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The 26 Most Hipster Neighborhoods In The World

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Williamsburg

The hipster population is spreading nationally and internationally. Skinny jeans-wearing, beard-toting twenty- and thirty-somethings are flocking to areas where they feel right at home.

These are areas chock-full of trendy food trucks, like in Austin's East Austin neighborhood; theater festivals, like in the Shimokitazawa neighborhood of Tokyo; and thrift stores, like in Stockholm's Södermalm.

After scouring the globe, we found the most hipster neighborhoods in cities around the world.

Barranco, Lima, Peru

Barranco is the historic bohemian district of Lima. The neighborhood is known for its park, Bajada de Baños, in which the famous Lima landmark, the Bridge of Sighs (pictured), runs right through the hip district along the banks of the Pacific Ocean. Young people go to the bridge to hang out and make their way to the best bars and clubs in town.

Popular nightlife spots are Santos and Expreso Virgen de Guadalupe Café Cultural, which is a piano bar inside an old train car.

the bridge of sighs lima

Source: Flickr/Leonel Ponce



Belleville and Ménilmontant (19th and 20th Arrondissements), Paris, France

The inexpensive rent, artsy culture, and gritty exterior make Belleville and Ménilmontant some of the few hipster neighborhoods left in Paris. The two areas, which used to be wine villages for weekend getaways, are now very hip, closely related Paris neighborhoods.

The Parc de Belleville shows off the city's skyline and has trails for exploring and smalls cafes nearby to take in the greenery over a cup of coffee.

The neighborhoods are filled with restaurants, galleries, studio spaces, bars, and clubs; head to La Bellevilloise which operates as all of five things.  

Parc des Buttes Chaumont Hipster Cafe

Source: Flickr/Evan Bay



District VII, Budapest, Hungary

District VII, also known as Elizabeth Town, is the Jewish center of Budapest and is home to many of the city's historical landmarks. The area is also a hip hotel hub, where hotels like the Continental Zara and the VAM Design Center feature famous art exhibits.

Hipsters flock to Kiraly Street and Kazinczy Street for street food, pubs, kosher shops, and the best nightclubs in the city — particularly the well-known derelict "ruin pub," Szimpla Kert.

District VII Budapest

Source: Flickr/James Guppy



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Thousands Of Refugees Fled Cuba On Rafts In 1994 — Here's How They Are Faring 20 Years Later

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cuban raft exodus

Since the rise of the Fidel Castro in 1959, millions of Cuban citizens have tried to illegally gain entrance to the United States, seeking refuge from the regime. Many of these people have attempted to enter the US using makeshift rafts to travel the treacherous 332 miles of water between Cuba and Miami. A great many have died along the way.

The emigrations reached a fever pitch in 1994 when Castro heightened restrictions on leaving, and the US Coastguard intercepted more than 31,000 Cubans during August and September of that year. Yet large numbers of exiles were not discovered and successfully made it Miami. Many of them still live in the city to this day.

Now, 20 years after one of the largest influxes of Cubans to the US ever, Reuters photographer Enrique de la Osa visited Miami and tracked down many of those refugees, photographing them and seeing what became of them after their perilous journeys.

Hanoi Lopez, 39, is seen here in the yard where he works as mechanic at a public school bus company in Miami.



Luis Soler, 53, is seen here with the two Emmy awards he won as creative director at the Univision TV network. Soler said he spent five days adrift with other migrants in 1994 before being picked up by the U.S. Coast Guard.



Faustino Jose, 60, now owns his own jewelry store. Faustino, who was an industrial engineer in Cuba, said he studied all of Thor Heyerdahl's books about rafting before building his own and leaving Cuba.



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Here's What Happens To Your Body If You Stop Eating

Manhattan's New Most Expensive Townhouse Just Hit The Market For $63 Million

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24 East 81st street townhouse most expensive

New York’s new most expensive townhouse has hit the market for $63 million, real estate website Curbed is reporting.

The six-story mansion has 17,850 square feet, 10 bedrooms, eight fireplaces, an elevator, and a total of 25 rooms. 

24 East 81st street townhouse most expensiveIt also has 2,300 exterior square feet, huge windows, and tall ceilings.

The house was originally built as a single-family residence, but has since been split up into six separate units, according to Curbed, with the restaurant Crown occupying the ground floor.

24 East 81st street townhouse most expensiveThe home was designed in 1900 by New York-based architectural firm Buchman & Fox and developer Jeremiah C. Lyons.

24 East 81st street townhouse most expensiveThe previous record holder for priciest townhouse in New York was the Harkness Mansion on East 75th Street, which sold for $53 million to private equity mogul J. Christoper Flowers in 2006 according to The Real Deal

Corcoran Group’s Carrie Chiang has the listing together with Brown Harris Stevens’ John Burger and Daniela Rivoir

24 East 81st street townhouse most expensive

SEE ALSO: An 11-Acre Estate In East Hampton Is About To Hit The Market For $140 Million

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Finally, A Folding Electric Bike That Can Easily Fit Inside A Backpack

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Impossible Bike

Foldable bikes have always promised flexibility for bikers. 

But most end up being far too inconvenient to ever use in a city. They are often too expensive, difficult to ride, and too big or heavy to realistically carry around with you. 

It seemed as if finding a bike that is small enough to be portable, and lightweight enough to be carried around was unachievable.

But that’s where the aptly named the ‘impossible’ bike comes in.  

This lightweight bike can be easily folded to fit inside any normal backpack, weighs less than 11 pounds and is a mere 17 inches tall when folded, according to CNET— plus, it's electric. 

Impossible Bike

The designers of the bike realized that the only way to accomplish the challenge of making a bike completely portable was to build an entirely new bike design — one where the frame of the bike was built around circles instead of lines.

So, after three years of development, they created a bike that unfolds through a series of circles in four simple steps: 

Impossible Bike

The bike is made from carbon fiber to ensure that it is extremely lightweight and durable. The connecting box in the frame’s middle is made from steel so that it can actually carry the weight of a person. 

The ‘impossible’ even saves space by combining the function of the bike seat with the carrying case. 

Impossible Bike (updated step 2)

Through these steps, the 'impossible' transforms from a tiny backpack-sized package into a full scale e-bike:

Impossible Bike

The bike doesn’t actually have pedals, which means that if you run out of battery you’re pretty much out of luck. While this may seem like a major drawback, the designers explain that adding pedals or other chain structures would take up more space and make the bike heavier (and thus making it less portable). 

The bike will be built with a brushless electric motor and will be able to travel up to 12.4 mph for 45 minutes.

At slower speeds, the bike can take a person about 15.6 miles before it needs a recharge, which is far longer than most urban commutes. The designers will also be making extra batteries available, so if you ever run out of battery on the bike, “you always can fold it into your backpack and walk to a close-by coffee shop,” to recharge, according to the Kickstarter page

Other difficulties include the small wheels (which might pose a problem for commuters who face difficult road conditions like potholes) and that the bike has a weight limit of 180 pounds. 

But overall, this seems like a pretty clever design for urban commuters. It would be perfect for getting around between public transport, or just for those exhausting days when walking home seems like an unachievable feat.  

The 'impossible' will be available in three packages: white, black, and original carbon fiber color. The limited edition carbon fiber Kickstarter model will sell for $530 and will be shipped in August 2015. 

For more information about the ‘impossible,’ check out the kickstarter page here

SEE ALSO: A Company Has Designed The Ultimate Urban Bike

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13 Staggering Photos Of Buffalo's Historic Snowstorm

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snowstorm

Snowfall in Buffalo broke records this week, with the city getting more snow in two days than it typically does in a year.

More than six feet of snow has barricaded people in their homes and stranded them in their cars. The weight of the snow has already caused 30 roofs to collapse, and 13 people have died from either exposure or heart attacks.

Buffalo residents aren't usually fazed by snow. But the severity of this storm has caught many by surprise. 

"This is western New York; we’re used to it,” Jack Fasanella, 62, a lifelong Buffalonian, told the New York Times. “But this is the worst I’ve ever seen. Even worse than the blizzard of ’77.”

The photos out of Buffalo are staggering.

In just the first snowstorm of the winter, Buffalo already saw eight feet of snow in three days.



While it's not official yet, this snowstorm may be the worst in Buffalo's history. The previous record for a single day in Buffalo is 33.9 inches on Dec. 10, 1995, NOAA reports. On Wednesday, 65 inches was reported in the Buffalo suburb of Cheektowaga.




Not only was the snowstorm epic, but along with it came lightning. Buffalo news is reporting at least seven strikes during the storm.



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Your Facebook App Is Quietly Clogging Up Your iPhone

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We discovered that the Facebook app for the iPhone is taking up way too much space on your phone. The video above explains in much more depth and tells you how to solve the problem, but it's still annoying.

Update: Facebook sent us additional information on how it's addressing the problem: "Photos and videos account for most of the data we store, and we made a recent update to get smarter about when to delete old photos from the device that aren’t being used anymore. We also made an update in v18 of our app to clear out cached web pages after the web page cache reaches 25 megabytes."

Produced by Matthew Stuart. Special thanks to Matt Johnston.

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Here's What The Last Few Months Have Been Like For Your Thanksgiving Turkey ...

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happy turkey

It's almost turkey time.

Millions of Americans will soon be diving into the big bird, smothering it with gravy or cranberry sauce or both.

Many will also face the scornful stare of their vegetarian cousin, silently asking, "Do you know how that turkey got here?"

We can assure you: You don't want to know.

From conception to carcass, here's the short, hellish life-cycle of some industry-produced turkeys.

Not the most romantic beginning...

Domestic turkeys aren't interested in sex, and even if they were, the size of their breasts would make it impossible.

To get around this problem, major turkey breeders rely on artificial breeding, which often takes place at separate artificial insemination facilities.

According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, the process involves "stimulating the copulatory organ by massaging the abdomen and the back over the testes ... pushing the tail forward with one hand and, at the same time, using the thumb and forefinger of the same hand to 'milk' semen from the ducts of the organ."

Subsequently, the turkey semen is propelled into the oviduct via syringe. The semen produced by one male bird — a "tom" — can usually inseminate several hens.

Photo: Farm Sanctuary



Next, keep knocking up the same hen again and again...

As soon as a hen lays an egg — within one or two days — the breeders inseminate her again. She can keep this up for around 25 weeks, at which point she is "spent," says the National Turkey Federation.

Some breeders then ship off these hens to be processed for meat. Others take time to recondition the hen for another round of breeding.

The so-called "molting" (rehabilitation) of a turkey hen takes a leisurely 90 days, according to the NFT. Force-molting is much faster, however, and involves a 72-hour trauma in a completely dark room with no food or water, according to the Humane Society. This resets the hen, and she is ready to be knocked up again.



Then it's on to the hatchery

As soon as an egg hits the hay, inseminators ship it off to a separate facility for hatching.

At the hatchery, thousands of eggs are put in large incubators, set for high speed with bright lights and optimal heat and humidity, according to the Humane Society.

Turkey eggs hatch in less than a month.



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You Can Sleep In A Giant Dog For $98 A Night On Airbnb

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dog airbnbAirbnb prides itself on offering an alternative experience for travelers, and this listing in rural Cottonwood, Idaho is certainly unique. 

"Stay in a giant dog!" the listing says. "That's right, it's a beagle-shaped one-unit inn where being in this doghouse is a GOOD thing and comfortable to boot!"

The structure was built by two artists who got their big break selling wooden dog carvings on QVC. They used the money they made to build the Dog Bark Park, where they continue to make dog carvings

The inn sleeps four and includes a continental breakfast and free parking. One night's lodging costs $98 — a small price to pay for a stay in the belly of a giant beagle. Dogs are welcome.

Once you go inside, you'll see dog memorabilia everywhere.

dog airbnbYou can catch up on some reading in this cozy nook.

dog airbnbThere's even a giant red fire hydrant in the front yard.

dog airbnbDon't forget to stop by the gift shop on the way out.

dog airbnb

SEE ALSO: Airbnb Is Releasing Its Own Print Magazine — Here's What It Looks Like Inside

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The Best 'Cheap Eats' In Chicago

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smoque brisket

Eating in big cities is hardly ever inexpensive. A good meal at a top-rated restaurant is a quick way to empty your wallet.

But every city has its own quiet, inexpensive gems that produce great food at cheap prices.

The food experts at restaurant review site The Infatuation put together a list of the best "cheap eats" in Chicago. 

A unique blend of barbeque, continental, Asian cuisine, and more will leave you drooling.

Cemitas Pueblas has two locations that serve authentic Mexican dishes.

817 West Fulton Market/ 3619 West North Avenue

With one location in the West Loop and one in Humboldt Park, Cemitas Pueblas specializes in cemitas, Mexican sandwiches with egg bread and sesame seeds containing varieties of meat, cheese, and vegetables.

Their famous Cemita Atomica has marinated pork, ham, and milanesa with avocado, chipotle sauce, and an abundance of Oaxacan cheese and costs $11. Their highly touted tacos only cost $2-3. 



Cafecito serves traditional Cuban sandwiches and platters.

26 E. Congress Pkwy.

Cafecito's specialty is the Cubano sandwich — the traditional Cuban sandwich with roasted pork, ham, Swiss, pickles, and mustard. Also recommended is their twist on the Cuban, the Guava Q Sandwich, which combines roasted pork with barbeque sauce and caramelized onions to give it a tangy flavor. Sandwiches only range between $5-6

For something lighter, order some plantains or just grab a Cuban coffee or cafe con leche. 



Crisp specializes in Korean barbeque and Asian fusion.

2940 N. Broadway

Crisp's unapologetic, hearty Asian fusion and Korean barbeque draws rave reviews for their friend chicken and wings. The Seoul Sassy Fried Chicken Prices boasts their "sassy" sauce, a combination of soy, ginger, garlic, and spices costing $8.95 for a half or $14.95 for a whole.

Their lighter Buddha Bowls allow diners to choose a variation of marinated vegetables on top of rice and fried egg for $7-10. 

 



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Scientists Just Figured Out How To Serve Espresso In Space

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Coffee giant Lavazza has teamed up with the Italian Space Agency and a Turin-based engineering company, Argotech, to design the ISSpresso machine – a space espresso machine that will brew better coffee for astronauts in orbit.

Produced by Alex Kuzoian. Narrated by Alana Kakoyiannis. Video courtesy of Associated Press.

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The Sleek Panther Drone Is The Perfect Way To Start Flying [55% Off]

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pantherdrone

Drones have been one of the most popular topics this year, and the Panther Spy Drone is a great way to start flying. It comes with a camera for photos and video, so you can take a family portrait, or film that backyard football game before Thanksgiving dinner. 

drone camera

The drone is lightweight and the blades are encased so you don't have to worry about inflicting damage as you learn to fly.  It's powered by 4 AA batteries and it comes with a 1GB micro SD.

Get 55% off The Panther Drone ($110).

Full specs below:

  • 2.4GHz transmitter allows incredible range without radio interference
  • 4.5 channel radio control for full 3D flight capabilities
  • LCD display on transmitter shows signal strength, battery level, channel display, and trim display data 
  • Bottom mounted adjustable camera captures imagery/video footage to micro SD card
  • Built-in gyro stabilization equals stability + agility
  • 360 degree flip stunt mode
  • 22.5"L x 23"W x 4"H
  • Rotor diameter: 7.75 Inches

Get 55% off The Panther Drone ($110).

SEE ALSO:  This Smartphone Breathalyzer Will Keep You From Embarrassing Yourself At The Company Party [14% Off]

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15 Things Successful People Do In Their 20s

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20sYour 20s are a time of major transitions.

The choices you make in this critical decade lay the foundation for your career, relationships, health, and well-being.

While nothing can replace learning through firsthand experience, you can save some stress by listening to those who have already been through it.

We've scoured our archives and the web to find the best advice for how to make your 20s as enjoyable and productive as possible.

Here are 15 things that successful people do in their 20s:

1. They learn to manage their time.

When you're just starting to build your career, it can be difficult to arrange your days for maximum productivity.

As Étienne Garbugli, a Montreal-based entrepreneur and author, explains in his presentation "26 Time Management Hacks I Wish I'd Known At 20," setting deadlines for everything you're working on and avoiding multitasking are two keys to effectively managing your time.

2. They don't prioritize money above all else.

While there are those who spend their 20s drifting without direction, there are others who are so afraid of failure that they take a job solely because it provides a comfortable paycheck. But, says Quora user Rich Tatum, that job you're not interested in quickly becomes a career, and by the time you're 30, it's a lot harder to start pursuing your passion.

The key, says author Cal Newport, is to pursue something that you're passionate about and is valuable to employers.

3. They save.

A Bankrate survey of 1,003 people found that 69% of those ages 18-29 had no retirement savings at all. Twenty-somethings who don't have enough foresight to recognize that one day they're going to retire and need money to live on are missing out on years of money gained through interest.

Entrepreneur Aditya Rathnam says there's no need to start investing too much, since you're just starting your career, but it's essential to take advantage of your company's 401(k) matching program, if one is available, and/or open an IRA account.

4. They develop a debt repayment plan.

handful credit cards

Seventy percent of college students graduated with an average of $30,000 in student loan debt last year, but that doesn't mean that debt is somehow a badge of adulthood.

Debt will start to haunt you, says Quora user Thea Pilarczyk. Develop a repayment plan that lets you pay off your loans as quickly as you are able to and is within your means, and use credit cards to build credit, not pay for things you can't afford.

5. They take care of their health.

As each year goes by, it becomes harder to start a sustained exercise regimen, and harder still to recover from a late night of drinking.

While you're still young, says Quora user Mo Seetubtim, develop healthy habits that will set you up for the next phase of life. Enjoy your vices in moderation, eat well, and choose a workout over a happy hour now and then.

6. They're persistent.

If you're an ambitious 20-something who thinks that adulthood means having things figured out, then getting fired from a job, ending a serious relationship, or having your company fail can be devastating. But the truly successful are able to learn from what went wrong and move forward all the wiser.

"Getting fired and waking up the next day as usual made me realize that failure isn't the end of the world. Getting dumped taught me the difference between a good and a bad relationship, something I already knew inside but refused to accept until the bad relationship was over," says Carolyn Cho on Quora.

7. They don't try to please everyone.

Your 20s are a time to start building a network that will establish a foundation for your career. If you know that, it's a good idea to be on friendly terms with your boss, clients, and all of your coworkers. Eventually, however, you're going to meet people you don't like and those who don't like you. That's normal, and not a sign that you should change yourself, as long as everything else is going well.

"Inevitably, someone will always dislike you. I wish I had figured this out a lot earlier and stopped trying so hard and worrying so much about it," says Cho.

8. They're flexible.

While it's good to set career goals that keep you focused and motivated, you should avoid getting caught up in intricate five-year plans, Joe Choi says on Quora.

Author and investor James Altucher says that one of the main problems he's found among people in their 20s is that they get caught up in absolutes. He recommends keeping yourself flexible and open to new experiences. There's a good chance that the ideal life you envisioned for yourself at age 20 doesn't resemble the one that ultimately makes you happy at age 30.

9. They keep learning.

Degrees from elite universities may make you smarter and help your reputation, but they won't count for much if you don't keep learning as you go.

Read as much as you can about your industry, and learn to develop skills that you probably never would study in a classroom like "the abilities to assimilate, communicate, and persuade," Tatum says.

10. They travel as much as possible.

woman sunset beautiful ibiza spain

When you're just starting out, you probably don't have much disposable income. But just because you can't take a week-long ski trip in Switzerland doesn't mean you should confine yourself to the space between work and home.

Your twenties, Shikhar Argawal says on Quora, are a time when "you are mature enough to go out on your own and immature enough to learn from others." Break out of your bubble as much as you can afford to, and don't ignore career opportunities far from home if they arise.

11. They maintain important relationships.

"Your college pals that you think will be your best pals for life? Some will still be there at 40, most will be living their lives doing their thing," says Sutherland Cutter on Quora. As everyone is figuring out their lives, you'll realize that relationships take work to maintain.

It's worth staying in touch with former coworkers and buddies, though. The 1973 study "The Strength of Weak Ties" by Mark Granovetter of Johns Hopkins University found that the weak ties you share with acquaintances are most often the connections that get you ahead, since they have access to different networks and ideas from you.

12. They let things go.

Picking fights and holding grudges will make you miserable, Tatum says, whether that's in your personal or professional life.

You'll realize soon enough that your hard work won't always be recognized, either, Rahul Bhatt writes on Quora. But never let that be an excuse to be lazy or bitter.

13. They think about the impact of their decisions.

You should definitely use the time when you're still single and without kids to take bigger risks than you otherwise would, but that isn't a call to live recklessly.

A decision you make in a few seconds off an emotional impulse "can rob you of years of joy and happiness," Tatum writes.

14. They understand that their parents aren't always right.

Quora user Arpan Roy writes that as he looks back on his 20s, he's come to see that even though he loves his parents and appreciates their advice, it wasn't always the best for him.

As you grow older, you'll come to see your parents less as authority figures and more as people just doing the best they can. "After all, your parents are human, and humans are not correct all the time," Roy says.

15. They're honest.

The deceitful manipulation of others and sucking up to superiors can only take you so far — they're not the keys to a lasting, fruitful career.

"The truth has a way of rearing its ugly head, so the sooner you can come to integrity with yourself and the world at large, the sooner you'll be able to get working towards what you really want, who you really want to be," Arjuna Perkins says.

SEE ALSO: How Jimmy Fallon Made It To 'The Tonight Show' Through Exceptional Networking

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These Amazing Color Photos Of The Hindenburg Zeppelin Show What Luxury Air Travel Was Like 80 Years Ago

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Hindenburg Color Interior

Before the modern jumbo jet and its first class suites, the biggest and grandest thing in luxury air travel was the German Zeppelin Airship.

Of all the massive Zeppelin's constructed, the most famous was the Hindenburg. The Hindenburg was designed to ferry passengers across the Atlantic in serenity, with the dirigible floating smoothly through the clouds.  

The Hindenburg was the first of two "Hindenburg" Class airships constructed by the Zeppelin Company. Construction of the airship began in 1931 and was completed in 1936. The Hindenburg, along with its highly successful predecessor, the Graf Zeppelin, made numerous trans-Atlantic crossings in their brief but illustrious careers.

Constructed out of an aluminum alloy called duralumin, the Hindenburg's massive frame work was filled with 7 tons of hydrogen. Hydrogen is much lighter than air, and allows the massive Zeppelin to carry more people in greater levels of luxury. However, with an ignition source, an oxidizer, and right concentration, hydrogen can also be incredibly flammable.

The Hindenburg entered passenger service in May of 1936 and carrier up 50 passengers in luxury across the Atlantic.

The legend of the Hindenburg's luxurious amenities are well know, but most have not seen them in living color. So take the opportunity to check out these wonderful photos of the Zeppelin's passengers spaces courtesy of airships.net and the German Federal Archive

Prior to the age of the airliner, Zeppelin airships ruled the skies over the north Atlantic — connecting cities like New York with Western Europe. Zeppelin's fleet of airships included such colossal creations like the Graf Zeppelin and the Hindenburg (seen here) along with the less famous Graf Zeppelin II.



In fact, here's a photo of Business Insider's world headquarters taken from the Graf Zeppelin in 1929.



The most well known of the Zeppelin airships was named after former German President Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg.



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Here's What It Will Feel Like To Ride The World's Tallest Roller Coaster

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Developers David and Joshua Wallack are set to build a 570-foot vertical coaster, which will be the tallest in the world, at International Drive and Sand Lake Road in Orlando. The ride will be known as "The Skyscraper" and will be built on 12 acres around a Skyplex, which will feature other entertainment and shops. The coaster is scheduled to open in 2017.

Produced by Devan Joseph. Video courtesy of Skyplex.

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30 Uplifting Photos Of Entrepreneurs In The Developing World

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2014_Smallholder_Tanzania

Boatmen in India, brick makers in Peru, and fishermen in the United Arab Emirates  these are just a few of the low-income entrepreneurs who make developing countries run.

While their income doesn't always factor into the GDP, they undoubtedly contribute to the world economy. These business owners are also the ones who stand to benefit the most from microfinance, the practice of lending small amounts of money at low interest rates to those in the developing world.

It also encompasses those organizations working to improve business owners access to banks, loans, credit, and insurance.

Every year, the Consultative Group To Assist The Poor (CGAP) hosts a photo contest asking entrants to submit photos based around the idea of microfinance. The purpose of the contest is to give amateur and professional photographers a chance to show the different ways that poor households make their lives better through financial inclusion. 

Housed at the World Bank, CGAP is an advocacy group that works with development agencies, foundations, and national governments to advance the lives of the poor by improving their access to microfinance. CGAP has just announced the winners to its 2014 photo contest. CGAP shared a selection of the winners with us here, but you can learn more about their organization here.

GRAND PRIZE: This cormorant fisherman uses trained birds to fish in the river for him. He is also a local tour guide.



SECOND PRIZE: This old man maintains a gramophone repair shop in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. He earns a decent living.



THIRD PRIZE: This woman helps harvest on a farm in Tanzania. The farm is partly funded by the One Acre Fund, which helps small farmers grow their way out of poverty with training and financing.



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Watch A Bunch Of Second Graders React To The New 'Average' Barbie

Here's Why Sriracha Tastes Good On Everything

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sriracha factory lineupBI Answers: Why does Sriracha sauce taste so good?

It adds kick to scrambled eggs, looks pretty on pasta, and even tastes good on pizza. Rumors that its southern California factory was closing spurned frightened fans to storm grocery stores and stockpile it by the box. An outside company even came out with keychain-size bottles of the stuff so devotees could squirt it on their favorite foods on the go.

But what explains our near-universal infatuation with Sriracha? As the American Chemical Society points out a recent video, it's all about the chemistry.

Sriracha's taste comes from five main ingredients: ground up red chile peppers, vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and sugar. It's so simple you can even make it at home.

sriracha ingredientsBut only one is responsible for its kick — the peppers.

Their sweet burn is what makes us all swoon — quite literally — for the sauce.

The peppers used in Sriracha contain two molecules in the capsaicin family that trigger the production of a special protein in our mouths. That protein, called TRPV1, is designed to respond to hotter-than-boiling temperatures by triggering the release of pain-killing molecules called endorphins — the same feel-good chemicals that get released when we exercise, eat chocolate, or have sex.

sriracha capsaicinIn other words, for people who like spicy food, Sriracha does more than simply taste good. It feels good, too.

But how spicy is Sriracha? And why does it heat up our mouths but not make our eyes water like wasabi or hot mustard?

According to the scoville scale, which ranks spicy foods based on how much they would need to be diluted by a solution of water and sugar to make their heat undetectable, Sriracha is somewhere in the mild-to-medium range. With a scoville ranking of 1,000 to 2,500 (depending on the patch of peppers your bottle came from), Sriracha ranks slightly more timid than Tabasco, which has a ranking of 2,500 to 5,000 scoville.

A pure habanero pepper, by comparison, clocks in at 350,000. Two of the world's hottest peppers rank far higher — the aptly named Trinidad Moruga Scorpion and Carolina Reaper rank somewhere between 1.5 million and 2 million scoville.

Sriracha's heat comes from a class of heavy molecules that mostly stay in your mouth. Wasabi and hot mustard, on the other hand, are made up of smaller, lighter molecules. These waft into your nasal cavity, where they make your nose burn and bring tears to your eyes. So even people who don't love the eye-watering heat of other spicy condiments might like Sriracha because it's a different kind of spice.

If it's still too spicy for you, though, and you can't finish the bottle, don't worry, because Sriracha basically never goes bad thanks to a few magical ingredients.

sriracha preservativeThis post is part of a continuing series that answers all of your "why" questions related to science. Have your own question? Email science@businessinsider.com with the subject line "Q&A"; tweet your question to @BI_Science; or post to our Facebook page.


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