impossible to avoid getting sick, Americans would give up just about anything including vacation time (37%), social media (36%), their favorite food (33%), sleeping in on weekends (31%), and their favorite TV show (31%) to do so.

SEE ALSO: Here's how to be a 'jackass whisperer' at work and stop the negativity for good

Top 5 stressful situations

1. Showing up to work sick: 46%
2. Sending kids to school knowing they’re sick: 44%
3. Canceling plans with friends or family due to illness: 44%
4. Feeling a cough coming right before an important presentation: 42%
5. Calling out of work sick: 42%

• Ford unveiled its latest motorhome, The Big Nugget, in the summer of 2019, and it will be released to just the European market in 2020.
• It's the latest proof that Ford has a lot of love for Europe, and the feeling is mutual. 
• Ford fan clubs, blogs, and memorabilia collections are popular in Europe.
• Meet some of Ford's megafans and see how the love affair has blossomed.
• Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

SEE ALSO: Ford built a Transit van called Nugget that doubles as a tiny home that can sleep up to 4 people

DON'T MISS: Corvettes and Mustangs are some of the hottest cars money can buy — here's how they compare

The Big Nugget is Ford’s latest campervan that was presented in summer 2019 and will launch in spring 2020 to the European market.

Source: Ford

This is the fourth motorhome that Ford has released to Europe...

Source: Ford

...and it’s proof that Europe can’t get enough of Ford either.

Source: MSN

Ford's devoted global fan base has grown over recent years.

Source: MSN

Jaron Cole, the founder of Mustang Fan Club, told Business Insider that owning a Ford car overseas is something special.

Source: Jaron Cole/Mustang Fan Club

Europeans admire an American-made car because it’s something they’re not used to having, Cole told Business Insider.

Source: Jaron Cole/Mustang Fan Club

Fans show their love for Ford in a number of ways.Everything from European fan clubs, to online Ford blogs, to exist.

Source: MSN

There are European fans who collect old Ford models, have extensive memorabilia collections, some who own anything Ford related…

Source: Wall Street Journal

…and others who even posed next to their Ford collection on their wedding day.

Source: Getty Images

There are some individuals in Europe who even have the car brand permanently branded on them.

Source: Getty Images

Fabrizio Schenardi is one of these Ford megafans who lives in Italy.

Source: Fabrizio Schenardi

Schenardi told Business Insider that he was first exposed to Ford cars when he was 8 years old. There was a small auto shop in his hometown village in Italy that worked on American cars.

Source: Fabrizio Schenardi

After riding in a Mustang for the first time as a child, he was instantly hooked. "I felt like a rockstar," Schenardi said about the experience.

Source: Fabrizio Schenardi

Schenardi saved up enough money to finally purchase his first Mustang in 2006.

Source: Fabrizio Schenardi

That same day, Schenardi got a Mustang tattoo to commemorate his big purchase.

Source: Fabrizio Schenardi

Schenardi eventually became the first European car blogger, writing strictly about Mustang cars.

Source: Fabrizio Schenardi

Ford fanatics overseas often prefer to purchase their cars from America, rather than their local dealerships.

Source: U.S. News

Cole said that it's challenging to purchase a Ford car through another country.

Source: Jaron Cole/Mustang Fan Club

Certain European countries have regulations, fees, taxes.

Source: Jaron Cole/Mustang Fan Club

But many European Ford fans would rather pay import and transportation fees to transfer the Ford car from America, Cole told Business Insider.

 Source: Jaron Cole/Mustang Fan Club 

It'll still be cheaper than all the fees and such that the European countries would charge them, he said.

Source: Jaron Cole/Mustang Fan Club

Unsurprisingly, the car brand recently unveiled plans to cut six of its 23 European factories and anticipates more than tripling its yearly passenger vehicle imports into Europe by 2024.

Source: Wall Street Journal, Automotive Logistics

Out of all of Ford's car models, motorhomes are a hot commodity in Europe.

Source: News Atlas

According to Ford, its motorhome sales in Europe are up almost 15% compared to previous years, and sales have surpassed 100,000 units for the first time.

Source: Ford, Autoblog

More recently, self-employment is on the rise in Europe…

Source: Ford, The News Wheel

...and Ford's transit vans have become the backbone of business there.

Source: Ford, The News Wheel

When it was time for Ford to unveil its latest motorhome, there was no question that the brand was going to give the European market priority.

Source: Ford

In addition to motorhomes, the Ford Mustang's popularity has been on the rise in several European countries.

Source: Ford

To celebrate the Mustang's 50th anniversary in late 2015, Ford released an updated version of the beloved car with a new design and engineering.

Source: Bloomberg

Although US sales of the limited edition Mustang eventually started to dip, Ford saw a major increase in foreign sales.

Source: Bloomberg

Since 2016, one in four Mustangs are now owned by drivers in China, the UK, and Germany.

Source: Bloomberg

It might seem unexpected for a European to love an American car so much, but when it comes to Ford cars, "The price and performance is one of the best in the world," Schenardi said.

Source: Fabrizio Schenardi

According to Bloomberg, Ford even sold 17 Mustangs in Bulgaria, one of the smaller countries in Europe.

Source: Bloomberg

As big as their fan base is now, that wasn’t always the case for Ford and its European market.

Source: The New York Times

Ford of Europe was established in 1967, yet the brand’s global sales were significantly lower at the time.

Source: Bloomberg 

The American car brand had a difficult time attracting European customers and competing with other car brands.

Source: Bloomberg

Fast forward to today in Europe where Ford is an in-demand car brand.

Source: Ford

After Ford’s campervan release to the European market and the global Mustang fascination, it seems Ford is paving the way for other American car brands' international presence.

Source: Bloomberg, Ford, MSN

• Feeling anxious about something — whether an important event or just everyday issues — is a common occurrence. When you feel anxious, your memory kicks in — flooding you with memories of moments where you failed or flopped.
• Research finds that mindfulness can help combat this anxiety and fear. This means paying attention and noticing when you're in these moments of anxiety. 
• Shifting into the present moment helps you redirect your attention. Pay attention to your breathing.
• When you do feel anxious, observe it like you're watching a performance. This will help "unwind" the memories causing the fear.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Think about the last time you felt anxious or afraid. It might have been minutes before giving an important presentation, having a difficult conversation with a coworker, or making a life-changing decision.

You probably remember all the physiological symptoms of anxiety: shortness of breath, racing pulse, muscle tension, and that queasy feeling of unease.

What you might not remember is the role your memory itself played in making you feel this way. Research in psychology shows that the hippocampus (the brain's memory center) plays a central role in the experience of fear and anxiety.

The science behind this is complicated. But the experience makes sense. Say you're about to speak in front of 1,000 people. As you stand alone backstage, you feel a burst of stress hormones. Then memory kicks in. If you're afraid of public speaking, it floods the mind with images and stories of past flops and failures. If you're confident, it fills the mind with moments and memories of when you crushed it. In both cases, memory shapes your experience of fear.

In a study released last week, led by Harvard neuroscientist Sarah Lazar, researchers revealed a promising way to alter our experience of fear by altering the memories that trigger it. It's a tool that you've surely heard of and may already practice: mindfulness.

How does mindfulness change the way the brain stores fear-inducing memories? Through a process called "extinction learning." The whole goal of mindfulness is to redirect your attention to the present moment — to sights, sounds, and sensations that are happening now.

When you practice mindfulness, it's like you're changing the channel on the TV screen of the mind, from the traumatic memories that hold your fear in place to what's happening right now: the sounds of birds outside your window, the sensations in your belly, or the texture of each inhale and exhale.

And that's how, in the words of Lazar, "Mindfulness can enhance our ability to remember this new, less-fearful reaction, and break the anxiety habit." It's a tool that interrupts those old, fear-inducing memories, and creates new, less threatening associations in the mind.

So how can you dissolve fear by rewiring your memories? The key is to develop the skill of meeting anxiety with mindfulness by paying careful attention to the present moment. Here's how to do it.

SEE ALSO: Research shows that 50-year-olds can have the brains of 25-year-olds if they meditate for just 15 minutes a day

Notice when you feel subtle forms of anxiety

Everything starts with noticing. Once you notice the experience of subtle forms of fear or anxiety, you open the space to shift out of your ordinary mental habits. 

The key word here is "subtle." If you're new to mindfulness practice, it's best not to try this with major traumas or powerful fears and phobias. Instead, try it with the more ordinary, everyday forms of anxiety that happen as you go throughout the day.

Shift your attention to the present moment

To shift, all you have to do is place your attention on the present moment. Sounds easy, right? But it's often quite difficult, especially when experiencing negative emotions like fear or anxiety. 

So here's a more precise instruction. Place your attention on the sensations of your breath. Your breath, after all, is always current, never lost in the past or future. When you watch its sensations — the texture of the inhale, the temperature of the exhale, the soft vibration in your nose — you're guaranteed to be in the present moment. And that means that you're no longer letting the default memories in your mind run the show.

Watch what happens with curiosity and interest

Anxiety and fear generally provoke a powerful mental response of avoidance and aversion. If these emotions were people who showed up at your front door, your ordinary response would be like slamming the door in their face and perhaps even shouting a few profanities at them. 

One of the central tenants of mindfulness practice, however, is to do the exact opposite — to welcome instead of resisting, to see what you have to learn from these interesting new people who showed up at your door instead of shouting them down. 

So when you feel the internal fireworks of fear and anxiety, try staying interested and curious. Imagine you're watching an inner show. What does it feel like? How does it change from moment to moment?

This may sound like some sort of masochistic mind experiment. And it's true, the whole idea of just sitting around and allowing yourself to feel fear cuts against our most deeply wired impulses.

And yet, as this new research suggests, this counterintuitive practice may just be the key to unwinding the memories that hold fear in place, and to approaching your work and the world from the powerfully productive place of fearlessness.

• Wall Street anticipated several massively successful initial public offerings in 2019. Instead, investors received canceled offerings, multibillion-dollar devaluations, and a shift in the funding landscape.
• Investors are trying to diagnose what went wrong as once-exciting opportunities to buy shares of Lyft, Uber, WeWork, and Peloton soured.
• A lawyer, venture capital managing director, and the CEO of car-sharing startup Turo all chimed in on the state of the IPO, how it may change, and how private companies can succeed in public-market debuts.
• Visit the Business Insider homepage for more stories.

Wall Street expected a slew of successful initial public offerings in 2019.

It received pullbacks, multibillion-dollar devaluations, and a diminished appetite for risk.

The IPO market now faces numerous challenges to its status quo, and investors are still trying to diagnose what exactly went wrong. Some point to larger-than-life S-1 filings with pitches to "sell happiness" or "elevate the world's consciousness." Others think companies' business models weren't proven enough to earn investors' trust.

Several massive companies around the world are still looking to go public in the near future, from state-owned oil behemoth Saudi Aramco to home-sharing startup Airbnb. Here's what a lawyer, a managing director, and a startup CEO had to say about the IPO landscape, how investor sentiments have shifted, and what may be next for the path to public ownership.

Shifted priorities

This year's IPO class is the least profitable since the tech bubble, and the marketing used by buzzy tech startups isn't drawing capital like it used to. Investors are more interested in profitable businesses than those boasting rapid growth, and some companies were late to realize the shift, Turo CEO Andre Haddad said.

"I think the markets have been very unforgiving with the companies that are burning a lot of cash, and are not showing material changes in their profit margins," the car-sharing startup's chief executive said in an interview. "If you're a startup and you're in that camp, then you've got to change."

The adjustment may be a product of some companies' flashy marketing and troubling bottom-line performance.

Peloton branded itself as a media company and a technology platform, but posted a net loss every year since its 2012 founding. When the exercise-bike company went public, its stock tanked 11% and wiped out more than $900 million in investor wealth.

WeWork was once the most valuable US startup, but the company pulled its public offering after analysts balked at its lofty promises, annual losses, and leadership choices from former CEO Adam Neumann. The company went from being valued at $48 billion to bankruptcy talks in just six weeks.

Several other companies gambled on glitzy messaging in their bids to go public, but a new focus on fundamentals seems to have taken companies by surprise. The shift reflects a change in risk appetite, and investors are less inclined than ever to give money to cash-burning firms, Lonne Jaffe, managing director of venture capital firm Insight Partners, said.

"If you believed the market was going to give you incredibly cheap capital even through your story was messy, that was the window that closed," Jaffe said. "It's not to say it's not a good company or it shouldn't exist. What you're seeing is a more accurate or better pricing of risk."

Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon recently spoke up on the renewed interest in profitability over growth. The investment bank took an $80 million hit from its investment in WeWork during the third quarter, and the chief executive said the heightened expectations will yield a better investing environment down the road.

"It's important for people to grow, but there's got to be a clear and articulated path to profitability. I think there's a little bit more market discipline coming into play and I think that's healthy for markets," Solomon said on Bloomberg TV.

The alternatives

In the wake of new IPO volatility, some firms are eyeing other methods for going public.

Among the increasingly popular is the direct listing, an approach to public markets that does away with the issuance of new shares. Firms save money by avoiding banks' expensive underwriting fees, and their share price isn't diluted by the offering of additional stock.

Spotify and Slack completed direct listings in 2018 and 2019, respectively, and Airbnb is reportedly eyeing a direct listing for a 2020 public trading debut. These well-known companies will only help bring direct listings further into the spotlight, Goodwin Procter partner Rick Kline said.

"I think every VC who's on a late-stage, highly valued company is asking their boards to consider direct listing as an alternative," the lawyer said in an interview. "I don't think it's right for everybody but absolutely, sentiment has shifted."

Other firms may change their minds completely, opting to remain private and avoid the demands that come with public trading. Venture capitalists will "almost assuredly" invest more than $100 billion for the second year straight, according to Pitchbook, signaling continued strength in the private funding environment.

Private financing also allows companies to hold their shares at a certain level, whereas investors can actively bet against a public firm's prospects or current share price. Private companies can take risks and pursue faster growth without the need to appease short-term shareholders, Jaffe said.

"In private market financing, you have a dynamic where the company is the only seller. If you don't like the highest bid, then you just don't sell," he said. "Once you expose it to a broader group of investors, you see the risk appetite is a lot lower, so people demand a higher return for that risk."

Success stories

Despite recent turmoil in the IPO market, certain companies have weathered the storm and stood out among disappointing performances.

Newly public software companies have offered portfolios relief through the tumultuous year. CrowdStrike and Cloudflare both trade above their IPO prices as investors sink capital into their cybersecurity products. Zoom Video Communications also stands above its offer price, combining the lucrative cloud-computing industry with video-conferencing tools to reap investor dollars.

Software isn't just becoming a major industry in itself, but it's also becoming "a huge portion of all other industries," Jaffe said. Software products are also "incredibly scalable," leveraging the internet's cheap distribution costs to tout higher margins than most other sectors.

Beyond Meat stood out as another winning IPO. The plant-based-meat company trades more than 200% higher than its offering price, and its latest earnings report pointed to continued expansion in key partnerships with grocers and restaurants. When asked in a third-quarter analyst call if the company has faced any growth deceleration as competitors merge, CEO Ethan Brown noted the firm "has seen nothing at all."

Whether a company is a first mover in a surging food sector, a cybersecurity provider, or a new name in the cloud computing landscape, this year's investors found solid returns in a small crop of IPOs. 

The future

Growth at all costs is out, profitability is in. The recent IPO horror stories are sending investors back to the drawing board, looking for companies to prove their staying power instead of boasting rapid expansion. Private investors should value profitability just as much as public shareholders do and lead companies to shift their strategies accordingly, Turo's CEO said.

"The goal is to really build a highly successful, profitable business, whether it's public or private doesn't make a huge difference, frankly," Haddad said. "If we're doing a good job, there shouldn't be a difference between the two."

Should direct listings rise in popularity, banks may be forced to take in less fee revenues. Bank earnings would likely be pressured by such a move, but competition to advise IPOs won't fade, Kline said.

"I think the investment banks understand this is an alternative companies want to pursue. It's a bit of a prisoner's dilemma problem, where nobody wants to step back because they'll lose business," Kline said.

Outside the US, one IPO is making waves for its sheer size. State-owned Saudi Aramco is poised to begin listing shares in Saudi Arabia's domestic exchange in December. With the state-owned firm targeting a record-high $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion valuation, the offering pushes the envelope of what can be regarded as a "traditional" IPO.

Companies will continue to seek public offerings, but the latest developments raise new questions around the IPO process, Kline said.

"That process works well, but I don't think it's perfect," Kline said. "There's no reason those things can't be tweaked."

Now read more markets coverage from Markets Insider and Business Insider:

Saudi Aramco's record-shattering IPO is on the horizon. Here are 6 of the biggest risks the company sees moving forward.

Former Fed Chair Alan Greenspan says there's 'no point' for central banks to pivot to digital currency

How Disney's marketing advantage over Netflix will be its secret weapon in the streaming war

• Apple is launching a new MacBook Pro with a 16-inch screen, improved keyboard that no longer uses the butterfly mechanism, and improved audio and performance.
• It's priced the same as the 15-inch MacBook Pro, which it will be replacing in Apple's lineup, and is available to order starting Wednesday.
• The new keyboard is built on a scissor mechanism, and it feels like a major upgrade compared to Apple's butterfly mechanism keyboard, which users have complained about in the past.
• Apple's MacBook Pro laptops were always meant to be for professionals, but the company's emphasis on audio and microphone quality makes that feel truer than ever on the 16-inch model.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Apple is launching a new MacBook Pro that brings significant upgrades to the two areas you probably interact with the most: the keyboard and the screen.

Apple has finally taken the wraps off its long-rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro, which comes with a larger, higher-resolution screen framed by slimmer bezels, more powerful performance, and much-improved audio. It's available to order online Wednesday starting at $2,400 and will be in stores by the end of the week. 

But perhaps most importantly, the new 16-inch MacBook Pro features a refreshed keyboard that ditches the controversial butterfly mechanism Apple had been using since 2015 and instead uses a scissor mechanism. 

That's particularly important because Apple's butterfly keyboard has come under heavy criticism in the years since its launch. Users have reported various issues such as keys that register twice when only tapped once, or keys that don't respond at all when pushed. It's been such a point of contention that a Change.org petition was created encouraging Apple to scrap the butterfly keyboard design, and it's garnered more than 37,000 signatures.

Otherwise, the new MacBook Pro's headlining feature is its larger, 16-inch display — the biggest screen on an Apple laptop since the 17-inch model the company launched in 2011. It has a 3072 x 1920 resolution, which is higher than that of the 2880 x 1800 resolution screen found on the 15-inch MacBook Pro it's replacing, and a bigger 100-watt-hour battery. That larger battery should enable it to last for 11 hours on a single charge, making its battery life one hour longer than its slightly smaller predecessor.

Taken together, the MacBook Pro's bigger display, improved audio and microphone systems, and larger memory and storage options prove that Apple is leaning into the professional audience the MacBook Pro has always been intended for. In 2019, the difference between the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air feels more obvious than ever.

Here's a closer look at the new MacBook Pro and what it's been like to use it over the past day.

SEE ALSO: There's a strong case being made for why Apple should buy Sonos, and it highlights a major area where Apple is falling behind

Performance, storage, and audio

Since Apple's line of "Pro" laptops are usually targeted at professionals rather than the average user just looking to browse the web or work in Microsoft Office, Apple has also upgraded the laptop's processing power and storage capacity with its new MacBook Pro.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro has a 64 GB memory option for the first time, which is double the amount of memory available on the highest memory configuration for Apple's 15-inch MacBook Pro.

It's available in six-core Core i7 or eight-core Core i9 configurations with options for AMD Radeon Pro 5300M or Radeon Pro 5500M graphics. You'll get more storage space with Apple's new Pro as well — it comes in 512 GB and 1 TB options and are configurable up to 8 TB for the first time. The 15-inch MacBook Pro, by comparison, came in 256 GB and 512 GB storage options and was customizable up to 4 TB of storage.

Processing power, display quality, keyboard performance, and battery life are usually among the most important features of any laptop, whether it's for work or personal use. But for the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, the audio and microphones are also a big deal. The MacBook Pro has a new six-speaker audio system and a three-microphone array designed to reduce background hiss, features that Apple is likely hoping will make its new Pro the laptop of choice for podcasters and content creators.

Design

I've only spent less than a day with the new MacBook Pro, but I can already tell that typing on this machine feels like a dream compared to the butterfly mechanism keyboard I've been using on my 13-inch 2017 MacBook Pro.

There's much more tactile feedback that adds depth as you type, unlike the butterfly keyboard, which usually feels stiff and flat in comparison. It's also much quieter than the butterfly keyboard on my 2017 13-inch MacBook Pro, which I imagine will be useful for taking notes in meetings or while working in public spaces.

The non-butterfly keyboard is one of the only reasons I keep reaching for the aging 11-inch MacBook Air I purchased in 2015, so it's exciting to see Apple take this direction with its newest laptop. Even if you've never experienced any of the mishaps that some Mac laptop owners have encountered with the butterfly keyboard, the new keyboard will still probably feel like an upgrade.

The slimmer bezels around the screen are also a welcome addition that make the MacBook Pro's design feel more modern. Competitors like Dell have offered laptops with with seemingly borderless displays for years now, and it's nice to see Apple taking this approach with the MacBook Pro. 

The MacBook Pro's audio quality is also surprisingly impressive. I typically use my laptop with headphones, but the MacBook Pro actually makes me want to blast tunes from the laptop's speakers for a change.

Even just by looking at the new MacBook Pro, you can tell the speaker grills on either side of the keyboard are noticeably larger than those found on the 15-inch MacBook Pro. Compared to my 13-inch 2017 MacBook Pro, music coming out of the new 16-inch model was on a whole different level. Music sounded more open and full-bodied, and I was able to clearly hear bass notes that weren't very noticeable when listening on the 13-inch MacBook Pro at the same volume. 

Early thoughts

With its new 16-inch MacBook Pro, Apple is clearly leaning into the Pro's intended core audience of professional users more than ever before.

It's too soon to provide a final verdict on the new MacBook Pro, but it's clear that Apple wants this to be the go-to machine for creative professionals. But, as is usually the case, there are other noteworthy options out there for those who need a laptop for getting serious work done that won't cost quite as much as the MacBook Pro. HP's Spectre x360 15t Touch, for example costs much less, starting at $1,250. That base configuration gets you a ninth generation Intel Core i7 processor with Nvidia graphics and a 4K touchscreen — the latter of which Apple's laptops lack in favor of the Touch Bar.

Apple's laptop may offer some benefits that are hard to find elsewhere, like the option to upgrade to 64 GB of memory. But the Pro's high price makes it seem clearly pointed at niche professionals or those who are willing to pay a premium to stay in Apple's ecosystem. Even so, if you're willing to spend the money, the new MacBook Pro's improved keyboard, roomier screen, and improved audio make it feel like it lives up to that price more than ever before. 

• Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have put forward the two most ambitious plans in the Democratic primary to tax the wealth of the richest Americans, shrink their giant fortunes, and curb their economic power.
• The level of income inequality in the US is reaching levels not seen since the 1920s, according to researchers, sparking a fierce debate in the Democratic primary over how to narrow it.
• "At the top, wealth is no longer about insurance, it's really about power — having a lot of wealth allows you to have disproportionate influence on society," economist Emmanuel Saez told Business Insider.
• Here's how much smaller the top 11 billionaires' fortunes would've been if Sanders' or Warren's proposed wealth taxes had been around since 1982, the first year Forbes magazine started estimating wealth.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. 

Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have put forward the two most ambitious plans in the Democratic primary to tax the wealth of the richest Americans and shrink their giant fortunes.

Both Sanders and Warren aim to sharply curb the economic power that the super-rich have amassed in recent decades — and use their money to finance new social programs like Medicare for All and tuition-free college to benefit working-class Americans.

Research shows the nation's riches are increasingly confined at the top of the economic pyramid.

Progressive economists Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman, who have provided economic analysis for both the Warren and Sanders campaigns, found that the 400 richest Americans own more wealth than the 150 million adults in the bottom 60% of wealth distribution, the Washington Post reported.

"Wealth for the ordinary American family is safety, it allows you to absorb economic shocks such as losing a job," Saez told Business Insider. "At the top, wealth is no longer about insurance, it's really about power — having a lot of wealth allows you to have disproportionate influence on society."

SEE ALSO: In favor of the wealth tax: The tax code doesn't fully comprehend how the wealthiest Americans make their money, and it's hurting everyone else

What Sanders and Warren's wealth taxes look like.

Warren is seeking to redistribute capitalism's rewards to a larger share of the population. It would kick in at $50 million with households paying a 2% annual tax on their assets like stocks, paintings, yachts, and homes. Then it would be ramped up to 6% for households with fortunes over $1 billion.

It's distinct from Sanders, who rolled out a proposal of his own taking aim at the existence of billionaires. The Vermont senator would impose a 1% annual tax starting at net worths of $32 million and gradually increase it to 8% on fortunes above $10 billion.

However, since Warren recently increased her top tax rate from 3% to 6%, both plans are now "almost identical," Saez says, referring to possible revenue generated and their overall redistributive effects.

Critics have argued the taxes wouldn't be effective because it would harm economic growth instead. Economists have also argued that the wealthy people subject to the tax would use accounting to evade the taxes and shelter their assets.

With that in mind, here's how much smaller the fortunes of the richest 11 US citizens would've been if Sanders' or Warren's proposed wealth taxes had been around since 1982, the first year Forbes magazine started estimating wealth.

These figures assume no evasion rate and are based on estimates from Saez and Zucman.

Walmart heir Jim Walton. Actual 2018 net worth: $45.2 billion

Net worth under revised Warren wealth tax: $7.8 billion

Net worth under Sanders wealth tax: $5.0 billion

Bloomberg LP founder Michael Bloomberg. Actual 2018 net worth: $51.8 billion

Net worth under revised Warren wealth tax: $12.3 billion

Net worth under Sanders wealth tax: $11.3 billion

Earlier this year, Bloomberg suggested a wealth tax could be unconstitutional and raised the prospect of America turning into Venezuela.

Google founder Sergey Brin. Actual 2018 net worth: $52.4 billion.

Net worth under revised Warren wealth tax: $21.4 billion

Net worth under Sanders wealth tax: $19.0 billion

Koch Industries executives Charles and David Koch. Actual 2018 net worth: $53.5 billion each.

Net worth under the revised Warren wealth tax: $7.9 billion

Net worth under the Sanders wealth tax: $8.0 billion

David Koch died in August, and it is unclear what will happen to Koch's estate. David was included in Saez and Zucman's analysis since it examines the wealthiest US citizens as of year end 2018.

Google founder Larry Page. Actual 2018 net worth: $53.8 billion.

Net worth under revised Warren wealth tax: $22 billion

Net worth under Sanders wealth tax:: $19.5 billion

Oracle founder Larry Ellison. Actual 2018 net worth: $58.4 billion.

Net worth under revised Warren wealth tax: $10.3 billion

Net worth under Sanders wealth tax: $8.5 billion

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Actual 2018 net worth: $61 billion.

Net worth under revised Warren wealth tax: $32.5 billion

Net worth under Sanders wealth tax: $28.6 billion

Last month, Zuckerberg expressed concern in a Fox News interview that eliminating billionaires would hurt competition, though he was uneasy with the level of inequality in the United States.

"I think it's good that there are different philanthropies and different organizations that can put competing ideas out about how to do research or science. … I fundamentally believe in that competition that you want different ideas out there," Zuckerberg said.

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett. Actual 2018 net worth: $88.3 billion.

Net worth under revised Warren wealth tax: $10.4 billion

Net worth under Sanders wealth tax:: $8.2 billion

Buffet has come out in favor of paying more taxes.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates. Actual 2018 net worth: $97 billion.

Net worth under revised Warren wealth tax: $13.9 billion

Net worth under Sanders wealth tax: $9.9 billion

Last week, Gates joked he didn't know how much money he would have left over if a wealth tax was implemented, but defended the amount of money he's paid to the government.

He also said he was open to paying more and backed additional taxes for the wealthy.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Actual 2018 net worth: $160 billion.

Net worth under revised Warren wealth tax: $48.8 billion

Net worth under Sanders wealth tax: $43 billion

• Read more:
• Comparing Forbes' lists of America's richest people from 1982 and 2019 shows how differently wealth is tracked today
• Here's how long it would take for 6 of the richest Americans to lose their billionaire status under a 6% wealth tax
• Wealth tax explainer: Why Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and billionaires like George Soros alike are calling for a specialized tax on the ultra-wealthy
• 4 European countries still have a wealth tax. Here's how much success they've each had.

• More than 9,100 stores are expected to close in 2019 as the retail apocalypse ravages the US.
• Mall vacancies were at a seven-year high in October of 2018 and report from data analytics firm Thasos found declining foot traffic in malls across the country.
• From the decline of the anchor store to experiential add-ons, here are six ways malls have changed in the last decade.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The mall as we know it is on its way out. 

As the the retail apocalypse ravages the US, more than 9,100 stores are expected to close in 2019. And malls across the country are dying as department stores like Macy's and Sears, once important anchors for mall foot traffic, are closing down for good.

A report from Credit Suisse in 2017 showed that between 20% to 25% of malls are expected to close by 2022.

"The department store industry has suffered in recent decades," said retail historian Vicki Howard, who authored the book "From Main Street to Mall: The Rise and Fall of the American Department Store" and is a lecturer at the University of Essex. "And their path is closely connected to that of the shopping mall."

As department stores like Sears and JCPenney shutter, they leave holes in traditional malls, which can sometimes lead to the shuttering of the entire complex. Since 2010, malls have either adapted or succumbed to the retail apocalypse.

From the dwindling number of malls to the introduction of experiential elements, here are the six main ways malls have changed in the last decade.

SEE ALSO: 10 brands that peaked in the '90s, including Blockbuster and Limited Too

1. Across America, malls are shuttering

Between 20% to 25% of malls will close by 2022, according to a report done by Credit Suisse in 2017.

Source: Business Insider,Business Insider

The problem is partly due to mass store closures, which cripples shopping centers. More than 9,100 stores are expected to close in 2019.

Source: Business Insider

Nordstrom, JCPenney and Macy's all closed their locations in Northgate Mall in Seattle, which is being transformed into offices, homes, and an NHL training center.

Source: Business Insider

2. Foot traffic is declining

August 2018 was when foot traffic at some of the best shopping centers across the country hit a high point. Since then, it has fallen, according to a report from data analytics firm Thasos.

Source: CNBC

3. The anchor store is a thing of the past

Department stores like JCPenney, Sears, and Macy's were once foot-traffic anchors for malls across the country.

But many of these anchor stores have been struggling in the last decade. And when stores like JCPenney or Macy's close, they leave holes in traditional malls, which can sometimes lead to the shuttering of the entire complex.

Source: Business Insider, Business Insider

Sears, once a leading American retailer, filed for bankruptcy in October 2018 and was bought out in February of this year by Eddie Lampert, the company's former CEO. Hundreds of Sears stores have closed in the past few years.

Source: Business Insider

4. The stores in malls are changing

Many formerly popular mall stores have died in the last decade. Wet Seal filed for bankruptcy in 2015 and announced in 2017 that it would close all of its stores.

Source: The Washington Post, Business Insider

Meanwhile, new brands like Bonobos — which started out online in 2007 — have developed a brick-and-mortar presence in malls across America.

Source: Business Insider,Bonobos

5. Experience has become a core focus in retail

Megamalls, like the recently opened American Dream in New Jersey, represent a new kind of shopping complex, one with an independence from traditional department store anchors.

Other attractions and amenities, like theme parks and aquariums, are expected to drive foot traffic in these massive centers.

"This is a different kind of complex not dependent on department store anchors," retail historian Vicki Howard said of the American Dream.

6. Virtual reality pop-ups in malls are one of the latest trends of the decade to hit shopping malls and drive foot traffic

Source: Pymnts.com

Virtual reality startup The Void partnered with mall operator Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield to bring 25 pop-up experiences to the US and Europe by 2022.

Source: Pymnts.com

• Austrian shipyard Silent Yachts debuted a new 55-foot catamaran that runs on solar power earlier this year at the Cannes Yachting Festival.
• The Silent 55 later appeared at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in November.
• The eco-friendly yacht does not sacrifice luxury. In addition to running on solar energy, the company says the yacht runs silently. It also has lavish amenities, including a master suite that occupies an entire beam.
• Its release marks yet another example in a recent trend towards sustainable luxury travel.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Silent 55 takes "chasing the sun" to a whole new level.

The Austrian shipyard Silent Yachts has been experimenting with alternative energy sources for yachts since 2005. Its newest yacht, the Silent 55, is a solar-electric catamaran that the company says can run completely on solar energy and cruises silently.

The Silent 55 catamaran made its debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival earlier this year and has since been making the boat show circuit, most recently appearing at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

Solar panels lining the vessel not only support solar-propulsion, but air conditioning and lighting, too, eliminating the need for a generator. When necessary, electric-propulsion can support the vessel as well. This eco-friendly yacht is just one example in a recent trend of of sustainable luxury travel.

Robb Report's Julia Zaltzman reported the Silent 55 is selling for 1.4 million euros (or about $1.54 million).

Here's a look inside the vessel.

SEE ALSO: The world's first hybrid cruise ship is currently on its maiden voyage, an 18-day trip to Antarctica with 450 guests onboard. Here's a look inside.

DON'T MISS: The world's first hydrogen-powered superyacht was unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show. Here's a look inside the game-changing 367-foot vessel concept.

Austrian shipyard Silent Yachts unveiled a new solar-powered catamaran at this year's Cannes Yachting Festival.

It has since appeared at the famed Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

Source: Silent Yachts

The 55-foot vessel is lined with 30 solar panels that reach 10 kilowatts each.

The panels use maximum power point tracking solar charge regulators and lithium batteries. An inverter provides power to other necessities like air conditioning and lighting in the cabins.

Source: Silent Yachts, Robb Report

The catamaran was designed to have zero emissions and to cruise up to 100 miles per day.

Source: Silent Yachts

In addition to its eco-friendly features, the vessel also has lavish amenities.

Source: Silent Yachts

There are multiple spots to lounge, including trampoline-like netting along the bow of the boat.

Source: Silent Yachts

There are also outdoor ...

Source: Silent Yachts

... and indoor dining areas.

Source: Silent Yachts

The two hulls encompass four cabins ...

Source: Silent Yachts

... including a full-beam master suite with natural light.

Source: Silent Yachts

Each cabin is additionally equipped with its own private bathroom.

Source: Silent Yachts

The Silent 55 represents "an entirely new dynamic in yachting," Silent Yachts president and founder, Michael Kohler said in a press release. Boaters are striving to be more eco-friendly but are unwilling to sacrifice luxury.

Source: Silent Yachts

The "new dynamic" in yachting that Kohler references has particularly taken off in 2019.

Business Insider previously reported that a model for the first hydrogen-powered yacht was unveiled in September by Sinot, a Dutch yacht-design company. The concept is similar to that of the Silent 55, albeit on a larger scale. The 367-foot vessel will be completely powered by liquid hydrogen and fuel-cell technology. Its only emission will be water.

The idea of alternative sources powering luxury vessels extends from yachts to cruises: The world's first hybrid cruise ship is currently on its maiden voyage to Antarctica. The MS Roald Amundsen runs on low sulfur diesel fuel supported by battery packs, cutting cruise ship emissions by 20%.

Increased attention to sustainability and conservation in the luxury travel sector play into the larger trend of "transformational travel." Ultimately, the ultrawealthy want to leave their vacation with a transformative, emotional experience to bring home, and in some cases, want to make a positive impact on the places they visit.

• On November 12, John Legend was announced as People's Sexiest Man Alive in 2019.
• However, not everyone was happy about it.
• We've found 38 other supremely sexy guys that we think deserved the title this year.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

There you have it. According to People, the Sexiest Man Alive this year is John Legend. While you might be happy about it, there are plenty of people who disagree with that choice — People doesn't always impress readers with its selections.

We created a list of 38 other handsome men who easily could have been named the Sexiest Man Alive this year, from Jake Gyllenhaal to Jason Momoa to Harry Styles.

Keep scrolling to see our picks for this year.

Michael B. Jordan has been making us swoon since his days on "Friday Night Lights."

Between "Creed,""Black Panther,""Raising Dion," and his upcoming legal drama "Just Mercy," Jordan, 32, has been having a stellar couple of years. He charmingly said that Zendaya wore the same suit better than he did, consistently takes fashion risks— and did we mention he bought his parents a house?

At this point, it's just blasphemous that Ryan Gosling has never been granted the title.

It's shocking that he's never won — not after "The Notebook," not after "Crazy Stupid Love," not after "La La Land," and not after the "Hey Girl" meme went viral.

According to ET, the 38-year-old has actually turned it down before, but that humility only adds to the sexy vibe.

After co-chairing the Met Gala, releasing a supremely sexy music video, and announcing his second album, Harry Styles has taken over 2019.

The 25-year-old former boybander has completely shed his One Direction skin. In a revealing Rolling Stone profile, Styles stated that his upcoming album, "Fine Line," is "all about having sex and feeling sad."

Styles is definitely redefining what it means to be "sexy" in 2019, by challenging masculinity and gender norms through his fashion.

Dev Patel stole the show in his episode of "Modern Love," and his hair deserves awards of its own.

Besides his episode of "Modern Love," which People ranked as the best episode of the season, Patel, 29, also took on the role of David Copperfield in "The Personal History of David Copperfield," which will be released in 2020 — though it received rave reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival.

And we already mentioned his hair.

Robert Downey Jr. concluded a 10-year run as Iron Man this year, and it's high time he was recognized for his sexiness.

As proof that some things only get better with age, 54-year-old Downey is arguably at the peak of his powers right now. He broke all our hearts in "Endgame,"generated some Oscar buzz, and is potentially turning into Tony Stark in real life?

Simply, we love him 3,000.

Will Smith is another shocking Sexiest Man Alive snub.

Smith had the unenviable job of taking over one of Robin Williams' most beloved roles this summer when he starred as the Genie in the live-action remake of "Aladdin." But to his credit, Smith did a pretty good job, and made the role his own. Even though his newest film, "Gemini Man"was a flop, it still hasn't reduced his number of fans.

The 51-year-old is also an extremely wholesome presence on Instagram, and he is smartly using nostalgia to his advantage by releasing a fashion collection inspired by"Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." Nothing sexier than a man who's business savvy, we say.

Chris Evans also wrapped up a years-long journey as Captain America, and he still has two more movies coming out this year.

Evans, 38, also had a banner year for sexiness. Captain America got to save the universe, wield Mjolnir, and managed to get the girl in the end.

The "Knives Out" star also regularly has the internet swooning with his epic clapbacks on Twitter and his extremely pure love for dogs.

Jake Gyllenhaal's chaotic energy during the "Spider-Man Far From Home" press tour reminded everyone why we love him so much.

Gyllenhaal is another almost unbelievable snub in the Sexiest Man Alive canon. He's been a favorite since 2001's "Donnie Darko," for crying out loud! But 2019 really was his year. The 38-year-old starred in the Netflix thriller "Velvet Buzzsaw," slayed on Instagram, and joined the decade's biggest franchise.

But, we'd be remiss not to mention the press tour for "Far From Home," and the subsequent bromance that sprouted between Gyllenhaal and his co-star Tom Holland. We could watch interviews of them for hours.

Keanu Reeves was retroactively named 1994's Sexiest Man Alive, but we think he deserves the 2019 honor for real.

As per usual, Reeves, 55, was one of the most beloved celebrities this year, from his hilarious cameo in "Always Be My Maybe," to his role in "Toy Story 4," to his third go-around as assassin with a heart, John Wick. We're already counting down the days until he reprises his role of Neo in the upcoming fourth "Matrix" movie. 

He's just an overall great person, and for that, he should be recognized.

Rami Malek is officially a heartthrob.

Though Malek, 38, has been a leading man for quite some time due to his role on "Mr. Robot," when he took on the role of Freddie Mercury for Queen biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody," it catapulted him to a new level of stardom.

But as far back as 2016, Malek found it "a bit awkward" to be considered a sex symbol. 

Shawn Mendes has been hard to avoid this year, from his hit songs to his PDA-filled romance with Camila Cabello.

As his fans would tell you, 21-year-old Mendes has been sexy to them for years, but this year he really broke out of his teen idol status and solidified his status as an adult artist. His music video for "Señorita" is borderline NSFW, especially when you take into account that it's co-starring his real girlfriend, Cabello.

Their IRL chemistry was so intense that it had fellow celebrities chanting for them to make out during their performance at the VMAs.

Henry Golding had a breakout year in 2018, and he has continued to charm us in 2019.

After stealing our hearts in "Crazy Rich Asians," Golding will continue to prove his rom-com leading man chops in "Last Christmas" alongside Emilia Clarke.

Winston Duke became extremely popular after "Black Panther" and "Us."

Duke added some much-needed comic relief during Jordan Peele's latest horror film, "Us." Handsome and funny? The 32-year-old easily deserves the Sexiest Man Alive title.

Duke was also recently cast in the Apple TV Plus series, "Swagger," so we can expect much more of him in 2020.

Andrew Scott set the world on fire this year with his role as the so-called "Hot Priest" in "Fleabag."

Scott was inescapable this year after the critically adored second season of "Fleabag" hit Amazon. His character inspired dozens of thinkpieces asking the same question: Why are we all so obsessed with Hot Priest?

The 43-year-old continued to enchant us with appearances in "Black Mirror" and "Modern Love," and the news of his casting in the second season of "His Dark Materials" and an upcoming adaptation of"The Talented Mr. Ripley" only added to the Hot Priest-mania.

Collectively, BTS is the biggest boy band in the world right now.

Even though they're ostensibly on a break right now, BTS didn't show any signs of slowing down this year. The five members, RM, Jungkook, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, and V, have taken over pop music. 

They're one of the first K-pop groups to breakthrough in the US. In 2019 alone, they attended the Grammys for the first time, became the first Korean group to perform on "Saturday Night Live," collaborated with American pop stars like Halsey, Charli XCX, Nicki Minaj, and Juice WRLD, and earned their second top 10 on the Ho 100.

Of course, their ravenous fanbase, called ARMY, would claim that they've been the Sexiest Men Alive for quite some time.

Paul Rudd is certainly making us feel things with his new long hair and beard.

There's an entire meme dedicated to how Rudd, 50, simply does not age. He looks the same as he did during 1995's "Clueless."

And after the success of the "Ant-Man"movies, it's clear that Rudd knows how to bulk up. Funny, jacked, and a great actor? Rudd easily deserves the title.

Mena Massoud brought one of the hottest animated characters — sorry, but it's true — to life when he played the titular role in "Aladdin" this summer.

Massoud didn't have as hard a job as Will Smith playing the Genie, but taking on the mantle of Aladdin is no small feat. As Insider's Kirsten Acuna wrote, Massoud is "the perfect Aladdin," and "any time Massoud sings, it feels as if you're watching the animated movie brought to life."

You can catch more of the 28-year-old in the upcoming Hulu series "Reprisal," which is set to debut in December.

When Travis Scott released his documentary "Look Mom I Can Fly," fans saw a whole new side of the rapper.

Thanks to now-ex-girlfriend Kylie Jenner, we all saw that Scott is a big romantic, from filling Jenner's entire home with rose petals for her birthday to buying her a potentially $500,000 diamond necklace.

In "Look Mom I Can Fly," there was no shortage of adorable moments between the 27-year-old rapper, Jenner, and their daughter Stormi. As many would say, good parenting = sexy.

If you're not totally in tune with Latin music, you may not know Maluma yet, but it's only a matter of time.

The 25-year-old singer hails from Colombia, and he recently released his fourth album this year, "11:11." It topped the US Latin Charts and reached 30 on the Billboard 200.

Mainstream audiences will get more exposure to Maluma in 2020, when he appears in the upcoming Jennifer Lopez film, "Marry Me." But People could have been ahead of the curve by picking Maluma this year.

Chris Messina really kicked it up a notch when he debuted a platinum dye job on the Golden Globes red carpet in January.

Not everyone can rock platinum blonde — but Messina sure can. His new hair color had people everywhere demanding that he be included in the "Hollywood Chris" ranking.

Though fans of "The Mindy Project" and "Sharp Objects" already knew that Messina, 45, was a bona fide heartthrob, 2019 may be the year he finally broke through. But if not, there's always his 2020 role in the Harley Quinn movie, "Birds of Prey."

The thirst for Timothée Chalamet showed no signs of slowing down this year.

The love for 23-year-old Chalamet only grows as he continues to star in prestige movies, and as he continues to take fashion risks. He continued to bless us with a sparkly hoodie and a "silky silver suit" during the premieres of his new Netflix film, "The King."

What else proves that Chalamet inspires a semi-unhinged fervor amongst fans? When the first stills from the upcoming "Little Women" remake were released, filled with powerhouse actresses like Meryl Streep, Laura Dern, Saoirse Ronan, and Emma Watson, all anyone could talk about was Timmy.

The entire cast of "Queer Eye," known collectively as the Fab Five, prove that it's sexy to be kind.

The Fab Five are only growing their reach, as evidenced by the latest batch of episodes that see them heading to Japan to help a new group of "heroes."

From taking fashion risks and shedding light on the HIV-positive community to helping people find love again, these five are a much-needed dose of good vibes in 2019.

New dad Prince Harry makes us swoon whenever he stands up for his wife, Meghan Markle.

Standing up to the British tabloids after they came for his wife, becoming a dad to a cute baby, and consistently breaking royal protocol all add up to a banner year for 35-year-old Prince Harry's hotness.

Jason Momoa proves that long hair done right can be very hot.

Even Helen Mirren is unable to resist how "gorgeous" the 40-year-old "Aquaman" star is. Between his luscious locks, his beard, his shredded body, and his wonderful sense of humor, we think her Momoa obsession is very relatable.

Taron Egerton showed off his musical chops when he played Elton John in "Rocketman."

Egerton made a pretty sexy version of John when he played the pop icon this summer. The 29-year-old even went out on stage and sang with the real John for a duet of "Your Song" during John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" tour in June.

Though, true Egerton heads know that he's been a heartthrob since 2014's "Kingsman: The Secret Service."

Egerton's "Rocketman" co-star Richard Madden equally deserves the honor.

Madden, 33, is out here proving that a simple silver streak in your hair can elevate your look to new heights of sexiness. He kicked off 2019 by winning a Golden Globe for his performance in "The Bodyguard," and ended it by beginning to shoot his Marvel debut, "The Eternals."

It was another year of Donald Glover proving that he's a triple-threat.

The 36-year-old multi-hyphenate wrote, produced, and starred in the Amazon movie "Guava Island" alongside Rihanna, and acted and sang in the 2019 live-action remake of "The Lion King" alongside Beyoncé — two of the most iconic artists of this decade. A banner year for Childish Gambino, we think.

Milo Ventimiglia makes us swoon and cry every week on "This Is Us."

Ventimiglia, 42, makes a mustache look hot, and for that we are eternally grateful.

In 2019, Mahershala Ali earned his second Oscar, starred in "True Detective" and revealed he'd be joining the MCU in a big way: taking over for Wesley Snipes and starring in "Blade."

Ali's giant smile is infectious, and his voice is supremely smooth and soothing. What else can you ask from the Sexiest Man Alive? And, it's becoming clear that Ali, 45, is only going to get better with time.

Robert Pattinson made waves when it was announced he was cast as the next Batman.

For years now, Pattinson, 33, has been quietly proving that he is an actor to be reckoned with, avoiding giant blockbusters after "Twilight" and picking eclectic roles and directors to work with.

All that went out the window he was chosen to take over the cape and cowl and play Batman in the upcoming 2020 movie. But are we complaining? No. It only means that we'll get more of his hilarious interviews, his artfully disheveled hair, and his very cute crooked smile.

Lakeith Stanfield is hard to look away from when he's on screen.

Whether it's in "Sorry to Bother You,""Someone Great,""Atlanta," or "Get Out," Stanfield is magnetic presence on screen. The 28-year-old is set to finish out the year in a big way too, with highly anticipated roles in "Uncut Gems" and "Knives Out."

This year was undeniably the year of the Jonas Brothers, all of whom are supremely attractive.

This year kicked off with the Jonas Brothers releasing their first single in years, "Sucker," which also happened to be their first No. 1 song ever. They embarked on an extremely successful tour, Joe got married to "Game of Thrones" star Sophie Turner, their comeback album earned positive reviews, and they reminded the entire world that, yes, the Jonas Brothers have grown up and become extremely hot.

Never have we ever seen a Bachelor Nation member transcend their reality TV roots like fan-favorite Tyler Cameron.

If you don't watch "The Bachelor" and its multitudinous spin-offs, you might not know who Cameron is. But if you know, you know.

Cameron quickly won over "Bachelor" fans and had them all screaming at their TVs in horror when Hannah B. picked Jed Wyatt over 26-year-old Cameron. He's got everything: model-good looks, a clear devotion to his family, and an undying love for cookies. Not even Gigi Hadid could resist.

Troye Sivan has been on tour for the past year supporting what Out Magazine called "his sex album."

While the 24-year-old isn't afraid to sing about his sexuality and personal experiences on "Bloom," that doesn't mean that he's okay with his privacy getting invaded. He called out an interviewer for asking him invasive questions that he wasn't OK with answering. Not being afraid to stand up for yourself? Extremely attractive.

Randall Park earned his rom-com chops this year in "Always Be My Maybe."

Park, 45, has been killing it on "Fresh Off the Boat" for years, but opposite Ali Wong in "Always Be My Maybe," he got to be the romantic lead, not solely the comic relief or dad. And we all are very grateful for that.

Christian Bale is long overdue for his Sexiest Man Alive honor.

Though Bale was decidedly un-sexy as Dick Cheney in "Vice," we can all clearly see he bounced back for awards season and for "Ford v Ferrari"— and comeback stories are the best kind of stories. The 45-year-old has been making our hearts flutter since he starred in the 1994 version of "Little Women," in the same role that fellow sexy person Timothée Chalamet will take over this year.

Oscar Isaac has been declared a "short king" by the internet.

A short king for those who don't know, is just any man who is short, according to Mel Magazine. It's relatively similar to the "BDE" phenomenon that took over last summer.

A quick search on Twitter of "Oscar Isaac short king," yields thousands of tweets. So give this 40-year-old short king what he deserves right before his last "Star Wars" movie premieres, and declare him the Sexiest Man Alive.

Noah Centineo is the internet's latest boyfriend.

Centineo, 23, continues to captivate us with his "profound" tweets, his adventures in showering with a cast, confusingly bleaching his beard, and starring in the upcoming "Charlie's Angels" movie.

We're still not over Peter Kavinsky, and thankfully, we only have a few more months to go before "To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You" is released on Netflix.

• Read more:
• WHERE ARE THEY NOW: 21 of the internet's favorite boyfriends
• 36 '90s heartthrobs everyone was obsessed with — and what they're up to now
• Every celebrity couple that has gotten married in 2019
• 25 candid photos of icons who shaped pop culture

• Group birthday dinners sound like they should be fun. But when it comes to splitting the check, or figuring out what food to order, things can get stressful. 
• Organizers should inform everyone of the cost when they begin planning and try to find something that's within everyone's budgets.
• There's no one right way to deal with the check, but clearly communicate about how you're thinking of splitting it.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Can we talk for a minute about how much we secretly hate group birthday dinners? There never seems to be the right amount of food.  God forbid you have any food allergies or don't want to drink that night. The long table inevitably makes it hard to socialize with more than two people at any given time. And when the bill comes … bring on the drama. 

It usually goes down a little something like this: Everyone slowly reaches for their purse or wallet, perhaps hopeful that one generous soul will offer to foot the whole bill. Inevitably, that doesn't happen, so then the chorus of questions begins. "Are we seriously splitting this?""Are we paying for the birthday girl and her husband?""Who even chose this restaurant?" Eventually, the bill gets evenly split, with the exception of the birthday girl, who gets a free meal as her gift (in addition to the gift you may have already chipped in for). You walk away unhappy with the final cost, but you keep quiet to avoid starting a fight and looking like a miser.

Sound familiar? 

It doesn't have to be this way. It's time to get your friends on board with a new way of doing things, stat. 

SEE ALSO: Americans are spending money on their pets at a higher rate than they are on food or medicine

Establishing the "laws of the meal"

As soon as the group texts and emails are flowing and a restaurant is chosen, it's the responsibility of the dinner's organizers to do some research and let everyone know about how much the meal will cost, said Carolyn Hax, etiquette expert and Washington Post advice columnist. When this happens, people who signed up to celebrate won't be ambushed when the bill comes at the end of the night, which Hax said is a perpetual complaint about these kinds of events. Guests can then choose to opt out of the event if they feel they can't afford the meal, which helps them avoid the other two options of awkward conversations or paying something way out of line with their budget. 

Another great option for party organizers is to select a restaurant that's within budget for everyone attending. "Know your audience," Hax said, then link to a menu and prepare guests for the cost, either by setting a spending limit per person, or sharing an estimate. 

Another great move is to establish up front whether the group will be splitting the check, or if everyone will be paying for themselves. If you're all on separate checks, then treat yourself to whatever you'd like. But, if it's going to be an even split, or if one person is paying for the whole group, ordering an expensive entree is not appropriate, Hax said. 

At the end of the day, who should pay?

The thoughts on this are about as varied as the menu at any diner, if the members of the private HerMoney Facebook group are any indication. (What? You're not a member? Join us!)

Maisa Sarsour-Hamdan, a 37-year-old from Tampa, said that guests should pay for their own entree and drinks, but split the cost of apps and desserts, and the organizer should pay for the birthday girl, unless someone else insists. Laurel Nelson, 31, from Salt Lake City, said she likes to split the bill, and have all guests chip in to cover the birthday girl. Stormy Good, 27, from Colorado Springs, CO, said that her preference is to have everyone split the bill evenly, or have one person pay for the dinner on their credit card, and then send a Venmo request of even amounts to each of the guests. 

Remember: No one likes an ambush

Hax said that no matter what works best for you and your pals, communication is key.

"The better answer always is to prepare people so they aren't ambushed," she said. If the restaurant looks too expensive, suggest one that's more in your budget. If you think the check-splitting math was done wrong, then offer up your expertise — or calculator. If you know you have a strict price limit for the night, simply let your friends know ahead of time so there are no uncomfortable situations the night of the event. Establishing ground rules before arriving to the restaurant is the best way to ensure the birthday dinner will be just that — a fun celebration of someone you love. 

Join us every Wednesday for a candid conversation about life and money. Subscribe to the #HerMoneyPodcast so you never miss an episode.

• Walmart has just about any item you can think of, so it should come as no surprise that you can buy all your Christmas decorations in one place.
• There are literally hundreds of lights, ornaments, tree toppers, indoor décor, outdoor décor, and more, so it can become a black hole for Christmas decorations. 
• Walmart has a helpful style-based search function so you can shop more efficiently among five distinct decor styles. But that can still give you an overwhelming amount of items to go through, so here are 18 of the best Christmas decorations you can buy at Walmart. 
• Check out all of our 2019 holiday gift guides here. 

Shopping for Christmas decorations can be overwhelming. There are literally hundreds of decorations at every store from lights and ornaments to indoor and outdoor décor, and more, but Walmart's style-based search function is super helpful at narrowing things down.

It has the option of shopping for Christmas decorations by style — industrial farmhouse, Nordic, rustic lodge, glitter and glam, and cool yule. But there are still more than a thousand items to go through, so to make your shopping even easier, we've chosen 18 of our favorite Christmas decorations from Walmart across all five decor styles. 

If you need more Christmas décor inspiration for tree skirts, tree stands, ornaments, and more, check out some of our buying guides: 

• Best artificial Christmas trees
• Best Christmas decorations
• Best Christmas tree skirt
• Best Christmas tree stand
• Best Christmas lights
• Best Christmas tree ornaments

Shop all Christmas decorations at Walmart here.

A wreath with pine cones and holly berries

Frosted Berry Wreath, $30.99 (originally $35.19), available at Walmart [You save $4.20]

This traditional Christmas wreath is bound to get anyone who sees it excited for the holiday season.

Style: Industrial farmhouse/rustic lodge

A funny Santa ornament

Animated Santa Kickers Christmas Decoration, $25, available at Walmart

This fun battery-powered Santa decoration will kick his legs up and down in an effort to escape your tree.

Style: Cool yule

A festive light machine

Christmas Lightshow Projection Points of Light with Remote, $24.99, available at Walmart

Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, this light machine has 122 programs to create a light show of your dreams. 

Style: Cool yule

An adorable s'mores snowman stocking holder

Cast Iron/Resin S'mores Stocking Holder, $20.96, available at Walmart

Forgo the nails in the wall and place this happy s'mores snowman on top of your mantle to hang your stockings this year. 

Style: Rustic lodge

A Christmas nutcracker with LED lights

Christmas Nutcracker, $199.11, available at Walmart

This Christmas nutcracker will add a classic touch to your holiday decor.

Style: Cool yule

A balloon dog ornament

Balloon Dog Animal Christmas Ornament (Gold), $11.49, available at Walmart

Add a gold Jeff Koons-inspired balloon dog animal ornament to your tree for a more playful look.

Style: Cool yule

Inflatable decor with Santa Claus and a few of his reindeer

Pre-Lit Inflatable Santa Claus Sleigh and Reindeer Yard Decor, $69.99, available at Walmart

Bring Santa and his reindeer home with this classic yard decoration that inflates in minutes.

Style: Cool yule

Indoor and outdoor Christmas lights

Indoor and Outdoor Clear Mini Christmas Lights, $8.26, available at Walmart

These clear mini lights can be used indoor and outdoor, and will add a slight glow to trees, doorways, columns, and more.

Style: 

A tree topper in the shape of a top hat

Lighted Tinsel Snowman Top Hat Christmas Tree Topper, $19.98, available at Walmart

A top hat tree topper is a unique finishing touch on your Christmas tree.

Style: Cool yule

A soft tree skirt

Velvet Faux Fur Christmas Tree Skirt, $40.99, available at Walmart

Cover up artificial and real tree stands with this soft velvet and faux fur-lined tree skirt.  

Style: Glitter and glam

A gold star tree topper

Gold Filigree Tree Topper, 13.5", $13.98, available at Walmart

This traditional gold star tree topper has 15 clear lights inside for a soft glow.

Style: Glitter and glam

A festive lamp post planter

Pre-lit Lamp Post Christmas Tree, $24.99, available at Walmart

Travel back in time with this festive lamp post. It comes with artificial branches, lights, and a bow it's ready to be placed outside your door as soon as it arrives. 

Style: Industrial farmhouse

A personalized Christmas stocking

Personalized Snowflake Knit Christmas Stocking, $16.99 (originally $21.99), available at Walmart[You save $5]

And speaking of stockings, this one can be customized with different styles of knitting and embroidered with your name. 

Style: Cool yule 

Shatterproof Christmas ornaments

Set of 72 Shatterproof Decorative Handcrafted Assorted Christmas Ornaments, $29.99 (originally $43.99), available at Walmart [You save $14]

These gold glitter-flecked ornaments are made from shatterproof plastic, so you won't have to worry if when they fall on the ground.

Style: Glitter and glam

An outdoor light-up reindeer

Light-Up Buck Outdoor Christmas Décor, 30 in, $14.98, available at Walmart

This light-up reindeer can dress up your yard, lawn, or garden whether it's running solo or with a pack.

Style: Glitter and glam

A plaid Christmas wreath

Plaid Felt Christmas Wreath, $29.99, available at Walmart (originally $39.99) [You save $10]

If you want to veer away from the traditional Christmas wreaths, try a felt plaid Christmas wreath with poinsettias accents. 

Style: Rustic lodge

A festive garland

Pre-lit Green Liberty Christmas Garland, 9 ft, $14.98, available at Walmart

Add greenery to railings and doorways with an artificial garland that's pre-strung with clear lights for a cozy glow. 

Style: Industrial farmhouse

A string of multicolor jumbo lights

Multicolor Jumbo Christmas Lights, $19.86, available at Walmart

This colorful set of lights features eight jumbo red, yellow, blue, and green Christmas lights suitable indoors and outdoors. 

Style: Cool yule

• Marines in California have started training to drive the new replacement for the Humvee — the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.
• The JLTV can do a lot more than the Humvee, and Marines at Camp Pendleton are already enjoying the ride.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, California — Multiple units on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton have started to introduce the new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle to their Marines by teaching them the basic operations of one of the Marine Corps' newest ground vehicles.

"The JLTV is a lot more capable than the Humvee," said Mario Marin, the JLTV lead instructor with the I Marine Expeditionary Force JLTV Operator New Equipment Training course. "The ability for the driver to actually manipulate the system itself, using what's called a MUX panel, a multi-plex panel, or the driver smart display. The driver has, at his finger tip, a lot of control of the vehicle. It has a lot of technological advances that the Humvee does not, and that is just your basic JLTV."

The JLTV is meant to replace the Humvee all across the Department of Defense. The JLTV is equipped with more highly evolved technology compared to the basic equipment of a Humvee.

The JLTV is mechanically reliable, maintainable with on-board diagnostics, all terrain mobile, and equipped to link into current and future tactical data nets.

SEE ALSO: Meet the overlooked crews who make sure fellow Marines can fight from ship to shore

"We get the students accustomed here, locally," said Marin. "Today we are doing the walk and run phase. The walk phase is what we call the 'Camp Pendleton 5000,' and then the run phase is where we take them out to the (Interstate Highway 5)."

The JLTV Course is an eight-day training course that teaches students about the vehicle's characteristics, operations, operator maintenance and safety.

The first day, students are in a classroom environment where they learn the basic information of a JLTV.

Following their time in the classroom, they proceed outside to receive hands-on training with a JLTV. They will learn about the parts and see first hand the new features a JLTV has to offer.

From there, the students will do a cone-skill course. During the cone course, the students will learn basic maneuvers, with an instructor as the assistant driver to help guide the students.

After getting the feel of a JLTV, students then drive out to I-5, to experience the max speed of the JLTV.

Finally, students take the JLTV's onto various training areas on Camp Pendleton. This gives students the opportunity to experience different types of terrain.

The students are from various units on Camp Pendleton. Once they are trained, they will return to their respective units ready to conduct missions with the new JLTVs being assigned to those units.

"This license is better than any other license that I've had," said Cpl. Devonte Jacobs, a motor vehicle operator with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. "This vehicle is capable of doing a lot more than any other vehicle, and it will help Marines become better."

• Russia and its neighbors in NATO have been at odds since Moscow seized Crimea and intervened in Ukraine in 2014.
• Much of that tension has played out the ground in Europe, but NATO is also responding to what it sees as antagonistic behavior by Russia in the waterways around the continent.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Shrinking ice coverage in the Arctic has draw the attention of NATO, Russia, and other countries to the high north, where the promise of more accessible waterways means potential military and commercial competition.

Since Russia's 2014 seizure of Crimea and incursion in Ukraine, however, NATO members have been concerned about Moscow's actions closer to home, and developments in recent weeks indicate the alliance is focusing on securing waterways around Europe, in the Baltic and Mediterranean seas and the eastern Atlantic — all areas that could be contested in a conflict with Russia.

Below, you can see what NATO is being warned about, and what the alliance is and isn't doing to address it.

SEE ALSO: Russia's submarines are getting harder to find, and the Navy is sending more people to keep an eye on them

The Baltic Sea, bordered by six NATO member countries and with Russia's second-largest city, St. Petersburg, at its eastern end, has always been a busy area.

Encounters between NATO forces and Russian forces at sea in the Baltic and in the skies over Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, where NATO members carry out air patrols, have been on the rise since 2014. (The air policing mission has actually been going on since 2004.)

That encounters include an incident this summer in which a Russian Su-27 fighter escorting Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu's plane turned into a NATO jet, forcing it away.

These tensions have come with military buildup as well.

Starting in 2016, NATO deployed some 4,500 troops in battle groups to the Baltics and Poland. Since the end of 2017, Sweden, which like Finland is not part of NATO, has sent new military forces to Gotland Island, which it had withdrawn from in 2005.

In Kaliningrad, an exclave that is home to Russia's Baltic Fleet, Moscow has deployed new weaponry, including nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, and upgraded facilities, including what appear to be active nuclear-weapon storage bunkers.

This summer, Russia also set up a helicopter base on Gogland, a small island between Finland and Estonia. Estonian officials played down the military significance, but the base is still seen as a Russian move to assert its power in the region and keep its neighbors guessing.

NATO countries along the Baltic have sought a more robust presence, and Germany has taken the lead.

Among NATO members, Germany, which has been criticized for the paucity of its defense spending and the quality of its armed forces, has taken the lead and tried to bring NATO and the EU closer together on Baltic security.

Vice Adm. Rainer Brinkmann, deputy chief of the German navy, said in September that Russia was the "one main challenge" in the Baltic and that Western partners "must take appropriate measures to cope" and "to prevent the Baltic Sea from being a 'mare clausum,'" or "closed sea."

Like its neighbors, Russia has legitimate reasons to be in the Baltic, but the number of actors there, each with their own national and commercial interests, make it a delicate situation, according to Christopher Skaluba, director or the Transatlantic Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council.

"I think [the Russians] know that aggressive actions in the Baltic are likely to get the attention, in a way they probably didn't want, of the NATO nations and Sweden and Finland."

"The Baltic is pretty small place. There's a lot of players. That piece of it gets really ugly really quick," Skaluba told Business Insider in October. "I think for lots of reasons, there are more incentives to avoid [conflict] than there are to ... catalyze it."

A new battle of the Atlantic.

Russia's navy is increasingly active in the North Atlantic, and though the level of that activity and the size of Russia's navy don't appear to reach that of the Cold War, it has set NATO on edge.

Growing tension between NATO members and Russia in the Atlantic has been called "the fourth battle of the Atlantic," following World War I and II and the Cold War.

The UK in particular has struggled to keep up, calling on NATO allies to help track Russian subs thought to be lurking in and around British waters.

"In 2010, a Royal Navy ship was called on just once to respond to Russian navy ships approaching UK territorial waters. Last year we had to respond 33 times," the UK's then-defense minister, Gavin Williamson, said in May 2018.

The Royal Navy has built new aircraft carriers, equipping them with Britain's first F-35s, and acquired US-made maritime patrol aircraft after scrapping its Nimrod patrol aircraft in 2010.

The UK and its allies in Europe want to keep "a critical choke point" between them open.

While any conflict in the Atlantic today is likely to look much different than previous battles, it's likely to involve the English Channel and waters around it, especially the North Sea — at least that's the concern of the five European countries who effectively revived the Cold War-era "Channel Committee" this month.

The pact signed on Thursday by senior navy leaders from Germany, France, the UK, Belgium, and the Netherlands pledges to "harmonize" naval purchasing plans, potentially to include common procurement, according to Defense News.

But the countries also want to increase personnel exchanges and joint training and eventually recognize the professional qualifications of service members across the group.

"The Channel area is the front door to Central Europe and an important gate to the Baltic Sea," the text of the pact says. "It is the critical choke point for the maritime traffic between the United Kingdom and continental Europe."

The committee is also another military tether between mainland Europe and the UK, whose future relations with the rest of the continent remain in doubt amid the turmoil of Brexit.

The Mediterranean has also become a venue for what the US and others see as an emerging great-power competition.

NATO members in southern Europe have been focused on immigration from the Middle East and North Africa and the threat of terrorism emanating from those regions.

But Russian naval forces are a constant presence in the Mediterranean, traveling to and from Moscow's bases in the Black Sea and and its base in Tartus, Syria, which is Russia's only such facility outside the territory of the former Soviet Union.

With the ongoing civil war in Syria, the eastern Mediterranean has also become a venue for military operations, with Russian subs demonstrating their new ability to strike targets on land with missiles.

The Russian presence around the Mediterranean and Black seas, Iran's presence in Syria, and antagonistic intra-alliance relations with Turkey all present security challenges for NATO, according to a recent Atlantic Council report.

"As the south becomes more congested and contested, and great-power competition intensifies, NATO defense, deterrence, and containment mission in the south is increasingly urgent and more complex," the report states.

The lack of a strategy in the Mediterranean could have more serious consequences for the alliance as a whole, according to one deputy secretary general.

NATO has made a lot progress improving its defense and deterrence against Russia since 2014, "but it was more talk than action when it came to addressing problems in the south," Alexander Vershbow, a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council and coauthor of the report, said during its presentation last month.

"This theme figured prominently in my farewell address to the North Atlantic Council three years ago, and unfortunately the situation hasn't changed all that much since then," added Vershbow, who was deputy secretary general of NATO and US ambassador to Russia.

According to the report, "many of the conventional defense and deterrence challenges associated with NATO's east are now reemerging in the south," including enhanced Russian anti-access/area-denial capabilities, provocative actions in the Black Sea, and hybrid activity on the ground.

Though NATO has taken steps to remedy its shortcomings in the Mediterranean — such as setting up a "hub of the south" at Joint Forces Command in Naples, Italy — establishing a maritime-focused enhanced southern presence there could be a way to counter Russia and sharing the burden of doing so among members, Vershbow said.

"Russia is back with a vengeance in the eastern Mediterranean and in the Black Sea," which adds a geopolitical dimension to NATO's need to project stability and bolster defense and deterrence, Vershbow added.

"The lack of an effective southern strategy could put alliance solidarity at risk if the publics in the southern NATO countries see the alliance as failing to address what they consider to be their priority concerns," Vershbow said. "It could undermine their willingness to share the burdens of collective defense against Russia, and everybody loses in that scenario."

• Stephen Lovegrove is a life coach who works with billionaires, Hollywood stars, and hundreds of international clients. Lovegrove is an international bestseller and the host of "City of Angels: Conversations That Heal LA." Lovegrove's works have been featured on MTV, LA Times, OWN, and many more.
• Lovegrove writes that while we want to know we're moving in the right direction, we sometimes don't realize how we're sabotaging ourselves. 
• We can't expect things to simply just change, but need to invest in personal growth. It's important to create clear indicators for how we're measuring that growth and progress — and we shouldn't spend time comparing ourselves to others.
• It's easy to always feel busy, but take the time to determine if the work you're doing is fulfilling or leading to income.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Progress, according to Merriam-Webster, is "forward and onward movement." Isn't that what every business owner desires? 

We want to know that we are moving forward in the right direction. We want to know that we are making progress toward what matters most to us. 

And yet, we all get sidetracked from time to time — looking back on the seasons of our lives and recognizing we didn't make the progress we intended to make. 

How does that happen, and what can we do to ensure we're not accidentally sabotaging our progress? Let's dive into five ways you may be sabotaging your progress and not even realize it.

SEE ALSO: A survey of 1,000 executives found that you won't regret taking these 7 career risks

1. Expecting everything to change overnight

I've heard it said that we overestimate how much our lives can change in a day, while underestimating how much our lives can change in a year. The same is surely true about our income, our businesses, and our careers. 

When we put too much pressure on ourselves to achieve an outcome immediately, it has the opposite effect of what we intended. Instead of motivating ourselves, we end up discouraged and defeated. 

Your life and business are probably not going to completely change overnight — at least, not on a regular basis. However, if you commit to consistently making progress and moving in the right direction, you might be shocked at what you can accomplish. 

Simple math tells us that if you increase anything by 1% every single day, you will have multiplied it by 37 by the end of the year. James Clear teaches this principle as the "art of continuous improvement."

Stop expecting everything to change overnight, and embrace the process that is personal growth.

2. Measuring the wrong indicators

You can't make progress toward your goals if you don't even know what progress looks like. While that may sound like an obvious truth, you'd be surprised by how many people I talk to who don't know what kind of progress matters to them most. 

Here are some questions to help you discover the metrics you should be paying attention to: 

What do I want? 

After six years of coaching hundreds of people, you'd be surprised by how many individuals I have worked with who are not in touch with their desires at all. Sure, they might know where they prefer to get sushi after work, but they don't know or acknowledge what they want most deeply out of their lives. Many of us have accepted blindly what society tells us to want, as if there was one American dream that will magically fulfill us all. Others have succumbed to the agenda of various people in their lives, whether it be parents or relatives or friends. None of these answers can actually lead you down the path of true meaning and satisfaction. You must answer for yourself — what do I want? 

How will I know I got what I wanted? 

Give yourself a clear description and paint a vivid picture. If you claim that you want to "get fit," for example, the next question is going to be difficult to answer, because you have a vague definition of success that provides no direction on how to get there. If you instead choose a goal like "losing 20 pounds,""working out five days a week," or "a visible six pack," you know exactly what you are moving toward, and now you have an end goal to reverse engineer. 

What steps must happen in that process? 

Although the famous song describes going from zero to 100 "real quick," it hardly ever happens quickly in real life. There's a process involved with many steps in between for everything we desire to accomplish. Hopefully it won't take 100 steps, but you do need to determine what steps will be required in your journey. The good news is, no matter what outcome you are pursuing, there are surely others who have already gotten there and can share their experience with you. Reverse engineer the path to figure out what step one looks like for you today.  

How do I want to feel along the way? 

This question may be the most important one of all. I've often said to clients: The end does not justify the means, but rather, the means create the end. Whatever energy you put into the process will end up leaking into your final product. Make sure you know how you want to feel when all is said and done, and then make it a priority to begin generating that feeling right now. If you postpone the feeling now, you'll probably still withhold it from yourself after you cross the finish line. 

These four questions will help you determine what progress you most want to see. 

If you're an entrepreneur, for example, you may determine that progress looks like building your client base, increasing client retention, and boosting your sales numbers. If that's what matters to you most, it's important to keep that at the forefront of your focus. If you instead end up measuring things like Instagram followers and how many people like your posts, you might end up trying to win a game that doesn't even matter to you in the long run. 

Don't make the mistake of measuring progress that doesn't matter, only to realize the goals and dreams that matter most have gotten left behind.

3. Comparing yourself to others

Over my six-year journey of building a business, nothing has slowed down my own progress more than getting lost in the comparison game. 

On his podcast interview with me, John Lee Dumas of Entrepreneurs on Fire shared one of his favorite sayings: "Compare and despair." I couldn't agree more. Comparison will never lead us to the progress we desire. 

The classic example of the comparison trap is athletes running a race. It literally slows a runner down to take a split second to look to their right or left; they cannot pay attention to what others are doing without having their own pace be affected. I believe the exact same dynamic is true for each of us as we strive toward our own goals and dreams. 

If we're caught up in what other people around us are thinking, saying, or building, we lose energy and momentum around what's in front of us to create.

4. Filling your time with activities that don't produce income or fulfillment

I talk to entrepreneurs constantly who tell me how busy they are, and I understand they are telling me the truth. The vast majority of business owners feel incredibly busy in their everyday lives. 

Now, there's nothing wrong necessarily with having a full schedule or working long hours, but it's important that we are aware of what our busyness entails. If all it amounts to is a whole bunch of busy work, we may in fact be wasting our time. 

I challenge my clients to look at the activities that are filling up their calendars and ask the following two questions: 

Is this making me money? 

Be honest with yourself here. Don't settle for a vague answer like, "Well, it's related to my business, so I suppose it does." Most business owners are spending tons of time on activities that don't actually increase their profit at all. So look for a direct connection. Is what you're about to spend time on actually going to (at least potentially) result in income? 

Does this bring me fulfillment?

Only you can determine what brings fulfillment to you, but it's important to know what that feels like within yourself and to note the activities that create the feeling. This question should be easy to answer, because we know it when we feel it. 

Everything that you do should answer at least one of those questions with a resounding "yes." Obviously, everything does not have to be income generating to be worthwhile. You should spend time with your kids, for example, even if you could be working more instead. So it's not that we are trying to cut every possible thing that isn't profitable. 

But if you're going to do something that isn't making you money, it better serve another purpose in your life — bringing you happiness, meaning, and fulfillment. 

What we want to avoid is the category of busy-work activities that lead us nowhere. 

Especially early on in someone's business journey, it's easy to get caught up in chores like updating your website, making business cards, or reformatting your social media that allow you to feel productive, but don't necessarily affect your bottom line. If you stay in this pattern for too long, you'll end up frustrated and defeated, wondering why you're putting in so much work and can't make progress. 

Remember: It should move you forward or give you fulfillment if you're going to spend substantial time on it.

5. Trying to create success from the outside in

When it comes to progress, the ultimate trap is believing that you can force external change without changing who you are internally. 

While that methodology may create temporary results, it doesn't produce progress that lasts and feels good. 

One of my favorite spiritual texts, "A Course in Miracles," teaches that you can't have something you are not willing to be. While this might sound like hippie metaphysical jargon to you, there's a deep truth here that's extremely relevant to every business owner. 

You must become the CEO, entrepreneur, or leader who consistently makes progress as a part of who you are. 

We always reset our lives back to the truth of who we believe that we are. If you limit your progress to the surface level, you will end up undoing the progress you've made and reset back to what has become your normal. 

Everything that lasts is built from the inside out. Progress happens that way, too. 

So yes, there are plenty of distractions and pitfalls that can slow down our progress temporarily, but if we know what to watch out for and what to prioritize, it is completely possible to stay on track and move forward in the right direction consistently. 

Here's the message I'd like to leave you with today: 

You are right where you are intended to be. Don't get distracted. Don't get discouraged. 

Know what matters to you and keep it in front of you. You may not get there overnight, but if you stay in the flow and stay true to your path, you will indeed get there. 

I believe in you, and I always will.

• The past decade has seen an explosion in the number of people entrusting massive tech companies with their personal data. There has also been a rise in large-scale data breaches and hacks.
• Of the 15 largest data breaches in history, 10 took place in the past decade. The two largest data exposures of all time happened in 2019.
• Organizations that fell victim to the attacks include Facebook, Target, Equifax, Adobe, and more.
• Data violations have only become more frequent in the past decade, according to a recent study.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

With a few months left in the decade, it's safe to say that the 2010s were the worst decade on record for hacks and data breaches. 

Of the 15 largest data breaches in history, 10 took place in the past decade. Each involved the theft of tens or hundreds of millions of records — such as login credentials, financial information, or personal data — adding up to nearly 4 billion records stolen in total over the past 10 years.

The number of data violations like hacks and breaches is steadily trending upwards, according to a recent study by the cybersecurity firm Kastle Systems.

Lawmakers and the private sector have both been relatively slow to adapt to the rising threat of cyber attacks, but the federal government has started taking new action this year. The Department of Defense released a new draft of cybersecurity standards in August, and plans to publish a finalized set of standards in January.

Here are the 10 most serious data breaches in the US from the past decade, ranked by the number of records seized by hackers.

SEE ALSO: The biggest hacks of 2019 so far

10. Target was subject to a data breach in 2013 that exposed 40 million credit and debit card accounts.

Target's network was compromised after hackers targeted a third-party heating and air conditioning contractor working for the company, according to cybersecurity watchdog Brian Krebs. The breach took place during two weeks in late 2013 and was unveiled in 2014, setting off a Secret Service investigation.

9. A 2017 data breach targeted Equifax, impacting as many as 143 million users.

Hackers stole names, social security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and the numbers of some driver's licenses from Equifax users, the company discovered in July 2017. It was later uncovered that some users' passports were also accessed.

8. A 2014 cyber attack on eBay stole login credentials of up to 145 million users.

Hackers compromised accounts of a handful of eBay employees, gaining access to information on millions of users. The company wasn't sure how many people were affected, it told the Washington Post at the time, but warned 145 million of its users to change their login credentials.

7. An Under Armour data breach affected 150 million users of the store's mobile app in 2018.

Users of the retail giant's food and nutrition app, MyFitnessPal, were hit by the data breach, in which hackers stole usernames, passwords, and associated email addresses. The company's stocks took a significant hit after the news of the breach came out, CNBC reported.

6. As many as 152 million records were stolen from Adobe in a 2013 data breach.

Hackers compromised millions of users' Adobe login information in a 2013 breach.

Adobe at first said 3 million accounts were affected, then revised that number to 38 million, while cybersecurity watchdog Sophos said it found over 150 million breached records in a database dump of the stolen data. At the time, Adobe told The Verge that that figure could include "many invalid Adobe IDs, inactive Adobe IDs, Adobe IDs with invalid encrypted passwords, and test account data."

5. A group of Eastern European hackers stole over 160 million records from companies ranging from Nasdaq to 7-Eleven before being stopped by authorities in 2013.

The hackers were finally caught and charged by federal prosecutors in 2013 after stealing data from Nasdaq, 7-Eleven, J.C. Penney, and other companies. Prosecutors said the hackers were affiliated with Albert Gonzalez, a Miami-based hacker who had already been charged with cyber crimes in 2010 and sentenced to 20 years in prison, according to the Wall Street Journal.

4. A 2016 data breach compromised more than 412 million accounts from a network of adult-oriented networking sites.

The breach targeted users on the Friend Finder network, which included adult-oriented social media sites AdultFriendFinder.com, Cams.com, iCams.com, Stripshow.com, and Penthouse.com.

The network discovered the breach after it was brought to their attention by a Twitter user, according to Cyber Security Online.

3. Hackers broke into Marriott's reservation system in 2018, accessing 500 million guests' private information.

Hackers stole names, addresses, credit card numbers, and phone numbers of hotel guests, as well as information on travel itineraries like passport numbers and arrival and departure dates.

The company's shares dropped nearly six points in the aftermath of the breach, according to the Washington Post.

2. More than 540 million Facebook users' data was up for grabs on unprotected servers until April 2019.

While the data exposure wasn't as headline-grabbing as more high-profile incidents like Facebook's Cambridge Analytica scandal, it was notable for affecting a huge number of users. The insecure data wasn't removed from unprotected cloud servers until it was uncovered by Bloomberg in April.

1. 885 million sensitive financial records were left exposed by First American on public servers where anyone could access them until May 2019.

Social Security numbers, tax documents, and more personal information was left exposed on publicly accessible web pages for years. The data exposure was brought to the attention of the insurance giant First American by Brian Krebs in May, after which the company took the records down.

• USA TODAY has released its annual rankings of the highest-paid coaches in college football.
• Dabo Swinney— head coach of the reigning champion Clemson Tigers— leads all play-callers with a $9,315,600 salary.
• The coaches of massive programs such as Alabama, Michigan, Texas A&M, and Georgia round out the top five.
• Check out the entire 25 highest-paid football coaches for the 2019-20 season below:
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

College sports have become a colossal business opportunity, and no one sport is more lucrative than football.

It makes sense, then, that schools looking to make their mark in the college football sphere would be willing to pay seven figures for the best coaching talent in the sport. Check out the 25 highest-paid football coaches for the 2019-20 season, according to USA TODAY:

25. Paul Chryst — $4,150,000

School: Wisconsin

Conference: Big Ten

Max bonus: $1,250,000

Championships (conference/national): 0/0

One thing to know: Though Chryst has not won a conference or national championship in his four seasons at the helm in Madison, he has won bowl games in each of those four years.

24. Mark Dantonio — $4,399,437

School: Michigan State

Conference: Big Ten

Max bonus: $650,000

Championships (conference/national): 3/0

One thing to know: Dantonio has thrice won the Big Ten with the Spartans, and in two of those years, he was named the conference's Coach of the Year.

23. Will Muschamp — $4,400,000

School: South Carolina

Conference: SEC

Max bonus: $1,400,000

Championships (conference/national): 0/0

One thing to know: Muschamp's coaching career has taken him to some of the biggest programs in the country, including LSU, Florida, and his alma mater, Auburn. Additionally, the Rome, Georgia, native enjoyed a brief stint with the Miami Dolphins of the NFL.

22. Ryan Day — $4,500,000

School: Ohio State

Conference: Big Ten

Max bonus: $800,000

Championships (conference/national): 0/0

One thing to know: Between his three wins as interim head coach of the Buckeyes in 2018 and his perfect start since he's taken over for Urban Meyer full time, Day has yet to lose a game as a head coach.

21. David Shaw — $4,613,707

School: Stanford

Conference: Pac-12

Max bonus: N/A

Championships (conference/national): 3/0

One thing to know: Shaw helped Stanford dominate the Pac-12 North Division this decade, leading the Cardinal to five division championships. It's no surprise, then, that he's been named Pac-12 Coach of the Year four times in that span.

20. Chris Petersen — $4,625,000

School: Washington

Conference: Pac-12

Max bonus: $1,050,000

Championships (conference/national): 7/0

One thing to know: In his eight years as head coach at Boise State, Petersen led the Broncos to five conference titles. He left to coach the Huskies in 2013 and led them to a College Football Playoff appearance just four years later.

19. Mark Stoops — $4,763,600

School: Kentucky

Conference: SEC

Max bonus: $2,750,000

Championships (conference/national): 0/0

One thing to know: Stoops comes from a family of coaches; his brother, Bob, is the former head coach at Oklahoma, and his other brother, Mike, was once the head coach at Arizona.

18. Kirk Ferentz — $4,800,000

School: Iowa

Conference: Big Ten

Max bonus: $2,875,000

Championships (conference/national): 2/0

One thing to know: Ferentz has the longest tenure of any head coach in FBS college football.

17. Gary Patterson — $4,900,776

School: TCU

Conference: Big 12

Max bonus: N/A

Championships (conference/national): 6/0

One thing to know: Patterson has coached the Horned Frogs since 2000. In his time at the helm, TCU has belonged to four different athletic conferences.

16. Charlie Strong — $5,000,000

School: South Florida

Conference: AAC

Max bonus: $815,000

Championships (conference/national): 2/0

One thing to know: Like many of the head coaches on this list, Strong has traveled far and wide to help some of the nation's best football schools win. Some of the more recognizable schools on his resume include Florida, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Louisville, and Texas.

15. Willie Taggart — $5,000,000

School: Florida State

Conference: ACC

Max bonus: $1,475,000

Championships (conference/national): 0/0

One thing to know: Taggart made a name for himself transforming South Florida from a 2-10 record in his first year with the program to a 10-2 record in his last three years later. He spent one year at Oregon before taking over Jimbo Fisher's vacant position with the Seminoles, but he's since been terminated after some dismal years for the program.

14. Scott Frost — $5,000,000

School: Nebraska

Conference: SEC

Max bonus: $950,000

Championships (conference/national): 1/1

One thing to know: A collegiate star for the Cornhuskers and an NFL quarterback for the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Frost made a name for himself by leading UCF to an undefeated season in 2017 and a school-proclaimed "national championship."

13. Mike Gundy — $5,125,000

School: Oklahoma State

Conference: Big 12

Max bonus: $900,000

Championships (conference/national): 1/0

One thing to know: Gundy has been the head coach at Oklahoma State since 2005, but he was in hot water during the 2018 season for allegedly threatening to bar local and student media from the team if they asked players about a teammate's decision to transfer schools.

12. Pat Fitzgerald — $5,144,937

School: Northwestern

Conference: Big Ten

Max bonus: N/A

Championships (conference/national): 0/0

One thing to know: Fitzgerald was a star linebacker for the Wildcats in the mid-1990s and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

11. James Franklin — $5,650,000

School: Penn State

Conference: Big Ten

Max bonus: $1,000,000

Championships (conference/national): 1/0

One thing to know: Franklin inherited a program that was still struggling mightily in the wake of a child sex abuse scandal, but he's had winning records in all of his seasons at the helm and helped catapult Penn State back among the top teams in the nation.

10. Dan Mullen — $6,070,000

School: Florida

Conference: SEC

Max bonus: $925,000

Championships (conference/national): 0/0

One thing to know: Before joining the Gators in the swamp in 2018, Mullen was the head coach at Mississippi State for nine years, leading them to eight bowl appearances and three straight bowl wins in his final three seasons there.

9. Lincoln Riley — $6,384,462

School: Oklahoma

Conference: Big 12

Max bonus: $950,000

Championships (conference/national): 2/0

One thing to know: Riley has led the Sooners to back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances, and they could be headed for a third in 2019.

8. Jeff Brohm — $6,600,000

School: Purdue

Conference: Big Ten

Max bonus: $925,000

Championships (conference/national): 2/0

One thing to know: Brohm won back-to-back Conference USA championships with the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers before heading to Indiana to coach the Boilermakers. He also spent seven years as an NFL quarterback.

7. Tom Herman — $6,750,000

School: Texas

Conference: Big 12

Max bonus: $725,000

Championships (conference/national): 1/0

One thing to know: In his two years as head coach in Houston, Herman transformed the Cougars into one of the best college football teams outside of the Power-5 conferences. He then took on head coaching responsibilities at the school where he had one of his first jobs as an assistant coach and led the Longhorns to their first bowl win in five seasons in 2017.

6. Gus Malzahn — $6,827,589

School: Auburn

Conference: SEC

Max bonus: $1,400,000

Championships (conference/national): 2/0

One thing to know: Malzahn led Auburn to the BCS Championship game in his first season as head coach at Auburn. The Tigers went on to average 7.5 wins over the next three seasons, but their 10-4 2017 record gave fans some hope that Malzahn could lead Auburn back in the right direction.

5. Kirby Smart — $6,871,600

School: Georgia

Conference: SEC

Max bonus: $1,150,000

Championships (conference/national): 1/0

One thing to know: Smart began as an administrative assistant with the Georgia football team in 1999. He bounced around various college and NFL assistant coaching positions before returning to the Bulldogs as their head coach in 2015.

4. Jimbo Fisher — $7,500,000

School: Texas A&M

Conference: SEC

Max bonus: $1,500,000

Championships (conference/national): 3/1

One thing to know: Fisher enjoyed incredible success with Florida State, but a whopping 10-year, $75,000,000 contract was enough to lure him to College Station back in 2018.

3. Jim Harbaugh — $7,504,000

School: Michigan

Conference: Big Ten

Max bonus: $1,325,000

Championships (conference/national): 2/0

One thing to know: Harbaugh played quarterback for the Wolverines before enjoying a 14-year career as an NFL player. He began his coaching career as a quarterbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders before spending six years as a collegiate head coach. He jumped back to the NFL and led the San Francisco 49ers to two NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl appearance in his four years at the helm. He decided to return to his alma mater as head coach in 2015.

2. Nick Saban — $8,857,000

School: Alabama

Conference: SEC

Max bonus: $1,100,000

Championships (conference/national): 9/6

One thing to know: Saban has arguably built the greatest dynasty college football has ever seen. His Crimson Tide has won the National Championship in five of the past nine seasons, and his teams have not had more than two losses in a season since 2011.

1. Dabo Swinney — $9,315,600

School: Clemson

Conference: ACC

Max bonus: $1,125,000

Championships (conference/national): 5/2

One thing to know: Nick Saban may be college football royalty, but Swinney has been right up there with the best in recent years. His Tigers have won five ACC championships in his tenure and two national championships in the past three years. With a perfect record in 2019, Clemson could very well be on its way to winning two straight.

Now check out who to watch out for this college basketball season:

The top 15 players to watch this college basketball season, ranked