Richard Branson has been known to pull off some pretty daredevilish stunts, from jumping out of skyscrapers to flying hot-air balloons across the ocean.
But this time, it was his son Sam Branson and nephew Noah Devereux who attempted to pull off something big. Together the pair organized and completed the Strive Challenge, a thousand-mile journey from London to the top of the Matterhorn in Switzerland. A core team of 10 people ran, rowed, cycled, hiked, and climbed to complete the journey while raising money for the Big Change Charitable Trust, a British nonprofit that inspires young people to achieve their full potential.
Branson and Devereux were joined by a number of amazing athletes on the core team, including former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli, triathlete and former race-car driver Stephen Shanly, world-record marathoner Arnaud Haines, and adventurer Justin Packshaw. They were also joined by special guests at different stages of the challenge, with Sir Richard Branson himself even participating in the cycle phase.
The challenge took them nearly a month of travel over a huge variety of difficult terrain, raising more than £560,700 for Big Change along the way.
The Strive Challenge kicked off at London's O2 Arena on August 7. Several special guests showed up to send the team off on the first part of the challenge, including Richard Branson's daughter Holly, Big Change founder Princess Beatrice, comedian Jack Whitehall, and singers Jermain Jackman and Natalie Imbruglia.
More than 50 runners joined the Core Team on the first leg of their journey. Sam stopped to take a selfie before the challenge began.
Richard Branson's mother Eve fired the starting gun to send the runners on their way.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
6. Ride your bicycle.
NPR’s The Salt reporter 
First, smash the head of garlic with the heel of your hand to open the white casing. Then throw the entire head into a bowl, put the other bowl on top, and shake hard for a few seconds. When you remove the top bowl, you’ll be greeted with a bunch of naked garlic cloves just waiting to be eaten.
A private elevator vestibule opens to a 35-foot marble gallery and the staircase leading to the second floor.
Off the gallery is a baronial corner living room. The yellow accents offset the formal furniture.
And if you step through the living room, you enter what looks like could be part of the library.
There's also a study, complete with old-world paintings, wallpaper, and a fireplace.
Here's the floor plan:
"Some of those clients who threatened to leave actually referred more clients to us," Leonard says, because they were impressed by the way he was able to run the company remotely. And by scheduling quarterly meetings, he ended up interacting with clients in person more regularly than he ever had before.
While Leonard was abroad, he spent only about 10% of his time aboard the boat, exploring new island locales with his family most of the time. He worked about 20 hours a week with a flexible schedule.
He tells us that the main reason surveys have shown 
13. 
4. 
BI Answers: Why does stale bread become hard, but stale potato chips become soft?
As bread goes stale, the water in the starch moves to other parts of the bread, such as the crust, so that the starch returns to a dense, hard state, like it was in uncooked flour form. This gives stale bread its crunchy texture.
"In both cases, the water is finding a balance within its environment," says Hartings.
Pomeranians are an animated toy breed that come from the region of Pomerania (now present day Germany/Poland). They became popular in 1888 when Queen Victoria fell in love with a Pomeranian in Florence, Italy, and brought it back to England.
These sweet white dogs date back to the 15th century in Madagascar’s city of Tulear. When the French colonized Madagascar, they fell in love with the human-oriented pups and brought them back to Europe.
Originating from the Black and Tan Terrier, these tiny dogs were bred to hunt rats and other vermin. They’re extremely smart and loyal, and are good watch dogs (though a bit neurotic).
These intelligent drover dogs were bred to herd sheep and cattle in the Scottish highlands. They are a devoted family dog, have no “doggie odor,” and require daily walks.
A cross between an Australian Terrier and Jack Russell Terrier, the Rustralian Terrier is known for having a lot of energy and being highly committed to its owner. Because they are a mixed breed, their temperaments can be diverse.
Another hybrid, the Pom-Coton is a cross between a Pomeranian and Coton de Tulear. They’re tiny dogs that are quick learners, eager to please, and good at tricks.
The official State Dog of South Carolina, the Boykin Spaniel is an energetic hunting breed. It has the stamina to work and play all day, so make sure you can keep up with this active dog.
A cross between a Pomeranian and a Chihuahua, Pomchis are super cute with pointed ears and big eyes. Though they can be stubborn and yappy, for the most part they are good-natured and super human-oriented.
The Lacasapoo is a hybrid breed combines a Cockapoo and Lhasa Apso. They are extremely intelligent and learn tricks easily, and are very gentle with children and other pets in the house.
A mix of a Jack Russell Terrier and a Chihuahua, the Jack Chi is an eager-to-please and loving dog that will make the perfect companion. Try not to overfeed them though because they will eat everything in front of them (and not stop).
A Rat Terrier and Poodle mix, Rattles vary widely in size and color depending on their parents. Their fur is more hypoallergenic thanks to their poodle parents, and they are very affectionate.
The mix of a Brussels Griffon and a Rat Terrier, this is another small breed that is very alert. They are not known for being good with children, however, and are better with families with no kids or teens.
Often called “Aussies,” these pups are prized for their herding ability and intelligence. They are a little high maintenance because they are extremely energetic and require daily exercise as well as weekly brushing. But it's worth it.
Another Chihuahua cross, this time with a Havanese, the Cheenese are toy breeds that are independent, but also extremely loyal and social. They do shed moderately, so these dogs require regular grooming. 
A cross between a Rat Terrier and a Shih Tzu, Ratshi Terriers are very smart and low maintenance, having been bred for indoor living and companionship. They are generally very happy and lively pups.
Lhasa Apsos were once the household sentinels of Tibetan nobility and Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayan Mountains. They are quite independent and suspicious of strangers, which makes them good as indoor watchdogs (despite their size).
The word Shih Tzu means “lion,” but these dogs are very sweet and have been cherished by Chinese Royals since the Ming Dynasty. They were bred to be house pets and companions, and are alert, friendly, and trusting.
Meaning “lake dog from Romagna,” the Lagotto Romagnolo comes from the Romagna sub-region of Italy. Bred as a water retriever and sometimes used to hunt for truffles, the Lagotto can become destructive if they’re not given stimulation.
The product of an American Rat Terrier and a Maltese, Ratese is a small companion dog that is good with young children. They can be snappish, but love playing, cuddling, and human attention. 
A Rat Terrier-Chihuahua cross, the Rat-Cha is a bright and happy pet. They are very loyal and amiable towards their family, though the Rat-Cha can be temperamental and aggressive with other dogs.
A hybrid of a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle, Cockapoos are super cute with a thick, wavy coat that is low in dander. They have outgoing and loving personalities that sometimes cause them to suffer from separation anxiety. 
Smaller than a standard-size Poodle, Toy Poodles are very dedicated to their families and just as intelligent and alert as their larger counterparts. They require plenty of physical and mental exercise too, like indoor games and short walks.
Originating in England and developed in Australia, the Jack Russell Terrier is a strong, sturdy, and hard-working breed. These pups are faithful and intelligent, and need to spend a great deal of time outdoors due to their copious energy.
The history of this tiny breed remains a mystery, but some believe they originate from the Fennec Fox due to their big eyes and ears with a tiny frame. They are gentle and patient with children, and require little exercise because of their size.
This breed is a true wild dog that was once found throughout New Guinea (they’re thought to be descendants of Australian dingos). They’re known in particular for their melodious howl and are very gentle and friendly with people, though originally shy.
