• Sugary drinks could be more dangerous for your health than sweet snacks.
• Researchers studied the death records of more than 17,000 American adults and found a link between drinking sweet beverages and dying early.
• They didn't establish the same deadly link in sugary foods, suggesting there's something extra potent about drinking your sugar. 

Drinking a lot of sugary coffee, tea, soda, or juice could be increasing your risk of an early death.

That's the finding of a groundbreaking study of over 17,000 Americans above the age of 45. The researchers behind the yet-to-be-published study found that over the course of six years, people who slurped more sugary drinks were more likely to die than those who sip unsweetened beverages. 

In fact, the results suggested that the more sugar a person drinks, the greater their chance of death.

Adults who guzzled at least 24 ounces of sugary beverages per day had twice the risk of dying from coronary heart disease compared to those who drank less than one ounce. Sugary-drink lovers also increased their risk of what the study called "all cause" mortality — an indication that drinking sugar might be deadly in a bunch of different ways. 

The study authors pointed out, however, that their finding doesn't establish cause and effect — since they were only observing trends, they can't say for sure that consuming more sugary drinks directly causes people to die. The American Beverage Association quickly took note of that fact. 

"These are only the preliminary findings for a study yet to be released, but its authors acknowledge that the study can in no way determine if beverages with sugar cause these conditions," the trade association wrote Business Insider in an email.

But there is a clear link between early death and the liquid sugar in sodas, decadent Frappuccinos, and fruit juice. Interestingly, the study did not establish the same link for sweet foods — people who ate more of those were not found to have an increased risk of death. That suggests there may be something especially toxic about drinking something sugary.

What drinking sugar does to your body

Study author Jean Welsh told Business Insider that there's a scientific reason why sugary drinks are more potent than solid sweet foods.

"It's basically sugar and water, and no protein or fat to counteract that metabolism," Welsh said.

When we drink in sugar, fructose rushes into the liver, unabated by other nutrients like fiber that slow our digestion and help us feel full and satiated. 

"There's some pretty good evidence that when we drink liquid calories, like in sugary beverages, we don't eat less food as a result," Welsh said.

That's why drinking fruit juice is worse for you than eating a whole fruit: juicing strips the fruit of its fibers and most nutrient-dense parts, which leads the sugary liquid to temporarily raise your blood sugar, setting you up for a crash and leaving you hungry later. 

The US' sugar-drinking problem

Estimates suggest that American children and adults drink in around 7% of their daily calories from sweet beverages. 

Even though people in the US have cut back on the amount of soda they once drank, the number of calories we consume from sugar has been flat-lining in recent years, Welsh said. That's because sugar lurks in lots of other types of beverages, including fizzy kombuchas, coconut waters, sports drinks, and flavored vitamin elixirs. 

Most people probably don't understand how much sugar they're really drinking: a recent study of over 300 children and parents found that an overwhelming majority of moms and dads routinely underestimate how much sugar they're giving their children. That puts their kids at greater risk for becoming overweight.

The first step toward helping Americans be healthier, Welsh said, is simply developing a savvier understanding of how much sugar we're drinking day to day.

"We just have to be aware that it's a lot of calories that don't provide us with other nutrients," she said. "A little bit is great, but a lot could be a problem." 

SEE ALSO: A study of more than 100,000 people has found that one food group is closely linked with cancer

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 5 myths about sugar that you should stop believing

• Leonardo Da Vinci's "Last Supper" is one of the most famous — and consistently endangered — paintings in history.

• Don't take Dan Brown's popular novels too seriously — the Renaissance artwork doesn't really include secret codes or cryptic symbols.

• But Da Vinci's piece does include a number of surprises, from the meals on the table to the gestures the Apostles are flashing.

Millions of people around the world are preparing to celebrate Easter.

Easter is the celebration of Jesus' resurrection, and one of the most famous images from that story is Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper." It's an iconic Renaissance masterpiece that's been praised, studied, and copied for over 500 years.

Against all odds, the painting still lingers on the wall of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.

Da Vinci began the work in 1495 or 1496 and completed it around 1498. It depicts a famous scene from Holy Thursday, in which Jesus and his Apostles sharing a final meal before his death and resurrection. During the dinner, Jesus revealed that one of his disciples would betray him and hand him over to the authorities for execution (spoiler alert: It was Judas, who da Vinci depicts as spilling salt on the table, as part of some Renaissance pun).

Historian and author Ross King spoke with Business Insider about the mural. King said that his own lifelong fascination with da Vinci— who, as a painter, sculptor, inventor, and scientist, was really the ultimate Renaissance man — prompted him to write the book "Leonardo and the Last Supper."

"I was intrigued by him as a character — an artist, a scientist, a mountain climber, a rock collector, an all-around genius," he said.

Here's the story of "The Last Supper," which survived wars, prisoners, and its artist's identity crisis:

SEE ALSO: The backstory of the man behind St. Patrick's Day has pirates, 'snakes,' and no green beer whatsoever

DON'T MISS: The ancient story behind Valentine's Day is more brutal than romantic

"The Last Supper" was hugely popular in its own time.

While today da Vinci is remembered for the breadth of his artwork, writings, and inventions, "The Last Supper" was the painting that truly cemented his reputation during his own time. King said that the image immediately became famous all over Europe.

"It was the most copied painting of the next century — not only in paint, but also in marble, wax and terracotta," King said. "Everyone wanted a version of it. Leonardo had finally created the 'work of fame' about which he dreamed."

The painting's drama is heightened by its composition and details.

The painting captures the Apostles' reaction to Jesus' famous declaration: "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."

"Leonardo does justice to the episode like no one else," King said. "He grouped his 13 figures together on the same plane — a very difficult task — in such a way that each is individuated by gestures and expressions but none detracts from the overall effect."

Each figure is unique and memorable, down to the smallest details.

"Never before had an artist created such drama in a painting, with such lifelike figures and minute detail," he said. "Regarding detail, the right hand of Christ is a tour de force. Two joints of the little finger and the ball of his third fingers are seen through the transparency of a wine glass. It's an absolutely dazzling display of skill."

It's a miracle the painting has survived.

So, why is this 15th century mural still so celebrated today?

"One reason it's so famous is because its survival is something of a miracle," King said. "It's the art world's most famous endangered species. A century ago it was almost given up for lost. After its most recent restoration — something of a miracle in itself — we can appreciate its beauty. Because it is still, despite the losses, an amazingly beautiful painting."

• Exercise is the closest thing to a miracle drug that we have, but much of the public wisdom surrounding fitness has been either too vague or conflicting to be helpful.
• Scientists have been studying many of the same questions that you have probably encountered while structuring your workout routine.
• Learn the best time to workout, how often you should be exercising to tone up, and the best pre- and post-workout fuels for your routine.

How many times a week do you need to work out to get in shape? If you're trying to lose weight, should you focus on exercise or diet? Is it better to hit the gym in the morning or at night?

Whether you want to tone up, slim down, or simply boost your mood, you've likely come across these questions, but the answers may have seemed either contradictory or too vague to be helpful. On top of that, dozens of fitness myths plague the wellness world, making it tough to separate fact from fiction.

Fortunately, exercise scientists and physiologists have been researching all of these topics too, and the emerging research from their work can help you dispel the myths and hit the track with confidence.

DON'T MISS: One type of exercise is the closest thing to a miracle drug that we have — and new research suggests intense workouts aren't the only option

SEE ALSO: The best ways to lose weight and keep it off, according to science

Myth: For any real benefits, you need to hit the gym for at least an hour or sweat it out several times a week in a fitness class.

Truth: For better health and a reduced risk of death from all causes, any kind of movement is better than little or none.

That means that any effort that gets you moving and breathing — whether it's a twice-weekly heart-pounding kickboxing class or a 30-minute walk to work — has measurable benefits for your brain and body.

That's according to new researchpublished this month in the Journal of the American Heart Association. To arrive at their findings, researchers used data on physical activity and death rates from national surveys of more than 4,800 adults and found that so long as people moved around for at least 30 minutes per day — whether it was through a combination of brisk walking and stair-climbing or a spin class — they enjoyed significant benefits compared against those who didn't exercise at all.

"The key message based on the results," the authors wrote, "is that total physical activity (i.e., of any bout duration) provides important health benefits."

Myth: It takes at least two weeks to get 'out of shape.'

Truth: In most people, muscle tissue can start to break down within a week without regular exercise.

"If you stop training, you actually do get noticeable de-conditioning, or the beginnings of de-conditioning, with as little as seven days of complete rest," Shawn Arent, director of the Center for Health and Human Performance at Rutgers University, said. "It very much is an issue of use it or lose it."

Myth: Sit-ups are the best way to get 6-pack abs.

Truth: As opposed to sit-ups, which target only your abdominal muscles, planks recruit several groups of muscles along your sides, front, and back. If you want a strong core — especially the kind that would give you 6-pack-like definition — you need to challenge all of these muscles.

"Sit-ups or crunches strengthen just a few muscle groups," write the authors of the Harvard Healthbeat newsletter. "Through dynamic patterns of movement, a good core workout helps strengthen the entire set of core muscles you use every day."

• Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk prefers not to speak about his personal life regularly.

• But in an intensely candid Rolling Stone profile, Musk discussed topics he usually doesn't, from his breakup with Amber Heard to his estranged relationship with his father.

• Musk has had a stormy personal life at times. He's been through two divorces and his estranged from his father, who made headlines in March after it was reported he had a child with his 30-year-old former stepdaughter Jana Bezuidenhout.

In 2010, Elon Musk said he would "rather stick a fork in my hand than write about my personal life."

But the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX is a fascinating figure, and along the way, he's opened up here and there about his childhood, his parents, and his relationships.

In an an in-depth November 2017 Rolling Stone interview, he got uncharacteristically candid.

He spoke of his breakup with ex-girlfriend Amber Heard, expressing his heartbreak over their parting. Musk also touched upon his estranged relationship with his father Errol, calling him a "terrible human being."

Musk went on to discuss how difficult it is for him to meet people, saying he is looking for a long-term relationship — and a soul mate. Musk, who has been divorced twice, even asked interviewer Neil Strauss if there was anyone Strauss thought he should date.

"If I'm not in love, if I'm not with a long-term companion, I cannot be happy," he told Rolling Stone. "I will never be happy without having someone. Going to sleep alone kills me. It's not like I don't know what that feels like: Being in a big empty house, and the footsteps echoing through the hallway, no one there — and no one on the pillow next to you. F--. How do you make yourself happy in a situation like that?"

Here's a look back at the tech titan's personal life:

SEE ALSO: A look inside the marriage of world's richest couple, Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos — who met at work, were engaged in 3 months, and own more land than almost anyone else in America

DON'T MISS: A look at the demanding schedule of Elon Musk, who works in 5-minute slots, skips breakfast, and largely avoids emails

Musk told Rolling Stone he's struggled with loneliness since childhood. "When I was a child, there's one thing I said," Musk said. "'I never want to be alone.'"

Source: Rolling Stone, Business Insider

Born in 1971 in Pretoria, South Africa, Musk was the eldest of three children. His mother Maye Musk is a Canadian model who's appeared on the cover of Time and became a CoverGirl spokesperson at 69. His father Errol is an engineer.

Source: Vanity Fair, Town and Country, Vogue, Forbes

Musk's childhood was far from idyllic. He was ruthlessly bullied in school, and even ended up hospitalized after his tormentors shoved him down a staircase. When his parents split in 1980, Musk went to live with his father.

Source: Business Insider, Business Insider

• Dating apps can be overwhelming, since there are so many different options.
• Apps like Tinder, Grindr, Bumble, and Match all fill different dating needs, and work differently.
• Below are the most popular dating apps in the US, as well as what each one does and who should use it.

When Match.com debuted in 1995, it was pretty much the only option out there for digital daters.

Now, it can seem like a new online-dating service comes out every day. And if you really wanted to, you could spend hours trying out each one in order to figure out which suits your purposes best.

But that's kind of inefficient.

We asked app analytics firm Apptopia for data on the most popular dating apps (in terms of unique active users in February 2018 in the US) and did research of our own to figure out what makes each one special.

Apptopia also provided some demographic data for each app so you know who you'll find there. Across the top 15 dating apps, 40% of users are between ages 19 and 34. But some apps skew older or younger.

Below, you'll find a list of the top 15 dating apps, what exactly they do, and who will get the most out of them.

Note: All the apps are free to use, with the option to upgrade for additional services. 

SEE ALSO: The latest relationship trend is 'slow dating' — and it's a recoil from years of swiping through apps

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 8 definitive rules for texting someone you want to date

Since MoviePass dropped its monthly subscription price to $9.95 in August, there’s been talk around the industry about how the company can sustain itself over a long period of time.

While that's still yet to be determined, MoviePass is already giving some of the biggest movie chains in the country a lot of business, according to Second Measure, a firm that analyses US consumer spending on anonymized debit and credit card transactions.

Here are three charts provided by Second Measure that show the influence of MoviePass:

SEE ALSO: "Solo: A Star Wars Story" actor says they were doing 30 takes per scene before the original directors were fired and Ron Howard took over

MoviePass membership climbs with each subscription price cut — but that's a 'dangerous game'

MoviePass’ numerous price cuts on membership have helped drive up its subscription numbers to over 2 million and CEO Mitch Lowe hopes to pass 5 million by the end of the year.

The initial $9.95 cut led to a subscription growth of more than 16-fold in one month. November’s $6.95 per month cut led to 14% opting for the full-year deal and a quarter of those annual subscribers purchasing more than one membership. That month, sales were five times greater than October.

However, Second Measure believes MoviePass is playing a “dangerous game.” The lower the subscription price drops, the more money the company stands to lose every time it buys a full-price ticket for its millions of users.

Theater sales have skyrocketed since the growth of MoviePass members spiked

Theater owners will like this one. Theaters are making substantially more money from MoviePass subscribers compared to how those people spent before having a membership.

MoviePass subscriptions brought in 81% more sales at AMC than one year prior, and 101% more sales to Cinemark. And that’s not counting the concessions these folks paid for with cash.

Competition is coming

It was only a matter of time before MoviePass imitators came on the scene and Cinemark’s Movie Club is the first major one. For $8.99 a month, you receive one ticket per month (it can be rolled over to the next month if not used). Though it’s not as sexy as MoviePass’ one-movie-a-day deal, people are doing it.

Since its launch in December, Movie Club has enrolled 1/5 as many new users as MoviePass did in that time period.

Nothing MoviePass has to worry about just yet. But there’s now someone in its rear-view mirror.

• There is a lot to learn from looking at the cultural differences between Chinese and American parenting styles. 
• For example, Chinese parents coach their children into learning new skills, whereas American parents are inclined to wait until the child shows initiative.
• As her son grows older and experiences more, author Yan Mei knows that her cultural values and parenting strategies will grow and change as well.

My son was born in the US to a Chinese mother and a British father. He may speak fluent Mandarin, use chopsticks, say "lift" instead of "elevator," and enjoy Weetabix and crumpets at breakfast, but he calls New York home.

There's much more to multicultural parenting than language and food. In the past five years, I've gobbled up reams of parenting books, but I don't believe that there is such a thing as the perfect parent. We can't choose our parents, but we can choose what kind of parents we want to be, regardless of our cultural background.

Here are four major differences I've noticed between how Chinese parents and American parents raise their kids:

SEE ALSO: 20 things only Americans say

Americans parents are perennial cheerleaders for their kids in a way Chinese parents often are not

I used to roll my eyes when American parents lauded their children, exclaiming, "Good job!" or "You're great — I'm so proud of you!" Chinese parents drill into their little ones the philosophy that "Modesty leads to progress, and conceit makes one drop behind" (谦虚使人进步, 骄傲使人落后).

Instead of praise, I remember my dad often said to me, "You can do even better next time if you work harder." I wondered why Americans acted like their kids' cheerleaders.

That changed when I read Amanda Ripley's " The Smartest Kids in the World, And How They Got That Way. " Ripley explains that back in the 1980s and '90s, "American parents and teachers had been bombarded by claims that children's self-esteem needed to be protected from competition (and reality) in order for them to succeed." Now I see that the self-esteem movement was a quintessentially American phenomenon.

Since then, research has instead pointed out that it's better for parents to applaud children's effort (rather than their talents). I've been using these praise strategies with my son, and his response makes me chuckle: "Yes, because I've worked really hard and used my brain."

Chinese parents take the lead, while Americans let their kids call more of the shots

One of my first insights into the different parenting strategies between American and Chinese cultures came at an unexpected milestone in my son's life: potty training.

In China, potty training is a parent-led job: The child is held over a potty, and a parent whistles or makes a "shh" sound. "Kids eventually associate the sounds with 'need to go,'" my mother claimed. "It's quick to learn. You were potty trained just after 1."

Well, it's safe to say that all my child's daycare friends were happily in diapers at that age. "Follow your child's lead," many American parents said. Our pediatrician also assured me starting potty training after age 3 was absolutely normal for a boy.

This disparity was demonstrative of a larger trend in parenting culture. Americans try to respect children's individuality and natural signs of interest, while Chinese parents tend to coach as early as possible and push kids to get on with it.

Chinese parents have great expectations for their children's achievement

"Parents can't always tell kids what to do, right?" my son asked recently asked me. We were discussing our favorite short films after returning from the New York International Children's Film Festival.

"I can now, but who knows in 10 years?" I said to myself.

Confucian culture emphasizes one's importance to the family, society, and other people, so Chinese parents often project their hopes and decisions onto the next generation. Almost every child growing up in a Chinese family heard their parents say, "I do it all for you!"

A tragic story of an immigrant family puts a spotlight on this traditional Chinese parent-child relationship.

Paul Li told his son Calvin that he would never be a professional football player because he was Chinese, and asked him to focus on his studies instead. Calvin died in a car crash just before he was about to start college.

"Even though I know maybe in reality he would not be a football player. But it was just the way I shattered his dream when he was small ... and I know for sure, there are other Chinese parents who are doing the same to their children right now. And I don't want that to happen," Li said.

• Your financial situation is ever-evolving.
• But there are certain ages in life when you're most likely to reach a peak related to spending, saving, and earning money.
• For example, the average American woman earns the most money of her career around age 40.

Your financial situation is ever-evolving — just like your happiness.

But like your state of mind, your finances are bound to peak at certain times in your life.

To find out what that timeline looks like for the average person, we've gathered some research on how Americans spend, save, and earn money.

The graph below pinpoints the age at which you peak at everything in terms of your money.

Keep reading to learn more about the five financial peaks:

SEE ALSO: This is the age when most people become millionaires

DON'T MISS: 8 things you can do today to be richer next year

Age 25: You spend the most money you don't have

Anyone, regardless of age, can be guilty of overspending. But for the average American 20-something, the propensity to do so is often the greatest.

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a 25-year-old's average pre-tax income is $31,000, while their annual spending is about $33,000.

That means they're most likely racking up debt — or getting help from Mom and Dad— to cover their expenses.

Living beyond your means is a bad financial habit to adopt, but entry-level salaries, expensive rent, and student loan debt aren't helping millennials spend less and save more.

Age 40: You buy a home

The typical US homebuyer is 40 and purchasing a home for $200,000, according to Zillow Group's 2017 housing report.

But 42% of all homebuyers are part of the millennial generation — people between 18 and 37 — and becoming homeowners for the first time.

And many aren't doing it alone. Nearly 70% of all homebuyers are married or have a partner and earn a median household income of $87,500.

Age 40: Women make the most money of their careers

Women's salary growth outpaces men's up until about 30, when they start having children, then slows down considerably within the next decade, according to research from PayScale cited by CNBC.

College-educated women hit their peak earnings around 40, when their typical salary is about $60,000.

PayScale found that the most common jobs held by American women were registered nurse, elementary school teacher, and human-resources administrator.

Every single year, technology keeps getting demonstrably better and more powerful. 

More and more tech products are having a profound impact on the way we live our lives.

But with so many gadgets on the market, which ones do you really need to own? Here are five we rate as essential in the year 2018:

SEE ALSO: The $300 Nintendo Switch has been great for my relationship

DON'T MISS: I've owned an Amazon Echo for over a year now — here are my 19 favorite features

1. A smartphone of your choosing

Smartphones are the most personal, powerful devices we have right now. They're tiny computers that fit in our pockets.

But despite the sheer number of phones that exist in 2018, choosing the one for you usually boils down to one question: "iOS or Android?"

Many people will tell you Apple provides the most reliable smartphone experience with the best security and the fastest updates. Others prefer the openness of Android, which gives you more control over how your phone works. Android phones also come in a wider variety of designs.

Whichever system you pick, you'll have plenty of excellent hardware options to choose from.

For iPhone fans

Apple now sells phones in a range of sizes, prices and capabilities, from the $350 iPhone SE to the $1,000 iPhone X. You can learn more about every iPhone now available right here. We also have a ranking of the top iPhones you can buy right now.

For Android fans

If you're considering Android, you should first consider a phone from the company that makes Android: Google.

Google's Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are the search giant's newest phones, and they're incredible devices. They use artificial intelligence in various clever ways, from passively telling you what music is playing in the background to making your photos look better.

Most critics love the Pixel devices, but you have plenty of other gorgeous-looking Android phones to choose from: The Essential Phone, Samsung's Galaxy S9, and the OnePlus 5T are all standout devices. You can check out our list of top smartphones here.

• Order automation is sweeping the quick-service industry, with digital kiosks and mobile-ordering apps being introduced at major chains like McDonald's, Starbucks, and Panera.
• A recent MSN poll suggests that most Americans prefer cashiers over automated kiosks.
• But automated ordering can help wait times and improve order accuracy, and it doesn't negatively affect labor as much as popularly thought.

Gone are the heady days of cashiers asking if you want your order "supersized."

Not only has the infamous upgrade gone by the wayside, but cashiers at fast-food restaurants are becoming increasingly uncommon. McDonald's started rolling out ordering kiosks at its US locations in 2015, and the chain hasn't looked back since: by 2020, most of its 14,000 locations will have kiosks installed. 

Panera Bread has also committed to digital ordering. Admittedly, when I first tried it in 2015, I found it had decidedly dystopian vibes. But it ended up being a fairly pleasant and painless experience.

A recent poll conducted by Business Insider's partner MSN suggests that diners aren't big fans of automated kiosks: 78% of customers said they would be less inclined to go to a restaurant that has automated ordering kiosks. 

The popular narrative is that kiosks and mobile ordering are here to take jobs and hours away from underpaid cashiers, ultimately saving companies money in the face of rising labor costs — but the data suggests that isn't true. It may be true for some, but most chains are simply reallocating labor behind the scenes. And with such a tight labor market, many chains are struggling to hire and retain customer-facing employees. 

Americans don't seem too threatened by automation in general. Nationally, only 21% of responders to MSN's poll believe their job may one day be done by machines. And restaurants like automated ordering for its increased accuracy and efficiency as more chains look towards cashless options. 

But for now, a question remains: are kiosks, in fact, better for customers? I headed to a McDonald's to find out:

SEE ALSO: We ranked everything on McDonald's new Dollar Menu from worst to best

DON'T MISS: We tried the Costco pizza that people are crazy about — here's the verdict

The Chambers Street McDonald's near our office in New York City's Financial District now has kiosks and mobile ordering after undergoing an extensive renovation. There, by the grace of the Hamburglar, go I.

It's the middle of the lunch rush, so the place is packed. Luckily, the kiosks seem to be moving fairly quickly compared to the lengthening line at the registers.

Using the kiosks is straightforward and surprisingly user-friendly.

Calm, a meditation and relaxation aid, is now worth $250 million, according to CNBC.

The San Francisco-based startup's new valuation comes after Insight Venture Partners announced the investment of more than $25 million on Monday.

It effectively bringing Calm's value up to match it's closest competitor, Headspace, which also was valued at $250 million as of January, 2018.

Calm, named the 2017 iPhone app of the year by Apple itelf, promises to help users sleep better, boost confidence and reduce stress and anxiety, all with the help of guided meditations, soothing music, and bedtime stories.

"A 2011 Harvard study showed that participating in a mindfulness meditation program made measurable changes in brain regions associated with memory, sense of self, empathy, and stress," says a soothing woman's voice in Calm's recommended first session, as the sounds of gentle waves, a light breeze, and lakeside birds chirp on a loop in the background. "So the question is: How do we start practicing it?"

Here's how to get started with Calm. Just know in advance that while it's free to download, it costs $60/year after your free trial is up.

SEE ALSO: How to use the new-look Snapchat like a pro, whether you're new to the app or you've been using it for years

You'll get started on your meditation journey by downloading Calm in the App Store or Google Play Store.

The meditation aid is available for both iOS and Android operating systems, and has an Apple Watch version. 

You'll notice right away that the app has overwhelmingly positive reviews, which has landed it in the top spot for meditation apps on both the Play store and the App Store

Upon opening the app for the first time, Calm asks you to choose the top goals you want to accomplish via meditation. "Calm can change your life," it says.

Don't worry, you can choose more than one!

• Young people galvanized by the Valentine's Day school massacre in Parkland, Florida, are leading the movement against gun violence. 
• Here are some of the most prominent faces of the #NeverAgain movement. 

A group of Parkland shooting survivors led the charge in organizing Saturday's "March for Our Lives" in Washington — an event emulated in hundreds of cities and towns across the country and around the globe.

They were joined on stage by many others who've been touched by gun violence, including young people of color whose communities have been disproportionately impacted.

In the weeks since the massacre at Majory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, some of the young activists have become targets for right-wing conspiracy theories and viciously attacked online by those, including sitting lawmakers, who disagree with their positions on gun regulation. 

Meet some of the young people leading the movement against gun violence: 

SEE ALSO: 'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH': Hundreds of thousands descend on Washington and across the US for the 'March for Our Lives' rally against gun violence

Emma González

Emma González, an 18-year-old senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, has become one of the most prominent faces of the student-led movement. 

After the Valentine's Day massacre, González and other student survivors began working to contact politicians, advocate for legislative change, and organize the march on Washington.

"The people in the government who are voted into power are lying to us," González said on Saturday before leading several minutes of silence. "And us kids seem to be the only ones who notice and are prepared to call B.S."

Jaclyn Corin

Jaclyn Corin, the 17-year-old junior-class president at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, has said that her way of coping with the tragedy is to distract herself "with work and helping people."

On Saturday, she affirmed the Parkland students' commitment to shedding light on the daily gun violence that disproportionately affects communities of color, but doesn't receive as much attention as mass shootings. 

"We recognize that Parkland received more attention because of its affluence," Corin said during her speech in Washington. "But we share this stage today and forever with those communities who have always stared down the barrel of a gun."

After the president tweeted on Monday that despite all the "fake news, "our country is doing great!" Corin responded, "96 deaths by firearm every day is not what I call great." 

David Hogg

David Hogg, a 17-year-old student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, has also become a national face of the anti-gun violence movement. Hogg has given multiple national media interviews and spoken at several events in the wake of the shooting. 

On Saturday, Hogg encouraged the crowd to take action and vote. 

"We're going to make sure the best people get in our elections to run not as politicians, but as Americans. Because this — this — is not cutting it," he said. 

Some of President Donald Trump's most fervent supporters, gun rights activists, and alt-right bots have attacked Hogg, along with other Parkland survivors, online. High profile members of the conservative media, who disagaree with Hogg's support for gun control, have called him an "extremist" and a "useful idiot." 

• There are many scare stories about how spending time looking at screens is bad for us.
• A new study has shown that spending too much time looking at screens makes teens unhappier.
• But if they spent just less than an hour using the technology, the opposite was true.
• Like anything, social media and screens should be used in moderation.
• But they are probably not as bad for us as we've been led to believe.

Social media has a bad reputation when it comes to mental health. While many of us are happy to aimlessly scroll through Twitter and Instagram, we're also aware that it might benefit us to put our phones down every now and then.

According to new research from this year, staring at screens for too long could make us less happy. The study, published in the journal Emotion, was led by psychologists at San Diego State University. It found, through a national survey of over a million 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-graders that teenagers who were glued to their smartphones and computers were noticeably unhappier.

In the survey, the students were asked about how long they spend on their phones, tablets, and computers, and also about their in-person interactions, and how happy they were overall.

On average, teens were more likely to be happy if they invest time in activities like sports, reading, and face-to-face interaction, rather than looking at screens.

"Although this study can't show causation, several other studies have shown that more social media use leads to unhappiness, but unhappiness does not lead to more social media use," said Jean M. Twenge, a psychology professor at the university, and lead author of the study.

However, a complete lack of screens doesn't necessarily lead to satisfaction, either. According to the results, the happiest teens used screens for less than an hour of day. Above one hour, their unhappiness rose steadily with increased screen time.

"The key to digital media use and happiness is limited use," said Twenge. "Aim to spend no more than two hours a day on digital media, and try to increase the amount of time you spend seeing friends face-to-face and exercising — two activities reliably linked to greater happiness."

It depends a lot on how you use social media

Last year, Psychotherapist Allison Abrams told Business Insider that problems tend to arise on social media when people are already struggling with depression or anxiety, or are not satisfied with their lives in some way. These people are much more vulnerable to negative effects of social media, whereas others may not find it so bad, or may even find it beneficial.

"If you use social media primarily to maintain long-distance friendships or to stay connected socially, this will be less likely to apply to you," Abrams said. "On the other hand, if you spend most of your time scrolling through your newsfeed checking out other people's lives and compare them to your own, you become more at risk of developing (or having worsening) symptoms of depression or anxiety. This is especially so in those with low self-esteem."

The teens who reported being unhappy could be suffering from mental health issues that social media exacerbates. This could explain how those who could put down their phones after an hour were happier than those who were more insecure, and thus became "addicted" to looking at other people's lives.

While it is convenient to blame the screens for everything, another study from this year, published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, found that it might not be the actual technology we get attached to— rather, it's the social interaction.

Researchers Samuel Veissière and Moriah Stendel, from McGill University's Department of Psychiatry, reviewed the literature on how the use of technology can be dysfunctional, found that the main reason people are so easily attached to smartphones is that they tap into the human desire to connect with other people. In other words, smartphones essentially hijack our needs for social interaction.

"There is a lot of panic surrounding this topic," said Veissière. "We're trying to offer some good news and show that it is our desire for human interaction that is addictive and there are fairly simple solutions to deal with this."

For example, try turning off push notifications and set up appropriate times to check your phone, rather than playing with it every few minutes.

Social media isn't as bad as you think

As for whether social media replaces more meaningful interactions, a study from the University of Missouri, published in the journal Information, Communication & Society, found that it doesn't.

In a series of two experiments, one long-term and one short-term, the researchers found that the use of social media had no significant negative effect on social interactions or social well-being.

"People are spending increased amounts of time using the internet and other media that may replace the time they could use for speaking face to face, but that doesn't mean that they are worse for it," said Michael Kearney, an assistant professor at the MU School of Journalism and author of the study. "People must ultimately be responsible for maintaining their relationships, whether that's through social media or other means."

So just because teens are unhappier if they spend more time using screens, evidence suggests it probably isn't because it's directly impacting their social lives.

Earlier this month, Business Insider's Erin Brodwin investigated whether social media addiction was a scientifically valid issue. She found through talking to researchers and reading over the scientific literature that the evidence was shaky at best.

In fact, one expert — Andrew Przybylski, a senior research fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute — told her that much of our biases against social media may simply be a projection of our own fears. We talk to each other about how smartphones are decreasing our intelligence and ruining our real friendships, but in reality, we are probably just worrying that this is true, rather than there being any proof.

Everything is a balance, and excessively looking at screens is never a good idea if it is getting in the way of getting enough physical activity and sleep. But when used in moderation, smartphones are handy for staying in touch with friends when in-person contact isn't a possibility, and video games can improve your skills in coordination, problem-solving, and memory.

There is plenty of scientific evidence that contradicts the myths that screens are killing our minds, bodies, and friendships — even if it's unlikely you'll hear about them as much as the scare stories any time soon.

SEE ALSO: How social networks like Instagram could help identify when someone is depressed

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Monika Radulovic, who was crowned Miss Universe Australia in 2015, married her artist fiancé Alesandro Ljubicic in a lavish affair in a Sydney suburb at the weekend.

The wedding was held at the Miramare Gardens, described as a "five star venue" in Terrey Hills, a suburb of northern Sydney. The day included an outdoor ceremony in the gardens, as well as an elaborate reception in a dining hall decorated with incredible hanging floral displays, including hand-painted orchids, and abundant crystal chandeliers.

The bride wore a Swarovski crystal-encrusted couture gown from Galia Lahav, inspired by one of her favourite of Ljubicic's paintings, like many of the other details of the wedding.

The bridal party and their guests shared moments of the day on Instagram — and it looks pretty spectacular.

Keep scrolling for a sneak peek inside the grand affair.

SEE ALSO: Step inside a Nigerian oil billionaire's son's incredibly lavish £5 million wedding at a British palace

Monika Radulovic, a psychology graduate and former Miss Universe Australia, married her artist fiancé Alesandro Ljubicic in an opulent affair at the weekend.

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The couple have apparently been engaged for four years. You can check out her sparkly engagement ring below.

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The outdoor ceremony took place in the Miramare Gardens, which is described as a 'five star venue' in Terrey Hills, a suburb of northern Sydney.

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It's hard to argue with filmmaker Steven Spielberg's impact on cinema.

His films span decades and genres, from sci-fi classics to historical dramas. It's fitting that his upcoming film, "Ready Player One," deals with so much nostalgia. Spielberg is responsible for many of our greatest films, from "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" to "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

But which ones performed the best at the box office? 

We looked back on the prolific director's filmography, and ranked all of his films based on their domestic box office gross, adjusted for inflation (via Box Office Mojo).

Below is every Steven Spielberg film ranked based on adjusted domestic box office:

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30. "The Sugarland Express" (1974)

Domestic gross: $7.5 million

Adjusted for inflation: $37.7 million

29. "Empire of the Sun" (1987)

Domestic gross: $22.2 million

Adjusted for inflation: $48.4 million

28. "The BFG" (2016)

Domestic gross: $55.5 million

Adjusted for inflation: $57.3 million

Original worldwide gross: $183.3 million

• Millennials are generally defined as people born from 1981 to 1996.
• In some ways, their lives are easier than things were for their parents at the same age.
• Online dating can lead to stronger relationships; you don't need a traditional classroom to learn; and work/life balance is increasingly possible.

It's easy for millennials to complain that their lives are worse than their parents' and grandparents' were at the same age.

And in some ways, they're right.

But we're not letting millennials— the generation born from 1981 to 1996 — off the hook so easily. In many ways, life is better for young people today than it was 30 or 60 years ago. Relationships, health, and education have all been transformed.

Below, we've listed six key reasons the millennial life is a relative breeze.

SEE ALSO: 7 ways life is harder for millennials than it was for their parents

Millennials can stay in touch with family and friends on social media

There's a lot of griping out there about how social media is ruining our attention spans, our ability to sit still, our self-esteem, and our lives in general.

But one of its most basic functions is to keep us connected to people we may otherwise lose touch with — and that's pretty handy. Your mom may be lucky if she bumps into her old college roommate on the street one day, but you can message yours at any time, or even just like the person's photos.

A 2015 study, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, found that "passive" Facebook use— think browsing your News Feed — can indeed undermine well-being. But "active" Facebook use — think posting status updates and commenting on other people's photos — can make us feel better.

Millennials are meeting their partners online — and the resulting relationships may be stronger

Online dating just wasn't an option when baby boomers and Gen X-ers were younger.

But a growing body of research suggests that people who meet online have more satisfying relationships, are less likely to get divorced, and in fact get married more quickly than couples who meet IRL.

That's most likely because people who sign up for dating services may be more interested in a relationship than, say, people at a bar who aren't specifically there to meet a serious partner. It's now easier than ever to find those relationship-oriented people.

To be sure, having so many options to choose from can be overwhelming. But having no options— as might be the case if you lived in a small town 30 years ago — can be even more distressing.

Millennials have more options around remote and flexible work

Digital technology is a double-edged sword when it comes to the workplace. On the one hand, it's possible to be "always on," signing back in to Slack or your work email after you get home.

On the other hand, today's young professionals can use this technology to their advantage. Companies like Remote Year are creating "digital nomads," or people who work wherever and whenever, rarely setting foot in a traditional office.

As Business Insider's Áine Cain reported, even major companies like Amazon, Dell, and Hilton allow telecommuting for some positions. That can help employees create better work-life balance, especially if they're caring for kids or other family members.

This isn't an opportunity most baby boomers and Gen X-ers ever had.

Netflix has begun to cancel shows, but that doesn't mean it's getting rid of your favorites.

Thirty-nine Netflix original series will be returning with new seasons in the near future.

Only a handful of the series have official release dates, including the premieres of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and "Marvel's Luke Cage."

On Tuesday, the streaming service announced the renewal of its sitcom "One Day at a Time" and a second season of its reality-show reboot "Queer Eye."

Other hit Netflix shows that have been renewed by the streaming service, like "Stranger Things" and "Mindhunter," are either in production or awaiting release.

For this list, we have included only renewed Netflix series that are yet to air, and we've included official release dates if applicable. We've excluded children's shows and reality series.

Here are the 39 Netflix original series that are coming back for another season:

SEE ALSO: All 54 of Netflix's notable original shows, ranked from worst to best

"A Series of Unfortunate Events" (Season 2) — Premieres March 30

"Trailer Park Boys" (Season 12) — Premieres March 30

"Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" (Season 4) — Premieres May 30

• George Lucas once had a vision for his own "Star Wars" sequel trilogy, and he told actor Mark Hamill his plan for the finale.
• Hamill said that Lucas intended to kill Luke Skywalker in Episode 9 after he trains Leia in the ways of the Force.
• Luke instead dies in Rian Johnson's "The Last Jedi," Episode 8, after he becomes "one with the Force" to save Leia and the Resistance.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas had plans for a "Star Wars" sequel trilogy.

That obviously never happened, and we now have different versions of Episodes 7 and 8 — with 9 coming next year — than what Lucas originally envisioned. But thanks to Luke Skywalker himself, we now know how Lucas would have ended Episode 9.

In an interview with IGN, actor Mark Hamill revealed how Lucas would have ended his own Episode 9, and it's similar to how director Rian Johnson ended Episode 8, "The Last Jedi," last year.

Hamill told IGN that Lucas intended to kill Luke Skywalker.

"I happen to know that George didn't kill Luke until the end of [Episode] 9, after he trained Leia," Hamill said. "Which is another thread that was never played upon [in 'The Last Jedi']."

According to IGN, Hamill saw outlines for Lucas' Episodes 7-9, but he instead incorporated many of those ideas into "Return of the Jedi."

In Rian Johnson's version, Luke dies at the end of "The Last Jedi" after becoming "one with the Force" to save the Resistance in a stand-off with Kylo Ren and the First Order. Luke uses the last of his energy to Force-project himself into battle with Ren and buy his sister Leia and the Resistance enough time to escape the First Order.

So while Lucas had similar plans for Luke, Johnson killed him earlier than Lucas would have, and Luke never trains Leia to become a Jedi — even though Leia does show some Force mastery in "The Last Jedi." 

Instead, Luke spends the majority of "The Last Jedi" begrudgingly training Rey on an island. And Carrie Fisher's death in 2016 has changed any Episode 9 plans for Leia.

SEE ALSO: All 30 Steven Spielberg movies, ranked by how much money they made at the US box office

Join the conversation about this story »

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• ESPN's new president Jimmy Pitaro discussed the contentious issue of ESPN anchors taking political stances on social media in an interview with Variety.
• ESPN set new social-media guidelines for its employees in November, after controversy surrounded political Twitter posts from some of its anchors, including former "SportsCenter" host Jemele Hill.
• Pitaro referenced the guidelines in the interview and said of ESPN: "We are not a political organization. We are a sports-media company."

ESPN's new president Jimmy Pitaro gave his first interview since he was hired to the role earlier this month, in a Variety Q&A published Tuesday.

In the interview, Pitaro discussed a handful of topics, including the company's upcoming streaming service, ESPN+, as well as the contentious issue of ESPN anchors taking political stances on social media.

ESPN set new social-media guidelines for its employees in November, after former "SportsCenter" host Jemele Hill was suspended for advocating that advertisers boycott Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who said in November that players who kneeled during the national anthem would not play for his team. Hill had earlier sparked controversy for calling President Trump a "white supremacist" on Twitter.

"We are not a political organization. We are a sports-media company," Pitaro said in response to a question on the company's social-media policy. "And our focus is on serving the sports fans. There will always be intersections between sports and politics. When that news happens, we are going to cover it."

"I will tell you, regarding our employees specifically, we provided them with guidelines. There is general understanding and alignment in terms of what our best path forward is within the company," Pitaro continued. "I’m a big believer in the value of social media, and we need to engage with our fans through social media in a thoughtful way, and we are doing that."

The social-media guidelines the company set in November included phrases like, "Think before you tweet, post or otherwise engage on social platforms," and, "Do nothing that would undercut your colleagues' work or embroil the  company in unwanted controversy."

SEE ALSO: ESPN has named Disney exec James Pitaro as its new president

Join the conversation about this story »

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Everything needs a reboot these days.

"Roseanne," a revival of the iconic sitcom starring Roseanne Barr and John Goodman that ended its run in 1997, returns to ABC Tuesday night. 

When it premiered in 1988, "Roseanne" was truly groundbreaking. At the time, most families depicted on TV were relentlessly loving. There was a conflict in every episode, but it ended in heartfelt resolution and lessons learned: think "Full House."

But "Roseanne" was different. On this show, the family was angry, mean, brutally honest, and irreverent. 

A lot of fans of the original show have been hesitant to watch the revival due to Roseanne's politics. In real life and in the show, Roseanne is a Trump supporter. But in early reactions, critics were surprised by how refreshing the show was.

The 10th season of "Roseanne," which premieres Tuesday night, currently has a 74% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Here are some of the best (and a few of the worst) reviews of the "Roseanne" revival:

SEE ALSO: All your favorite Netflix original shows that are coming back for another season

"When it premiered, Roseanne broke new ground. This time around, it's good, but nowhere near required viewing."

NPR

"Roseanne offers proof that the old-fashioned approach still works. The Conners' old couch looks mighty inviting."

Orlando Sentinel

"[It's a revival] that feels as vital and germane to its new era as it was to its old one."

Uproxx